Is DJK Bust Another Reminder of Ferentz Knows Best?

JonDMiller

Publisher/Founder
At 39 years of age, I still learn lessons every day.

My two daughters teach me patience. My wife tries to teach me to be more tidy, among other things.

And typically once a football season, Kirk Ferentz teaches me a thing or two.

Back in 2006 & 2007, I was adamant that Iowa's offensive philosophy did not match up with its offensive personnel. Then in 2008, Iowa, doing the same things it had always done, got things back on track and in 2009 took it to another level. Ferentz had maintained during that 'slide' that it was about execution, or lack there of. Nothing was broke, he said in so many words, so no need to fix it.

That debate is coming up again on the message boards, but I am siding with Ferentz after looking the fool a few years ago.

With Tuesday night's shocking revelation that senior receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is in police custody for an arrest and according to KGAN Television in Cedar Rapids, "faces multiple counts of possession of controlled substances, keeping a drug house and two counts of unlawful possession of a prescription drugs," I once again feel the fool.

I had begun to feel that DJK had turned a corner, that he was busting it on the field, that he was finally 'getting it'. I said that sometimes you just have to let players be players, as long as their behavior was not divisive to team chemistry or morale. I said that DJK's career might be looked upon as a player that was not used enough, because he just made plays and the doghouse stuff seemed like some sort of generation gap.

Well, I was wrong.

I don't want to go too far here, because Derrell will have his day in court and we do not know all of the details...just like we didn't have all of the details on why DJK was in Ferentz's doghouse so many times during his playing career, or seemingly so.

In light of Tuesday night's shocking news, I am prepared to say 'Ferentz Knows Best' on issues like this going forward. None of us is privy to all of the information he is privy to at all times. I am not saying the guy is omnipotent, but he has more details than any of us.

The next time a player is in a doghouse, I will be very, very, very reticent to take the side of the player, or at least, opine the way I have the last two weeks as it relates to DJK.

In no way, shape or form do I think Ferentz had any knowledge of things like this, otherwise DJK would have been long gone. But, if these charges stick, then this type of decision making, these types of character flaws probably manifested themselves in other areas that Ferentz has control over.

I hope this turns out to be something DJK was not aware of, or something that was going on under his roof that he was not involved in...I really, really hope that is the case.

If not, DJK was just a few weeks away from going out and playing his last game, giving it his all, running a good 40 yard dash time at the NFL combine and someone paying him a few hundred thousand dollars in the NFL with a chance, through on field merit, to earn more.

If the charges stick, that's likely gone...as will be the fond memories.
 
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Goodness, I dont know how many of these examples I and others need to be presented with...

I thought DJK had turned the corner, and was finally 'getting it'. I said I felt that he was going to go down as being underutlized, even though he has all the WR records...that sometimes, as long as a person's behavior isn't divisive for team chemistry, you have to let a player be a player...

Only to learn this...and realize yet again that Ferentz has far more information we do about everything involved with Iowa football...and he knows best.

If he knew about stuff like this I think DJK wouldve been kicked off the team a long time ago instead of just being underutilized
 
Its really sad IMO.

I bought in to all the DJK stuff, and was a huge fan.

For a kid with so much talent to throw it all away like this is just terrible...
 
If he knew about stuff like this I think DJK wouldve been kicked off the team a long time ago instead of just being underutilized

Obviously Ferentz didn't know he had a drug house, but what Jon is saying is that Ferentz had a really good idea about DJK's attitude and work ethic.
 
I'll just say this...hopefully some of his teammates are learning from his mistake.....there were reasons he was in the "doghouse" throughout his career. KF keeps things close to the vest as we all know.
 
THis isn't surprising. He's selfish, as his actions off the field and attitude on the field exemplify. He's great at catching a perfectly thrown ball, won't scrum for a poorly thrown ball (even to bat it down), and can't throw a block to save his life. He has however, mastered the puff-puff-pass.
 
Well as i posted an hour ago (then deleted because i did not want to jump the gun) lets hope people understand no one person is above Iowa football.
 
Interesting that the player arrested for drugs was the best player on the team this season.

Kind of says a lot about the Iowa team this year.
 
If Ferentz "knows best" and knew that DJK was a cokehead, the "cause" definition in his contract should be scrutinized by the finest attorneys money can buy and a termination notice sent to him immediately if this triggers "cause."
 
I just wonder exactly how long Kirk has known about this. Day, weeks, months, longer???

Did the almighty coach let his star player suit up even though he was aware of this alleged drug activity?
 
If Ferentz "knows best" and knew that DJK was a cokehead, the "cause" definition in his contract should be scrutinized by the finest attorneys money can buy and a termination notice sent to him immediately if this triggers "cause."

There's no way Ferentz knew of this stuff.
 
I can say without a doubt that drugs were the stem of the entire "doghouse" incidents back in 2008. I have some mutual friends with him, some of which are kind of close to him.

I never wanted to say anything on message boards because I didn't feel like revealing his personal life, and I didn't think it was anyone else's business.

The whole "doghouse" thing started because he declined multiple drug tests. You are allowed to reschedule one as a "time conflict" but DJK apparently tried to do this multiple times, and either nearly failed, or did fail one back in 2008.

It has now come to this. I feel sorry for the guy, but he made the choices. Hopefully he can get them righted.
 
I just wonder exactly how long Kirk has known about this. Day, weeks, months, longer???

Did the almighty coach let his star player suit up even though he was aware of this alleged drug activity?

Please tell me you are joking, right?

Kirk would risk his job, his reputation, to hide something like this? No chance of that.
 

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