The Only Way This Mess Can End Well.

It's time to shake up the staff

Fire the OL coach
Move Brian Ferentz back to OL coach
Move Jon Budmayr to new OC and QB coach.

It is definitely clear at this point that last year was an anomaly. Yea, they won 10 games but it was largely due to the defense, and in particular, the NCAA leading INT's and returns for TD's. Without that, Iowa would be lucky to be 7-5, IMO. The offensive woes were masked last year, and they have come to the surface this season. No way was Iowa going to be able to sustain that turnover production on defense.
 
This would take planning and foresight. The only event that required planning and foresight that this athletic department and program have successfully pulled off was the installation of Brian Ferentz as coordinator.
True, and I don't think the scenario I outlined is necessarily likely. That said, I think Kirk will do some hard thinking about options after the season. Unless O'Brien lands a head job somewhere, not sure Brian will have many opportunities (even as an OL coach). I think these next six weeks will be uncomfortable enough that Kirk won't want to stay status quo next year - particularly as it relates to Brian and the further damage that will be done to his hiring profile down the road. I can't see him bringing in an OC from the outside either. Setting up a situation where Brian can go back to being an OL coach and off the radar would probably be best for his long term prospects - including the potential to stay in Iowa City for several more years.

Guys that don't like change sometimes take a long time to process their circumstances. I'm guessing Kirk might do quite a bit of processing over the next few months.
 
True, and I don't think the scenario I outlined is necessarily likely. That said, I think Kirk will do some hard thinking about options after the season. Unless O'Brien lands a head job somewhere, not sure Brian will have many opportunities (even as an OL coach). I think these next six weeks will be uncomfortable enough that Kirk won't want to stay status quo next year - particularly as it relates to Brian and the further damage that will be done to his hiring profile down the road. I can't see him bringing in an OC from the outside either. Setting up a situation where Brian can go back to being an OL coach and off the radar would probably be best for his long term prospects - including the potential to stay in Iowa City for several more years.

Guys that don't like change sometimes take a long time to process their circumstances. I'm guessing Kirk might do quite a bit of processing over the next few months.

I am not sure this would ever happen, but I wonder. Paul Chryst is out of a head job now. Would Kirk bring him in as OC since he has ties to the BIG, is disgruntled toward Wisky and prob runs the most similar kind of style that Iowa does in FBS? Chryst may be one of a few that could run what KF wants (this in KF's eyes), has a proven track record as OC, and could be a yes man to KF. He might be the most natural fit. I feel Ferentz has a lot of respect for Chryst and thinks he was wronged. I think Chryst prob has a lot of respect for Ferentz.

Pair him with that advisor/coach Budmayer and you have a natural situation and a couple guys who will really boner up when playing Wisky, who typically is vying for the top spot in the division.

This may be the play. MAKE IT HAPPEN BARTA! Go get him while you can.
 
This isn't going to end well. There were several junctions where it could have in the past but it's just not.

Brian isn't getting hired by any D1 program and only out a wild card D2. His best bet is to coach at an out of the way small HS and learn to get along with players, parents, admins and the public in general.

Look at the wins that Iowa has since PSU last year. It's not pretty.

KF has basically the exact team he has minus maybe he would like a bit more blocking ability at RB, another TE or 2 and more experience on the line (age). This is KF's dream team...almost and the closest thing he's had to it.

We all thought it was cool as the Hawks won games with little offense. That cannot maintain (though they almost did it again). From here on out, everyone wants a piece of Iowa and will be hyped.

This has little to do with power I. It has little to do with KFs age. It has everything to do with KF and as he got more of what he wanted, the worse it became.

You can't build a long term program on development tactics involving extreme methods using marginal players and fondly calling it a development program.

Iowa is solid on D and now a complete kicking game. The Hawks do have talent, though as I mentioned, the D line though good and doing what they need to do and solid by any standards, just isn't good enough to completely shut teams down. The d backfield is almost that good.
 
Brian isn't getting hired by anyone, regardless of his coaching abilities. Not before May of next year.
For the same reason he is probably not being made available to reporters, even if it's ostensibly to talk about a game they just played. (I keep forgetting about that).
It will remain to be seen in late spring whether he will ever work in football again. Or, at least, for a long, long time.

Kirk is walking a tightrope, made even more narrow and bouncy by this programatic (on the offense) collapse and seemingly preferential treatment he's given his son at Petras' expense. I hope he can thread the needle. I would like nothing more than to see him retire at a reasonable juncture, in good graces of Hawkeye fans.

In my sole, non-expert, lack of real information, based on nothing but my own thoughts...
The chances of that have fallen from 85% to 65%.

If Kirk loses me, it's over. And it's going to be over for Barta. And it's going to be a severe mess that could take years to recover from. Which might not be possible in this new era of college football.
 
A few things -

1) Kirk does not throw people under the bus, especially his Son
2) Kirk does not like to fire people, he gives them the dignity of moving on
3) Kirk belives Brian is a good coach
4) Offense is Kirk's blind spot -Kirk has a different standard for offensive out put than you and me.


It could be that the former O-line coach was lacking..lacking in talent identification and retention. And that is why they have this problem. If that's the case don't expect a change

If the current OLine coach is considered good, but the talent is lacking, don't expect a change.

If the Oline coaching is considered lacking, he will move on

We'll begin the analysis there...

now the WR issue is not a coaching issue,

the QB issue is not a coaching issue

So, given that "Brian is a good coach" we're left with the status quo
 
I am not sure this would ever happen, but I wonder. Paul Chryst is out of a head job now. Would Kirk bring him in as OC since he has ties to the BIG, is disgruntled toward Wisky and prob runs the most similar kind of style that Iowa does in FBS? Chryst may be one of a few that could run what KF wants (this in KF's eyes), has a proven track record as OC, and could be a yes man to KF. He might be the most natural fit. I feel Ferentz has a lot of respect for Chryst and thinks he was wronged. I think Chryst prob has a lot of respect for Ferentz.

Pair him with that advisor/coach Budmayer and you have a natural situation and a couple guys who will really boner up when playing Wisky, who typically is vying for the top spot in the division.

This may be the play. MAKE IT HAPPEN BARTA! Go get him while you can.
I wouldn't mind seeing Chryst as our OC. Or, as Guffus pointed out, possible Budmayr. Both have backgrounds with a similar offensive philosophy and Kirk wouldn't have to be seen as trying to reinvent the wheel, which he wouldn't care for. A new set of experienced eyes, even with a similar offense, could go a long way to putting us back on track.
 
I am not sure this would ever happen, but I wonder. Paul Chryst is out of a head job now. Would Kirk bring him in as OC since he has ties to the BIG, is disgruntled toward Wisky and prob runs the most similar kind of style that Iowa does in FBS? Chryst may be one of a few that could run what KF wants (this in KF's eyes), has a proven track record as OC, and could be a yes man to KF. He might be the most natural fit. I feel Ferentz has a lot of respect for Chryst and thinks he was wronged. I think Chryst prob has a lot of respect for Ferentz.

Pair him with that advisor/coach Budmayer and you have a natural situation and a couple guys who will really boner up when playing Wisky, who typically is vying for the top spot in the division.

This may be the play. MAKE IT HAPPEN BARTA! Go get him while you can.

I can't think of a single reason why Paul Chryst would do that.
 
A few things -

1) Kirk does not throw people under the bus, especially his Son
2) Kirk does not like to fire people, he gives them the dignity of moving on
3) Kirk belives Brian is a good coach
4) Offense is Kirk's blind spot -Kirk has a different standard for offensive out put than you and me.

Fair enough. I generally think these are 'strengths' for Kirk.
If, the rest of the things you note somehow knit together. They have, more often than not. Which, is why I'm team Kirk.

But, he's letting Petras get thrown under the bus. Again, not saying Petras is good or anything. But damn. Sure looks like he's choosing his son over his player. And that's just not good.
 
I believe the headline of this thread was "How things could end well."
Well, in the short term, one way would be for the Hawks to lose to Ohio State, then reel off 5 straight wins vs West Division opponents while those teams are beating themselves up, leaving the Hawks to win the West with a 6-3 record while owning the tie-breaker over every West team other than Illinois. And then of course going on to steamroll Ohio State in the BTen championship game.
You asked.
 
I believe the headline of this thread was "How things could end well."
Well, in the short term, one way would be for the Hawks to lose to Ohio State, then reel off 5 straight wins vs West Division opponents while those teams are beating themselves up, leaving the Hawks to win the West with a 6-3 record while owning the tie-breaker over every West team other than Illinois. And then of course going on to steamroll Ohio State in the BTen championship game.
You asked.

Can one use "Hawks" and "Steamroll" in the same sentence this season?
 
Kirk is not going to fire Brian, but he has to know that Brian right now is probably unemployable as a coach outside of the Hawks. No Division 1 team (FBS or FCS) is going to hire Brian as a HC or OC, because they know how awful the Iowa offense is under his command. And there will be baggage attached to Brian from the issues that ultimately got Doyle fired. There was a lot of talk that Brian was just as guilty as Doyle. So social media will bring all of that up anytime Brian goes to interview for even position coach jobs.

The best scenario would be for Ferentz to say fixing the OL is priority #1 next year, and he's going to put Brian in charge of the OL. Then he'll find some old conservative OC to come in and maintain the status quo for a few more years (similar to O'Keefe, Davis, etc) until he retires.
 
Kirk is not going to fire Brian, but he has to know that Brian right now is probably unemployable as a coach outside of the Hawks. No Division 1 team (FBS or FCS) is going to hire Brian as a HC or OC, because they know how awful the Iowa offense is under his command. And there will be baggage attached to Brian from the issues that ultimately got Doyle fired. There was a lot of talk that Brian was just as guilty as Doyle. So social media will bring all of that up anytime Brian goes to interview for even position coach jobs.

The best scenario would be for Ferentz to say fixing the OL is priority #1 next year, and he's going to put Brian in charge of the OL. Then he'll find some old conservative OC to come in and maintain the status quo for a few more years (similar to O'Keefe, Davis, etc) until he retires.
Exactly what I said... Kirk needs to go more than Brian.
 
It’s fairly straight forward here. KF isn’t going to remove BF. KF will retire this winter before all the law suits against him and the university come up and the next coach will have to deal with BF
 
A few things -

1) Kirk does not throw people under the bus, especially his Son
2) Kirk does not like to fire people, he gives them the dignity of moving on
3) Kirk belives Brian is a good coach
4) Offense is Kirk's blind spot -Kirk has a different standard for offensive out put than you and me.


It could be that the former O-line coach was lacking..lacking in talent identification and retention. And that is why they have this problem. If that's the case don't expect a change

If the current OLine coach is considered good, but the talent is lacking, don't expect a change.

If the Oline coaching is considered lacking, he will move on

We'll begin the analysis there...

now the WR issue is not a coaching issue,

the QB issue is not a coaching issue

So, given that "Brian is a good coach" we're left with the status quo
Adam Robinson disagrees about the bus.
 
Dude, this guy lived in Section 8 housing when he was in college while his old man was earning close to $4 million per annum. To attribute any sort of normal morality or self awareness to him is pretty hard.
Wait did the government give him section 8 voucher’s?
 
Dude, this guy lived in Section 8 housing when he was in college while his old man was earning close to $4 million per annum. To attribute any sort of normal morality or self awareness to him is pretty hard.

Exactly, who walks away from $900,000 a year. Where’s he going to go for work after this mess…………. Taco Bell? (Cue the Taco Bell bell).
 
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