Iowa went from worst to a number one ranking in the span of 6 years with Fry. Compare Urban Meyer with John Cooper.
Coaches matter.
How Does Iowa become a Michigan, Ohio St, Alabama?
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Iowa went from worst to a number one ranking in the span of 6 years with Fry. Compare Urban Meyer with John Cooper.
Coaches matter.
The only way to get to that level is by winning like Iowa did between 2002 and 2004 almost every year for a couple decades. By then, the tradition would be established and then it would just depend on getting and keeping the right coaches. It's not going to happen until a miracle coach comes along. Then again, look at ISU this year. Hell, if they can beat two teams ranked in the top 5 after never having done that in their history, I say anything's possible. What's sad is that if Campbell stays for a long time, Iowa will wind up being the "other" school in the state.
In an alternate universe, Ferentz took the Cleveland Browns coaching job after winning the Orange Bowl after the 2009-2010 season and Urban Meyer thought it might be fun to see if he could take a program with Iowa's history to a national championship.
In an alternate universe, Ferentz took the Cleveland Browns coaching job after winning the Orange Bowl after the 2009-2010 season and Urban Meyer thought it might be fun to see if he could take a program with Iowa's history to a national championship.
This is why. Of the Top 331 recruits for 2017, Ohio had 16, Alabama 15, Michigan 10 - Iowa 2 (the States, not the schools). And that's just "blue chip" recruits. If you list the kids just below blue chip status (whatever that is), the disparity gets worse.
https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...rankings-state-stars-florida-texas-california
https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...rankings-state-stars-florida-texas-california
I wonder if the NCAA would ever consider another scholarship reduction in the future. Cut the scholarship count down to 75 and require that they be 4 year guarantees. That suddenly puts a bit of a crimp on Bama, OSU, etc. from stockpiling talent down to their third and fourth strings and keeps schools like Bama from “cutting” players that were overrated in recruiting. Although the reduced scholarship count could have an undesired affect of hurting developmental programs like ours.
Maybe convince a few million more young people to move to Iowa so we are not at such a recruiting disadvantage? Convince recruits global warming is real and Iowa’s climate will be like Alabama’s when they are here?
Yes! Nevermind all of the other factors, if we just believe, it will happen!!!!!!!!!
Ya, Nebraska had to go up against perennial power Oklahoma annually in the Big 8, Big 12. Both teams won multiple national championships.
Nebraska won 5 national championships in the 70s and 90s and generally finished 1st or 2nd in their conference/division in the 1960s through 2016..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nebraska_Cornhuskers_football_seasons
You make some good points on keeping those great coaches longer. What Jones and Evy did in their runs . . .
If you're bringing up car accidents and the basketball team, there's at least one more you should prevent while you're at it.
I'd love to get back to being the Big Ten's bully. Hasn't been the case for a while now.
Create bogus classes (but make sure any student can take them) in order to recruit talented but academically challenged athletes.
Oh wait....that only works for North Carolina basketball. Never mind.
Oh wait....that only works for North Carolina basketball. Never mind.
Yes, I love meatloaf! My favorite is grandma's cause she uses some onion n celeary. You?
You make a lot of great points but first and foremost, I really think it starts with the school's high school recruiting base. Using OSU as an example, the school has a huge advantage over many other schools as they can pretty much field an excellent team with just Ohio HS talent. More than population, I really believe the quality of HS football being played in the state takes center stage first and foremost. Schools that have to travel hundreds of miles out of necessity to pull in recruits are at a HUGE disadvantage.
Stop bringing facts to the argument. It's much more fun to just claim that if we had a coach who just cared more or paid more attention to recruiting Iowa would win 10+ games every year.
Totally agree. The baseline for Ohio State is anywhere from really good (when they have a coach like Earle Bruce or John Cooper) to legitimate content for national title every year (with a coach like Tressel or Meyer). The combination of talent close by and support from alumni/administration makes the Bucks really, really good. I do think Urban is a very good coach, but Buckeyes start the at-bat already having hit a triple.
To answer the OP's question- to become an Alabama or Ohio State you need to hire the best recruiter/head coach who is committed to staying at the program and winning a NC. Both Saban and Meyer could win a NC at Iowa because they recruit nationally and players come (wherever they are) to play for them because recruits believe they WILL WIN a NC and get them into the league as a high draft pick.
To become a Michigan, the Hawkeyes would have to deteriorate significantly from their current state- I would wager that the Hawkeyes have a significantly better program (based on wins and losses) than Michigan over the past 10 years.
Looked it up myself- your already better than Michigan- don't get caught up in Michigan's success from the 1800's- they've been irrelevant for decades.
Past 10 years
Michigan 72-50
Iowa 79-46, plus you've been to 3 more bowl games than Michigan in that span
Ohio State 107-20
To become a Michigan, the Hawkeyes would have to deteriorate significantly from their current state- I would wager that the Hawkeyes have a significantly better program (based on wins and losses) than Michigan over the past 10 years.
Looked it up myself- your already better than Michigan- don't get caught up in Michigan's success from the 1800's- they've been irrelevant for decades.
Past 10 years
Michigan 72-50
Iowa 79-46, plus you've been to 3 more bowl games than Michigan in that span
Ohio State 107-20
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I would tend to disagree, Saban was nothing special at MSU, he became St. NICK when he resided in recruiting hot beds like LSU and Alabama.
Paying players would be the death knell for Iowa football. Do you really think the University would give the ok to do this? The Liberal Arts folks would have a conniption.
I find it odd to say that we can't be Michigan but could be Wisconsin. Wisconsin has been a much better program than Michigan from 1997 on, that's not a small sample size anymore, two decades. Iowa had several chances to become an upper echelon B10 team like Wisconsin in the past 10+ years but has repeatedly blown those chances as we have a complacent head coach who has been too lazy to make the moves needed to make that leap.
Oh, its coming, pay to play will be here in some shape or form, financed by the NCAA and Conference TV and merchandising revenue. Its only a matter of time before the lawyers take it here.
Just say'n...lots of rumblings the last few years about how the NCAA makes so much money on the backs of these elite players, interferes with their right to earn a living, share in the money.
Pay to Play and NCAA draft or something like it will be the only way there will be parity and fairness in recruiting. The Big Money will insist on it. Otherwise, it will always be the same local southern schools, blue blood northern schools, high population states, getting the cream of the crop.
Things could get better or easier for Iowa if Berry retried and Wisky keeps losing their defensive coaches and they make sh!tty hires to replace them (self destructed like Debby did). While we are at it, lets make sure Campbell moves outside the Big Ten or maybe Rutgers. Flake will likely self destruct as well but the sooner the better. Oh, and the stars align, prayers are answered...and then, every 2 to 4 years, Iowa would have a shot at a Regular Top 8 Play Off, even better if expanded to top 16. Then recruits might regularly see Iowa among the elite teams.
It will never be, as some here suggest, some new "elite level" coach who is a super charismatic recruiter. I am certain about that. Hayden was pretty darn close to that, and he couldn't get ranked in the top 10 as often as Kirk has.
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That was 30 years ago. Also, I'm unaware of any coach getting a 2.25 million bonus for winning 7 games in one year. I also don't know of any coaches who "demanded" such a thing. Good try on the troll though.
I think it has to do with tradition, but also fan base. I mean you look at OSU & Michigan and there is some of the most passionate fans in the country. I mean they draw something like 40-50k for a spring game. Iowa has good fans, but if they start to lose, the fans don't show up. I mean I went to an Iowa vs Michigan in Ann Arbor and that place was packed. It always is. Went to Iowa vs PSU this year and there were a lot of empty seats for a "primetime" game. That's not good support for the program.
Bama, OSU, and MICH are recruiting on a different level than anyone else right now. They are getting the cream of the crop and it will go in cycles. I think coaching has to do with some of that, but lets face it we live in a society where student athletes will always choose the "easy" way out. I mean you could go to Bama and win a NC or come to Iowa and maybe contend for BTC by your junior or senior year. Its just the way the program is. AJE are few and far between anymore. Those type of players will go where they think they win a NC.
Iowa is a development program who every so often will have a 10-2 or 11-1 type of year. Sadly those years are usually 4-5 years apart. They are always going to be between 9-3 or 6-6. I guess I look at is, we could be a development program and average 6-8 wins a year or do we want to be a "flash in the pan" type of team. Where we win 10-11 games for a string of 2-3 seasons and then don't make a bowl game for a while.
I think the program is just fine at Iowa. Yea we are not OSU, Bama, or MiCH but it makes it sweeter beating them with less talent. We also graduate more of our players and our program is "clean" compared to the others. I guess we are doing it right at Iowa and I am okay with that. I think KF will get us back to the BTC within the next 2-3years.
Bama, OSU, and MICH are recruiting on a different level than anyone else right now. They are getting the cream of the crop and it will go in cycles. I think coaching has to do with some of that, but lets face it we live in a society where student athletes will always choose the "easy" way out. I mean you could go to Bama and win a NC or come to Iowa and maybe contend for BTC by your junior or senior year. Its just the way the program is. AJE are few and far between anymore. Those type of players will go where they think they win a NC.
Iowa is a development program who every so often will have a 10-2 or 11-1 type of year. Sadly those years are usually 4-5 years apart. They are always going to be between 9-3 or 6-6. I guess I look at is, we could be a development program and average 6-8 wins a year or do we want to be a "flash in the pan" type of team. Where we win 10-11 games for a string of 2-3 seasons and then don't make a bowl game for a while.
I think the program is just fine at Iowa. Yea we are not OSU, Bama, or MiCH but it makes it sweeter beating them with less talent. We also graduate more of our players and our program is "clean" compared to the others. I guess we are doing it right at Iowa and I am okay with that. I think KF will get us back to the BTC within the next 2-3years.
Older guys may remember just how bad Kansas State was before Bill Snyder arrived.It was the worst program in the country.It took him awhile but he finally had that team on the cusp of the National Title.Players in the program and fan support changed with him.His out of conference schedule was a complete joke but he was getting them to taste victory before he could teach them how to build on it.Probably one of the best rebuild jobs I ever saw
It all comes down to the commitment of your boosters to infuse $$$$. It takes great fan support, big time environment, and exposure. Until you recruit the best you'll always be at the almost great, kind of good program. Recruit ....recruit....recruit. Enough of this poor old Iowa stuff. Act like you belong there with Ohio State and aim to not just win but destroy! If you don't well hey you still got the Chicken Nuggets Bowl.
Stagnation is a terrible thing.
Stagnation is a terrible thing.
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