Would firing Brian Ferentz solve anything?

[InGoodCo]

It wouldn't IMO. It would change nearly nothing. It would likely cause a step back initially that I don't particularly want to go through at this stage in Kirk;s tenure. In the past, changing out OC's, or any position coach hasn't really been a smooth transition year the following.

He's calling the plays, but it's his dad's plays. He's coaching the offense, but it's within the confines of what his dad wants it to be coached. He's recruiting players (that his dad wants) and he's trying to execute a game plan that his dad came up with.

When people say they want BF fired I think they are really saying they want Kirk Ferentz fired. Which is fine by me if that's what you want but there is 1 guy who is keeping him employed and that is really the issue.

It's going to take a lot more than a new OC to change Iowa football.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

Nope. Unless Kirk gave the new OC full autonomy over the offense and the offensive staff. Even further, I think he'd need to let someone else make the OC hire.

 

[InGoodCo]

Nope. Unless Kirk gave the new OC full autonomy over the offense and the offensive staff. Even further, I think he'd need to let someone else make the OC hire.

right, so we need a new HC.

I'm not there yet, but I get it. For real I do. I think Iowa will win enough for Kirk to get to the HOF level of 60% overall career this season (which is anything over 9) and he'll be done.

 

[kicker22]

I agree with you in theory, but at the same time I feel that it puts an end to the nepotism that has become a joke nation wide. IMO, far from fact, BF lacked the resume and experience to fill the role of OC from day one and nothing up to this point has given me any sort of confidence in him being able to fulfill that role now. I agree that ultimately the scheme and philosophies are handed down from KF and he nothing more then a puppet calling dad's shots. However, I also feel that there are others out there that are much more experienced and able to do the job of filling a position that I never felt he should have been in from the start. So I guess my stance is that I struggle watching him receive a paycheck that IMO he's never earned simply to retain the position because it's his daddy's team and there might not be much change to come.

I understand wholeheartedly (as a parent) why KF has not terminated BF and understand that it's most likely not going to happen. On a professional level I've never understood the hire and still feel as though it's a mistake. What I can't understand is how BF can face this kind of scrutiny week in and week out and why he has yet to resign or demote himself, based on his performance and the negativity it's bringing to both his family name, his father's legacy, and ultimately the program.

In short I don't see BF being terminated, but at the same time can't understand how or why he hasn't resigned or left the position of OC.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

midseason termination at HC or OC don't tend to work out well for that year. Ask Nebbie and Wisky.

I think you just ride out the season and see where things go. Based upon the schedule, D and Specials, Iowa could still win 9 games despite BF's ineptitude. Why F up this season now. Fire folks in January.....

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

If our OL was any good, I’d say yes, but clearly changes need to be made somewhere; whether that’s in recruiting, strength and conditioning, or position coaching/OC is for Kirk to figure out.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

midseason termination at HC or OC don't tend to work out well for that year. Ask Nebbie and Wisky.

I think you just ride out the season and see where things go. Based upon the schedule, D and Specials, Iowa could still win 9 games despite BF's ineptitude. Why F up this season now. Fire folks in January.....

Nine wins with this schedule would be disappointing, despite the bum at OC.

 

[kicker22]

right, so we need a new HC.

I'm not there yet, but I get it. For real I do. I think Iowa will win enough for Kirk to get to the HOF level of 60% overall career this season (which is anything over 9) and he'll be done.

As painful as it is for me to say, I agree that I'm not there yet in feeling KF needs out, but couldn't agree more that his legacy and ultimately his reputation and success of the program lies in him giving up his control over the offense. I do however firmly believe that based on the current status of the offense there is no reason whatsoever that BF should remain in control as OC.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I agree with you in theory, but at the same time I feel that it puts an end to the nepotism that has become a joke nation wide. IMO, far from fact, BF lacked the resume and experience to fill the role of OC from day one and nothing up to this point has given me any sort of confidence in him being able to fulfill that role now. I agree that ultimately the scheme and philosophies are handed down from KF and he nothing more then a puppet calling dad's shots. However, I also feel that there are others out there that are much more experienced and able to do the job of filling a position that I never felt he should have been in from the start. So I guess my stance is that I struggle watching him receive a paycheck that IMO he's never earned simply to retain the position because it's his daddy's team and there might not be much change to come.

I understand wholeheartedly (as a parent) why KF has not terminated BF and understand that it's most likely not going to happen. On a professional level I've never understood the hire and still feel as though it's a mistake. What I can't understand is how BF can face this kind of scrutiny week in and week out and why he has yet to resign or demote himself, based on his performance and the negativity it's bringing to both his family name, his father's legacy, and ultimately the program.

In short I don't see BF being terminated, but at the same time can't understand how or why he hasn't resigned or left the position of OC.

They would never do anything mid season as that would be too much of a wrench for KF to deal with. KF has never had a coach leave mid season. But, I also wonder how many times or if that conversation was ever happened between the two. I bet ya it's come up between them/families.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Nine wins with this schedule would be disappointing, despite the bum at OC.

Yea, but it still would be accepted by most fans and it would appease most fans and boosters.

 

[kicker22]

They would never do anything mid season as that would be too much of a wrench for KF to deal with. KF has never had a coach leave mid season. But, I also wonder how many times or if that conversation was ever happened between the two. I bet ya it's come up between them/families.

Very good point. I totally agree that it wouldn't happen midseason, although if it did I'd 100% expect to see it happen this week. Which we know won't happen.

 

[okeefe4prez]

I understand wholeheartedly (as a parent) why KF has not terminated BF and understand that it's most likely not going to happen. On a professional level I've never understood the hire and still feel as though it's a mistake. What I can't understand is how BF can face this kind of scrutiny week in and week out and why he has yet to resign or demote himself, based on his performance and the negativity it's bringing to both his family name, his father's legacy, and ultimately the program.

If my dad was Kirk Ferentz I would have never been hired to be the OC at Iowa because my dad would have ripped off my head and shit down my throat if I had been living in Section 8 housing in college so I would be dead already. Even had I lived my dad would have iced me the fvck out of all of his business dealings if I pulled that shit.

I worked for my dad. He worked for his dad. It doesn't work because either the dad is going to be a total asshole to the kid demanding 100% perfection to a standard that no one can attain (my family), which will ultimately make any rational kid quit, or the dad can't be an asshole to the kid even just a little bit and the enterprise suffers (the families who blow a fortune in three generations).

I understand Kirk's position, it is his fault that we have Brian. I still think the guy is a very good X and O guy and even a good situational play caller, but someone has to fall on the sword for the absolute tire fire that we roll out there as an offense, which (and I don't want to bash the kids) is lacking in talent in a few key areas.

I am not asking for an Art Briles/RGIII style offense here. I'm just asking for top 80, hell, I'd settle for top 90. That's what makes it so unbelievable. No one is asking for the world, just get within striking distance of "average" but that is just a bridge too damned far.

 

[okeefe4prez]

If our OL was any good, I’d say yes, but clearly changes need to be made somewhere; whether that’s in recruiting, strength and conditioning, or position coaching/OC is for Kirk to figure out.

Yeah, we're back to where we were last year where I'm completely flummoxed on what I would call because the line got dominated so damned bad on Saturday. We won't see another line like that, but holy shit, I do not want to watch this team play any team with a good defensive tackle and rush end until at least 2026. We need time to regroup as a unit.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

If my dad was Kirk Ferentz I would have never been hired to be the OC at Iowa because my dad would have ripped off my head and shit down my throat if I had been living in Section 8 housing in college so I would be dead already. Even had I lived my dad would have iced me the fvck out of all of his business dealings if I pulled that shit.

I worked for my dad. He worked for his dad. It doesn't work because either the dad is going to be a total asshole to the kid demanding 100% perfection to a standard that no one can attain (my family), which will ultimately make any rational kid quit, or the dad can't be an asshole to the kid even just a little bit and the enterprise suffers (the families who blow a fortune in three generations).

I understand Kirk's position, it is his fault that we have Brian. I still think the guy is a very good X and O guy and even a good situational play caller, but someone has to fall on the sword for the absolute tire fire that we roll out there as an offense, which (and I don't want to bash the kids) is lacking in talent in a few key areas.

I am not asking for an Art Briles/RGIII style offense here. I'm just asking for top 80, hell, I'd settle for top 90. That's what makes it so unbelievable. No one is asking for the world, just get within striking distance of "average" but that is just a bridge too damned far.

Right now Air Force is like #65 or so in total offense and #2 in total defense. I'd take that!

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Yeah, we're back to where we were last year where I'm completely flummoxed on what I would call because the line got dominated so damned bad on Saturday. We won't see another line like that, but holy shit, I do not want to watch this team play any team with a good defensive tackle and rush end until at least 2026. We need time to regroup as a unit.

Yea, when you can get pressure on Iowa's QB with 3 down linemen, we are #ucked! All guys downfield are covered. Sometimes it was all 3 converging at the same time. Can't make this chit up.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Yea, when you can get pressure on Iowa's QB with 3 down linemen, we are #ucked! All guys downfield are covered. Sometimes it was all 3 converging at the same time. Can't make this chit up.

I was sofaking surly watching the game that I couldn't pay very close attention, but did they start doubling All? Basically all you gotta do to stop Iowa is load the shit out of the box, blitz every now and then, and double the TE and you basically have the offense stuck in park.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

If my dad was Kirk Ferentz I would have never been hired to be the OC at Iowa because my dad would have ripped off my head and shit down my throat if I had been living in Section 8 housing in college so I would be dead already. Even had I lived my dad would have iced me the fvck out of all of his business dealings if I pulled that shit.

I worked for my dad. He worked for his dad. It doesn't work because either the dad is going to be a total asshole to the kid demanding 100% perfection to a standard that no one can attain (my family), which will ultimately make any rational kid quit, or the dad can't be an asshole to the kid even just a little bit and the enterprise suffers (the families who blow a fortune in three generations).

I understand Kirk's position, it is his fault that we have Brian. I still think the guy is a very good X and O guy and even a good situational play caller, but someone has to fall on the sword for the absolute tire fire that we roll out there as an offense, which (and I don't want to bash the kids) is lacking in talent in a few key areas.

I am not asking for an Art Briles/RGIII style offense here. I'm just asking for top 80, hell, I'd settle for top 90. That's what makes it so unbelievable. No one is asking for the world, just get within striking distance of "average" but that is just a bridge too damned far.

I think it's even more complicated than most father and son shit. I grew up in Iowa City and knew some assistant coaches' kids. And then as a young adult, randomly became friends with another Big Ten football coach's kid. All these coaches were pretty good guys, and wanted to be good dads, especially later in life, but in reality none of them knew their sons all that well when the kids were growing up.

How could they? Those hours were/are ridiculous. So a guy like Kirk has to also be balancing that guilt...like he probably wishes he was able to be around more when his kids were growing up. And even the simple act of retiring this year will likely uproot two of his kids' families (so his kids and grandkids). Money and fame aside, that's some heavy shit for anyone to sort out.

 

[Bigtenchamp]

it's always been Kirk... we been complaining about the offense for 20 years.

Doesn't matter who the OC is

 

[eyekwah]

Would firing BF solve anything? The first admonition to conquer an addiction is to admit you have a problem. Both Kirk and Brian refuse to admit that the offensive philosophy is a problem when you don't have the personnel to run it. They're addicted to it. In that sense the decision to keep or fire BF is mute. Firing him removes half the problem, but the problem remains.

Kirk and Brian are both students of the Bill Belicek school. Kirk worked under Bill Schneider when he was Hayden's OC and Bill's offensive philosophy was very much anathema to Beliceks. Kirk was exposed to both and became addicted to Beliceks ways. When you watch the evolution of pro football it has moved Schneider's direction.

Brian can't change because he has no background in other offensive philosophies to make changes or incorporate into the playbook. It would be logical to replace him with someone familiar with more than one offensive philosophy. So firing him "could" make a difference.

The offensive line looked like crap because one center, one TE, two guards and two tackles can't block 8 defenders within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. Add to that an injured QB that isn't able to run to keep the defense honest and you have the PSU disaster we witnessed. It is the unwillingness of Kirk to admit his offensive philosophy addiction problem. Then there are those around him that are enabling it to continue.

Yes, firing Brian is and was the wake up call necessary.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I was sofaking surly watching the game that I couldn't pay very close attention, but did they start doubling All? Basically all you gotta do to stop Iowa is load the shit out of the box, blitz every now and then, and double the TE and you basically have the offense stuck in park.

Yep, and Iowa doesn't have a backyup plan to offset it.