Lunatic Fringe

[homes]

I think IOWA v.2012 is gonna be brutally bad. QB who can't handle pressure, a rebuilding O line, a high school D line, barely serviceable linebackers and giant question marks in the D backfield. Also, a #1 receiver who needs stickum.

Shall I even mention the running back situation? I think I shall not.

We are gonna suck @$$, so tailgate extra hard.

Is that fringe?

"brutally bad", "suck @$$", "barely serviceable", "high school D line" - no, you're not fringe, no sir.

 

[DuffMan]

Part of what makes the lunatic fringe the lunatic fringe is they don't realize they are lunatics. If they did, they'd stop. In that sense your argument that you don't see why you are a lunatic doesn't help you, in fact it's the opposite. I had an uncle that was bat **** crazy. From 1982 to 1989 he thought he was a fire truck. One August day in 1990 he duct taped a bunch of fire extinguishers and rubber hoses to his body, colored himself red, and ran right the **** out into traffic where he got hit by a real truck and died.

30 seconds before he did that he thought he was the sanest mother ****** on earth.

 

[HomerChampless]

The lunatic fringe that unquestionably supports Ferentz isn't aware they are part of the lunatic fringe. The lunatic fringe that says Iowa will have a hard time winning because the state of Iowa doesn't produce many quality high school football players isn't aware they are part of the lunatic fringe. I mean, how do these 'lunatics' explain the success of teams like Nebraska, Boise State, and West Virgina with their state's lack of quality high school players, or the lack of success of teams like Miami who's state has an abundance of high school talent? The lunatic fringe that thinks Iowa's defense is peachy keen isn't aware they are part of the lunatic fringe.

Having a fan base mired in the lunatic fringe will guarantee a satisfied <complacent> fan base with 7-5 seasons as long as their 'lunacies' are satisfied. Unfortunately, some of their 'lunacies' can be very destructive to the Iowa program.

 

[hogeye]

I mean, how do teams like Nebraska, Boise State, and West Virgina do it with their state's lack of quality high school players?

Nebraska and WVU consistently out-recruit Iowa and Boise State would fall significantly if they actually had to play in a BCS conference.

 

[DuffMan]

evidently the lunatic fringe also invents other lunatic fringes to make themselves feel better, cause I've never met anyone who resembles what you just described.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

We had good defense last year. We had good offense. Statistically we were about middle of the pack everywhere. Like I said, it pretty much boiled down to having trouble running the ball and committing turnovers being the difference in every loss (except arguably ISU that I can think of off hand).

People try to over complicate things by blaming scheme, pass rushing, blitzing, lack of offensive luster...doesn't matter when you can't do the basics, run the ball well and not turn the ball over. That is consistent regardless of scheme. The same will be true this year.

As far as defensively, we need to be strong up the middle. I don't get overly concerned with passing yards given up. You need to be able to stop the run up the middle first. Eventually, teams that get inside the red zone have the field shrink on them and that's when the battle in the trenches is magnified. You have to win there to score on offense or prevent scores on defense.

We made simple, fundamental errors last season in the games we lost. Committed turnovers, weren't able to move the ball on offense between the tackles and that's the bulk of the season. It's really pretty simple when you boil it down.

I would essentially agree with this. I would add to it a chronic problem stopping teams on third and long. In my mind that always was the weakest part of Norms schemes. When the defensive line wasn't getting penetration, opposing QB's could buy enough time to exploit the holes in Iowas secondary. If your offense infrequently puts the game out of reach and the defense is giving opposing teams workable odds on third down, than you are in for a lot of late collapses.

Just my two cents.

 

[HomerChampless]

Nebraska and WVU consistently out-recruit Iowa and Boise State would fall significantly if they actually had to play in a BCS conference.

Whatever..
I'd say the biggest factor to 'out-recruiting' other schools is the success of the program...

What will happen to Iowa's recruiting success if they have a string of 7-5 seasons? Will Iowa's tradition overcome?

Is a 7-5 record to be expected at Iowa and an 'Orange Bowl' season a fluke?
No, I won't stand for 7-5 seasons being normal.

 

[HomerChampless]

One more point: the Nebraska and PSU games were there for Iowa's taking.

The offense laid an egg in the PSU game, and the offense and defense laid an egg in the Nebraska game. PSU's secondary and DL were top notch. Iowa's defense couldn't stop Nebby's power running game and Nebby's secondary was top notch.

Another point: as a response to the post 2 ago, more and more, Iowa's defense under Ferentz has problems getting off the field on 3 down. It's usually a passing down, and more and more teams are getting good with their passing games, and Iowa's DL isn't getting the renowned Iowa pressure on the QB.

OK, another point: if you don't like the fact the Iowa offense doesn't put other teams away, you'll need to give KF the stink eye. Sometimes the fan base can be influential. Ask the former and current tOSU coaching staffs.

 

[Golfer]

One more point: the Nebraska and PSU games were there for Iowa's taking.

The offense laid an egg in the PSU game, and the offense and defense laid an egg in the Nebraska game.

Another point: as a response to the the post two ago, more and more, Iowa's defense under Ferentz has problems getting off the field on 3 down. It's usually a passing down, and more and more teams are getting good with their passing games.

I agree about PSU. Nebby really beat us though. We stayed with them for a while, but never took advantage of anything in the first quarter. How I saw it anyway, which really doesn't mean much, except for that's how I saw it.

 

[GhostofBTT]

One more point: the Nebraska and PSU games were there for Iowa's taking.

The offense laid an egg in the PSU game, and the offense and defense laid an egg in the Nebraska game.

Yeah, I mean, if the offense and defense were not bad, we totes wouldn't have gotten beat by 2 touchdowns at Nebraska.

 

[gohawks71]

Wow. Once again I'm totally amazed at the name calling. For no good reason, except this irrational group think of "I'm smarter than you are."

You will see who the real losers are that call people names or attack someone personally and not give any detailed rebuttal to your point but say your a moron. We have a way with taking "care" of guys like that in the military. Its just too bad we can't get to them all.

 

[Golfer]

Wow. Once again I'm totally amazed at the name calling. For no good reason, except this irrational group think of "I'm smarter than you are."

You will see who the real losers are that call people names or attack someone personally and not give any detailed rebuttal to your point but say your a moron. We have a way with taking "care" of guys like that in the military. Its just too bad we can't get to them all.

Semper Fi.

 

[83Hawk]

The Iowa football program has been on the decline the past 2 seasons...I expect it to decline even further this year.

Hopefully the staff changes will pull the program out of the rut it is in. But that will only happen if Kirk let's them do their thing. If he sticks with the same old predictable, ultra conservativism....then the slide will continue.

 

[SamsonHawk515]

The Iowa football program has been on the decline the past 2 seasons...I expect it to decline even further this year.

Hopefully the staff changes will pull the program out of the rut it is in. But that will only happen if Kirk let's them do their thing. If he sticks with the same old predictable, ultra conservativism....then the slide will continue.

Excellent analysis, pretty much sums up the current state of the program.

Those who aren't looking through fogging glasses can see clearly.

 

[hogeye]

Whatever..
I'd say the biggest factor to 'out-recruiting' other schools is the success of the program...

There is no question success factors in to the equation, but you have to bear in mind we didn't achieve 3 10+ win seasons in a row predicated on recruits from successful seasons.

And, conversely, the slight raise in recruiting success we saw from those seasons didn't net us more 10+ win seasons.

Interestingly enough the recruits from our valley periods tend to have come in and done better.

What will happen to Iowa's recruiting success if they have a string of 7-5 seasons? Will Iowa's tradition overcome?

2005 - 2007 was basically exactly that and we have 2008 - 2010 as a result, not bad, not great.

Personally, I think you're trying to make too direct of a comparison between recruiting and success, anyway. Iowa's success is really more predicated on player development than recruiting raw talent.

Is a 7-5 record to be expected at Iowa and an 'Orange Bowl' season a fluke?
No, I won't stand for 7-5 seasons being normal.

Clearly you won't and I don't see anyone on this site saying 7-5 should be the norm, so you should probably bury that argument.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Nebraska and WVU consistently out-recruit Iowa and Boise State would fall significantly if they actually had to play in a BCS conference.

Well yeah. But WHY do they consistently out-recruit Iowa? That's the real question. These two states have even lower population than the state of Iowa, so there is even less of a built-in recruiting advantage for Nebby or WVU.

List of U.S. states and territories by population - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes I know, Nebrasksa has tradition. But they weren't born with that tradition, right?

If a school like Nebraska with a such a small in-state population can become a powerhouse, then IMO there's no making excuses for Iowa not being able to have its own share of success. Nobody said it is easy. But I think Nebraska & W. Virginia have proven it's not impossible.

I also think Iowa proved it was not impossible, from what they did from 2002-04. They just didn't sustain it.

 

[hogeye]

Well yeah. But WHY do they consistently out-recruit Iowa? That's the real question.

You'd have to prove to me that they actually do. We're ranked ahead of them this year, we ranked ahead of them last year, and the same for the year before.

I lived in Boise, so I am extremely familiar with the team and their recruiting. I've followed them since the early 90's before they were a Division 1-A team.

If you take Boise State and plant them in the SEC, B10 or any respectable BCS conference they simply don't roll out wins like they have this last decade. Do a little research on their overall record against ranked BCS teams the past 12 years and it's not nearly as wondrous as you might think.

They've built a great program, but their success is predicated on a weak schedule. They've had some great upsets in the past decade, so has Iowa. They main difference between Iowa and Boise State comes down primary to SOS, not recruiting.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

You'd have to prove to me that they actually do. We're ranked ahead of them this year, we ranked ahead of them last year, and the same for the year before.

I lived in Boise, so I am extremely familiar with the team and their recruiting. I've followed them since the early 90's before they were a Division 1-A team.

If you take Boise State and plant them in the SEC, B10 or any respectable BCS conference they simply don't roll out wins like they have this last decade. Do a little research on their overall record against ranked BCS teams the past 12 years and it's not nearly as wondrous as you might think.

They've built a great program, but their success is predicated on a weak schedule. They've had some great upsets in the past decade, so has Iowa. They main difference between Iowa and Boise State comes down primary to SOS, not recruiting.

You just said that Nebraska & WVU consistently out-recruit Iowa.. So not sure if you're saying that Iowa can or can not recruit with these programs. I don't follow Nebraska & WVU recruiting so really can't say what they've been recruiting lately.

I agree with you on Boise that they are always 11-1 because they play an easy schedule. They are good enough to beat another Top 10 team on any given day, but in a tough conference, they would likely be exposed during an 8-game conference grind.

But I see so many people point to Nebraska as this program that Iowa can never hope to be because we "don't have the resources Nebraska has". Well, Nebraska has a smaller in-state population than Iowa does, so statement that really doesn't hold water IMO.

Athletic department revenue? Not sure where Nebraska is, but I believe Iowa was something like 15th nationally. And Iowa is building new practice facilities. How that compares to Nebraska and WVU's facilities, I can't say.

And for the record - Nebraska is not the program they were in the 1990's. They were great under Tom Osborne, but it's going on 20 years since they've really been that powerhouse program everybody still seems to think they are. A good program, indeed. But I'm not sure I see them getting back to where they used to be, honestly.

 

[homes]

Yes I know, Nebrasksa has tradition. But they weren't born with that tradition, right?

If a school like Nebraska with a such a small in-state population can become a powerhouse, then IMO there's no making excuses for Iowa not being able to have its own share of success. Nobody said it is easy. But I think Nebraska & W. Virginia have proven it's not impossible.

Nebraska football is on the decline. Their move to the Big Ten, while financially sound, will prove to be a poor move for them on the football field. The Big Ten is not their recruiting base, and it will hard for them to get a foothold here. When you rely heavily on Texas to recruit, and you no longer play Texas teams anymore, it will be harder to get those quantities out of that state. This will start to impact them in a few years. Iowa does not want to be like Nebraska football.

 

[HomerChampless]

BSU couldn't compete if they were in a 'power' football conference?

Here is a wiki link of Boise State's post season record for the last 13 years:
http//:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boise_State_Broncos_football

According to the link, from 1999-2011, BSU has been to 12 bowl games in 13 years.

For example, you'll notice there's an overtime win against the 2006 Big 12 champion and top 10 OKLA, and there's also a win against the 2009 TCU squad who would win the Rose Bowl against the 2010 B1G champion and top 10 Wisconsin the following year.


BSU has an impressive bowl record, period... Sometimes BSU wasn't given a high enough rating by the BCS to qualify to play a top team in a BCS bowl, so they played lesser teams in lesser bowls.

Hasn't BSU played 2 close games in the last 2 years against Oregon winning 1 and losing 1?

How many guys (except Hogeye) would welcome Iowa playing BSU non-conference?
I doubt Iowa would welcome a non-conference game against BSU.