For those who think Iowa can't perenially shoot for 9-10 wins:

[Cover3]

Keep in mind we play twelve regular-season games now versus eleven in the Fry era. The twelfth game is universally against an FCS or MAC opponent (or even lower major like Sun Belt). I'm going to lay out Fry's tenure year-by-year from his first successful year (1981; akin to 2001-02 for Ferentz) to when it finally slipped away (1998), adding one win to each season where the team played only 11 regular-season games:

1981: 9-4
1982: 9-4
1983: 10-3
1984: 8-4-1
1985: 11-2
1986: 10-3
1987: 10-3
1988: 6-4-3
1989: 6-6
1990: 9-4
1991: 11-1-1
1992: 5-7
1993: 7-6
1994: 6-5-1
1995: 9-4
1996: 10-3
1997: 8-5

There is a definite parallel to the Ferentz era: 1988~2005 were both very disappointing and followed by down stretches before brief bursts of top-end success; 1997~2010 massively underachieving teams that lost a lot of close games. This year isn't nearly as bad as 1998, which is a testament to KF. However, notice that 10/17 seasons above featured at least 9 wins. That's 59%. Hayden would have won 8+ 70% of the time (12/17). KF's numbers are pretty comparable to that right now, but we are likely looking at 2 out of the last 7 winning nine or more after this year. Hayden had a similar stretch, but he also had 6 out of 7 winning nine or more (with a 12th game) earlier on. It can be done, but you can't do it losing to ISU and Minnesota; 2007 is an 8-4 season if we beat a bad ISU team and a 4-8 W. Michigan.

 

[GhostofBTT]

 

[ssckelley]

It all comes down to recruiting take a look at the recruiting class of these Junior and Seniors and it is easy to see why Iowa has not been 9-10 wins the past 2 years.

 

[herky01]

I agree at least 8/year is feasible. This highlights the most glaring issue with Kirk's program...losing the games against creampuff opponents.

 

[Cover3]

It all comes down to recruiting take a look at the recruiting class of these Junior and Seniors and it is easy to see why Iowa has not been 9-10 wins the past 2 years.

Right. I'm just addressing the assertions a lot of people make that at Iowa, 9+ win seasons are going to be the exception rather than the norm. Hayden had a good track record of the success required to have 9+ wins with current scheduling being the norm.

 

[hawkfaninTX]

Hey news flash, 8-4 is still a possibility this year by my math! Step....back......from......ledge.

 

[Cover3]

Hey news flash, 8-4 is still a possibility this year by my math! Step....back......from......ledge.

I'm not on a ledge. I nowhere said 8-4 is not possible. I said it's unlikely we go 9-4. I'm not calling for changes. This is meant to address the crowd that may think Kirk's level of success is unprecedented and/or exceptional given Iowa's football landscape.

 

[Foval21]

the success kirk has had is similar to that of hayden. if you look hayden had down years also. and 2 or 3 in a row too. i cant blame recruiting because i see blaming recruiting as looking for players to come in and play big rolls as true frosh and that isnt how iowa has done things even under hayden those players were few. right now we arent developing the players like we have in the past even on down years you saw players step up. but especially with the defense we arent seeing that. instead i see many players looking the same or worse which makes me think a change at dc is needed not a change in scheme but a new dc to fire the players up. on offense mcnutt has stepped up but other receivers havent and jvb has been erractic at times along with 8 man boxes to stop coker and a line that is great at times then completely forgets about blocking a dt for a play or two.

we just havent developed like in the past. there is no klug type or dallas clark type or any of the other players that come out of nowhere. next year looks like it could be more of the same but it could also be the chip on the shoulder year with a bunch of rs frosh and sophs saying it is there team now and they are sick of mediocre.

all but the elite teams go through down stretches. can we win the B1G, yes but we arent ever going to do it year after year after year unless we cheat and that is just the truth we dont have the legacy. and even legacy teams hit bad stretches look at nd, nebby, even bama has.

 

[Bubbrub]

we just havent developed like in the past. there is no klug type or dallas clark type or any of the other players that come out of nowhere. next year looks like it could be more of the same but it could also be the chip on the shoulder year with a bunch of rs frosh and sophs saying it is there team now and they are sick of mediocre.
QUOTE]

How "in the past" are you talking? We're not even one full season removed from Klug and Stanzi, and only a couple seasons removed from Angerer. Walk-ons Bruggeman and Greenwood were Hawkeyes only one and two years ago. Allen Reisner was just here. All of these unheralded recruits made it to the NFL, at least for a time, very recently. That's not even counting all of the other more highly touted Hawkeyes who have recently gone to the NFL from the last couple of years. Our talent level is obviously down in certain areas compared to the last couple of years, but I don't think we need to worry about player development.

 

[busabus114]

Hey news flash, 8-4 is still a possibility this year by my math! Step....back......from......ledge.

says the guy who told someone to eat a bullet in a thread yesterday

 

[DuffMan]

I haven't seen anyone say Iowa shouldn't shoot for 9 wins or better each year.

 

[herky01]

Kirk actually has it easier than Hayden. In Hayden's era you could have 105 (I think) scholarship players. Now it's 85. In the past the elite teams would stockpile the top recruits. Now teams like Iowa can get players they wouldn't have been able to get when Hayden was coaching because there are more quality players available.

 

[uihawk82]

This coaching staff needs to get more killer instinct ways to win. The coaches and players at this program need to have a goal to average 9 wins a season. Maybe the recruiting needs to aim higher but whatever the analysis, the 7-8 win rebuilding seasons averaging with 10-11 win regular seasons can be achieved. The coaching staff has to also get better at in game coaching and firing up the players because I always think this coaching staff is worth two losses a season. This year the two losses on the coaches so far are Iowa State for not being aggressive enough on both sides of the ball and Minnesota for not being more aggressive again.

 

[HawkeyeMHA]

Can someone pull some numbers on top 10 finishes between the two (Hayden/KF)? Bowl game wins? Big 10 titles? Winning %? etc. I think that would give us all some perspective...