Thoughts on coaches.....

[loesshillshawk]

My problem with the current staff is there is, or seems to be, no assistant coach that really is the rah rah guy. They guy willing to get in guys grills, meets em on the field after great plays...I have been going to Iowa games regularly for more years then some of you are old. Kirk does a great job, but to me until he finds a guy or two that can bring the unbridled passion I see with the other staff's in this league we will continue to be mediocre and get out played by the other teams emotions. I watch with my binoculars every week...there is no coach like that on this staff...hell Doyle doesn't even do it. Kids need that in the game of football which is an emotional game. I have no issues with Kirk being the calming voice, but he needs a couple guys that let it all out in practice and in games. I loved the article someone put on the board about Stoops and how he wants to be a defensive coordinator again and get that connection with a group of guys that a head coach can't get.

 

[HawkeyeBK]

I was sitting directly behind the bench (45 yd line) and was surprised to: 1) see the coaches totally fired up and getting after the players, and 2) with few exceptions the players seemed somewhat indifferent. I have always been under the impression that Ferentz and staff were fairly stoic, no emotion, and I was surprised to see that was/is not the case. Yes, even Captain Kirk. Not to say there couldn't be some room to improve.

 

[loesshillshawk]

I was sitting directly behind the bench (45 yd line) and was surprised to: 1) see the coaches totally fired up and getting after the players, and 2) with few exceptions the players seemed somewhat indifferent. I have always been under the impression that Ferentz and staff were fairly stoic, no emotion, and I was surprised to see that was/is not the case. Yes, even Captain Kirk. Not to say there couldn't be some room to improve.

In game they occasionally get a little fired up at the boys. Watch a top level coaching staff, and the rapport they have with their guys. Meeting them half way out on the field, high fives...you don't see those things with this staff.

 

[MoseSchrute]

2) with few exceptions the players seemed somewhat indifferent.

Well, that's not a good sign.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

I was sitting directly behind the bench (45 yd line) and was surprised to: 1) see the coaches totally fired up and getting after the players, and 2) with few exceptions the players seemed somewhat indifferent. I have always been under the impression that Ferentz and staff were fairly stoic, no emotion, and I was surprised to see that was/is not the case. Yes, even Captain Kirk. Not to say there couldn't be some room to improve.

When did you see this the 4th quarter?

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

I think that is where the shakeup needs to occur. Look at Chizik ... didn't do much at ISU ... then dumped his staff when he went to Auburn; hired some top assistants ... and voila ... he looks like a coaching genius ... It's time to shake this staff up ...

 

[GoHawks24]

I think that is where the shakeup needs to occur. Look at Chizik ... didn't do much at ISU ... then dumped his staff when he went to Auburn; hired some top assistants ... and voila ... he looks like a coaching genius ... It's time to shake this staff up ...

You don't seriously think that the main reason Chizik was successful at Auburn is because he shaked up his staff, do you?

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

In game they occasionally get a little fired up at the boys. Watch a top level coaching staff, and the rapport they have with their guys. Meeting them half way out on the field, high fives...you don't see those things with this staff.

You know, that's all we've really needed. Kenny O'Keefe sprinting 30 yards to slap Brad Herman on the a$$ while screaming at him to "give me some skin" and Kirk leaping like Kobe Bryant to chest bump McNutt, encouraging him to "keep makin' it rain on those b*tches, Marvin."

Despite the months of recruiting, film sessions and practices, clearly a 5 minute tutorial on fist and chest bumps is what is separating these coaches from top 5 staffs.

 

[RocknRollface]

Serious question, how much leeway would a guy like Stoops be given to run his style of defense, what ever that may be?

Ive never been sure how much of the D is Norms and how much is dictated by KF. I have a hunch a new DC would be told to run the same exact bend don't break.

Kok clearly does not run his own offense because he ran something totally different as a head coach. He runs Kirks limited low risk offense.

Both O and D need to be overhauled to be more aggressive but I don't think a new OC would be given much of any leeway to change the O.

However a new OC could certainly help the QB run this O better by simply being smarter, recognizing blitzes, getting the plays in quicker so he has time to read the D, being less predictable, and not randomly going away from something when it is working, like KOK did with Coker on Saturday.

 

[NewMexHawk]

It would not matter who Ferentz hired as defensive or offensive coordinator, he would tie his hands their hands and make them do exactly what he wants them to do. New coaches would not get much leeway and I doubt much would change. Ferentz himself has to be willing to adapt and change and I doubt he has that in him.

 

[TerminatorHawk]

Swirlin': I think you are failing to assign enough value to the importance of the things you describe with tongue in cheek to an 18-22 year old kid. Anyone see the video of the Okie State coach doing that stupid dance in the locker room? Do I EVER expect KF to do something like that? Hell no. However, I don't think for one second that the kids in that locker room didn't think it was the greatest thing ever. Football is an extremely emotional sport. When was the last time you saw our guys coming out of the lokcer room with clearly SO MUCH energy and excitement that they looked like they were going to pop out of their jerseys. Like they couldn't contain themselves from jumping all over eachother and pumping fists like they were playing the biggest game of their life. This isn't baseball, you only have to "get up" 12 times a year. Emotion in football, maybe more so than any other sport, can cover up a lot of mistakes in execution and a talent gap at times.

 

[ssckelley]

No chest bumps? Get rid of all of them!

Seriously, none of this has changed in the past 10 years. This whole lack of passion/emotion on the sideline has nothing to do with why this team is not winning. Ranting and raving on the sidelines does nothing but make the coaches look like idiots.

 

[STILLBUSTER]

Same as it's been for the last 6 seasons ...

Incredibly loyal. Outstanding representatives of the University. Great men.

Strict adherence to a very traditional football dogma concerning scheme, strategy and execution blinds them from recognizing actual game flow, situational momentum, player performance (who's "hot") and when to take smart, calculated risks. When they do dabble in this risk-taking they generally fail due to being woefully unprepared and inept in timing (thus, reinforcing the dogma).

Over the past couple seasons have at least begun to break free of experience always trumping talent and but still have far to go to accept the risk / reward trade-off that comes with youthful, talented mistakes versus less talented experienced technique.

As loess pointed out, discount their roles as "motivators". Excellent technicians but tend to let their jobs end there and expect the "thrill of the game at this level" to be enough to drive these young men.

All things considered ... will always field a competitive team that is 8 or 9 wins on paper but performs like 6 or 7 wins on the field.

 

[loesshillshawk]

Swirlin': I think you are failing to assign enough value to the importance of the things you describe with tongue in cheek to an 18-22 year old kid. Anyone see the video of the Okie State coach doing that stupid dance in the locker room? Do I EVER expect KF to do something like that? Hell no. However, I don't think for one second that the kids in that locker room didn't think it was the greatest thing ever. Football is an extremely emotional sport. When was the last time you saw our guys coming out of the lokcer room with clearly SO MUCH energy and excitement that they looked like they were going to pop out of their jerseys. Like they couldn't contain themselves from jumping all over eachother and pumping fists like they were playing the biggest game of their life. This isn't baseball, you only have to "get up" 12 times a year. Emotion in football, maybe more so than any other sport, can cover up a lot of mistakes in execution and a talent gap at times.

I agree...remember Hayden doing the hokey pokey in the locker room after big wins???? Kids today need that from someone on staff...now maybe behind closed practices and doors they are getting it...I don't think so.