Ferentz Talks About Criticism

[blubberhawk]

CEOs have to make a profit or produce. If they don't, they do not stay a "CEO" for very long. Kirk Ferentz has the best CEO job in the country. He only has to field a team and stay out of trouble. He has the ultimate in job security. He has the best of all worlds as he also has made sure that his son has job security, too.

 

[blubberhawk]

Iowa pays its' head coach like football is the "end all" to everything. I suppose that is why many fans feel like it is too??

 

[hawkforlife9]

He could just as well answer every question "Have you looked at my contract lately?"

 

[JonDMiller]

Here is an example - countless times I saw interviewers ask him about Varic Mark's long run.

His answer everytime was "he had a long run last week also"


Rather than "Yes we can not give up big runs like this, or give up 350 rushing yards in a game and think we can win. We have to do a much better job of containment and pursuit/gap control on running QB's.. ect ect.. I have to do a better job, coaches, defense ect ect...

Everytime he is asked a question like this he does one of the following.

A. shrugs if of or gives a patronizing, intelligence insulting answer.
B. makes an excuse (he does this a lot by talking about our recruiting disadvantage - which I know is true but the fact that he publicly acknowledges that and uses it as a pseudo excuse is piddly.)
C. Or give an incredibly bland or vague answer.

Agree. The reply on Mark's run was weak. He is a smart and savvy guy. In a way, it's as if he thinks he is just replying to the media tht I think he despises, nod not thinking that through them he's reaching the fans

 

[bighawkeyedaddy]

For all of the talk of Ferentz being such a "great guy", he sure comes off with a sniveling, arrogant, pompous attitude a lot. I might feel differently about the state of the program if his attitude was more a position of let's get things fixed, we know things aren't right, but it just seems he wants to play the "it's not the end of the world game". Sorry coach, I spend a pretty good percentage of my disposable income on coming to watch your team play, I realize you have millions to fall back on no matter what happens but there are those of us who really have to make a decision on if we are going to keep continue supporting your program, and when you belittle us it makes it that much easier to stop coming back. I am tired of the "does anyone have any suggestions?" response as well, as a matter of fact many of us do but unless you are actually going to listen than just shut your mouth and quit antagonizing us.

 

[IOWuh9]

Q: How have you developed thicker skin..someone calls your radio show and suggests that you move to Cleveland..it’s human nature to react negatively towards that.
Ferentz: Actually not. There were a lot of benefits to spending six years in the NFL. One of the biggest once was just to learn that…grunt…not to worry too much about things you can’t control. I have always understood that people will react very positive, probably too positively when we do well and when we lose it’s the opposite. The world is not ending and it’s not the creation of a new civilization when we win. We are worried about the things we need to worry about and that is one thing I learned.

Did he say the word "grunt" or actually grunt?

I actually laughed out loud at that. It's time Ferentz's grunts get their own quotes. Well done Jon.

 

[SirJamaLot]

Agree. The reply on Mark's run was weak. He is a smart and savvy guy. In a way, it's as if he thinks he is just replying to the media tht I think he despises, nod not thinking that through them he's reaching the fans

I would bet that Kirk like most experienced college coaches don't despise the press as much as they feel it is the worst part of their jobs. But you actually interview him, I don't. I have a ton of respect for him as a person and coach but it has been two straight frustrating seasons. Radio and print interviews asking the same questions week after week. Ferentz is highly paid for excellence and lately his program has been mediocre. Nothing is going to change this year but if the Hawks are 4-4 next year he could get released regardless of the buyout.

 

[IOWuh9]

Q: All assistants are one year guys, as they are employed at your discretion, right?
Ferentz: That is how it is. Most of them know if they do their jobs…instead of talking about it past performance has something to say about it. Do your job. It is what everyone is supposed to do and they are.

Haha, I know for a fact the players past and present have zero respect for Eric Johnson and Lester Erb, absolutely none. They laugh at both. Im not sure why for Erb, he seems to have done a decent job, but thats what I hear from a few Dlinemen from 2006-2010.

I hate to admit this but I've heard the same thing about Erb. I've met him a handful of times and he strikes me as an incredibly nice guy but I've heard from a past WR of his that he didn't relate well to players.

 

[JonDMiller]

I would bet that Kirk like most experienced college coaches don't despise the press as much as they feel it is the worst part of their jobs. But you actually interview him, I don't. I have a ton of respect for him as a person and coach but it has been two straight frustrating seasons. Radio and print interviews asking the same questions week after week. Ferentz is highly paid for excellence and lately his program has been mediocre. Nothing is going to change this year but if the Hawks are 4-4 next year he could get released regardless of the buyout.

Having heard from some former players and how Ferentz has referred to the media in general behind closed doors, despised is in the ballpark. Like anything in life that blanket statement is probly a bit unfair as I doubt he feels that way about everyone

 

[IOWuh9]

^His wife makes no bones about her feelings for them (related to football) either.

 

[Travisam]

It's comical that he hates the media the way he does with the cotton gloves he is handled with by them. It's a joke if you ask me.

 

[Scorpio79]

"why kurt hates the media" could be a separate thread

 

[whammer33024]

Wait 3 years??
You must be kidding?
Also..He made very few changes, Norma Parker retired and Ken O'Keefe took another job.

And I also assume you have not been watching any games, because if you have, you should have noticed that the same philosophy, both offensively and defensively is still in play. Looks like the SOS to me.

i hope the bolded was a typo...

and you fail to mention bringing in brian ferentz to coach OL. he's youth everyone has been begging for and can be pretty fiery

you also forget about kaz leaving and being replaced by a coach the players seem to love.

IMO, greg davis will be here for another year or 2, then brian will take over as OC. a couple years after that, brian will be replacing his father as HC. everyone will **** and moan that we didn't even look for an OC and say we will have the same thing as kirk since kirk worked with belicheck and runs an offense nothing like his. then people will slowly start to realize brian worked under the more wide open belichek and start to accept it because we will start winning

 

[FreedComanche]

What coach would even consider "acknowledging failure" with four games left to play?

Jon, with all due respect to you, he should take responsiblity for how things are now. He doesn't do that. He deflects, gives non answers and expects that to fly. This is one reason why I don't respect him any more and why some of Hawkeye Nation are seeing him for what he really is.

FreedComanche

 

[Bigtenchamp]

To make it this far in his business I'd certainlty think he is smart and savvy. However some of the problems he has - clock management, in game strategy, lack of diversity with game planning - do not really make him look very smart and savvy.

It's basically the way I've always felt about him - even in 2002. I always wanted to think his dullness was an act.

But if you look at his football team its pretty dull, and a dull team that loses is unbearable to stomach.

 

[FreedComanche]

If you throw out 2009 (a season that we barely won each and every game; that season could just have easily been a 7 win season) we have not really done anything since 04.

I was squarely in Kirk's camp until this year. Now I am starting to have doubts. His responses to questions always leave me puzzled. He does not have that killer instinct in the answers. Never has. Lombardi, Eveshevski, Woody, Bo...do you think any of these coaches would sound like Kirk in a press conference? I'd much prefer him getting all pizzed at the questions and storm off. At least we'd know he had a pulse.

There is not much we can do about it now. Like golfer said...give him 3 years ( do we have a choice) see what happens.

"If you throw out 2009 (a season that we barely won each and every game; that season could just have easily been a 7 win season) we have not really done anything since 04."



Totally and very good point made here. This is what a lot of folks don't want to realize. Everything went their way in 09. They did not get the breaks in 10 and we all know what happened when that team had the best talent in 30 years. Even win they were winning in 09 it didn't feel like it because they'd just barely win most games they won.

FreedComanche

 

[JonDMiller]

"If you throw out 2009 (a season that we barely won each and every game; that season could just have easily been a 7 win season) we have not really done anything since 04."

Totally and very good point made here. This is what a lot of folks don't want to realize. Everything went their way in 09. They did not get the breaks in 10 and we all know what happened when that team had the best talent in 30 years. Even win they were winning in 09 it didn't feel like it because they'd just barely win most games they won.

FreedComanche

How about the 2010 season where Iowa either had the lead or was tied in the fourth quarter of all five losses? Could have been 12-0, right?

 

[FreedComanche]

For all of the talk of Ferentz being such a "great guy", he sure comes off with a sniveling, arrogant, pompous attitude a lot. I might feel differently about the state of the program if his attitude was more a position of let's get things fixed, we know things aren't right, but it just seems he wants to play the "it's not the end of the world game". Sorry coach, I spend a pretty good percentage of my disposable income on coming to watch your team play, I realize you have millions to fall back on no matter what happens but there are those of us who really have to make a decision on if we are going to keep continue supporting your program, and when you belittle us it makes it that much easier to stop coming back. I am tired of the "does anyone have any suggestions?" response as well, as a matter of fact many of us do but unless you are actually going to listen than just shut your mouth and quit antagonizing us.

"For all of the talk of Ferentz being such a "great guy", he sure comes off with a sniveling, arrogant, pompous attitude a lot."

Why do some people argue this is not the case? It's so obvious now and has been for a very long time.

FreedComanche

 

[blubberhawk]

i hope the bolded was a typo...

and you fail to mention bringing in brian ferentz to coach OL. he's youth everyone has been begging for and can be pretty fiery

you also forget about kaz leaving and being replaced by a coach the players seem to love.

IMO, greg davis will be here for another year or 2, then brian will take over as OC. a couple years after that, brian will be replacing his father as HC. everyone will **** and moan that we didn't even look for an OC and say we will have the same thing as kirk since kirk worked with belicheck and runs an offense nothing like his. then people will slowly start to realize brian worked under the more wide open belichek and start to accept it because we will start winning

Great..Sounds like we will have "Ferentz for life" at Iowa. I don't blame them.. I would love to work and have my family work at an institution that will pay you 11-1 money for 6-6 seasons.

Also:
Belicheck, wide open???
Belicheck changes with his personnel. When he had better wideouts, he threw downfield. He now has the best group of tight ends in football. He features them.
He dinks & dunks now..

 

[HawkeyeMcNutt]

i hope the bolded was a typo...

and you fail to mention bringing in brian ferentz to coach OL. he's youth everyone has been begging for and can be pretty fiery

you also forget about kaz leaving and being replaced by a coach the players seem to love.

IMO, greg davis will be here for another year or 2, then brian will take over as OC. a couple years after that, brian will be replacing his father as HC. everyone will **** and moan that we didn't even look for an OC and say we will have the same thing as kirk since kirk worked with belicheck and runs an offense nothing like his. then people will slowly start to realize brian worked under the more wide open belichek and start to accept it because we will start winning

I agree with everything you said..the biggest factor is the part in bold. I pray to God that's the case.