Just a few random thoughts related to this topic.....
1. I hear excuses from "tradition", to "recruiting", to "population", to "money" to explain why Iowa hasn't gotten up with the big boys. But I don't think that flies anymore. Over the last 30 years combined, we are in the Top 25 in winning % among BCS level schools. We have put more players into the NFL than all but a handful of teams. Our athletic department revenue is Top 15 in the country right now. So if it's not tradition, players or money....what is it?
2. I've heard excuses that we don't have the skill position talent year in and year out to make it to the next level. But isn't football won and lost in the trenches? We have consistently sent O-linemen and D-linemen to the league in droves. So if football is won in the trenches and we've had outstanding "trenches players", what is keeping us from the upper echelon?
3. Over the last 10 years, when compared to our "peers" in the conference (Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin), we have the highest winning % against teams that finished the year with 8 or more wins. However, we have the second lowest winning % (next to MSU) by a WIDE margin, against teams that finished the year with between 4 and 7 wins. If we have the players (NFL picks) and the financial acumen (Top 15 AD), why can't we consistently win against average/below average teams?
4. I've heard the excuse that we don't have quality "depth"....that when a player goes down we can't fill it with a player close to the caliber of the one that went down. But isn't a coach's job, especially one that is paid A LOT of money, to come up with ways to minimize the loss? For example, why should Adam Robinson going down bring our entire offense to a screeching halt? Did we not have a top flight QB (3rd round pick)? Did we not have the best receivers in Iowa history on either side of him? Or when an offensive lineman went down (can't think of his name off the top of my head), do we not have quality fullbacks to help with blitz pickup? Do we not have quality running backs to do the same? Do we not have another side of the line to run to? We're a top level Big 10 team (3rd best record over the last 10, 20 and 30 years).....why wouldn't we be able to do that?
Bottom line is that KF brings a TON to the table.....player identification and development, NFL ties, leadership, ability to rally donors and alumn....from Sunday thru Friday, he's probably the best coach in America. But Saturdays often leave something to be desired. My hope is that he's finally recognizing that and will allow his lieutenants more freedom and ability to overcome some of those weaknesses. I look forward to finding out.
