Personally, I am quite interested in learning about next year’s players. Especially who comes back, and increasingly, news from the transfer portal. Of course, “now” is still a powerful priority. I Club donor, season tickets football and men’s basketball…that’s me."It's not about putting the best product on the field for your paying fans, either. Most of them would love to learn about who they may be rooting for next year."
Uh, NO. Surely you must be joking. The 'love to learn about who they may be rooting for next year' shows me your vision is blurred by writing too many 'feature' articles on 'up and coming' players!
I'm quite sure I can speak for the majority of fans (at least those willing to shell out money to attend games at Kinnick and pony up NIL money for starters), when I say I want to see 'the best product on the field' that the university can field NOW. I frankly could give a shit who starts or plays for the Hawks next year -- that will get sorted out in time, and I'll cheer for them when they take the field. And if coaches can't figure out the best players to put on the field next season after winter workouts, spring practice, and fall practice...well, we need new coaches.
"If they make mistakes, so be it. Most of them should hold up well if they're second on the two-deep, anyway." This totally contradicts your observation that injuries have played a role in Iowa not putting the pieces together this season. Backups are backups for a reason. I don't even know what to make of the 'so be it' line regarding mistakes. You've clearly given up on the season. From a fan perspective, thank goodness the players haven't.
I agree with everything you say about being interested in who comes back, and news from the transfer portal. But the regular season doesn't end until Nov. 29 and the transfer portal doesn't open until Dec. 9. What Rob was talking about in his article was players starting to sit out the next two games during the regular season so coaches and fans could get a look at next year's players. No thank you. Dumb idea. And I can't imagine any of Iowa's NFL-bound players (Castro, Higgins, etc) going for it. But I guess we'll see.Personally, I am quite interested in learning about next year’s players. Especially who comes back, and increasingly, news from the transfer portal. Of course, “now” is still a powerful priority. I Club donor, season tickets football and men’s basketball…that’s me.
This.Far be it from me to disagree with the venerable Mr. Howe, but here I go.
The best way to ensure better play in '25 is to finish off '24 strong. Recruiting, talent, NIL, transfers are all impacted by perception and momentum. We have an ancient coaching staff and are viewed, charitably, as "traditional" and uncharitably as "out of touch with the modern game." Which narrative follows Iowa into the offseason depends almost entirely upon how this season finishes up.
Iowa wins these last two games and beats an SEC team in a bowl and goes 9-4, their is some excitement going into '25. A team on the rise and continuing its consistent winning ways of late.
Iowa splits the next two games and gets blown out by Mississippi State in the Whatever Bowl and ends up 7-6. Eh? Iowa loses out? Gulp.
The coaches need to work the portal and recruit, yes. But, if I am KF I am laser focused on doing everything possible to win the next three games. I will play whomever gives me the best chance to win, and do whatever to win them. Even the meaningless bowl game. Perception matters.
No doubt that was tough to watch. That entire week leading up to that game the coaches had to have been telling him that. It looks bad on Sullivan to the extent that I'm sure he was being told you're the only scholly QB on depth chart you can't be putting yourself in harms way. Yet he took multiple shots he could've avoided. They need to sit down with him and watch film and show him at what points of plays he should be making decisions. Incompletions are better then an injury.I do know if Brendan Sullivan is part of the 2025 future...he better figure out how to slide or get out of bounds. No way he plays 12 games next year without understanding of how to protect himself.
You really have forgotten how thin things got those last couple years under HF. This season is no where near that. We still could win 8 games and go to a Florida bowl this season.I had to ask myself after that UCLA debacle, "Is this kind of feeling like the end of the Hayden Fry years?". I think it does have that feeling.
You really have forgotten how thin things got those last couple years under HF. This season is no where near that. We still could win 8 games and go to a Florida bowl this season.
UCLA is better than their record. Not an excuse, but its true. Iowa never plays well in California.
yesThe real question is will he stay one more year just to make sure we beats the BIG 10 wins record?