Tim Lester, my thoughts, FWIW

[ExcellentBread]

Even worse…. KF could have (Johns) but chose the worse option

If you’ve ever run a business you’d know that the better option is the one that functions well as part of your team. I hoped it wouldn’t be Johns because the HC he worked under were promoted and chose to move on without him.

Everyone angry at this hire shouldn’t just direct their anger at KF, this decision was made with the entire staff’s input.

Give it some time and you’ll warm up to him just like Nebraska warmed up to Rhule.

 

[elipse]

At this point Age/career - I think KF just looks at this as a hobby or a way to get out of the house to get away from the old lady.

 

[Packer54]

Yep! Both Kirk and Fran are here at UIowa primarily to piss of the fan base! Many here have a secret desire to see the female AD come in and kick ass! If the baby goes out with the bath water, so be it!

So make the case for the new OC. Seriously…sell us on him being the man. I’ll wait here.

 

[Tom Paris]

At this point Age/career - I think KF just looks at this as a hobby or a way to get out of the house to get away from the old lady.

I think he wants to take the top spot on Big Ten wins. I don't think he leaves of his own accord until he gets it...because ego.

 

[ICWestfan]

3 months, 1.5 mil to offer, and you can’t even get someone with proven success in power 5.

The status quo is more important. Complementary football, kill clock, play the QB that doesn't turn the ball over, win close, don't argue/contest player or personnel decisions.

Underwhelming, but hey, good luck.

 

[joelbc1]

So make the case for the new OC. Seriously…sell us on him being the man. I’ll wait here.

Why not?
He hasn’t called a play....jeeeebus keeeerist.

 

[joelbc1]

I don't remember anybody being underwhelmed by the Norm Parker hire. In fact, he was the only non Iowa guy anybody knew and that had worked in P5.

Norm was the last guy Kirk hired...and when he was announced, plenty of folks wondered why..it just was. And then Philbin...”jeeebus keerist...What dies an Ivy League coach know about B10 football?
Norms saving grace was how much Perles endorsed him as an assistant. But it was not without his share of doubters.

 

[ClarindaA's]

Nope, I have not been supportive of Brian as OC for several years. With that said, even with that handicap the Hawks have been a top 25 team the last 5-6 years. Kirk knows how to win.

Glad I could supply you with some angst today.

Not on offense he ****ing doesn’t

 

[DewHawk]

No one knows really what transpired during this process but Rob Howe was the only one mentioning Lester on Friday.

In-person interviews can really sway a decision as well as references. No one knows how Lester vs. Johns' interviewed with coach Ferentz and how they interacted with the coaching staff. Kirk said early on, that chemistry with the other coaches was critical for him. Members of the staff may have liked Lester better. Lester may have been better prepared for his interview, I would have watched game tape and come in with solutions to fix Iowa's shortfalls. No one knows.

Lester was a heck of a QB in college (close to 12,000 yards passing) and had solid offensive numbers at WMU (he called most of the plays). When he was at WMU, defense let him down. Something he won't have to worry about as OC at Iowa. He replaced Fleck at WMU who pulled his best players with him to Minny, which left holes in the roster.

I for one, am willing to give him time to turn things around. Bottom line, he has to better better than Brian.

There will most certainly be naysayers on this board. But some of them wouldn't have been happy with Mike Shanahan.

I think the bold comment might be a bit of a stretch. Also, we all know you are a big Ferentz fan.

 

[ItsAllBallBearingsNowadays]

The athletic said that his offense ranked in the top 35 nationally from 2018 - 21. FWIW. Not going to dig for the numbers.

Offensive efficiency is the purest measure offensive performance Imo. Link below for rankings.

BCF Toys - 2017 FEI Ratings

www.bcftoys.com

 

[Max_Rebo]

Norm was the last guy Kirk hired...and when he was announced, plenty of folks wondered why..it just was. And then Philbin...”jeeebus keerist...What dies an Ivy League coach know about B10 football?
Norms saving grace was how much Perles endorsed him as an assistant. But it was not without his share of doubters.

I remember Norm feeling like a bit of a re-tread. He was nearly 60, and had been out of coaching for a year, having most recently spent a couple years at Vanderbilt. Didn’t seem to have a lot of suitors.

 

[desihawk]

So how is his recruiting? You better get the Jimmy and Joes in today's world. I have no idea what offense he is going to run.

johns proved he could find the right guys on offense at nw and iu

 

[desihawk]

If you’ve ever run a business you’d know that the better option is the one that functions well as part of your team. I hoped it wouldn’t be Johns because the HC he worked under were promoted and chose to move on without him.

Everyone angry at this hire shouldn’t just direct their anger at KF, this decision was made with the entire staff’s input.

Give it some time and you’ll warm up to him just like Nebraska warmed up to Rhule.

i hope you are right…any post that helps to make sense of the senseless is appreciated.

 

[Max_Rebo]

If you’ve ever run a business you’d know that the better option is the one that functions well as part of your team. I hoped it wouldn’t be Johns because the HC he worked under were promoted and chose to move on without him.

Everyone angry at this hire shouldn’t just direct their anger at KF, this decision was made with the entire staff’s input.

Give it some time and you’ll warm up to him just like Nebraska warmed up to Rhule.

I think you are probably correct in regard to Lester being chosen because of how he was perceived to fit in with the team.

Doesn’t mean I necessarily agree with the choice.

But for anyone interested in understanding more about this hiring philosophy, I recommend reading The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni. If Kirk isn’t basing his hiring/recruiting strategy on the tenets of this book, he’s using something very similar.

 

[joelbc1]

If you’ve ever run a business you’d know that the better option is the one that functions well as part of your team. I hoped it wouldn’t be Johns because the HC he worked under were promoted and chose to move on without him.

Everyone angry at this hire shouldn’t just direct their anger at KF, this decision was made with the entire staff’s input.

Give it some time and you’ll warm up to him just like Nebraska warmed up to Rhule.

Why wouldn’t he have stayed at Western to become their HC? You think working for that turd a Minnesota would be any fun?

 

[cmhawks99]

I liked the idea of hiring Johns, but lots and lots of posters didn't.

But, now he will be the fair-haired boy that got away.

Yes….they are conveniently forgetting this per usual.

 

[Meanfarmer3160]

So good or bad?

 

[joelbc1]

So good or bad?

We shall see.
If the Hawks go 14-0, average 500 yds of offense a game next year, Kirk hit a home run! (Maybe....This is a tough crowd in this room!)

 

[Bierhalter]

lots and lots of posters didn't

I really do not agree with this.

 

[hawk224]

Glass half full vs glass half empty. Not super excited by the hire, but let’s see what happens. Might be pleasantly surprised

 

[Bierhalter]

If you’ve ever run a business you’d know that the better option is the one that functions well as part of your team. I hoped it wouldn’t be Johns because the HC he worked under were promoted and chose to move on without him.

Everyone angry at this hire shouldn’t just direct their anger at KF, this decision was made with the entire staff’s input.

Give it some time and you’ll warm up to him just like Nebraska warmed up to Rhule.

Why do you care about this hire at all? I thought you weren't an Iowa fan.

 

[HawkNole09]

Couple points on Lester:
1) Recognition of NFL receiving talent: Jayden Reed, Skyy Moore, D'wayne Eskridge.
2) Increasing receiving TDs, while keeping INTs low.
2017: 14 TD / 4 INT
2018: 16 TD / 6 INT
2019: 20 TD / 8 INT
2020: COVID
2021: 23 TD / 6 INT

 

[joelbc1]

Couple points on Lester:
1) Recognition of NFL receiving talent: Jayden Reed, Skyy Moore, D'wayne Eskridge.
2) Increasing receiving TDs, while keeping INTs low.
2017: 14 TD / 4 INT
2018: 16 TD / 6 INT
2019: 20 TD / 8 INT
2020: COVID
2021: 23 TD / 6 INT

But he never had “the Deacon” to work with!

 

[ZumaHawk]

But he never had “the Deacon” to work with!

Let’s just hope he gets a “say “ in our next QB!

 

[ExcellentBread]

Why do you care about this hire at all? I thought you weren't an Iowa fan.

I like a lot of teams, Iowa is one of them. My perspective is wanting Iowa to succeed but not disillusioned by the extreme bias of most of the posters on this site.

Unbiased perspective is Kirk probably runs the best non-blueblood program in the Midwest. I tend to trust his decision-making (outside of the promotion of his son). I’m not gonna say I’m excited about the hire, but I certainly feel comfortable with the choice.

 

[Fan In Black]

Norm was the last guy Kirk hired...and when he was announced, plenty of folks wondered why..it just was. And then Philbin...”jeeebus keerist...What dies an Ivy League coach know about B10 football?
Norms saving grace was how much Perles endorsed him as an assistant. But it was not without his share of doubters.

different memories I guess. I remember myself and others being happy it was a guy we knew, and who was actually a coordinator at a major conference school.

Phil Parker was technically the last person hired.

Pat Flahtery was hired 1/11/99
Norm was hired 1/21/99
Ron Aiken was hired 1/26/99
Phil Parker was hired 2/12/99

The others were head scratchers for sure ( at the time) and were hired early.

That is why I remember being relieved that the DC was at least a known name.

 

[herkhatescy]

Even worse…. KF could have (Johns) but chose the worse option

Maybe Johns turned him down.

 

[win1forthe]

I wonder how many times candidates turned down this job.

 

[Bierhalter]

Unbiased perspective is Kirk probably runs the best non-blueblood program in the Midwest

That is certainly somewhat biased and open for debate.

 

[GunnerHawk]

But he never had “the Deacon” to work with!

New OC, new year. No guarantees that the Deac will see the field.

 

[cidhawkeye]

I do remember several WR's. I thought a RB also.

Must have taken recruits.
Nobody on 2016 had rushing/receiving stats at Minn in 2017.
I didn’t see anyone on 2017 Minn that had stats previously at WMU.
But I didn’t dig deep

 

[myteamcanbeatupyourteam]

So how is his recruiting? You better get the Jimmy and Joes in today's world. I have no idea what offense he is going to run.

Of course you know. He going to run the offense KF tells him to run.

 

[GunnerHawk]

Maybe Johns turned him down.

More likely, Lester was the guy. Johns interviwed but Lester checked more boxes

 

[uihawk82]

No one knows really what transpired during this process but Rob Howe was the only one mentioning Lester on Friday.

In-person interviews can really sway a decision as well as references. No one knows how Lester vs. Johns' interviewed with coach Ferentz and how they interacted with the coaching staff. Kirk said early on, that chemistry with the other coaches was critical for him. Members of the staff may have liked Lester better. Lester may have been better prepared for his interview, I would have watched game tape and come in with solutions to fix Iowa's shortfalls. No one knows.

Lester was a heck of a QB in college (close to 12,000 yards passing) and had solid offensive numbers at WMU (he called most of the plays). When he was at WMU, defense let him down. Something he won't have to worry about as OC at Iowa. He replaced Fleck at WMU who pulled his best players with him to Minny, which left holes in the roster.

I for one, am willing to give him time to turn things around. Bottom line, he has to better better than Brian.

There will most certainly be naysayers on this board. But some of them wouldn't have been happy with Mike Shanahan.

I am pulling for him to be average at least and better than that would be great.

He knows QBing, passing game, and offense. He needs to have a great OLine coach who can help get the running game juiced up by 25%

 

[ExcellentBread]

That is certainly somewhat biased and open for debate.

I’d like to know who you think has had better results? No matter where your fandom lies the grass is always greener. Grass has been the greenest in Iowa City for some time compared to its peers.

 

[SI_NYC]

If he finishes somewhere between 31 and 83 next year at Iowa, we should be thrilled with the hire.

He won’t.

 

[chonk]

More likely, Lester was the guy. Johns interviwed but Lester checked more boxes

Nope

 

[denmar81]

Couple points on Lester:
1) Recognition of NFL receiving talent: Jayden Reed, Skyy Moore, D'wayne Eskridge.
2) Increasing receiving TDs, while keeping INTs low.
2017: 14 TD / 4 INT
2018: 16 TD / 6 INT
2019: 20 TD / 8 INT
2020: COVID
2021: 23 TD / 6 INT

It was mentioned that he was an analyst for running the opposing teams offense in practice.

 

[QuadCityHawkeye1976]

No one knows really what transpired during this process but Rob Howe was the only one mentioning Lester on Friday.

In-person interviews can really sway a decision as well as references. No one knows how Lester vs. Johns' interviewed with coach Ferentz and how they interacted with the coaching staff. Kirk said early on, that chemistry with the other coaches was critical for him. Members of the staff may have liked Lester better. Lester may have been better prepared for his interview, I would have watched game tape and come in with solutions to fix Iowa's shortfalls. No one knows.

Lester was a heck of a QB in college (close to 12,000 yards passing) and had solid offensive numbers at WMU (he called most of the plays). When he was at WMU, defense let him down. Something he won't have to worry about as OC at Iowa. He replaced Fleck at WMU who pulled his best players with him to Minny, which left holes in the roster.

I for one, am willing to give him time to turn things around. Bottom line, he has to better better than Brian.

There will most certainly be naysayers on this board. But some of them wouldn't have been happy with Mike Shanahan.

Well thought out post. I’m not excited by the hire but I’ll give it a chance.

 

[Bierhalter]

I’d like to know who you think has had better results? No matter where your fandom lies the grass is always greener. Grass has been the greenest in Iowa City for some time compared to its peers.

Wisconsin.