How Hawkeyes Have Rebounded Nicely from Forgettable Finish in '14

[BigD]

KF is a good coach but now is the time to separate himself from just being good to closing out the last few years his career by becoming a great coach. Just beat out Wisconsin for the last few years of his career and make it to the Big Ten championship game three consecutive years. Make a good showing there and maybe pull one of them out to give the life long loyal hawk tans truly a season to reminisce over for years to come. What a finish that would be to a storied career. Put that cherry on top.

I know, I know, a wish list but isn’t that what being a fan is all about? Hoping for that one great season. I still treasure the bear’s 85 season, Lester and team’s run to the final four, the Cub’s World Series championship, and Michael’s magical years with the Bull’s. Come on Kirk and Brian give us that one magical season that we can always look back on with pleasure and satisfaction.

Came very close in 2015.

Damn that ball just lying on our receivers back in the end zone. Just three points there would have been huge against Michigan State and put a lot of pressure on their offense. Pressure is what mistakes are made of. What a freaky flukey play that was and possibly a game changer.

 

[Northside Hawk]

JFC...can we drop the Jr high girl "Kirk hater" thing. How about "critic"? KFz has built quite a legacy at IOWA, but 2011-2014 had a definite WTF vibe and the criticism he got was warranted and deserved at the time. Don't be a snowflake.

The changes and growth since 2014 are a great story and the sign of a true professional. What he's done since then is arguably more impressive than what he did in his first 15 years. KFz has cemented his legacy. But 2011-2014 still happened. It all counts. You can't write a great biography without being honest about the rough years too.

I don't think there are any football programs that could write a book about the last 40 years...like IOWA could.

Yes it all counts. And Kirk himself has admitted he got sidetracked with fundraising and other things that detracted from his coaching. Hell even Bobby Knight once admitted that preparing for the '84 Olympics and helping raise funds for Landon Turner distracted him from coaching and recruiting and that it all came to a head in 1985.

But Kirk will never get the respect here from some people that he deserves. "Can't coach, can't recruit, prehistoric offense, manipulates Barta". People were on here saying we had no chance against USC's superior speed and athleticism and four-five star recruits. After we dismantled USC those same people said that USC had a down year and that it's hard to win when your QB gets knocked out. People were saying similar things before Mississippi State the year before.

Don't call me a snowflake, instead go after those people the next time they come on here with their senseless viatrol. Yes Kirk needs to come up bigger against teams like the ones I mentioned. And his misuse of Noah Fant down the stretch in 2018 was a head scratcher. But hey, even Lute Olson had similar issues his last three years at Iowa. And star ratings can be some of the most misleading measuring sticks in football. The reason Alabama and OSU and Clemson and LSU keep winning is because they have or had superior hall of fame coaches. Ask Michigan what star ratings have done for them lately. Or Notre Dame.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Yes it all counts. And Kirk himself has admitted he got sidetracked with fundraising and other things that detracted from his coaching. Hell even Bobby Knight once admitted that preparing for the '84 Olympics and helping raise funds for Landon Turner distracted him from coaching and recruiting and that it all came to a head in 1985.

But Kirk will never get the respect here from some people that he deserves. "Can't coach, can't recruit, prehistoric offense, manipulates Barta". People were on here saying we had no chance against USC's superior speed and athleticism and four-five star recruits. After we dismantled USC those same people said that USC had a down year and that it's hard to win when your QB gets knocked out. People were saying similar things before Mississippi State the year before.

Don't call me a snowflake, instead go after those people the next time they come on here with their senseless viatrol. Yes Kirk needs to come up bigger against teams like the ones I mentioned. And his misuse of Noah Fant down the stretch in 2018 was a head scratcher. But hey, even Lute Olson had similar issues his last three years at Iowa. And star ratings can be some of the most misleading measuring sticks in football. The reason Alabama and OSU and Clemson and LSU keep winning is because they have or had superior hall of fame coaches. Ask Michigan what star ratings have done for them lately. Or Notre Dame.

Let me know next time you see "senseless vitriol". I haven't in quite awhile. On the contrary, KFz is getting plenty of praise for where the program is. He worked on his weak areas and is arguably a better coach today than he was 5 years ago. That's quite an accomplishment for a guy of his tenure. The areas he was criticized for are the things that have changed the most. Quite a coincidence, isn't it? Dare I point out that it may not have happened without the benefit of honest and yes, sometimes uncomfortable criticism. That's how we grow.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Let me know next time you see "senseless vitriol". I haven't in quite awhile. On the contrary, KFz is getting plenty of praise for where the program is. He worked on his weak areas and is arguably a better coach today than he was 5 years ago. That's quite an accomplishment for a guy of his tenure. The areas he was criticized for are the things that have changed the most. Quite a coincidence, isn't it? Dare I point out that it may not have happened without the benefit of honest and yes, sometimes uncomfortable criticism. That's how we grow.

That was exactly how I started my first post. I said "it's been a while since a Kirk hater came along"...

But the senseless vitriol will be back as soon as we lose to Wisconsin again or something like that. Meanwhile we have streaks of five wins going against Iowa State, Minnesota and Nebraska and have done well recently against Michigan. We have done well in bowl games, albeit not elite bowl games.

If you want to make the argument that Kirk hasn't publicly handled criticism well, that a fair point, and another area where he admitted he had to step back and take a good hard look. But the 47 wins In five years would seem to indicate that he has been listening to someone. But go back to the posts before the Holiday Bowl and you will see posters who didn't think we stood a chance, and you will see them before the previous seasons Outback Bowl as well. We looked like the faster team on the field vs USC, and our defensive backs were the ones making Mississippi States receivers turtle by the end of the Outback Bowl. Quite a turnaround from what some predicted, including people on these boards.

I also have never shied away from taking Kirk's entire body of work into account. I pointed out after the 2018 season that, even when dragging 1999 and 2000 through the mud, Kirk was not a seven win coach. He was well over right wins per year. And 2019 didn't hurt that average. My only deal is that I would like to see him beef up his non conference schedule. It would be cool as hell to see power teams come to Iowa City, or see Iowa play in some iconic venues.

 

[Ree4]

Came very close in 2015.

Damn that ball just lying on our receivers back in the end zone. Just three points there would have been huge against Michigan State and put a lot of pressure on their offense. Pressure is what mistakes are made of. What a freaky flukey play that was and possibly a game changer.

Flukey play with a bullshit no call on the helmet to helmet!

 

[hawkdrummer1]

That was exactly how I started my first post. I said "it's been a while since a Kirk hater came along"...

But the senseless vitriol will be back as soon as we lose to Wisconsin again or something like that. Meanwhile we have streaks of five wins going against Iowa State, Minnesota and Nebraska and have done well recently against Michigan. We have done well in bowl games, albeit not elite bowl games.

If you want to make the argument that Kirk hasn't publicly handled criticism well, that a fair point, and another area where he admitted he had to step back and take a good hard look. But the 47 wins In five years would seem to indicate that he has been listening to someone. But go back to the posts before the Holiday Bowl and you will see posters who didn't think we stood a chance, and you will see them before the previous seasons Outback Bowl as well. We looked like the faster team on the field vs USC, and our defensive backs were the ones making Mississippi States receivers turtle by the end of the Outback Bowl. Quite a turnaround from what some predicted, including people on these boards.

I also have never shied away from taking Kirk's entire body of work into account. I pointed out after the 2018 season that, even when dragging 1999 and 2000 through the mud, Kirk was not a seven win coach. He was well over right wins per year. And 2019 didn't hurt that average. My only deal is that I would like to see him beef up his non conference schedule. It would be cool as hell to see power teams come to Iowa City, or see Iowa play in some iconic venues.

Fair enough. Perhaps I shouldn't have used the term "snowflake"...my bad. I'm just a bit fatigued at the frequent invoking of "hater" or "hate" when people can't handle a little criticism or an alternate point of view. Life is not about being in "safe spaces", it's about being challenged and growing.

Another P5 team in the non-con (assuming you accept ISU as a P5 team) would be great. Or maybe the clones every other year and fill that slot with a South Carolina, Oregon, Texas Tech or Mizzou.

 

[DDThompson]

Yet we have won 47 over the last 5

50 would be 10 a year.
You’re making his point.

 

[ohhawk]

In my mind his hires in the last 10 years have been key in the program's success. I think it began with Wallace and continued from there. Have to believe some of these guys have also had an influence on Kirk's willingness to make some changes to certain past approaches.

As they say.........you're only as good as those you hire.

 

[BigD]

Fair enough. Perhaps I shouldn't have used the term "snowflake"...my bad. I'm just a bit fatigued at the frequent invoking of "hater" or "hate" when people can't handle a little criticism or an alternate point of view. Life is not about being in "safe spaces", it's about being challenged and growing.

Another P5 team in the non-con (assuming you accept ISU as a P5 team) would be great. Or maybe the clones every other year and fill that slot with a South Carolina, Oregon, Texas Tech or Mizzou.

I like the statement that says about the same thing. "Life is not a campground, so break camp."

 

[Motigerhawk]

50 would be 10 a year.
You’re making his point.

I know, but 3 wins over a 5 year period is sooooooo close.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Fair enough. Perhaps I shouldn't have used the term "snowflake"...my bad. I'm just a bit fatigued at the frequent invoking of "hater" or "hate" when people can't handle a little criticism or an alternate point of view. Life is not about being in "safe spaces", it's about being challenged and growing.

Another P5 team in the non-con (assuming you accept ISU as a P5 team) would be great. Or maybe the clones every other year and fill that slot with a South Carolina, Oregon, Texas Tech or Mizzou.

Coaching certainly isn't about playing it safe, and the great ones are always reevaluating and growing and learning from their mistakes.

Kirk detractors (notice I didn't use that other word) accused him of coaching in a comfort zone, manipulating his boss, thumbing his nose (figuratively) at the Iowa faithful, and smugness and arrogance in his pressers (that's football).

Some moved on from him in their minds then and aren't about to reverse course even after five solid years. There will come a time when the Kirk years will look golden. And the coaching carousel will begin, like Illinois, Purdue, Nebraska, etc.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Coaching certainly isn't about playing it safe, and the great ones are always reevaluating and growing and learning from their mistakes.

Kirk detractors (notice I didn't use that other word) accused him of coaching in a comfort zone, manipulating his boss, thumbing his nose (figuratively) at the Iowa faithful, and smugness and arrogance in his pressers (that's football).

Some moved on from him in their minds then and aren't about to reverse course even after five solid years. There will come a time when the Kirk years will look golden. And the coaching carousel will begin, like Illinois, Purdue, Nebraska, etc.

I hear ya, though I'm not sure I'd lump all those things together. Some have more validity than others.

No doubt there are some people that completely shut down their thinking and won't give him credit for what he's done since 2014. Just as there are people in denial that he made the mistakes he did back then. I think most people are in between and criticized him when it was deserved...but credit him for what he's done well since.

Not many guys at that point in their career are willing to do the reboot he did, much less get the results he has. I'm more impressed with what he's done from 2015-2019...than the 2002-2004 run.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

One thing not talked about is the tragedy of losing a child/grandchild just before the 2014 season. That HAD to factor into that season in terms of focus, both from a staff and player standpoint.