The stretch isn't back to 2010, it's back to 2005. 2009 is looking more like an outlier. The glow of 2002-2004 is wearing off. Let's face it, the facts show that a 7-5 to 8-4 record is about where they'll end up most seasons, with an occasional 9-3 to 10-2 season tossed in. I wonder if this is Ferentz's ceiling?
I do think that part of it is related to Iowa presenting the same defense and basic offense each year. How much, I can't say. In 2002-2004, everything was still relatively new. When you look back historically, the winged-T Iowa ran in the mid to late 50s took about 5 years for teams to get a handle on. That's about the cycle, same with the schemes Iowa has employed since 1999.
Now, 7 years later, it's not so new, and I don't think you can overcome this by simply "out-executing" the opponent week in and week out; not if the opponent has years of data to digest on what to do.
I am also concerned about the lack of players Iowa has in the trenches, both sides. It's not just due to a lack of playing time because of last year's defensive line, it's a lack of talent, the big, nasty guys who can take it to the offensive and defensive lines of the Big Ten, assuming Iowa elects to maintain it's same style. It's just not there. This is a bigger mystery to me than why they continue with the same offensive and defensive philosophy. Maybe if the personnel gets better, all else will be forgiven and forgotten.
I am not one who wants Iowa to change coaches, including the coordinators, but it would be good for them to be open to some changes, not to change for change sake, but to stay a step ahead of their opponents. On the other hand, I don't subscribe to the "Tom Davis" argument either. Iowa football is a lot different positioned than Iowa basketball was when Davis left. It has all of the facilities, funding, support that the basketball program never really had at the time. Plus, I think they'd do a better job of finding a replacement. So, it's not the "be careful what you wish for" situation that people use as some harbinger of bad times for Iowa football if a change were made. With that said, I want Iowa to keep Ferentz, because I like him as Iowa's coach, but I also would like to see them refresh their image.
To borrow and paraphrase from Dennis Green (a former Hawkeye), "We are who we thought we were". Is that good enough?
