Ferentz coaching tree?

tweeterhawk

Well-Known Member
One of the hallmarks of a great leader or a great executive is the ability to bring along subordinates, to raise them in skill and talent and put them in positions of equal or greater importance than their own.

Much has been made of Hayden Fry’s coaching tree. Does Kirk Ferentz have one, beyond his own son?

upload_2019-11-25_15-57-56.png
 
One of the hallmarks of a great leader or a great executive is the ability to bring along subordinates, to raise them in skill and talent and put them in positions of equal or greater importance than their own.

Much has been made of Hayden Fry’s coaching tree. Does Kirk Ferentz have one, beyond his own son?

View attachment 6020

Are you saying Kirk should have kicked Phil Parker out of his house? Okay son, it is time for you to make your own way.
 
A lot of GAs and former players that moved on, some in the NFL. Joe Philbin in the NFL as head coach. Phil Parker could have gone any time, but chooses not to. Seth Wallace will be gone soon unless he is loyal beyond what a normal person would be. Norm Parker was never going anywhere either. This was always going to be Norm's last job. And should Kirk have told Reese Morgan to leave too???????????????
 
What Hayden had was simply remarkable

Bill Snyder, Barry Alverez, Bob Stoops. All future hall of fame coaches on Hayden's staff at the same time.

How is Ferentz supposed to compete with that? Most of hs coaching tree has fizzled out. Philbin made it to NFL head coach, then got fired. Bielima was very successful at Wisconsin, then flopped at Arkansas. Norm Parker retired as a DC. KOK and Jim Reid had some head coaching experience at lower levels but could not get past coordinator jobs at the Power conference level. Chuck Long was only on Ferentz staff for 1 year, then bombed out as head coach anyway.

Who am I forgetting. Actually that's a pretty pathetic coaching tree if that's all there is.
 
Are you saying Kirk should have kicked Phil Parker out of his house? Okay son, it is time for you to make your own way.

the point is that hayden stated he didn't even consider hiring an assistant coach who didn't want to become a head coach because he felt they would have that extra drive. hayden fully expected turnover with his ast coaches and figured if he was always hiring ast coaches who eventually became head coaches, he'd stay ahead of the game on the field. kirk? he wants guys that will stay put. he's had some leave, philbon is an example, but they are pretty few and far between. all things considered, haydens approach works for me. it made hayden work harder, always searching for the next ast coach, but he was willing to do so.
 
What Hayden had was simply remarkable

Bill Snyder, Barry Alverez, Bob Stoops. All future hall of fame coaches on Hayden's staff at the same time.

How is Ferentz supposed to compete with that? Most of hs coaching tree has fizzled out. Philbin made it to NFL head coach, then got fired. Bielima was very successful at Wisconsin, then flopped at Arkansas. Norm Parker retired as a DC. KOK and Jim Reid had some head coaching experience at lower levels but could not get past coordinator jobs at the Power conference level. Chuck Long was only on Ferentz staff for 1 year, then bombed out as head coach anyway.

Who am I forgetting. Actually that's a pretty pathetic coaching tree if that's all there is.

Hayden went after the best and brightest he could find, was not intimidated or bothered that they might leave for a HC job at some point. (quite the contrary...that was something he looked for in an assistant). Hayden also placed a premium on developing his coaches as much as his players. He delegated and let them do their job rather than micro-manage.

Kirk wants people that do it his way and won't venture outside his comfort zone. I'm sure he treats them well, they're loyal and like working for him...but he attracts and recruits a different type of guy. (he's also had his share of bad hires).

The comparisons of KFz and Hayden come up often here. Some are hard to quantify, some are a little off base, but the above is perhaps the best way to illustrate the difference between them. Not saying better or worse (that's up for debate) but clearly different...and IMHO, why Hayden will always be 1 and KFZ 1a
 
daB0 iZ bAd coAcH beCUZ h1s trEe suCks.

Moronic. Dabo is paying Venables millions of dollars. Some guys are totally fine being coordinators and the pay those guys take home makes it worth their while. If you are a guy like Venables or Phil Parker or Ken O'Keefe, you can swoop down and take that lower tier job and be like Narduzzi at Pitt, swing for the fences in the NFL like O'Keefe or you can just focus on what you're doing and be the best at it.

If you got a good deal on a stable staff and you got kids or a comfortable life where you are, there's no sense in chasing that MAC head job and then praying for two good years so you can go to Kansas or Rutgers for a head job. Good for Hayden that he wanted to run a carousel. I think you needed it back when salaries were way lower, but there are plenty of good coordinators who should probably just stay at that level. Not everyone wants to be a chief.
 
daB0 iZ bAd coAcH beCUZ h1s trEe suCks.

Moronic. Dabo is paying Venables millions of dollars. Some guys are totally fine being coordinators and the pay those guys take home makes it worth their while. If you are a guy like Venables or Phil Parker or Ken O'Keefe, you can swoop down and take that lower tier job and be like Narduzzi at Pitt, swing for the fences in the NFL like O'Keefe or you can just focus on what you're doing and be the best at it.

If you got a good deal on a stable staff and you got kids or a comfortable life where you are, there's no sense in chasing that MAC head job and then praying for two good years so you can go to Kansas or Rutgers for a head job. Good for Hayden that he wanted to run a carousel. I think you needed it back when salaries were way lower, but there are plenty of good coordinators who should probably just stay at that level. Not everyone wants to be a chief.

Look, pal, I believe you’ve worked around enough bidness to know that you either grow and flourish or you whither and die. Coaching at the P5 level is certainly big bidness. It feels like the Iowa football program under Kirk Ferentz has plateaued, has gone stagnant. There’s little energy or creativity. There are no young bucks pushing the herd, no one looking to make their bones and become a head coach one day. Save for one.

Not healthy, IMHO.
 
Jim Reid already had a considerable resume before coaching linebackers at Iowa, and went on to be the defensive coordinator for Boston College.
 
Hmmmm...the Kirk Coaching Tree seems to be quite, average. Or below average considering his abnormally long tenure at "average is ok and not as bad as it used to be" Iowa.

Hiring the "right coaching candidate" formula:

Family connection is a lock. Legacy Hire 101.

Ability to say nothing of substance to the media or anything critical of Kirkball.

Stability...I am here, I don't want to leave, this is a safe place to draw a salary forever.

An innate ability to do, and want to do, exactly what Kirk wants in his game plan and coaching philosophy. Dwight clones.

Creativity...LOL

Personal ambition to succeed and become a head coach...LOL

A burning desire to win, not just enough, but championships...LOL

Kirk and Brian...thanks for considering me for a coaching position...I really want to coach at Iowa...I have these 10-15 great, innovative plays...LOL

Average is ok. Correct...it has worked for 20+ years!

"I'm Still Standing" Elton John theme song.
 
The one thing I haven't seen any comments about is consistency and retention. There haven't been that many coaching changes compared to almost every D1 program. That can be taken as both a good and bad but I think it can be justified especially when looking at the pro level that stability has been a key factor in success and consistency. I think KF has brought up some good young coaches that may prove to be pretty good as the get older.
 
The one thing I haven't seen any comments about is consistency and retention. There haven't been that many coaching changes compared to almost every D1 program. That can be taken as both a good and bad but I think it can be justified especially when looking at the pro level that stability has been a key factor in success and consistency. I think KF has brought up some good young coaches that may prove to be pretty good as the get older.
Hopefully so. I think coaching staff stability is good for recruiting, at least for the types of players Iowa goes after, as a developmental program. The majority are at Iowa for 5 years and time with the same coaches can be beneficial for the team and players.
 
How many other HCes have a tree anything similar to Fry’s?

I don’t remember any coaching tree pics when Saban or Urban or Jimmy H or Paddy Fitz or Stoops have a game.

But I’m going by memory instead of somebody else’s chart.
 
the point is that hayden stated he didn't even consider hiring an assistant coach who didn't want to become a head coach because he felt they would have that extra drive. hayden fully expected turnover with his ast coaches and figured if he was always hiring ast coaches who eventually became head coaches, he'd stay ahead of the game on the field. kirk? he wants guys that will stay put. he's had some leave, philbon is an example, but they are pretty few and far between. all things considered, haydens approach works for me. it made hayden work harder, always searching for the next ast coach, but he was willing to do so.

Different philosophy. In that world Phil Parker never gets hired.
 
Hmmmm...the Kirk Coaching Tree seems to be quite, average. Or below average considering his abnormally long tenure at "average is ok and not as bad as it used to be" Iowa.

Hiring the "right coaching candidate" formula:

Family connection is a lock. Legacy Hire 101.

Ability to say nothing of substance to the media or anything critical of Kirkball.

Stability...I am here, I don't want to leave, this is a safe place to draw a salary forever.

An innate ability to do, and want to do, exactly what Kirk wants in his game plan and coaching philosophy. Dwight clones.

Creativity...LOL

Personal ambition to succeed and become a head coach...LOL

A burning desire to win, not just enough, but championships...LOL

Kirk and Brian...thanks for considering me for a coaching position...I really want to coach at Iowa...I have these 10-15 great, innovative plays...LOL

Average is ok. Correct...it has worked for 20+ years!

"I'm Still Standing" Elton John theme song.

Yeah those Norm Parker, Phil Parker, etc hires have been turrrrible.

The offense is Kirks. This is HIS philosophy.
 
Top