Watching the CFP Natty game.....

[HawksMN]

Y'all sound like Clemson has been a power forever. Do you remember Clemson under Tommy Bowden? Mediocre. That program was built by a special coach and his staff, through an AD with some vision. Can be done, but very rare.

 

[oldhawk12]

This is the kind of attitude that ruined the basketball program. Tom Davis had us in the NCAA tournament almost every year, winning 20+ games was the expectations now it's the hope. Davis was let go because of idiot fans (and I was among them) who thought Iowa should be able to compete at the next level, so they brought in Alford and the rest is history.

Appreciate what you have, Iowa has a good football program where every year they reach a bowl game and about every 4 years or so make a run at the Big Ten. I'll be the first to admit this year should have been better and that's on the coaches but I'm not about to make huge coaching changes. Iowa will NEVER be able to compete with the southern schools in terms of recruiting, Nick Saban himself couldn't bring the athletes to Iowa that he gets at Alabama. You have to get a coach that can find the diamonds in the rough, the overlooked kids, and take those 2/3 star athletes and turn them into NFL prospects and that's exactly what we have in KF. They ARE fighting, you just don't see it because you're to blind to see what they are doing.

So if KF and Iowa does not meet your expectations then I'd suggest you hop on the Clemson/Alabama bandwagon, or any of those other southern schools that can compete in the recruiting game.

Davis had us in the tournament back when schedule strength didn’t matter. He played some of the softest schedules ever played. Take away ravelings players and his rallying lame duck year and he was the epitome of average. The cop out of “we can’t get anyone better” is the most annoying phrase in the world. Annoys the hell out of me

 

[vork22]

As long as any Ferentz is here we are going to have more of the same. I don’t expect us to ever be a playoff caliber team but a good coach would have us at the top of the West more years than not, considering how weak it is.

 

[Jonrn]

Reminds me of how far away we are from competing with either one of those teams. Wow, are there some playmakers out there or what! I love my Hawks, I really do, but its obvious that none of our receivers or backs would even make either of their practice squads.

We are far away from them teamwise, but epenesa would be on the 2 deeps on either team. Wirfs and Jackson as well. Remember piersbacher was a Iowa recruit and an elite high school prospect in Iowa. Certainly not any better or worst than wirfs in high school and piersbacher has started 50+ games at Alabama.

 

[Jonrn]

While watching tonights Championship Game I realized that we will never be able to compete at this level. These two teams run at a speed at least a few levels above ours. Did anyone see the post game interview with Dabo? I mean the attitude that guy has is a winning attitude with no shame. I tried to imagine an alternate universe were we won the national title and Kirk giving a post game on field interview and it obviously would be quite the opposite.

As others have said I don't think Iowa will ever be able to compete on this level. There was a time when I during the 2000's that I thought Kirk was bringing us closer to National Championship competitiveness but things change. College Football has changed and I want to say that Kirk has changed as well, just not in the same direction of schools that try to compete for the top echelon of college football.

The big ten and pac 12 will gradually become even more of a AAA level league on par with that MAC. Even Ohio state will start tapering off. High school football is slowly ebbing in northern cities and it still is a southern game. Iowa can still win a lot of games against other northern teams with the b-level of southern recruits, but even players like Goodson from Atlanta fall through the initial recruiting push through the south done by Georgia, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Alabama, LSU and the Texas schools. The talent is just not equivalent

 

[Jonrn]

Y'all sound like Clemson has been a power forever. Do you remember Clemson under Tommy Bowden? Mediocre. That program was built by a special coach and his staff, through an AD with some vision. Can be done, but very rare.

True, but Clemson is still only 90 minutes from Atlanta’s northern suburbs and can regionally recruit the Carolinas and is close to Charlotte. Clemson was prepped perfectly for success. I hate the phrase sleeping giant, but they are.

 

[lightning1]

This is the kind of attitude that ruined the basketball program. Tom Davis had us in the NCAA tournament almost every year, winning 20+ games was the expectations now it's the hope. Davis was let go because of idiot fans (and I was among them) who thought Iowa should be able to compete at the next level, so they brought in Alford and the rest is history.

Appreciate what you have, Iowa has a good football program where every year they reach a bowl game and about every 4 years or so make a run at the Big Ten. I'll be the first to admit this year should have been better and that's on the coaches but I'm not about to make huge coaching changes. Iowa will NEVER be able to compete with the southern schools in terms of recruiting, Nick Saban himself couldn't bring the athletes to Iowa that he gets at Alabama. You have to get a coach that can find the diamonds in the rough, the overlooked kids, and take those 2/3 star athletes and turn them into NFL prospects and that's exactly what we have in KF. They ARE fighting, you just don't see it because you're to blind to see what they are doing.

So if KF and Iowa does not meet your expectations then I'd suggest you hop on the Clemson/Alabama bandwagon, or any of those other southern schools that can compete in the recruiting game.

Bull shit! Horrible ADs and University administration ruined the basketball program and it started when they hired Tom Davis! Tom Davis was an average coach after Ravelings recruits left. I can provide the win/loss evidence if you like. From 1989-90 to 1998-99 Tom Davis was 89 - 87 in BIG conference play! Even with Raveling's recruits, he never won a BIG title. Not once. That is the Webster definition of average. I swear some people will never get it.
You guys think that because we made the NCAA tournament more often than not, that it somehow equaled basketball greatness? It beats the hell out of what we have now but the rules are different today. That 91-92 team didn't play anyone in the OOC besides Iowa state and they lost that game. Won every home game in conf play and beat 2 bad conference teams on the road. Got in the tournament with a 19-11 record. I guarantee you that team doesn't get in today. Of the 10 seasons that Tom Davis coached without ravelings recruits, he made the NCAA tournament 6 times and that 91-92 season was a gift of the rules of the time. Which leads me back to Tom Davis being an average coach. 6 out of 10 appearances, with 1 seriously questionable = average.

 

[ssckelley]

Davis had us in the tournament back when schedule strength didn’t matter. He played some of the softest schedules ever played. Take away ravelings players and his rallying lame duck year and he was the epitome of average. The cop out of “we can’t get anyone better” is the most annoying phrase in the world. Annoys the hell out of me

That's a bunch of BS, he coached 13 seasons and had Iowa in the NCAA tournament in 9 of them, only 2 seasons where Iowa had a losing record. Never lost in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament either. Davis was a good coach who got more out of less talent and we would be fortunate to find another one like him.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Having a QB and WRs like Clemson has... Holy crap. They made Bamas D look like they were an FCS program. I thought going in that the moment would be too big for that freshman Qb of Clemsons but I was sure wrong. He was a little hyped to start the game but he settled in fast and he's every bit the real deal. Easy to see why they benched Bryant and he left. He knew he had zero chance of beating him back out for the gig. Having a difference maker at QB and receivers just gives an edge that's hard to fight with any amount of scheming and Xs and Os. As good as Bamas QB is and he's pretty good they weren't going to keep up..
I kinda scratched my head at Bamas play calling. When they were down 2 and then 3 Tds I thought they kinda turtled up. Maybe they thought they had all the time in the world to come back but they played with no urgency at all. Granted they aren't used to being down like that and maybe the shock of that was all that was...
That game Clemson had against Syracuse where they barely came back to win that makes one scratch their head because the Clemson team last night wasn't losing to anybody...

 

[okeefe4prez]

Y'all sound like Clemson has been a power forever. Do you remember Clemson under Tommy Bowden? Mediocre. That program was built by a special coach and his staff, through an AD with some vision. Can be done, but very rare.

Clemson was probably similar to a Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa tier program before Dabo with better recent history (e.g., they won the title in '81). The difference is their conference completely sucks and once Florida State fell off, their path to the top has been relatively easy in conference play. Programs in the South like Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn, LSU, etc. just have a different ceiling than most of the programs in the North. Each one of those programs can draw a circle within a 7 hour drive around their campus and find ridiculous talent, which just isn't the case in the Big Ten. It just sucks seeing Clemson roll out a squad that is pretty much on par with where they have been the past 5 years and they have guys who probably would beat a combined Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan State all star team with guys poached from the past 20 years. Maybe not beat them, but it would be damned close. Ugh.

 

[okeefe4prez]

That game Clemson had against Syracuse where they barely came back to win that makes one scratch their head because the Clemson team last night wasn't losing to anybody...

Lawrence got hurt against Syracuse and the backup couldn't hit a pass until the end.

 

[homes]

Clemson was probably similar to a Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa tier program before Dabo with better recent history (e.g., they won the title in '81). The difference is their conference completely sucks and once Florida State fell off, their path to the top has been relatively easy in conference play. Programs in the South like Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn, LSU, etc. just have a different ceiling than most of the programs in the North. Each one of those programs can draw a circle within a 7 hour drive around their campus and find ridiculous talent, which just isn't the case in the Big Ten. It just sucks seeing Clemson roll out a squad that is pretty much on par with where they have been the past 5 years and they have guys who probably would beat a combined Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan State all star team with guys poached from the past 20 years. Maybe not beat them, but it would be damned close. Ugh.

While true, it is also explains why we all love the Hawks. We wouldn't keep coming back every year if we didn't.

This is us -

 

[Stanzi]

The level of delusion in this thread is astounding.

 

[oldhawk12]

That's a bunch of BS, he coached 13 seasons and had Iowa in the NCAA tournament in 9 of them, only 2 seasons where Iowa had a losing record. Never lost in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament either. Davis was a good coach who got more out of less talent and we would be fortunate to find another one like him.

We’ll have to agree to disagree. Like ferentz, I wasn’t a fan. I thought his recruiting sucked and his schedules were inexcusable. Just like ferentz, he pretended

 

[ssckelley]

That game Clemson had against Syracuse where they barely came back to win that makes one scratch their head because the Clemson team last night wasn't losing to anybody...

I was thinking the same thing last night. How in the heck did Syracuse almost upset this team?

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I was thinking the same thing last night. How in the heck did Syracuse almost upset this team?

As was brought up they did have their backup (3rd stringer because Bryant was gone) for a big part of that game. But still... That said even good teams aren't 100% engaged for games all year long. That would have been an easy one for them to have been a bit vulnerable. How can the OSU team we beat 2 yrs ago have that happen to them? They looked pretty unbeatable before that too. Some things are just unexplainable to an extent. That's sports

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

As long as any Ferentz is here we are going to have more of the same. I don’t expect us to ever be a playoff caliber team but a good coach would have us at the top of the West more years than not, considering how weak it is.

The reality is that we could have won every game we played this past year. We were right there, one possession, in every game. There are positives that come from a season like that.

We beat a MSU team in our bowl game that has damn near as good a defense as Clemson or Alabama. Fact. They played in the same conference as Alabama and held Florida and Alabama to 13 and 24 points. We scored 27 with no running game.

Our deficiencies right now are at QB and on the offensive line in the running game. Think about that game last night...Trevor Lawrence was the difference. How many guys did he miss? Not very many...and he was throwing lower percentage balls. He was just putting the ball consistently where his guys can make a play on it. Our guy hasn't had that level of consistency. If there is one thing we know about Brandon Smith is that if he has an opportunity to go get it...he will. He made so many spectacular catches this year (at Minnesota, Maryland, Iowa State, etc)...this guy is athletic and will catch the damn ball. We just don't throw it enough to him and when we do, we don't consistently put it in a place where he can make a play on it. Our problem is that we don't have 2-3 Brandon Smiths coming in and out so they stay fresh.

The offensive line is the puzzler to me...and to me, where we are far off from a Clemson or Alabama. Pass protection was good all year. Our running game, against the good teams, was not good. Personally, I'd like to see us get away from all the inside and outside zone. We are big and physical, let's line up and man block people and win those individual battles with a full back lead. Without a Wadley, who can see a crease and hit it instantly, you never make something out of nothing...and your good plays are 6-10 yards, not 25 to 30. That was a big issue this year...very few big plays in the running game.

Depth is always going to be the big differentiator between those teams and Iowa. Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Ohio State have depth that we will never see. That being said, we are losing four d-linemen this year, something that would devastate us in previous years...but I honestly think we may be better next year on the DL with Epenesa, Golston, Nixon, and Lattimore. I think Golston is going to have a breakout year. He's a monster.

 

[mopkins]

This is the way a lot of sports are these days....top heavy powerhouse teams. The NBA with the Warriors, NCAAB with Duke, NCAAF with Bama and Clemson.

Be glad there are still studs like AJ who want to carve their own path and willing to get less exposure doing it.

 

[mopkins]

The reality is that we could have won every game we played this past year. We were right there, one possession, in every game. There are positives that come from a season like that.

We beat a MSU team in our bowl game that has damn near as good a defense as Clemson or Alabama. Fact. They played in the same conference as Alabama and held Florida and Alabama to 13 and 24 points. We scored 27 with no running game.

Our deficiencies right now are at QB and on the offensive line in the running game. Think about that game last night...Trevor Lawrence was the difference. How many guys did he miss? Not very many...and he was throwing lower percentage balls. He was just putting the ball consistently where his guys can make a play on it. Our guy hasn't had that level of consistency. If there is one thing we know about Brandon Smith is that if he has an opportunity to go get it...he will. He made so many spectacular catches this year (at Minnesota, Maryland, Iowa State, etc)...this guy is athletic and will catch the damn ball. We just don't throw it enough to him and when we do, we don't consistently put it in a place where he can make a play on it. Our problem is that we don't have 2-3 Brandon Smiths coming in and out so they stay fresh.

The offensive line is the puzzler to me...and to me, where we are far off from a Clemson or Alabama. Pass protection was good all year. Our running game, against the good teams, was not good. Personally, I'd like to see us get away from all the inside and outside zone. We are big and physical, let's line up and man block people and win those individual battles with a full back lead. Without a Wadley, who can see a crease and hit it instantly, you never make something out of nothing...and your good plays are 6-10 yards, not 25 to 30. That was a big issue this year...very few big plays in the running game.

Depth is always going to be the big differentiator between those teams and Iowa. Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Ohio State have depth that we will never see. That being said, we are losing four d-linemen this year, something that would devastate us in previous years...but I honestly think we may be better next year on the DL with Epenesa, Golston, Nixon, and Lattimore. I think Golston is going to have a breakout year. He's a monster.

I'd put Running back around the very top of Iowa's list for deficiencies. It blows my mind that Ferentz can't get a top tier RB to come to Iowa. Iowa has basically everything a top tier RB should want...a solid line, a pro-style offense, and a run-heavy offense. Wisconsin seems to have zero problems recruiting RB's yet Iowa consistently sucks at it.

 

[VTHawk]

Bull shit! Horrible ADs and University administration ruined the basketball program and it started when they hired Tom Davis! Tom Davis was an average coach after Ravelings recruits left. I can provide the win/loss evidence if you like. From 1989-90 to 1998-99 Tom Davis was 89 - 87 in BIG conference play! Even with Raveling's recruits, he never won a BIG title. Not once. That is the Webster definition of average. I swear some people will never get it.
You guys think that because we made the NCAA tournament more often than not, that it somehow equaled basketball greatness? It beats the hell out of what we have now but the rules are different today. That 91-92 team didn't play anyone in the OOC besides Iowa state and they lost that game. Won every home game in conf play and beat 2 bad conference teams on the road. Got in the tournament with a 19-11 record. I guarantee you that team doesn't get in today. Of the 10 seasons that Tom Davis coached without ravelings recruits, he made the NCAA tournament 6 times and that 91-92 season was a gift of the rules of the time. Which leads me back to Tom Davis being an average coach. 6 out of 10 appearances, with 1 seriously questionable = average.

I would say Mr. Davis Davis was a good coach not a great coach, and was a bad recruiter.