Was KOK Pushed out the door?

[The]

Why did we lose Ken O'Keefe?

Did he resign over KF's unwillingness to throw the ball downfield, thus resulting in the GDGD hire?

Or was he fired because KF does not like to throw the ball downfield, and GDGD just fits that philosophy?

After watching what KOK has done in Miami and to my beloved DA Bears this Sunday, I cannot help but pine for a return to the KOK era in Iowa City. Good times were had when our offense was the 50-60th best in the country.

 

[528646]

I'll throw my name out as someone who always supported kok & thought he really got scapegoated during lean years. No one was going to mistake him for an x & o wizard in the mold of a charlie Weis type, but I always will maintain the guy knew his fb & specifically I think he did a real nice job with our qbs.

 

[SpiderRico]

Why did we lose Ken O'Keefe?

Did he resign over KF's unwillingness to throw the ball downfield, thus resulting in the GDGD hire?

Or was he fired because KF does not like to throw the ball downfield, and GDGD just fits that philosophy?

After watching what KOK has done in Miami and to my beloved DA Bears this Sunday, I cannot help but pine for a return to the KOK era in Iowa City. Good times were had when our offense was the 50-60th best in the country.

I have nothing to back this up....but I just think that KF was ready to do a reset on the program once it was determined that Norm was stepping down. I don't think it had anything to do with KOK's abilities or anything other than Ken had been there since the beginning and I think his thinking was that "I might as well shake up the whole coaching staff" once Norm retired.

 

[LASBUR]

I think your right Spider but I think KOK was ready to move on. Probley tired of being blamed by the Fan base. But he was applying for jobs at least a year before

 

[LG210]

Fanbase was really tough on KOK. I don't think we realized how good of a job he was actually doing.

Not saying that is why he left, just pointing that out.

 

[joshhawk]

I believe Ken was just ready to move on. IIRC he had previously interviewed for the Indiana job. The chance came to up to work with Joe Philbin again and I believe he had a daughter living in Florida and its the NFL so he took it.

 

[528646]

I believe Ken was just ready to move on. IIRC he had previously interviewed for the Indiana job. The chance came to up to work with Joe Philbin again and I believe he had a daughter living in Florida and its the NFL so he took it.

^ yup, exactly. Only in HN Land, where kok is a blundering moron barely qualified to be a Starbucks barista, does there need to be some kind of strange behind the scenes explanation for how kok ended up with the dolphins.

 

[djwoody98]

KOK looks like Mike Leach compared to Gerg Davis.

 

[hawkfan340]

I thought Ken leaving caught KF off-guard. I think he wanted him to stay.

Maybe he was tired of the fans here. Maybe he legitimately thought it would be a better opportunity to work with Philbin in the NFL.

 

[guffus]

I have a feeling that KOK gave up after the no-huddle was pulled as an option in 2011.

Iowa had success against Pitt running the no-huddle, then started out the PSU game running the no-huddle. Then it was abandoned.

I also believe that KOK knew the cupboard was kinda bare ay WR after McNutt left.

 

[HomerChampless]

I have nothing to back this up....but I just think that KF was ready to do a reset on the program once it was determined that Norm was stepping down. I don't think it had anything to do with KOK's abilities or anything other than Ken had been there since the beginning and I think his thinking was that "I might as well shake up the whole coaching staff" once Norm retired.

I don't have any facts either, just guesses. After the Pitt game where Iowa went to a no huddle offense for a quarter and a half and won, like now, the fan base clamored for more, for change. Kurt put a big damper on that notion (after about the 10th question asked in a presser). In that presser he said Iowa's offense would revert.

KOK, being an offensive innovator and all, might have had enough of the conservatism and scape goating.

 

[MiniMoeHawk]

I don't have any facts either, just guesses. After the Pitt game where Iowa went to a no huddle offense for a quarter and a half and won, like now, the fan base clamored for more, for change. Kurt put a big damper on that notion (after about the 10th question asked in a presser). In that presser he said Iowa's offense would revert.

KOK, being an offensive innovator and all, might have had enough of the conservatism and scape goating.

KOK took a better opportunity for his career into the NFL. He was probably tired of getting choked on KF's leash

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

KOK knew what a football simpleton Kirk is. KOK was smart and was not going down with the ship.

 

[okeefe4prez]

KOK took a better opportunity for his career into the NFL. He was probably tired of getting choked on KF's leash

Exactly. Iowa wasn't exactly compensating O'Keefe or Parker well, but I suspect O'Keefe hit a point where he had a healthy nest egg saved up and wanted to swing for the fences. You take that Miami job and if Tannehill had panned as a decent QB and led the Dolphins to a deep playoff run (which I guess technically could still happen this year, but I doubt it), there is always a chance the OC will get hired away and O'Keefe may have been in a spot to land that level of job for a few years and really goose his retirement. O'Keefe was a legend compared to Davis, but I suspect orders from the head man are what is really hamstringing the offense.

 

[g11]

KOK did pretty much everything above average. Whenever he got out game planned though he could never make the needed adjustments during the game. I think this is one of the biggest reasons the fan base was pretty hard on him.

It sucks watching JR struggle with GD's system so much. I think he could of been one of the best NFL ready QBs we've had during the KF era if KOK was still OC. He's such a perfect fit for his system, and Ken did well at developing QBs.

 

[PCHawk]

How bad does a guy have to be to have people pine for the days of KOK? Just because Kirk found a way to hire someone worse doesn't mean KOK was good. Kirk had a chance to really turn our offense around and he blew it.

 

[NCHawker]

ferentz used the word stale as I recall. "Things had gotten a bit stale"

that's the only thing i remember

 

[vork22]

How bad does a guy have to be to have people pine for the days of KOK? Just because Kirk found a way to hire someone worse doesn't mean KOK was good. Kirk had a chance to really turn our offense around and he blew it.

Exactly, I remember losing to Iowa St. among other cream puff teams with KOK too. I also remember the 3rd and 6 run plays for no gain and the same boring offense that we often see under GD. I also remember reading the forums about how people couldn't wait for his replacement. People forget how bad he was too. And don't give me the two shared big ten titles because had we not lost easy games those two years well we coulda been a contenda.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

ferentz used the word stale as I recall. "Things had gotten a bit stale"

that's the only thing i remember

I remember that as well. Ironically, back in the day was like a track meet, even for Iowa standards, than the shitick were're watching now. It's just brutal.

 

[HawkAttack]

I thought Ken leaving caught KF off-guard. I think he wanted him to stay.

Maybe he was tired of the fans here. Maybe he legitimately thought it would be a better opportunity to work with Philbin in the NFL.

This was my understanding as well.