Can Coach Ferentz top the Orange Bowl win?

ChosenChildren

ChosenChildren

Well-Known Member
I really thought the Orange Bowl victory was the pinnacle of Captain K's career at Iowa.

What is the next mountain for him and his team to conquer?

Is it possible for Iowa to win a national championship? Is that even realistic?

Would it be a Rose Bowl win?

What are your thoughts?
 
A Rose Bowl win and a national championship are both very possible for this program, although the offense will need to be far more consistent than it has been the past couple of years for that to happen.

I think all the pieces are there for a very special year next year.
 
Rose Bowl and NC are definitely possible...the question will be, is Iowa deep enough to overcome early defections to the NFL? In the past the answer has always been "No"...but this could be the deepest Iowa team in the modern history of the program...wouldn't hurt to have Seantrel Henderson be a surprise commit come February either.

Modern history= Fry/Ferentz era
 
I do agree that a Rose Bowl win would be right at the top of list. I think we would have been there this year if Stanzi had not been injured. We really were the best team in the Big Ten and proved it in the Orange Bowl.
 
Here's how I would rank them. If Kirk accomplishes 1, 2, or 3, I would consider it "topping" the Orange Bowl win.

1. mNC win (not yet)
2. Rose Bowl win (not since 1958)
3. outright Big Ten championship (not since 1985)
4. any other BCS win (2009)
5. Big Ten co-championship (2002, 2004)
 
People that make the statement "Kirk's never won an outright B10 Championship" statement bug me. He wen't undefeated in the B10. That's something Hayden never accomplished. He didn't write the schedule that year. All he could controll was going out there and winning every game, which he did. The 2002 B10 title wasn't any less impressive or meaningful because OSU also went undeafeated.
 
Iowa was perhaps one face mask and one Bogus Horse collar and chip shot field goal from playing for the National Championship in 2009............yes, this year.

It is amazing to me, how some cannot see the forest for the trees. Iowa was very, very close to pulling off the Big Enchilada, this year. The Iowa Hawkeyes, in January 2010, were certainly capable of beating ANY team in America.
 
It'll take luck. We received a lot of luck this year (Indiana, UNI) I'll throw in the Michigan St game too as a toss-up. We were also fortunate in the game at Happy Valley. If we had to play there 10 times this year we'd win about 5. So we won that coin flip. At the same token, we also unfortunate with injuries at the RB position and OL position throughout the year.

I think we can win the Rose Bowl next year, but I don't think we'll have the offensive line to win a National Championship. We have to beat Ohio State in Kinnick, and then get some luck on the injury and close game front.

Many of the teams who make a BCS bowl were the beneficiaries of some luck throughout the year. The parity in college football makes it almost impossible to not need some luck.


But I'm a firm believer that "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."
 
DeanMarshall said:
Iowa was perhaps one face mask and one Bogus Horse collar and chip shot field goal from playing for the National Championship in 2009............yes, this year.

It is amazing to me, how some cannot see the forest for the trees. Iowa was very, very close to pulling off the Big Enchilada, this year. The Iowa Hawkeyes, in January 2010, were certainly capable of beating ANY team in America.
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Dean, I agree with you 100%. Somehow I read people who still say things like "We will never be an elite program" or "we will never be in x team's class". This year, Iowa was as good as any team in the country. The odds are long for anyone to win a NC, you have to have a lot of things go your way. I think Iowa has as good a chance as anyone in 2010 to win the NC. But more importantly if they don't, if they can continue to improve year in and year out and continue to solidify Iowa as a top notch program that will only help in years to come.
 
HawkKing81 said:
Dean, I agree with you 100%. Somehow I read people who still say things like "We will never be an elite program" or "we will never be in x team's class". This year, Iowa was as good as any team in the country. The odds are long for anyone to win a NC, you have to have a lot of things go your way. I think Iowa has as good a chance as anyone in 2010 to win the NC. But more importantly if they don't, if they can continue to improve year in and year out and continue to solidify Iowa as a top notch program that will only help in years to come.
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Iowa was also two miraculous kick blocks, ans one miraculous interception return from going 8-4 and winding up in the Outback Bowl.

Iowa can compete for a National Championship, but it is not likely, particularly with a rebuilt offensive line. A Big 10 title should absolutely be the goal for the Hawks, then worry about a NC.
 
GhostofBTT said:
Iowa was also two miraculous kick blocks, ans one miraculous interception return from going 8-4 and winding up in the Outback Bowl.

Iowa can compete for a National Championship, but it is not likely, particularly with a rebuilt offensive line. A Big 10 title should absolutely be the goal for the Hawks, then worry about a NC.
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And don't forget about one fantastic goal line catch against Michigan State with time expiring.
 
GhostofBTT said:
Iowa was also two miraculous kick blocks, ans one miraculous interception return from going 8-4 and winding up in the Outback Bowl.

Iowa can compete for a National Championship, but it is not likely, particularly with a rebuilt offensive line. A Big 10 title should absolutely be the goal for the Hawks, then worry about a NC.
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Alabama had to have 2 block kicks to win as well, and had to have Colt McCoy get hurt. Alabama however didn't have to overcome the injuries that Iowa did, nor did they have to play the road schedule that Iowa did.

Of course a Big 10 title should be the goal for Iowa, just like it is for Ohio State. But Ohio State also has dreams of a NC. Why should they be anymore optimistic than Iowa?

Look, I am a realist. I realize that everything has to go right for Iowa to win the NC, but it has to go right for whoever wins it. I realize that a NC isn't likely, but it isn't likely for any team.

One more thing...not that it means much, but I saw Vegas was giving Iowa 20/1 odds to win the NC next year. They gave Alabama 23/1 this year.
 
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GhostofBTT said:
Iowa was also two miraculous kick blocks, ans one miraculous interception return from going 8-4 and winding up in the Outback Bowl.

Iowa can compete for a National Championship, but it is not likely, particularly with a rebuilt offensive line. A Big 10 title should absolutely be the goal for the Hawks, then worry about a NC.
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And also a ankle injury away from undefeated, it's all about the way you look at it.
 
Yea with all the talent we have next year, Rose or NT would be awesome. Not that I wouldn't be happy with a top tier bowl or another bcs game.
 
The good news is that Captain K has us back in mix for Big Ten titles, elite bowl games, etc.

We should enjoy the ride and not take it for granted.
 
The Orange Bowl win was a biggie! A Rose Bowl is possible & we have not won one in 50 years! We would have to get by OSU to have any hope of a Rose Bowl and if you haven't noticed they will be loaded next year!! This was a historical year & except for the injury to Rick in the NW game almost all of the breaks went our way! If we had lost the UNI game a 7-5 8-4 record was realistic!!
 
oldturkey said:
The Orange Bowl win was a biggie! A Rose Bowl is possible & we have not won one in 50 years! We would have to get by OSU to have any hope of a Rose Bowl and if you haven't noticed they will be loaded next year!! This was a historical year & except for the injury to Rick in the NW game almost all of the breaks went our way! If we had lost the UNI game a 7-5 8-4 record was realistic!!
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Good teams find ways to win when they have not played very well.

Alabama blocked a last second field goal to earn the right to play in the NC game.

Iowa blocked two of them to set up the season for a BCS bowl invite. Two blocked field goals in succession has never been done in Division 1 college football until Iowa did it.

Again, good teams find ways to win.
 
if this team can deal with rebuilding the line the same way they dealt with rebuilding their offensive backfield this year, they have a chance to be something special. our end of the year backfield of wegher/robinson with experience absolutely destroys UNI. oh, and don't forget we had to replace 2 four year starters on the D-line this year--including the 2008 B10 D-lineman of the year--parallels anyone?
 
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