JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
An Iowa football mantra over the course of the last decade or so has been 'Next Man In'.
It's not unique to Iowa and they didn't start it. I believe it came from the NFL and still resides there in addition to Iowa City. Other programs say it the same or differently, but gist is the same everywhere; when one player goes down, the next man has to step in and do the job.
With the Norm Parker era at Iowa officially in the books, the Hawkeyes will be in the market for just their fourth defensive coordinator since Hayden Fry arrived at Iowa. Marc Morehouse tweeted on Sunday night that the next coach in will be the the fourth in 34 years.
Who are the likely candidates to ascend to the position of Iowa's defensive coordinator?
First, let's create a possible profile.
In my opinion, the next coordinator is not going to be someone that comes in with an uber aggressive blitz scheme background. That's one of the reasons why I don't believe the next DC at Iowa will be named Mike Stoops. I've nothing against Mike, but I feel the profile will be important.
When you look at the continuity this program has had during the Ferentz era, you also see similar schemes playing themselves out. You haven't seen the Iowa football program change to the flavor of the month scheme on either side of the ball. You are entitled to your own opinion as to the merits of that strategy, but at least defensively, the proof is in the successful pudding.
I believe the Iowa scheme has been what it has been by design, and it's worked. I am not breaking news here when I say that Kirk Ferentz is one of the more risk averse coaches in college football over the past decade and when he has aces in the hole, he plays it straight; my guys are better than your guys over 60 minutes and I am willing to wager that you are going to make more mistakes than we make.
It doesn't mean there won't be tweaks as the game evolves in this league and as Iowa's personnel strengths and weaknesses ebb from year to year. Iowa blitzed more this year than in any previous Ferentz era season. However, the bread and butter remained the bread and butter, sometimes to their peril.
In the column I wrote earlier on Sunday night, I quipped that the Iowa football program is going to have a tough time remaining the Iowa football program without Norm Parker. I believe that, yet I think the program will probably keep the 'spirit' of Norm alive and well with whom they hire to replace him.
That is to say that I believe Iowa's next hire is going to run a very similar scheme and could have been helping Norm run those schemes for all or part of the last 13 years.
Here are my thoughts on who may replace Norm Parker at Iowa:
RON AIKEN: Aiken is the current Defensive Line coach for the Arizona Cardinals and has been since February of 2007. He left the Iowa program that year after being their defensive line coach for the eight seasons to start the Kirk Ferentz era. Aiken was the National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002.
Aiken is one of those people that you meet who leaves an impression on you. He's very personable, humble and family oriented. I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him. Ever since he left and the 'Parker Retirement' speculation began to pick up steam, Aiken is a name that has been at the top of my mind. When there have been instances of Kirk Ferentz's name being tied to NFL jobs, Aiken's name came to my mind as someone to replace Ferentz...someone who understood the challenges of being Iowa's head coach.
I would guess Ferentz will have already tapped Aiken to see if he would have an interest in this job. I also think that if Aiken does have an interest in returning to the college game as a DC, he'd be at or near the top of Ferentz's list. Hiring Aiken would a great move, in my opinion. He knows the territory and the transition would be mostly seamless.
Do I think Aiken would be interested? Yes. This is his fifth year in the NFL and the Cardinals will be done playing ball on January 1st. I believe he has also qualified for an NFL assistant coaches pension, not an insignificant financial milestone. He's been at Iowa ten years and to come back and coach at Iowa for a few more would also allow him to draw a University of Iowa pension when his coaching career is over.
Aiken was born in August of 1955, which means he's 56 years old. He likely earns between $300-400k in the NFL at this position. The pay for defensive coordinators in the Big Ten is going up and a 'market rate' outside the program would probably be in the range of a half million or more per year. Michigan hired Greg Mattison for roughly $750,000 last year. Norm Parker earned $243,000 from Iowa for 2011.
It's going to cost more money for the next hire and Aiken probably won't leave for less than what he is making now and shouldn't have to.
I'd rate Aiken at the top of my list.
PHIL PARKER: Parker has been on the Iowa staff since Ferentz came to Iowa City in 1999. He and Darrell Wilson have likely been carrying the heaviest load of the defensive coordinating duties the past two seasons as Parker's health has deteriorated. Ferentz obviously has as great deal of familiarity with Parker and if Iowa hires from within, my guess is Parker's name is near the top of Ferentz's list. Parker is 48 years of age, has been in Iowa City for 13 years. Phil played for Norm when Norm was an assistant at Michigan State and Phil also served as a Grad Assistant for the Spartans while Norm was there. He has been Iowa's defensive backs coach since he arrived in Iowa City and he was a defensive back at Michigan State.
DARRELL WILSON: 2011 marks Wilson's 10th year in Iowa City. He came to Iowa from Wisconsin and prior to that he spent time in the East. He is Iowa's linebacker and special teams coach and has been coaching Iowa's linebackers since he arrived in Iowa City. He is 53 years old.
I'd say that the chances of one of those three people being named Iowa's next Defensive Coordinator is likely. However, here is one name I'd throw in from outside the 'gene pool'.
BROCK SPACK: Spack is currently the head coach for Illinois State. He was the defensive coordinator at Purdue under Joe Tiller. If you visit Spack's Illinois State athletic department bio page, you'll see the following quote from Kirk Ferentz:
"I've admired Brock's work for many years now. He was a very good football player for Purdue. More recently, I've had great admiration for what he has done with the Purdue defensive unit. The success that Purdue has had under Brock and (former head coach) Joe Tiller is well documented. I think of Purdue's recent success as being similar to what the San Francisco 49ers did under Joe Walsh. The 49ers had the `West Coast Offense.' But the common denominator, the thing that got them to the Super Bowl, was the fact that they played great defense, as well. I see Purdue as being very similar to the 49ers in that way.
"Under Joe Tiller, Purdue had a tremendous offense, but it also had a great defense, and that was guided by Brock Spack. Purdue has had an awful lot of great football teams, and Brock has been a part of many of those great teams. I think he's an outstanding coach, and he'll do an outstanding job at Illinois State."
During weekly press conferences leading up to Purdue-Iowa games, Ferentz would always bring up Spack's name and how much respect he had for their defenses.
I don't want to say that these two programs were mirrors of one another, as Purdue's basketball on grass was a far cry from Iowa's offensive philosophy. But defensively, these programs did a lot of similar things and had to walk the same 'dirt roads' to get to success. Niether program was able to make its bones on landing multiple high school all Americans and each had to do it with development and identifying talent. Spack's defenses blitzed more than Iowa's did last decade, but a lot of the defensive line schemes and principles were similar.
I believe Ferentz and Spack have a relationship that goes beyond one coach having respect for another, in that they are friends away from the game. I am not going to assume that the two spend weekends chit chatting on friends and family plan minutes, but I do think they get together in the out of season and just talk football.
Some will now ask the logical question; Spack has been a defensive coordinator in the Big Ten and he is presently a head coach at Illinois State. Why would he want to come back to being a defensive coordinator in the Big Ten?
That's a good question...and if Spack happens to become the next defensive coordinator at Iowa, you'd likely read quite a bit into a move like that, wouldn't you? I don't expect Iowa to name anyone as 'Head Coach in Waiting' as that just hasn't worked out real well across the college football landscape. Yet, Spack as Iowa's defensive coordinator would cause me to wonder about winks and handshakes.
WILL THERE BE ANY MORE CHANGE?
I believe that both Phil Parker and Darrell Wilson want the DC job, but only one person gets it. If one of them gets it and the other doesn't, does the individual not chosen for that job decide it's time to look elsewhere to advance their careers if either aspire to be a head coach? That's possible and could create another opening.
If Ferentz were to hire Aiken, would both Parker and Wilson be thinking that way? Possibly. The same would apply if Ferentz hired outside the program.
How long is offensive line coach Reese Morgan looking to remain an assistant coach? Morgan will be 62 in June and I believe he has given retirement a look and has even gone so far as to examine the official process within the University's procedures. If that happens, do you slide Rick Kaczesnski over to the OL? Does dad (Kirk) make a call to son (Brian Ferentz)?
Most all of that is speculation. What we know is that Iowa will be looking to hire a defensive coordinator very soon. My guess is Ferentz has been working on this for several weeks if not months and already has a candidate in mind and has probably received the feedback from that candiate that they want the job.
Once that hire takes place, and depending on who it is and where they come from, we can examine what the fallout may be.
It's not unique to Iowa and they didn't start it. I believe it came from the NFL and still resides there in addition to Iowa City. Other programs say it the same or differently, but gist is the same everywhere; when one player goes down, the next man has to step in and do the job.
With the Norm Parker era at Iowa officially in the books, the Hawkeyes will be in the market for just their fourth defensive coordinator since Hayden Fry arrived at Iowa. Marc Morehouse tweeted on Sunday night that the next coach in will be the the fourth in 34 years.
Who are the likely candidates to ascend to the position of Iowa's defensive coordinator?
First, let's create a possible profile.
In my opinion, the next coordinator is not going to be someone that comes in with an uber aggressive blitz scheme background. That's one of the reasons why I don't believe the next DC at Iowa will be named Mike Stoops. I've nothing against Mike, but I feel the profile will be important.
When you look at the continuity this program has had during the Ferentz era, you also see similar schemes playing themselves out. You haven't seen the Iowa football program change to the flavor of the month scheme on either side of the ball. You are entitled to your own opinion as to the merits of that strategy, but at least defensively, the proof is in the successful pudding.
I believe the Iowa scheme has been what it has been by design, and it's worked. I am not breaking news here when I say that Kirk Ferentz is one of the more risk averse coaches in college football over the past decade and when he has aces in the hole, he plays it straight; my guys are better than your guys over 60 minutes and I am willing to wager that you are going to make more mistakes than we make.
It doesn't mean there won't be tweaks as the game evolves in this league and as Iowa's personnel strengths and weaknesses ebb from year to year. Iowa blitzed more this year than in any previous Ferentz era season. However, the bread and butter remained the bread and butter, sometimes to their peril.
In the column I wrote earlier on Sunday night, I quipped that the Iowa football program is going to have a tough time remaining the Iowa football program without Norm Parker. I believe that, yet I think the program will probably keep the 'spirit' of Norm alive and well with whom they hire to replace him.
That is to say that I believe Iowa's next hire is going to run a very similar scheme and could have been helping Norm run those schemes for all or part of the last 13 years.
Here are my thoughts on who may replace Norm Parker at Iowa:
RON AIKEN: Aiken is the current Defensive Line coach for the Arizona Cardinals and has been since February of 2007. He left the Iowa program that year after being their defensive line coach for the eight seasons to start the Kirk Ferentz era. Aiken was the National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002.
Aiken is one of those people that you meet who leaves an impression on you. He's very personable, humble and family oriented. I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him. Ever since he left and the 'Parker Retirement' speculation began to pick up steam, Aiken is a name that has been at the top of my mind. When there have been instances of Kirk Ferentz's name being tied to NFL jobs, Aiken's name came to my mind as someone to replace Ferentz...someone who understood the challenges of being Iowa's head coach.
I would guess Ferentz will have already tapped Aiken to see if he would have an interest in this job. I also think that if Aiken does have an interest in returning to the college game as a DC, he'd be at or near the top of Ferentz's list. Hiring Aiken would a great move, in my opinion. He knows the territory and the transition would be mostly seamless.
Do I think Aiken would be interested? Yes. This is his fifth year in the NFL and the Cardinals will be done playing ball on January 1st. I believe he has also qualified for an NFL assistant coaches pension, not an insignificant financial milestone. He's been at Iowa ten years and to come back and coach at Iowa for a few more would also allow him to draw a University of Iowa pension when his coaching career is over.
Aiken was born in August of 1955, which means he's 56 years old. He likely earns between $300-400k in the NFL at this position. The pay for defensive coordinators in the Big Ten is going up and a 'market rate' outside the program would probably be in the range of a half million or more per year. Michigan hired Greg Mattison for roughly $750,000 last year. Norm Parker earned $243,000 from Iowa for 2011.
It's going to cost more money for the next hire and Aiken probably won't leave for less than what he is making now and shouldn't have to.
I'd rate Aiken at the top of my list.
PHIL PARKER: Parker has been on the Iowa staff since Ferentz came to Iowa City in 1999. He and Darrell Wilson have likely been carrying the heaviest load of the defensive coordinating duties the past two seasons as Parker's health has deteriorated. Ferentz obviously has as great deal of familiarity with Parker and if Iowa hires from within, my guess is Parker's name is near the top of Ferentz's list. Parker is 48 years of age, has been in Iowa City for 13 years. Phil played for Norm when Norm was an assistant at Michigan State and Phil also served as a Grad Assistant for the Spartans while Norm was there. He has been Iowa's defensive backs coach since he arrived in Iowa City and he was a defensive back at Michigan State.
DARRELL WILSON: 2011 marks Wilson's 10th year in Iowa City. He came to Iowa from Wisconsin and prior to that he spent time in the East. He is Iowa's linebacker and special teams coach and has been coaching Iowa's linebackers since he arrived in Iowa City. He is 53 years old.
I'd say that the chances of one of those three people being named Iowa's next Defensive Coordinator is likely. However, here is one name I'd throw in from outside the 'gene pool'.
BROCK SPACK: Spack is currently the head coach for Illinois State. He was the defensive coordinator at Purdue under Joe Tiller. If you visit Spack's Illinois State athletic department bio page, you'll see the following quote from Kirk Ferentz:
"I've admired Brock's work for many years now. He was a very good football player for Purdue. More recently, I've had great admiration for what he has done with the Purdue defensive unit. The success that Purdue has had under Brock and (former head coach) Joe Tiller is well documented. I think of Purdue's recent success as being similar to what the San Francisco 49ers did under Joe Walsh. The 49ers had the `West Coast Offense.' But the common denominator, the thing that got them to the Super Bowl, was the fact that they played great defense, as well. I see Purdue as being very similar to the 49ers in that way.
"Under Joe Tiller, Purdue had a tremendous offense, but it also had a great defense, and that was guided by Brock Spack. Purdue has had an awful lot of great football teams, and Brock has been a part of many of those great teams. I think he's an outstanding coach, and he'll do an outstanding job at Illinois State."
During weekly press conferences leading up to Purdue-Iowa games, Ferentz would always bring up Spack's name and how much respect he had for their defenses.
I don't want to say that these two programs were mirrors of one another, as Purdue's basketball on grass was a far cry from Iowa's offensive philosophy. But defensively, these programs did a lot of similar things and had to walk the same 'dirt roads' to get to success. Niether program was able to make its bones on landing multiple high school all Americans and each had to do it with development and identifying talent. Spack's defenses blitzed more than Iowa's did last decade, but a lot of the defensive line schemes and principles were similar.
I believe Ferentz and Spack have a relationship that goes beyond one coach having respect for another, in that they are friends away from the game. I am not going to assume that the two spend weekends chit chatting on friends and family plan minutes, but I do think they get together in the out of season and just talk football.
Some will now ask the logical question; Spack has been a defensive coordinator in the Big Ten and he is presently a head coach at Illinois State. Why would he want to come back to being a defensive coordinator in the Big Ten?
That's a good question...and if Spack happens to become the next defensive coordinator at Iowa, you'd likely read quite a bit into a move like that, wouldn't you? I don't expect Iowa to name anyone as 'Head Coach in Waiting' as that just hasn't worked out real well across the college football landscape. Yet, Spack as Iowa's defensive coordinator would cause me to wonder about winks and handshakes.
WILL THERE BE ANY MORE CHANGE?
I believe that both Phil Parker and Darrell Wilson want the DC job, but only one person gets it. If one of them gets it and the other doesn't, does the individual not chosen for that job decide it's time to look elsewhere to advance their careers if either aspire to be a head coach? That's possible and could create another opening.
If Ferentz were to hire Aiken, would both Parker and Wilson be thinking that way? Possibly. The same would apply if Ferentz hired outside the program.
How long is offensive line coach Reese Morgan looking to remain an assistant coach? Morgan will be 62 in June and I believe he has given retirement a look and has even gone so far as to examine the official process within the University's procedures. If that happens, do you slide Rick Kaczesnski over to the OL? Does dad (Kirk) make a call to son (Brian Ferentz)?
Most all of that is speculation. What we know is that Iowa will be looking to hire a defensive coordinator very soon. My guess is Ferentz has been working on this for several weeks if not months and already has a candidate in mind and has probably received the feedback from that candiate that they want the job.
Once that hire takes place, and depending on who it is and where they come from, we can examine what the fallout may be.
