Keeler: Iowa is an 8-4 Program

He is right... my take all along has been that isn't good enough given the investment we have in the program.
 
JonDMiller said:
Keeler: Iowa fans, be careful what you wish for | Hawk Central

Interesting read from Sean.

What is your take? I tend to think Sean is closer to my overall thoughts on the Iowa football program than not with the opinions he is expressing in this column
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While I appreciate what Keeler has written, I disagree with the comparison. With our notable football coaching tree and ties, I believe that we could also attract a high profile coach. I'm not saying that we fire Ferentz. He's earned more years for his recent performance, but his salary leaves him open to more criticism.

Our Basketball affiliations are far less significant. With what we've seen, our ties don't go far. Though I am excited about McCaffery and co.
 
Ihawk209 said:
While I appreciate what Keeler has written, I disagree with the comparison. With our notable football coaching tree and ties, I believe that we could also attract a high profile coach. I'm not saying that we fire Ferentz. He's earned more years for his recent performance, but his salary leaves him open to more criticism.

Our Basketball affiliations are far less significant. With what we've seen, our ties don't go far. Though I am excited about McCaffery and co.
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This I agree with although do not take this as an endorsement to fire Kirk because it isn't. I think we are a destination school for coaches given our track record over the last 30 years. We play in a great conference and now we are split into a division that normally you should be competing against only Michigan and Nebraska for the title. I think that when the day comes that we have to replace Kirk we should be in good shape to replace him. So this whole "boo hoo" story about how Iowa should always remember the Tom Davis saga is complete rubbish.
 
mrolympia said:
this year should NOT have been 7-5 though.
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And last year should NOT have been 11-2.

It's going to be how it always is. Those that have perspective understand the ball bounces funny ways sometimes, those that don't will type long manifestos in message boards using lot's of CAPS at 3am.
 
The point has been made several times about Kirk attaining a higher level of success than Tom. Sure there are similarities but Kirk has come much closer to the brass ring than Tom ever did and he's done it with his own players.
 
As much as I hate to say it, it's pretty spot-on. History supports his article. Last year and this year support his article. However, there's nothing wrong with that. Heck look at Auburn, they're an 8-4 or 7-5 team with a very special albeit controversial player at QB. Should we have been better than 7-5? Sure, but injuries, etc dictated otherwise.

Something to remember people- this article could be written about many, many teams. If it was written about ISU it would say they're a 4-8 team.
 
Nice dig at Alford. Alford has matured and I would take him back in a heartbeat.

As for Iowa football, my main beef is that our season ticket prices should be more in line with NU level programs than the UM/OSU/PSU level programs because last time I checked, NU's win-loss record during the Fitz regime is pretty close to Iowa's. I know I haven't ranted about it forever, but I'm still steaming about ticket prices relative to the product following the stadium renovations at the end of the 2004 season. The Hawks have been very mediocre with one great year where we made a lot of great plays in close games. $700+ for one season ticket between the 20s and 40s is a joke and after this season, I think the Athletic Department is going to have to do some Ron Guenther type book cooking (free tickets to Cub Scouts, etc.) to fill the seats in the lower tier games due to this pricing regime. I think the fan base is pretty loyal, but over $100 a pop for decent tickets and the average team we have seen post Project Ticket Gouge could alienate the fans, especially in this economy. I obviously don't expect the Hawks to win every game, but we're paying prices that were set when the boys were coming off three consecutive 10 win seasons and I think the guys buying tickets should be treated at least 9 or 10 Ws as the norm, rather than a bunch of 6 or 7 win seasons with a few treats sprinkled on top of the turds.

Hayden >>>>> KF.
 
The truth hurts sometimes. This is one of those times.

Paying a coach nearly 4 million a year for 8-4 and .500 conference records is a bitter pill to swallow.

Especially when a program like Wisconsin is basically the mirror image of Iowa except for they have 3 Rose Bowl wins. They pay their coach roughly 1/3 of Kirk's salary.

But I do agree with the closing part of the article the most. Letting KF go is playing with serious fire. Iowa could turn into a 3-9 program in a heartbeat.
 
I think we can get 8-4 for less than we are spending. Saying we are 8-4 is one thing, but when we are PAYING for 10-2, we can then expect 10-2. If we acknowledge that KF and staff are, in-fact, 8-4 material, then we need to look at compensation.

The most frustrating thing about this program, as I have said before, is that they accomplish many of the hard things, and then fail on the seemingly easier parts. They get some high-level recruits on campus, and get many of them to stay. They take farm kids and small town boys, and OSU's leftovers and turn them into all-conference players. Those things are hard! Then they waste it all by not knowing clock management, or by running predictable plays with predictable formations and predictable personnel, or by not getting the back-ups enough reps before a starter gets hurt.
 
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In 12 years, we have had four 10+ win seasons and another 9-win season where the breaks went against us in the close games, and you could pretty much ignore the first three years because Kirk was still building the program.

Since 2002, here are our records:
11-2
10-3
10-2
7-5
6-7
6-6
9-4
11-2
7-5

You might say I'm cherry-picking the record, but that is 9 out of KF's 12 years as our coach. That's the majority of his time here at little Ole Iowa.

This year was a horrible disappointment. I know you won't always win the close games, but there is no excuse for not beating Minnesota and being at LEAST 8-4. And other than the "fat cat" years of the mid 2000's, we have been more of a 9-10 win program.

To those who say last year shouldn't have been 11-2... REALLY? Who did we luck out against other than MSU maybe? Ok, UNI.. But typically we win that game comfortably. I can't explain our subpar play at home last year, but that is not typical of us. We beat Wisconsin and PSU by double digits on the road, and had a great shot at OSU in the shoe. "Lucky" teams don't just do that. And let's not forget that one of our losses came out home against NW when our starting QB got hurt, and we had to rely on a QB who basically had never played. I just don't think that last year was quite as "lucky" as some people think.

Again, look at our record since Kirk got the program going. Lots of 9-10-11 win seasons in there.

To say we are no more than an 8-4 program and to just "deal with it", I think is selling the program short a little bit after the past decade. That doesn't mean we should just take it for granted though. This still is the best run of football we've had in a long time, if ever. But I think our ceiling is a little higher than just hoping for 8-4 every year.
 
okeefe4prez said:
Nice dig at Alford. Alford has matured and I would take him back in a heartbeat.

As for Iowa football, my main beef is that our season ticket prices should be more in line with NU level programs than the UM/OSU/PSU level programs because last time I checked, NU's win-loss record during the Fitz regime is pretty close to Iowa's. I know I haven't ranted about it forever, but I'm still steaming about ticket prices relative to the product following the stadium renovations at the end of the 2004 season. The Hawks have been very mediocre with one great year where we made a lot of great plays in close games. $700+ for one season ticket between the 20s and 40s is a joke and after this season, I think the Athletic Department is going to have to do some Ron Guenther type book cooking (free tickets to Cub Scouts, etc.) to fill the seats in the lower tier games due to this pricing regime. I think the fan base is pretty loyal, but over $100 a pop for decent tickets and the average team we have seen post Project Ticket Gouge could alienate the fans, especially in this economy. I obviously don't expect the Hawks to win every game, but we're paying prices that were set when the boys were coming off three consecutive 10 win seasons and I think the guys buying tickets should be treated at least 9 or 10 Ws as the norm, rather than a bunch of 6 or 7 win seasons with a few treats sprinkled on top of the turds.

Hayden >>>>> KF.
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They really need to lower season ticket prices so they can actually sell them all....oh wait.
 
I am a firm believer in you don't know what you got until its gone. Iowa has been rather unlucky when playing for a title, missing OSU in 02, losing Stanzi in 09. Everytime the media starts saying Kirk and staff has lost it, they end up contending. I have a comparison for this year. 1992. The 1992 squad might have been 8-4 had they played an easier schedule, instead, 3 non conference losses and they went. Arizona was tough, OSU and Wisconsin are top 7 teams and they lost to them by 4 points. Northwestern seems to be the Iowa albatross. Could have been worse, could have been better. That's the story of most Iowa teams.
 
Our fans are ridiculous...bar none we have the CRAZIEST fans in the Big 10...wow.
Here is a comment from Keeler's article:
"So what you are saying is that Iowa football is a 8-4 program that if lucky might end up at 10-2 but 6-6 is ok. Are you serious???!!!! No matter how much us the fans, who btw put our money and time into this program, criticize and try to hold the leadership accountable, nothing’s ever going to change because the Hawkeyes are what they are and Ferentz is not going the make any changes so we should all forget about it. Iowa should be privileged to be even in the same conference as Ohio St? Is this what you are saying?!? Are you even an Iowa fan? This is something an Ohio St. fan would write!

This is exactly what is wrong with Iowa football and some of its fans – entrenched MEDIOCRACY. STOP IT NOW!!! The goal is to WIN the Big Ten title and go to the Rose Bowl EVERY YEAR! The goal is to WIN not play to loose. You have got to have a winning mentality in order to win. Just like the players are held accountable when they underperform, the coaches need to be held accountable for not doing what is expected from them especially when they are paid $3.675 mil. The Hawkeyes have been outcoached one too many times in the past and something needs to be done about it.

If you mr. Keeler have a problem with Tom Davis, you need to address him personaly by writing to him directly. Or you can start your own personal blog and write whatever crap you feel like writing. Your lack of objectivity is incredible."

Buddy, hate to break it to you...but you want to win big 10 titles every year? it's about the bros and the joes....and OSU..will ALWAYS have more talent at every position then we do...sure we might have a better starter....but OSU has guys at 3rd string that would be playing for us. The depth is what sets these programs apart...I agree whole heartedly with Keeler...In some sad, sick part of me...I almost want Barta to get rid of Ferentz or for Kirk to leave...and watch out football program tank through the floor like our bball program...it would show alot of people alot of things.

I feel like I agree spot on with what Keeler is saying....and the dolt that wrote that comment...keeler wasn't putting down Tom Davis....you moron. it's probably somebody from one of these boards.
 
okeefe4prez said:
As for Iowa football, my main beef is that our season ticket prices should be more in line with NU level programs than the UM/OSU/PSU level programs because last time I checked, NU's win-loss record during the Fitz regime is pretty close to Iowa's.
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It's called supply and demand. If the product starts leading toward a less than full Kinnick than the prices will decrease.

As for his article, Keeler is right, we're an 8-4 program. We live on Iowa high school talent, texas/florida/ohio/etc leftovers, hard working walk-ons, and projects. Ohio St. for example can pull elite talent and they are therefore going to be a 10 or 11 win school forever. I appreciate the fact that based on our recruitment level a consistant 8-4, with an occasional BCS bowl is great.
 
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