Kirk Ferentz: Living Legend

[hawkdrummer1]

Nice article, Jon.

For me Fry will always have a slight edge on the field, as he took an embarrassingly inept program and rebuilt it from the ground up in nearly every aspect. (something that yes...you had to be there to understand). What Kirk and Mary have done off the field is exceptional.

Clearly IOWA is fortunate to have had both of these guys at the helm.

 

[trj]

Nice article, Jon.

For me Fry will always have a slight edge on the field, as he took an embarrassingly inept program and rebuilt it from the ground up in nearly every aspect. (something that yes...you had to be there to understand). What Kirk and Mary have done off the field is exceptional.

Clearly IOWA is fortunate to have had both of these guys at the helm.

Changing the culture is far more difficult than just doing a rebuild. Hayden not only changed the culture of the Iowa program, but the entire conference. Hayden and to a lesser degree Mike White at Illinois were the first in the conference to show people that you could win by throwing the football.

Not a slight on KF, but the infrastructure was already in place when he took over. I am in 100% agreement with those who say without Hayden there is no KF.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

First, this article has nothing to do with debating who the better coach was.

Second, when you think about the criteria for what constitutes a "living legend," KF and HF both meet it...easily.

They are both men of outstanding character who built programs from the ground up, and, perhaps even more important, were able to sustain success and stand the test of time in a profession known for turmoil and implosion.

They also did it the right way, by focusing on not just the athlete, but the student athlete, and always emphasized the importance of developing the person over the player. Countless former players have talked about how both coaches helped them become not only better players, but better husbands, fathers and citizens.

Were/are they perfect? No, of course not, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in the profession over the past 40 years that would have nothing but effusive praise and kind words for both. Their legacies speak for themselves.

 

[trj]

First, this article has nothing to do with debating who the better coach was.

Second, when you think about the criteria for what constitutes a "living legend," KF and HF both meet it...easily.

They are both men of outstanding character who built programs from the ground up, and, perhaps even more important, were able to sustain success and stand the test of time in a profession known for turmoil and implosion.

They also did it the right way, by focusing on not just the athlete, but the student athlete, and always emphasized the importance of developing the person over the player. Countless former players have talked about how both coaches helped them become not only better players, but better husbands, fathers and citizens.

Were/are they perfect? No, of course not, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in the profession over the past 40 years that would have nothing but effusive praise and kind words for both. Their legacies speak for themselves.

“ Living legend” is subjective it is different for different people. Mark Richt is a very similar person and coach is he a living legend?

 

[HawkGold]

Iowa legends:

Kinnick
Ronne Lester
Chuck Long
Evy
HF

Honorable mention
KF
Lute
Miller

There are probably others

What would push KF higher?
Finish the next 3 years averaging 10 wins per year. Wisky has done that over 8 years.

Why HF then? It's obvious. HF was a culture maker. HF was a challenge to opponents who desired very strongly to say they beat him. Opponents never took HF lightly, even in later years. HF changed the culture at Iowa. He helped change the culture towards blacks (pre-Iowa). Long stayed when he didn't have to do so. Lester the same. Kinnick speaks for himself.

Living or not, KF is not there yet. Being nice (albeit controlling nice) doesn't make a legend. If he could break the culture that Iowa can't win consistently, that's legend material.

So many on here complain about young people and participation award. Participation doesn't make a legend.

 

[tksirius]

Iowa legends:

Kinnick
Ronne Lester
Chuck Long
Evy
HF

Honorable mention
KF
Lute
Miller

There are probably others

What would push KF higher?
Finish the next 3 years averaging 10 wins per year. Wisky has done that over 8 years.

Why HF then? It's obvious. HF was a culture maker. HF was a challenge to opponents who desired very strongly to say they beat him. Opponents never took HF lightly, even in later years. HF changed the culture at Iowa. He helped change the culture towards blacks (pre-Iowa). Long stayed when he didn't have to do so. Lester the same. Kinnick speaks for himself.

Living or not, KF is not there yet. Being nice (albeit controlling nice) doesn't make a legend. If he could break the culture that Iowa can't win consistently, that's legend material.

So many on here complain about young people and participation award. Participation doesn't make a legend.

 

[lightning1]

No.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Ferentz would be the first to dismiss the legend label which is one of the attributes that make him the perfect fit for the head coaching job at IOWA. He has values that MOST Iowans used to have and I am proud he is our coach. Those that are unhappy about it probably look at their 2nd and 3rd wives the same way, always wanting "something prettier".

Legend? When his career is over and is looked back upon you bet your ass. Those that disagree keep looking, happiness is out there somewhere...

Well stated!

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Before Fry got here, Iowa was the team that the other schools scheduled to get a Win. Iowa was easy pickings for those teams. In that way, the criticism of Iowa scheduling lesser schools is the very thing that other teams in the 60s and 70s were doing to Iowa. We were that lesser school. Fry flipped the script, he didn't want to be a part of that anymore; those early years with the tougher opponents were already set up before he got here. At least Iowa didn't do a Missouri and bail out of those obligations.

Yep, JHF and Bump Elliott honored those obligations. And as I said, I think JHF was right to do that. My freshman year, I would guess, off the top of my head, four or five different guys started at TB/RB. Off top of my head, I think Jeff Brown, Dwayne Williams, Phil Blatcher, and JC Love-Jordan got starts. Not sure on Phillips, Granger or others, but the team was constantly banged up. Pete Gales had to take over when Phil Seuss went down.

Sure, every team has injuries, but when you schedule 19702/1980s era Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn State, UCLA, etc., it doesn't make for ideal team health.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Yep. Kinnick and Gable are the Pinnacle....

 

[tksirius]

Yep. Kinnick and Gable are the Pinnacle....

Kinda wonder why Dan doesn't have a street named after him in Iowa City.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

“ Living legend” is subjective it is different for different people. Mark Richt is a very similar person and coach is he a living legend?

You're absolutely right. It is subjective. It all depends upon an individual's analysis of the body of work, both professionally and personally.

I think Richt is in the conversation. The primary difference is Richt has never been in a position where he has to overcome the recruiting and logistical disadvantages both Hayden and Kirk have had to deal with. It's one thing to be successful at Georgia and Miami, in the middle of recruiting hotbeds in southern climates, and quite another to have consistent success at Iowa. Richt also has done some nice things off the field, but I don't know if he has given back financially as much as Kirk.

To clarify, I'm not one to give Ferentz a pass, and have been more than critical of him at times, but, when you step back and look at the big picture - and the respect he has garnered in the profession - it's hard to argue that he is not an Iowa legend.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Kinda wonder why Dan doesn't have a street named after him in Iowa City.

Its possible he may not want it. His story is incredible, but what made him legendary to almost mythical levels, almost cost him everything.

He was GOAT.

He, even coaching a very niche sport nationally, may have quietly put Iowa on the map more than anyone.

Damn he was awesome.

 

[Sooby]

Larry Zbyszko has more credence being a "living legend" than Kirk Ferentz.
Kirk is more about longevity, than legend.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Kinda wonder why Dan doesn't have a street named after him in Iowa City.

Agree. And he truly had the opportunity to leave numerous times and chose to stay (as did JHF and KF).

My guess is U of I and city fathers, as it were, just assumed he'd chisel his own street

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Larry Zbyszko has more credence being a "living legend" than Kirk Ferentz.
Kirk is more about longevity, than legend.

Possibly true, but almost all legends have longevity in common. The exceptions are the ones lost far too soon.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Agree. And he truly had the opportunity to leave numerous times and chose to stay (as did JHF and KF).

My guess is U of I and city fathers, as it were, just assumed he'd chisel his own street

With his fingernails

 

[mopkins]

In 20 seasons Hayden had 6 bowl wins and 2 top 10 finishes.

In 19 seasons KF has 7 bowl wins and 5 top 10 finishes.

Yet somehow Fry is a legend and people want KF run out of town. Comical.

Keep eating the member berries.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

With his fingernails

Goes without saying

 

[Caddy]

Say what you will about his conservative nature...you can always expect his teams to be physical, and committed to playing with passion. If you look through his tenure, we have rarely been physically dominated...even against the top rated teams on our schedule. You can point to the recent bowl failures as the head scratchers. The other thing that I think points to his ability is that in good years...his teams keep getting better as the year progresses...which is what you should expect. They get on a roll and don't look past teams.

I think the only question mark to me is whether we could have recruited better throughout his tenure at Iowa. I believe more focus and attention there, may have gotten us over the hump in all the close games we have played through the years. I would point to depth as the main topic of concern. 2017 was no different...losing two seniors on the offensive line crippled the offense against the top teams on the schedule not named Ohio State. We were inconsistent in both the running game and pass protection and teams simply loaded up to rush the passer.

His teams are always physical? Since when? Since Roth, Sanders, etc. played? We have been consistently getting shoved around on both sides of the line for some time now, especially this season. Did you watch the games? Nor have we continued to get better as the season has gone on. How would you say we improved this year as the season progressed? Do the Wisconsin, Purdue games ring a bell? The offense was brutal all year outside of a fluke game against OSU and the shootout against ISU. His teams are capable of putting together 1 or maybe 2 decent quarters a game on the offensive side of the ball. Many people buy into these same myths about Iowa football that were true years ago, but no longer are. Recruiting is a direct reflection of the boring brand of football KF and staff play. Kids today, especially talented skill players don't want to be a part of that when they can go somewhere and have their abilities utilized by a coaching staff that knows how to do so. KF is a great person, and has a positive impact on his players and people around him, but not a living legend as far as a coach goes. Just because you've been a coach somewhere for 20 years doesn't equate to being a living legend. Go outside the state of Iowa and he is known for the ridiculous contract, and extensions he has been given. So I guess in that respect he is legendary.