Iowa Coaching Succession Plan
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Fryowa
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mopkins
King Kong
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Watch "Nova" on IPTV and play Scrabble with Mary. Probably subscribe to "Better Homes And Gardens."
hawkeyes87
Well-Known Member
Quite an assumption, considering that statement's only been true of a KF offense once in his entire tenure ('02- had a couple others that were above average, but that was the only good one).
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
If Brian's offense over the next few years doesn't get into the 50s to 60s in the FBS...well, I think it's going to be hard to promote him. Granted, it's about wins and losses during this timeframe...but if we are at 7-8 wins a year throughout and our offense is at 90 or 100 (like last year)...I don't see how the succession plan works for a level headed AD. He would be bringing incredible scrutiny on himself.
That being said, my belief is that Brian will turn out to be a very good OC and prove he is more unpredictable than anyone we have had. Everyone complained that we didn't throw the ball downfield under Greg Davis...well, if year one is any indication...we are going in the right direction. Hopefully the guys we have on the outside make a leap this year as that's a big part of improving the offense as a whole.
I think people should get used to having a Ferentz at the helm...the next change may be in like 30 years.
That being said, my belief is that Brian will turn out to be a very good OC and prove he is more unpredictable than anyone we have had. Everyone complained that we didn't throw the ball downfield under Greg Davis...well, if year one is any indication...we are going in the right direction. Hopefully the guys we have on the outside make a leap this year as that's a big part of improving the offense as a whole.
I think people should get used to having a Ferentz at the helm...the next change may be in like 30 years.
I think it would be a good plan for PP to take over and give Brian more time to develop as he is still young. I think BF will be much better at OC this year. But now back to Phil....I don't see KF retiring any time soon. On top of that, does PP even want to be a head coach at this point? Surely he's turned down chances given the D's consistent record and who he's pumped into the NFL. Maybe he is perfectly happy now (and maybe 3-5 yrs from now when KF retires) with $600k/yr, low cost of living, job security, only a couple press conferences a year, little if any fundraising, and not near the headaches and scrutiny of being a HC. There's certainly no guarantee he would be a great head coach and provide more wins than KF. Some people are stellar coordinators and not good HC's and vice versa.
He's kind of like the backup QB. Everybody loves him and there's not a target on his back.
At the end of the day, I've always thought the timing KF will employ will fall right in line to hand it off to BF....Unless he miserable fails at OC for the next few years.
Fryowa
Administrator
Perfect job for him, though. 3 million homers in the state of Iowa love the guy, he doesn't have to do anything but give a couple interviews a year, and show up at ribbon-cuttings for the new buildings that all the Pacas of the world donate.
He'll never have to do a search for a new football coach because his kid will be doing it for the next 20 years, and the basketball donors will pick the next coach after Fran. I guarantee you the U would love nothing more than to put up a huge KF statue in front of Kinnick stadium, on behalf of the U of I Kirk and Mary Ferentz Athletic Department, overlooking Ferentz Lane, formerly known as Melrose Ave.
Fryowa
Administrator
Hey dammit, I'm 37 and I watch Nova and play Scrabble. And cribbage. And I go to bed at 8:30 most nights.
Fryowa
Administrator
Phil Parker has a job and excels greatly at it. He's not a backup QB because he's out there running his crew and producing huge results. Like Greg Davis, if his defenses didn't get the job done he'd eventually get sent packing.
He definitely has the resume to be a head coach; Brian does not.
ibahawkeye
Well-Known Member
Wins overcome all. Even if the offense is average, it’d be better than it was when he took over.
We’re never going to be on offensive juggernaut with Kirk but if our offense goes from even bad to average, it should equate to more wins.
earlkoppelman
Well-Known Member
30 YEARS of Ferentz.....Oh??? Sad concept.
No where did I say that he doesn't have the resume and Brian does. I agree he does which makes me lean towards the conclusion that he has mad the decision he is happy with being the DC and may not want a head coaching position.
Ree4
Well-Known Member
The examples you showed suggest that College coaching doesn't translate to NFL, not vice versa.
Kirk was a successful NFL O-line coach before coming here (although I'm sure plenty would like to argue how successful he has been), Tom Coughlin went from the NFL and had success in college then went back to the NFL, Barry Switzer won championships in both (although the Cowboys were already loaded), Harbaugh (ugh), Pete Carroll, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Walsh - there are plenty who've had success at both levels but most go from college success towards the NFL and not vice versa.
I'm sure coaching is incredibly different between the two though in most aspects and success in one does not guarantee success in the other at all.
Phil Parker would make an excellent head coach at this time and Brian is a much bigger unknown. Is it possible that Brian could be a good head coach? Knowing him personally I would say absolutely, he has a great football mind and relates well to his players - but he has a long way to go to prove it.
Fryowa
Administrator
People don't tend to go the other way.
Fryowa
Administrator
Q. Do you ever think about being a head coach? Has that ever entered your mind?
PHIL PARKER: Yeah, it would be nice sometimes, and when we go through it, and sometimes you like to be the head coach and make the decisions and change some calls out there when Coach moves — hey, it’s 2nd down, no, it’s 3rd down, what down it is, yeah, that’s when I’d like to be the head coach.
I think being the head coach, you become more a manager than actually coaching the game of football, so that’s some things when it comes to it. If somebody gave me an opportunity, I’d take a swing at it, but I think you lose touch sometimes with the individual player at times. It’s hard because all the other things that go on with media, alumni, and stuff. Obviously you guys know Kirk, he gets dragged a lot of different ways, and sometimes I wonder how he does it.
homes
Well-Known Member
I've always presumed that Kirk would stay on for the balance of his contract, at which time, Brian would take over (with the assumption built in that Brian was successful as the OC, if not, the Ferentz line of succession should end). You raise a good point, maybe Parker is the next head coach, if it comes from within the organization. However, on balance, I still see this as Brian's job in waiting.
So in a 20yr run at Iowa where his defenses have mostly been pretty damn good, NO ONE has offered him that opportunity? I could be wrong but I certainly find that hard to believe. If it is true, then he must not be highly thought of outside Iowa. Maybe the only job he would jump at is MSU.
I actually think that highlighted statement is him saying what he thinks people want him to say or what is perceived that most people would say. Whenever a comment is followed up by a "but" and then lists several things he doesn't sound too enthusiastic about then again I go back to him being fine where he is but doesn't want to come out and say it.
Although I do agree that it's a badge of honor most want to accomplish...just not everyone. And honestly, there's nothing wrong with it if he doesn't want to.
