Missing Link to Next Level

[iloveyoularrystation]

I am still a little confused why Iowa was starting 2 freshman CB this year. It probably cost Iowa the Purdue game. Maybe Iowa fans should not have been so casual when Rugamba bailed on the team.

Most of the time they were starting it was because of injury. They weren't starting until oj got beat like 3 times in a game, he got beat out. Hankins our best corner got hurt. The freshmen came in and played well at first. Brents is our 2nd best corner and he's one of our freshmen. Our best two corners are brents and hankins. Hankins missed like 5-6 games hurt man. On top of that we lost the guy who would have been our nickel corner this off-season. So we were down essentially 2 of our 3 top corners for over half the season, and then the third got beat out cause he was playing so poorly, because he bites on double moves more than I bite crab Rangoon at a Chinese buffet.

 

[pythagoras]

I am still a little confused why Iowa was starting 2 freshman CB this year. It probably cost Iowa the Purdue game. Maybe Iowa fans should not have been so casual when Rugamba bailed on the team.

You mean againsr thet same team that he was benched because he couldn't cover anyone. Lol k

 

[revkev73]

Everybody always talks about coaching. I actually thought this staff had one of their best years. They consistently put the team in positions to win. The three big things to me were consistent all year long.
1. Stanley losing his mechanics and pressing during big moments and big games. I think the worst thing for Iowa football this season was cowherd saying he was one of the best qb's in the nation and other people agreeing with him. Stanley is a guy whose makeup is that he'd prefer I'm sure to have nobody talking about him. The more they talked about him and his NFL future, the more he pressed. I'm being very serious when I say I think if none of that hype comes about Stanley this team has at least two more wins.

2. Offensive line unable to move the line of scrimmage consistently in games this season, with the exception of the last two games. Iowa also passing more in short yardage rather than running. Just the whole team going away from the run as well which is about coaching, but I think they were just consistently more confident with the pass blocking than the run blocking.

3. Just a great lack of clutch period. Inability to get off the field in close games on defense. Inability to sustain a long drive on offense (see the running game, that's why) when necessary in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Couldn't run the ball when needed to, putting even more pressure on Stanley.

There was a lot of choke in Iowa this year, head coach, to staff to QB to OL, to WR. Talented teams that choke on the big apples end up 8-4 not 11-1.

It is a tough disease to get rid of once it infects the staff and team, passes from year to year, a self fulfilling prophecy.

Iowa seldom has the "It" needed to get it done when the bright lights are on.

It is sad to watch.

 

[tksirius]

Everybody always talks about coaching. I actually thought this staff had one of their best years. They consistently put the team in positions to win. The three big things to me were consistent all year long.
1. Stanley losing his mechanics and pressing during big moments and big games. I think the worst thing for Iowa football this season was cowherd saying he was one of the best qb's in the nation and other people agreeing with him. Stanley is a guy whose makeup is that he'd prefer I'm sure to have nobody talking about him. The more they talked about him and his NFL future, the more he pressed. I'm being very serious when I say I think if none of that hype comes about Stanley this team has at least two more wins.

2. Offensive line unable to move the line of scrimmage consistently in games this season, with the exception of the last two games. Iowa also passing more in short yardage rather than running. Just the whole team going away from the run as well which is about coaching, but I think they were just consistently more confident with the pass blocking than the run blocking.

3. Just a great lack of clutch period. Inability to get off the field in close games on defense. Inability to sustain a long drive on offense (see the running game, that's why) when necessary in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Couldn't run the ball when needed to, putting even more pressure on Stanley.

Did you know that coaching involves more than playcalling?

 

[koralakers]

Sounds like a 2-10 team, like Rutgers. Yet we went 8-4 and you continue to renew season tickets as you now start to bitch about the Kinnick Stadium atmosphere itself. In addition to every concieveable part of the team.

Critical mental errors and breakdowns cost us all season. Should have cost yesterday. But since we were going against a combination of Vince Lombardi, Don Shula and Bill Belichick we had to sweat out win.

Have no explanation for why the conference was weaker this year, but it was. We went 7-1 in bowl games last year.

lol. We were literally a half-dozen PLAYS from being UNDEFEATED, while playing NINE BIG opponents PLUS 2 other decent bowl teams (ISU and NILL). It sucks we choked all those games away, but 8-4 doesn't feel that bad.

 

[revkev73]

Did you know that coaching involves more than playcalling?

Like a non-anxious presence in the midst of chaos. An ability to coach on the fly, under duress. Lead others to do what they aren't sure they can do. A willingness to "take the fall" for the team rather than blaming players, officials, luck, etc.

It was refreshing to listen to the KC Chief's coach after the loss to the Rams. He was asked about player "mistakes" costing the game. He said, something like, "Mistakes are made by everyone, throughout the game, I made a lot of mistakes in my play calling the second half, that had a big role in our loss."

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Mental toughness comes to mine. It's the same problem the basketball program has had (hopefully not this year). When it is all there for the taking, the team freezes up. It goes back to the leadership positions and getting the team fully prepared to get over the hump.

 

[revkev73]

lol. We were literally a half-dozen PLAYS from being UNDEFEATED, while playing NINE BIG opponents PLUS 2 other decent bowl teams (ISU and NILL). It sucks we choked all those games away, but 8-4 doesn't feel that bad.

Iowa choking is endemic and has been for a long, long time.

 

[Ben Rumson]

lol. We were literally a half-dozen PLAYS from being UNDEFEATED, while playing NINE BIG opponents PLUS 2 other decent bowl teams (ISU and NILL). It sucks we choked all those games away, but 8-4 doesn't feel that bad.

This 8-4 is not satisfying to me at all. It actually feels like this to me.
Let's say I' m a fan of Army. I piss away the Navy, Airforce games but clobber the boy scouts, girl scouts, brownies and cub scouts.
Should I really feel good about those four wins???
That's how I feel about the eight wins this year.

 

[Denverhawk1]

To me, ultimately, this comes down to coaching. Coaches recruit. Coaches coach. Coaches insert players. Coaches game plan. Coaches call plays. Coaches make in game decisions. Coach Ferentz hire coaches. I don’t know how else to say it.

 

[LemonWedge]

Kirk and the O play was very aggressive this year and the past few - 4th down, plays like the failed pass to Hock v PSU, etc. - but the impression of his former conservative approach remains from the past. They were uber aggressive on ST. Where they're not is in personnel, unlike Phil.

The D was consistent on approach when not forced to try and protect the O. Where Phil is aggressive is on changing players he didn't feel were productive. It didn't always work but D remained championship caliber.

While the O aggression has changed a lack of willingness to try new weapons has remained. Use the tools available and look for new ones. Holding on to the union card isn't working. The other holdover is zone schemes that are predictable and defended better than in the past. I think this needs a serious tweak.

And this season sucked on an epic level.

 

[karras]

The OP is smart enough to know there isn't a next level. I won't accuse him of trolling but he knows the score. KF has been sincere for 20 years. He isn't playing mind games. He really truly believes the lil ole Iowa stuff. He really views his program as a 7/8 win program (as do the apologists). If you were born with Olympic Gold medal sprinter speed, but in your mind you can't see yourself finishing above Bronze level, then that's the highest you'll finish. Tons of science on that subject. We only achieve what we believe. When Kennedy said in 61 we are going to the moon before the end of the decade, almost every scientist told him privately it wasn't possible. People willed the impossible into the realm of possibility thru belief/faith.
Iowa will have multiple under-achieving years and when the seat gets a little warm a single over-achieving year. It sounds cynical but it's true. The necessary changes only come with a warm seat. The other 90% of the time comes the self-destructive stubbornness. The 2016 contract made it impossible to change the previous sentence.

 

[revkev73]

The OP is smart enough to know there isn't a next level. I won't accuse him of trolling but he knows the score. KF has been sincere for 20 years. He isn't playing mind games. He really truly believes the lil ole Iowa stuff. He really views his program as a 7/8 win program (as do the apologists). If you were born with Olympic Gold medal sprinter speed, but in your mind you can't see yourself finishing above Bronze level, then that's the highest you'll finish. Tons of science on that subject. We only achieve what we believe. When Kennedy said in 61 we are going to the moon before the end of the decade, almost every scientist told him privately it wasn't possible. People willed the impossible into the realm of possibility thru belief/faith.
Iowa will have multiple under-achieving years and when the seat gets a little warm a single over-achieving year. It sounds cynical but it's true. The necessary changes only come with a warm seat. The other 90% of the time comes the self-destructive stubbornness. The 2016 contract made it impossible to change the previous sentence.

"Eight wins and another bowl and some fans still are unhappy, it goes with the job, Brian and I know this, it is tough." OK coach

 

[Northside Hawk]

Unfortunately, college football rewards mediocrity. Too many bowls, not enough tiers in the playoff system, six wins gets you bowl eligible, schools can make their non con as hard or as easy as they want. It's all in the relentless chase for the almighty dollar. If that's not your kettle of fish, I suggest following another sport.

Go back to the day when there were about 12-15 bowl games and perhaps you would see some coaches come down off their plateaus and do their jobs. I remember 1976 Iowa State playing in the toughest conference in the country and getting screwed. Bob Commings had a couple teams who could have snuck into bowl eligibility had today's rules been around then.

Do this in exchange for levelling the recruiting playing field and you may have something. The NCAA will never allow it to happen at the Division 1 level. $$$$$$$.

 

[uihawk82]

[QUOTE="karras, post: 1778748, member: 80506

When Kennedy said in 61 we are going to the moon before the end of the decade, almost every scientist told him privately it wasn't possible. People willed the impossible into the realm of possibility thru belief/faith.
.[/QUOTE]

There can be a next level of averaging 9 or a little over wins a year if the whole team of coaches and players just make that pledge to improve that 10%. The coaches and players can look at tape of this year and the past and find the 10% that needs improved.

And I bolded the sentences above because #1 it was a great goal and #2 it was due to top scientific and technology inventors that were available rather than faith. Just 20 years before that in 1941 many thought harnessing the fission of atoms would be impossible.

 

[karras]

You just restated my point

People who say it can't be done don't have imagination/foresight

Barta is one of those people. Thus the rank amateurs comment

 

[proudhawkfan21]

A game changing dynamic rb. I think we should honestly go for recruiting broke in the future and offer every 5* rb and say look, you are starting day 1 behind an NFL caliber OL every week in the big ten. You play starting tomorrow son.

There has to be 1-2 kids that would say ok if we put the hammer down in recruiting. Now, we will hear 99 no's, but i have to think sooner or later a few 4* at least will say im in.

THIS season....100% on Stanley. 100%. If he plays ANYTHING like a Stanzi, Tate, Vlassic, Rodgers....an all-big 10 qb...even 2nd team....we win 11 or 12 games this year. STANLEY STANLEY STANLEY.

 

[lightning1]

I know how much everyone loves to bring up ENO BENJAMIN.....so, here are his stats on the season.
1 Eno Benjamin
256 carries
1444 rushing yards
5.6 per carry
12 TDs
31 receptions
214 receiving yards
6.9 yards per reception
2 rec TDs
287 total touches
1658 total yards
5.8 yards per touch
14 total TDs.

 

[lightning1]

Eno Benjamin just scored another TD.

 

[tksirius]

I know how much everyone loves to bring up ENO BENJAMIN.....so, here are his stats on the season.
1 Eno Benjamin
256 carries
1444 rushing yards
5.6 per carry
12 TDs
31 receptions
214 receiving yards
6.9 yards per reception
2 rec TDs
287 total touches
1658 total yards
5.8 yards per touch
14 total TDs.

Nah, we gotta stick to our policy.