HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Decently good response.
One of Top Recruiting Classes in Kirk Ferentz Era
- Thread starter DunderMifflinHk
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Decently good response.
I think some other posters have touched on the salient points in evaluating performance. Total wins/losses matter, but more importantly, it's overall program perception. Despite losing some head-scratchers, we had quality wins in our rivalry games against ISU and Minnesota, then an entertaining stomping of OSU and Nebraska and a win in a bowl game. These improve/maintain program perception that we are always solid and can play spoiler to anyone on any given day. Being in that 8 win category is important because it typically means we are able to at least compete with those top teams.
However, the very fact that we are called the spoiler means that we are short of being considered a part of that next "top teams" tier. Whether or not it is reasonable or possible to expect, for fans to be content, we want to be perceived in that tier. The tantalizing things for us is that we keep coming close, but we have failed to capitalize on success to climb that next rung as a program. Our best chance was in the early 2000's when we strung together 3 10 win seasons. However, for various reasons, we didn't capitalize in ways that enabled maintenance of that success. The only real way to capitalize on success being the ability to bring in talented recruits that help you stay there. After slipping in the Davis era, we have finally pulled ourselves up to the point where we are in position to take that next step again.
Look, I'm not going to lie, I have a feeling the future is bright. I think there has been a lot of moving parts thus far. If anyone hasn't noticed, the new philosophy is best man plays. That is the right call. The way winners do it. It's a competitive sport.
I'm not going to rehash the past. As I said I think someone has a little better focus now and yes things are trending up I believe.
I'm not going to toot the horn just yet, because slow your roll, OSU is averaging more wins playing one extremely higher level in non cons.
Now this is personal philosophy but I don't believe in starting the year with the goal of national championship. Let's start with obtainable goals.
Win the west! Then you are close.
Win the conference. Even closer.
Nobody said it was going to be easy.
Just like how Nebraska and us both want to unseat Wisconsin from being top dog and winner of the west most years, even when you get there it isn't easier, but harder. That is a good, no a great thing.
I'm not going to rehash the past. As I said I think someone has a little better focus now and yes things are trending up I believe.
I'm not going to toot the horn just yet, because slow your roll, OSU is averaging more wins playing one extremely higher level in non cons.
Now this is personal philosophy but I don't believe in starting the year with the goal of national championship. Let's start with obtainable goals.
Win the west! Then you are close.
Win the conference. Even closer.
Nobody said it was going to be easy.
Just like how Nebraska and us both want to unseat Wisconsin from being top dog and winner of the west most years, even when you get there it isn't easier, but harder. That is a good, no a great thing.
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We do know Dantonio lets guys play that are in trouble with the law.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...otball-players-charged-sexual-assault-n768886
Then there is this one: https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...-driving-with-suspended-license-for-7th-time/
Will be interesting to see what Iowa does with Snyder. Which is worse, DUI or an arrest for driving on a suspended license while not intoxicated.
The MSU player should be in more trouble than he was with the team. Snyder should be given a far worse suspension than one game.
My philosophy is the same as when you're playing, you whiff, forget about it and move on. Learn from it definitely, but don't let it in your head.
We can sit around and tout how many games we have won in x amount of years, just as Nebraska does about championships.
As for MSU. Don't care. Not our problem.
I can guarantee most have had a run in with the law at some point. I trust he will use the time as a spring board. I also know that sometimes you choose the wrong words or actions. Be it with your neighbors or the law.
I'm not big on casting stones. It doesn't matter how we got to this point, all that matters is how we proceed onward and upward.
We can sit around and tout how many games we have won in x amount of years, just as Nebraska does about championships.
As for MSU. Don't care. Not our problem.
I can guarantee most have had a run in with the law at some point. I trust he will use the time as a spring board. I also know that sometimes you choose the wrong words or actions. Be it with your neighbors or the law.
I'm not big on casting stones. It doesn't matter how we got to this point, all that matters is how we proceed onward and upward.
GesterHawk
Well-Known Member
3 seasons isn't recently??
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
Since 2013 (the last 5 years) Iowa on average finishes slightly below third place in their B1G division. That’s not overall B1G conference standing, that’s just their division. They play in the very below average West division. It is also very well known and discussed that Iowa is known for playing a very weak Non-Conference slate.
Since 2013 Iowa is 1-4 in Bowl games with a combined final score of 88-161. This particular stat explains some why once they have gotten outside of their relatively weak non conference and weak B1G division, things haven’t gone so well.
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
Iowa has been in contention for a B1G West title arguably once out of the last three years (2016 they tied for second but Wisconsin had a game lead and head to head victory). I’d like that number to be closer to 2 out of three years. If you expand the numbers out further they get worse.
Basically since the B1G expanded we’ve competed for the division title once in 8 years (2 if you do count 2016). Again, in my opinion not good enough.
SpiderRico
Well-Known Member
Michigan hasn't won a conference title since we did....2004. They haven't come close to competing for a division title since the league split.
Texas hasn't won anything of significance in years in the Big 12.
Until just this past year, Miami hadn't done jack squat in the ACC since like 2001.
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
You mean that losing to OSU in 2OT in 2016 to win the division and go to the title game wasn’t even close to competing??? Try again.
deanvogs
Well-Known Member
Since 2013 Iowa is tied for 4th most wins in the B1G. OSU, Wisconsin and MSU have more wins, and Penn St. is tied with Iowa.
As far as divisional finishes go, you are really looking at that in a *ucked up and stupid way, but lets roll with it. OSU, Wisconsin are clearly better than Iowa
MSU average divisional finish = just slightly better than 3rd place
Iowa average divisional finish - just slightly below 3rd place
Penn St. average divisional finish = just slightly below 3rd place
Michigan average divisional finish = Just above 4th place (haven't been better than 3rd in their division in the last 5 years)
Only OSU and Wisconsin are doing what you "claim" Iowa should be doing every year.
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
Would you admit that the B1G West is a far inferior division?
True.
What we have here is a failure to communicate.
The truth is, until you are consistently pushing #1 you can't even think about being #2.
Some people are saying that, and it's true and we are not doing that.
The crystal ball says, when you do #1 will try to get better, thus making the jump that much more difficult.
True.
Right now, at best we are fighting for second string. Being firm as the second best team in the west. Consistently.
True.
You can look at numbers all day long, but true is true.
Once we know and understand the truth, we can proceed.
deanvogs
Well-Known Member
What does that matter? Do we only play teams from the West? Sure the West wasn't as tough as the East, but Iowa's schedule was ranked #5 in Sagarins vs OSU #13, Penn St. at #38, Michigan St. #14, and Michigan #31
So you can't really play that card, Iowa had a tougher schedule than all the top dogs from the East.
Again true.
However is it also not true that some rotations others in our division also have years of some challenging cross overs?
By that then we must only accept that whomever has the easiest schedule between 3 schools is probably going to win the west?
That's not good enough. Who settles for that?
Even if true, would that still not mean that #2 with a strong sos is better than #1 with a weak one?
Yet we can't even pull a #2 in such a scenario.
That's the other point is all.
GesterHawk
Well-Known Member
Wait, so when Michigan is 1 game back due to a head to head loss they are contending, but you question whether Iowa in 2016 which was 1 game back due to a head to head loss should be considered contending.... interesting.
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
Correct. We had a tough schedule this year and that is why we had a losing record in the B1G. Losing records are not good.
My guess is that if we played in the East as opposed to the west that would be good for roughly one less win per season. That type of difference would make a huge difference in your “wins since” statistic.
If you aren’t willing to admit that Iowa has had historically fairly easy schedules it’s hard for this argument to go anywhere.
You’re parading around a stat that makes it look like Iowa is a Top 20 football program.
- Does finishing on average 3rd in a division of your conference (the lessor division) seem like a top 20 team to you?
- Does going 1-4 in crummy bowl games (sans the Rose) and being outscored by a score of 88-161 sound like a top 20 team to you?
Point being that your statistic doesn’t tell the whole story. I’m not saying that Iowa is terrible, but they are likely an average to slightly about average program. Nothing to be ashamed of but certainly nothing to brag about.
My other point would be that we should be taking advantage of the down west right now. Who knows what will happen to Iowa football if Nebraska figures it out, not to mention Minnesota or even Illinois.
GesterHawk
Well-Known Member
You can only play the games that are scheduled.
MoseSchrute
Well-Known Member
Both of those schools should have their athletic programs banned for a decade.
