Really good game by Brian Ferentz

[MelroseHawkins]

It reminded me of 2015 when The Brain was run game coordinator and we had Canzieri at tailback. It was just a steady diet of lulling the defense to sleep and then bam, one guy overcommits and someone can't get the gap or edge and we score on a long run. We finally have solid tailbacks and I think Brian's subtle tweaks on the scheme and look give us a decent shot to have a solid rushing attack. It ain't pretty, but if we get it humming and can get 35 minutes TOP in each remaining game we will be 11-1 while averaging maybe 13 PPG on offense.

Plus, if you are running the ball (power ball) and grinding out some first downs, you are prob winning the ever important TOP stat for the style for this offense. This keeps the opposing teams O off the field. That coupled with Iowa's salty D is the recipe for success for this team. Throw in Taylor literally controlling the field position and making the other team start deep on their end, and it's a bonus but crucial. I'm not sure we win that game Saturday without him.

 

[okeefe4prez]

True to an extent, but there a lot of really bad teams out there who are not last in the nation in offense.

Yeah, but we know the drill. Ball control offense, field position, defense. It's been the formula for over 2 decades and it has worked very well.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I gotta think there is something almost freeing about the situation for Brian. Or for any OC for that matter. Throw all the expectations out the window. Forgot about all the previous options and worrying about who might be bitching about touches. Look at who is available that week, and how they might manufacture a few first downs to get into field goal range a couple times. Or come up with a misdirection or two that might pop for a TD.

I bet KOK had the time of his life in '04.

I think the circumstances also gets Brian out of that ridiculous contract stipulation. What administrator, interim or new individual is going to hold a coach to that with all the injuries, especially if they are a part of grinding out an 11-2 or 10-3 record?

I have a feeling when all said and done after all the adversity (injuries) that Bri is going to get a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

On 10-16-2023 the best hope is the Iowa offense can sustain a rushing game and do just enough passing to keep possession of the ball to keep drives alive. Iowa actually had possession of the ball longer than Wisconsin, but not by much. There is some hope that Iowa can rush against Minnesota. The Gophers are ranked 65th nationally in rushing defense and 74th in scoring defense. Their pass defense is ranked 85th and the overall defense is ranked 63rd.

My hope is that D Hill can get better at passing on short route plays. Adding that dimension would produce better offensive numbers.

Yep. Nailed it.

 

[InGoodCo]

Hawkeyes now 40-15 (.727 win pct) over the last 5 seasons and 24-10 over the last 3 (.706) in the what is largely considered the 2nd best conference in the country. I get it's against the West but what should the coaches do, prepare the team to beat a bunch of teams they don't play? They have to prepare to beat the teams on their schedule. They aren't ducking anything, they have a job to do and that's beat teams Iowa plays. They have done their job. They have evolved and realized how to win against the teams on their schedule. Last year sucked, but they don't lose Cooper and Petras in the first half of the NU game last season, they were Indy again. It sucks, that's how the ball breaks sometimes and injuries are part of the game and they weren't up to the task last year... let's hope they can capitalize and get to Indy this year. I'd much rather make it and at least get the extra game - anything can happen in a 1 game scenario.

 

[InGoodCo]

I think the circumstances also gets Brian out of that ridiculous contract stipulation. What administrator, interim or new individual is going to hold a coach to that with all the injuries, especially if they are a part of grinding out an 11-2 or 10-3 record?

I have a feeling when all said and done after all the adversity (injuries) that Bri is going to get a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card.

He's already got the card, the only thing that leads to change for Iowa is W/L. This season, no matter how much the fans want to see this proram lose (and they really really really want that), it's not going to provide the pound of flesh they are looking for. Ultimately, football is a bottom line business. It's defintely all I care about.

 

[CP87]

Plus, if you are running the ball (power ball) and grinding out some first downs, you are prob winning the ever important TOP stat for the style for this offense. This keeps the opposing teams O off the field. That coupled with Iowa's salty D is the recipe for success for this team. Throw in Taylor literally controlling the field position and making the other team start deep on their end, and it's a bonus but crucial. I'm not sure we win that game Saturday without him.

Wisky really helped us in that TOP stat by consistently throwing in the 1st half, resulting in tons of 3 and outs. The only time I got a little worried in the game (after Williams TD run) was when they started feeding Allen at the start of the 2nd half, playing like old school Wisconsin. But the D stepped up and eventually halted that approach.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Wisky really helped us in that TOP stat by consistently throwing in the 1st half, resulting in tons of 3 and outs. The only time I got a little worried in the game (after Williams TD run) was when they started feeding Allen at the start of the 2nd half, playing like old school Wisconsin. But the D stepped up and eventually halted that approach.

And it helped that Iowa was just able to sustain some drives enough that the D was able to rest. This is huge as we have seen in the past, such as Penn St, where the Iowa D gets gassed in the 2nd half. If they don't, Iowa's D is very hard to come back on in the 2nd half.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

There is a contract in place that stipulates what will happen if contract terms are not met.

Does she have the guts to let BF go if he doesn't reach the all the items in the agreement? Was going to use another term instead of guts, but she doesn't have a pair of what I was going to say.

If BF doesn't meet the terms and she doesn't follow a legal document, then what?

Not a lawyer, but I bet they find a way out of it.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Could Citibank stock get any cheaper when it hit $20 in 2008? Yes, yes it could (it has reverse split and is still a fraction of that $20 price it hit in 2008). Could Iowa's offense go in reverse after we lost Ken O'Keefe? Sure could. And it did. If Ferentz was forced to replace the Brain I have a horrible feeling that he would burn the program to the ground. Like to the point where we would be discussing firing him mid-season.

At this point with us down our QB1 and two fairly high draft picks at TE I place absolutely no culpability on Brian Ferentz for poor results. We are the walking wounded out there and if he just claws for some first downs, doesn't turn the pill over, and manages field position I would say he is doing everything we can hope for. The competition starts to soften up here, as well, so maybe things could turn around a bit. But looking at who we will have out running routes, I am not seeing much hope for optimism beyond maybe putting up 13-ish points per week on the offensive side of the ball.

Really watch the line, buddy. It's getting better, but it is not good. There is very little that you can call with the line and the receiving corps/TEs we have left. We could either lose out or win out. Just enjoy the ride.

For the record I'm not for the in season firing of him at this point... The time to have let BF go was prior to Petras's Jr yr. It's too late for that. Firing of him now wouldn't make a lick of difference for this season honestly. Between the injuries and just being where they are it is what it is. It's sink or swim for this season now.

 

[okeefe4prez]

For the record I'm not for the in season firing of him at this point... The time to have let BF go was prior to Petras's Jr yr. It's too late for that. Firing of him now wouldn't make a lick of difference for this season honestly. Between the injuries and just being where they are it is what it is. It's sink or swim for this season now.

No, no, no, I mean if we fire Brian this offseason, there is a high probability that the next guy in will be so bad that people will want to fire Kirk mid season next year or the year after.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

No, no, no, I mean if we fire Brian this offseason, there is a high probability that the next guy in will be so bad that people will want to fire Kirk mid season next year or the year after.

Wouldn't there be an even higher probability, though, that the next guy in would be Ken? End it like how it started back at Worcester. Last dance.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Wouldn't there be an even higher probability, though, that the next guy in would be Ken? End it like how it started back at Worcester. Last dance.

Why would a man the stature of O'Keefe want to step in and bail out this program after the way he has been treated by our fans? I long for Ken to come back, but at this point I think Brian is a better X and O guy than Ken. There's a lot of great wrinkles in our offense that give us the potential to crack long runs, but the fans just see the 2 yard runs that set them up and then boo because they don't understand the bigger picture.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Why would a man the stature of O'Keefe want to step in and bail out this program after the way he has been treated by our fans? I long for Ken to come back, but at this point I think Brian is a better X and O guy than Ken. There's a lot of great wrinkles in our offense that give us the potential to crack long runs, but the fans just see the 2 yard runs that set them up and then boo because they don't understand the bigger picture.

Boy, there is some truth to this.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

Why would a man the stature of O'Keefe want to step in and bail out this program after the way he has been treated by our fans? I long for Ken to come back, but at this point I think Brian is a better X and O guy than Ken. There's a lot of great wrinkles in our offense that give us the potential to crack long runs, but the fans just see the 2 yard runs that set them up and then boo because they don't understand the bigger picture.

I said end it like how it started. Kirk works for Ken.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Boy, there is some truth to this.

I only had complaints about two play calls on Saturday. That has to be a record for me while watching Iowa. It isn't pretty to watch, but I see what this guy is doing. Lincoln Riley would shit his pants if he had to try to do anything with our players and weather conditions.

 

[Gander Hawk]

For the record I'm not for the in season firing of him at this point... The time to have let BF go was prior to Petras's Jr yr. It's too late for that. Firing of him now wouldn't make a lick of difference for this season honestly. Between the injuries and just being where they are it is what it is. It's sink or swim for this season now.

I'm afraid if Brian walks someone like Budmayr will take over. If Budmayr has any answers why hasn't he divulged them before now.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

I only had complaints about two play calls on Saturday. That has to be a record for me while watching Iowa. It isn't pretty to watch, but I see what this guy is doing. Lincoln Riley would shit his pants if he had to try to do anything with our players and weather conditions.

I tend to agree regarding Brian. I think he's got a good feel for the Xs and Os, and I also agree that the play calling for the most part has been quite reasonable (though I rarely question play-calling in general as it is the classic 20-20 hindsight situation).

The issue I've always had with him relates more to the more nuanced portions of his job as a coordinator. A large part of his oversight is making sure that players are properly prepared, focused and motivated. His proxies are his position coaches, but, ultimately, the offense falls on him. I think that is the area where he needs a lot of growth.

 

[dagdaj]

I only had complaints about two play calls on Saturday. That has to be a record for me while watching Iowa. It isn't pretty to watch, but I see what this guy is doing. Lincoln Riley would shit his pants if he had to try to do anything with our players and weather conditions.

Samesies. Except I actually found it pretty. Big fan of the run game and when you can do it like that? It's just demoralizing to the opponent. I admit, I wanted to find ways to complain.

Oh, let me tell you....in the heat of the moment, sitting in a bar in Iowa City, the 4th and short reverse or whatever? Yah, I grouched.

In retrospect, I can't really find a way to argue it. Sure, it's a play you can lose yards and it was a pretty long 1 or two. It's also a play that had it worked woulda scored 6.

If I complained about Brain continuously running it up the gut for no gain for the first several games and pissed and moaned about not even coming up with 100 yards rushing per game and how awful that is...

I cannot complain about running it up the gut when it's working and winding up with 200 rushing yards.

 

[hawkinstl]

No, no, no, I mean if we fire Brian this offseason, there is a high probability that the next guy in will be so bad that people will want to fire Kirk mid season next year or the year after.

Maybe KF retires if Brian's contract is not renewed. After all, the B1G will only get more difficult next year.

Personally, if Iowa keeps winning this year, THANK YOU DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS, this may be a good time for KF to say I've had a great run and now it's time to retire and relax.