Ferentz's big risk

homes

homes

Well-Known Member
It's not fake field goals, or going for it on 4th down. It was hiring his son to be the OC. If it doesn't work out, Kirk retires and a new coach is brought in. Brian is likely out of a job, not for good, but certainly not as a head coach (or OC) at any Division 1 level, at least not anytime soon. Some don't like the hire because it smacks of nepotism, but to me it was a big risk for him to hire his kid to run the offense. It has to go well or else I think the Ferentz era ends a bit tarnished - he doesn't really care about Iowa football, he was just taking care of his son, etc., etc. will be a big story line (some have already adopted this), and he will have done Brian no favors either, as he'll be viewed as being overwhelmed and not able to handle a big time program and was only there because of his dad. There will be bitterness. Kirk has an ego, one doesn't get to this level in his profession without a big ego; a failure of Brian to turn things around will be damaging. Putting the offense in the hands of his kid was a big gamble for him and for Brian. It's been a mixed bag so far, more downs than ups, but it's early. I'm fine with Brian as the OC, and I'm pulling for him to make it work.
 
tksirius said:
It "smacks of neptotism" because it is nepotism.
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I honestly think no OC who'd come to Iowa would do well. Kirk Ferentz allows the game to be called one way and that's his way.

He's castrated 3 OCs now in KOK, Davis, and Brian Ferentz. That's a long stretch of history that shows no matter who is calling the plays, they're going to be called within a narrow window that has to be part of the boss' plan.

I had hope at the beginning of the season that Brian Ferentz would be given more leeway to mix it up, which was why I didn't scream about nepotism. Now that were most of the way through one season, it's apparent that nothing's going to change with that dude at the top and Nick Saban couldn't average better than 6.5 wins a year with Iowa's playbook.

It doesn't matter who the OC is. Kirk will float in the middle of the Big 10 and squeak out just enough Michigan/OSU games to keep the wolves at bay. There are more people thrilled with 7-5 ad nauseum than there are people who'd hit refresh. I won't argue the merits of 5-6 loss seasons because I've done that before and I just don't see the light apparently. If you think that's an okay average that's fine; we just disagree. I'll never be a guy who's happy with 49th out of 100 because it's technically above average and it's better than 51 other teams. I just can't process that through my brain and I probably never will.

And to be honest, if Iowa gets rid of the Ferentzes right now we'd just end up another Nebraska. There is no proven coach out there who'd come to Iowa other than some MAC dolts like Fleck. We're stuck with what we're stuck with.
 
He hired Brian expecting he’d be head coach one day. As long as Barta is there Kirk’s wishes will be honored.
 
Kirk will never accept that his nepotistic hiring was the wrong move, nor will he ever accept that his son can't hack it as a big program OC...

He will be angry and blame, others...it is his M.O...and make handy excuses all along the way.

Not many surprises in Kirkaritaville...the land of 7-5 "great" seasons...

If Iowa dumps their Fake ID-AD...then new leadership can hire someone who is new and fresh and talented...and announce that Iowa is shooting for the Big Ten title every year...as a minimum goal.
 
hawkinn3 said:
He hired Brian expecting he’d be head coach one day. As long as Barta is there Kirk’s wishes will be honored.
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I guarantee you with 100% certainty that if there are more games like we saw Saturday, BF will most definitely NOT be our coach when his old man retires....
 
tksirius said:
It "smacks of neptotism" because it is nepotism.[/QUO
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You're probably correct, although I don't know who actually hired him. The UI likely has policies in place regarding the hiring of relatives. Not my main point, but your point is well taken.
 
homes said:
It's not fake field goals, or going for it on 4th down. It was hiring his son to be the OC. If it doesn't work out, Kirk retires and a new coach is brought in. Brian is likely out of a job, not for good, but certainly not as a head coach (or OC) at any Division 1 level, at least not anytime soon. Some don't like the hire because it smacks of nepotism, but to me it was a big risk for him to hire his kid to run the offense. It has to go well or else I think the Ferentz era ends a bit tarnished - he doesn't really care about Iowa football, he was just taking care of his son, etc., etc. will be a big story line (some have already adopted this), and he will have done Brian no favors either, as he'll be viewed as being overwhelmed and not able to handle a big time program and was only there because of his dad. There will be bitterness. Kirk has an ego, one doesn't get to this level in his profession without a big ego; a failure of Brian to turn things around will be damaging. Putting the offense in the hands of his kid was a big gamble for him and for Brian. It's been a mixed bag so far, more downs than ups, but it's early. I'm fine with Brian as the OC, and I'm pulling for him to make it work.
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His reputation was already tarnished. Look no further than his pathetic record against one the worst football teams in the history of college football. Add to that the ungodly amount of losses to inferior opponents or as double digit favorites. Or how about the number of beat downs we've rec'd in bowl games. KF mad hay on the backs of guys like Ron Aiken, Doyle, Norm Parker, etc. He also got to play traditional powerhouses during some of the worst football in their program's histories (Michigan, Pedo State), and then lucked out playing in the B1G West.
 
Kirk is no different than any AAU or high school coach, that I ever saw. Puts his kid before everyone else. Not at all surprised by it. It's human nature, really. The surprising part is that the AD allows it. Barta is awful, so I shouldn't be that surprised.
 
Its funny. I was watching the news last night and they were investigating the St. Louis city Sheriff. His job is to protect the city courthouse. Thats it. He has a brother as a deputy and he gave him a raise because he was the only person that could manage the time cards.
We are talking $32,000 a year jobs.
The point being is that it isnt allowed.

That FKF could hire his son and promote him yearly tells me the Uof I love FKF and will let him do what he wants.

Barta sucks, but this is bigger than FKF. Im thinking regardless of what happens, BF is our next HC. Fans be damned.

Now, if the seats start emptying and the boosters money starts to dry up a little, Then we will see real change. But not until then. Regardless of what HN poster want.
 
Motigerhawk said:
Its funny. I was watching the news last night and they were investigating the St. Louis city Sheriff. His job is to protect the city courthouse. Thats it. He has a brother as a deputy and he gave him a raise because he was the only person that could manage the time cards.
We are talking $32,000 a year jobs.
The point being is that it isnt allowed.

That FKF could hire his son and promote him yearly tells me the Uof I love FKF and will let him do what he wants.

Barta sucks, but this is bigger than FKF. Im thinking regardless of what happens, BF is our next HC. Fans be damned.

Now, if the seats start emptying and the boosters money starts to dry up a little, Then we will see real change. But not until then. Regardless of what HN poster want.
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You're all forgetting one person in this mess. He is a university president named Bruce Herrold.

He's a weak little wimp period.

Barta should have been canned after the settlement to the lesbians.

That's all.
 
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homes said:
You're probably correct, although I don't know who actually hired him. The UI likely has policies in place regarding the hiring of relatives. Not my main point, but your point is well taken.
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The announcement comes after The Gazette reported that Ferentz did not disclose to Barta that Barnes had become engaged to his 25-year-old daughter, Joanne, last year. It marks the second time in less than a year that Barta has taken steps to avoid nepotism questions surrounding Ferentz, whose program hired his son, Brian Ferentz, over 100 other applicants to become the Hawkeyes' offensive line coach last year. Ferentz, who is entering his 15th season at Iowa, had two other sons on last year's team.


http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...yes-review-hiring-kirk-ferentz-future-son-law
 
Gee. I was just getting used to the cry to fire KF, our new OC, and Gary B. Now we have expanded to Phil Parker and Doyle. Next, we have decided we need to fire, wait for it: The President of the University of Iowa! Frankly, from what I have read in the news lately, this whole mess that is Iowa football is the fault of Barack Obama, based on the fact that he was born in Kenya. Wahoo!!!
 
Motigerhawk said:
Its funny. I was watching the news last night and they were investigating the St. Louis city Sheriff. His job is to protect the city courthouse. Thats it. He has a brother as a deputy and he gave him a raise because he was the only person that could manage the time cards.
We are talking $32,000 a year jobs.
The point being is that it isnt allowed.

That FKF could hire his son and promote him yearly tells me the Uof I love FKF and will let him do what he wants.

Barta sucks, but this is bigger than FKF. Im thinking regardless of what happens, BF is our next HC. Fans be damned.

Now, if the seats start emptying and the boosters money starts to dry up a little, Then we will see real change. But not until then. Regardless of what HN poster want.
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I don't think it's proper to compare what one entity does, be it public or private, as binding on another. The fact [assuming it's a fact] that the City of St. Louis has a blanket prohibition against a person hiring a relative does not make it illegal for an entirely unrelated group from doing something else. I did some more looking at this and the hiring of a relative at the UI is permissible, with certain controls in place regarding that relative. You don't have to like it, and may think it improper, but it's allowed.

With that, while Coach Ferentz has a lot of credibility and influence in the athletic department, if Brian is not cutting it as an OC, he's not becoming the HC simply because Kirk says he will be. I don't doubt that the hiring of Brian was made with the idea that he would be groomed to become the head coach, but the hiring of him as the OC doesn't guarantee him the head coaching job. I'm not that cynical, nor naive. That judgment will not be made after this year, but will be based on a body of work that will probably be 3-5 years in the making at the time the hiring of a new coach will occur. We'll see what unfolds in the years ahead, but it's much too early right now.
 
homes said:
I don't think it's proper to compare what one entity does, be it public or private, as binding on another. The fact [assuming it's a fact] that the City of St. Louis has a blanket prohibition against a person hiring a relative does not make it illegal for an entirely unrelated group from doing something else. I did some more looking at this and the hiring of a relative at the UI is permissible, with certain controls in place regarding that relative. You don't have to like it, and may think it improper, but it's allowed.

With that, while Coach Ferentz has a lot of credibility and influence in the athletic department, if Brian is not cutting it as an OC, he's not becoming the HC simply because Kirk says he will be. I don't doubt that the hiring of Brian was made with the idea that he would be groomed to become the head coach, but the hiring of him as the OC doesn't guarantee him the head coaching job. I'm not that cynical, nor naive. That judgment will not be made after this year, but will be based on a body of work that will probably be 3-5 years in the making at the time the hiring of a new coach will occur. We'll see what unfolds in the years ahead, but it's much too early right now.
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It's a 100% certainty he'll be the next HC. For 2 reasons. The next reworking of the contract will include language giving KF disproportionate influence on the choice of his successor (think KF choosing who is on the search committee). But there's actually a different and much more powerful reason. As long as Iowa goes to Bowl games nearly every year the fans; boosters and admins are happy. And KF has figured out how to make that happen. 3 cupcakes and then 3 wins in the West. That's doable 85% of the time.
 
Never bought into the legend coaching conspiracy story.

KFerentz is going into the history books as the winningest coach in Iowa history. What son would want to follow that?

BFerentz is coaching at Iowa because it’s a step up from where he was. He likes the coaching staff. Iowa is his home state and the Hawks are his team.

It’s too big of a gamble for him to follow in KFerentz’s shadow.

Ask Chuck Long why he didn’t come back to coach at Iowa. Ask Paul Rhoads how it worked returning home.

I don’t think it’s ever going to happen. After KF retires I could see Brian staying in the Midwest, say Illinois and turn that program around.
 
DDThompson said:
After KF retires I could see Brian staying in the Midwest, say Illinois and turn that program around.
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DDThompson said:
Never bought into the legend coaching conspiracy story.

KFerentz is going into the history books as the winningest coach in Iowa history. What son would want to follow that?

BFerentz is coaching at Iowa because it’s a step up from where he was. He likes the coaching staff. Iowa is his home state and the Hawks are his team.

It’s too big of a gamble for him to follow in KFerentz’s shadow.

Ask Chuck Long why he didn’t come back to coach at Iowa. Ask Paul Rhoads how it worked returning home.

I don’t think it’s ever going to happen. After KF retires I could see Brian staying in the Midwest, say Illinois and turn that program around.
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I actually don't blame BF one bit for taking (in the near future) what Daddy will have connived/bequeathed/given, regardless of how it stinks.
Daddy's gift spring-boards him up to Head Coach at a young age, with a fat contract that I'm sure will be loaded with all sorts of perks he won't have earned.
Barta will argue that the fat contract must be "competitive" with other top coaches. Hah! "Competitive" assumes we actually compete CONSISTENTLY with the very top schools and therefore the HC spot must earn a similar salary.
Wouldn't it be as refreshing as $hit if Head Coaches were paid according to performance, with yearly salary reviews like normal Managers/Leaders in business?

I would't be surprised if KF hasn't already helped draft the contract for him... (Stick with me, I'm ranting)
After BF is anointed Head Coach, regardless of his HC record at Iowa, it will lead to a number of coaching options after he crashes, burns and gets fired or "resigns" somewhere in between year #2 and #3 (if I had to bet a dollar)
Financially he'll be set after a quick 8-10 years, so what does he really care what the Iowa fans think?! He's looking out for himself and his family.
It's selfish as hell I'm my opinion, because I'm a lowly fan - I love Iowa Football and they're simply using Iowa FB as their own personal 7-figure 401-k. The Ferentz family just sees it as business, plain and simple.
Is it too much to ask for a Coach that truly loves the school and the program?
Maybe it is.
 
there is no risk. KFz is a multi-millionaire with an untouchable contract. Outside of blatant NCAA infractions or cheating (which won't happen)... he can do whatever he wants, virtually without risk.
 
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