How Did Iowa Get Here?

[urohawk]

I certainly don't ascribe to that.

What we are seeing now has been building for a few years due to the decimation of 2008 class and the narrow margin for error the 2009 class had. I should have stayed with my 7-5 gut from all spring and summer, and only felt that possible due to a weaker schedule.

I think the team will be better next year and think that 2014 is going to be a year where things really need to rebound, like 8 wins +.

I disagree about the team being better next year. We keep hearing about all the young players in the two deeps but non of them are playing. We are still playing Steve Bigach, Tom Donatell, JVB, James Ferentz and Castillo. I am not saying these guys shouldn't be playing but the fact at this point in the season the younger guys aren't getting more snaps is very discouraging. Non of the young linebackers are being worked in despite poor play the last two games.

We won't have the dominant defensive line play next year that has bailed out horrible game day preparation and strategy in years past. Phillibin was the only offensive mind Ferentz has been able to hire. Norm Parker when healthy was very good. Other than that the only thing we have going for us is good player development which took a big hit with rhabdo.

 

[BLKNGOLD48]

^^Don't worry, we can use the "we are young, no experience" excuse next year.

 

[olddude]

Better next year as in 6-6? Is this really what we have settled for, talking better next year and 8+ wins in 2014. My goodness, this has gotten really bad.

NIU, Ball St and ISU at home Pitt @ pitt. We should not lose non cons. I do not understand what people dont get about that. When we do it should be so very few and far between. It is not like we are playing Bama, LSU or Oregon or something. Everyone is getting tougher non cons but us. Dont lose non cons and there is 4 of your 8 win season. Then if we dont lose at home (didnt Wisky just have a 20 something win streak at home?) Non cons and win at home. 8-4 is not "good". Plus in 2014 we get 2 bye weeks in the season.

 

[hawkfan340]

The Iowa football team is fighting just to be average right now and it's losing the battle. How did things get here? Will it get better?

More...

City Boyz Inc., Satterfield/Everson, and the entire 2007 season say hi.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

The 2008 and 2009 recruiting classes were disappointing. The way they both turned out is even more disappointing.

I think that Kirk recognized the issue a while ago. I think that's why we have seen all the coaching changes. He knows that changes are necessary to keep the program fresh, but he also knows that changes of this magnitude take time to implement and even more time before you see the benefits. It's almost like he wants to "reboot" the Hawkeye Football team.We all hope that Iowa has young talent. I've said it countless times. The brutal truth is that we really don't know for sure. Time will tell.

Of course he recognizes it, however, he's holding off on the "reboot" until next year.

As I stated after PSU, the lack of substition was so completely nonsensical and inconsistent with his post-game comments / rationales that it was blatantly obvious he's flushed this season. The ongoing lack of any schematic, play-calling or personnel adjustments continue to prove that he's gonna let this turd circle down the drain and hope for a wide-open, competitive restart next season.

In the meantime, he'll continue to coach-speak and cliche his way through the public heat in an attempt to deflect the criticism off his guys onto himself as much as possible, keep the criticism in the speculative, "what if" realm rather than become ourtright reality ("We won't know if he is ready to play until he plays."), rely on some built-in explanations (coaching changes, youth and "key" injuries) and gamble that he's got enough good-will built up and his laurels aren't too ancient history that Hawkeye Nation will ultimately come to accept them and return to start fresh in 2013.

My biggest concern is that he's got things covered inside the Fort and doesn't lose any of the young talent along the way.

 

[ChosenChildren]

Chosen, I didn't feel like I was painting a grim, 'the end is nigh' picture. Not at all. I just think the fingerprints on this year begins with talent in the upper classes. Nothing can be done about that right now, and it will probably take another year of some struggles on the DL.

Really, this program is all about the defensive line. Iowa has won 8 or more games in the regular season 6 times under Ferentz. During those six years, the Iowa defense ranked in the Top 10 nationally in scoring defense and/or rushing defense in each of those years.

When it hasn't ranked that highly in one of those categories, it has won fewer than seven regular season games.

As for a QB with more mobility, Iowa needs it...but that is not to say they need a dual threat guy...just someone who can buy some time in the pocket...Tate comes to mind there. Of the guys on campus now, I think Sokol fits that mold the best.

Fair comments. I will say this: Playing Nebraska in our division every year really raises the bar for Iowa. In fact, the Legends Division is very tough, with Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State and NW all fielding strong teams and Minnesota obviously getting better. The pressure on Ferentz is immense to keep pace. We are going to have to recruit well and put together better schemes. We aren't going to be able to "bully" these programs with better weight training or conditioning, as we have in the past. The margin of error is extremely thin for Iowa in football and basketball. If we fall off just a little bit (as we have this year) we become an "also-ran" very quickly.

If I were to pick out one program to emulate, it would be NWestern. Their schemes actually are pretty simple. They recruit skill people who can run. They play tough and smart. They run an offense that allows the QB to run out of bad plays.They don't get the best players every year, but they seem to develop the players they do recruit.

 

[HawkeyeRyno]

I certainly don't ascribe to that.

What we are seeing now has been building for a few years due to the decimation of 2008 class and the narrow margin for error the 2009 class had. I should have stayed with my 7-5 gut from all spring and summer, and only felt that possible due to a weaker schedule.

I think the team will be better next year and think that 2014 is going to be a year where things really need to rebound, like 8 wins +.

Good stuff Jon. But If the 2008 class is so poor this season then how can the last ranked recruiting class of 2009 make things better next season? We add Ohio State and Wisconsin to the schedule dropping PSU and Indiana. That is not good. Plus we see Minnesota and Northwestern improving while Iowa declines. This is what's so frustrating with a coach in his 14th season and provides a bleak outlook going forward. Iowa will most likely be predicted last in division in nearly all 2102 postseason to 2013 preseason outlooks. Not sure I see otherwise.

 

[FML]

I certainly don't ascribe to that.

What we are seeing now has been building for a few years due to the decimation of 2008 class and the narrow margin for error the 2009 class had. I should have stayed with my 7-5 gut from all spring and summer, and only felt that possible due to a weaker schedule.

I think the team will be better next year and think that 2014 is going to be a year where things really need to rebound, like 8 wins +.

Jon,
I would be shocked if we were not "better" next year. But I don't think that will translate into more wins. Our schedule is more difficult next year and even if we are better, other teams are still much more talented.

Besides IL and Purdue of the B1G, I can't think of a program with a less bright future than Iowa.

 

[hawkforlife9]

Not sure Capt. ever had much visible passion... but whatever he had is long gone. I don't see any improvement next year.

 

[olddude]

Fair comments. I will say this: Playing Nebraska in our division every year really raises the bar for Iowa. In fact, the Legends Division is very tough, with Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State and NW all fielding strong teams and Minnesota obviously getting better. The pressure on Ferentz is immense to keep pace. We are going to have to recruit well and put together better schemes. We aren't going to be able to "bully" these programs with better weight training or conditioning, as we have in the past. The margin of error is extremely thin for Iowa in football and basketball. If we fall off just a little bit (as we have this year) we become an "also-ran" very quickly.

If I were to pick out one program to emulate, it would be NWestern. Their schemes actually are pretty simple. They recruit skill people who can run. They play tough and smart. They run an offense that allows the QB to run out of bad plays.They don't get the best players every year, but they seem to develop the players they do recruit.

You do understand football IS all about being faster and stronger right? I mean you want to look like NU? Really? I would say Wisky or MSU but never NU. Just because they have the Hawks number does not make them a good team. For heavens sake look at their conf record for the last 6,8 or 10 years.
People run the vere because they dont have the talent. Try and run the vere against some of Iowas top d's of years past. Or try it against Bama's D, oh wait Mich tried it. Braska runs it because their coach can keep his job winning 8 or 9 games, to bad any real talent like what you see in bowl games almost always wins that battle. Is it by chance the B1G has stunk up the bowl games yet has more teams running the vere (or versions of)then ever before???? I think not. What team in the B1G has done the best over the last 10 years in bowl games? Do they run the vere?

 

[urohawk]

Jon,
I would be shocked if we were not "better" next year. But I don't think that will translate into more wins. Our schedule is more difficult next year and even if we are better, other teams are still much more talented.

Besides IL and Purdue of the B1G, I can't think of a program with a less bright future than Iowa.

Agree with this...better is very relative. We maybe marginally better in terms of talent but the coaching schemes remain the same. I hope we see something different but 14 years is a lot of data to bet on that it won't happen.

 

[smbhawk1]

The fact is KF is still in year 14 of his tenure. There is absolutely no reason to be this bad, have this many questions, have a coach that makes $4M look so confused on the sideline, and not adapt to the changing landscape of college football. No excuses. KF needs to change and adapt or leave. Simple as that.

 

[homes]

I certainly don't ascribe to that.

What we are seeing now has been building for a few years due to the decimation of 2008 class and the narrow margin for error the 2009 class had. I should have stayed with my 7-5 gut from all spring and summer, and only felt that possible due to a weaker schedule.

I think the team will be better next year and think that 2014 is going to be a year where things really need to rebound, like 8 wins +.[/QUOTE]

It's tough to admit, but maybe the program is at a place where 8 wins is considered "a real rebound". The window for this program to elevate itself to the next level passed in 2002-2004. Maybe it can open again, but a second bite doesn't come along too often, and we're confined to laud 8 win seasons in the future as something special.

 

[JonDMiller]

Good stuff Jon. But If the 2008 class is so poor this season then how can the last ranked recruiting class of 2009 make things better next season?

I get that, but for me its a turnover in one of the dud classes...now the 2008 class is replaced by the entire frosh class redshirting now...and there is more talent in that class than the 2008 class has. The 2009 class is still there, and I see 5-7 starters from that class..which will be the second straight year with the lowest number of senior starters KF has ever had...but the current junior class on the whole, guys who are RS juniors and true juniors, is solid.

 

[JonDMiller]

It's tough to admit, but maybe the program is at a place where 8 wins is considered "a real rebound". The window for this program to elevate itself to the next level passed in 2002-2004. Maybe it can open again, but a second bite doesn't come along too often, and we're confined to laud 8 win seasons in the future as something special.

The 2008 team was 8-4 in the regular season and probably had more talent on it, from class through class, than any in modern Iowa history. By the end of the year, that team was one of Ferentz's three best.

If Iowa can get to an eight win regular season in 2014, with Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin on the schedule, I would feel pretty good about that.

 

[clicheusername3]

I think this program is in for a deep rut with no bowling for a few years. With the schedule flipping, we're toast.

 

[homes]

The 2008 team was 8-4 in the regular season and probably had more talent on it, from class through class, than any in modern Iowa history. By the end of the year, that team was one of Ferentz's three best.

If Iowa can get to an eight win regular season in 2014, with Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin on the schedule, I would feel pretty good about that.

Don't disagree, it's just at one point in the past, my sights for this program were higher. It's taken me some time to become more "realistic" - not sure I'm all the way there, yet.

 

[smbhawk1]

The 2008 team was 8-4 in the regular season and probably had more talent on it, from class through class, than any in modern Iowa history. By the end of the year, that team was one of Ferentz's three best.

If Iowa can get to an eight win regular season in 2014, with Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin on the schedule, I would feel pretty good
about that.

The fact still remains, that this team should not be rebuilding in year 14. Yes, I understand having ups and downs, but this team has been underachieving for 3 years now, and this is the worst team in the KF era.

 

[urohawk]

The 2008 team was 8-4 in the regular season and probably had more talent on it, from class through class, than any in modern Iowa history. By the end of the year, that team was one of Ferentz's three best.

If Iowa can get to an eight win regular season in 2014, with Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin on the schedule, I would feel pretty good about that.

That is the frustrating part...KF doesn't adjust year to year to his talent. With even modest adjustments making Iowa slightly less predictable on offense he could take some of those teams to great things. Allow your superior talent (as documented by NFL draft) to beat inferior oppontents. Or even simply recognizing basic things like when a team might fake a punt or attempt an onside kick. Then these really down years would be easier to take. If we beat Wisc, NW and Minn in 2010 and Minn in 2011 then people wouldn't be griping as much about this year.

Basically with the program at Iowa and the scheduling we have, 6 wins are given to you. It really isn't to hard to get to 8 wins and you have to be failing at multiple levels as a coaching staff to finish below 8 wins for 3 straight years.

 

[ohhawk]

I lean more toward Pat Harty's opinion which he expressed yesterday at Hawk Central. Yes, it's talent but it's more than 1 year's worth.....especially at the skill positions.