Let this sink in for a minute....

[SpiderRico]

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are a combined 27-25, a winning % of 52%.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are 15-18 in the B1G, a winning % of 45%.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are 1-3 against ISU.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we have lost twice to MAC teams (and d@mn near a 3rd to Ball State this year).

When we look back and wonder where it all went wrong....that game, at that precise moment, is where we will all come back to and say, "That's where it all went downhill."

 

[okeefe4prez]

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are a combined 27-25, a winning % of 52%.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are 15-18 in the B1G, a winning % of 45%.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are 1-3 against ISU.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we have lost twice to MAC teams (and d@mn near a 3rd to Ball State this year).

When we look back and wonder where it all went wrong....that game, at that precise moment, is where we will all come back to and say, "That's where it all went downhill."

We bounced back nicely the next week and beat a very good MSU team. The true turning point was probably the Dan Persa TD pass where he tore his achilles. We then folded like a cheap suit against OSU late in the game the next week and didn't even get off the bus in Minnesota to close out that season. Still managed to beat Mizzou in the bowl game, though, behind Coker and Micah Hyde.

 

[SpiderRico]

We bounced back nicely the next week and beat a very good MSU team. The true turning point was probably the Dan Persa TD pass where he tore his achilles. We then folded like a cheap suit against OSU late in the game the next week and didn't even get off the bus in Minnesota to close out that season. Still managed to beat Mizzou in the bowl game, though, behind Coker and Micah Hyde.

You can always find a few outliers in a trend. But the fact of the matter is that you can't find a single 4 year period of time in KF's tenure where he won less than 15 B1G games....not even his first four years (where he also won only 15 in that time, but we were obviously on an upward trajectory, going from 0 to 3 to 4 to 8). This 4 year run from that Wisky game in 2010 until now is the worst 4 year period in his program's history.

 

[LG210]

The Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010 was a symptom, not a cause.

 

[okeefe4prez]

You can always find a few outliers in a trend. But the fact of the matter is that you can't find a single 4 year period of time in KF's tenure where he won less than 15 B1G games....not even his first four years (where he also won only 15 in that time, but we were obviously on an upward trajectory, going from 0 to 3 to 4 to 8). This 4 year run from that Wisky game in 2010 until now is the worst 4 year period in his program's history.

Well, I think if we lose to Northwestern and Minnesota, it will get worse in the next 3 weeks bince Kurt won two conference games immediately following the Wisconsin loss.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Pretty eye opening stats, Spider. Iowa has been basically a .500 program the past 4+ years, and I'm unhappy enough about that as it is.

The thing that ticks me off more than anything is the 1-3 against ISU (7-9 in KF's entire tenure). How are you going to succeed in the Big Ten when you haven't even been the #1 team in your own state?

Even if you assume that Iowa has still been the better program regardless of the head to head results against ISU, then KF's record in that rivalry becomes that much more perplexing. Unacceptable.

 

[hockalot]

Pretty eye opening stats, Spider. Iowa has been basically a .500 program the past 4+ years, and I'm unhappy enough about that as it is.

The thing that ticks me off more than anything is the 1-3 against ISU (7-9 in KF's entire tenure). How are you going to succeed in the Big Ten when you haven't even been the #1 team in your own state?

Even if you assume that Iowa has still been the better program regardless of the head to head results against ISU, then KF's record in that rivalry becomes that much more perplexing. Unacceptable.

Yes, Fry knew the most important game was ISU. Without that you are nothing!

 

[PCHawk]

Pretty eye opening stats, Spider. Iowa has been basically a .500 program the past 4+ years, and I'm unhappy enough about that as it is.

The thing that ticks me off more than anything is the 1-3 against ISU (7-9 in KF's entire tenure). How are you going to succeed in the Big Ten when you haven't even been the #1 team in your own state?

Even if you assume that Iowa has still been the better program regardless of the head to head results against ISU, then KF's record in that rivalry becomes that much more perplexing. Unacceptable.

Kirk's recipe for success. Try to field a team full of future NFLers using 2 and 3 star recruits, play field position ball control on offense, play soft defense to force long drives (don't worry about field position here for some reason), keep the game close and hope the other team makes a mistake at the end.

I know the defense part doesn't apply as much anymore. I just wanted to put it in because it's funny how concerned we were with field position on offense and how willing to give it up we were on defense.

 

[BILLBUCKNER]

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are a combined 27-25, a winning % of 52%.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are 15-18 in the B1G, a winning % of 45%.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are 1-3 against ISU.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we have lost twice to MAC teams (and d@mn near a 3rd to Ball State this year).

When we look back and wonder where it all went wrong....that game, at that precise moment, is where we will all come back to and say, "That's where it all went downhill."

We also lost the 'iron clad' commitment of Melvin Gordon after that game. Probably the best RB recruit we had committed since Tavian Banks.

 

[HomerChampless]

Kirk's recipe for success. Try to field a team full of future NFLers using 2 and 3 star recruits, play field position ball control on offense, play soft defense to force long drives (don't worry about field position here for some reason), keep the game close and hope the other team makes a mistake at the end.

I know the defense part doesn't apply as much anymore. I just wanted to put it in because it's funny how concerned we were with field position on offense and how willing to give it up we were on defense.

Running the ball. Making opponents go to great lengths to score. Taking away a lot of game time also had to be another contributing factor to Kurt's 'schematic' for success.

There were always problems with that:
(1)Our defense took game minutes away from Iowa's offense. A lack of 3 and outs.
(2) Hurry up offenses (eg:Northwestern).
(3) Quick strike offenses (eg:Arizona of 2010).

I think Iowa's downfall came when Iowa's defense became mortal (1-3, for example) and Iowa's offense remained conservative.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Running the ball, making opponents go to great lengths to score. Taking away a lot of game time also had to be another contributing factor to Kurt's 'schematic' for success.

There were always problems with that:
(1)Our defense took game minutes away from Iowa's offense. A lack of 3 and outs.
(2) Hurry up offenses (eg:Northwestern).
(3) Quick strike offenses (eg:Arizona of 2010).

I think Iowa's downfall came when Iowa's defense became mortal (1-3, for example) and Iowa's offense remained conservative.

Agreed. Without the stout defenses, this program is nothing. Only exception would be if we found an offense, but it doesn't look like that's about to happen.

Not to mention, "bend-dont-break" means that our defense is on the field for a lot of plays, especially coupled with an ineffective offense that can't typically stay ON the field for any length of time, so your D will start to wear down late in games. We saw a lot of that in those late 4th quarter losses in 2010.

 

[bogeyman]

There aren't very many stout defenses in college football anymore really are there? Maybe some of the posters who really analyze all of college football on here can shed light on that general observation to help me out. Not saying we can't try and have one but it is an offensive game these days and rules favor offense IMO. And our offense hasn't been able to keep up with the times.

 

[MoseSchrute]

That's why I couldn't sleep after that game. I felt a great disturbance in the Force.

 

[Hawk1960]

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are a combined 27-25, a winning % of 52%.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are 15-18 in the B1G, a winning % of 45%.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we are 1-3 against ISU.

Since the Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010, we have lost twice to MAC teams (and d@mn near a 3rd to Ball State this year).

When we look back and wonder where it all went wrong....that game, at that precise moment, is where we will all come back to and say, "That's where it all went downhill."

Interesting. I remember that fake punt debacle so well. It's like it occurred in slow motion and everyone in Kinnick could see it develop except for the guys on the field that had their head turned and were running down field to set up the return. I wish I could wipe that play from my memory but I think it's forever engrained.

 

[greenhawk]

Interesting. I remember that fake punt debacle so well. It's like it occurred in slow motion and everyone in Kinnick could see it develop except for the guys on the field that had their head turned and were running down field to set up the return. I wish I could wipe that play from my memory but I think it's forever engrained.

Yeah that was among the most stinging losses I can remember. In general Ferentz had us pretty well prepared to play good teams in the past, but since that game we have really struggled to compete in decisive games.

 

[dwh5er]

We also lost the 'iron clad' commitment of Melvin Gordon after that game. Probably the best RB recruit we had committed since Tavian Banks.

I was thinking we lost Gordon after the OSU loss. Some rumblings about a fight in the locker room or something like that. Am I confusing my recruiting decommitments?

 

[rollingthunder]

There aren't very many stout defenses in college football anymore really are there? Maybe some of the posters who really analyze all of college football on here can shed light on that general observation to help me out. Not saying we can't try and have one but it is an offensive game these days and rules favor offense IMO. And our offense hasn't been able to keep up with the times.

Michigan State seems to do OK on the defensive side of the ball. That's not exactly a school that can reel in national recruits whenever they want to, either. Wisconsin also has a far better defense than Iowa for the 3rd or 4th straight year.

Those are peer schools that have taken our blueprint and are executing it far better than we are.

Oh yeah, and those explosive offenses that you see all over college football? There aren't too many of those in the Big Ten. And the two best this year (OSU, MSU) aren't even on our schedule.

 

[TacoHidalgo]

The Wisconsin fake punt debacle in 2010 was a symptom, not a cause.

Well put. Wisconsin was forced to fake that punt because to kick it was to, almost certainly, lose. I remember feeling a bit of giddy anticipation that we were getting the ball back with just over six minutes to grind away and a six point lead. We were playing offense pretty well at that point and were likely to get at least the F.G. to put it away.

It felt too good to be true because it was. We not only bought it, but went ahead and threw in the paint package, interior protection, 200K warranty and GAP insurance.

 

[RocknRollface]

Iowa under KF has been a team that losses 4/5 games every year since 2004. 2005 was about the time the rest of the conference figured out KFs super conservative style and college football was also changing to a faster paced game.

2005, 5 lost
06, 7 lost
07, 6 lost
08, 4 lost with aruguably the most talented team KF has had.

09, the outlier. Two blocked punts in a row to save a game angainst 1aa team, pinball interception on the goaline that went for a pick 6 against Indina. That was a 14 point swing that saved that game. Those were nothing but pure luck. Iowa would have lost 4 games that season and never made the BCS bowl.

10- 5 lost
11-6 lost
12 - 8 lost
13 - 5 lost
14 - pretty good guess where this is going to end up.

I dont know that it ever fell apart. These are just typical results for the last ten years. Only difference is we have less talent now.

The only thing that has ever made this thing work is a defense that starts 10 or more NFL type talents. Thats it, its never worked with out that other than 02.

 

[hawkfan340]

Honestly, losing 4 games with the '08 team may be the worst indictment of them all. That team was stacked.