Overall this decade has been a disaster for Iowa football

[STLhawkeye20]

You're a moron. I really don't know how else to put it. Calling this decade a disaster is freaking ridiculous.

Signature accomplishment for a decade’s worth of football is a B10 West title in a weak year for the division and conference. Nothing more needs to be said. Please explain how that’s not a disaster.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Let’s remove the 2015 season for a minute. Without 2015, the combined record since 2010 is 65-45. Given the fact that Iowa schedules 2-3 games against cupcakes per year (over 9 years so far), Iowa has essentially been a .500 team since 2010.

While the 2015 season was, I guess, a success, it was clearly an anomaly that was the result of an easy schedule. The two games that mattered (B10 Championship game and Rose Bowl) were both crushing losses (for different reasons). So really the only thing that Iowa “comes away with” from 2015 is being able to say that they had an undefeated regular season.

Why remove 2015? Because it’s just a flashpoint that came at the perfect time to make this decade of Iowa football feel like it wasn’t a total disaster. Even though Iowa didn’t win anything meaningful during 2015, the season is still in recent memory and gives KF supporters something to point toward. The Rose Bowl berth and undefeated season appeased the fan base far more than it should have by coming at the halfway point of the decade. Just think about it—how long and brutal would this decade have felt to you had 2015 never happened?

The random upsets against top 5 teams at home are similar flashpoint: nice and fun, but totally meaningless in the scheme of what Iowa should realistically accomplish (competing for and occasionally winning the B10 West). The upsets, just like 2015, give the illusion that Iowa’s been a better program than it has been in reality.

Since 2010, Iowa’s won an Insight Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, and Outback Bowl. Three mediocre bowls. Yawn. Since 2010, there have been zero B10 championships (one appearance), while teams like NW and now presumably Minnesota are going to Indy. A huge indicator of how terrible this decade has been as a whole is how many Hawks are making an impact in the NFL. I hear so many Hawks’ names called on NFL Sundays but KF and crew hasn’t been able to use that talent to appear in more than 1 game in Indy. Iowa has had senior quarterbacks on three separate occasions and each season has been a mediocre disaster.

So, yeah, evaluating the decade as a whole (assuming Iowa finishes 3rd/4th and plays in another Mediocre Bowl), it’s been a complete failure. KF was a hero to me during my childhood but it’s clear that the program needs to move in a new direction starting at the top to keep page with what’s happening in Ames, and, more importantly in Minneapolis and Wisconsin (throw NW in there maybe).

Often times in research it is perfectly fine to remove the anomalies (two bars) which is this case would be Iowa's best season record and worst season record. You are perfectly fine removing 2015 in this case. Actually, you should really also remove the low bar which is the 2012 season where Iowa finished 4-8, which for Iowa is really an anomaly in itself. Removing those two seasons and evaluating the rest in between will give you the best evaluation.

 

[longtimer]

Let’s remove the 2015 season for a minute. Without 2015, the combined record since 2010 is 65-45. Given the fact that Iowa schedules 2-3 games against cupcakes per year (over 9 years so far), Iowa has essentially been a .500 team since 2010.

While the 2015 season was, I guess, a success, it was clearly an anomaly that was the result of an easy schedule. The two games that mattered (B10 Championship game and Rose Bowl) were both crushing losses (for different reasons). So really the only thing that Iowa “comes away with” from 2015 is being able to say that they had an undefeated regular season.

Why remove 2015? Because it’s just a flashpoint that came at the perfect time to make this decade of Iowa football feel like it wasn’t a total disaster. Even though Iowa didn’t win anything meaningful during 2015, the season is still in recent memory and gives KF supporters something to point toward. The Rose Bowl berth and undefeated season appeased the fan base far more than it should have by coming at the halfway point of the decade. Just think about it—how long and brutal would this decade have felt to you had 2015 never happened?

The random upsets against top 5 teams at home are similar flashpoint: nice and fun, but totally meaningless in the scheme of what Iowa should realistically accomplish (competing for and occasionally winning the B10 West). The upsets, just like 2015, give the illusion that Iowa’s been a better program than it has been in reality.

Since 2010, Iowa’s won an Insight Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, and Outback Bowl. Three mediocre bowls. Yawn. Since 2010, there have been zero B10 championships (one appearance), while teams like NW and now presumably Minnesota are going to Indy. A huge indicator of how terrible this decade has been as a whole is how many Hawks are making an impact in the NFL. I hear so many Hawks’ names called on NFL Sundays but KF and crew hasn’t been able to use that talent to appear in more than 1 game in Indy. Iowa has had senior quarterbacks on three separate occasions and each season has been a mediocre disaster.

So, yeah, evaluating the decade as a whole (assuming Iowa finishes 3rd/4th and plays in another Mediocre Bowl), it’s been a complete failure. KF was a hero to me during my childhood but it’s clear that the program needs to move in a new direction starting at the top to keep page with what’s happening in Ames, and, more importantly in Minneapolis and Wisconsin (throw NW in there maybe).

The last decade of Iowa football a disaster? Clearly you were not around watching Iowa football in the 60s. Now that was a disaster. Everything is relative!

 

[kicker22]

Wonder how this thread would translate if it pertained to basketball.

 

[Xerxes]

Rob, Iowa’s signature accomplishment in this decade is a lone B10 West title during a year where the division was very weak. While you might disagree, it’s not “extreme” for some people to think that the lack of accomplishment this decade is disastrous. Would Iowa’s decade be disastrous by ISU’s standards, or NWs? No. But Iowa’s had three years with senior quarterbacks, NFL talent at multiple positions, and a favorable home schedule. Not winning a single B10 championship this decade, or the equivalent of a “BCS” game, is disastrous. A strong record against cupcakes, a few no-name bowl wins, sporadic meaningless upsets while out of contention, high picks in the NFL draft, and all that other decoration doesn’t change that. Not sure why an argument with substance behind it rises to the level of a Stephen A or Skip opinion. Calling 2000-2010 a disaster would be outrageous.

Instead of "disastrous" I would use the word disappointment. Since 2014 Iowa has been set up beautifully in a winnable division against teams they match up with fairly in terms of resources/recruiting/tradition/etc. But they just haven't taken advantage of it.

More disappointing, outside of 2014 & 2015 they haven't really gotten into the last few weeks of a season as a division contender. Not only are they not winning the division, they're not threatening to win. Like this season, 3 weeks still to go and they're dead in the water in terms of the division.

Even more disappointing is Iowa has the talent to be the division flat-bearer but they haven't capitalized it. Case in point, everyone that watches football knows Wisconsin's DBs were not going to be able to handle Iowa's WRs, even though Iowa was without their top WR. Yet Iowa played Wisconsin in a phone booth for 3 quarters.

And most disappointing Iowa is no longer the physical program that defined them for a decade. That Wisconsin game was a complete mismatch on the LOS.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Disappointing is a really good choice of words when the hawks, with really decent teams, lose so many games, especially at home, to C Mich, weak IA St teams, not strong NW and Purdue teams, etc etc

What is really disappointing and kind of strange is that a team like Iowa, who has all the fan support and administrative support (long leash for coaches) don't do better. In addition, Iowa seems willing to put $$$$ into the program and facilities to stay competitive.

 

[Fryowa]

Plus, what is a no name bowl exactly?

I’d be perfectly content with the New Years Six.

After that you have the Sun, Gator, Citrus, Liberty, Independence, and Holiday.

After those 12 bowls you had the explosion in the mid 80s of a million dumb bowl games and now we have 39. I’m sorry, but making a bowl game isn’t an out of the ordinary accomplishment anymore. Back when they had 10-12 bowl games making one was something special. Now you can finish almost dead last in your conference and still make one. It doesn’t have the prestige it once did...I mean, the fuckin’ Cheez-It Bowl? The Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl? Foster Farms? Come on dude.

When the benchmark changed from you had to be a top 24 ish team to make one to if you don’t make a bowl your football team was shit, that’s when it lost me. It’s not a reward for a great season anymore, it’s an expectation for any team other than a complete bottom feeder. Anyone who uses making a bowl as a benchmark of a good season is out of touch. You can lose half of your games for christ’s sake.

 

[InGoodCo]

Dark ages? The team went to 6 bowl games and end the season in the TOP 25 4 times. Apparently you've forgotten the 60s and 70s. The end of the 90s are what you're talking about. Hayden's last year and Kirk's first tilt the scale quite a bit. Take out those two years and the 90s had a 63% winning clip.

Sure those years count too, but looking at the numbers honestly things weren't "dark" until Hayden got sick and the program sagged badly.

I am being sarcastic.... REAL sarcastic. If winning 61% of our games from 2010-2019 is a disaster, then only winning 53% of our games from 1990-1999 is my spin of dark ages.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

I am being sarcastic.... REAL sarcastic. If winning 61% of our games from 2010-2019 is a disaster, then only winning 53% of our games from 1990-1999 is my spin of dark ages.

I missed it...need more coffee.

 

[STLhawkeye20]

I am being sarcastic.... REAL sarcastic. If winning 61% of our games from 2010-2019 is a disaster, then only winning 53% of our games from 1990-1999 is my spin of dark ages.

61% is a highly misleading statistic when you consider the wins against cupcake teams. Remove the cupcakes and it’s more like 50%.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

61% is a highly misleading statistic when you consider the wins against cupcake teams. Remove the cupcakes and it’s more like 50%.

I've said for years a 7-5 record is really .500 because of what you state above.

 

[InGoodCo]

I’d be perfectly content with the New Years Six.

After that you have the Sun, Gator, Citrus, Liberty, Independence, and Holiday.

After those 12 bowls you had the explosion in the mid 80s of a million dumb bowl games and now we have 39. I’m sorry, but making a bowl game isn’t an out of the ordinary accomplishment anymore. Back when they had 10-12 bowl games making one was something special. Now you can finish almost dead last in your conference and still make one. It doesn’t have the prestige it once did...I mean, the fuckin’ Cheez-It Bowl? The Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl? Foster Farms? Come on dude.

When the benchmark changed from you had to be a top 24 ish team to make one to if you don’t make a bowl your football team was shit, that’s when it lost me. It’s not a reward for a great season anymore, it’s an expectation for any team other than a complete bottom feeder. Anyone who uses making a bowl as a benchmark of a good season is out of touch. You can lose half of your games for christ’s sake.

I agree with that 100% ....going to a bowl is nothing any more. It's not what it once was and shouldn't be a bench mark for any season's success. Just making a bowl doesn't make a season successful anymore. Period. But, besides The Pinstripe and The Taxslayer, none of Iowa's bowl games are what you are describing. Iowa is not just "making a bowl" or having "just making a bowl" type of years. Mostly they are having seasons it would have taken back in the day you long for to make a bowl. 2 out of 8 bowl games have been the putrid, not worthy type, the other 6 have been good bowl games.

also, while I agree that just getting to one isn't an accomplishment... I think winning one still is. It's a game against another winning football team and in most case for Iowa, that's meant playing a top 25 team or close to it. They're 4-5 over the last decade, not good enough, but not a disaster. Iowa football is just not a disaster.

 

[RobHowe]

I've said for years a 7-5 record is really .500 because of what you state above.

If you make that adjustment for Iowa, you need to it for all teams across the country. It's not like Iowa is on an island here as the only Power 5 to play easy non-con games. It's the norm.

 

[uihawk82]

I’d be perfectly content with the New Years Six.

After that you have the Sun, Gator, Citrus, Liberty, Independence, and Holiday.

After those 12 bowls you had the explosion in the mid 80s of a million dumb bowl games and now we have 39. I’m sorry, but making a bowl game isn’t an out of the ordinary accomplishment anymore. Back when they had 10-12 bowl games making one was something special. Now you can finish almost dead last in your conference and still make one. It doesn’t have the prestige it once did...I mean, the fuckin’ Cheez-It Bowl? The Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl? Foster Farms? Come on dude.

When the benchmark changed from you had to be a top 24 ish team to make one to if you don’t make a bowl your football team was shit, that’s when it lost me. It’s not a reward for a great season anymore, it’s an expectation for any team other than a complete bottom feeder. Anyone who uses making a bowl as a benchmark of a good season is out of touch. You can lose half of your games for christ’s sake.

Correct. When basically 2 out of every 3 teams can go to a bowl game, when they have to amend the rules to let a team with a 5-7 record into a bowl game so that game can go on that is really bad. The TV and money was bad enough in these smoke filled rooms 30 years ago.

But I do not watch a lot of the early bowls unless it is a big 10 team or a player/team of interest like Iowa St.

 

[InGoodCo]

61% is a highly misleading statistic when you consider the wins against cupcake teams. Remove the cupcakes and it’s more like 50%.

So we gotta remove the cupcakes from the other decades right? Or, why don't we just count them all like anyone else would? Ya know who sucked more time then not in the 80's and 90s? Northwestern, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana ....

 

[MelroseHawkins]

If you make that adjustment for Iowa, you need to it for all teams across the country. It's not like Iowa is on an island here as the only Power 5 to play easy non-con games. It's the norm.

I do. They all play the supposedly at least two "cupcakes" that they are supposed to beat. Definitely not just an Iowa thing for me. All teams.

 

[InGoodCo]

Correct. When basically 2 out of every 3 teams can go to a bowl game, when they have to amend the rules to let a team with a 5-7 record into a bowl game so that game can go on that is really bad. The TV and money was bad enough in these smoke filled rooms 30 years ago.

But I do not watch a lot of the early bowls unless it is a big 10 team or a player/team of interest like Iowa St.

and that's fine, but again, Iowa is not really going to those type of bowl games that often. They are going to higher tiered ones that they would have qualified for back in the days when "bowl games mattered" ... just because you devalue the bowl game system the way it is today (I do to) that doesn't mean Iowa is just having "good enough seasons" to get to them.

 

[Motigerhawk]

Disaster was poor choice. Semantics aside, lets look at division champs since 2011 when the B1G went to divisions.

Wisconsin--5
Ohio St.--4
Michigan St.--3
Iowa--1
PSU--1
NW--1
Nebraska--1

We are regiularly compared to Wiscy because we are a developmental program. Wiscy won 2 of these division titles when they were with OSU.

 

[NEIChawk]

The word "disaster " reminds me of the word " hate". Both are very strong indicators of everything that seems to be wrong in today's world. If it doesn't go our way....well, you're not like me or like the way I think, so you're just wrong.

We all want NC's, division titles, national acclaim. I want change just like everyone else, but KF & Co are around for a while, so therefore we lose games and average 7.5 wins a year.

 

[InGoodCo]

Disaster was poor choice. Semantics aside, lets look at division champs since 2011 when the B1G went to divisions.

Wisconsin--5
Ohio St.--4
Michigan St.--3
Iowa--1
PSU--1
NW--1
Nebraska--1

We are regiularly compared to Wiscy because we are developmental program. Wiscy won 2 of these division titles when they were with OSU.

WI, TOSU, MSU, PSU and imo Michigan .... all have been better than Iowa in the last decade. It's not great. I don't disagree with that.... I don't think anyone would or is arguing that it's great. It's just so far from a disaster it's laughable. Iowa football fans are spoiled with a "good" to sometimes "great" football almost every season with some outliers that scew the #'s one way or the other for 40 years. Iowa has a healthy football program. And while we're on the "well, it's not like it used to be" tip... how about how Iowa loses it's best 2 or 3 underclassmen to the draft seemingly every season now? Ya gotta think having some of those guys their Sr. season might have resulted in a few more wins. It wasn't that way back when. Iowa is one of the healthier programs in the sport. It definitely could be better tho and that I agree with.