Jon Miller's point about Sound Off call

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Win5002

Well-Known Member
I was at work and only heard half of the call so I hope I got the context right. It was about the fact that we at least had 7 wins in what was a down year and a caller pointed out Iowa should every year be able to schedule 7 wins in a 12 game season and Jon was depressed.

Yes, the league was down this year and I'm not going to try and make this out to be a great or even good Iowa season but Iowadid schedule two BCS teams in the non-conference. Also, even though Iowa only had 7 wins they still finished a tie for 6th in the conference(but beat the 6th place team head to head on the road). For a low point, it could be a lot worse than finishing 6th in the league.

I'm not trying to make it out to be a great year and Iowa might even have one more mediocre year before they can leap forward again. But I do think if they can keep players on campus they will take the leap forward again.
 
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It's not showing up for the PSU and Nebby games, the failure to beat ISU and Minny that have less talent, etc. that have fans upset. Before the season I thought we would finish 8-4, its how and who we lost to that I have a problem with.
 
Let us look at this guy's analysis. If Iowa schedules home and away games with Arizona/Arizona ST/Pitt/other BCS teams besides Iowa St then we are going to lose these games on the road >60% of the time. We lose at Ames >60% of the time.

Next year is no guaranteed 5-0 start. I see the hawks having a tough game at Soldiers Field because this coaching staff doesnt seem to know their team early on.

So the only way to really be sure of the 7 to 8 wins a year is to have the attitude that you are going to p##s pound poor teams like Minny, Indiana, etc when they are bad, even ISU like the hawks pounded them in 09 and '10.

In 2017 it is a 9 game big 10 schedule, probably Iowa sT and two weak teams. The hawks will need to win 98% of the games they are favored in to have good seasons.
 
hoffa, you are right on the money. These past 2 seasons have been unacceptable. Nothing will change unless people leave voluntarily. Barta won't do anything. Ferentz is too loyal to ask his coordinators to step aside. That is being very selfish. He needs to get coordinators in there that are potential head coaches.
 
The key to building and maintaining a solid program for Iowa has to be to win the games you are supposed to. The games against obviously inferior opponents. That is what we have not done the last two years. Last year losing to Minnesota was inexcusable. With that win we would have been 8-4 regular season and 9-4 after a bowl win. This year same thing. Beat Minnesota which is still an inferior team and we are 8-4 with a bowl game possibly putting us at 9-4. Those two games would have completely changed the fans' attitude about where the program is and also would not hurt recruits' perception of the Iowa program. I don't necessarily agree that Iowa State this year was a game we should have won. Could have won would be accurate, but they were not an inferior opponent this year as they have proven with the rest of their season. Could we have won other games the last two years? Yes, but none of them were against obviously inferior opponents.
 
The only game Iowa should have won they lost is Minnesota. ISU, yes I said ISU was better than Iowa. So was PSU, MSU, Neb. I think they did show up for Neb. its just Vandenberg was very off and the inability of Iowa to sustain drives tired out the defense. The defense played well enough to win early if the offense gave them some rest in sustaining drives.

Iowa also beat a team by all accounts they should not have in Mich. So they are 1-1 in games with outcomes different than they should have been.
 
CGHawk........you hit the nail on the head and this has been going on for some time now. It is not a new phenomena that this group of coaches have found every way imaginable to lose games that should/could win against both good and extremely poor competition (Minnesota the past 2 years). The list of inept game day coaching examples is endless.
 
Win5002 said:
The only game Iowa should have won they lost is Minnesota. ISU, yes I said ISU was better than Iowa. So was PSU, MSU, Neb. I think they did show up for Neb. its just Vandenberg was very off and the inability of Iowa to sustain drives tired out the defense. The defense played well enough to win early if the offense gave them some rest in sustaining drives.

Iowa also beat a team by all accounts they should not have in Mich. So they are 1-1 in games with outcomes different than they should have been.
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I disagree.

ISU is not better than Iowa. Even if they are... we wouldn't know because there is NO WAY I will believe that Iowa showed up to play that day and that is the problem. Iowa did not show up to play and looked like they were sleepwalking most of the game in a lot of games... wins and losses this season. They looked unprepared the majority of the games.
 
Win5002 said:
The only game Iowa should have won they lost is Minnesota. ISU, yes I said ISU was better than Iowa. So was PSU, MSU, Neb. I think they did show up for Neb. its just Vandenberg was very off and the inability of Iowa to sustain drives tired out the defense. The defense played well enough to win early if the offense gave them some rest in sustaining drives.

Iowa also beat a team by all accounts they should not have in Mich. So they are 1-1 in games with outcomes different than they should have been.
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I disagree. Iowa is better than the Steele Janz version of ISU, we found ways to lose that game, including gutless coaching at the end.
Penn State got exposed Saturday, I think we could have competed in that game, but the coaching staff clinched their cheeks together and went all conservative again. Penn State is a tough place to pay so I excuse that a little. I can understand the other 2 losses (MSU, NE). If we take care of business when we should have, the Hawks would have finished 9-3. And yes, I expected them to split with Michigan and Michigan State, that's not unreasonable at home.
 
Sorry I don't we should count our lucky stars to win 7 games this year and finish 6th. Yeah it could be worse put who are we standing in front of?

We have one of the best QBs and most productive running back in the big ten. Which since the running game did well then it stands to reason we have a solid OL. Now add in the fact we have one of the best receiver crews in the big ten. Why were we not able to score more. We new our D would be soft we needed to out score other teams. We do not have a coaching staff with that mentality, let alone the ability to adapt.

Iowa has good enough talent to win every one of the games Iowa lost. Iowa does NOT have a good enough coaching staff to win every game Iowa lost.
 
94HawkMA said:
Ferentz is too loyal to ask his coordinators to step aside. That is being very selfish.
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This is the kind of comment that makes my head spin. It's only "selfish" if Ferentz believes Parker and KOK aren't excellent D1 coordinators, who give Iowa the best chance to win. I think it's pretty clear that he believes that.

Whether he's right in that assessment is a separate question.

For me, as much as I respect our defense-first philosophy, I don't think Iowa can ever be a great program by averaging 70th in the nation in offense. But I also firmly believe that mediocrity is primarily a function of the head coach's philosophy, which the OC is simply carrying out.
 
Fans that honestly think teams don't show up to play crack me up. These kids work their ***** off all year to play in 12-13 games. You don't work that hard and not show up.

And not showing up against Nebraska? Please. That's all that has been talked about since that game got scheduled. There is zero shot that Iowa didn't show up to play at ISU, PSU, or Nebraska. Sometimes other teams just play better or hit you in the mouth early and you don't respond
 
Cyclones17 said:
Fans that honestly think teams don't show up to play crack me up. These kids work their ***** off all year to play in 12-13 games. You don't work that hard and not show up.

And not showing up against Nebraska? Please. That's all that has been talked about since that game got scheduled. There is zero shot that Iowa didn't show up to play at ISU, PSU, or Nebraska. Sometimes other teams just play better or hit you in the mouth early and you don't respond
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I just don't think Iowa ever looks fired up like most other teams do. They never seem too up or down, which can be good sometimes, but when the other team is all jacked up, and Iowa takes on the personality of the emotionless head coach, bad things can and do happen. The kids want to win, but seem to be put to sleep prior to taking the field.
 
DJL said:
I disagree. Iowa is better than the Steele Janz version of ISU, we found ways to lose that game, including gutless coaching at the end.
Penn State got exposed Saturday, I think we could have competed in that game, but the coaching staff clinched their cheeks together and went all conservative again. Penn State is a tough place to pay so I excuse that a little. I can understand the other 2 losses (MSU, NE). If we take care of business when we should have, the Hawks would have finished 9-3. And yes, I expected them to split with Michigan and Michigan State, that's not unreasonable at home.
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3 turnovers for ISU vs 1 vs Iowa.

Iowa State missed 2 FG's out of 3. Iowa went 4 for 4.

Iowa State had 11 penalties for 85 yards. Iowa had 6 for 35 yards

Yet Iowa State won.

So how did Iowa find ways to lose that game? It looks to most non Hawk fans that Iowa State tried to find ways to lose that game but in the end they still won.
 
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DJL said:
I just don't think Iowa ever looks fired up like most other teams do. They never seem too up or down, which can be good sometimes, but when the other team is all jacked up, and Iowa takes on the personality of the emotionless head coach, bad things can and do happen. The kids want to win, but seem to be put to sleep prior to taking the field.
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I think in years past Iowa's defense has been so good that the entire team has fed off their energy. They were stuffing the run and that gets teams jacked up. Well Iowa was very poor up front this year and teams were able to run on them. It changed their team. But I refuse to believe they didn't show up
 
If you want to compare a fired up recent hawkeye team to this year and last year then look at video of the 2008 Penn St and Iowa game. The team on the sideline, especially on that last drive was pumped, jumping up and down, and through out the game.

That 2008 team was awesome, and there was mentality of underdog and chip on their shoulders that needs to get back on this team.

Look at video of that game and it will fire you up.
 
This "emotion" statement is one that is unprovable...

DJL said:
I just don't think Iowa ever looks fired up like most other teams do. They never seem too up or down, which can be good sometimes, but when the other team is all jacked up, and Iowa takes on the personality of the emotionless head coach, bad things can and do happen. The kids want to win, but seem to be put to sleep prior to taking the field.
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and I happen to think it's bunk. How do you discern that Iowa wasn't jacked up against Nebraska? Huskers' first possession Bernstine lays a huge hit on Martinez, he fumbles but the ball stays right next to him and he's able to recover. Iowa was matching Huskers blow for blow but couldn't move the ball at all in the second quarter, while Nebraska did. How is that not "fired up?" Nebraska won because it played better, not because Iowa lacked emotion.

Iowa was certainly ready to play against ISU. We were ahead 10-0. I can't think of a game where we came out lifeless. Even Minnesota we dominated on both sides of the ball but missed two FG's and take a sack/fumble on another trip into the red zone.

Don't confuse losing with emotion, or lack of it. When you aren't very good, it can look like you lack emotion. Where are the big hits? Where are the big plays? You can't get big hits when you can't get off blocks or lack the footspeed to close the distance with the offensive player before they get out of the way.

Of all of the strengths/weaknesses of Ferentz, I think getting teams ready to play is near the top of his strengths lists.
 
Cyclones17 said:
Fans that honestly think teams don't show up to play crack me up. These kids work their ***** off all year to play in 12-13 games. You don't work that hard and not show up.And not showing up against Nebraska? Please. That's all that has been talked about since that game got scheduled. There is zero shot that Iowa didn't show up to play at ISU, PSU, or Nebraska. Sometimes other teams just play better or hit you in the mouth early and you don't respond
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So you think Clemson showed up to play when they got beat down by a poor NC State team?
 
uihawk82 said:
If you want to compare a fired up recent hawkeye team to this year and last year then look at video of the 2008 Penn St and Iowa game. The team on the sideline, especially on that last drive was pumped, jumping up and down, and through out the game.

That 2008 team was awesome, and there was mentality of underdog and chip on their shoulders that needs to get back on this team.

Look at video of that game and it will fire you up.
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Hard to compare home/away games. The team is able to feed off the home crowd and is able to find energy in the 4th quarter that you generally don't have on the road.

Doesn't mean that this years Hawk teams came out flat
 
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