Kirk on the Side: Talks Decision re: Robinson vs Michigan State

Obviously I can't be sure since it was just a transcript, but Kirk certainly seemed to get short when A-Rob came up. That question about why he was in there is pretty fair considering the circumstances.
 
Well I guess that dispels the rumor that Kirk plays to win and does not play not to lose.

Also I am so glad they medical protocols now for concussions and understand how significant head trauma is.
 
I can't believe Kirk referenced the book on clock management. It reminds me of a post I saw on Rivals or Scout. I know it's crazy but sometimes I swear he reads message boards.
 
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Q: Have you heard people question your decision about whether or not Adam Robinson should have been in the game late against Michigan State?
Ferentz: I read something last week. You can question a lot of things.
Q: What is your reaction to that or what were you thinking at that time?
Ferentz: The fourth quarter had just started and we had a lot of starters in the game on both sides. I would not change it, we were trying to win.


I know this has been beat to death but aside from the double reverse pass they were just handing the ball off and trying to run clock. Coker and the 2nd team can do that. The game was over.
 
That interview felt like my wife when she says nothing is wrong and you damn well know better. Hope it carries over to preparation for Saturday. Be forewarned NW!
 
I'm not sure what the correct protocol is for a head to coach to admit he f**ed up, and I don't know Kirk personally, so I don't know if he has a gigantic male ego, but 2 things are absolutely unassailable:

1. The decision to leave A-Rob in the MSU game was boneheaded.
2. This coaching staff is miserable when it comes to clock management.

Because those issues both came into great significance recently, the tough questions regarding them were to be expected. The responses Kirk gave were the kind of snarky deflections you tend to get when a negative observation cuts a little too close to the bone.

Frankly, I'm glad to see one of our local reporters actually asking a hard question for once. Too often they lob softballs at the coaches and let them off too easily :-D
 
I'm not sure what the correct protocol is for a head to coach to admit he f**ed up, and I don't know Kirk personally, so I don't know if he has a gigantic male ego, but 2 things are absolutely unassailable:

1. The decision to leave A-Rob in the MSU game was boneheaded.
2. This coaching staff is miserable when it comes to clock management.

Because those issues both came into great significance recently, the tough questions regarding them were to be expected. The responses Kirk gave were the kind of snarky deflections you tend to get when a negative observation cuts a little too close to the bone.

Frankly, I'm glad to see one of our local reporters actually asking a hard question for once. Too often they lob softballs at the coaches and let them off too easily :-D

This. The media's job is to ask the tough questions. So by asking about A-Rob, the clock management, etc., they are doing their job. And those are reasonable questions to begin with. No reason to expect otherwise from the media if you're a big time college football coach.
 
I'm not sure what the correct protocol is for a head to coach to admit he f**ed up, and I don't know Kirk personally, so I don't know if he has a gigantic male ego, but 2 things are absolutely unassailable:

It's probably the same protocol you would have if someone in the media would approach you in a similiar situation at your job. Pretty easy to judge when you sitting on the couch... or in this case, on a message board where most people's identies are unknown.
 
It's probably the same protocol you would have if someone in the media would approach you in a similiar situation at your job. Pretty easy to judge when you sitting on the couch... or in this case, on a message board where most people's identies are unknown.

He's a public figure, dealing with the media comes with the territory, which isn't the case for most of us. And while this may be a fishbowl, it's not like dealing with the media is unique to Iowa City. It happens at every school with big time college football.
 
He's a public figure, dealing with the media comes with the territory, which isn't the case for most of us. And while this may be a fishbowl, it's not like dealing with the media is unique to Iowa City. It happens at every school with big time college football.

I agree and understand that part of it... but maybe he doesn't think he made a mistake. Plus, let's be honest... how many times have we've heard people clamoring about him pulling the foot off the gas? In the MSU game he doesn't and now we have the opposite effect. Maybe that's why he's pulled the foot off the gas at certain times in his career... I really don't know one way or the other, but we can't have it both ways... Just saying...
 
I agree and understand that part of it... but maybe he doesn't think he made a mistake. Plus, let's be honest... how many times have we've heard people clamoring about him pulling the foot off the gas? In the MSU game he doesn't and now we have the opposite effect. Maybe that's why he's pulled the foot off the gas at certain times in his career... I really don't know one way or the other, but we can't have it both ways... Just saying...

I can't speak for everyone, but I have been of the opinion that we do let up too soon. BUT, I don't want us running up the score either. I just want us to put our foot on the throat of our opponents whenever we can. Not stomp on their throat, but make it clear to everyone that we could have if we wanted to.

I'd be happy to start coasting when we're up by 3 scores with like 5 minutes or so left in the 3rd. Up 31 at the start of the 4th quarter would be a good time to coast. There were quite a few drunk idiots at the stadium who booed when we were coasting in the 4th. But the game was CLEARLY over at the start of the 4th.

I don't feel like it's an all or nothing issue. There is a line, a balance, and it would at least appear that Coach and I don't agree on where the line or balance is. Not really anything wrong with that, I just don't agree with him on that.
 
This. The media's job is to ask the tough questions. So by asking about A-Rob, the clock management, etc., they are doing their job. And those are reasonable questions to begin with. No reason to expect otherwise from the media if you're a big time college football coach.

I have been complaining about Iowa's toothless press for a while now. Glad to see their are starting to be a little more proactive.
 
I have been complaining about Iowa's toothless press for a while now. Glad to see their are starting to be a little more proactive.

I'm a journalism student here at Iowa, but I'm starting to think that I don't want to cover the Hawks unless I can do something like Jon does, where I'm not necessarily required to be objective (not implying that Jon is or isn't objective, just that he's not required to be). I just feel like I would have a hard time being objective and asking the tough questions when it comes to the Hawks.
 
This section reminded of DJK's "haters" comment after he broke T.D.'s receptions mark at Iowa...maybe KF and DJK have more in common than they think and will bond over this.

Q: Does it bug you?
Ferentz: Does what bug me?
Q: That second guessing?
Ferentz: People second guess a lot of things I do.
 
It's probably the same protocol you would have if someone in the media would approach you in a similiar situation at your job. Pretty easy to judge when you sitting on the couch... or in this case, on a message board where most people's identies are unknown.



If I'm getting paid 3 million I think I could handle the media coming to my job and criticize me. In fact if you would like to pay me 3 million dollars we could record a weekly podcast where you do nothing but criticize me:D
 
Who's asking the questions? Last wk on this site forum a poster requested Jon ask these tough questions, and it got a little tense (to put it mildly). I was really hoping it was Jon asking these questions, though I doubt that's the case - not necessarily b/c Jon wouldn't (I doubt he would, and that's not necessarily a bad thing), but b/c I figure there are numerous reporters randomly asking questions.

And answering tough questions and being second guessed is part of being the head coach. It comes w/ most any D-1 football head coaching position. I'm sure it gets old answering the same questions and having people second guess you, but that's part of his job. Relatedly, being asked tough questions gives Ferentz an opportunity to clarify his logic and thinking, or to just admit that they made a poor call. At times head coaches are almost like politicians - they seem so afraid of admitting they made a mistake that they start to make the situation worse. If they'd just admit they were wrong people would move on, forget about the issue, and appreciate the coach for admitting he screwed up...just like the Captain is doing w/ the clock mgmt issue, where he can even joke about it now.
 
when MSU pulled Cousins they were waving the white flag....we should have pulled our starters too

No Way!

How many 2nd string QB's have we seen come into a game against Iowa and make quick scores for their team, just when you started getting comfortable?
 
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