Miller & Deace Discuss Ferentz Presser & Mixed Messages

[SpecialKHawk]

I am not so certain what we did in the past would not work today. It just will not work without the types of players we used to bring in. Those kids had one of two attributes, toughness and play making ability and in some cases both.

There has been a definite pull back to target good kids and good stories. That only gets you so far and assumes you can out work everyone else because they are lazy. The truth is it is a lot work and risky to manage tough kids and play makers. They fight, get in trouble, are not PC and can represent the school in a different light. But on Saturdays they come out and bring it.

Our problems are as much recruiting and personnel decisions as they are schemes and philosophy.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

LOL @ kirk

 

[Billso]

Mitch King is a gun slinger and marches to the beat of his own drum. He has long hair and does not come off as a KF robot/corporate guy. I believe many of his teammates like him. All these things that make KF cringe.

FIFY

 

[lightning1]

Yeah, this was depressing, but it didn't change the way I feel about the program - I felt already that things are unofficially over for the Ferentz era. It's just a question of when it becomes official.

Bringing back KF for another year in 2015 only serves to let the program slip a little further by the time you DO make a change. I understand the buyout, but where is this program going to be by the time our AD feels the buyout is manageable enough to make a change?

This is the root of the problem. Like the head coach being responsible for W/L, the AD is responsible for that horrendous contract. Someone above Barta's head should send him packing ASAP. If you are forced to allow the program to get to such a point of decline in order to be in a financial position to make a change........you deserve to be fired! No excuse for that.

 

[lightning1]

I got a different feel from the KF presser. I finally understood why we can't recruit. KF was trying desperately to sell some excitement for the upcoming season. It was a horrible sales pitch. Maybe because he knew in his heart it wasn't realistic but it was horrible just the same. KF is not a salesman and recruiting comes down to sales more often than not.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

I got a different feel from the KF presser. I finally understood why we can't recruit. KF was trying desperately to sell some excitement for the upcoming season. It was a horrible sales pitch. Maybe because he knew in his heart it wasn't realistic but it was horrible just the same. KF is not a salesman and recruiting comes down to sales more often than not.

Yeah, you're right. Many have pointed out that kfootball is/was a very good position coach and his "sales pitch" of no glamour, hard work and progression fits exactly into the make up of most OL's. But as a HC, the sales pitch needs to be much, much more. I think we are now seeing that deficiency on display, to a degree.

 

[cecilB]

Yeah, you're right. Many have pointed out that kfootball is/was a very good position coach and his "sales pitch" of no glamour, hard work and progression fits exactly into the make up of most OL's. But as a HC, the sales pitch needs to be much, much more. I think we are now seeing that deficiency on display, to a degree.

So, have you been recruited, or have had a child recruited to play a collegiate sport?

 

[ArvadaHawk]

So, have you been recruited, or have had a child recruited to play a collegiate sport?

Why do you ask?

 

[Hawke]

I'm disappointed he didn't mention how much free popcorn comes with ordering your season tickets early.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Ferentz really has seemed to be unprepared to answer the most obvious of questions the last couple times he's had a microphone... He got himself caught in a situation where he had to pick a qb and he was going to lose the other one no matter what. If you think CJ was staying if Ferentz had put Rudock at the top of that January depth chart you just haven't paid any attention... And so Ferentz couldn't even let the reporter finish wording his question so he could try and spin it.. There's a time to be honest and call a spade a spade and not be so condescending to the fan base. What confuses me about him is he'll put on his politics hat for a question like that but when it came to red shirting freshmen he was honest as all get out... And that did him no favors either... And I don't think he'd have answered these types of questions the same 10 years ago. I do think he's mailed it in and has 2 or 3 yrs left tops.

I'd wrote this awhile ago that this recruiting class now along with last years will be big on how he'll be remembered because if they don't surpass their rankings (however low it was) and do really well the next couple years it can possibly set this program back to about where it was when he first took the gig. Or it can have him leave on a happy note and he can ride off into the sunset.....

 

[MiniMoeHawk]

So, have you been recruited, or have had a child recruited to play a collegiate sport?

You don't need to be a salesman. You need to have a strong program....Win a title and see if Kirk's sales pitch works

 

[bassdeer]

Steve and I discuss some points from last week’s Ferentz press conference that we feel fell flat…among them being less than supportive comments for CJB, an odd explanation of why his son has Running Game Coordinator in his title and another negative recruiting log that competitors can throw into the fire: http://hawkeyenation.com/football/miller-deace-ferentz-message-falls-flat

All of the events seem a little weird. Here is my imaginary sequence of events that fit the personalities as I know them.
CJ hinted he would leave prior to bowl game.
Before bowl game JR said he was considering grad/med school somewhere else. (In the olden days it was suggested to go to grad school at a different school, I don't know if that is still true)
KF saw he could be without any experienced QB (again)
KF plays CJ more at bowl game. Partially because of the above and partially because the fans are really PO'ed and clamoring for CJ. This would lower the rhetoric, he hopes.
JR says hes serious
KF names CJ as #1 QB.
JR decides the grass IS greener somewhere else and hints Michigan would be a good place for grad school.
Harbaugh makes an offer to JR so he gets a QB that has some B1G experience in an offense similar to his style.
Then Barta tells KF you got to get in front of this, ticket sales are down, the fans want your head and the villagers with pitch forks are at the gate for both of us.
KF gets caught where he doesn't want to endorse CJ because of the "might leave" issue, he doesn't want to throw JR under the bus because he was man enough to say early that he was considering grad school some where else and KF respects a person for improving themselves.
So KF calls the presser and just gives lame answers because he doesn't want to endorse anyone, he doesn't want to throw anyone under the bus and he wants to keep expectations low so he has a chance to exceed them.
Then he compounds stupid with naming his son to a position that didn't exist and he doesn't have any different duties than before but it gives him an additional title.
The red shirting of freshman makes sense from a player development point so he simply was saying what recruits should hear even if it wasn't what they wanted to hear.
I dont think Ferentz is good at recognizng what recruits want. (Nor at making halftime adjustments but that's a different story.)

 

[lightning1]

You don't need to be a salesman. You need to have a strong program....Win a title and see if Kirk's sales pitch works

The chicken or the egg?

 

[uihawk82]

First KF is a good man.

But KF is a poor marketer, a poor communicator now that we have seen him in 4-5 'bad underwhelming' seasons. KF did not need to communicate much until 2010 and his pressers etc have been terrible since then. Recruiting wise I cant see how KF can sell the program. I like that KF has players that graduate at a high level. I am a a double Iowa grad and graduating is the most important aspect. But KF just doesnt answer questions clearly and concisely. He does not show any fire and enthusiasm and I just dont see where the program is going upward.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

Oh, maaan! Is Corp still Coach? Sorry. Don't know what I was thinking. Will check back in 5 years.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

You hit on pretty much the Ferentz lines that I thought was quite odd.

As for Rudock being able to use the facilities and transfer within conference, here is my theory.

I think Ferentz is between a rock and a hard spot. I think he realizes the short leash or that his time is near the end. I think he's doing everything he can to put all his chips in & see if they will hit. All these instances are so odd & un-Ferentz like compared to the previous years, I think he's saving face with the media & doing what he can to buy time and maybe have one last shot.

I think he know's most people are clammering for Beathard, and even though it may not be his wishes felt he had to go with it. I think he had a sit down with Jake and probably explained this to him and that it's a business decision and probably felt horrible changing course. I think they probably worked out a sensible agreement & Ferentz prob said he'll support him to any measure and allow him to use the facilities out of respect. I think Ferentz's hand was forced either by public opinion, the Beathards, or both. I think this is why he's been so good to Rudock. I honestly think there is a mutual respect & Rudock realizes the situation and Ferentz's situation.

The idea that kfootball is allowing JR to continue using the facilities to work out, knowing that he is going to transfer, is simply odd at best. When this was first reported that JR was working out with graduated players (players that finished their eligibility and commitment with and to Iowa) my first reaction was to ask "why" would kfootball allow it? It occurs to me that this is possibly an example of the "double standard" many fans believe exists within Iowa's program. If you are a kirk ferentz man, you don't lose your position/status, even if a more talented and younger player comes in. Of course this is speculation, but the action to let JR continue to use the facilities logically leads, or lends credence, to that conclusion. I believe that this has made a huge impact on our recruiting. "Why go to Iowa and sit for 3 seasons when I'm already better or as good as the incumbent?" Think skill positions.

Let's not get stuck on the fact that we don't play UM in 2015. By allowing JR to go there (assuming that happens) the Iowa football program is actively allowing a conference opponent to get better. Having virtually no starting experience at qb, we allow them experience. They likely win more games because of it, which helps THEIR recruiting, and it allows them to setup their qb position on a future looking perspective. This is great for JR and UM, but not Iowa.

 

[tm3308]

You don't need to be a salesman. You need to have a strong program....Win a title and see if Kirk's sales pitch works

A program like this one needs a salesman at this point. You're not winning a title if you don't have the horses.

 

[tm3308]

The idea that kfootball is allowing JR to continue using the facilities to work out, knowing that he is going to transfer, is simply odd at best. When this was first reported that JR was working out with graduated players (players that finished their eligibility and commitment with and to Iowa) my first reaction was to ask "why" would kfootball allow it? It occurs to me that this is possibly an example of the "double standard" many fans believe exists within Iowa's program. If you are a kirk ferentz man, you don't lose your position/status, even if a more talented and younger player comes in. Of course this is speculation, but the action to let JR continue to use the facilities logically leads, or lends credence, to that conclusion. I believe that this has made a huge impact on our recruiting. "Why go to Iowa and sit for 3 seasons when I'm already better or as good as the incumbent?" Think skill positions.

Let's not get stuck on the fact that we don't play UM in 2015. By allowing JR to go there (assuming that happens) the Iowa football program is actively allowing a conference opponent to get better. Having virtually no starting experience at qb, we allow them experience. They likely win more games because of it, which helps THEIR recruiting, and it allows them to setup their qb position on a future looking perspective. This is great for JR and UM, but not Iowa.

Or it's a case where Ferentz was backed into a corner and was ultimately forced to cave against his wishes. He feels like he was forced to screw over a solid player who, by all accounts, is also a great kid. That's less about playing favorites and more about feeling guilty, IMO, if that's how it went down.

 

[MiniMoeHawk]

A program like this one needs a salesman at this point. You're not winning a title if you don't have the horses.

KF's problem is he keeps the horses in the stable. I am hoping CJ comes out slinging the ball like Favre. I would be perfectly fine with bad picks and cancel them out with the darts he has the ability to throw. At least then the offense will at least throw the ball down the field instead of checking down three times and punting. Throwing down field will also help the run game.

Iowa has the horses....Now they have a QB with the arm strength to at least get the ball to them.

 

[homes]

KF's problem is he keeps the horses in the stable. I am hoping CJ comes out slinging the ball like Favre. I would be perfectly fine with bad picks and cancel them out with the darts he has the ability to throw. At least then the offense will at least throw the ball down the field instead of checking down three times and punting. Throwing down field will also help the run game.

Iowa has the horses....Now they have a QB with the arm strength to at least get the ball to them.

Touchdown passes always count for 6 points. Interceptions don't always count for points for the other team. I, too, would take a few more interceptions for more touchdowns. Let Beathard play, don't try to rein him in.