Howe: It’s Brian Ferentz’s Time to Be Iowa’s Offensive Coordinator

[RobHowe]

Funny Dean, from the guy who goes on and on with Hawk 22 to the point of absolute absurdity and when such type "discussions" role, your name is most oft associated with it. I guess you can't help it.

Rob, we just disagree on transparency. I don't think the program is very transparent, it seems you do. I think that the contract he got was basically criminal, though nobody got hurt physically from it. There are white collar crimes.

The rhabdo incident is a completely different story and was under his watch.

You mentioned your hot button issue with a passion in the past. Your issue apparently came from within family. Other people have crimes against them that come through an institution and lack of oversight.

We stand to disagree about this and very much so. I very much hope that it doesn't happen. It's wrong. You obviously want it. KF barring a serious run, a NC or going down in flames from a huge controversy will go down in history with a lot of fans and those who aren't.

I don't think I'm going out on a limb when I say that there's a vocal group of people that want KF gone. The team's 12-0 run and just missing the playoff didn't change their minds. A NC might not be enough for some of them. And that's not an exaggeration. I believe that. When you're a coach somewhere for 18 years, you're going to build up a crowd of critics unless you're doing what Saban is doing.

The Rhabdo case was awful. I feel terrible for the guys that were hurt. I spoke with some of them about it. I believe, in talking with KF and CD, that they feel horrible about it, too. I talked to a lot of ex-players who went through that training through the years that believed in it based on results. I don't believe the coaches would do it if they thought they would hurt kids. And they don't use the training method anymore.

I do believe there are crimes outside of the physical. I don't believe KF's contract extension was the breaking of the law. Credit goes to his agent. The buyout, as I'm on record as saying, was a bad deal for the university. But GB or BH could have balked. They didn't.

KF can't just do whatever he wants over there. There's a process and rules. Of course he has a great deal of input, but he should if you hire him to be your head coach.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Then shame on kirk for hiring davis and taking 5 seasons to realize he'd made a mistake; a mistake most fans realized in year one and a mistake JVB realized game one. So, you now feel kirk hiring brian is a good decision because kirk makes good OC decisions after 5 continuous bad decsions to hire davis and then not get rid of him?

Yes the Davis hiring was bad. At the time and now after the fact. I felt the biggest positive he would have brought would have been his ties to the HS coaches in Texas for recruiting. It hardly came to fruition and we already know how this yrs class has gone. But to go after him when he'd been fired and run off and then nobody else wanted him for a couple years should have told us to stay away. But he was a yes man that KF was able to control and as I mentioned the recruiting ties were enough for KF to hire him.
So why hire a retread similar to him? You sound as though some hot shot coordinator that currently already has a job is going to jump from where they currently are to us instead. Sorry that ain't happening. We have a smaller pool of options. Going with Brian would be a left hand turn from what we've been used to. But it's the jolt the program needs going forward. They need youth. They need some positive personality in the recruiting world that's ever fluid and changing with social media etc. I've read a lot of negativity from you. Has there not been a suggestion somebodies made that you would be happy with?

 

[tksirius]

A NC might not be enough for some of them. And that's not an exaggeration. I believe that.

Oh Come On!! You're getting carried away, Rob.

 

[trj]

Yes the Davis hiring was bad. At the time and now after the fact. I felt the biggest positive he would have brought would have been his ties to the HS coaches in Texas for recruiting. It hardly came to fruition and we already know how this yrs class has gone. But to go after him when he'd been fired and run off and then nobody else wanted him for a couple years should have told us to stay away. But he was a yes man that KF was able to control and as I mentioned the recruiting ties were enough for KF to hire him.
So why hire a retread similar to him? You sound as though some hot shot coordinator that currently already has a job is going to jump from where they currently are to us instead. Sorry that ain't happening. We have a smaller pool of options. Going with Brian would be a left hand turn from what we've been used to. But it's the jolt the program needs going forward. They need youth. They need some positive personality in the recruiting world that's ever fluid and changing with social media etc. I've read a lot of negativity from you. Has there not been a suggestion somebodies made that you would be happy with?

That's just it I wish the naysayers would at least start giving some names. I doubt it if Philibin is coming back. Les Miles is certainly not the answer.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

He did win an award at Iowa. But he's an average run coordinator.

Last year Iowa was 4th in the Big Ten in rushing, 2nd in the west. This year 9th, 3rd in the west. Last year, 4.8 ypc. This year, 4.5. 2014, 7th, 4th, and 4.1. There hasn't been much aggregate improvement. I'm not sure that is worthy of automatic promotion.

I know Kirk isn't going to change. But the fact that you are consistently in the bottom half of something means you are doing it incorrectly. And this he's the head coach in waiting attitude is disturbing as well. Coaching is a job, not an inherited title. Promotions should be based on merit -- let him earn it.

That said, he's not the worst candidate for the job. He is a fantastic OLine coach and a good TE coach. But Iowa's offensive problems start 5 yards +- the LOS.

I would preface the numbers this year having gone down from last year with our passing game was way way down too. When that happens it only makes defending the run easier right? That's where that whole being balanced affects both aspects. Not to mention our defense wasn't as good this year either which affects field position and other situations. Numbers can be skewed they don't always tell the whole story

 

[RobHowe]

Oh Come On!! You're getting carried away, Rob.

Perhaps. Perhaps not. The chance of us winning one is so remote, we'll never know. (We're only poor little Iowa, after all).

I do know that the guy went 12-0, won a division and came within a hair of the playoff and people are complaining about following up with an eight-win season with a win against Top 5 Michigan and throttling of both ISU and Nebraska like it was an atrocity.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

That's just it I wish the naysayers would at least start giving some names. I doubt it if Philibin is coming back. Les Miles is certainly not the answer.

Miles isn't taking a coordinator job anyway. Heck besides losing big games he was largely let go because of how poorly his offense produced with some of the best talent the countries had to offer. I'm not a fan of his for the most part. He can recruit though which is half the battle. Philbin I don't think is the answer either and I doubt he'd want it.

 

[tksirius]

Perhaps. Perhaps not. The chance of us winning one is so remote, we'll never know. (We're only poor little Iowa, after all).

I do know that the guy went 12-0, won a division and came within a hair of the playoff and people are complaining about following up with an eight-win season with a win against Top 5 Michigan and throttling of both ISU and Nebraska like it was an atrocity.

Guys, I think a Ferentz has taken over Rob's account.

 

[RobHowe]

Guys, I think a Ferentz has taken over Rob's account.

He gets it on the weekends.

 

[trj]

Miles isn't taking a coordinator job anyway. Heck besides losing big games he was largely let go because of how poorly his offense produced with some of the best talent the countries had to offer. I'm not a fan of his for the most part. He can recruit though which is half the battle. Philbin I don't think is the answer either and I doubt he'd want it.

Someone tossed out Greg Roman's name and that would be intriguing I just don't think it is realistic. At least it is a name and not just poo pooing a potential BF hire. All the naysayers are giving you is the generic "we want a young innovative guy". That's like a chick saying I want a good looking, rich guy to marry.

 

[hawkinn3]

I'm ok with anyone who realizes they are allowed to throw between the hashes.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Someone tossed out Greg Roman's name and that would be intriguing I just don't think it is realistic. At least it is a name and not just poo pooing a potential BF hire. All the naysayers are giving you is the generic "we want a young innovative guy". That's like a chick saying I want a good looking, rich guy to marry.

Yeah Roman had some good years in SF with Alex Smith and Kaepernick. He'd be an interesting hire for sure in that he'd know Harbaugh pretty well.... Hard telling how he'd fit with KF but yeah having thought about him for just a few mins I agree it's intriguing but doubt it'd happen either.

 

[RobHowe]

Someone tossed out Greg Roman's name and that would be intriguing I just don't think it is realistic. At least it is a name and not just poo pooing a potential BF hire. All the naysayers are giving you is the generic "we want a young innovative guy". That's like a chick saying I want a good looking, rich guy to marry.

Too late. I'm taken.

 

[trj]

Too late. I'm taken.

And I am sure the wifey is thrilled with her decision.

 

[SpiderRico]

Perhaps. Perhaps not. The chance of us winning one is so remote, we'll never know. (We're only poor little Iowa, after all).

I do know that the guy went 12-0, won a division and came within a hair of the playoff and people are complaining about following up with an eight-win season with a win against Top 5 Michigan and throttling of both ISU and Nebraska like it was an atrocity.

Rob - no one I know of thought beating Mich, ISU, and Neb was an atrocity. What was an atrocity was losing to an FCS team, losing to a putrid NW team that lost to a bad FCS team, and following up a record setting season with the vast majority of the playmakers coming back with a pretty much "bleh" year....not to mention getting blown out once again in a bowl game while looking like they had no concept that the forward pass is still a legal play in college football...

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Yes the Davis hiring was bad. At the time and now after the fact. I felt the biggest positive he would have brought would have been his ties to the HS coaches in Texas for recruiting. It hardly came to fruition and we already know how this yrs class has gone. But to go after him when he'd been fired and run off and then nobody else wanted him for a couple years should have told us to stay away. But he was a yes man that KF was able to control and as I mentioned the recruiting ties were enough for KF to hire him.
So why hire a retread similar to him? You sound as though some hot shot coordinator that currently already has a job is going to jump from where they currently are to us instead. Sorry that ain't happening. We have a smaller pool of options. Going with Brian would be a left hand turn from what we've been used to. But it's the jolt the program needs going forward. They need youth. They need some positive personality in the recruiting world that's ever fluid and changing with social media etc. I've read a lot of negativity from you. Has there not been a suggestion somebodies made that you would be happy with?

The B1G, SEC and PAC 12 are destination conferences. Any coach not in one of these conferences likely seeks to be in one. That Brian Ferentz is the ONLY candidate...one with zero OC experience, no offensive philosophy that he's implemented in games and no track record of success or failure with...that can become the next OC is in error.

To your main point; do you really think the Iowa Football program is so low on everyone's totem pole that no OC currently with a job would want to come to Iowa? If so, what does that say about the program? You're whole point is that "we're just little ol' Iowa" and that is the exact attitude that keeps us "just little ol' Iowa."

Hayden Fry never worried about being able to bring new and talented coaches and OC's into the program. Why is that such an uphill battle with Ferentz?

 

[OkstHawk]

Winning 20 game in the last 2 year is mediocre? Winning the B1G West and going to the B1G championship game is mediocre? Going to the Rose bowl is mediocre? Being ranked #9 at the end of the season 1 year ago is mediocre?

I'm beginning to wonder if you understand the meaning of the word mediocre?

Yes because one season makes a program. I look at the body of work and the last several years. That's like looking at GEs stock performance in 2008 and concluding that GE was a total failure of a company because of that one year. KF body of work is very Emilio Estefan-ish. He's had a few great movies but he's nothing to write home about.

 

[desihawk]

I do like both Ferentzes but when it comes to contracts they play everyone like nobody's business (and there's nothing wrong with that, just wish a guy like Barta wasn't on the receiving end.)

The reason I bring this up is -- it is fairly certain now why Rob Howe was granted that recent 1-1 with the big dog. That was no coincidence. Yeah, the kirk is a sly fox -- sometimes on the gridiron but always off the field.

 

[HawkU]

...To your main point; do you really think the Iowa Football program is so low on everyone's totem pole that no OC currently with a job would want to come to Iowa?...

There are probably a lot of OCs who would like to apply - if they felt they could mostly be themselves if hired.

You don't think the coaching community doesn't know that KF's thumbprint is on the offense more than most other head coaches?

 

[HawkGold]

The B1G, SEC and PAC 12 are destination conferences. Any coach not in one of these conferences likely seeks to be in one. That Brian Ferentz is the ONLY candidate...one with zero OC experience, no offensive philosophy that he's implemented in games and no track record of success or failure with...that can become the next OC is in error.

To your main point; do you really think the Iowa Football program is so low on everyone's totem pole that no OC currently with a job would want to come to Iowa? If so, what does that say about the program? You're whole point is that "we're just little ol' Iowa" and that is the exact attitude that keeps us "just little ol' Iowa."

Hayden Fry never worried about being able to bring new and talented coaches and OC's into the program. Why is that such an uphill battle with Ferentz?

H F did struggle after losing coordinators.