My column on Ferentz/Willies/Beathard & Cracks in Foundation

[Jonrn]

Meh, there are plenty of guys with NFL body frames. There are only 5 big shot WRs in the NFL and the odds of Willies being one are exceedingly low, especially if he can't stay the course in his freshman year of college. The kid is getting horrible advice. You have to eat a lot of turd sandwiches to get to where Calvin Johnson is and if you squeal at the first bite of turd sammich in your freshman year, odds are you aren't gonna be cut out to deal with what goes on in the NFL. Ferentz's hazing of making you ride pine behind a terrible upperclassman and watch 60 minutes a week of terrible football is absolutely nothing compared to what the dudes in the NFL do to players.

Once again OK4P you bring them meat. I agree with willies, he isn't getting playing time, he doesn't fit into Iowa's pathetic offensive scheme. If he wants to transfer, I get it.

Just why in the middle of the season?? Makes no sense. None.. No reason to do it. Missing out on tons of practice, a few in game plays, and valuable learning. It's not like he can transfer and play next week anyway. Horrible decision.

 

[LASBUR]

I still hate seeing people lay any blame on Willies for this.. He has an NFL body frame.. And if he's willing to put in hard work and effort and he isn't seeing the field with his natural gifts... Why should anyone honestly expect him to play?

this is his job interview for making money, and a lot of it, in the future.. And if he's not getting a shot in the door to produce when he's very capable.. Then I applaud his decision to go against the grain. Don't keep enabling a broken system.

What does it gain him to quit on his teammates in the middle of the year ? Anything he could get now he could get after the end of the year. Big mistake. He will get his offers but he will be viewed different for quitting like he did

 

[AdamHawk]

I wouldn't call it bipolar to think we should pass more when we pound the ball 50 times into a wall for 2 yards a pop, then think we should run more after Weisman gashes a defense almost at will on the previous touchdown drive. I would call that common sense.

Circumstances change from game to game and even drive to drive. You have to think fast to keep up. Judging by Kirk's ability to manage a clock during a 2 minute drill, quick thinking isn't his strong suit.

I believe a wise man once called that scratching where it itches.

 

[pmchawk]

What does it gain him to quit on his teammates in the middle of the year ? Anything he could get now he could get after the end of the year. Big mistake. He will get his offers but he will be viewed different for quitting like he did

Him nothing. But it shines a spotlight on the coaching staff not playing playmakers when they have them. By him transferring perhaps it will accelerate the time table to play other playmakers before they decide to leave.

In a way, his leaving is a sacrifice for his teammates who should be seeing the field more then they are. Will Kirk and company see it that way and actually put the best players on the field? I doubt it. Kirk will likely stay with the status quo.

 

[HomerChampless]

I like CJB even more now. He follow all the rules and shows he is the more dynamic QB when he gets playing time but Kirk still doesn't play him so he's apparently done following the rules and will say what he wants. I am also 100% sure he is leaving now.

I AGREE WITH THIS. What an awful shame. CJB will be, at least, even deeper in KF's doghouse after coming out about Willies' transfer.

I know it's too late for Willes but maybe this has opened a few closed eyes that fawned over KF. What an awful offensive coach KF is.

 

[LASBUR]

Him nothing. But it shines a spotlight on the coaching staff not playing playmakers when they have them. By him transferring perhaps it will accelerate the time table to play other playmakers before they decide to leave.

In a way, his leaving is a sacrifice for his teammates who should be seeing the field more then they are. Will Kirk and company see it that way and actually put the best players on the field? I doubt it. Kirk will likely stay with the status quo.

You really belive his teammates are feeling that way today ? Come on I doubt it

 

[HomerChampless]

As it was when KOK was OC, Iowa won't be able to recruit the type and potential of Willes at WR.

 

[Easton]

In a way, his leaving is a sacrifice for his teammates who should be seeing the field more then they are. Will Kirk and company see it that way and actually put the best players on the field? I doubt it. Kirk will likely stay with the status quo.

I believe many here think of Willies as a martyr. A top 5 NFL receiver who quit a program to save the team.

Of course many here are very, very, very dim.

 

[trj]

I've been a fan of Iowa football long enough to know what it looks like. A running back running through a hole to the second level where he gets taken down in the open field. A wide reciever who stops, catches the ball in his chest, turns around, and gets tackled.

Then every so often I see a guy make a play and I think "that was very "uniowalike". Like Parker's jet sweep td. Or Powell's bubble screen (learn the game) td. It seems like the players that make those plays spend most of the time on the sidelines.

It's always the same excuses. Doesn't know the offense. In the doghouse. Fans always like the backup. Can't block. I just don't understand why every playmaker we ever have is for some reason not good enough to see the field on a consistant bases.

When Maryland smoked out that jet sweep early on......you just got that gut feeling that they were going to give up on it the rest of the game.

 

[HomerChampless]

Iowa players. If you happen to read this thread, please take my advice and don't EVER say another word about the personnel Iowa coaches select in games or Iowa coaches' decisions . Please. I know some 50 year olds who don't respond well to adversity. It has to be tough for you. Don't blow your career in football. Some of you have said enough, already. There still may be a chance for you to play for Iowa. Don't blow your chance to play for some other school.

 

[trj]

I believe many here think of Willies as a martyr. A top 5 NFL receiver who quit a program to save the team.

Of course many here are very, very, very dim.

Am I frustrated by many things with the Iowa program? Yes. Making Willies out to be some martyr? No, him leaving on-to- itself isn't really a big deal, it just represents something much larger at play, a disconnect between KF and this team.

 

[Easton]

Am I frustrated by many things with the Iowa program? Yes. Making Willies out to be some martyr? No, him leaving on-to- itself isn't really a big deal, it just represents something much larger at play, a disconnect between KF and this team.

I agree there are issues. People see it. Fans, players and coaches.

The part that is funny is the fact every other post here is about the team quitting, mass exodus, players being told coaches are done. This is silly, simple minded and illogical. Read his teammates saying they don't agree with quitting now (Smith and beathard both said it and according to the conspiracy nuts here they are the first to go).

This sounds like a kid who gave up. Maybe he is well liked, I hope so. He has talent and size, but unless you are there everyday you have no idea if this is par for the course for him.

My take is if the father excuse is BS then the kid quit, plain and simple. Not a martyr like the previous poster implied.

 

[ohhawk]

College football has a funny way of slapping us all upside the head at times and reminding us that we aren't as smart as we think we are when it comes to predicting our destiny from week to week.........regardless of the events that have or are taking place surrounding a team.........actually it's why I like the college game above all others. I don't like a lot of things that have taken place regarding this team but hoping for that immediate U-turn for this year's team that just might still exist. I think it's how I keep my sanity as a Hawk fan during many seasons.

As I think about Beathard's comments I think that if there truly is some instability on the team right now that they would rally behind Beathard for his willingness to speak out. If Ferentz chooses to sit him or give him little playing time going forward I think the opposite would more likely play out.........especially if players view Beathard as the best QB. It would begin to look like Willies Part II if it hasn't already.

 

[DBAHawkFan]

My sense is that it isn't that Iowa is passing too much, but it is the type of pass plays they run that is the source of frustration and consternation among the fanbase. Particularly since they don't seem to be very effective.

This.

Opening it up to most of us doesn't mean going empty backfield, 3WR, TE, and RB spread out....having all of them run a 5 yard out....and the QB checks down to the RB

We don't have to be Baylor (though it'd be fun to have that offense). But attack the defense down the field more.

 

[ChosenChildren]

This column is well written by Jon Miller, but I really don't understand why it is being written now. There are 5 games to be played. The real season starts Saturday. Evaluate this team and the head coach at the end of the year. To write this stuff now is simply unfair to the team. Mr. Miller is a popular Hawkeye personality, and I always have thought he was fair about the Iowa program. I've changed my opinion.

I'm very sad that Willies left the program. He had a lot of talent. But he has good players playing in front of him. Brad Banks started for one year at Iowa, and ended up the Heisman trophy runner-up. He had patience and tenacity, traits that you must have to play at this level.

 

[JHHawk]

This column is well written by Jon Miller, but I really don't understand why it is being written now. There are 5 games to be played. The real season starts Saturday. Evaluate this team and the head coach at the end of the year. To write this stuff now is simply unfair to the team. Mr. Miller is a popular Hawkeye personality, and I always have thought he was fair about the Iowa program. I've changed my opinion.

I'm very sad that Willies left the program. He had a lot of talent. But he has good players playing in front of him. Brad Banks started for one year at Iowa, and ended up the Heisman trophy runner-up. He had patience and tenacity, traits that you must have to play at this level.

Jon is reflecting fan opinion today with his opinion column. He has written similar critical columns on Davis and KF earlier in the year. I do not question his motives, but I do think he is getting swept up by the emotions of the moment....beat NW on Saturday, and some fans will quiet down, but the lines are drawn ...some fans will never let up on KF now...never.

 

[Eda]

Willies was already thinking of leaving 3 games into his first playing year. The way he wasnt able to read the QB during the Purdue game makes me think he wasn't quite catching onto the system. Say what you will about the coaches not teaching him well enough or not; but someone should've told him to relax, his time will come. He's tossing away 1 1/2 years that he had invested, and another year to sit out. And that's a choice he'll live with; I just hope for his sake, he thought it completely through.

 

[LASBUR]

I feel this open for good discussion. I admit going back to last year I said JR was yet to prove he could throw the long ball. I wish CJB would have been given a better chance early in the year. Its pretty tough to do now. KF has backed himself into a corner. As for Willies I think he hurt himself a lot more than he hurt the program.As for Jon article. Jon is the first one to say KF isn't going anywhere but the article sure gives hope to all KF haters

 

[David79]

Willingness to speak out? He just said what his friend told him it's not like he was doing something brave. People are making way too big of deal out of this. It's comical. How about focus on the guys who are working hard to win the next game instead of a kid who doesn't want to. Beathard himself said he didn't agree with how he left.

 

[IowaHOCKS23]

I think leaving in the middle of a season is poor form.

I'm inclined to agree with you most of the time with that.. I think it shows you can't handle adversity and being a quitter is weak. However, circumstances in this situation are different from my perspective.. That's as much as I'll say