Schwartz: What Did We Learn About Hawkeye Football? Not Much

[HawkGold]

This is a false analogy and polarization is a permanent condition of the the human race.
For thousands of years the species has basically been split between emotionalism and rationalism.
Rationalism says all people are imperfect and should be regarded that way.
Emotionalism gives you Jesus Christ and Adolph Hitler. Saviors. Enough Germans thought Adolph was a special exception so they gave him a lifetime contract and lots of money and power. A billion Christians need a Santa Claus who works for adults. People are weak and need someone to worship. And they are perfectly happy to hate the fans; the players and the school if that's what it takes to keep their savior in place. These people think wanting better is a sin.

"What about the middle ground?!?"

That's the logic of a child. If I say to you, "What is 2 plus 2?" And someone replies "4", and another person replies "5". There is no middle ground. Sometimes people are wrong. But millions think every issue has an area where both sides can be right and happy at the same time.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE WRONG, AND BEING A GROWNUP MEANS ACCEPTING THAT SOMETIMES HALF THE PEOPLE ARE WRONG. This notion that every disagreement has two sides of equal correctness is what happens when you create a blue-ribbon for everyone society. We have become a weak nation full of weak people will low ambition and terrible reasoning skills
We've changed over the last 50 years, for the worse.

You have formally lost your mind in front of a few hundred but recorded for the world to see. You also need to revisit German history.
You could also use a lesson in Christian faith around thr world.

You have fully demonstrated your need for The Savior and I hope you find him.

 

[ChosenChildren]

Hmmmm...you aren't sure what you saw? I saw a ton of young players making mistakes at inopportune times that killed drive after drive...that resulted in major inconsistency on offense. I also saw us replace two seasoned senior offensive tackles / linemen and replace them with freshmen. That should tell you all you need to know. In 2012, we lost two seasoned OL in game seven when we were 4-2...and we ended up 4-8. We struggled protecting the QB when teams came at us with blitz packages and stunts all year...just like this year.

What you also saw were moments when we put it all together and it showed what this team can be or look like (Ohio State). There is a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball...and there will be next year. I think if you look closely at the tape this year, you will see breakdowns and one missed assignment or dropped ball that shot offensive drives in the foot. That happens with freshmen players...we just had a lot of young guys we were depending on.

I would also point to Brian F. as an issue at times as there were obvious issues with game planning (Michigan State / NW). Then again, I think we were were running the ball into 8 man fronts to protect our young QB from the constant pressure. I would like to see us throw to open up the running game, but I don't think he had confidence he could protect Stanley consistently...hence the mind boggling running into overloaded defensive alignments. That's maddening to watch and I hope he had reason for it. I'm going with protecting his QB's confidence.

Even losing the 3 linebackers that were way underrated as a group, Neiman especially...I like what this team will be capable of next year. Those young players will get better at every one of those positions. Hankins and Stone also showed that they aren't going to be kept off the field next year. There is going to be some serious competition at Safety and Corner next year. That's all good.

This is the correct analysis. With the loss of the two senior OL who BOTH started on the great 2015 team, we had a very young, inexperienced OL playing in front of a very young, inexperienced QB. I thought 7 wins for this team was a great season. Ferentz knows it as well, but he won't say it. Please also note that we played one of the top 6 schedules in the country, according to Sagarin and Massey.

2018 and 2019 will be interesting years. The schedule becomes more favorable for us (a big reason why NW did so well)

 

[ArvadaHawk]

You have formally lost your mind in front of a few hundred but recorded for the world to see. You also need to revisit German history.
You could also use a lesson in Christian faith around thr world.

You have fully demonstrated your need for The Savior and I hope you find him.

before or after they bombed Pearl Harbor? that was really bad.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

This is the correct analysis. With the loss of the two senior OL who BOTH started on the great 2015 team, we had a very young, inexperienced OL playing in front of a very young, inexperienced QB. I thought 7 wins for this team was a great season. Ferentz knows it as well, but he won't say it. Please also note that we played one of the top 6 schedules in the country, according to Sagarin and Massey.

2018 and 2019 will be interesting years. The schedule becomes more favorable for us (a big reason why NW did so well)

Wirfs and AJax were no worse than Boone and Ike. Ike wasn't going to keep his starting spot this season anyway, in my opinion. Their injuries simply moved up the time table. Boone could have played G instead of reynolds, but I didn't see any fall off with Reynolds.

There were definitely growing pains. but growing pains doesn't explain the offense scoring 3 times or less in 6 of 9 conference games. that's game planning and that is coaching. The "execution" explanation applies to coaches, as well, right? I mean, they still have to execute as coaches, right?

 

[homes]

Many predicted Iowa to be 6-6. If that was your prediction, then they outdid themselves. Interestingly enough, many of those people are now upset with how the season turned out, not sure why, though. Personally, I thought they'd finish 8-4, didn't see the Purdue or NW loss, nor the OSU win. Good times, frustrating times. Sounds like a typical Iowa year.

However, unlike Mr. Schwartz, I did learn something. Not to make preseason predictions. It's a set up for disappointment and stupid reflection.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Many predicted Iowa to be 6-6. If that was your prediction, then they outdid themselves. Interestingly enough, many of those people are now upset with how the season turned out, not sure why, though. Personally, I thought they'd finish 8-4, didn't see the Purdue or NW loss, nor the OSU win. Good times, frustrating times. Sounds like a typical Iowa year.

However, unlike Mr. Schwartz, I did learn something. Not to make preseason predictions. It's a set up for disappointment and stupid reflection.

I think I was in the 8-4 camp, with a lease/buy option on 9.

The Purdue game really put me on tilt, it was so bad. A win there and I could see myself being ok on the season, not great, not bad, just good-ish. NW and MSU should have probably been a split at minimum, probably both wins. With a PU and NW win and OSU loss, probably about what I thought, not what I'd like, but what I thought. And at That 8-4 record, if probably feel better about the season...again, not Happy...but better. Add in a more competitive performance against Wisky, if be on the edge of feeling good and hopeful.

How we got to 7-5 though, that's what bothers me. I don't ever remember such an up and down year.

 

[homes]

I think I was in the 8-4 camp, with a lease/buy option on 9.

The Purdue game really put me on tilt, it was so bad. A win there and I could see myself being ok on the season, not great, not bad, just good-ish. NW and MSU should have probably been a split at minimum, probably both wins. With a PU and NW win and OSU loss, probably about what I thought, not what I'd like, but what I thought. And at That 8-4 record, if probably feel better about the season...again, not Happy...but better. Add in a more competitive performance against Wisky, if be on the edge of feeling good and hopeful.

How we got to 7-5 though, that's what bothers me. I don't ever remember such an up and down year.

I vacillate between the NW loss and the Purdue loss being the worst one. NW was frustrating because they were so conservative with play calling for much of the game, like that Penn State 6-4 game years ago, they got a lead, didn't trust the offense to make plays after they got that lead, and played to eek out a win. Purdue was frustrating because of what we had seen against OSU, and then none of that showed up in that game. There's your 9-3.

 

[skinnykilmer17]

Wirfs and AJax were no worse than Boone and Ike. Ike wasn't going to keep his starting spot this season anyway, in my opinion. Their injuries simply moved up the time table. Boone could have played G instead of reynolds, but I didn't see any fall off with Reynolds.

There were definitely growing pains. but growing pains doesn't explain the offense scoring 3 times or less in 6 of 9 conference games. that's game planning and that is coaching. The "execution" explanation applies to coaches, as well, right? I mean, they still have to execute as coaches, right?

Careful. Speaking the truth and making sense causes heads to explode around here.

This team returned a ton of pieces from 2016. I agree re the tackles. I believe our pass blocking may have been actually better without Boone and Boettger.

And only KF to blame re an inexperienced backup QB. He could have given NS a few more snaps in 2016. And he blew the redshirt to boot. Besides NS wasn't the problem this year. The blame lies with inexperience in the coaching ranks at OLine and especially OC. That is inexcusable IMO. And that is on KF. But KF doesn't feel any urgency or compulsion to win now. He is very comfortable.

 

[cockyhawkfan]

I'll have to agree to disagree with the author or this article.

We have a 1st year OC
We have a new offensive system
We still have one of the worst WR corps in the Big Ten - Although a slight upgrade from last year.
We started a true sophomore QB in his first year of starting
We started a RS Freshman at LT and a true freshman at RT.
We played the 2nd toughest schedule in the Big 10 and and top 10 toughest schedule in the nation, according to some rankings.
We learned that our special teams sucked all around. Punting, Punt returns, KO returns.

It was exactly what everyone should have expected, so I don't know how the author and others are having a hard time figuring out what we learned from the season. Sure there were some missed opportunities and what if's, but you'll have that, when you add everything above up.

I also learned the D was better than I expected.

We learned that the LB corp was arguably one of the best ever in the KF era.
We learned the D-line was better than expected after losing a lot of good production to graduation.
We learned we were still weak at safety, but that the future is bright. I'm not sure how Snyder gets his starting position back going into fall camp next year.
We learned our D backs are still pretty damn good.
We learned that our D was at the top of the nations in interceptions, passes defended, and pass break ups.

Sounds like 7-5 to me. Especially against this schedule.

 

[uihawk82]

This board is as polarized as the current political climate. On one side you have the people who haven't given up on Ferentz and try to find some positives. On the other side you have the people who want to kill Kirk and Brian and blame everything that goes wrong on them. There is apparently no middle ground.

I am in the pool of people who say if Kirk and Brian cant get better consistency, more scoring, and more diversity (less boring and predictable) into the offense then they should leave or Brian shouldnt be OC. Look, they need to figure out how to back off the other teams blitz and pressure, they need counter plays, they need a more efficient pass game to get out of the predictability. Otherwise we are mostly wasting our money as fans.

Scoring only 10 points against jNw and MSU, 15 against Purdue (basically 7 points until the very end), zero against Wisky, that is terrible, not getting your monies worth terrible.

But still I dont mind KF's overall offensive formations but just that he is too conservative, lets see some 5 wideouts with two of them being fant and TJH, big targets who should be able to catch passes at high efficiency to move the ball on any down. Let's go jumbo if the other team cant stop it with a fullback in there and then light them up with occasional play action.

And I also think it is terrible that KF is letting his son be the experiment and developmental part of this program while we pay $60 a ticket and donate money.

 

[NeilDiamond]

What we learned is Iowa finished 7-5. Per usual they lost games they had no business losing (NW/Purdue) and won games they should have lost (OSU). Also per usual the team showed up half asleep to several games, which I have no clue how that happens on the reg. Ferentz collects his $4M/year, Iowa goes to a bowl game nobody cares about except people selling packages/merch and on to 2018 we go. Soon it will be Hawkeye cruise time where the entire program and family celebrate how they simply cannot believe the fortuitous situation they have. Wash, rinse, repeat.

I am at the point where unless Iowa is competing for the West title, I am disinterested. Given the resources available for this program and the other members of the division, that should be every single year. This year, it was basically over by game 2 of the B1G.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

Wirfs and AJax were no worse than Boone and Ike. Ike wasn't going to keep his starting spot this season anyway, in my opinion. Their injuries simply moved up the time table. Boone could have played G instead of reynolds, but I didn't see any fall off with Reynolds.

There were definitely growing pains. but growing pains doesn't explain the offense scoring 3 times or less in 6 of 9 conference games. that's game planning and that is coaching. The "execution" explanation applies to coaches, as well, right? I mean, they still have to execute as coaches, right?

Give me a freaking break. What the hell are you talking about that Ike was going to lose his position. That's ridiculous. Wirfs played great for a true freshman...but compared to Ike, he was no where near the run blocker that Ike is. Ike was playing great football when he got hurt. Wirfs has 1st round written all over him...but there is no way he was unseating Ike. Ike plays with attitude and a mean streak...Wirfs was still trying to figure out what he was doing in those first few games. Why do you think they moved Welsh out to tackle when Ike got hurt?

If people want to point the finger at recruiting and depth...great...I have no argument why we drop down to freshmen when the injuries to Boone and Ike happened. That's on the coaching staff. However, if you don't think it hinders your offense with two freshman tackles you don't know what the hell you are talking about. Look around the Big Ten...how many teams started freshman offensive tackles. I remember maybe one or two...but we went with them for much of the season. A few years ago, Wisconsin started a few freshmen in their offensive line...guess what...they struggled to run the ball against the top flight teams...and pass protect against those teams...see 2015 Iowa vs. Wisconsin.

The fact of the matter is that this was a successful season...albeit frustrating to watch at times, considering the youth that was counted on in critical positions. We played a seriously tough schedule (top 5)...and were in every game until the end save Wisconsin, a playoff team on their home field. I'm sorry, I don't like to call people out who are bitching like it's the end of the world that we didn't win 10 games and how KF coaches, but you have to have a better understanding of football than this.

Top five most difficult schedule and you have freshman playing all over your team...yet you were in every game. A few years ago, people bitched because KF didn't play young players...where is that argument. The reality is that they know exactly what they are doing...Stanley, Booker, Hankins, ISM, Kelly-Martin, Epenesa, Smith, Wirfs, and Jackson. KF played his talent.

 

[DBAHawkFan]

We can argue and pick whatever reasons

It won't change anything

Next year we'll finish between 6 to 8 wins, and we'll play this scenario all over again. Why didn't the offense show up until week 10? Why is our special teams, specifically Punt Teams so poor? Why can't we find WR that can catch the ball? Why do we run into 9 man fronts on 15 out of 20 first downs?

This year has really soured me. I've come to accept that half my life is going to be stuck with Ferentz ball. Kirk will retire in 3-4 years, and Brian will take over. We'll do the same exact things under Brian. Fans will still take it because Brain has a little more "fire" than Kirk.

Nothing we can do to change it, so I root that the players somehow overcome their coaching

 

[Joshbrown]

Nothing we can do to change it, so I root that the players somehow overcome their coaching

This is how the majority of those great seasons happened

CJB
Tate
Banks
all 3 are examples of guys who learned how to tune out Kirk's hope-we-don't-lose strategy and win in spite of him (usually with their scrambling ability)

 

[HawkGold]

This is how the majority of those great seasons happened

CJB
Tate
Banks
all 3 are examples of guys who learned how to tune out Kirk's hope-we-don't-lose strategy and win in spite of him (usually with their scrambling ability)

Yup....

Will always remember KF trying to make Banks be a drop back passer. Heat would come, he'd take off for a first down. Sort of like trying to make my kids border collie into a house dog. Wasn't gonna happen. Banks was responsible for an inordinate amount of the scoring from the previous year though he didn't know the plays.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Give me a freaking break. What the hell are you talking about that Ike was going to lose his position. That's ridiculous. Wirfs played great for a true freshman...but compared to Ike, he was no where near the run blocker that Ike is. Ike was playing great football when he got hurt. Wirfs has 1st round written all over him...but there is no way he was unseating Ike. Ike plays with attitude and a mean streak...Wirfs was still trying to figure out what he was doing in those first few games. Why do you think they moved Welsh out to tackle when Ike got hurt?

If people want to point the finger at recruiting and depth...great...I have no argument why we drop down to freshmen when the injuries to Boone and Ike happened. That's on the coaching staff. However, if you don't think it hinders your offense with two freshman tackles you don't know what the hell you are talking about. Look around the Big Ten...how many teams started freshman offensive tackles. I remember maybe one or two...but we went with them for much of the season. A few years ago, Wisconsin started a few freshmen in their offensive line...guess what...they struggled to run the ball against the top flight teams...and pass protect against those teams...see 2015 Iowa vs. Wisconsin.

The fact of the matter is that this was a successful season...albeit frustrating to watch at times, considering the youth that was counted on in critical positions. We played a seriously tough schedule (top 5)...and were in every game until the end save Wisconsin, a playoff team on their home field. I'm sorry, I don't like to call people out who are bitching like it's the end of the world that we didn't win 10 games and how KF coaches, but you have to have a better understanding of football than this.

Top five most difficult schedule and you have freshman playing all over your team...yet you were in every game. A few years ago, people bitched because KF didn't play young players...where is that argument. The reality is that they know exactly what they are doing...Stanley, Booker, Hankins, ISM, Kelly-Martin, Epenesa, Smith, Wirfs, and Jackson. KF played his talent.

I didn't make it past your first point. Ike was not good at pass pro. he was beaten repeatedly. go look at his games.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I didn't make it past your first point. Ike was not good at pass pro. he was beaten repeatedly. go look at his games.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree on his talent. Sure, I know he had pass protection issues at times...but he was a very good right tackle. He has a shot to play on Sundays. Let's see if how that goes. If he's healthy, I'll be willing to bet he gets a shot to make a team. Just to be clear, you are saying Wirfs, who was beating up 190 DEs in high school last year, was better than Ike, a three year starter who was a big part of an undefeated team two years ago, and last year a big part of a team with two 1000 yard rushers. Seriously, you believe that?

 

[99topdawg]

Boone could have played G instead of reynolds, but I didn't see any fall off with Reynolds.

Good call. Ross graded out pretty well this past week.

 

[NCHawker]

HN Columnist David Schwartz looks back on a Hawkeye football season that's hard to explain:

LINK

WHAT DID WE LEARN ABOUT HAWKEYE FOOTBALL?

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Good call. Ross graded out pretty well this past week.

TY 99. I thought RR was doing a good job, but this shows he had at least one good game. i really think our OL could be stellar, next season. If Daniels comes back, we only have to replace Walsh.