Heat Directed at JVB

JonDMiller

JonDMiller

Publisher/Founder
At some point doesn't that become misdirected?

Through 21 career starts, including seven games of his senior season, he's 12-9. Two wins last year vs winning teams (11-2 Michigan and 7-6 Purdue) and two this year (7-1 Northern Illinois and 4-3 Minnesota). Minnesota will finish with a losing record.

As much as I didn't want to believe last year's 3000yds/25 TD passes were akin to empty calories, it's becoming nigh on impossible not to feel that way. It's not that I can't get myself to admit that, it's just that I don't think I've seen anything like it at Iowa.

James is 100% invested. He's given it all he has. Countless extra hours of his time to get better, to study, to try to improve but it's just not happening. I think he's probably tried too hard. It just doesn't seem like it's going to happen for him with five games to go.

I think the anger being directed at a player who is doin all he can, even if its not adding up to what the team needs, is unfair. James isn't the head coach. He's the guy the coach is calling on to lead the team.

If you have to have a punching bag, it should be the person who makes the decisions, not the players who are asked to take the field.

While we can all be frustrated when results aren't there, when things bubble over to anger and insults directed at players, you need to look in the mirror and figure out what type of personality or character deficiency you have and go about fixing it.

Kirk Ferentz decides who plays and who doesn't. If you want to direct criticisms at someone, that's a far more appropriate target and I guarantee you he'd say the same thing.

To that end, Kirk will have some interesting decisions the rest of the way. I will be shocked if he makes a change. In a way, I think he might see that as giving up on this year and these seniors because if Jake Rudock were anywhere near JVB, he would have probably played already. They are 4-3 and it's not a stretch to think there are two more wins out there, or at least that is probably how he sees it.

Everything I have heard, including in last six hours, confirms what I have heard all fall; the backups are not ready. It makes total sense because if one of them was, he'd be playing some.

There are obvious angles to criticize off of that reality; receuiting at the position is one of them

But I think the barbs, jabs, whatever that are being directed at JVB are off target. If he were quitting or not giving it his all, that's one thing. But he is; change your target.
 
I blame Greg Davis and this new offensive style. Vandenberg always played better out of the shotgun in a hurray up offense. He's a drop back passer who isn't accurate on the short throws. Iowa doesn't have the speed WR's that Texas did, where Davis had success.

I fully think this new offense (even if Ferentz calls the shots) is the reason why Vandenberg has regressed. This isn't the offense he came to Iowa to run, and this offense isn't going to work.
 
I ain't even mad, bro. I'm just sad, frustrated and embarrassed. And no, isn't JVB's fault. I blame KF. Ruddock should've come into the game last night. Especially in the second half. I know KF doesn't want a QB controversy but he's got one whether he likes it or not.
 
I'm not angry "AT" Vandenberg, and I don't believe for a minute that he isn't giving it 100%. Don't mistake any of this as being personal towards JVB. But he is severely struggling. My anger at this point (at least when you are down by 30+ points in the 2nd half, and JVB is struggling) is WHY on earth doesn't Rudock get put in for a few series (or maybe the entire 4th quarter) to get him some reps against a conference opponent.

It's not like the game's outcome was still in doubt, and I didn't see any advantage to leaving JVB in at that point. IMO, it's just as pointless as leaving your starting QB in if you were UP by 30+ that late in the game. What if JVB gets injured in meaningless minutes? Get your backups some reps to help prepare them for when they are the #1 guy. So we lose 45-7 instead of 38-14, maybe. Who cares?

Either KF is sticking with Vandenberg NO MATTER WHAT, or our backups our that woefully unprepared to play in the Big Ten if JVB's play last night is the best we have. That thought doesn't give me the warm & fuzzy feeling I would like to have about Iowa's future.
 
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I echo the same thoughts as above. I don't think JVB fits in the Greg Davis system. And, so far through 7 games, I actually miss KOK (not that is saying much, but at least we had a vertical passing game). I don't like this 3 yard horizontal passing game one bit.

Getting Rudock snaps would be beneficial for the future. In a blow out game, it would have hurt nothing (unless Rudock tore an ACL or something). If Ferentz gives no snaps to his back-ups, next year he sends in extremely green QBs. Unfortunately, this has been a common theme under Ferentz.

The first time the wife and I ever left an Iowa football game early. We looked like a bad high school football team last night.
 
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I understand that a backup isn't suddenly come off the bench and be Chuck Long, and MAYBE he wouldn't even be JVB, but at this point how would anyone know? None have even taken a snap in a game. Plus, Kirk hasn't had a reputation for benching players who've underperformed, so I don't know that we can assume that no one is able to do better. I can't believe that, especially after last night.
 
JonDMiller said:
At some point doesn't that become misdirected?

Through 21 career starts, including seven games of his senior season, he's 12-9. Two wins last year vs winning teams (11-2 Michigan and 7-6 Purdue) and two this year (7-1 Northern Illinois and 4-3 Minnesota). Minnesota will finish with a losing record.

As much as I didn't want to believe last year's 3000yds/25 TD passes were akin to empty calories, it's becoming nigh on impossible not to feel that way. It's not that I can't get myself to admit that, it's just that I don't think I've seen anything like it at Iowa.

James is 100% invested. He's given it all he has. Countless extra hours of his time to get better, to study, to try to improve but it's just not happening. I think he's probably tried too hard. It just doesn't seem like it's going to happen for him with five games to go.

I think the anger being directed at a player who is doin all he can, even if its not adding up to what the team needs, is unfair. James isn't the head coach. He's the guy the coach is calling on to lead the team.

If you have to have a punching bag, it should be the person who makes the decisions, not the players who are asked to take the field.

While we can all be frustrated when results aren't there, when things bubble over to anger and insults directed at players, you need to look in the mirror and figure out what type of personality or character deficiency you have and go about fixing it.

Kirk Ferentz decides who plays and who doesn't. If you want to direct criticisms at someone, that's a far more appropriate target and I guarantee you he'd say the same thing.

To that end, Kirk will have some interesting decisions the rest of the way. I will be shocked if he makes a change. In a way, I think he might see that as giving up on this year and these seniors because if Jake Rudock were anywhere near JVB, he would have probably played already. They are 4-3 and it's not a stretch to think there are two more wins out there, or at least that is probably how he sees it.

Everything I have heard, including in last six hours, confirms what I have heard all fall; the backups are not ready. It makes total sense because if one of them was, he'd be playing some.

There are obvious angles to criticize off of that reality; receuiting at the position is one of them

But I think the barbs, jabs, whatever that are being directed at JVB are off target. If he were quitting or not giving it his all, that's one thing. But he is; change your target.
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Suppose you are right and JR isn't ready. What between now and next fall is going to get him ready. He has been in the system two years so I don't believe it is a question of more practice time.

I personally would take whatever results JR could deliver if it gives us a better chance next year. A 6-6, 5-7 or even 7-6 season this year only to start over at square one next year is simply not worth it.
 
I agree, I've said this over and over. 99% know that Vandy is out there doing the best he can. He just isn't cutting it. Not even close. But only an idiot has anything against him personally.

The blame is all on Ferentz. Either he is keeping a better player on the bench, or if the backups are truly that much worse, then Ferentz has failed to do his job of recruiting players that can play at this level. Either way he has done a pretty lousy job lately and deserves the heat.
 
My problem is that if the backups are THAT unprepared, then next year is going to be scary. Nothing helps players more than game action. If Ferentz won't put one of them in now, then I am very concerned for the program.

If anything maybe a change will spark the Hawks. It also may let Vandenberg sit and think a little, and if things don't work out then you can put him back in.
 
I don't believe it when it is said our backup QB isn't ready.....look at last year. A J Derby was #2, and the staff felt confident enough to move him to LB because they had sufficient talent (Rudock) for the future. Weinke also sees the writing on the wall that he is not gonna over take JVB or Rudock, so he finds another position to contribute at.
So Rudock or Sokol must be prepared, ready, good enough to push these other backups out of the position, and one to another team.
It is because of this that I don't believe Rudock isn't ready. Must be something else. Ferentz is too stubborn and loyal to the invested Iowa boy.
If we are not careful, Jake will go back to a Florida school and become successful.

The personnel decisions are questionable. He finally gave Nico a chance last night. Look how long it took them to get Cotton opportunities to be involved, and look at the quick results. Then look at how many TBs had to be eliminated before Weisman got a chance.
 
tomhawk80907 said:
Suppose you are right and JR isn't ready. What between now and next fall is going to get him ready. He has been in the system two years so I don't believe it is a question of more practice time.

I personally would take whatever results JR could deliver if it gives us a better chance next year. A 6-6, 5-7 or even 7-6 season this year only to start over at square one next year is simply not worth it.
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JR and Sokol have been in THIS new scheme the same amount of time, same for JVB

As for players getting better year to year, Stanzi was no where near ready in 2007 so he didn't play. I see this year as similar to 2007 in that way. As poor as the offense was under JC that year there wasn't a viable backup in Kirk's mind.

Stanzi made strides in the spring of 2008 tha caused Ken to really start looking his way. That progress continued into August 2008 and led to them splitting tim early in 2008. I think Kirk held on too long to hope that things would click for a fourth ur player in Jake, then eventually went to Stanzi full time.

Stanzi wasn't without struggles in 2008; 17/15 TD to INT ratio. But he showed promise, Iowa had a very good D and second best OL of KF era and more talent on that roster than any in KF or maybe Iowa history pursuant to NFL draft results.

There will be a wide open three man race for QB starting no later than January and possibly as early as Thanksgiving weekend. Competition is a good thing and players can absolutely break through from year to year.

There will be struggles next year regardless of who wins the job. But the defense will be better, the OL will be solid, the RB corps will be deep with a hammer leading the way, lot of receivers getting time this year who will return, every TE in current rotation returns, PK and P returns.

Things actually set up about as good as can reasonably be expected for a young QB to take over the reigns in 2013.
 
I also want to say that the whole "the other QB isn't ready" thing is ridiculous. We've heard this and heard this under the Ferentz administration. I heard the same thing about Banks and I heard the same thing about Stanzi. The truth is that JVB hasn't looked ready this season either. Imagine if Jake had come in and started slinging the ball around the field consistently last night. Then Ferentz would have had another Stanzi/JC situation on his hands. He sure as hell doesn't want that to happen. Again, I've heard plenty that without KOK, we see JC the entire season in '08.

I don't believe for one second that changing QB's will add more wins to our record this season. I do believe that it will add more wins to our record next season though. And at this point, that should be the main focus.
 
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JonDMiller said:
JR and Sokol have been in THIS new scheme the same amount of time, same for JVB

As for players getting better year to year, Stanzi was no where near ready in 2007 so he didn't play. I see this year as similar to 2007 in that way. As poor as the offense was under JC that year there wasn't a viable backup in Kirk's mind.

Stanzi made strides in the spring of 2008 tha caused Ken to really start looking his way. That progress continued into August 2008 and led to them splitting tim early in 2008. I think Kirk held on too long to hope that things would click for a fourth ur player in Jake, then eventually went to Stanzi full time.

Stanzi wasn't without struggles in 2008; 17/15 TD to INT ratio. But he showed promise, Iowa had a very good D and second best OL of KF era and more talent on that roster than any in KF or maybe Iowa history pursuant to NFL draft results.

There will be a wide open three man race for QB starting no later than January and possibly as early as Thanksgiving weekend. Competition is a good thing and players can absolutely break through from year to year.

There will be struggles next year regardless of who wins the job. But the defense will be better, the OL will be solid, the RB corps will be deep with a hammer leading the way, lot of receivers getting time this year who will return, every TE in current rotation returns, PK and P returns.

Things actually set up about as good as can reasonably be expected for a young QB to take over the reigns in 2013.
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There you have it..
 
Agree with general direction of thoughts ... either JR and CS are really, really horrible to still be subordinating the repetitive horribleness of JVB, or KF is a really, really horrible coach on these levels:

-- Lack of JR and CS development and preparation;
-- Obvious favoritism to the familiar;
-- Claiming to play for this season and that JVB is the "best option" but allowing your "best option" to continuously take big shots for a full quarter of football when the game is well out of hand. Did Curt not learn anything from exposing Adam Robinson to the same fate? Perhaps the Corporal was trying to get JVB hurt to eliminate having to make such a difficult decision.
-- If JR and CS are so inferior in talent and execution, and, although difficult to fathom, would actually perform worse than JVB has proven, not only is Churk flushing this season, he's willing to flush next season by refusing to offer game experience to backups on the chance that it might improve them from horribler to horrible.
 
JM you are correct, it is not JVB's fault...he is giving us his best given the play calling that is given to him. GD is not sufficiently using his skills to his best advantage nor building his confidence with some quick hit completions. Yes JVB has thrown erratic all season, but by the time in the game that he needs to be throwing well, his confidence seems shot. I think that KF is afraid of creating a controversy at the risk of taking away his confidence (and thus the team's confidence) in JVB as a leader. The other guys may appear immature to actually "lead" in practice and behind the scenes, but he needs/needed to get some reps to these backups for the just in case scenario that JVB does go down. Why wait until then, and if JVB is so much better than the others, why leave him so exposed in a blowout. I blame KF on this one first, and GD second.

It is starting to feel like a bad trend...like we don't want to put on the appearance that winning does matter. I'm not so sure what the answers are, but I'm thinking less of GD and his abilities to adapt to given talent. I'm thinking less in KF's abilities to experiment, if for nothing else than to prevent injury to your perceived #1.
 
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