HawkeyeMHA
Well-Known Member
sound good, thanks
KF: the definition of mediocrity
- Thread starter smoot27
- Start date
Given the amount of talent many of our teams have had, his records lately have been mediocre.
No reason the Shonn Greene team should lose 4 games by 12 points. That's on the coach.
Last year's team should have been playing for the Big Ten title not the Insight. The losses to Northwestern and Minny were terrible. The game against Arizona wasn't pretty either.
HawkeyeMHA
Well-Known Member
how about changing the subject a little. Gene Chizek (spelling), great coach at ISU? Great coach at Auburn? OR.............same coach different level of players? Did he become a national title coach over night or did he have better talent? KF is the same coach that won big games for us and will again...throw him out and we will really see bad years IMO
bcl20
Well-Known Member
Iowa has won 9, 11 and 8 games the last few years. Not elite by any means but that's pretty good and absolutely above average. In my opinion good, solid football teams win 8-9 games a year. We've also won a BCS bowl in those years as well. You give a majority of college football teams the option of having years like these, they would take that in a heart beat.
That said, the losses to average/bad teams is getting old and I'm not a major Kirk Ferentz supporter like I would have been a few years ago but on the other hand I'd only want to replace them if there is a strong option in waiting. I already watched the basketball program crumble, I'd like to not see that happen with the football team.
That said, the losses to average/bad teams is getting old and I'm not a major Kirk Ferentz supporter like I would have been a few years ago but on the other hand I'd only want to replace them if there is a strong option in waiting. I already watched the basketball program crumble, I'd like to not see that happen with the football team.
Even in some of our best years his poor game managing has cost us. As mentioned before, the LSU hail mary was the result of terrible clock management. He had several solid NFL level players from the 2002-2004 run and they were able to win the close games that we can't in a normal season. Not sure how we are going to suck without him.
Fry had a 61 win % against the Big Ten. KF is 55%, (54% since 2005).
OccupyKinnick
Well-Known Member
First of all, I have Janet Jackson in my head now.
Second, recent history validates Smoot's point.
2006-Expected to compete for Big Ten crown, lose at Indiana, stagger to the Alamo Bowl where they show an effort but ultimately lose to Texas to finish 6-7.
2007-6-6 finish, with a loss in the finale at home to Western Michigan keeping the Hawks from a postseason berth.
2008-Ferentz spent the first two months of the season on the hot seat, then Iowa upsets Penn State and takes off.
2009-This is the year of the BCS win and Top 10 finish, but let's look at how they got there--they needed two, count em, TWO blocked field goals to beat Northern Iowa of the FCS. Then they let Arkansas State climb back into the game and have a chance to win, Stanzi needs a last-second pass to McNutt to top Michigan State, and Iowa falls behind big against Indiana before a freak INT return for a TD by Sash and a magnificent fourth quarter.
2010-I don't need to remind you what happened.
If the last five years tells us anything, it's that this team is erratic. Even in the Orange Bowl year, they were living on the edge. And while the players have changed, the coaching staff has remained the same.
bcl20
Well-Known Member
We are a small state, small school and don't have the best recruiting base. If you get the wrong coach I could easily see a scenario where Iowa drops down to a Minnesota, Purdue or Indiana type level.
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
The thing about Kirk is that he has stats that make people love him (OB win, top 10 finishes, B1G titles) and stats that make people criticize him (6-7 v ISU, 5-6 v NW etc). Kirk is frustrating because his ceiling is so high but his failures are so low.
bcl20
Well-Known Member
He has a very weird resume. I wonder how much precedence there is for a guy like him. He has success and failures on each end of the spectrum. He's won an orange bowl, beaten some very good teams and programs, won the conference but he's also lost to a MAC team and bad BCS programs. I just don't think there are too many coaches out there with this kind of a resume.
HawkeyeMHA
Well-Known Member
YES! It is only good coaching that has gotten our fan base to believe that we are as good as the Florida's, LSU's, Michigans, Penn States, etc. It can get much much worse...
ShoreHawk15
Well-Known Member
Absolutely! Couldn't have said it better!
As is Boise State, Nebraska and West Virginia. You can have it both ways. We have a better football history than Purdue or Indiana so that isn't a fair comparison. Minneapolis isn't a college town, rivals the vikings, and hasn't recruited well since the dome started.
OldtownHawkFan
Well-Known Member
The issue with this coaching staff is that the same issues keep occurring and never get fixed. Even in the years Iowa had success, the same issues keep coming up.
Examples:
1. 2002 season, Lose to ISU. Iowa runs the table in the B10 but loses at home to ISU? Really???
2. 2004 season, clock management almost cost Iowa the Cap bowl. Fortunate tate to holloway play saved us.
3. 2009 season, lose to NW. In the OSU game, decided to sit on the ball with over a minute to go and 2 or 3 TOs left. This with the B10 championship and Rose Bowl on the line. This might have cost Iowa its first Rose Bowl in over 18 years.
The past couple of years these issue still haunt the coaching staff, yet no progress or any attempt to address them exist. During yesterday's game, with over a minute to go in the half, Iowa sits on the ball again.
It get frustrating as a fan to continue to see the same issues plague KF's teams year to year. I'm to the point that even in good years in the future, I believe the same issues will continue to occur. The difference between Iowa's good years and what could have been Rose Bowl years are those same issues that bite us today. No progress from this staff to learn from past mistakes. That is what is hurting this program today even more. Other teams see it and are exploiting it more now, even the bad teams.
Examples:
1. 2002 season, Lose to ISU. Iowa runs the table in the B10 but loses at home to ISU? Really???
2. 2004 season, clock management almost cost Iowa the Cap bowl. Fortunate tate to holloway play saved us.
3. 2009 season, lose to NW. In the OSU game, decided to sit on the ball with over a minute to go and 2 or 3 TOs left. This with the B10 championship and Rose Bowl on the line. This might have cost Iowa its first Rose Bowl in over 18 years.
The past couple of years these issue still haunt the coaching staff, yet no progress or any attempt to address them exist. During yesterday's game, with over a minute to go in the half, Iowa sits on the ball again.
It get frustrating as a fan to continue to see the same issues plague KF's teams year to year. I'm to the point that even in good years in the future, I believe the same issues will continue to occur. The difference between Iowa's good years and what could have been Rose Bowl years are those same issues that bite us today. No progress from this staff to learn from past mistakes. That is what is hurting this program today even more. Other teams see it and are exploiting it more now, even the bad teams.
HomerChampless
Well-Known Member
OK, so you may be tired of hearing it from me but I'll tell you again anyway. Sorry....
For example, Purdue, Indiana, and Northwestern are B1G passing teams. Iowa's defense against the pass isn't good. For example, Iowa's record against B1G teams like Penn State and Michigan State is good because Iowa's defense is (usually) good against the run.
See it? When the defense's effective, Iowa has a good chance of winning. When the defense isn't effective....
IMO, an Iowa loss has as much to do with conservative offensive playcalling as ineffective defense. You can't have conservative offensive playcalling and an ineffective defense if you expect to win many games. You've got to open up the offense if you've got an ineffective defense if you expect to win many games.
I can't explain ISU's dominance and Minnesota's competitiveness using this context. I can't explain period.
Last edited:
bcl20
Well-Known Member
I do agree that Iowa could reach an even higher level than they are now. If Boise State can do it anyone can (although the circumstances are far from similar though it's not really an argument I'd like to hash out).
Problem is, Ferentz basement is clearly .500 records or average teams (I understand a .500 team in college football isn't always average, they could be worse but for argument sake lets say it is.) and his ceiling is competing for a Big Ten championship and making a BCS bowl, I say this because it just happened recently although the argument could also be made that the 2009 team wasn't as good as their record and I'd accept that.
When looking for a coach you would have to fine someone who was better than that or worse case scenario, someone cheaper who could replicate that. I think the people who would be the obvious choice to exceed that aren't likely to come to Iowa, though it's a possibility as there are good coaches that have connections here and those are the only guys I'd really want to replace Kirk unless there is someone who had a very, very good plan in place that I haven't heard of.
Fact is, you fire Kirk, you are taking a huge huge risk if a Stoops or Bielema or another big name aren't in waiting, and I'm not willing to take that risk.
hawkeyescott
Well-Known Member
Having over 50 kids in the NFL makes it even worse IMO, Indiana, NW, ISU and Minnestoa don't have that many. So basically what your saying and may not realize is KF can't beat teams with less talent.
NewMexHawk
Well-Known Member
So he has all those wins against upper lever teams but he can't beat lower level teams...WHY is that?
Getting beat BY those lower level teams is what this entire argument and board has been about! His inability to beat poor teams. Again WHY IS THAT?
Getting beat BY those lower level teams is what this entire argument and board has been about! His inability to beat poor teams. Again WHY IS THAT?
You really want to get into what-ifs?
All but one of our losses to NW could have easily been wins. I will not recount them but there has been a series of freaky bad luck vs the Cats.
ISU...this year we should have beaten them,along with more than half of our losses. Our wins have been blowouts,for the most part. Same with NW.
Minny,same deal. They have not beaten Iowa soundly in the last decade.
Same with IU.
Iowa crushes these teams when we win,for the most part. Then we lose by less than a TD ....Iowa could easily have ten more wins out of that group with any kind of luck.
GoHawks24
Well-Known Member
+1 mil.
Seriously, if we are putting that much talent on NFL rosters then where are the results?
P.S.- Todd Lickliter won coach of the year once too...
Last edited:
