Friday Question: Would you risk being Nebraska to be Oklahoma?

[NorthKCHawk]

This season has caused a lot of angst and discussions of the need to upgrade Iowa football. Some with good reason, but a lot of it unfounded. So, here is a fun hypothetical to test your risk tolerance:

After 2014, arguments could be made that KF had run his course and the program was stale. Let's say you could go back in time and be Barta (gross). You have only two choices before you:

1) Keep KF knowing that things would play out exactly as they have for past 7.5 seasons (which I believe the results have been a Top 15 program during that time); or
2) You hire a new coach who has a 50% of achieving exactly what Oklahoma has achieved over the last 7.5 years, or 50% of achieving exactly what Nebraska has done. Once you make this pick you have no way of changing the results. You are stuck with one path or the other.

As Fry has said repeatedly, hiring a coach is a crapshoot. Okie pretty much won 11 or 12 games a year, won the Little 12 a lot, made the playoffs, but no Nattie. Nebraska huffed its own farts and was/is a national joke during that time. It may be digging out for years to come.

Would you do it, Bartas???????

 

[FRANAMANIAC]

Yes, because as a fan, I dont get that much enjoyment out of 500 ball vs losing season

 

[FloridaHawks]

Risk it for the natty every year!

Hot take- Iowa is actually a bigger joke than Nebraska is on a national level. Sure we beat them every year and have a better record but if you're under 45 years old and have social media then you know that Iowa gets dragged through the media by outlets like Barstool, The Herd and Deadspin way worse than Nebraska does. We perform just good enough to garner national attention only to embarrass ourselves when the spotlight is on.

I just want to run an offense created for this decade and not the 90s.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

I guess we would score a lot more points if we became Nebraska taking the risk to be Oklahoma....and give up a lot of points as well. Would be like watching Iowa basketball on a football field.

I guess I would probably be more in the consistency crowd which would be retaining Kirk as I'm not sure how much up and down would be good for the football program here. But, arguably Kirk probably could have stepped aside within the last few years if he wanted to.

Again, as much from time to time that I might rip on our coaches......Kirk and Fran have established consistent winning programs. I'm not sure I would want to throw that way unless I was 75% sure (at the very least) that moving on would not only keep the program at a winning level, but would also result in new year 6s playoffs, championship game, etc.

I don't think I would want to take a 50-50 on it.

Also, to keep in mind, Iowa was in the Big Ten Title Game last year. They had 10 wins........this year does suck ass......and I do wish Brian would move on as they got to those 10 wins in spite of the offense.....but the larger product of Iowa football is still healthy. Now, it may be trending down....we shall see.

Personally, I think the Illinois game has now become Iowa's biggest this year. If they win this, there is still hope in the West Division games. They lose it and the train may not get back on the tracks. Ohio St is lurking and that could be brutal.

 

[MursenarySkum]

I'm of the opinion of moving on from Kirk, if you hire the right guy, and not some nobody coaching at Maine (see what I did there?). But seriously, I have enjoyed Kirk for a long time, but this crap with Brian has really soured me on him. It's been what 23+ years? I love Iowa football, but I'm ready for a change. Hire Levar, give Kirk his statue, cry some tears of appreciation and apprehension for the future, because I have an aversion to change, and let's see what happens. I honestly would rather be a dumpster fire that is trying to win, than watch Kirk try to save his kid's coaching career at Iowa's expense.

Obviously not gonna happen, Kirk is here until he's dead, but I'm ready for something different, good or bad.

 

[KCHawkeye]

I'm of the opinion of moving on from Kirk, if you hire the right guy, and not some nobody coaching at Maine (see what I did there?). But seriously, I have enjoyed Kirk for a long time, but this crap with Brian has really soured me on him. It's been what 23+ years? I love Iowa football, but I'm ready for a change. Hire Levar, give Kirk his statue, cry some tears of appreciation and apprehension for the future, because I have an aversion to change, and let's see what happens. I honestly would rather be a dumpster fire that is trying to win, than watch Kirk try to save his kid's coaching career at Iowa's expense.

Obviously not gonna happen, Kirk is here until he's dead, but I'm ready for something different, good or bad.

Yesssss!

 

[trj]

I can't remember who could have been potential coaching candidates in 2014 if Barta moved on from KF. This is a loaded question, it is a set up for you to take option 2, where then @NorthKCHawk can counter with option 1. I will play along and let the lawyer crush me on this.

I will take option 2. Barta rolls the dice and hires NDSU's DC Chris Klieman. I would argue he would have given you similar results as KF, but in a different package. Probably looking at Colin Klien, Syklar Thompson type quarterbacks as opposed to the Nate Stanley, Spencer Petras types.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

Risk it for the natty every year!

Hot take- Iowa is actually a bigger joke than Nebraska is on a national level. Sure we beat them every year and have a better record but if you're under 45 years old and have social media then you know that Iowa gets dragged through the media by outlets like Barstool, The Herd and Deadspin way worse than Nebraska does. We perform just good enough to garner national attention only to embarrass ourselves when the spotlight is on.

I just want to run an offense created for this decade and not the 90s.

That's a red hot take, and it's also wrong outside of the 20 year old frat boy crowd. Nebraska has no respect whatsoever.

As to the question, yeah, I'd take that coinflip. I've been thinking that I'd be okay with Chryst, Bielema, or any of the Stoops relieving Kirk if he wants to retire this year or next. They can christen Kirk's bronze statue, it will be a great moment. BF can stay on as OL coach if he wants. Retain Parker, promote Woods to OC, let one of those guys go for three or four years and hand it over to Woods.

 

[FloridaHawks]

That's a red hot take, and it's also wrong outside of the 20 year old frat boy crowd. Nebraska has no respect whatsoever.

As to the question, yeah, I'd take that coinflip. I've been thinking that I'd be okay with Chryst, Bielema, or any of the Stoops relieving Kirk if he wants to retire this year or next. They can christen Kirk's bronze statue, it will be a great moment. BF can stay on as OL coach if he wants. Retain Parker, promote Woods to OC, let one of those guys go for three or four years and hand it over to Woods.

It might be the 20 year old crowd, but those 20 year old kids are who play on the football team and see that content. It negatively affects recruiting.

 

[dagdaj]

I'm standing pat.
We have had it good. Sometimes really good. Great occasionally. Just never ultimate.

Rarely bad.
And only truly awful in those first few Kirk years.

For a school in a state of 3 million with a competing FBS state school, Iowa football consistently punches above it's weight class in every way.

That said, the blindspots caused by the nepotism is grinding my gears.