Shift in Expectations?

[DBAHawkFan]

I think we can all agree this was one of thr easiest schedules in Iowas history. In fact, the past three years have been incredibly soft and we've lost 17 games over the three year period (with two more to play)

is it safe to say that if KF cannot lead us to a division title when the league is so down, that we shouldn't expect it going forward? The Stars were aligned. Toughest games at home, down year for big10. We avoid two of the best teams...

but we crap the bed. And only because the league is so weak, did we even have a chance this weekend for divisional hopes.

We havent beat a ranked team in a while, we haven't been ranked for what will end up being over 5 years going into next season...

Is it time to just accept we are average? We all hope for a KF 3.0 and thought MAYBE last year could be the start. Instead we are stuck in neutral.

 

[Hawkcrush]

Yes, the last stage acceptance. Just as those who are now below the poverty line should accept their lot in life and never aspire to the middle class. However, if you are trying to say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results then we are in agreement.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Scary thought could be is 7. 8, maybe 9 games is the ceiling now? And, that takes a soft schedule to achieve that. What will a year look like when we have good/great OSU or MSU back on the schedule (or whenever Michigan wakes up) along with Wisconsin, Nebraska, a surging Minny, and fiesty Northwestern? Of course ISU is a every other year loss/struggle for Ferentz and MAC teams have shown they can come into Kinnick and win.

 

[okeefe4prez]

We really live and die by the front 7 on defense. Unfortunately, it is rare for us to have stellar returning players in both levels and it has shown in years where many fans overextend their expectations. Let's look at the tape:

2005 - phenomenal LB corps, but turned over the whole d-line and LBs were neutralized when undersized d-line got manhandled for much of the season (they got better, but it was hard to watch early on)

2006 - D-line was much improved, but Greenway and Hodge were gone and our LBs got shredded in pass coverage - team finished 2-6 in conference play, but Tate's injury didn't help things

2007 - D-line was still okay, but LBs were still very suspect - got totally shredded numerous times, including most notably an awful loss on senior day to Western Michigan (Jake was also awful at QB)

2008 - D-line had, IIRC, two seniors left over from that 2005 line who were good and good play from Clayborn and Ballard - Edds and Angerer were juniors and started coming into their own - team lost some heartbreakers and got much needed boost on offense from Stanzi and Greene - looked unbeatable by end of the season

2009 - experience at both levels of front seven - offense was decent, but not flashy especially with two freshman RBs, front seven was absolutely dominant and team was stellar

2010 - Lost Edds and Angerer, defense didn't make clutch plays - was still highly ranked, but the D conceded fourth quarter leads in every game (or almost every game, I forget)

 

[HaydenHawk56]

We really live and die by the front 7 on defense. Unfortunately, it is rare for us to have stellar returning players in both levels and it has shown in years where many fans overextend their expectations. Let's look at the tape:

2005 - phenomenal LB corps, but turned over the whole d-line and LBs were neutralized when undersized d-line got manhandled for much of the season (they got better, but it was hard to watch early on)

2006 - D-line was much improved, but Greenway and Hodge were gone and our LBs got shredded in pass coverage - team finished 2-6 in conference play, but Tate's injury didn't help things

2007 - D-line was still okay, but LBs were still very suspect - got totally shredded numerous times, including most notably an awful loss on senior day to Western Michigan (Jake was also awful at QB)

2008 - D-line had, IIRC, two seniors left over from that 2005 line who were good and good play from Clayborn and Ballard - Edds and Angerer were juniors and started coming into their own - team lost some heartbreakers and got much needed boost on offense from Stanzi and Greene - looked unbeatable by end of the season

2009 - experience at both levels of front seven - offense was decent, but not flashy especially with two freshman RBs, front seven was absolutely dominant and team was stellar

2010 - Lost Edds and Angerer, defense didn't make clutch plays - was still highly ranked, but the D conceded fourth quarter leads in every game (or almost every game, I forget)

Yep.....seems like Iowa loses something key almost every year that we can't make up for. If we had a few more pieces....just like the basketball team. Incomplete teams.

 

[guffus]

I said at the beginning of the season that the easy schedule was over blown. The easy schedule can turn an 8-4 team into a 9-3 team, but it does not turn an 8-4 team into an 11-1 team.

2013 was a decent schedule. In 2014, it was mostly the same except OSU, MSU and Mich were traded for Indy, MD, and ILL.

In 2013 Iowa was 1-2 against OSU, MSU and Mich. In 2014 Iowa was 2-1 against Indy, MD, and ILL, which is what I expected.

Also Iowa was 3-1 in non-conference in both 2013 and 2014 against similar schedules. If you buy that 2013 NIU = 2014 Pitt .

So if the 2013 and 2014 teams were equal, the 2014 should have been 9-3, but so far the 2014 is 7-4, with Nebraska still to play. So what's the main difference between 2013 and 2014 teams. The 2013 team beat Minnesota while the 2014 team lost to Minnesota.

I know the original post was rha Iowa should be better, but my argument is that you should not use the easy schedule as a reason to expect a division title. You win the division because you beat the good teams in your division. Not because you have an easy schedule.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Yep.....seems like Iowa loses something key almost every year that we can't make up for. If we had a few more pieces....just like the basketball team. Incomplete teams.

It's byproduct of relying more on development than recruiting big stars, like OSU does. Been this way for a long time. It would be nice if Kurt took on a few more juco guys when it is clear we will have glaring holes somewhere, because it pretty regularly seems like he is completely caught off guard by graduations.

 

[okeefe4prez]

I said at the beginning of the season that the easy schedule was over blown. The easy schedule can turn an 8-4 team into a 9-3 team, but it does not turn an 8-4 team into an 11-1 team.

2013 was a decent schedule. In 2014, it was mostly the same except OSU, MSU and Mich were traded for Indy, MD, and ILL.

In 2013 Iowa was 1-2 against OSU, MSU and Mich. In 2014 Iowa was 2-1 against Indy, MD, and ILL, which is what I expected.

Also Iowa was 3-1 in non-conference in both 2013 and 2014 against similar schedules. If you buy that 2013 NIU = 2014 Pitt .

So if the 2013 and 2014 teams were equal, the 2014 should have been 9-3, but so far the 2014 is 7-4, with Nebraska still to play. So what's the main difference between 2013 and 2014 teams. The 2013 team beat Minnesota while the 2014 team lost to Minnesota.

I know the original post was rha Iowa should be better, but my argument is that you should not use the easy schedule as a reason to expect a division title. You win the division because you beat the good teams in your division. Not because you have an easy schedule.

Thumb UP. Well said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjW9UXoKU2s

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Yep.....seems like Iowa loses something key almost every year that we can't make up for. If we had a few more pieces....just like the basketball team. Incomplete teams.

kfootball has now proven that he is more interested in remaining stubborn and doing things his way, as opposed to, utilizing and maximizing the talent you do have. When folks say that kfootball doesn't always play his best players, we'll all know that the statement has merit: we only need to look at JR vs CJ and using MW as your tb for 3 full seasons.

Who thinks CJ will be back next season to carry a clipboard? If CJ does transfer, the moment I hear the announcement will be the moment I think long and hard on whether I will watch another kfootball coached team at Iowa. I refuse to accept kfootballs penchant for mediocrity.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

It's byproduct of relying more on development than recruiting big stars, like OSU does. Been this way for a long time. It would be nice if Kurt took on a few more juco guys when it is clear we will have glaring holes somewhere, because it pretty regularly seems like he is completely caught off guard by graduations.

Very good point. I agree. It works wonders for the Mayor at ISU......no reason it could not work for our football team.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Very good point. I agree. It works wonders for the Mayor at ISU......no reason it could not work for our football team.

Snyder has had plenty of success with it at KSU in football, too. I don't think we would need to be over-reliant on it, but if we got just a touch of help at LB this year, it may have made a difference.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

kfootball has now proven that he is more interested in remaining stubborn and doing things his way, as opposed to, utilizing and maximizing the talent you do have. When folks say that kfootball doesn't always play his best players, we'll all know that the statement has merit: we only need to look at JR vs CJ and using MW as your tb for 3 full seasons.

Who thinks CJ will be back next season to carry a clipboard? If CJ does transfer, the moment I hear the announcement will be the moment I think long and hard on whether I will watch another kfootball coached team at Iowa. I refuse to accept kfootballs penchant for mediocrity.

Good point here to. Not only do we not replace key players/areas as need....we also fail to play our best talent or fully deploy it. Kirk mostly values experience over talent and relies on player development (like O'keefe said) over recruiting experience where you need experience (getting juco talent in to replace deficient areas like linebackers). Thus, most years, we are an incomplete program that takes most of the year to play catch up to be playing our best ball. We drop several games in the process taking us out of the National Title picture or a run at our own conference title. We look good at the end of the year (or something gives us enough promise for next year) graduation hits, players get in trouble over the summer, transfers etc mixed in, and the process repeats next year.

Combine this with a mostly conservative offensive approach, an ancient offensive coordinator, stubborn head coach, and poor clock managment on game day and well you ekk out an average of 7 wins and 5 losses.