Ok - I like Kirk Ferentz Again!

[MelroseHawkins]

One of the reasons why Iowa usually has a very good scoring defense is because of the offense. When the offense is working the way it is designed, it becomes the 12th defender. It eats up the clock and doesn't turn the ball over. The other team can't score if they don't have the ball. The defense runs into problems when they are on the field too much.

The more years that go by and the more I watch Iowa beat higher ranked teams and struggle with lower rank teams the more I realize that KF doesn't have a defensive strategy and an offensive strategy - he has a whole game strategy. Keep the ball in the offense's hands as long as possible , keep the defense as fresh as possible. This allows a team that may not have the strength of depth to rotate players as much as needed to stay as fresh as possible.
When you look at it that way, it does shed some light on some of the personal choices that have been made throughout the years.

Spot on. Excellent point.

 

[PCHawk]

Kirk has the ability to be a great coach and have us consistently be a top 15 team. All he has to do is be aggressive against weaker opponents. That's it. Recruiting can stay the same. Clock management can stay the same. Boring offense can stay the same. Just beat bad teams and he can have 1 to 2 more wins on average per year.

I'll add that it would be nice if he would tweak his thoughts on what makes someone the better player.

 

[Motigerhawk]

I cheer for Iowa. I want KF gone. While I was really happy to beat scUM. Really happy. I was slightly disappointed, also. I knew we would get to 7 wins and that ear would be guaranteed.

 

[HawkGold]

The most frustrating part of this whole thing is that middle of the pack sucks. We've been middle of the pack since 1981. Just when I think we took a step to the next level (2009,2015) we go 7-5, are destroyed by Stanford and lose to an FCS team. While I agree we are one bad hire away from being Illinois, we are one good hire from being a team like Wisconsin. Sconie is playing in their 4th B1G championship since 2011 and could get to their 4th Rose Bowl in 7 seasons. I'm not delusional enough to think we should be Ohio State and competing for national championships every year, but I do think we can take the next step and compete for the conference title every year. Can we do that with Ferentz?

Hardly. If you did the numbers since 81, Wisky and MSU would be behind. Since the early 90s PSU is probably as well. And we haven't considered IU, PU, IL, MN, NW. I would guess that the Hawks are actually not far off of Michigan.

 

[blubberhawk]

Middle of the pack, you need a new calculator, Calculator. In that 35 year time period Iowa has played in 4 rose bowls and 2 orange bowls. And so many other bowls and huge bowl victories.

Let's see, 5 Big 10 Titles and one West Division title in 35 years which is about 1 out of every 6-7 years and when you consider there have been 10-11 teams in the Big those years that is a way better rate than other teams not named Mich, OSU, and PSU.

Many writers and prognosticators put Iowa as the 3rd best Big team in this time span or at least the 3rd-4th.

Now I wish KF had more killer instinct like Fry did and then KF might have 2 more titles and about 30 more wins in 18 years. But that being said middle of the pack is incorrect.

How many BIG titles has Penn State won?

 

[BigD]

On senior night I watched on national TV as Kirk and his wife greeted their son on the field. It was then that it became clear as day to me that Kirk is never going to leave until he is ready to leave. Iowa is a place for families and higher values than most other places offer. That's why Kirk likes it so much at Iowa as do his children. The powers that be want it that way and being a father with three children I can't criticize that too much.

Would I like to see us just a tad better to the point that we are at least as good and as consistent as Wisconsin? Of course, and there is no reason for us not to be. Our facilities are better and there is not a better fan base in all of college football. We are in the weakest division in the B1G and should out recruit our division foes.

No one wants to be a National champ more than I do. It's the competitive spirit inside of me. I've been very successful in life because of that drive in me, and I teach my children to be the same way. I also teach my children to honest, kind, and fair to everyone they meet. Those values supersede any sports ambitions I have and I find tremendous joy in the fact that my three children have taken upon them those higher values.

Kirk is good person and I am sure a great father and those are the more important values in life. Having said that we have to be honest with ourselves and admit he is not being paid four plus mlllion dollars to be a great family man. He has another family in the Iowa fan base and he needs to show his support for all of us that have played apart in his being able to coach the Iowa Football Program. He needs to do everything in his power to produce the best product on the field that he can.

I have had to make tough decisions and give my kids tough guidance at times to teach discipline sometimes withdrawn car driving privileges, cell phone privileges, and dating privileges, to help them learn the lessons that later on in life will be a great blessing to them. Kirk has to make tough decisions to improve the football program and it appears one position stands out more than any other and that is on the offensive side of the football team. I hope he will own up to it and make it happen.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

I've had the same perspective, pretty much, since about 2006 ...

derKirkFer is a VERY average football coach with a risk-averse / perfect execution philosophy that results in a play-not-to-lose, oftentimes, disconnected / mistimed gameday strategy. His "developmental" mindset often interferes with his personnel decisions, further discombobulating his teams' opportunities for victory. Over the last 5 years, the devolution into derKirkFer-avis has only worsened the strategical psychosis and misuse of personnel.

By all accounts he's a good man but he's a weak advocate for Iowa football. His humility convinces him that Iowa doesn't "deserve" to be great and we all should appreciate slightly above average performance as some sort of proud, hard-working, blue collar "overachievement" because it's "Iowa".

He sells the crap out of this to the media, his "boss" and us fans (yes, indirectly, to recruits). So far, his "boss" and most of the big money keep lapping it up like a bunch of star-struck rubes.
1) What the hell else are they gonna do with all the excess cash.
2) As long as they can take Gert to a sunny locale around the Holidays and be acknowledged with a hearty handshake and slap on the back by Kirk Ferentz during a "special" event at the bowl site, all is good.
3) There are still enough W's, with enough "big" wins, to keep most of the fan base placated. Most importantly, it keeps stoking that good ol' midwestern reverse optimism and fear-based contentment, "It could be worse."

I believe there are plenty of competent coaches that could have and would have achieved the same slightly above average W / L success that Ferentz has achieved. I believe there are plenty that would have more success by simply taking care of the business of beating inferior teams, even 90% of the time.

I've wanted him gone for years. 2015 didn't change that; the last 3 games didn't change that; they reinforce it. I simply am not going to dismiss the ANNUAL ritual of losing to inferior teams when you have the talent and resources to beat the highest ranked teams. It happens because of all those derKirkFer-avis attributes described, above.

I get it. I have no say and I know he's here until he decides to leave. I try to suck it up and keep expectations in check. Unfortunately, it has meant I've had to somewhat dissociate from and get a little cynical toward Iowa football.

I still love the Hawks and always cheer for them to win; I even still attend a fair share of games. However, my passion has waned. I realize 2015 was the pinnacle and I will NOT see that combo of good fortune, low injury and easy schedule again. While there will be the occasional PSU and Michigan caliber wins, it's just not enough to offset all the NDSU, WMU, ISU, Illannoy, Indiana, Purdue and NwU level losses that occur every season.

 

[Calculator]

Hardly. If you did the numbers since 81, Wisky and MSU would be behind. Since the early 90s PSU is probably as well. And we haven't considered IU, PU, IL, MN, NW. I would guess that the Hawks are actually not far off of Michigan.

In the 80's yes. From 1981 to 1992 Iowa's winning % was 0.67466, good enough for 3rd in the B1G behind Ohio State and Michigan. Then Penn State Joined.

From 1993 to 2010 Iowa's winning % was 0.58219, that moved us to 5th in the B1G behind Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan. Then Nebraska Joined.

From 2011 to 2015 Iowa's winning % is 0.58462, moving us to 7th in the B1G behind Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan, and Penn State.

My point is, we have been on the same plateau for years now. In that time we have been passed by Michigan State and Wisconsin from the original B1G, and have been passed by additions to the conference Penn State and Nebraska. To make matters worse, our schedule has been easier since the conference has moved to 11, 12, then 14 because we don't play Ohio State, Michigan, or Penn State on a regular basis.

 

[HawkGold]

In the 80's yes. From 1981 to 1992 Iowa's winning % was 0.67466, good enough for 3rd in the B1G behind Ohio State and Michigan. Then Penn State Joined.

From 1993 to 2010 Iowa's winning % was 0.58219, that moved us to 5th in the B1G behind Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan. Then Nebraska Joined.

From 2011 to 2015 Iowa's winning % is 0.58462, moving us to 7th in the B1G behind Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan, and Penn State.

My point is, we have been on the same plateau for years now. In that time we have been passed by Michigan State and Wisconsin from the original B1G, and have been passed by additions to the conference Penn State and Nebraska. To make matters worse, our schedule has been easier since the conference has moved to 11, 12, then 14 because we don't play Ohio State, Michigan, or Penn State on a regular basis.

Are you counting Big records only? I did that from HF to mid 2000s. If my memory is correct, which is suspect.

Then again I'm arguing with someone who goes by Calculator!

 

[Calculator]

Are you counting Big records only? I did that from HF to mid 2000s. If my memory is correct, which is suspect.

Then again I'm arguing with someone who goes by Calculator!

Non-con too which for Iowa has been a host of FCS, C-USA, and MAC teams not to mention a historically awful in-state rival.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

On senior night I watched on national TV as Kirk and his wife greeted their son on the field. It was then that it became clear as day to me that Kirk is never going to leave until he is ready to leave. Iowa is a place for families and higher values than most other places offer. That's why Kirk likes it so much at Iowa as do his children. The powers that be want it that way and being a father with three children I can't criticize that too much.

Would I like to see us just a tad better to the point that we are at least as good and as consistent as Wisconsin? Of course, and there is no reason for us not to be. Our facilities are better and there is not a better fan base in all of college football. We are in the weakest division in the B1G and should out recruit our division foes.

No one wants to be a National champ more than I do. It's the competitive spirit inside of me. I've been very successful in life because of that drive in me, and I teach my children to be the same way. I also teach my children to honest, kind, and fair to everyone they meet. Those values supersede any sports ambitions I have and I find tremendous joy in the fact that my three children have taken upon them those higher values.

Kirk is good person and I am sure a great father and those are the more important values in life. Having said that we have to be honest with ourselves and admit he is not being paid four plus mlllion dollars to be a great family man. He has another family in the Iowa fan base and he needs to show his support for all of us that have played apart in his being able to coach the Iowa Football Program. He needs to do everything in his power to produce the best product on the field that he can.

I have had to make tough decisions and give my kids tough guidance at times to teach discipline sometimes withdrawn car driving privileges, cell phone privileges, and dating privileges, to help them learn the lessons that later on in life will be a great blessing to them. Kirk has to make tough decisions to improve the football program and it appears one position stands out more than any other and that is on the offensive side of the football team. I hope he will own up to it and make it happen.

Nice post.

 

[ChosenChildren]

Iowa was a couple of plays away from winning the West this year. Did you carefully watch the Wisconsin -Iowa game?

Ferentz is doing a fine job. Retiring Greg Davis might help, however

 

[Caddy]

I've had the same perspective, pretty much, since about 2006 ...

derKirkFer is a VERY average football coach with a risk-averse / perfect execution philosophy that results in a play-not-to-lose, oftentimes, disconnected / mistimed gameday strategy. His "developmental" mindset often interferes with his personnel decisions, further discombobulating his teams' opportunities for victory. Over the last 5 years, the devolution into derKirkFer-avis has only worsened the strategical psychosis and misuse of personnel.

By all accounts he's a good man but he's a weak advocate for Iowa football. His humility convinces him that Iowa doesn't "deserve" to be great and we all should appreciate slightly above average performance as some sort of proud, hard-working, blue collar "overachievement" because it's "Iowa".

He sells the crap out of this to the media, his "boss" and us fans (yes, indirectly, to recruits). So far, his "boss" and most of the big money keep lapping it up like a bunch of star-struck rubes.
1) What the hell else are they gonna do with all the excess cash.
2) As long as they can take Gert to a sunny locale around the Holidays and be acknowledged with a hearty handshake and slap on the back by Kirk Ferentz during a "special" event at the bowl site, all is good.
3) There are still enough W's, with enough "big" wins, to keep most of the fan base placated. Most importantly, it keeps stoking that good ol' midwestern reverse optimism and fear-based contentment, "It could be worse."

I believe there are plenty of competent coaches that could have and would have achieved the same slightly above average W / L success that Ferentz has achieved. I believe there are plenty that would have more success by simply taking care of the business of beating inferior teams, even 90% of the time.

I've wanted him gone for years. 2015 didn't change that; the last 3 games didn't change that; they reinforce it. I simply am not going to dismiss the ANNUAL ritual of losing to inferior teams when you have the talent and resources to beat the highest ranked teams. It happens because of all those derKirkFer-avis attributes described, above.

I get it. I have no say and I know he's here until he decides to leave. I try to suck it up and keep expectations in check. Unfortunately, it has meant I've had to somewhat dissociate from and get a little cynical toward Iowa football.

I still love the Hawks and always cheer for them to win; I even still attend a fair share of games. However, my passion has waned. I realize 2015 was the pinnacle and I will NOT see that combo of good fortune, low injury and easy schedule again. While there will be the occasional PSU and Michigan caliber wins, it's just not enough to offset all the NDSU, WMU, ISU, Illannoy, Indiana, Purdue and NwU level losses that occur every season.

Absolutely perfect post.