Most times where we have shown what looks like offensive power is when we have far superior talent than the opponent. That only seems to happen when we are playing the bottom half teams of major conferences or we are playing against teams from what is considered lower rated football divisions. Even then the upper tier in some of the other lower divisions give us problems.
I used to roll my eyes over the years when some would come on the sports forums and state the game has passed Kirk by. I think there is some truth to this in that he is hindered into a conservative mindset offensively. Like what some of the sports commentators were saying after the games when reviewing who won and who lost. “New QB, good tight ends, but same plays!” Kirk has not departed from what he has done all these years regardless of the talent pool he has to work with.
It’s been successful as far as achieving a respectable win loss record. However it has limitations that will never allow him to achieve true greatness as in winning a Big Ten title let alone getting to the playoff series. Close one time like in 2015 but close only counts in certain games like horseshoes or darts. In football it ends in losses when all the marbles are on the line. We just can never put the right pieces together to get over the hump. Twenty-five years is a long enough proving ground for this.
Why is it tolerated? One only needs to look West at the Nebraska program and shudder to think this could happen to Iowa. We are competitive to an acceptable point by most Iowa fans. Never reaching the pinnacle of winning conferences titles or getting into the playoffs but competitive enough to give false hopes of some fans to ever get to the top of the mountain.
Wrigley Field is a beautiful park and setting for baseball on a warm summer day or evening. Sitting with your family, having a hotdog and soda and just being there and enjoying the moment together. It’s a beautiful thing. Kinnick offers the same types of experiences and throw in the end of the first quarter wave to the kids in the hospital and you have an awesome experience. Plus we do a good job of winning most games there. That’s all good from that perspective. So enjoy those types of experiences when ever you can have them. Conference championship? Playoff births? Doesn’t seem to be in the cards for Iowa Hawkeye football fans. One key injury to someone like Cade and you looking at a 7-5 team at best even with the weaker schedule this year. It is what it is.
