Serious question.. How can you support Ferentz?

[Motigerhawk]

Once again, someone who says change but can not show an ounce of proof that an established coach would come here. I'm not prepared to throw away 8,12, 8 wins to be Iowa State and hope.

I have no proof. Except that Iowa has some of the best facilities in the nation, that Iowa shows that it will pay big dollars and hand out extensions that are favorable to a coach, that the Iowa fan base is consistently rated one of the best in the nation, that the local press lets the coach get away with whatever he wants and never questions him, that the donors love their coach and will throw money around. Is that proof?

Would a coach jump at those intangibles? I know one in Arkansas that would. Would any others int he country. You have to be stupid to say no.

We will not be ISU anymore. That ship sailed when Hayden signed on. Im more concerned that ISU will become Iowa. They seem to have a good coach. He may get them to 7 wins a year. And when crappy ISU teams regularly beat is, what will a decent ISU team do?

I know change is scary. And it is hard. But sometimes it is just the best thing.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

Yea. I'm not a fan of running old yeller out back before he gets rabies. He has 20 wins the past 2 seasons. I'll be on your side in 2 years if it's a 7-5 and a 6-6. Until then, it smacks of personal bias. Fire Fran? Fire Brands? They could both do better. You would have fired Fry. Fired Mr. Davis. You or most of us are going to get the same treatment someday. Oddly, he coached us to 20 wins lately. Not time for pasture.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

I have no proof. Except that Iowa has some of the best facilities in the nation, that Iowa shows that it will pay big dollars and hand out extensions that are favorable to a coach, that the Iowa fan base is consistently rated one of the best in the nation, that the local press lets the coach get away with whatever he wants and never questions him, that the donors love their coach and will throw money around. Is that proof?

Would a coach jump at those intangibles? I know one in Arkansas that would. Would any others int he country. You have to be stupid to say no.

We will not be ISU anymore. That ship sailed when Hayden signed on. Im more concerned that ISU will become Iowa. They seem to have a good coach. He may get them to 7 wins a year. And when crappy ISU teams regularly beat is, what will a decent ISU team do?

I know change is scary. And it is hard. But sometimes it is just the best thing.

Your evidence for ISU? The mauling Iowa gave them with an apparently retarded and inept head coach? Yikes. They look to be catching up.

 

[earlkoppelman]

At least it's not the Butler Way.

WHAT I TRIED TO SAY "THE IOWA WAY CAN HAVE MORE WINS" TEAM IS BETTER THAN WE ARE COACHED.HC OR OC CAN DO BETTER JOB WITHOUT STRAYING FROM "IOWA WAY"MY OPINION CONFUSING MAYBE BUT IOWA PLAYERS! BETTER THAN THEY SHOW.

 

[earlkoppelman]

And on it goes. The majority of fans, at least on here want Kirk gone. Kirk may have had the desire to win when he was younger but now he's more comfortable going 7-5 and not gambling on recruits or anything else. When a coach doesn't have the desire to win a national championship no matter where he is it's time to move on. Without the incredible support of the Iowa fans Kirk would be gone already. Barta is judged on how much money comes into the university not by wins and losses. Kirk is job security for Barta.

AGREE 101%.CAP IS PAID FOR "SQUEAKY CLEAN IMAGE" THE IOWA BRAND! AND THAT IS MONEY.POWER AND MONEY TO SCHOOL IS WHAT IS REQUIRED.WINS???

 

[ClintonIAfan]

Fact, Iowa has won 20 games in 2 years. KF is the only coach to ever do that here and he's done it 4 times (2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2008-2009, 2015-2016). This program is strong. With the exception of 1921 and 1922 every season has had a disappointment, this year is no exception. That does not change the fact that this program is successful, and has achieved levels of success recently on par with the greatest teams in program history, and many levels above the low points. With new facilities and great fan support there is no reason why his success can't continue.

 

[Mrke1]

Fact, Iowa has won 20 games in 2 years. KF is the only coach to ever do that here and he's done it 4 times (2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2008-2009, 2015-2016). This program is strong. With the exception of 1921 and 1922 every season has had a disappointment, this year is no exception. That does not change the fact that this program is successful, and has achieved levels of success recently on par with the greatest teams in program history, and many levels above the low points. With new facilities and great fan support there is no reason why his success can't continue.

It's true, KF beats the teams he's supposed to beat, most of the time. But with all these wins, where are the Big 10 titles? Where are the bowl wins? Where are the things that elevate your program?

• KF has 2 Big 10 titles in 17 years as HC. Hayden Fry had 3 in 19. You see KF getting another title in the next two years? I'd also argue that Fry had a much harder path to those titles. The Big 10 was a lot stronger back then.
• Fry was 6-7 in bowl games. Kirk is 6-8.
• Fry finished in the Top 25 10 times. KF is currently at 6.

The absolute max games you could play in a season used to be 12. CFB plays that in the regular season now. So 20 wins in 2 years is more likely than it was in the past.

So yeah, if you want a middling football program that will never take the next step. Then KF is your guy. If you want the program to break out, its looking less likely this coaching staff can do that.

 

[Motigerhawk]

Your evidence for ISU? The mauling Iowa gave them with an apparently retarded and inept head coach? Yikes. They look to be catching up.

'I like how ignore the central part of our debate and go for the part that I said is a concern. Which I have no proof of.
Why dont you respond to the part about which we were originally discussing.
You know, prove to you that an established coach would come to Iowa.

 

[Fryowa]

Fact, Iowa has won 20 games in 2 years. KF is the only coach to ever do that here and he's done it 4 times (2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2008-2009, 2015-2016). This program is strong. With the exception of 1921 and 1922 every season has had a disappointment, this year is no exception. That does not change the fact that this program is successful, and has achieved levels of success recently on par with the greatest teams in program history, and many levels above the low points. With new facilities and great fan support there is no reason why his success can't continue.

No one is arguing that Iowa is a top third Big Ten team most years. No one.

The difference is we're arguing that Iowa can and should strive to be at the top, whereas guys like you and @proudhawkfan21 are fine eating Ohio State's, Michigan's, and Wisconsin's sloppy seconds every year.

F that.

 

[BillSPrestonEsq]

No one is arguing that Iowa is a top third Big Ten team most years. No one.

The difference is we're arguing that Iowa can and should strive to be at the top, whereas guys like you and @proudhawkfan21 are fine eating Ohio State's, Michigan's, and Wisconsin's sloppy seconds every year.

F that.

EXACTLY!!!!!!

 

[homes]

He needs to find a good OC, and stay out of the way. That has been/is his blind spot as a head coach.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

It's true, KF beats the teams he's supposed to beat, most of the time. But with all these wins, where are the Big 10 titles? Where are the bowl wins? Where are the things that elevate your program?

• KF has 2 Big 10 titles in 17 years as HC. Hayden Fry had 3 in 19. You see KF getting another title in the next two years? I'd also argue that Fry had a much harder path to those titles. The Big 10 was a lot stronger back then.
• Fry was 6-7 in bowl games. Kirk is 6-8.
• Fry finished in the Top 25 10 times. KF is currently at 6.

The absolute max games you could play in a season used to be 12. CFB plays that in the regular season now. So 20 wins in 2 years is more likely than it was in the past.

So yeah, if you want a middling football program that will never take the next step. Then KF is your guy. If you want the program to break out, its looking less likely this coaching staff can do that.

Sounds to me...from your data...that coach Fry was an inch above middling. I wonder if coach Fry knows he also sucked.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

No one is arguing that Iowa is a top third Big Ten team most years. No one.

The difference is we're arguing that Iowa can and should strive to be at the top, whereas guys like you and @proudhawkfan21 are fine eating Ohio State's, Michigan's, and Wisconsin's sloppy seconds every year.

F that.

No one is fine with it. Just when I thought hooked on phonics was working for you too. My ONLY three beefs with the anti-ferentz crowd:

1. Fry and Ferentz have eerily similar numbers but Fry is a legend and Ferentz is a terrible coach. That dog don't hunt (i love Hayden too)! If you tell me that Ferentz has had 18 yrs of easy games or the big ten was tougher back then, please! Northwestern, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa State plus UTEP or Northern llinois or xyz...all easy wins. Don't tell me the big ten was tough. Michigan and Ohio State were the ONLY tough teams. You got to skip them too back then every couple years.

2. You want change for the sake of change. You are frustrated that KF couldn't take us any higher than any other Iowa coach before him. You say someone can. In the end you are willing to sacrifice a good program and coach to hope that someone will do something that hasn't been done in 125 years. You call it complacent and acceptance of failure. You say someone isn't a true fan if they "put up with" mediocre football. I say you don't ditch the prom queen/high school sweetheart because you saw a movie starring Rita Hayworth and think that you might have a chance to meet her and marry her. Could you? Maybe. You also could end up with Zits McGee.

3. When CHEERING for the Hawks becomes a chore because you don't like the head coach....YOU should question if you are a fan. I dislike Mike Tomlin as a coach, but I love the Steelers. I hope Tomlin goes to the Hall of Fame, but I think we lose too many playoff games we look unprepared for. You tell me you cheer for the Hawks but I don't see most of you do it once. Any success is tagged with, even though KF was trying to lose it, etc. It's just ugly. Those of you who root for the Hawks to lose so KF can get fired, you know who you are, are missing out on CHEERING for your team. Its your right. I just disagree with that philosophy. Life has enough crap to deal with, why ruin a GAME?

 

[MoseSchrute]

It's true, KF beats the teams he's supposed to beat, most of the time. But with all these wins, where are the Big 10 titles? Where are the bowl wins? Where are the things that elevate your program?

• KF has 2 Big 10 titles in 17 years as HC. Hayden Fry had 3 in 19. You see KF getting another title in the next two years? I'd also argue that Fry had a much harder path to those titles. The Big 10 was a lot stronger back then.
• Fry was 6-7 in bowl games. Kirk is 6-8.
• Fry finished in the Top 25 10 times. KF is currently at 6.

The absolute max games you could play in a season used to be 12. CFB plays that in the regular season now. So 20 wins in 2 years is more likely than it was in the past.

So yeah, if you want a middling football program that will never take the next step. Then KF is your guy. If you want the program to break out, its looking less likely this coaching staff can do that.

Actually no, it wasn't.

 

[Joshbrown]

Actually no, it wasn't.

It's kinda subjective. How does someone prove the strength of the conference from decade to decade.

From 1947 until the end of the 50s the B1G was dominant in the grand-daddy of all bowls.

In the 60s there was balance

In the 70s and 80s the Big Ten tanked in the RB.

In the 90s they reasserted themselves.

Of course once the BCS era began the Rose Bowl was no longer the exclusive Provence of the Pac10/Big10.

Now none of this is scientific, so how do we know the strength of the conference relative to its peers from decade to decade?

This year the Big Ten was great in the OOC. And then terrible in bowls. So what are we to make of 2016? I don't know that we can answer that question with any certainty.

 

[rschneider]

He needs to find a good OC, and stay out of the way. That has been/is his blind spot as a head coach.

Hope your right.

 

[HawkGold]

The difs for me...

1. How they handle failure. One makes excuses.

2. One treats ISU indifferently or appears that way.

3. Contract drama.

4. One seemed to enjoy being at Iowa. The other seems to tolerate it.

5. One made Iowans feel proud about being from Iowa.

As a side note, go back and look at the little 8 of the big in late 70s and 80s. Outside of NW and maybe Wisky the others all had some pretty good teams....albeit inconsistently

 

[CarolinaHawkI]

The difs for me...

1. How they handle failure. One makes excuses.

2. One treats ISU indifferently or appears that way.

3. Contract drama.

4. One seemed to enjoy being at Iowa. The other seems to tolerate it.

5. One made Iowans feel proud about being from Iowa.

As a side note, go back and look at the little 8 of the big in late 70s and 80s. Outside of NW and maybe Wisky the others all had some pretty good teams....albeit inconsistently

If you look back on the seasons, I believe Hayden played a much tougher non-conference schedule than Ferentz.
Despite the occasional cupcake, Hayden had some brutal pre-season opponents in the first 5-6 years, and more often than not played major conference opponents throughout his career at Iowa. Ferentz non-con opponents are usually NOT from a Power Five conference, let alone ranked.

 

[Knight78]

--------OK Einsteins, fire him. Seriously, who will you then hire? That is the only relevant question. Otherwise, you just sound like whining children.

There are probably 200 High School Coaches here in Texas that run 10x of a more complex offense than the one YOUR Head Coach supports and signs off on.....you have a LOSER mentality!!!

OK. Let's go out and hire the NCAA Football Coach of the Year. It worked out so well in basketball when we did that.

 

[The Big LeHAWKski]

I agree Ferentz is good at building a "family atmosphere" that all of his players love.
So what - that isn't anything special. Any average coach can create a good environment and make his players feel like more than a team, like a family. Those are great things that those young men carry with them their entire lives!
But...
To be blunt, Coaches whose players love them are like good glove men in baseball. They're a dime a dozen.
I WANT SOMEBODY THAT CAN HIT!!!
Our pathetic Bowl game performances the past there years have been embarrassing and THAT FALLS ON THE HEAD COACH.
Another thing that has always bugged me is how often do you see a former Iowa player SHINE in the NFL, when they was just decent in college. Ferentz always gets credit for "developing" them, but I feel he should be criticized for why weren't they first team 2-3 time all B10 when they played for him!??!!!??? It seems like Ferentz often holds them back and underuses his studs.
Look at CJ Fiedorowicz! Only 9 TDs his whole time at Iowa. He hardly got any looks and now look at his touchdown total for last season for Houston! He's a stud NFL TightEnd now and he was a stud in college that Ferentz IGNORED.
That = yet another Iowa Head Coach FAIL.