Are we to the point where...

311hawk

311hawk

Well-Known Member
We can reload instead of rebuild? I know we had a pretty bad couple of years in the transition of Fry and Ferentz, but after that we have been very solid.

Is Iowa at a point in CFB were they are no considered to be a big dog, or at least a bigger dog than ever before? We pay our coaches top dollar, been to multiple top teir bowls lately, great facilties that are even getting better. Are we to the point where if we lost Ferentz in a couple of years, we wouldnt miss much of a beat?

Just throwing this out there to see what people think.
 
I don't think so. I still don't think we bring in the top notch talent to just reload with freshman or RS freshman.

However, with Doyle it seems like a many of these kids at Sophomore or RS Sophomore are ready to play big time D1 football.

So as long as we are reloading with players who have 1 or 2 years under their belt I think you could say we just "reload".

We are really off to an excellent start in this recruiting class. If this team goes to another BCS bowl I think we'll land a top 20 class. Rose Bowl and we might be top 15.
 
I'll let you know after the 2011 season. If Iowa has 8+ wins the answer is yes to reloading rather than rebuilding.

To answer your question on how the program would respond if Kirk left in a few years, it depends on who is available. Iowa has the resources to attract very good candidates but the guy must be a good fit.
 
I don't think we are even close to that point. I really think there are only a handful of schools who can make that claim. OSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, USC, ect.

Because we tend to get the recruits(for the most part)that need time to develop, I think we will always have some 7 and 8 win seasons sprinkled in with our 9 and 10 win seasons. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Be proud of what we have, because there are a ton of schools who would probably give anything to be where we are at.
 
I don't think so. I really don't know if we will ever get to that point. Iowa has to work a lot harder to land high quality recruits that Texas, OSU, Michigan, Florida, etc. We are, however, at the point where many of the top players in the country listen when our coaches talk to them. We are not getting a lot of elite prospects (elite by guru standards) yet, but several of them put high on their list and that is a start. If Iowa can continue its strong showings, it should become easier to attract top players, but I do not expect that they will ever just drop into our lap.
 
No. Iowa has to work hard every year to get good kids who fit the program and then get them to execute. I do think that is getting easier as KF gets more public attention for running a solid, clean, successful program that in recent years has done very well on national TV.

For most top athletes, though, Iowa is not a destination school and Iowa City is not a destination city.

Two things cause me to temper my very high and strong enthusiasm for the coming season and the future of the program: (1) Too many games were too close last year. Save for a tipped ball or two, a last second goalline catch, an interception or two (made and not made), we have at least two or three more losses and are not playing in a BCS game. (2) Success in Iowa football reminds me of the accordian effect you get driving a busy interstate behind an accident 10 miles ahead: at some points you're sitting still or inching forward; at others you get up to 40-50 mph before you hit the bunched up traffic ahead and are back to stopping or slowing down to a crawl. It's that way until you get well past the accident site. Some years for Hawkeye football are better than others; and just when we think it's clear sailing ahead, along comes the inevitable road bump.
 
I think that our offense will be better in 2011 than this year, and 2012 better than 2011. I'd say that would be one sign that we are reloading. Just my opinion though.
 
311hawk said:
We can reload instead of rebuild? I know we had a pretty bad couple of years in the transition of Fry and Ferentz, but after that we have been very solid.

Is Iowa at a point in CFB were they are no considered to be a big dog, or at least a bigger dog than ever before? We pay our coaches top dollar, been to multiple top teir bowls lately, great facilties that are even getting better. Are we to the point where if we lost Ferentz in a couple of years, we wouldnt miss much of a beat?

Just throwing this out there to see what people think.
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No school ever gets to that point, IMO. One bad hire can destroy a school's reputation (at least short-term). Just ask Michigan and Nebraska.
 
I think Iowa is going to be a team where 7-5's are going to happen and fans are going to have to accept that as long as Kirk is the coach. One thing that is different from Kirk's time then Hayden's time is the lack of turnover on the staff. Its definitely an exciting time for Hawk fans and we all hope it continues for the next 200 years.
 
Good interview, but man those callers are really country. I don't know how they have internet radio, but still don't believe that dang ol' internet will ever catch on.

lol... wrong thread.
 
burky247 said:
I don't think we are even close to that point. I really think there are only a handful of schools who can make that claim. OSU, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, USC, ect.
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Even a few of those schools listed have had "bad" years recently.

Okie had a sub par year last year (a little can be blamed on injuries)
tOSU in 2004 (if you can call an 8-4 year bad)
USC last year (again 9-4)

Texas is about the only school that hasn't had at least a small one year step back.



As for Iowa I don't think they are close and don't ever think they will get there, sure there will be some nice runs but to not expect a 7-5 or 6-6 season every now and again is asking quite a bit.

Hell look at last year, one could make the case we easily should have lost to UNI, Michigan, MSU, and Indiana if not for one play here or there.
 
Clark said:
I'll let you know after the 2011 season. If Iowa has 8+ wins the answer is yes to reloading rather than rebuilding.

To answer your question on how the program would respond if Kirk left in a few years, it depends on who is available. Iowa has the resources to attract very good candidates but the guy must be a good fit.
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That was my initial thought too. The 2011 season will be rather telling. If our O can come out of the gate fast (like I think its capable of doing) and if the D can get up to speed rather quickly .... then that would go a long ways to showing whether our squad rebuilds or reloads.

Another issue that I think factors in is attrition. If we can reduce attrition and continue to have great success developing players ... then I don't think that Iowa necessarily has to rely upon recruiting "stars" in order to reload. Of course, that being said ... I do believe that now since we're seemingly back to our winning ways ... I expect that our recruiting will get a nice boost. If our 2010 and 2011 (so far) recruiting classes are any indication ... our winning seasons are already having a very positive impact on recruiting.
 
hoffahawk said:
Even a few of those schools listed have had "bad" years recently.

Okie had a sub par year last year (a little can be blamed on injuries)
tOSU in 2004 (if you can call an 8-4 year bad)
USC last year (again 9-4)

Texas is about the only school that hasn't had at least a small one year step back.

As for Iowa I don't think they are close and don't ever think they will get there, sure there will be some nice runs but to not expect a 7-5 or 6-6 season every now and again is asking quite a bit.

Hell look at last year, one could make the case we easily should have lost to UNI, Michigan, MSU, and Indiana if not for one play here or there.
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I think that a big part of that is due to the fact that Iowa needs to continue to build quality depth. With a little less attrition to go along with our continued strides in recruiting ... I think that it's possible for 6-6 seasons to be more of a thing of the past.

However, with the above said, it will be VERY interesting to see how the dynamic changes in the Big 10 with the addition of Nebraska. Maybe Jon and others are right in asserting that 8-4 might end up being the new 10-2. We'll see ....
 
I don't think we're at the point of reloading compared to rebuilding. Part of me definitely thinks it all hinges on recruiting and player development - if IA continually recruits players that take significant development (1-2 years), I think it's definitely more challening to reload. If we start getting players that can develop in under 1 year (they come in, RS for a season and are ready their RS FR season), then I think we'll definitely be closer. If we get more players like CJ that are almost ready to play when they step foot on campus, we'll definitely be closer to the reloading label. Also, kids generally seem more developed and college ready every year, and more players seem to fit this description every year. Remember it takes a certain type of kid willing to play (and even visit for a recruiting trip) in IA City, and it may be a bit tough for IA to continually get those higher-ranking players.

One thing I'll add though, is that while I love the double-digit win seasons, I'm not ashamed or too bothered by the occasional 6-6 or 7-5. I truthfully never want IA fans to become a fan base where people ***** and complain about going 8-4 (unless we're seemingly loaded...like maybe 2010). Think about Nebraska's demise - they fired Solich b/c he only won what, 9 games one season? I never want to be that fanbase. And the same goes for the one season OSU had in '04(?) - people were calling for Tressel's head, as many were after the loss to Purdue last year. I never want to be the fanbase that takes winning for granted, which is a place I think some of us were during the '07 season (debacle). And I hope many of us learned (and don't forget) that winning doesn't come easy - we're IA - nothing seems/comes easy, and I don't think we'd know how to act if something did.
 
Pretty good points made in this thread.

I guess at what point do programs turn from good year in and out to elite. A lot of programs were down, then elite, then down again. Off the top of my head i can think of Florida St., Nebraska
 
Definitely not to reloading yet. The best Iowa teams usually showcase some kids who just flat rose to the top through hard work and great development. Years when you have a Sanders, Clark, Gallery, Greenway, etc. all come together at once just can't be expected or counted on.

SG, Pat, Amari, Meyers etc. are similar successes but much as we want to think it will be a never ending process you just never know. I doubt any of the coaches would have predicted the success some of these names would have when they stepped on campus. We have to have kids who get beyond the level of reasonable expectations for our program to be a top tier team. Our coaches do a great job, but some years we may not be able to put a special group of kids together.

Above all else we have to stay healthy. In a program like ours where we live and die with development a couple of key injuries at the wrong spot and/or wrong time can sink our ship. Schools with the 4 and 5 star kids who may not ultimately be any better, but are many closer to being ready to see the field as freshman provide greater depth.

So the long answer is NO
 
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