Kirk just got the memo - now we roll!

[sloehawk]

In an interview on Hawk Central, Kirk finally admits perhaps the program support isn't what he thought it was.....

The climate around the program: "We don't hear even a fraction of what's out there, apparently. But when I go to events, or even bump into people I haven't seen in awhile, and they come up and say, 'Hey, we're still with you,' it's like, 'Boy, is it that bad out there?' Which I guess it is."



Yeah Kirk, it is. Welcome to the real world, a bit late. (go ahead and change the perception though - ASAP)
http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sp...used-iowa-turnaround-not-retirement/30627881/
http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sp...used-iowa-turnaround-not-retirement/30627881/

 

[JStandefer]

'A more aggressive offensive attack won't be part of the new-look Hawkeyes.'

 

[DarkThunder#61]

Meh. Prove it.

 

[MITCH492]

Who is Kirk? Oh, yes, remember.

 

[Rustys Dad]

Kirk is fooling nobody when he says he doesn't hear the outside noise. I know he wants to think he can just remain in a bubble and keep doing it his way and everyone else should just be quiet.

I like Kirk. Great human being. Genuine. Clean program. Gives back to the community, etc. all of that being said... Iowa and its fans don't owe it to Kirk to just let him ride out the next few years until he retires. Fan apathy is is nothing like I have witnessed in 35+ years of being a Hawk.

 

[SLarew]

Kirk is fooling nobody when he says he doesn't hear the outside noise. I know he wants to think he can just remain in a bubble and keep doing it his way and everyone else should just be quiet.

I like Kirk. Great human being. Genuine. Clean program. Gives back to the community, etc. all of that being said... Iowa and its fans don't owe it to Kirk to just let him ride out the next few years until he retires. Fan apathy is is nothing like I have witnessed in 35+ years of being a Hawk.

You re apparently too young to have experienced the FXL and Commings years. You think offense is bad now but it is helluva lot better than it was back in early 70s before HF

 

[cedarvalleykid14]

Actually, the Iowa offense under Kirk in recent years is all too much like those offenses devised by FXL and Commings--I've seen them all up close. I'll never understand how KF could have spent his formative years as a coach under an offensive-minded, aggressive Hayden Fry and spend most of his head coaching career driving the opposite philosophy into the ground.

 

[Pepperman]

I just wish Norm Parker would call him and say "Hey, just so you know, my defense feasted on offenses like what you and GDGD have put together."

 

[DarkThunder#61]

Actually, the Iowa offense under Kirk in recent years is all too much like those offenses devised by FXL and Commings--I've seen them all up close. I'll never understand how KF could have spent his formative years as a coach under an offensive-minded, aggressive Hayden Fry and spend most of his head coaching career driving the opposite philosophy into the ground.

Are you just speaking figuratively or are you literally trying to compare Iowa's offense in 2015 to that of say 1976?

Aside from the I-formation, which most teams still use in some form or another, there really aren't that many similarities:

In this game you'll see Power-T, I-formation, and Split Back (which I'd like to see us bring back, honestly)


If you watch any highlight film over the past few years, you'll see how it has evolved. And it is honestly not all that different from what we ran in 2002 either. There's the single back set (Ace formation for those who like NCAA FB games), Shotgun and several variations (lone back, split back, empty), and of course the I-formation.

So now that we've eliminated the possibility of a Kirk Ferentz offense being literally similar to a Bob Cummings offense, perhaps you could expand a bit more on how figuratively similar the two offenses are.

Fwiw.....Iowa's offense generated just over 3,000 yds passing with 21 TDs to 7 INTs to go along with 2,120 yds and 22 TDs rushing. Only 17 teams threw for fewer INTs than Iowa in 2014. They had a total of 5,201 yds and 43 TDs on offense in 2014. Team-wise that was only good for 60th in college football last year, but that was also the most by a Kirk Ferentz team since the 2002 Hawkeyes, and first time since 2005 that Iowa eclipsed 5,000 total yards.

For a comparison of how things have changed just in the last decade...Iowa gained 5,189 total yards of offense in 2005, which was good enough for 24th in the country. Or, if you'd prefer, Iowa's 5.518 yds of total offense in 2002 was good for 13th in college football. Their scoring offense of 37.23 ppg was good for 7th in the nation in 2002. 8 teams alone averaged over 40 ppg this past season.

So yeah, good luck with that comparison to the offenses of the 1970s. I'm sure it'll stick with our fans.

 

[funnyfletcher]

Was that Jim Caldwell at QB?

 

[MadDogC]

"I've read a lot about throwing the ball deep," Ferentz said. "Heaven forbid, why would you do that? Everyone wants to spread. Do a throw chart on spread offenses. How many balls are going downfield? Twenty years ago it was the run-and-shoot, right? Or the Buddy Ryan defense. Whatever's the flavor of the day."

A purist denying that change may be--and actually is--progression and evolution of the game itself, and all the sciences related as well. Yah, well Ya could still run the Veer and say that too, Cap'n...

 

[bagdropper]

Believe so.

1976, I remember it well. At that point one could say Iowa actually had a pulse as a program. There were 4 losses that year to teams that were effectively mirror images of Iowa that any could have broken the season streak.

I remember Iowa going to USC thinking that maybe Iowa has indeed turned the corner. It was over by halfway through the first quarter.

That PSU win was probably the Cummings high water mark looking back at it.

 

[funnyfletcher]

The QB was Butch Caldwell, Jim was a DB on the team that year

 

[cidsports]

You re apparently too young to have experienced the FXL and Commings years. You think offense is bad now but it is helluva lot better than it was back in early 70s before HF

1978 was ugly, I think TE Tom Grine may have lead all receivers with something like 13 catches or something?

2007 was brutal vs. Michigan State in an Iowa with Jake Christianen with like 4 for 13 passing.

Fwiw

 

[Calhill]

Complacency has a really bad taste.

 

[HawkAttackDial911]

Just curious. Does the football program have an analytics group?

 

[herecomethehawkeyes]

'A more aggressive offensive attack won't be part of the new-look Hawkeyes.'

congrats to those that can continue to shell out money and spend time heading down to Kinnick to watch what they call an offense in IC