We now have 12 years of data to go by and this is what we know....

[FromFry2Ferentz]

You just gotta consider that maybe Norm was a bigger part of the game planning and gametime adjustments for both offense and defense than we realized. Hes been with Kirk this whole time, and this is the only year he hasnt been there all year.

 

[ICAlumni]

I appreciate the kind words, but this isn't a post I enjoyed making, that's for sure because I respect the hell out of KF and what he's brought to this program and this university. I've cheered along with him and I've cried along with him. At the end of the day, he's a helluva human being.....which is a lot more important than being a helluva coach.

It's just a tough deal to figure out what is best for the Hawkeyes moving forward. As we all know, talent doesn't just come flocking to Iowa City on a regular basis. Because of that, it's tough to just outright demand new blood on the sidelines because we won't find another staff that will get more out of it's players than this staff will. However, there has to be a better way of utilizing the talent that this staff does so well in developing.

As I mentioned before, I'm not in favor of changing the basic scheme. I like the base pro-style offense and I like the base 4-3 defense. But there are certain teams and certain situations that call for a different approach. Contrary to the somewhat condescending statements coach has made on occasion concerning fans' frustrations with the offense and defense, this doesn't mean you make wholesale changes to your approach or strategy. What it does, mean, though, is an acknowlegement that sometimes the situation or the opponent, or heck, even your own performance in a given game, call for a change in the TACTICS, while still maintaining your STRATEGIC approach.

I hope there's some quality self-review by this staff after the year and some changes implemented moving forward. They've done it before, from bowl game preparation, to playing true freshman, to taking shots downfield, etc. I know they have it in them.....the question is, do they have the will at this point in their careers to actually do it. I, for one, certainly hope so!!

Agree 1-gazillion %

 

[albertyoungisgood]

Dude, I'm working on a plan to get O'Keefe elected president so Ferentz doesn't lose face or admit the mistakes of the past by firing him. O'Keefe is qualified for one job and one job only in this economy, President of the United States.

I'm on board now. I wasn't on the get rid of KOK bandwagon till tonight. Is there room for me? As for being president, I think he would be better than this guy or the last guy, which also makes me want to weep.

 

[cibula11]

Post of the year.

from a guy that joined this month. interesting.

The OP forgot #6.

Some "fans" (and I use the term loosely) are absolutely absurdly retarded after losses, even when the EXACT same staff and style of play resulted in an 11 win year a season ago.

 

[Rawkhawk73]

from a guy that joined this month. interesting.

The OP forgot #6.

Some "fans" (and I use the term loosely) are absolutely absurdly retarded after losses, even when the EXACT same staff and style of play resulted in an 11 win year a season ago.

Tell me something in my post that's "retarded".

I praised this staff for what it does extremely well and criticized it for what anyone who has played or followed football their whole lives can recognize.

I've admitted to preferring the base schemes, but acknowledge that some tweaks need to be made.

Take a look at last year and put it up against all of the other 9 years (I'm throwing out the first 2 years). In the real world of statistics and modeling and identifying trends and anomolies, last year was a pure anomoly. This staff's record in close games, minus last year, is downright bad. This staff's record in games where it's trailed going into the 4th, save for last year, is even worse. Every piece of data shows that last year was not the "norm". If you want to hang your hat on last year as an example of a typical year, then I can't help you.

 

[cibula11]

Tell me something in my post that's "retarded".

I praised this staff for what it does extremely well and criticized it for what anyone who has played or followed football their whole lives can recognize.

I've admitted to preferring the base schemes, but acknowledge that some tweaks need to be made.

Take a look at last year and put it up against all of the other 9 years (I'm throwing out the first 2 years). In the real world of statistics and modeling and identifying trends and anomolies, last year was a pure anomoly. This staff's record in close games, minus last year, is downright bad. This staff's record in games where it's trailed going into the 4th, save for last year, is even worse. Every piece of data shows that last year was not the "norm". If you want to hang your hat on last year as an example of a typical year, then I can't help you.

Never said "You" were retarded. But, I don't see you mentioning the 10 win season we've had with these same coaches and schemes....just a little perspective.

 

[Saginawbay]

1. We have the best coaches in the country in terms of player development. No coaching staff in America coaches their players up and gets them to their full potential like this coaching staff does.

2. We have, perhaps, the worst game day coaching staff in the country. From managing end-of-half and end-of-game scenarios, to making adjustments to what the opponent is doing in-game, to making adjustments based on what your own team is doing (i.e. Coker was gashing this team, so why go away from it?).

3. This coaching staff is fully incapable of managing a team full of expectations. We have yet to win a Big Ten Championship with a team that was expected to contend for one.

4. This coaching staff expects it's teams to execute flawlessly in order to win a game and manages to that expectation. If the team doesn't, then there is automatically a built-in excuse (i.e. "We just didn't execute today").

It is very difficult for me to say this, but I think that once the season is over, if this coaching staff is unwilling to put in the work necessary in order to change the way it manages in-game situations and/or refuses to acknolwedge there's even an issue (other than "execution"), then it's time for the Iowa administration to make the changes itself.

I honestly don't believe there's an issue much with our BASE schemes. They are good schemes to have as a base offense/defense, but we HAVE GOT TO be willing to mix it up based on who the opponent is and what the opponent may be doing/not doing during the game.

This is a great post you cannot expect 20 year old young men perfect execution each week not going to happen. Our base systems are fine but we need some fresh ideas and looks. Coach KF needs to take a seminar with Iowa wrestling coach's about expectations and how to coach with them because he does not do well at all.

 

[DBAHawkFan]

Never said "You" were retarded. But, I don't see you mentioning the 10 win season we've had with these same coaches and schemes....just a little perspective.

We've also been owned by Indiana, Northwestern, and a terrible loss to W. Michigan as well under this staff.

We all understand that this staff is good. The problem is we're only good when no one thinks we will be.

And last year's team lucked out. The defense played lights out for the most part, and for some reason Stanzi had magic in the 4th Q.

What can't be explained is returning a good majority of starters from last year's team and we seemed to regress.

Everyone always talks about KF coached teams getting better as the year goes on, but this is the 2nd straight year Iowa has gone in the tank in November.

Injuries did hurt last year to Stanzi, but our offense was terrible last year, and in November this year it's horrible.

I thought Stanzi had really improved early on this year, but as the year went on his mechanics actually got worse. He throws off his back foot, he has a little jump throw (the 2nd missed TD pass to McNutt), and he's just not accurate on any sort of deep pass.

Why is a 5th year senior's mechanics getting worse? And why is a defense who has the ability to be the best ever, one of the least productive?

No one is saying for the staff to be let go. We're just asking the staff to follow their own advice. They tell us there is stuff to correct, and they'll work on that, but nothing EVER changes. We continue to have poor tackling on special teams; poor clock managment, poor substitutions, and no ability to adapt during games.

 

[Saginawbay]

We've also been owned by Indiana, Northwestern, and a terrible loss to W. Michigan as well under this staff.

We all understand that this staff is good. The problem is we're only good when no one thinks we will be.

And last year's team lucked out. The defense played lights out for the most part, and for some reason Stanzi had magic in the 4th Q.

What can't be explained is returning a good majority of starters from last year's team and we seemed to regress.

Everyone always talks about KF coached teams getting better as the year goes on, but this is the 2nd straight year Iowa has gone in the tank in November.

Injuries did hurt last year to Stanzi, but our offense was terrible last year, and in November this year it's horrible.

I thought Stanzi had really improved early on this year, but as the year went on his mechanics actually got worse. He throws off his back foot, he has a little jump throw (the 2nd missed TD pass to McNutt), and he's just not accurate on any sort of deep pass.

Why is a 5th year senior's mechanics getting worse? And why is a defense who has the ability to be the best ever, one of the least productive?

No one is saying for the staff to be let go. We're just asking the staff to follow their own advice. They tell us there is stuff to correct, and they'll work on that, but nothing EVER changes. We continue to have poor tackling on special teams; poor clock managment, poor substitutions, and no ability to adapt during games.

Exactly!!!!

 

[big10fan]

after this many years, how are we still so chaotic with the two min offense?
why does it still take so long to get the plays in?
how can our record be sooo bad when coming from behind/close games?

 

[hawkinn3]

I agree 100% with the topic and what I think we are all seeing now is another 2-3 years of mediocre teams and trouble keeping up athletically. I thought that post 2004 swoon was gone and we had the athletes and mindset to stay in the 8-9 year after year but its looks like that isn't the case.

If history is any indication we will slide to .500 over the next three years then rebound for 2 very good years followed by a year with very high expectations in which we lose some heartbreakers and start to slide again.

 

[dualradius]

1. We have the best coaches in the country in terms of player development. No coaching staff in America coaches their players up and gets them to their full potential like this coaching staff does.

2. We have, perhaps, the worst game day coaching staff in the country. From managing end-of-half and end-of-game scenarios, to making adjustments to what the opponent is doing in-game, to making adjustments based on what your own team is doing (i.e. Coker was gashing this team, so why go away from it?).

3. This coaching staff is fully incapable of managing a team full of expectations. We have yet to win a Big Ten Championship with a team that was expected to contend for one.

4. This coaching staff expects it's teams to execute flawlessly in order to win a game and manages to that expectation. If the team doesn't, then there is automatically a built-in excuse (i.e. "We just didn't execute today").

It is very difficult for me to say this, but I think that once the season is over, if this coaching staff is unwilling to put in the work necessary in order to change the way it manages in-game situations and/or refuses to acknolwedge there's even an issue (other than "execution"), then it's time for the Iowa administration to make the changes itself.

I honestly don't believe there's an issue much with our BASE schemes. They are good schemes to have as a base offense/defense, but we HAVE GOT TO be willing to mix it up based on who the opponent is and what the opponent may be doing/not doing during the game.

I totally agree with 1, 3 and 4. #2 is an over-the-top exaggeration. If the staff were that bad, they would have lost a lot more games to date.

As an alumnus and die-hard hawkeye, these past few weeks have been about as frustrating as any I can remember since going to school in the late 80s and early 90s.

 

[DYK88]

KF is signed through 2020...let me repeat, KF is signed through 2020. Unless the boosters raise an ungoldy amount of $$$ for buyout, he ain't going anywhere. 0% chance he makes any changsd in the offseason.

Kirk Ferentz gets contract extension through 2020 | Hawk Central

 

[2xer]

I agree 100% with the topic and what I think we are all seeing now is another 2-3 years of mediocre teams and trouble keeping up athletically. I thought that post 2004 swoon was gone and we had the athletes and mindset to stay in the 8-9 year after year but its looks like that isn't the case.

If history is any indication we will slide to .500 over the next three years then rebound for 2 very good years followed by a year with very high expectations in which we lose some heartbreakers and start to slide again.

1. Iowa has two more games in which to win one game and finish in that 8-9 wins range.

2. Even though Ferentz has been at Iowa for 12 years, "history shows us" only one other stretch of 3 years of 8+ wins from which to draw. So if we want to use that one stretch, you can expect 3 years of .500. Of course, maybe that isn't going to happen again. We'll have to watch. That's what makes it entertainment.

 

[hawkeyz10]

I know this was beat to death on soundoff, but when we have multiple injuries at the same position we are going to struggle. We have had it at middle linebacker and Offensive line.

KOK is here as long as KF is here. KF is here as long as he wants to be and won't be going anywhere else given the money we are paying him.

 

[Rawkhawk73]

I totally agree with 1, 3 and 4. #2 is an over-the-top exaggeration. If the staff were that bad, they would have lost a lot more games to date.

As an alumnus and die-hard hawkeye, these past few weeks have been about as frustrating as any I can remember since going to school in the late 80s and early 90s.

#2 isn't over the top when you consider that we are, I believe, 7-23 in games decided by 5 points or less (as another poster posted). In addition, I think we are something like 4-50 in games where we have trailed going into the 4th quarter.

So given those two sets of data, I don't think it's a stretch to call this staff one of the worst when it comes to end of game situations.

 

[hawkdoctor]

If it's the post of the year it must be the dumbest post of the year. Is the fact that we are going on three years of not losing a game by more than a touchdown, in one of the toughest and most balanced conference in the country, bad management or good preparation? You friggin geniuses amaze me.

 

[DYK88]

#2 isn't over the top when you consider that we are, I believe, 7-23 in games decided by 5 points or less (as another poster posted). In addition, I think we are something like 4-50 in games where we have trailed going into the 4th quarter.

So given those two sets of data, I don't think it's a stretch to call this staff one of the worst when it comes to end of game situations.

If someone can confirm those two records, wow, that's just awful. Crazy records.

 

[Bluzmn]

To the OP: I couldn't agree more. It is the same old crap and sorry, but it isn't going to change. KF is either too stubborn, arrogant or short-sighted to change anything. He is signed through 2020 and barring an act of a higher power, this is what we get. If everything falls into place like last year (and for those crowing about 10 wins, it wasn't that far from 4-5 losses instead), we will have a good season and contend for the Big Ten. If not, you get this year.

But remember, we don't deserve any better, we are only iowa. Embrace the mediocrity!

 

[spudhawk]

The ops points are fair, but the record in close games is slightly mis-leading to me. Ferentz's preferred style of play does keep both teams in the game unless Iowa executes flawlessly as he pointed out or the other team makes significant killer mistakes. Iowa's record in that games includes some games like the Arkansas State game from last season where Iowa should have dominated an inferior opponent, and some games like Penn State from 2008 where Iowa beat a clearly more talented team.
The staff has to make some changes to how they defend individual systems. They have always struggled with smart QBs. Iowa's defensive stats will be very good at the end of the season but as fans we will rember the fourth quarter let downs, not how well they stopped the run or how many turnovers the defense forced.

The op made was about the seeming lack of preparation. Iowa never seems to try anything either offensively or defensively that the previous weeks' opponents had success with. That is frustrating.