SIAP - Howe throws one up and in.

[GoHawks24]

Where has that Minnesota move gotten them? Couple of solid years (shrugs shoulders), I do not want to struggle through any lean years. I think Ferentz will get a lickliter type of leash, 2-3 consecutive years of no postseason play- kick rocks.But Ferentz has proven he will get 7-8 wins annually with a few sprinkled 9-10 win seasons. He gets Bowl wins for the traveling faithful- and that's successful.Oh yeah, he has a great graduation rate & is a model citizen and a sculptor of young Men. All of the things above are why he is our Coach, and the sZme can be said of our staff- great leaders of men!

Great leaders of men who don't put their players in the best position to win every week and who have no clue how to make in-game adjustments. 7-8 men stacked in the box you say? Let's keep running it at 'em because that was our game plan going in and we will not stray from that plan! Learn how to manage a game clock effectively you say? Pfff, that's for fancy teams. Don't come out flat on the road AGAIN like every other week we play on the road you say? We run this program like a business, we will not overly show our emotions.

 

[mbchawk]

Howe is spot on and next year there will be no bowl when the schedule gets a lot tougher with less talent than Iowa had this year. Mark it down.......no bowl in 2012 and less than 6 wins.

 

[PJHawk]

Howe is spot on and next year there will be no bowl when the schedule gets a lot tougher with less talent than Iowa had this year. Mark it down.......no bowl in 2012 and less than 6 wins.

Why is the schedule going to be "a lot tougher"?

 

[TecmoSuperHawk]

Howe is spot on and next year there will be no bowl when the schedule gets a lot tougher with less talent than Iowa had this year. Mark it down.......no bowl in 2012 and less than 6 wins.

Have you looked at our schedule next year? We'll be 5-0 after the month of September. Then have a realistic shot of picking up 3 or 4 more wins going into the Michigan game. The schedule is actually easier next year.

 

[PatrickAdamovicz]

Have you looked at our schedule next year? We'll be 5-0 after the month of September. Then have a realistic shot of picking up 3 or 4 more wins going into the Michigan game. The schedule is actually easier next year.

We thought the same thing this year. I don't even know what to expect anymore. Every game is a crap shoot when it shouldn't be.

 

[RocknRollface]

Why can't Minnesota win 7; or Indiana? Or purdue? Year in and year out? Iowa has only had two years in 10 they did not have 7+ wins. Sorry, but that brings a smile to my face

Becuase they don't have anywhere close to the fan support and facilities that Iowa does. They don't spend or make any where near the same amount of money.

Iowa has no excuse to be underperforming every stinking year.

Look around, winning college football is not played the way Iowa plays. It just isnt. Winning football is not coming out flat and emotionless year after year playing scared and taking no chances.

If not for two blocked field goals and that crazy pinball interception for a TD Iowa losses four games in each of the past 7 seasons. Thats ridiculous considering the amount of talent that KF had to work with in 08-10.

Losses to bad teams happen in some years to every program, but they are the norm with Iowa. It should not be that way.

The program needs an overhaul.

 

[spudhawk]

Have you looked at our schedule next year? We'll be 5-0 after the month of September. Then have a realistic shot of picking up 3 or 4 more wins going into the Michigan game. The schedule is actually easier next year.

We thought the same thing this year. I don't even know what to expect anymore. Every game is a crap shoot when it shouldn't be.

I was so frustrated over this season that I looked at nearly every team on our schedule's most updated depth chart and only three schools don't suffer significant losses. Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska have a chance to remain where they are or improve. The rest, especially the ooc opponents have key losses to both sides. This year's schedule was soft but next season is downright easy. If Iowa doesn't have a bounce back season next year than something will be systemically wrong with the staff.

 

[RocknRollface]

I'm sorry, but media reports news...Howe just put out his opinion and that is not news. He is trying to sensationalize and bring attention to himself and his site in my opinion.

I am not happy about how our season ended, but I also understand how easy it is to underperform and lose confidence. I am also not going to say that some things do not need to be changed, but you are fooling yourself if you think Kirk, the assistants, and the players are going to just sit back and drink sweet ice tea all offseason. They will be looking at making changes, improving, getting stronger and better.

The time to do that was after last year.

This year was the prove it year for me. Instead they came back flatter, less enthusiastic and more conservative than ever, at least on offense.

This was the year to make changes, to let it loose and take chances. Its not ever going to happen.

KF needs superior talent to win games, with equal talent he will lose 5 games a year at least two of which will be to poor teams.

 

[TylerSash]

5-7 and 6th in C-USA is a cupcake IMO. This isnt Skips team...

Then by that standard, so is 5-6 and 6th place in the lousy Big East Pittsburgh.

 

[H8IAST8]

Then by that standard, so is 5-6 and 6th place in the lousy Big East Pittsburgh.

CUSA is not the Big East, sorry

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

The time to do that was after last year.

This year was the prove it year for me. Instead they came back flatter, less enthusiastic and more conservative than ever, at least on offense.

This was the year to make changes, to let it loose and take chances. Its not ever going to happen.

KF needs superior talent to win games, with equal talent he will lose 5 games a year at least two of which will be to poor teams.

I am not sure I understand the conservative complaints about this season...we came out throwing a lot.

 

[bud2380]

Becuase they don't have anywhere close to the fan support and facilities that Iowa does. They don't spend or make any where near the same amount of money.


Look around, winning college football is not played the way Iowa plays. It just isnt.

If not for two blocked field goals and that crazy pinball interception for a TD Iowa losses four games in each of the past 7 seasons.

The program needs an overhaul.

Wow, you said so many things that are just plain stupid it's mind boggling. 1st point, so now fans cheering in the stands is the difference between Iowa being a winning program and Indiana and Minnesota not? Are you serious? It has nothing to do with the coaches right? Just fans in the seats guarantees success?

Stupid point #2 winning college football is not play the way Iowa plays. Wisconsin and Michigan St won their division and are a combined 20-4. They play the EXACT same style as Iowa. They just have done it better than us the last 2 years. So you are DEAD wrong.

Stupid point #3 - so now you are going to go back and say that we got lucky because of blocked field goal and a sack that turned into an INT return, but then completely disregard all of the unlucky plays that caused us to lose. That makes sense. How about an ineligble player for OSU making a ridiculous 4th and 13 play last year that no other QB in the country could have made? That game could have been a W. How about a blocked extra point by Wisconsin last year that allowed them to win the game instead of going to OT? Oh those don't count because they would make your argument weak. Gotcha.

Stupid point#4 - 4 top 8 finishes in 10 years, 2 BCS bowls, 2 Big Ten titles, 6 bowl wins (all against quality teams). You're right, historically that is very sub par for Iowa standards.

OWNED! GTFO you bandwagon wanna be fan.

 

[DwayneTwill]

Great column by Howe.

 

[JohnstonHawkeye]

Hey bud,

Your stupid point 2 is stupid on your part, wisky and msu play to WIN, not to not lose and their coaches know how to make in game adjustments ours don't, so don't be a total d-bag

 

[bud2380]

Hey bud,

Your stupid point 2 is stupid on your part, wisky and msu play to WIN, not to not lose and their coaches know how to make in game adjustments ours don't, so don't be a total d-bag

Yeah, that makes sense. We don't make in game adjustments. You're probably right. How about some actual facts instead of just talking out of your a$$.

 

[hawkfan2679]

Wow, you said so many things that are just plain stupid it's mind boggling. 1st point, so now fans cheering in the stands is the difference between Iowa being a winning program and Indiana and Minnesota not? Are you serious? It has nothing to do with the coaches right? Just fans in the seats guarantees success?

Stupid point #2 winning college football is not play the way Iowa plays. Wisconsin and Michigan St won their division and are a combined 20-4. They play the EXACT same style as Iowa. They just have done it better than us the last 2 years. So you are DEAD wrong.

Stupid point #3 - so now you are going to go back and say that we got lucky because of blocked field goal and a sack that turned into an INT return, but then completely disregard all of the unlucky plays that caused us to lose. That makes sense. How about an ineligble player for OSU making a ridiculous 4th and 13 play last year that no other QB in the country could have made? That game could have been a W. How about a blocked extra point by Wisconsin last year that allowed them to win the game instead of going to OT? Oh those don't count because they would make your argument weak. Gotcha.

Stupid point#4 - 4 top 8 finishes in 10 years, 2 BCS bowls, 2 Big Ten titles, 6 bowl wins (all against quality teams). You're right, historically that is very sub par for Iowa standards.

OWNED! GTFO you bandwagon wanna be fan.

Wow is right..

1) Fan support = $$$; clever of you not to mention the facilities in your clearly superior response

2) I'm going to give you Michigan State, as they style is a little more like what we do. But Wisconsin's style is nearly as EXACT as you might think it is. Sure, both teams utilize play action as a big part of their passing game, but take a look at the size of the Wisconsin OL...you aren't going to recruit those size of guys if you are going to run a zone blocking scheme. Iowa's scheme is heavily zone based (we've only within the last year started running more of the true power stuff, with a pulling lineman and a FB). If Wisconsin can plug a big guy in for a big guy in the case of an injury/graduation, it's considerably different than Iowa, where apparently it takes until October before "gelling" takes place (that's why we almost always lose a game in September, right? The OL hadn't gelled yet?)

3) How many times in the HISTORY of college football has a team blocked two consecutive field goals? Only slightly less exceptional was the pinball interception against Indiana...in a discussion about "luck" you want to put those up against a play a guy made on 4th and 13? Iowa failing to maintain proper rush angles =/= luck. The blocked PAT against Wiscy? That happened in the first quarter...you serious Clark? Maybe you should have included how unlucky it was that Wisconsin actually did their homework vs. Iowa's punt return team and ran a fake where we were nowhere to be found. Of course, we're making a habit of special teams gaffes so that probably wouldn't apply either.

4) 4 top 8 finishes in 10 years - 1 in last 7 years
2 BCS bowls - 1 since 2002
2 Big Ten titles - last occurred in 2004
6 bowl wins (all against quality teams) - Finally, this one worked!


On the subject of the article, I think it was pretty spot on.

 

[PatrickAdamovicz]

I was so frustrated over this season that I looked at nearly every team on our schedule's most updated depth chart and only three schools don't suffer significant losses. Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska have a chance to remain where they are or improve. The rest, especially the ooc opponents have key losses to both sides. This year's schedule was soft but next season is downright easy. If Iowa doesn't have a bounce back season next year than something will be systemically wrong with the staff.

I think what your failing to realize and history will show it, is that it doesn't matter how many players other teams lose to graduation. Ferentz ball keeps even the significantly lesser talented teams in games. And like it has played out, it's then a 50/50, bounce of the ball scenario your getting yourself into. Kirk needs to understand that you can't let these lesser talented teams hang around, which I'm sure he does understand, but for whatever reason he does nothing to fix it.

 

[bud2380]

Wow is right..

1) Fan support = $$$; clever of you not to mention the facilities in your clearly superior response

2) I'm going to give you Michigan State, as they style is a little more like what we do. But Wisconsin's style is nearly as EXACT as you might think it is. Sure, both teams utilize play action as a big part of their passing game, but take a look at the size of the Wisconsin OL...you aren't going to recruit those size of guys if you are going to run a zone blocking scheme. Iowa's scheme is heavily zone based (we've only within the last year started running more of the true power stuff, with a pulling lineman and a FB). If Wisconsin can plug a big guy in for a big guy in the case of an injury/graduation, it's considerably different than Iowa, where apparently it takes until October before "gelling" takes place (that's why we almost always lose a game in September, right? The OL hadn't gelled yet?)

3) How many times in the HISTORY of college football has a team blocked two consecutive field goals? Only slightly less exceptional was the pinball interception against Indiana...in a discussion about "luck" you want to put those up against a play a guy made on 4th and 13? Iowa failing to maintain proper rush angles =/= luck. The blocked PAT against Wiscy? That happened in the first quarter...you serious Clark? Maybe you should have included how unlucky it was that Wisconsin actually did their homework vs. Iowa's punt return team and ran a fake where we were nowhere to be found. Of course, we're making a habit of special teams gaffes so that probably wouldn't apply either.

4) 4 top 8 finishes in 10 years - 1 in last 7 years
2 BCS bowls - 1 since 2002
2 Big Ten titles - last occurred in 2004
6 bowl wins (all against quality teams) - Finally, this one worked!


On the subject of the article, I think it was pretty spot on.

#1 are you serious? So again, simply fans in the seats guarantees success? Not a chance. If it was as simple as pumping money into a program everyone would be 12-0 every year. Every team in the Big Ten is putting money into their programs. New facilities, higher paid coaches, etc. That alone does not equate to victories. I'm sorry but the actual coaches still do play some part in the game.

#2 - Wisconsin and Iowa run extremely similar offenses. Of course personnel is going to be different. More or less you agreed with me on this one.

#3 - my point was very clearly stated, you cannot point out the plays where the ball bounced our way and ignore the plays where the ball didn't bounce our way. So absolutely you can compare blocked field goals to blocked extra points, fake punts, etc. Each of those plays required at least one person to make a good play. None of it was dumb luck. Even Sash's INT. it was a result of pressure on the Indiana QB. It's not like he handed the ball to Sash and said here you go. So, yeah I'm serious Clark. Are you?

#4 - How many teams not named Ohio St have won more than 2 Big Ten titles in the last 10 years? ZERO. Iowa 2, Michigan 2, Penn St 2. We finished 7th in the nation in 2009. The way most Hawk fans talk, you guys wish 2009 wouldn't have happened, because then firing Ferentz would be a slam dunk in your minds. About 15 months ago this program was at an all time high. Yeah, things have been disappointing since then, but seriously in 15 months you go from Ferentz being revered to being kicked out of town, all because we are 15-10 in that time span? It's ridiculously short sighted. But that is society today. I know you will be cheering for another disappointing year next year so you have something to ***** about, but I'm hoping we make improvements next year, and I know with certainty in my mind a coaching change will set this program back several years. It's not as easy as people want to believe.

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

I'm not sure what all the negativism on this board accomplishes. Does this board want a new coach? It is not going to happen so long as Ferentz leads them to bowl games. Sorry, but it is not happening.

If Iowa goes 5-7 next year, then you might have a shot.

Why not support this year's team and get excited about the bowl game? I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. We look like a bunch of spoiled fans (which I really think we are).

I think Howe was spot on ... I don't think any of us are not going to "support" the team in its bowl game. You think we are "spoiled fans?" If anything, we are very patient fans. We are more patient than a lot of other programs who pay their coach the salary Kirk pulls in. Do you think fans at Tennessee, Auburn, Michigan, and the likes are spoiled too? Iowa is on a slippery slope. We are showing signs of becoming an average program. To keep the blinders on is the last thing fans should do ...

 

[bud2380]

I think Howe was spot on ... I don't think any of us are not going to "support" the team in its bowl game. You think we are "spoiled fans?" If anything, we are very patient fans. We are more patient than a lot of other programs who pay their coach the salary Kirk pulls in. Do you think fans at Tennessee, Auburn, Michigan, and the likes are spoiled too? Iowa is on a slippery slope. We are showing signs of becoming an average program. To keep the blinders on is the last thing fans should do ...

The problem with most Hawkeye fans is that many now feel a sense of entitlement due to the tremendous success we have had under Ferentz, particularly from 2002-2004. So the new norm for Iowa became 10 wins and BCS bowls and/or Big Ten titles. Unfortunately those are unrealistic expectations and whenever they are not met, they will come with calls for KF's head. That is the reality.