KF Responds to Ed Cunningham Comments

[Joshbrown]

If KF pulls him out and he doesn't finish the game, I think cj's stock for the draft takes a hit. That's what I think and suspect both cj and KF must've considered this possibility even though it won't get a mention.

I don't think the bowl performance helped his draft status. But being the anti-Kaepernick probably did.

 

[Fryowa]

So CJ Beathard was so badly hurt in that January bowl game that there's no way he could possibly have shined at the combine in March and had an NFL team trade up to take him in the 3rd round in April.

Right?

Hindsight is 20/20.

I get what you're saying, but he was obviously hobbled and I think he was at a big risk of getting hurt. He didn't, but I just disagree with leaving him in.

To be honest, the thing that really bothered me about KF's pressed is how he said CJ was "medically cleared" when that had little to do with the situation at the end of the game and sounded to me like he was just covering his butt.

 

[mopkins]

Hindsight is 20/20.

I get what you're saying, but he was obviously hobbled and I think he was at a big risk of getting hurt. He didn't, but I just disagree with leaving him in.

To be honest, the thing that really bothered me about KF's pressed is how he said CJ was "medically cleared" when that had little to do with the situation at the end of the game and sounded to me like he was just covering his butt.

College players play hurt all the time. Hell, Daniels has a sore back and everyone here hopes he plays this weekend. They don't care about him as a person, they care about beating Iowa State.

Remember when we all were hoping drew Ott would play through his elbow surgery and we all thought he was one tough son of a bitch for playing through the injury? Yeah he then proceeded to shred his knee and ruin his nfl career. I must have missed all that forum outrage when ferentz played Ott while hurt. We were happy Ott was back on the field because it made us a better team

Face it, if we actually cared about the players' well being, we wouldn't want them playing football in the first place.

 

[GesterHawk]

Issue conflation is not a barrier to internet discussion. Agree with your points.

Cunningham was projecting what could have happened, but didn't. It sounds like Kirk was dealing with the medical condition at hand, which did not present itself as further injury to that existing medical condition. The "what if" to CJB, i.e., his lack of mobility could have led to a different injury, did not appear to be addressed or fully contemplated (but that's conjecture on my part). I suppose in light of the Rhabdo incident, the UI Football program is more acutely aware of issues concerning the health of the players, and perhaps more prickly when someone questions their sensitivity to a player's health. I will give the benefit of the doubt to the staff that they were acting in good faith, and not believing they were putting CJB's future at risk.

In that sense, both have points to make. No harm, no foul, but maybe also a bit of the dodging of the bullet, too. From my expert seat, on my couch, it seemed like he should have come out, for no other reason than to give Stanley some more game experience in a game Iowa had no chance to win (but also because it appeared that CJB was moving with all the nimbleness of a tortoise in the middle of the desert in August).

I agree that I would have liked Stanley to get the snaps as a learning opportunity.
I also agree there was no point for CJ to be in there.
I also believe in playing hurt, but not playing injured. And in thoses cases it is more for the training staff and the player to make that distinction.

There have been many QBs who, when healthy, were just as immoblie as CJ was that day. Nobody ever worries about them getting hurt because they couldn't move well.

I will also say, that unless you were calling for CJ to sit in 2015 because of his hernia, which by the end of most games hobbled just as much, then you have very little ground to stand on saying the coaches messed up during the Outback.

 

[GesterHawk]

Hindsight is 20/20.

I get what you're saying, but he was obviously hobbled and I think he was at a big risk of getting hurt. He didn't, but I just disagree with leaving him in.

To be honest, the thing that really bothered me about KF's pressed is how he said CJ was "medically cleared" when that had little to do with the situation at the end of the game and sounded to me like he was just covering his butt.

Unfortunately we live in a day and age where people have to cover their butt at all times in all sorts of circumstances.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

Lots of "bottom lines" here....
1. He was hurt, not injured
2. He was a senior and certainly a proud Hawkeye, last chance to wear the black and gold. There isnt a one of us that doesnt dream of waking up tomorrow, its senior year, your jersey is hanging on the door and the game is tonight. Its called passion for a game and a team you love. Im glad CJ was competitive and loves the Hawks!
3. KF and staff have never been accused of "leaving a player in", in the face of injury (no the rhabado or however its spelled doesnt apply)
4. KF should have removed him for his lack of ability at the time not health
5. Certainly helped CJ's draft stock didnt it. See Shanahans comments....he's tough as $#i+

 

[proudhawkfan21]

I do think he was hiding behind the docs too... CJ would have had to been looked at by the docs to even get cleared one way or the other and do we even know if he was checked out at any point during the game? If your watching the game with the best seat in the house like KF is how can you not see your QB can't run. Is obviously not just laboring out there but hurt and holding the ball too long (because Oline stunk and receivers couldn't get open) and just getting himself clobbered over and over because he stubbornly wouldn't throw the ball away earlier is just crazy. You don't need to see 3 quarters of that before taking him out do you? I remember watching it and hearing Ed talking about it and found myself siding with him... Just because a guy can stand up and take a snap doesn't mean they should necessarily be out there playing D1 football. If that's medically cleared to play then what isn't??

He's been doing it since 1980 at a high level.....and your qualifications are?.........

 

[deanvogs]

American has become pussified. Football as we know it won't look the same in 10-20 years because of this. Nobody had a problem when Drew Ott was playing with one arm. Nobody had a problem with Leftwich was being carried down the field by his teammates, it was celebrated. The laundry list of player who were glorified for playing while being dinged up, or flat out injured it too long to count. Now a kid who is medically cleared to play, and plays the coach is getting hell for it?

It is where we are at as a country, and we had better get used to it. I'm not trying to say it is good or bad, it just is what it is. More of these situation will be questioned when they were never ever questioned in the past. Kiss football as we know it goodbye fellas, it is inevitable.

 

[westender]

Well, uh, the point is that kirk left CJ in even after our assess were fully whipped and CJ was obviously injured. So, you know, there's that.

Yeah and the blocking and run game stunk so yeah let's throw a newby out there because his chances would be great!

 

[westender]

American has become pussified. Football as we know it won't look the same in 10-20 years because of this. Nobody had a problem when Drew Ott was playing with one arm. Nobody had a problem with Leftwich was being carried down the field by his teammates, it was celebrated. The laundry list of player who were glorified for playing while being dinged up, or flat out injured it too long to count. Now a kid who is medically cleared to play, and plays the coach is getting hell for it?

It is where we are at as a country, and we had better get used to it. I'm not trying to say it is good or bad, it just is what it is. More of these situation will be questioned when they were never ever questioned in the past. Kiss football as we know it goodbye fellas, it is inevitable.

Exactly! Cunningham's issue is that Beathard was getting hit, well isn't that partially on the O line and the play calling, etc. Was Stanley not going to encounter the same if he went in? Anyone who watched that game was clear who was the better team that day. Iowa could not block. So Beathard comes out and Stanley gets placed into danger, at least according to Ed.

 

[westender]

If KF pulls him out and he doesn't finish the game, I think cj's stock for the draft takes a hit. That's what I think and suspect both cj and KF must've considered this possibility even though it won't get a mention.

The dude was probably hurting worse in 2015 with the hernia and not a single person was asking for CJ to get pulled in 2015. Not even for the Northwestern game when his hernia was the worst and he went out and kicked ***. So yeah he had a history of playing with a like injury.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

The dude was probably hurting worse in 2015 with the hernia and not a single person was asking for CJ to get pulled in 2015. Not even for the Northwestern game when his hernia was the worst and he went out and kicked ***. So yeah he had a history of playing with a like injury.

If we go into battle...im bringing you soldier. Go Hawks!

 

[SteveGarvey1]

Jay Cutler hurt his knee 6-7 years ago in the NFC championship game and left the game. Fans, broadcasters, and other NFL players ripped him and basically called him a ----- for not being tough enough to stick it out, even though he could hardly move and would have been a sitting duck.

It's the culture of football that is as much to blame as KF is. You're expected to be tough, tape it up and play for your team if you can play at all.

 

[HawkGold]

Jay Cutler hurt his knee 6-7 years ago in the NFC championship game and left the game. Fans, broadcasters, and other NFL players ripped him and basically called him a ----- for not being tough enough to stick it out, even though he could hardly move and would have been a sitting duck.

It's the culture of football that is as much to blame as KF is. You're expected to be tough, tape it up and play for your team if you can play at all.

and I think fans underestimate the permanent impact of knee injuries.

My own knee injury in soccer 13 year ago change my life. I can no longer go down stairs normally. My foot no longer hits the floor at the same angle. When my knee is in a certain position, I'm going down. I can no longer pitch a baseball with any velocity as I can't get low on my knee. The day before hurt my knee I kicked a 48 yard field goal at a Big Ten facility with overall height over the goal posts. Today I can't do a field goal. My knee feels like it could break off at any time. It took forever to trust my knee in walking. The rehab was hell. I tried soccer one time afterwards and mentally couldn't do it.

Granted I had a total knee inversion from the front and it was a severe injury, but my surgeon is also Derrick Rose's surgeon.

Cutler was always Cutler, but it had to negatively impact him.

 

[InGoodCo]

Ferentz says he was cleared - CJ says he was good - Docs say he was cleared- CJ parents said he was good? What's the point of discussing it further from Iowa's stand point. What more evidence is needed? If you feel differently even with all the evidence pointing the other way, well, I guess live with it because it's been addressed from Iowa's stand point.

Now, I feel KF had to comment on it - it was news and probably needed to be addressed regardless from a recruiting stand point as well as the question was going to come any ways.

Why do you play Wadley in the 4th last Saturday? Is that a real question? Why wouldn't you? You are trying to win a ball game and running a clock in the 4th Quarter. Why wouldn't you use the most valuable resource to accomplish that. Fan's are pretty hard to please. If he didn't get enough touches, people would be bitching about that too.

 

[HomerChampless]

nm...

 

[HomerChampless]

If KF pulls him out and he doesn't finish the game, I think cj's stock for the draft takes a hit. That's what I think and suspect both cj and KF must've considered this possibility even though it won't get a mention.

How high did CJ's pro stock climb after the 3, or so, interceptions he threw in the Florida game?

Even I realized CJ was pressing way too much for Iowa to win the game.

After the second interception (was that one also a pick 6?), it seemed CJ had given up on the game. Some posters are right. CJ may not have been injured enough to warrant him leaving the game. BTW, it was the last game of the year.

Does CJ have mental (and physical) toughness? Does anyone question that after the 2015 season?

Cunningham's point is KF couldn't or wouldn't recognize that CJ was injured physically as well as mentally. That KF didn't take charge.

 

[theboat]

If mobility was the issue for Cunningham, he should have protested Peyton Manning's entire career.

 

[InGoodCo]

What benefit would Iowa have had by feeding Stanley to the wolves in that game? What growth could have came? It would have caused more damage then good

 

[proudhawkfan21]

How high did CJ's pro stock climb after the 3, or so, interceptions he threw in the Florida game? Even I realized CJ was pressing way too much for Iowa to win the game. Too bad KF didn't or couldn't recognize this.

I think a team moved up to 3rd round, made him the backup...thats just what im hearing. Lol He was 5th round at best at one point. It didnt HURT him or his stock was the point. He still should have been removed from a "trying to win the game" standpoint....but....loyalty....and....wasnt our backup the same guy who sharted his pants a couple times against the legend that is Wyoming High School this past week? So...........?