Instant Reaction: More than Just a Loss to Huskers

[1977Hawkeye]

Late to the party here because I was out on the town last night with the wife, but I will basically say this: I'm done with Ferentz. I've supported him and been willing to stay patient and give him a fair shot to get things back on track, but yesterday's loss sealed the deal for me.

Iowa hasn't been ranked, even for a single week, since 2010. 5 straight years with at least 5 losses, if you count bowl games. It's more than a valley between the peak now.. Give me one good reason to think that 2002-04, or 2008-09 are going to return?

I now officially support a coaching change, even though I know it isn't going to happen. I've reached that point. The thing that scares me though is that I honestly don't believe those who are making this call would make the right hire anyway.. They'd end up hiring some guy from the MAC that can't recruit, and the spiral would continue.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

I wasn't sure, since he suggested going with Gable rather than Ferentz.

I would go with Gable for a one year deal to preside over managing the end of the kfootball era. There is one person that kfootball cannot stand toe-to-toe with, at Iowa, and that is Dan Gable. Let Gable hire a new HC (probably Bielema) and then replace Gable. Keep the new HC unattached to the new AD.

 

[PCHawk]

Is this a joke or am I missing something? You lower expectations for wins because we weren't talented? Do you realize that one of the main things a coach must do is recruit. In the years that we didn't have much talent that is a direct result of Ferentz FAILING at his job.

I agree with what tm's premise was. If you expect any coach to come in to iowa and never have down years talent wise then you will probably be disappointed. I'm not upset at all about the years we struggled due to talent. I'm upset with the years we have good teams and underachieve.

What it comes down to is all the games he loses when he's a huge favorite. Take away most of those and I'm fine with where we are at. Well actually I would want to take all the crappy close wins we have against terrible teams too. Football is supposed to be enjoyable and watching us struggle against terrible teams is beyond old.

 

[Caddy]

We should not have this poor of talent in his 16th year. We lose to crappy teams because of this, and horrible personnel and gameday coaching. Look no further than our QB and rb as to a very good reason KF should be fired. Inexcusable to play a slow fb at rb in the B1G for 3 years, and just as bad to have checkdown Charlie at QB, and CJ on the bench. Only team in the nation where this would happen.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

I agree with what tm's premise was. If you expect any coach to come in to iowa and never have down years talent wise then you will probably be disappointed. I'm not upset at all about the years we struggled due to talent. I'm upset with the years we have good teams and underachieve.

What it comes down to is all the games he loses when he's a huge favorite. Take away most of those and I'm fine with where we are at. Well actually I would want to take all the crappy close wins we have against terrible teams too. Football is supposed to be enjoyable and watching us struggle against terrible teams is beyond old.

I hear what you're saying, but I don't see many people saying Iowa should never have down years.. Thing is, it's been 5 in a row. Iowa hasn't been ranked for so much as even ONE week since 2010 and that season (the regular season anyway) ended with a dumpster fire.

There's a difference between being down for a year or two and then bouncing back, and treading water year after year, which is where I'm now convinced this program is at.

And I agree with you on losing games that we shouldn't... That's the difference between 9-3 and 7-5. Even this year, double digit second half leads against both ISU and Nebby (both in Kinnick) that ended up as losses. Just hang on to those two games and Iowa goes 9-3 this year despite the drubbing at Minnesota, etc., and I think most people would have been pretty happy. These types of losses happen WAY too often, and not just this year.

 

[HawksMN]

That drubbing at Minney should not have happened either. We poop stomped MN the year before.

Bret, Bret, where are you?

 

[tm3308]

We should not have this poor of talent in his 16th year. We lose to crappy teams because of this, and horrible personnel and gameday coaching. Look no further than our QB and rb as to a very good reason KF should be fired. Inexcusable to play a slow fb at rb in the B1G for 3 years, and just as bad to have checkdown Charlie at QB, and CJ on the bench. Only team in the nation where this would happen.

This year's team doesn't lack talent. THIS year's team has definitely underachieved.

 

[Hawkers86]

I took over a year off from this board and barley paid attention to the Hawks this year. Kind of feels good to not be that worked up but my opinions havent changed...until we get a new HC my Saturdays are going to consist of a lot more than Hawk "thats" Football. Because if thats football Id rather rather play Pick Up Sticks while wearing boxing gloves and have to be punched in the groin by a livid Mike Tyson every time a stick moves than watch this stuff. I told my Husker fan friend yesterday before the game started Id trade KF for Pelini straight up in a second and she spit up her beer laughing so hard. As much as Husker fan hates Bo they are more than aware hes a much better coach than Kurt at this point in time.

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

This year wasn't about player talent it was about the lack of coaching talent. The offensive line underachieved with a all star lineman (Scherff) The defensive line was alright in the middle. Offensive play over all was dismal and predictable. I don't see that the offensive line coach, (B. Ferentz) or that the offensive coordinator did that good a job. Brian Ferentz wasn't the best offensive line available when he was hired. And Greg Davis definitely isn't an offensive guru. Kirk isn't going to go, but he needs to make some serious changes.

 

[mysteron]

Evy took over as AD after the 1960 season. We went 5-4 in 1961 and then didn't have a single winning season again until Fry came along. So for all of his refusal to accept anything other than excellence, he didn't exactly preside over a successful football program as AD. So that's not exactly an example I'd want to use, if I were you.

You need to reread his post.

 

[HomerChampless]

What about going the Wisconsin way where Alvarez moved on to AD..Maybe Ferentz replace Barta?..or would that be a disaster too

KF doesn't think when he's coaching. Why'd you think he'd think when he's AD? I'm sure he'd have some formula for that, too. IMO, when problems occured while KF was AD, he'd just have to execute better.....

 

[gohawkz]

This year's team doesn't lack talent. THIS year's team has definitely underachieved.

I see what you are trying to say now and understand what you were getting at.

Although the coaches job is to win, it really doesn't matter whether he fails at recruiting or fails on gameday. If they lose he isn't getting the job done. I agree that this team has more talent than those other poor seasons, especially at skill positions. Didn't use them much, but we had them.

 

[TychoBrahe]

This post is one of the better ones I've read on here. The only thing I question is CJ getting punished for his comments. How could Beathard be expected to even know what Kirk's comments on the matter were? If he didn't hear Kirk's comment, and why would he have, then how could he know that the truth he was about to speak directy contradicted what Kirk said?

I was referencing some of the things that came out when Willies left the team; there were some comments made by CJ (who by all accounts knows Willies well), about why Willies left. Willies' father's health was mentioned, but I also recall CJ mentioning some issues with the offense and playing time and things like that--hinting, perhaps, at some of his own frustrations with playing time and the offense. I'm sure KF found out about those comments, and I suspect that they played a role in CJ's lack of playing time in recent games. In fact, I can't recall CJ seeing the field at all after his comments regarding Willies came out. I can't imagine, knowing KF's feelings on such things, that this was a coincidence.

 

[mysteron]

I was referencing some of the things that came out when Willies left the team; there were some comments made by CJ (who by all accounts knows Willies well), about why Willies left. Willies' father's health was mentioned, but I also recall CJ mentioning some issues with the offense and playing time and things like that--hinting, perhaps, at some of his own frustrations with playing time and the offense. I'm sure KF found out about those comments, and I suspect that they played a role in CJ's lack of playing time in recent games. In fact, I can't recall CJ seeing the field at all after his comments regarding Willies came out. I can't imagine, knowing KF's feelings on such things, that this was a coincidence.

For a second, let's concede that you're correct. That would mean Kirk was petty enough to hurt himself and the whole team because of a fragile ego. That's what maladjusted girls do. And it calls into question the millions of posts regarding his untouchable classiness.

 

[HomerChampless]

No question in my mind KF is obsessive-compulsive and passive-aggressive. You make a mistake, unless you're a player who epitomizes KF's conservative football philosophy, you're on the bench. That's being O-C and P-A at the same time. KF also thinks he has a/the tried and true formula for success in football. If you keep on executing his formula, no matter the physical talent, you will win....

 

[HomerChampless]

This year wasn't about player talent it was about the lack of coaching talent. The offensive line underachieved with a all star lineman (Scherff) The defensive line was alright in the middle. Offensive play over all was dismal and predictable. I don't see that the offensive line coach, (B. Ferentz) or that the offensive coordinator did that good a job. Brian Ferentz wasn't the best offensive line available when he was hired. And Greg Davis definitely isn't an offensive guru. Kirk isn't going to go, but he needs to make some serious changes.

Maybe you can explain your bias against Davis. If you consider Iowa's losses against Maryland, Wisconsin, and Iowa's scoring against Nebraska, for example, substitute Davis' offense for, let's say, KOK's offense. You get an offense that grinds it out on the ground and can't come back from large deficits. You get loses by, IMO, 3 touchdowns or more at Maryland and Wisconsin. And no way Iowa puts up that many points against Nebraska (or Indiana).

Iowa's main problem this season was the defense. Specifically the back 7. Iowa's offense was one of its most explosive during the KF era.

 

[TychoBrahe]

For a second, let's concede that you're correct. That would mean Kirk was petty enough to hurt himself and the whole team because of a fragile ego. That's what maladjusted girls do. And it calls into question the millions of posts regarding his untouchable classiness.

I don't think that those who have listened to Kirk's snide comebacks and snark at press conferences necessarily think he's always so classy. He's like most people--most of the time a great guy, but with a few flaws that poke thru at times. So when CJ made those comments, there's a consequence, even if it costs the team. But I don't think Kirk thinks it costs the team at all, since he apparently really likes Rudock and what he's doing. It would have been interesting if Jake had gotten hurt to see if CJ would've played. I think he would have. But KF was NEVER going to yank Jake for CJ, short of an injury, I feel confident of that.

 

[HomerChampless]

You're referring to CJ starting, right? 'Cause CJ played, albeit sparingly in one series, against Illinois culminating in a TD throw to Powell. I kept turning on BTN that next week hoping to see the Iowa Illinois game in quick review. Hoping to see that pass into the wind that went for a TD. Probably the last pass of CJ's career at Iowa....

 

[TychoBrahe]

You're referring to CJ starting, right? 'Cause CJ played, albeit sparingly in one series, against Illinois culminating in a TD throw to Powell. I kept turning on BTN that next week hoping to see the Iowa Illinois game in quick review. Hoping to see that pass into the wind that went for a TD. Probably the last pass of CJ's career at Iowa....

I was referring to CJ playing at all, though I'd forgotten that he did get into a few plays at Illinois. But when you think of it, there were a lot of opportunities for CJ to have seen the field this season when Jake was struggling, and early on KF was talking about CJ seeing more playing time, and then those comments about CJ playing just...stopped. And even when Jake was having a bad game, and KF would be asked if he thought about putting CJ in, he'd say 'No, never really thought of it,' including after Friday's game.

So something changed at some point--and I think that something has to do with CJ and KF just not hitting it off on some level. Just a hunch, but what other explanation could there be? Why did Ferentz talk up playing both guys and then suddenly, even when Jake clearly is off his game, CJ still sits on the bench?

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

No question in my mind KF is obsessive-compulsive and passive-aggressive. You make a mistake, unless you're a player who epitomizes KF's conservative football philosophy, you're on the bench. That's being O-C and P-A at the same time. KF also thinks he has a/the tried and true formula for success in football. If you keep on executing his formula, no matter the physical talent, you will win....

True- That was on display this weekend because nobody keeps calling a stretch play like Iowa did this weekend over n over n over n over n over n over again like that with a player like Wiseman no less, it was downright criminal the money he is stealing from this University right now..