The bottom line

[Gibsonian]

He has more P5 starts than ISUs third string QB and yet their guy seems to be doing just fine with a worse offensive line, little used tight ends, and a back not nearly as explosive as AW.

The big difference here is the OC position, and the experience here, and possibly ability, dunno on the last one, way too early to tell. Manning did a nice job last year with a complete reboot at ISU, now is killing it. He's good and has decent experience at that position.

We have just as much ability if not more on the Iowa offensive side, player wise. We are not able to utilize it, maximize it, with our system, our staff. That is the bottom line. It's a work in process, and is hard to watch at times as we all can attest.

We have seemingly but one way to go, which is up. Hope it starts today, and we can see it Saturday.

 

[SheagleHawk]

Thanks for making my point that much more concrete...

Thanks for not answering the question. What exactly do you want to credit KF with for the past 6 years? If you say 2015, point to any team that was considered a good/great win.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Thanks for not answering the question. What exactly do you want to credit KF with for the past 6 years? If you say 2015, point to any team that was considered a good/great win.

In other words, you're proving my point by saying he deserves no credit for 2015. Thanks for playing.

 

[InGoodCo]

No credit for the schools first undefeated regular season ever. Haha. They beat 2 top 25 teams, Pitt was decent - had road wins at Wisci, Nebraska, Northwestern and ISU - defeated ALL of their rival and trophy games in 1 season and played the #5 team down to the last seconds/play of the game. If he gets NO credit for that, how can at the same time hold him bad seasons against him?

 

[cincyhawk]

What do you know another sissyhawk post after a loss. You are probably the only one who isn't excited for bball.

With Iowa basketball, my approach has become I'll believe it in January. Fran's teams have tended to fade out as the season goes along.

 

[SheagleHawk]

No credit for the schools first undefeated regular season ever. Haha. They beat 2 top 25 teams, Pitt was decent - had road wins at Wisci, Nebraska, Northwestern and ISU - defeated ALL of their rival and trophy games in 1 season and played the #5 team down to the last seconds/play of the game. If he gets NO credit for that, how can at the same time hold him bad seasons against him?

No credit for the schools first undefeated regular season ever. Haha. They beat 2 top 25 teams, Pitt was decent - had road wins at Wisci, Nebraska, Northwestern and ISU - defeated ALL of their rival and trophy games in 1 season and played the #5 team down to the last seconds/play of the game. If he gets NO credit for that, how can at the same time hold him bad seasons against him?

Nebraska won 6 games that year. NW and Sparty, just like Iowa, got blown out and exposed in their bowl games. He's always good at muddying up the badger game to give Iowa a chance to win in a game that sets football back 50 years.The Big 10 west was really bad in 2015 (everyone knows it and the media has made sure everyone knows it).So I guess credit should go to Kirk for taking advantage of a bad West division that year. I guess that doesn't really get me all that excited.

 

[SheagleHawk]

With Iowa basketball, my approach has become I'll believe it in January. Fran's teams have tended to fade out as the season goes along.

That was due to the mental make up of a few guys who started for a long time. This team is completely different. If you're not pumped about this season, and the next couple, you better check your pulse. This team has scorers all over the floor. If Fran can get them playing solid D, we should be a tough out every single night. We're gonna put up some points and be really hard to defend.

 

[HawkInATX]

Everyone agrees that he’s part of the problem but he’s not going anywhere and his kid is going to coach this team long term after him. There is zero you or anyone else here is going to do about it.

We all know you hate Ferentz, reading it ad nauseum from you gets hard on the eyes.

I'm not so sure that Brian is the anointed next one anymore. The more I look at it, the more I feel like he moves on to be a coordinator somewhere else after Kirk retires. BF gets more experience and then maybe comes back to take over after the next guy. He's still really young, and running an offense against non-B1G teams will hopefully add to his repertoire. But I think that a lot of this speculation (and I am just speculating) is predicated on Gary Barta not being the AD when UI hires the next head coach.

 

[InGoodCo]

It's pretty easy - If Iowa is good over the next 3 to 4 seasons, it'll be BF - if they are not, there's NO way he gets the gig. So far, not off to a great start.

 

[Fryowa]

I'm not so sure that Brian is the anointed next one anymore. The more I look at it, the more I feel like he moves on to be a coordinator somewhere else after Kirk retires. BF gets more experience and then maybe comes back to take over after the next guy. He's still really young, and running an offense against non-B1G teams will hopefully add to his repertoire. But I think that a lot of this speculation (and I am just speculating) is predicated on Gary Barta not being the AD when UI hires the next head coach.

It's pretty easy - If Iowa is good over the next 3 to 4 seasons, it'll be BF - if they are not, there's NO way he gets the gig. So far, not off to a great start.

I'm not a psychic and you guys make valid points, but the people paying the bills,---the ones with buildings and complexes named after them---have shown for a couple decades now that they are totally fine with 7-5 as long as there are:

1) No scandals or other illegalities brought down on the U (Kirk Ferentz is the best coach who's ever lived in that regard, when something happens he spits that kid or coach out to the curb like it was battery acid in his mouth).

2) An exceptional season tossed in there every 7-8 years.

He does both of those things very well and as much as I hate to say it I think BF will be a chip off the old block.

Waaaaaaaaaaaay too much money which will keep him from ever feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable, and a contract that will run past his own kids' college years.

 

[Fryowa]

I'm not so sure that Brian is the anointed next one anymore. The more I look at it, the more I feel like he moves on to be a coordinator somewhere else after Kirk retires. BF gets more experience and then maybe comes back to take over after the next guy. He's still really young, and running an offense against non-B1G teams will hopefully add to his repertoire. But I think that a lot of this speculation (and I am just speculating) is predicated on Gary Barta not being the AD when UI hires the next head coach.

At a school like Iowa, the biggest members of the donor base are going to tell Gary Barta (or whoever happens to be in the seat at that time) who the coach is going to be. Money talks and at Iowa there are bigger and more important fish than football such as the Hospital, research departments, etc for the admin to worry about. At other schools like Alabama, etc. that's not the case. Football is the big dog in town.

We are starkly different from Wisconsin, where they went and got an AD who actually knows what football is, takes the program by the balls, and puts coaches in place that win.

The difference between us and a program like that is why we can't have nice things.

 

[InGoodCo]

My guess is Iowa ends up 6-6 or 7-5 this season - one of the next 2 seasons will be a WEST title/Rose Bowl type of season and Ferentz will try and hand it off.

 

[cincyhawk]

That was due to the mental make up of a few guys who started for a long time. This team is completely different. If you're not pumped about this season, and the next couple, you better check your pulse. This team has scorers all over the floor. If Fran can get them playing solid D, we should be a tough out every single night. We're gonna put up some points and be really hard to defend.

I'm excited about the potential - but I'm nervous about experience, injuries, and the gauntlet that is Big 10 basketball. They could be the best Iowa team in a decade, and they'll still finish just inside the top half of the league.

I've been excited about the potential before with Fran. Until they actually do something on the floor, consistently, in conference play, his teams will be paper tigers to me.

SI projects them at 8-10 in the B1G. That's not gonna make the NCAA.

As far as the Bball program is concerned, Iowa hasn't made the Sweet 16 since 1999. It was 1988 before that. They haven't won a conference tourney since 2006. No regular season championship since 1979. Iowa finished 2015 - 2016 #25 in the country. They was the first time since 06.

Major Sports at Iowa haven't been all that great in a very long time, and they've been trading water. Until that trend is halted, I'll continue to be skeptical.

 

[SheagleHawk]

I'm excited about the potential - but I'm nervous about experience, injuries, and the gauntlet that is Big 10 basketball. They could be the best Iowa team in a decade, and they'll still finish just inside the top half of the league.

I've been excited about the potential before with Fran. Until they actually do something on the floor, consistently, in conference play, his teams will be paper tigers to me.

SI projects them at 8-10 in the B1G. That's not gonna make the NCAA.

As far as the Bball program is concerned, Iowa hasn't made the Sweet 16 since 1999. It was 1988 before that. They haven't won a conference tourney since 2006. No regular season championship since 1979. Iowa finished 2015 - 2016 #25 in the country. They was the first time since 06.

Major Sports at Iowa haven't been all that great in a very long time, and they've been trading water. Until that trend is halted, I'll continue to be skeptical.

Fair enough.

 

[cincyhawk]

At a school like Iowa, the biggest members of the donor base are going to tell Gary Barta (or whoever happens to be in the seat at that time) who the coach is going to be. Money talks and at Iowa there are bigger and more important fish than football such as the Hospital, research departments, etc for the admin to worry about. At other schools like Alabama, etc. that's not the case. Football is the big dog in town.

We are starkly different from Wisconsin, where they went and got an AD who actually knows what football is, takes the program by the balls, and puts coaches in place that win.

The difference between us and a program like that is why we can't have nice things.

Going with Deace's theme - the next guy is the opposite of the previous guy - I'd expect another A.D. like Bump Elliot, who will try to make a splash. The donors may be happy with their advertising dollars in the stadium for now, but if attendance plummets like it did in basketball, (and it still hasn't recovered from 2014) a change will be made. Many programs outside of athletics depend on football's ability to bring lots of eyeballs to the U.

 

[OkstHawk]

No credit for the schools first undefeated regular season ever. Haha. They beat 2 top 25 teams, Pitt was decent - had road wins at Wisci, Nebraska, Northwestern and ISU - defeated ALL of their rival and trophy games in 1 season and played the #5 team down to the last seconds/play of the game. If he gets NO credit for that, how can at the same time hold him bad seasons against him?

Yes he gets credit for Wisconsin fumbling on the goal line. Lol.

To be fair, we saw a much more aggressive KF in 2015. If you recall, the fan base was fed up in 2014 and that got inside of Ft Kinnick. Lucky for KF the schedule set up just perfectly and we got help like that referenced above.

 

[The Big LeHAWKski]

Ferentz's system lives or dies by the zone blocking schemes he uses. The offense is built around the blocking scheme. Iowa is run to set up the pass. Both tackle spots are very inexperienced. I'm not sure the guys on the interior are near 100 percent healthy. The long pass hasn't been a factor, making the field shorter for opposing defenses.

The weak offensive line is a limiting factor. Stanley's inexperience is a limiting factor. Ferentz's basics approach to offense is a limiting factor.

Iowa's approach to offense under Ferentz has always been the same. Opposing defenses know what is coming. Iowa either exerts it's will on opponents or dies trying.

You Sir, just nailed it.

 

[Stanzi]

He has more P5 starts than ISUs third string QB and yet their guy seems to be doing just fine with a worse offensive line, little used tight ends, and a back not nearly as explosive as AW.

The offensive line is debatable. We've looked pretty below average most of the season. It's actually really sad how poorly the line has run blocked. ISU has much more experienced and talented WR's. Montgomery is nearly as explosive as Wadley. The QB argument is valid but at the same time the guy is a 5th year senior, and Stanley is a true sophomore. Regardless, we should be better than Iowa State, and right now we're not, and that's unacceptable.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

The big difference here is the OC position, and the experience here, and possibly ability, dunno on the last one, way too early to tell. Manning did a nice job last year with a complete reboot at ISU, now is killing it. He's good and has decent experience at that position.

We have just as much ability if not more on the Iowa offensive side, player wise. We are not able to utilize it, maximize it, with our system, our staff. That is the bottom line. It's a work in process, and is hard to watch at times as we all can attest.

We have seemingly but one way to go, which is up. Hope it starts today, and we can see it Saturday.

Yes, I forgot to mention the inexperience of our new OC. Having experience on staff helps quite a bit, but I have to think some of those close games might have come up with a win with an experienced OC.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Why is Stanley still inexperienced? The biggest issue is the last one you mentioned.

Iowa doesn't get many Drew Tate type guys that come in extremely well prepared and can quickly adapt, Stanley has some tools and has done well, but at the same time he has had issues to work through on almost all aspects of his game. The type of pro style offense Iowa runs requires a fair amount of basic proficiency and awareness. That is one of the big reasons most college programs have long since moved away from that style of play. The coaching staff tries to keep the playbook simple while the quarterback gains proficiency.

Poor offensive line play has thrown a monkey wrench into Iowa's play action game. Opposing defenses are selling out. They aggressively attack across the faces of the offensive tackles and run blitz linebackers into the gaps or defensive backs aggressively attacking the edges. This has been a way to clog up Iowa's offense for many many years now. I remember a number of years back, a rather mediocre Arkansas State defense putting a clinic on how to tie up a rather experienced Iowa offense. It's a good thing Stanzi had a few good long passes in him that game. Ugly win. Stanley isn't hitting those long passes and he is rarely making opposing defenses pay for selling out.