Could Barta Structure a "Soft Landing" for Coach Ferentz?

ChosenChildren

ChosenChildren

Well-Known Member
First of all, I want to be clear: I have nothing but respect for Coach Ferentz. Great man; high character; humanitarian; leader; and winner of 115 games at Iowa.

But he is 60 and tired. He has a weak coaching staff. The Big Ten has changed. College football has changed. Recruiting has changed. Everything has changed, frankly.

Michigan structured a "soft landing" for Lloyd Carr several years ago. He was given an important position at Michigan and still is a big part of that community. Carr seems happy and content, secure in his legacy.

Could Gary Barta do the same thing for Coach Ferentz? Does that make sense? Could we make sure that the next coach retains Kirk's son on the Iowa staff, and bump Kirk upstairs? Could Barta make it attractive to Kirk?
 
I don't seeing Kirk going out unless it's on his own term and I don't think this scenario would be one of them. Kirk will either have to step down on his own or get fired. I don't think Barta can do or say anything to get him to stop coaching. Brian doesn't have enough experience to even been the OC and I don't know why keeping him on the staff would make Ferentz happy. The next coach could come in and fire him if he wanted to.

I think the plan is that Kirk finishes out his contract and somewhere along the line promotes Brian to OC thus making him the coach in waiting when his contract is up.

I wish your idea would work but Kirk is very stubborn and isn't going to bow to anyone no matter what the offer. Plus, once he's done at Iowa I don't think he'll stick around here.
 
eveningnewsteam said:
I just don't see KF staying around the university when he's finished. I see him moving a long way from Iowa City.
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I would disagree. He is very well liked by everyone including a bunch of big money players for the university outside of football.
 
ChosenChildren said:
First of all, I want to be clear: I have nothing but respect for Coach Ferentz. Great man; high character; humanitarian; leader; and winner of 115 games at Iowa.

But he is 60 and tired. He has a weak coaching staff. The Big Ten has changed. College football has changed. Recruiting has changed. Everything has changed, frankly.

Michigan structured a "soft landing" for Lloyd Carr several years ago. He was given an important position at Michigan and still is a big part of that community. Carr seems happy and content, secure in his legacy.

Could Gary Barta do the same thing for Coach Ferentz? Does that make sense? Could we make sure that the next coach retains Kirk's son on the Iowa staff, and bump Kirk upstairs? Could Barta make it attractive to Kirk?
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You said it much better than me. This would be great, but I just don't see it.
 
eveningnewsteam said:
I just don't see KF staying around the university when he's finished. I see him moving a long way from Iowa City.
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My thoughts as well. I know he and Mary like it here but all their kids except Steven are out of school. With all the heat he's been getting there is no way he stays here especially if he's asked to step down. I could see him going back East and living a very quite life once he's done coaching at Iowa. He's got all the money in the world and has no need to do anything but be a grandfather.
 
Good post CC.

This is without a doubt, the best "way out" for all concerned. Barta could save face, Ferentz could remain a respected part of the IOWA family and we could get a *** **** football coach again that has the mojo to win.

If Barta is any kind of AD...he should have this kind of vision and be working out a way to make it happen. And if so...then he can keep his job.

If not...he's a pathetic toady, and as culpable for the condition of our football program as Ferentz
 
Kurt received a $100K bonus for coaching in this bowl game.
On February 1st, he'll, also receive a $525K "longevity bonus."

The hit$ keep coming.
 
Scooby said:
Kurt received a $100K bonus for coaching in this bowl game.
On February 1st, he'll, also receive a $525K "longevity bonus."

The hit$ keep coming.
Click to expand...

so he gets $525,000 for not getting fired for being mediocre year after year? nice work if you can get it.
 
QuadCityHawkeye said:
I don't seeing Kirk going out unless it's on his own term and I don't think this scenario would be one of them. Kirk will either have to step down on his own or get fired. I don't think Barta can do or say anything to get him to stop coaching. Brian doesn't have enough experience to even been the OC and I don't know why keeping him on the staff would make Ferentz happy. The next coach could come in and fire him if he wanted to.

I think the plan is that Kirk finishes out his contract and somewhere along the line promotes Brian to OC thus making him the coach in waiting when his contract is up.

I wish your idea would work but Kirk is very stubborn and isn't going to bow to anyone no matter what the offer. Plus, once he's done at Iowa I don't think he'll stick around here.
Click to expand...


Brian was to be Kirk's next OC. That was Kirk's plan. Was being the keyword. No chance in heck that happens now. Maybe in 4-5 years, but not now. The GD mentoring experiment crashed & burned worse than we could have imagined. Kirk needs to hit a homerun with the next OC, or his days in IC will end next year. And that homerun hit needs to happen in the next couple of weeks. Before the signing date, and ideally before the start of next semester. For three reasons: Current personnel reasons - keep the roster intact, finish recruiting strong, and learn the new system immediately... The search for a new OC had better have already begun, and most likely has thru some channel in the athletic department.... I hate to reference ISU, but they crushed it with their OC hire. KF has to do better. Someone who not only can coach, but also recruit.

One other note, the new OC will have to be completely autonomous. Zero influence from KF, with very little input. Our offenses have averaged a national ranking in the upper 60s to low 70s. That has to change. Quickly.
 
hawkjunkie said:
Brian was to be Kirk's next OC. That was Kirk's plan. Was being the keyword. No chance in heck that happens now. Maybe in 4-5 years, but not now. The GD mentoring experiment crashed & burned worse than we could have imagined. Kirk needs to hit a homerun with the next OC, or his days in IC will end next year. And that homerun hit needs to happen in the next couple of weeks. Before the signing date, and ideally before the start of next semester. For three reasons: Current personnel reasons - keep the roster intact, finish recruiting strong, and learn the new system immediately... The search for a new OC had better have already begun, and most likely has thru some channel in the athletic department.... I hate to reference ISU, but they crushed it with their OC hire. KF has to do better. Someone who not only can coach, but also recruit.

One other note, the new OC will have to be completely autonomous. Zero influence from KF, with very little input. Our offenses have averaged a national ranking in the upper 60s to low 70s. That has to change. Quickly.
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This is well thought out but it is never going to happen. First KF had the chance twice to give KOK and GD full autonomy or at least much greater control and has not. Why will his suffocation change now? Second what OC in his right mind wants to come into a sinking ship and train his son? No one who has aspirations of doing anything beyond this stop. We have this in Davis already.

There is also one thing that prevents any of this and that is an iron clad contract buyout.
 
hawkjunkie said:
Brian was to be Kirk's next OC. That was Kirk's plan. Was being the keyword. No chance in heck that happens now. Maybe in 4-5 years, but not now. The GD mentoring experiment crashed & burned worse than we could have imagined. Kirk needs to hit a homerun with the next OC, or his days in IC will end next year. And that homerun hit needs to happen in the next couple of weeks. Before the signing date, and ideally before the start of next semester. For three reasons: Current personnel reasons - keep the roster intact, finish recruiting strong, and learn the new system immediately... The search for a new OC had better have already begun, and most likely has thru some channel in the athletic department.... I hate to reference ISU, but they crushed it with their OC hire. KF has to do better. Someone who not only can coach, but also recruit.One other note, the new OC will have to be completely autonomous. Zero influence from KF, with very little input. Our offenses have averaged a national ranking in the upper 60s to low 70s. That has to change. Quickly.
Click to expand...
LOL, looks like somebody stopped taking their meds.
 
Scooby said:
Kurt received a $100K bonus for coaching in this bowl game.
On February 1st, he'll, also receive a $525K "longevity bonus."

The hit$ keep coming.
Click to expand...

If you ask me, we should all just be thankful that coach Ferentz will even take our money in the first place.
I mean, after all is said and done, we are just Iowa.

If it wasn't for his kind and generous nature in letting us wildly overpay for his services we probably wouldn't have a head coach at all.
 
Barta couldn't structure or negotiate a deal to buy a used car. He is a fund raiser, we need a strong AD who will hold coaches accountable.
 
Barta could give KF the job of supervising the women's coaches. I bet Barta doesn't want that job anymore.
 
SpecialKHawk said:
This is well thought out but it is never going to happen. First KF had the chance twice to give KOK and GD full autonomy or at least much greater control and has not. Why will his suffocation change now? Second what OC in his right mind wants to come into a sinking ship and train his son? No one who has aspirations of doing anything beyond this stop. We have this in Davis already.

There is also one thing that prevents any of this and that is an iron clad contract buyout.
Click to expand...

Hat tip to the OP, it's the best possible scenario, but like SpecialK I don't see Brian being part of that plan, at least not as a coordinator. Any new coach will have his own plan for OC, and I'm not even convinced Brian's a great OL coach.

The buyout is not insurmountable: http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmith/2014/09/16/can-iowa-afford-to-fire-kirk-ferentz/
 
A close friend needs to tell Ferentz he would be better off getting into the Grandpa business and enjoy the time with his grandkids instead of begging 4 star kids come play his boring kfootball. Which he clearly appears to detest. Ride off into the sunset,admit your time is done as Iowa HC and turn the reigns over to a younger coach with fire to get it done.
 
Nice post BB, couldn't agree more....I understand the frustration some of us have.....the extra $$ for a bowl game, the longevity $$, it's crazy money.....I just wish I would've thought of doing something like it....there has to be a tipping point at some time, I just wish it could be in this "off" season.....KF needs to hand the reins over to someone else, but he's just too stubborn to do it, and that's just sad to me.....Barta isn't going to create waves, and that's the kind of spineless pos that we don't need around any longer...I agree, both need to go.......The only Hawkeye I watched yesterday that had swagger was the wrestling team @ Rutgers last night.....God, I miss that
 
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