Citrus Bowl Game Column

Some excellent points. Thank you Rob!

After the Hawkslayer Bowl against TN, KF did the previously unthinkable and announced Rudock was out and Beathard was in, without any competition in any practices, and the next season the Hawks ran the regular season table.

Unlikely that lightning strikes twice after another blowout loss to TN, but wouldn't it be awesome if KF hires an OC who will be allowed autonomy. and provides assurance that the QB pecking order in the Spring will be McNamara and Lainez.
 
More non-soft balls

Hlas

www.thegazette.com

Again, when the foe was ranked, the ‘23 Hawkeyes were shut out and shut down

The Hawkeyes’ next offensive coordinator is facing a fixer-upper of a unit. Kirk Ferentz needs to let whomever he hires get to fixing.
www.thegazette.com www.thegazette.com

Harty

hawkfanatic.com

Citrus Bowl debacle shows exactly why Beth Goetz took a stand - Hawk Fanatic

By Pat Harty As if we needed to be reminded yet again why Brian Ferentz was fired two months ago, the woeful performance of the Iowa offense in the Citrus Bowl on Monday was more painful evidence why it happened. Iowa was shutout for the second straight game and had just 173 yards in a […]
hawkfanatic.com hawkfanatic.com
 
I think it would have been difficult to find a softball after that performance. It is time for KF to do what he says he does, and critically examine all phases of the program in the offseason, and make the changes necessary to bring the offense back to below average.
 
In addition to finding an OC that can mesh with KF, Iowa needs better player development at QB, WR and on the OL.

The OL was better at times this season but struggled against the better competition, including Monday.

Erick All played six full games and his 299 receiving yards led the team. Hill was inaccurate but he also had a lot of passes dropped. Seth Anderson caught 11 passes for 150 yards.

I won't pretend to know the ins and outs of how Barnett and Copeland are preparing guys at their positions, but this it's not been good enough.

And of all the moves KF made, thinking BF could coach quarterbacks, even with the help of Budmayer, was an awful idea.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
I think it would have been difficult to find a softball after that performance. It is time for KF to do what he says he does, and critically examine all phases of the program in the offseason, and make the changes necessary to bring the offense back to below average.
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I fear Kirk will do what he does every year.
Conclude this is not a scheme problem or a play calling problem.
It is the players who don’t execute that are the problem.
He will rationalize that 10 wins is a success & stay the course.
 
You could have just as easily titled your piece "Hawkeyes' Offense Hits the Economic Ceiling Hard" . After some thought, I think there is an economic factor behind much of the well deserved criticism. I do not know exactly how much Brian has been paid over the past seven years, but I expect it is well over two million dollars, which is a lot more than some will earn in their lifetime. The results against ranked opponents doesn't justify what the University paid Brian and Kirk for, not because they lost but how they have lost. Iowa was not offensively competitive against the upper tier of the Big Ten.

Iowa had an AD that allowed Kirk too much independence in operation of the football program. With only an interim AD I'm not sure how much Beth Goetz will be able to influence Kirk to change but she certainly can stop paying for the ineptitude of the offense and stop extending the head coach's contract.
 
SCHawkeye2 said:
I fear Kirk will do what he does every year.
Conclude this is not a scheme problem or a play calling problem.
It is the players who don’t execute that are the problem.
He will rationalize that 10 wins is a success & stay the course.
Click to expand...

That may qualify as the most accurate post of 2024 so far!
 
RobHowe said:
Iowa needs better player development at QB, WR and on the OL.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree, xir. Many of the guys we have brought in at QB and WR are not even mid-level MAC performers. Line we have had some known recruiting misses and those are what they are, but no amount of development is going to make Petras or Deacon Hill into a good QB and no amount of development is gonna make the majority of WRs we have rolled out the past few years into serviceable P5 players.

If the guy wants to play games in a phone booth I am totally fine with it, but he has to recruit two or three stellar tight ends every year and run an offense unlike anything anyone else does. Throw multiple TE sets at the opposition every week. I am convinced that no credible WR is going to go anywhere near Iowa City for the next few years. These guys want to play in the League and going to Iowa just ain't gonna get them there. But we should be able to credibly get two of the top 10 or 20 guys who project at TE every single year. The guy needs to recruit to our strength.
 
coaches recruit and develop. it's not happening at the positions I mentioned

Charlie Jones was a walk-on. They paid Seth Anderson and Kaleb Brown. Brown has a chance if someone develops him. We'll see how that shakes out.

Do you follow TE recruiting? Is Iowa getting the top kids at that position or developing them? How many offers did Hockenson and LaPorta have?

Was Tyler Linderbaum heavily recruited or developed here?
 
RobHowe said:
coaches recruit and develop. it's not happening at the positions I mentioned

Charlie Jones was a walk-on. They paid Seth Anderson and Kaleb Brown. Brown has a chance if someone develops him. We'll see how that shakes out.

Do you follow TE recruiting? Is Iowa getting the top kids at that position or developing them? How many offers did Hockenson and LaPorta have?

Was Tyler Linderbaum heavily recruited or developed here?
Click to expand...
You are mostly right. That said, there is more natural ability factors that go into WR.

An OL can be brought in, beefed up, taught technique and can be allowed to develop for a few years into a great OL. You only need about a 50% success rate with that process to cobble together a good line. And, the HC is an OL coach and the OC was too. So, they should have the skill of developing 3 star guys into starters and draft picks at the OL.

WR is different. You can't teach a kid to be faster or taller or have freakish ball skills. I agree that Iowa does not develop this position well, but it also does not get great prospects at this position for all the reasons discussed. Development is part of the game, but buying more kids with Brown's skillset is also needed.

QB development? We just need an OC or a QB coach that can do that. That is far and away the number one riddle KF needs to solve if he wants this team to stop being an offensive joke.
 
Like I wrote in my column, there is nuance and context to most discussions. That's true here.

Iowa is not going to land five-star receivers or top guys in the portal at the position unless, perhaps, it throws ridiculous amounts of money at them. Even then, what are the Hawkeyes selling to accomplished guys at the position other than a vision? Iowa has to identify and develop there.

McNutt and DJK were high school quarterbacks and the former started out here as a QB. Martin-Manley was a MAC recruit. ISM, Brandon Smith, Tevaun Smith, Solomon, Hinkel...go down the list of guys that have succeeded at the position here, none were blue chippers with impressive offer lists.

Hopefully some of the guys that have come in during the last few classes will develop. Like I said, I think Kaleb Brown has a high ceiling but he needs to start catching passes daily from the jugs.

I don't know what the heck is going on at OL but we're a long way from Reese Morgan and BF coaching the position. Injuries factor in at every spot. The unit was experienced this season and still looked shaky against good competition with guys who are multiple-year starters.

Agree completely on QB. If Philbin is the hire, a QB coach must be added. I'm out on Budmayr after the last few seasons.
 
When it comes to the skill positions, it's kind of the classic "chicken versus egg" thing. The staff will have to somehow develop some players then hope that improved success will result in improved recruiting, and so on. Unfortunately, for the new OC, that is a hump he will have to surmount to gain some momentum.

Regarding the QB situation, I've been wondering for the last several seasons if our coaching staff puts too much on their plate. We've always run a pro-style offense that requires the QB to make the pre-snap reads, and audible out of the play if necessary. As we have seen over and over, our QBs rarely look comfortable doing so, and 90% of the time the audible is zone right or zone left (something opposing coaches also know...). Our QBs either struggle making the right reads, or they are too scared of making an error. I suspect it's a combination of both. Regardless, it rarely works out well.

Maybe it's time we start utilizing the increasingly popular system where the offense turns to the sideline for the call after the defense lines up. It's annoying as a spectator, but takes a lot of pressure off of the QB, and, can be very effective in the right hands.
 
#1DieHardHawk said:
Maybe it's time we start utilizing the increasingly popular system where the offense turns to the sideline for the call after the defense lines up. It's annoying as a spectator, but takes a lot of pressure off of the QB, and, can be very effective in the right hands.
Click to expand...
Imagine doing that this past year. Brian would keep asking his dad, "why is everyone looking at me every time?"
 
0
RobHowe said:
Like I wrote in my column, there is nuance and context to most discussions. That's true here.

Iowa is not going to land five-star receivers or top guys in the portal at the position unless, perhaps, it throws ridiculous amounts of money at them. Even then, what are the Hawkeyes selling to accomplished guys at the position other than a vision? Iowa has to identify and develop there.

McNutt and DJK were high school quarterbacks and the former started out here as a QB. Martin-Manley was a MAC recruit. ISM, Brandon Smith, Tevaun Smith, Solomon, Hinkel...go down the list of guys that have succeeded at the position here, none were blue chippers with impressive offer lists.

Hopefully some of the guys that have come in during the last few classes will develop. Like I said, I think Kaleb Brown has a high ceiling but he needs to start catching passes daily from the jugs.

I don't know what the heck is going on at OL but we're a long way from Reese Morgan and BF coaching the position. Injuries factor in at every spot. The unit was experienced this season and still looked shaky against good competition with guys who are multiple-year starters.

Agree completely on QB. If Philbin is the hire, a QB coach must be added. I'm out on Budmayr after the last few seasons.
Click to expand...
yup
 
#1DieHardHawk said:
When it comes to the skill positions, it's kind of the classic "chicken versus egg" thing. The staff will have to somehow develop some players then hope that improved success will result in improved recruiting, and so on. Unfortunately, for the new OC, that is a hump he will have to surmount to gain some momentum.

Regarding the QB situation, I've been wondering for the last several seasons if our coaching staff puts too much on their plate. We've always run a pro-style offense that requires the QB to make the pre-snap reads, and audible out of the play if necessary. As we have seen over and over, our QBs rarely look comfortable doing so, and 90% of the time the audible is zone right or zone left (something opposing coaches also know...). Our QBs either struggle making the right reads, or they are too scared of making an error. I suspect it's a combination of both. Regardless, it rarely works out well.

Maybe it's time we start utilizing the increasingly popular system where the offense turns to the sideline for the call after the defense lines up. It's annoying as a spectator, but takes a lot of pressure off of the QB, and, can be very effective in the right hands.
Click to expand...
I want us to give this a try. Like, immediately.
 
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