Brian Ferentz Being Asked Today About Oliver Martin's Playing Time

[BVHawk95]

Why is it that there are so many posters (on this site and others) that criticize KF for his humble and 'not sexy' approach that also criticize BF for being a little more energetic and passionate?

Because a lot of people go frothing at the mouth when they hear "Ferentz". I guarantee you had Frost done the same thing the narrative would be how "fiery" and "passionate" he is.

George Carlin summed it up best.

"Think about how stupid your average person is, and then realize half of them are dumber than that."

 

[GesterHawk]

Agreeing with most of what you said, just not sure you can say that OM probably catches the one in the end zone that Smith dropped.
I don't think we have seen enough in OM's 17 college receptions to crown him the next Sticky-Hands Hinkle.

 

[CP87]

Enough talk about what BF said, as @BVHawk95 points out, people will get irrationally defensive one way or another because his name is Ferentz.

Let's talk about some of the gems from Phil Parker (underlines added by me for emphasis):

Q. D.J. Johnson got beat on the double pass — how do you think he responded and how he grew as a player during that game?
PHIL PARKER: Sometimes you can sit there and tell players and make sure you have eye discipline. With that play, obviously he took his eyes in the wrong spot. Young kids do that. I had a guy, Amari Spievey, I think at Penn State, gave up a 70-yarder on the first play of the game and came back to the bench, had to talk to him a little bit, the way I talk to the guys, and he got back. He came back, and fought.

Q. Would that have bugged you as a player [question referring to being in a bad locker-room at an away game]?
PHIL PARKER: The hardest thing right now is getting the guys to focus on the game of football, right, with everything, social media and things, are we really focused on the right things. It’s about tackling and blocking and getting to the ball. Tackle the guy that has the ball. That’s what my dad said before he died.

“Phil, it’s easy. Just tackle the guy that has the ball.”

“Gotcha.” To me, I think if you focus, like they could have used, example of last week, the storms, oh, we lost the game because of the storm. Well, you could.

But can you be mentally tough enough to go through it and focus on what your task is and I think that’s what our guys are trying to do, be mentally focused.

On the defensive side I try to mentally challenge these guys and especially on the back end, I’m going to mentally attack, address,...and get after these guys so they know the pressure. Because you’ve got to make decisions all the time within five to six seconds, can you make them, when you have to, and can they be the right decision.

So to me I’m always putting pressure on them. I think it’s the fun part about it.

________________________________________________________________________________________

I enjoy that guy.

 

[InGoodCo]

On EPPY
He's been double-teamed all year long, and teams have been scheming two second throws to prevent the bull rush Iowa puts on. Turns out when you don't have a defensive tackle they can shift dudes over to help. I expect him to be winded when he's played 50 plus snaps a game. We didn't rotate anyone in vs ISU.

They don't run his way very often. They don't throw long passes without putting three guys on him, a tackle, a TE, and a back. You can see it happen in the ISU replay when Purdy is throwing from the endzone.

ISU and Rutgers both decided that they weren't going to let AJE beat them, and schemed away from him. Others have to step up, particularly Golston. Eppy has a sack through 3 games and a ton of hurries. He's fine.

Last year, Nelson took up a lot of attention on the line, too, and teams didn't gameplan around a guy who got 25 snaps, max. We were mad that he wasn't in on key passing situations vs NW and Purdue and PSU.

On Martin
He either doesn't know the offense, or is hurt. The guy is a better version of Eddie Hinkel. His first catch was a TD. You have to wonder how a guy goes from 'being able to play all three WR positions' and catching TDs to 'not producing'. It's a fair question to ask. The coaches are not gods, and this isn't Nebraska. The press here aren't just a bunch of jock sniffers. Brian deserves praise for turning the offense around this year; but he needs to expect that question and not be offended by it, and give a more satisfactory answer - 'he's a good kid, we're happy to have him on the team, but the other guys are pretty good too and we went with the hot hands'. A little politeness to say - the other guys are better right now.

Anyway; this is a great problem to have! OM and Eppy will get theirs this year. You can count on it.

I didn't think it was a bad question. He was ready for it. I still see no offense taken by BF. I see nothing unprofessional about his response. They all laughed during the whole thing, BF and the media. I also thought the answer was spot on too. Who is having bad production in the WR corp? He just said he's not going down that road this year and with the Fant deal last season, who can blame him? That sounds like a coach that learned from his mistake.

 

[guffus]

How is Phil Parker not the official head coach in waiting for Iowa. He appears so much more emotionally mature than the average coach.

He appears to be a great communicator and teacher that gives straight forward answers without the snarky attitude.

Kirk should just tell Brian, look I gave you a chance and you blew it with your snarky attitude. I am just going to reccomend they make Phil my successor. Sorry about that.

 

[InGoodCo]

I also think from an organizational standpoint if we set our sights promoting from within this far out it becomes a matter of grooming someone to fit a mold, while ignoring others from outside the program who may be just as capable with better resumes. I think we miss out on the bigger picture if we set our sights on someone this soon.

I personally think a lot has to happen still for BF to be the next Iowa coach. But I am hoping it does. IF KF walked away at the end of this season, I don't think it's BF. Unless it's Rosebowl or playoff type year. Basically I think Iowa has to reach double digit wins for that happen. So, I don't think any sites have been set. Maybe by the fans? Sure. There's no denying that everything looks set up to hand the keys over the BF... but most fans are clueless. There aint anybody who knows what's gonna happen and if they try and act like they do they are full of sh*t.

 

[Jonrn]

I personally think a lot has to happen still for BF to be the next Iowa coach. But I am hoping it does. IF KF walked away at the end of this season, I don't think it's BF. Unless it's Rosebowl or playoff type year. Basically I think Iowa has to reach double digit wins for that happen. So, I don't think any sites have been set. Maybe by the fans? Sure. There's no denying that everything looks set up to hand the keys over the BF... but most fans are clueless. There aint anybody who knows what's gonna happen and if they try and act like they do they are full of sh*t.

The first season in the next 5 years iowa wins 10 games and the offense finishes in the top 30 in the country Brian takes over. Gary and Kirk are waiting for that moment to retire together with the good will of the fan base

 

[InGoodCo]

My opinion is that there are other coaches out there with a more developed resume that may be interested that come from similar cultures. I simply don't think he's ready and feel that he's been working his way up the ladder too quickly to develop the skills necessary to run a program. I would prefer that they hire someone else from within that has more experience (such as Phil Parker), if they chose to fill the position from within or someone who can incorporate new ideas from outside our program (as well as New England) and mold those new philosophies with our existing philosophies which will breath new life into the program.

I simply believe that while the culture can stay intact, I would prefer to see new concepts and ideology incorporated into the program and while Brian has done that thus far I think the mentality that we are operating out of needs to continue to expand and I simply don't think that happens by going promoting Brian. I'd have no problems with coordinators remaining the same, but new life is needed in my opinion, when Kirk calls it a career.

I respect your opinion.....and it's progressive. You don't want to set your sites on something this early. Only time will tell, but... on BF

He's moving up the coaching ranks at the same pace as anyone else imo. What's he gotta do? He's been a position coach in the NFL and in college. Now he's on OC? Exactly what kind of trajectory should he have? It all comes down to his last name period. I get it. I honestly do. People want new things. I just happen to like what we have and also take a look around at other programs on the same footing as Iowa and think... man, I am glad we aren't them. Iowa football does not need new life. It's one of the most consistent winners in the country - is currently in the top 25, finished last season in the top 25. I would like more championships....but for me personally, I am more comfortable with a known commodity then an unknown trying to get us there.

 

[InGoodCo]

I didn't say the game was easy- obviously they're usually solid or better. I said the "road game" aspect was negligible.

you're right, you didn't say that... just felt like you were insinuating it. I won't ever look at NW as not a tough game as long as they have their coach, regardless of year or where it's played. It's just a different time.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Yes. And those that can’t learn to control it don’t earn the opportunity to advance as its a significant part of the position. So not only was he given a position he shouldn’t have been given in the first place, he showed his immaturity and meatheadedness in the pressbox a couple yrs ago but now continues to show he’s not cut out for dad and barta’s “destiny” for him

I dunno. Guess I've never seen a football or basketball coach, college or pro, lose it before.

Thanks for enlightening me.

 

[blubberhawk]

Here’s one for you. Have an edge against the clowns. Have an edge against a top 10 opponent on the road or in a neutral site in September and beat their ass once in your lifetime instead of having it towards a 20 yr old player or a reporter asking an obvious question and doing his job.

Wasn't Iowa State a "top ten" opponent? I work in an office full of Cyclone fans and I could've sworn they all said that ISU was a playoff contender this season.

 

[kicker22]

I respect your opinion.....and it's progressive. You don't want to set your sites on something this early. Only time will tell, but... on BF

He's moving up the coaching ranks at the same pace as anyone else imo. What's he gotta do? He's been a position coach in the NFL and in college. Now he's on OC? Exactly what kind of trajectory should he have? It all comes down to his last name period. I get it. I honestly do. People want new things. I just happen to like what we have and also take a look around at other programs on the same footing as Iowa and think... man, I am glad we aren't them. Iowa football does not need new life. It's one of the most consistent winners in the country - is currently in the top 25, finished last season in the top 25. I would like more championships....but for me personally, I am more comfortable with a known commodity then an unknown trying to get us there.

Definitely a valid point. I guess I should have chosen my wording better. Maybe not necessarily "moved up the ladder" to quickly, but for me, and this is where we differ, I think I'd of rather seen him get more lived experience. I like the thought of the position coach that works under different head coaches at different programs as they develop their careers. I guess to me it isn't necessarily the pace he's climbed, but the fact that his experiences and mentorship has essentially stayed the same as he's progressed. He's worked under the direction of KF and Belichick, who had also previously worked together and has been exposed to a similar style/mentality his entire career.

While those are both exceptional coaches, with an unbelievable array of knowledge, as we all know they are very similar at the core. I simply feel that while he's putting in the work and progressing like everyone else, it may be in his best interest (as well as the interest of the program) to find someone who's equally as experienced (or more experienced) but has developed a coaching portfolio from a number of difference coaches with different methodologies that personalities that have been meshed together over time. If that makes sense.

 

[KCTrainer]

Nobody said he wasn’t right, but the way he answered was ridiculous

You should see some of Saban’s or Dantonio’s Pressers.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

My two cents:

BF's response is being blown waayyyy out of proportion. I think it's one of those things where the reaction to the statement probably is driven primarily by the baseline preconceptions, kind of like what is rampant in politics.

I could see where Brian's personality could turn some people off, and, I'm not defending him at all, but, let's keep it in perspective. It wasn't that egregious. To me, the fit he had in the press box was much more of a concern. He owned it, and (hopefully) learned from it.

This whole thing reminds me of a time a couple of years ago when Kirk was asked about something Brian said. His response was, "He's kind of opinionated if you haven't noticed. Takes after his mother..." Classic Kirk.

 

[oldhawk12]

Sounds like almost every program in the SEC and most Florida programs year in and year out. Is it also not ok for them to do it?

Could care less about that and there are all kinds of teams that play someone including in this conference so save the garbage

 

[HawkGold]

I respect your opinion.....and it's progressive. You don't want to set your sites on something this early. Only time will tell, but... on BF

He's moving up the coaching ranks at the same pace as anyone else imo. What's he gotta do? He's been a position coach in the NFL and in college. Now he's on OC? Exactly what kind of trajectory should he have? It all comes down to his last name period. I get it. I honestly do. People want new things. I just happen to like what we have and also take a look around at other programs on the same footing as Iowa and think... man, I am glad we aren't them. Iowa football does not need new life. It's one of the most consistent winners in the country - is currently in the top 25, finished last season in the top 25. I would like more championships....but for me personally, I am more comfortable with a known commodity then an unknown trying to get us there.

Do you own stocks, mutual funds or is it all in savings?

 

[HawkGold]

My two cents:

BF's response is being blown waayyyy out of proportion. I think it's one of those things where the reaction to the statement probably is driven primarily by the baseline preconceptions, kind of like what is rampant in politics.

I could see where Brian's personality could turn some people off, and, I'm not defending him at all, but, let's keep it in perspective. It wasn't that egregious. To me, the fit he had in the press box was much more of a concern. He owned it, and (hopefully) learned from it.

This whole thing reminds me of a time a couple of years ago when Kirk was asked about something Brian said. His response was, "He's kind of opinionated if you haven't noticed. Takes after his mother..." Classic Kirk.

The issue is that if he was a hc it would be maybe blown out of proportion.

 

[HawkGold]

You should see some of Saban’s or Dantonio’s Pressers.

Those are head coach s.

 

[The Big LeHAWKski]

Not a stretch to imagine an 85 year old GBarta someday announcing another 8-year extension for BF.
I hope and pray that I'm wrong.

 

[SomersHawk]

Wow ya'd think the Hawks were 0-3 the way some react to "the way" he answered the question, never mind the fact his answer was spot on. Screw those type of questions, it only creates strife. For anyone that has ever coached you get sick of hearing "why isn't my kid or this kid playing, blah, blah" pretty quick and your fuse shortens each time. If you haven't been to the practices you have no clue who earned playing time. And ESPECIALLY when the ones playing are producing and the team is winning, what is the basis for your question?

Like him or not Brian is growing and improving and there is a better than good shot he will be next in line someday. I do hope it is more than 5 years down the road because he isn't there yet, and I'm not going to be disappointed if he takes over when he is ready. I too like the Hawkeye Program and want it to live on. At the same time I think right now Kirk may be enjoying coaching maybe more than he ever has so he may be around for quite some time.