Ferentz' Contract

M

mccarthyizm

Well-Known Member
Maybe I'm extremely late to the party with this thought, but...

I feel like Ferentz' contract has a lot less to do with his job security than many of us assume. Assume he had a more standard deal with the university that included a much more manageable buyout, etc. Call it an average contract for a D1 football coach. Does anybody think Ferentz would be under more pressure than he currently is? Iowa is 6-3. It's a deceptively terrible 6-3, but it's still 6-3. He's had two losing seasons since 2001. I have a hard time believing he'd actually be on the hot seat right now, regardless of contract. I think his job status has a lot more to do with how long he's been at Iowa, the top ten seasons, and his reputation for being a good person and philanthropist. His contract has become the primary talking point for the fan base in regards to his future, but I feel like he'd be relatively safe right now regardless. If a different AD came into the picture, then that could change, but as it stands now, I don't believe the university would fire him for performance under any contract.

This is not intended to be a defense or a criticism. It's not an opinion of how things should be, but rather, how I think they are. Barring multiple losing seasons in a row, I think a guy like Ferentz, the longest tenured coach in the B10, is more or less in complete control of his future as head coach at Iowa, regardless of contract.
 
Regardless, he was hired and is now paid like a king to win football games at a high level....and he is failing miserably. He wasn't hired to be a philanthropist...nice as it may be.
 
Nice post and I agree with you. I believe that a squeaky clean program with average to above average seasons keeps Ferentz around for awhile longer. Or, until he reinserts a concussed QB (starter or backup) back in a game.
I saw an NFL coaching stat once that showed after so many seasons, I believe 9, no one has won a Super Bowl. Not sure about a similar college stay but I'd be interested.
 
big10er said:
Nice post and I agree with you. I believe that a squeaky clean program with average to above average seasons keeps Ferentz around for awhile longer. Or, until he reinserts a concussed QB (starter or backup) back in a game.
I saw an NFL coaching stat once that showed after so many seasons, I believe 9, no one has won a Super Bowl. Not sure about a similar college stay but I'd be interested.
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Iowa is 40-37 in Big Ten play since Tate to Holloway.
 
JonDMiller said:
Iowa is 40-37 in Big Ten play since Tate to Holloway.
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So what is it? KF is a worse coach than he once was, subpar football players, coordinators...?
I'll admit I'm not happy with the record, but I think it can get worse- on and off the field.
I'm not a donor and I'm glad I don't have to make the decision either way. Nobody would have guessed the "highs" at the announcement of his hiring. So are these "lows" really lows, or just the way football goes?
 
The more frustrating thing to me is consistently getting beat to lesser teams. For the most part the Hawks have played well against higher ranked competition.
Now that's rankling.
 
mccarthyizm said:
Maybe I'm extremely late to the party with this thought, but...

I feel like Ferentz' contract has a lot less to do with his job security than many of us assume. Assume he had a more standard deal with the university that included a much more manageable buyout, etc. Call it an average contract for a D1 football coach. Does anybody think Ferentz would be under more pressure than he currently is? Iowa is 6-3. It's a deceptively terrible 6-3, but it's still 6-3. He's had two losing seasons since 2001. I have a hard time believing he'd actually be on the hot seat right now, regardless of contract. I think his job status has a lot more to do with how long he's been at Iowa, the top ten seasons, and his reputation for being a good person and philanthropist. His contract has become the primary talking point for the fan base in regards to his future, but I feel like he'd be relatively safe right now regardless. If a different AD came into the picture, then that could change, but as it stands now, I don't believe the university would fire him for performance under any contract.

This is not intended to be a defense or a criticism. It's not an opinion of how things should be, but rather, how I think they are. Barring multiple losing seasons in a row, I think a guy like Ferentz, the longest tenured coach in the B10, is more or less in complete control of his future as head coach at Iowa, regardless of contract.
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You're a chick...right?
 
When you're paid like an elite coach you better be fairly consistent with getting to big games. I.E getting to Indy, or in the past BCS bowls. Heck, even having the program relevant enough to be the highlight game day game. Over the last decade he's had 3 pretty great years, 2 that were borderline acceptable, and then 5 that have left the fan base on edge. The last few seasons though, have really been the building point. Iowa is 19-19 in the last 3, and that's just not going to cut it at any major program. It's why the fans uproar is slowly building, and if Iowa goes and loses to Wisconsin and Nebraska the same way it just did to Minnesota, I think that might be the end. It's certainly possible the ship could get patched up, we've seen it before, but with how that Minnesota game just went, and how Wisconsin and Nebraska both play football, I really fear those last two games could be similar. The defense has shown zero signs of improvement when it comes to tackling, and they're about to go up against the B1G's best running teams.

At the end of the day, KF loves Iowa he's done great things for the program, and he's an exceptional human being. He's not going to hand cuff the program if Iowa needs to find some new blood to right the ship. I'm sure the buyout will get trimmed down significantly if moves needed to be made. Those wondering if Barta can hire the right coach as a replacement should probably relax, he's probably going to be shown the door the same time KF does if it happens.
 
g11 said:
When you're paid like an elite coach you better be fairly consistent with getting to big games. I.E getting to Indy, or in the past BCS bowls. Heck, even having the program relevant enough to be the highlight game day game. Over the last decade he's had 3 pretty great years, 2 that were borderline acceptable, and then 5 that have left the fan base on edge. The last few seasons though, have really been the building point. Iowa is 19-19 in the last 3, and that's just not going to cut it at any major program. It's why the fans uproar is slowly building, and if Iowa goes and loses to Wisconsin and Nebraska the same way it just did to Minnesota, I think that might be the end. It's certainly possible the ship could get patched up, we've seen it before, but with how that Minnesota game just went, and how Wisconsin and Nebraska both play football, I really fear those last two games could be similar. The defense has shown zero signs of improvement when it comes to tackling, and they're about to go up against the B1G's best running teams.

At the end of the day, KF loves Iowa he's done great things for the program, and he's an exceptional human being. He's not going to hand cuff the program if Iowa needs to find some new blood to right the ship. I'm sure the buyout will get trimmed down significantly if moves needed to be made. Those wondering if Barta can hire the right coach as a replacement should probably relax, he's probably going to be shown the door the same time KF does if it happens.
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I doubt it. You do realize Barta is still the AD and Mason is the president. Everytime Iowa has got punched in the throat by a decent caliber team (Wisc, Nebraska type) it's always been excusable. NOTHING will happen to KF. Must be nice to be mediocre at your profession and be paid millions!
 
I could have missed this, but what gets me is that none of the current reporters have the b@ll$ to ask KF or Barta the tough questions. I mean, maybe they intend to or actually do (and KF cuts them off) but it doesn't appear like anyone calls him out. And I'm aware that they are probably just trying to keep their job in a comfortable, don't-rock-the-boat status. What would it do? I don't know exactly, but I feel like it would put KF on the spot and actually make him think about what the real state of the program is at this point in time. I know that they used to have the "KF on the side" segment until someone (Howe?) overstepped their boundary with a question/comment that KF didn't like.

Regardless, why doesn't someone step up and say "Hey Coach, you're the 9th highest paid coach in college football. Your program was ranked 11th in total profit in 2014. You have, arguably, the newest and nicest college football practice facility and locker rooms in the B1G, which surely competes with the top schools in the country. Yet you have not been ranked in the top-25 in either poll for four consecutive years. The teams that you have beaten this year (in your 6 victories) account for a total win/loss record of 22-34, one of them being a 6-4 1-AA (FBS) team. Your in-state rival, who has beaten you 9 of 16 games in your career including this year is, arguably, the worst college football program in the last 20+ year history of all big five conference schools. [Add in the facts about the poor offensive output the past several years, the record vs. the B1G conference, the loses and close victories over the sub, top-5 conference teams....etc. etc. etc.).....my questions to you are:

- When does the play on the field reflect the inability of the coaching staff to produce results?
- At what point do you take responsibility for the mediocrity and poor outcome of this program based on the given facts and results?
- Do you hold yourself accountable for the mediocre results on the field the last several years? If not, who is accountable?
- Do you personally feel like you have earned your top-10 college salary given the poor results that you have produced on the field?
- Do you, or when do you, look in the mirror and acknowledge the fact that you and your staff are not reaching the more-than-fair expectations of a program that generates a lot of revenue, pays you a lot of money, and yet continues to plays at an, at best, mid-tier level the last 3-4 years?"

I can go on.....but my point is, if you haven't figured it out already, why do we let KF get away with not having to address the tough questions? I know and understand that college football coaching is not inline with my M-F, 8-5 business job. BUT, if I performed like KF has the last 3-4 years I would have been fired by now.

Before the "careful what you wish for" crowd or KF apologists blast me......I am one of you! I've been defending KF since the day he walked in the door. I LOVE what he has done for Iowa football....2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, graduation rates, NFL success, booting guys from the team because they don't reflect the "Iowa values"....but something has GOT to change. Our last "successful" season was five (5) years ago. I know Norm has passed (bless his heart), I know GDGD is not the answer as OC. But guess what, you are the got dawm coach!! The responsibility falls on YOU to make changes, YOU to call the shots, YOU TO HAVE THE PLAYERS ready and motivated, you to answer the tough questions. Enough with the players acted as "fat cats". That is on YOU!

Anyway.....I'm off my soapbox. Good Lord, we gotta make some changes. I just wish somebody in the media room would call the dude out and ask the tough questions. I love the man but I'm frustrated with very little optimism for the future. I hate the fact that I have become apathetic to Iowa football Saturdays. No, I am not a bad fan. I fly 1500 miles one-way on the weekends to watch the Hawkeyes play home games. I don't miss a play when the Hawks are playing. I never leave the stadium early. I travel to bowl games. I preach Iowa football every chance I get to my SEC co-workers. I contribute to the Hawkeye athletics department and alumni group. No, I am not the problem for continuing to support the program. I get your argument but the fair weather fans will make their point when only 65,000 show up for game days. Sure, I get it. But showing up in support is called being a true fan, win or lose. It's the Hawkeye way. (See Iowa football circa 1970's.)

But: "How long do we let this go on before we hold the head coach accountable?" I think that's my number one question.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/salaries/
 
jfish06 said:
But: "How long do we let this go on before we hold the head coach accountable?" I think that's my number one question.
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Kirk has done enough at Iowa to warrant the breathing room up until now. Obviously that's my opinion, I just think we let him off the hook the last few years since he had to find a new staff which has never happened for him before at Iowa. Now though, it's very different, we're in year 5 of being pretty stagnant, his team hasn't change with the new staff, it's actually getting worse, and I think now the questions are going to come to light.

You can also ask the question for your post why recruiting is never up to par of the top of the B1G w/ what Iowa has going for it as a program as well.
 
The OP is essentially correct in that even if KF had a "normal" contract, he wouldn't be feeling a tremendous amount of heat at this point. That's because most Iowa fans are loyal to a fault and have no real standard or expectation of success beyond 6-6 and a toilet bowl every year.

The problem that many people have is that if he were under a "standard" contract, then he would be facing at least some minor level of scrutiny at this point.

As it stands now, there is just no hope anywhere on the horizon for Iowa because he is literally untouchable for several more years.
 
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I do agree that Iowa's performance under Ferentz in the last few years isn't due to a sense of security that he feels under his contract. I think he wants to win as much now as he did when he started. He has an ego, I'm sure he wants to succeed, not just for Iowa, but for himself, and his legacy. The question outstanding is whether he can figure out what it takes to turn things around. The window is open, but it appears to be closing, not opening further right now. I think it can be turned around, but Ferentz needs to climb out of his comfort zone, not to try to become the next Baylor, that's not him and it won't be, but not afraid to be a little "sexy" (currently an anathema in Iowa football), both in its recruiting and on the field. Look no further than his mentor, Hayden Fry.
 
Just watch virtually any other college football game. Iowa is slow. Iowa is unimaginative. Iowa is boring. UI is filled with a bunch of happy fat cats with no motivation to improve. The truth hurts.
 
This thread, given the touchy subject, was handled very well. The OP, G11, jfish06, just to name a few, have been very calm and reasoned in their approach. So, I read the thread carefully; thanks for providing some interesting points!

Just a couple of things to add. I have seen comments before about the media's treatment of KF. I get it. But, if they called him out, jfish, what would be the result? Who would be helped? What would change? So, not sure it is worth it. Don't mean to detract from your post...it was well thought out and presented.

I agree that KF has not lost his "fire" as a head coach. Once a contract is in existence, most of us just move ahead and try to do the best job we can. I have had several contracts over the years in my jobs and I would worry about them for about a week, then they were settled, and I never really thought about them until the next negotiations arrived.

I don't think Iowa fans are satisfied with mediocre football. I think many are knowledgeable about the factors that negatively impact on Iowa's recruiting. But, I think most of us believe that KF and his staff need to do a much better job of landing recruits. After all, most everything is in place for Iowa, other than the obvious fact that we have to go out of state for many recruits, we have a lot of competition in the midwestern states for quality athletes, and, it snows in the winter.

Finally, it is probably not wise to say that KF is not under very tight scrutiny right now from Barta. We obviously don't go behind the scenes and listen to what their conversations are. Quite frankly, I would GUESS that GB has had some tough interactions with KF and realizes that accountability for wins and losses is paramount. I would guess that KF has had some tough conversations with his assistants given the way things have gone this year. In short, it is foolish IMHO, to assume that GB or the President of the University don't have the stones to confront those who are not living up to expectations.
 
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