Give Brian Ferentz some Credit

[NorthKCHawk]

Brian called a good game last week, probably his best of the season. Iowa went out and tried to use the WR's in the offense. He's down his top TE, his top 2 RB's, his starting QB .... he was working with a QB who couldn't use his plant foot so that limited the entire playbook.

This is especially true when he lost his starting QB in the first quarter and had to reset with a very different guy at QB. The announcers said that he told Hill to let it all hang out. Losing Cade may have been freeing for BF. The addition of Cade was a great get for Iowa, but put even more pressure on BF to produce. Then, he was saddled with a starting QB who was gimpy, 70% healthy, and unable to make plays. He was basically Petras 2.0 back there.

Having healthy back up QB in there, who can move some, and with a big arm allowed BF to call plays down field. I expect the offense to have a bit more flow and confidence against Purdue all the way from the OC to the OL and everything in between. Will it be awesome? No. But will it resemble competence? I think yes.

 

[kicker22]

Damn good post. I am aware that the comments on HN about BF have actually softened a bit to a more reasonable, analytic view, in my opinion. The “fire Brian“ chant was a product of the “going for the jugular” mentality of the recent political/social era we are all suffering through. So, it has become the “ignorance is bliss” no class climate in the good old USA.

I'd disagree with this in its entirety. I think this has nothing to do with the "political and social era we are all suffering through" but rather the fact that despite the fact our offense was abysmal last season, after 4 games we're one of 4 teams who haven't eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the season. and are currently sitting:

127th in First downs
122nd in third down conversion percentage
125th in passing offense
104th in rushing offense
119th in time of possession
129th in total offense

So you can roll with the "going for the jugular mentality" becoming the ignorance is bliss no class climate", but the fact is our offense (or lack there of) has been an issue for years and nothing seems to have changed. KF and BF are professionals and coach for a living. They absolutely should know more about X's and O's and football then any of us and to be fair they've probably forgot more then any of us will ever know. The bottom line is with all that knowledge they've done absolutely nothing to fix a problem they created.

I don't think it has anything whatsoever to do with our political/social era but the fact that as paying fans of a program they're just absolutely fed up and want to be heard. While I may not agree that the chant "is appropriate" for our fanbase I also think it's fair to say that what hasn't been addressed or fixed on the offensive side of the ball by our coaching staff is equally as inappropriate. If you want to pay me what KF and BF are getting paid I'll gladly accept it and get chanted at for 3 hours a week by 70,000+ fans who are fed up with what they're seeing week to week. I think honestly BF is just thankful he has a job at this point and doing what he feels is best for the offense and to be honest that should be all he should be focused on.

 

[kicker22]

Damn good post. I am aware that the comments on HN about BF have actually softened a bit to a more reasonable, analytic view, in my opinion. The “fire Brian“ chant was a product of the “going for the jugular” mentality of the recent political/social era we are all suffering through. So, it has become the “ignorance is bliss” no class climate in the good old USA.

I do agree with you that the comments on here have become more reasonable though. My concern and criticisms about his qualifications though aren't necessarily based on his resume, but rather whether or not that resume of his was compared to those of others out there or if it was just felt that he "deserved" the promotion from within. I'd of had no problem with his resume or him being brought in as an OC if he would have gotten his start as OC somewhere else and found his way onto the Iowa staff.

 

[kicker22]

I also credit BF in the fact that he's taken the blunt of this head on. While everyone is so quick to point out his struggles, in his defense, the players got to execute and step up their game. BF is not to blame for the fact that our receivers couldn't catch a cold last week and the opportunities all the drops cost us is on them and not our staff.

 

[HuckFinn]

I'd disagree with this in its entirety. I think this has nothing to do with the "political and social era we are all suffering through" but rather the fact that despite the fact our offense was abysmal last season, after 4 games we're one of 4 teams who haven't eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the season. and are currently sitting:

127th in First downs
122nd in third down conversion percentage
125th in passing offense
104th in rushing offense
119th in time of possession
129th in total offense

So you can roll with the "going for the jugular mentality" becoming the ignorance is bliss no class climate", but the fact is our offense (or lack there of) has been an issue for years and nothing seems to have changed. KF and BF are professionals and coach for a living. They absolutely should know more about X's and O's and football then any of us and to be fair they've probably forgot more then any of us will ever know. The bottom line is with all that knowledge they've done absolutely nothing to fix a problem they created.

I don't think it has anything whatsoever to do with our political/social era but the fact that as paying fans of a program they're just absolutely fed up and want to be heard. While I may not agree that the chant "is appropriate" for our fanbase I also think it's fair to say that what hasn't been addressed or fixed on the offensive side of the ball by our coaching staff is equally as inappropriate. If you want to pay me what KF and BF are getting paid I'll gladly accept it and get chanted at for 3 hours a week by 70,000+ fans who are fed up with what they're seeing week to week. I think honestly BF is just thankful he has a job at this point and doing what he feels is best for the offense and to be honest that should be all he should be focused on.

I am fine with what I posted.

 

[HuckFinn]

I do agree with you that the comments on here have become more reasonable though. My concern and criticisms about his qualifications though aren't necessarily based on his resume, but rather whether or not that resume of his was compared to those of others out there or if it was just felt that he "deserved" the promotion from within. I'd of had no problem with his resume or him being brought in as an OC if he would have gotten his start as OC somewhere else and found his way onto the Iowa staff.

I have said it before and will repeat my position. BF has to move out of the OC position. Lots of circumstances have negatively impacted his record, but in the end, the last two years have been a disaster. When you look down and your horse is dead, dismount.

 

[dagdaj]

the players got to execute and step up their game. BF is not to blame for the fact that our receivers couldn't catch a cold last week and the opportunities all the drops cost us is on them and not our staff.

Yes. This is true. But.....
And withholding the receivers for the moment, Saturday was bad. But it's not exactly like they've had a ton of opportunities. Which, is nothing terribly surprising about the Kirkball era. Passing, has been problematic. I think many of us (myself included) initially jumped the gun and laid if all at the feet of Petras. I've rethought that. I'm reasonably sure he was never going to be a "great" quarterback. But I'm also reasonably sure I have no idea what he could have been.

But, again. Let's talk about Rushing.
2021 avg of 123 yards/game
2022 avg of 94.8 yards/game
2023 avg 107 yards/game

Basically only 1999, 2000 were worse. Even the 2012 year of AIRBHG matched 2023's rushing average/game. So, either our runningbacks have sucked for 3 years, or more likely, as we've much discussed....the offensive line has been problematic.

But to believe that....
How many offensive line players have been added to the team via recruiting, portal, or maybe even walk-on since 2019? There's what 20 OL's listed on the roster. That goes back to athletes who came aboard and might have redshirted/injured/etc and are in their 5th year. 4 or 5 a year?

You're telling me that they've "struck out" virtually completely on every athlete for a multi-year period to the point that they've wound up with an offensive line this bad for two solid years? I don't believe it. Would you at any point prior to last season say "Yeah, Illinois/Kansas/Missouri/Minnesota/Indiana/Maryland/Nebraska/etc. Let's go ahead do a wholesale trade of offensive linemen?" I mean, I may be wrong and not be aware that one of those teams has something I don't know about. But I doubt any of us would have taken that trade.

When in the history of Iowa football, has their recruiting yielded an offensive line was this bad for three years running? Sure, there were years where a younger line started out, but showed some ability. And got better every year, to the point they got a standing O on Senior Day when they all left the field holding hands.

I find it impossible to believe that out of the 20 athletes accepted over the last couple years to play on the offensive line are "this" bad. It suggests something extremely systemically wrong. I don't lay it all at the feet of Brian. It's Kirkball. It has to go right, or it doesn't go at all. We've seen this before. But, we have seen other offensive coordinators capable of making it go. And while they have some up and down seasons, it's up and down. Not unidirectionally down to the basement, and staying.

 

[kicker22]

Yes. This is true. But.....
And withholding the receivers for the moment, Saturday was bad. But it's not exactly like they've had a ton of opportunities. Which, is nothing terribly surprising about the Kirkball era. Passing, has been problematic. I think many of us (myself included) initially jumped the gun and laid if all at the feet of Petras. I've rethought that. I'm reasonably sure he was never going to be a "great" quarterback. But I'm also reasonably sure I have no idea what he could have been.

But, again. Let's talk about Rushing.
2021 avg of 123 yards/game
2022 avg of 94.8 yards/game
2023 avg 107 yards/game

Basically only 1999, 2000 were worse. Even the 2012 year of AIRBHG matched 2023's rushing average/game. So, either our runningbacks have sucked for 3 years, or more likely, as we've much discussed....the offensive line has been problematic.

But to believe that....
How many offensive line players have been added to the team via recruiting, portal, or maybe even walk-on since 2019? There's what 20 OL's listed on the roster. That goes back to athletes who came aboard and might have redshirted/injured/etc and are in their 5th year. 4 or 5 a year?

You're telling me that they've "struck out" virtually completely on every athlete for a multi-year period to the point that they've wound up with an offensive line this bad for two solid years? I don't believe it. Would you at any point prior to last season say "Yeah, Illinois/Kansas/Missouri/Minnesota/Indiana/Maryland/Nebraska/etc. Let's go ahead do a wholesale trade of offensive linemen?" I mean, I may be wrong and not be aware that one of those teams has something I don't know about. But I doubt any of us would have taken that trade.

When in the history of Iowa football, has their recruiting yielded an offensive line was this bad for three years running? Sure, there were years where a younger line started out, but showed some ability. And got better every year, to the point they got a standing O on Senior Day when they all left the field holding hands.

I find it impossible to believe that out of the 20 athletes accepted over the last couple years to play on the offensive line are "this" bad. It suggests something extremely systemically wrong. I don't lay it all at the feet of Brian. It's Kirkball. It has to go right, or it doesn't go at all. We've seen this before. But, we have seen other offensive coordinators capable of making it go. And while they have some up and down seasons, it's up and down. Not unidirectionally down to the basement, and staying.

Oh I definitely agree with you. Coaches coach and they're just as much to blame, if not more then anyone else, but also the players need to be help accountable and rightfully should be.