How you know when someone is a bigger fan of a certain family than the UofI Football Program

[BigD]

It was Brians first year with zero experience being compared to GD that had a lifetimes worth. Not exactly apples and oranges as I'm sure we all can agree. Not to mention every team/season has unique circumstances. Brian had a first year starting QB who's first season here was under GD. Had a receiving corp that was no offense to the fellas that were out there not very good. Yet thanks to 13 TD passes to TEs the QB had a really good year. Not just for a first yr QB but for what Iowa football is about so that's positive.
What's negative is that even before the OTs got hurt and they shuffled the Oline around they played below expectations in the running game most notably. Was that due to predictable playcalling/poor Oline play or some combination of both?
I think Iowa is most successful when they yin when the opponent expects us to yang. OSU game the best example. Now OSU also played us strait up thinking their personel would could just out play us. They didn't feel the need to out scheme us or load the box. There was also just an unexplainable magic to that night that makes football what it is too. Some things you can't quantifiy.
When Iowa would throw the ball on first downs and what would be more predictably running downs and vice versa it just gives them a better chance at being successful. It's not rocket science. You can get bigger chunk plays doing that. When you run the ball just hoping to gain 3 to 4 yards tops as a goal that's frustratingly tough to do when the other teams know it.
My biggest critique of BFs season this year would be the way he used Wadley. I thought they tried using him too similarly to how they used Mark Weisman as opposed to how they should have used him. Which would have been more like that McCaffery kid that was at Stanford. Running him behind a fullback from the traditional I formation up the middle just isn't his game. Now and then sure OK but most of the season they were trying to limit his touches it seemed like and too many of them were from those predictable formations/play calls where he had little chance to be successful on.

*Couldn't agree more with the highlighted portion above.

I swear that Kirk's blood lines have to go back to Poland or Bohemia.That's the nicest way I can say it without getting in trouble.

Even a child's mind knows it best for the defense to not know when your going to run the ball. On every Iowa audible all that is being done is blocking assignments for the run and that's running into eight in the box with the defensive backs charging the line (making it ten in the box) as soon as the ball is snapped leaving the safety to play center field. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB!!!

 

[HawkU]

Me thinks it's cute that anyone thinks it makes a sizable difference what name is on the office door of the OC.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Only read a post or two in the thread.

So...can someone let me know how long it took for contract and/or salary to enter the fray?

 

[Knight78]

I think @Knight78 may have forgotten what his argument was...

Nah. Just had life step in. I had to repair some holes in the drywall. Took me a while and didn't even open up the computer until late - and then it was only to order a new home wireless router.

 

[Ree4]

Only read a post or two in the thread.

So...can someone let me know how long it took for contract and/or salary to enter the fray?

Crazy or not, I don't think it's even been brought up yet. Some of our posters need to be replaced because they dropped the ball on that one. Or are they simply trying to be unpredictable? :0

 

[HomerChampless]

I haven't read thru this thread completely, but one could also re-title it "How you know someone hates a certain family more than they love Iowa Football"...because it certainly cuts both ways....And rather than work with the tools he <Davis> had, he tried to put a square peg into a round hole....

I haven't read most posts on this thread nor have a completely read this post but I laugh when I read the bias against Davis. I wonder, is it also because Davis attempted to use more WRs in the passing game than TEs.?? Of course, there were TEs like Kittle during Davis' reign with more passing catching and speed than blocking abilities. It just makes sense to most fans to employ a faster receiver than your average TE to get down the field. .

Too bad KF won't work with talented enough WRs to make a down-the-field passing game prolific at Iowa. Consequently, Iowa gets scrubs at WR. Consequently, there are no mismatches at WR for Iowa.

Some folks just don't know that much about offense (except to bash it).

 

[HawkGold]

I haven't read most posts on this thread nor have a completely read this post but I laugh when I read the bias against Davis. I wonder, is it also because Davis attempted to use more WRs in the passing game than TEs.?? Of course, there were TEs like Kittle during Davis' reign with more passing catching and speed than blocking abilities. It just makes sense to most fans to employ a faster receiver than your average TE to get down the field. .

Too bad KF won't work with talented enough WRs to make a down-the-field passing game prolific at Iowa. Consequently, Iowa gets scrubs at WR. Consequently, there are no mismatches at WR for Iowa.

Some folks just don't know that much about offense (except to bash it).

Basically agree with most of what is said except for the comment about not knowing much. What many don't know is psychology. KF has what he wants or he would have different. Really fast and highly confident receivers have a tendency for a certain personality that he doesn't want. He also wants certain reads. A race horse isn't going to read as much. He's gonna fly. This is a ball control offense. He doesn't want the system compromised.

Reminds me of a high school soccer coach my sons played for. The comments went something like this. You score an inordinate number of goals. BUT, YOU ARE RUINING OUR FORMATION.

The formation superseded on the field reality.

KF doesn't want the kind of receiver you are wanting. FM doesn't want a fast/quick point guard. It's pretty simple Psych.

 

[Kennyfromminne]

Basically agree with most of what is said except for the comment about not knowing much. What many don't know is psychology. KF has what he wants or he would have different. Really fast and highly confident receivers have a tendency for a certain personality that he doesn't want. He also wants certain reads. A race horse isn't going to read as much. He's gonna fly. This is a ball control offense. He doesn't want the system compromised.

Reminds me of a high school soccer coach my sons played for. The comments went something like this. You score an inordinate number of goals. BUT, YOU ARE RUINING OUR FORMATION.

The formation superseded on the field reality.

KF doesn't want the kind of receiver you are wanting. FM doesn't want a fast/quick point guard. It's pretty simple Psych.

You hit the nail on the head.

 

[ibahawkeye]

For me Brian was average at best. However, I'm hopeful for the future.

I think the biggest surprise was the disappointment of the run game. But we did have multiple injuries on the line and Butler missed significant time. The passing attack was probably better than anticipated. Stanley seems to be the real deal. We still don't have the play making ability we need at WR.

If there is anything Kirk and Brian can correct, one would think its the run game and improve the offensive line play.

 

[BVHawk95]

For me Brian was average at best. However, I'm hopeful for the future.

I think the biggest surprise was the disappointment of the run game. But we did have multiple injuries on the line and Butler missed significant time. The passing attack was probably better than anticipated. Stanley seems to be the real deal. We still don't have the play making ability we need at WR.

If there is anything Kirk and Brian can correct, one would think its the run game and improve the offensive line play.

I'd say that's how I see it as well. He improved the passing game to at least serviceable, but the rushing attack took a step back as well. There's OL pedigree on the staff so I can see possible improvement there.

 

[HomerChampless]

Basically agree with most of what is said except for the comment about not knowing much. What many don't know is psychology. KF has what he wants or he would have different. Really fast and highly confident receivers have a tendency for a certain personality that he doesn't want. He also wants certain reads. A race horse isn't going to read as much. He's gonna fly. This is a ball control offense. He doesn't want the system compromised.

Reminds me of a high school soccer coach my sons played for. The comments went something like this. You score an inordinate number of goals. BUT, YOU ARE RUINING OUR FORMATION.

The formation superseded on the field reality.

KF doesn't want the kind of receiver you are wanting. FM doesn't want a fast/quick point guard. It's pretty simple Psych.

Why not blame KF for Iowa's offensive woes, then, instead of the misinformed claim by some the OC at Iowa is terrible?

You hit the nail on the head. It's KF's philosophy/psychology that drives Iowa's offense. For example, Iowa's offense consistently ranks in the lower half of offenses because KF is comfortable with that. KF's philosophy on defense isn't too pretty, either...neither offense nor defense are dominant at Iowa. Recruiting suffers and transfers abound because of this. For that matter, I wish KF was more like Hayden and allowed the 'expert coaches' run the offense and defense. I don't know who the expert offensive coach would be at Iowa. Certainly couldn't be KF.

 

[HawkGold]

Why not blame KF for Iowa's offensive woes, then, instead of the misinformed claim by some the OC at Iowa is terrible?

You hit the nail on the head. It's KF's philosophy/psychology that drives Iowa's offense. For example, Iowa's offense consistently ranks in the lower half of offenses because KF is comfortable with that. KF's philosophy on defense isn't too pretty, either...neither offense nor defense are dominant at Iowa. Recruiting suffers and transfers abound because of this. For that matter, I wish KF was more like Hayden and allowed the 'expert coaches' run the offense and defense. I don't know who the expert offensive coach would be at Iowa. Certainly couldn't be KF.

I never blame Davis. The BF hire ....

 

[cincyhawk]

tksirius, I think you are a good poster who provides a lot of good content and ideas. But man, you put forth a lot of negative energy towards the coaches. I am not saying your viewpoints cannot be justified, but appreciate that not everyone likes to approach their fandom that way. I don't think Leistikow is "in the bag" for the Ferentzes, I just think he is playing to the portion of the fan base that likes to take a more positive outlook.

Here is my (overly rosy and Polyanna-ish) take: this year's offense was disappointing as a whole, but we saw flashes to give us hope for the future. As a first-year game-planner and play-caller, BF was bound to struggle. You might counter with, "Then why didn't we hire someone with experience?" Reasonable question. That did not get us where we needed to be with the last experienced hire. Would it have worked better if we could've secured someone like Kevin Wilson this time around? Probably, but was he beating down our door to take the job?

Just like Iowa considers themselves a developmental program from the players' perspective, I think they decided to take a developmental approach to their coaching staff. They went young, knowing that although there may be struggles early, perhaps there was a higher ceiling with these guys.

To draw an analogy, Kerry Kittles (senior from Villanova) was drafted #8 in the 1996 NBA draft. Kobe Bryant was drafted #13. Here are their rookie year stats:

Kerry Kittles as a rookie
Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1996–97 New Jersey 82 36.7 .426 .377 .771 3.9 3.0 1.9 0.4 16.4

Kobe Bryant as a rookie
Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1996–97 L.A. Lakers 71 15.5 .417 .375 .819 1.9 1.3 0.7 0.3 7.6

Was Kittles a better draft pick because he drastically out-performed Bryant in their rookie years? That would be short-sited, Bryant was always going to take more development because he entered directly from high school. But I think we would agree he had the higher ceiling.

So basically I am claiming that BF is the Kobe Bryant of college FB O-coordinators. His future career will certainly lead to multiple National Championships and a Hall of Fame enshrinement. Reasonable? Perhaps not, but I follow sports for fun, and it is much more fun for me to take an unreasonably optimistic view than it is for me to take a grounded-in-reality pessimistic view. Not telling you how to handle your fandom, just letting you know that others can have an alternate view, and that does not mean their view is rooted in sycophancy.

With Kittles and Bryant, and most fans who buy the 'developmental' excuse for not recruiting as hard as necessary to win in the Big Ten, you are a victim of hindsight bias.

Kobe was a special talent, but NBA statistics show that the average career is 5 years. Anything can end a career - injury, mental mistakes, arrest, etc. Pure talent isn't at a premium in the NBA because everyone has it. Kobe's career was an outlier. Skill had something to do with it, talent had some to do with it, but he was very lucky to have not had an injury that slowed him enough to force retirement.

In the NBA, it is always better to draft a player that can contribute more now than a player with more upside. That upside just rarely will have time to fully develop once in the NBA - and will rarely coincide with the prime experience of other surrounding players so that the team can win games.

This is also true in college. How many players have had their breakout sessions at Iowa end in injury? Do you believe that all other things being equal that lower talented players are easier to develop? Lower talented players will show less overall improvement, but that is due to physical diminishing returns.

Iowa was 68th in scoring offense. It hasn't been top 50 since 2005. Until Iowa is at least average, we should be flunking our OC's.