I don't think anybody ....

[ghostOfHomer777]

Love that they are having a great season...win or lose I have the right to think what I want???? I have been extremely critical about the last 5 years and nothing would have made me happier than seeing KF fired! With that being said, if he is changed and refocused on turning things around...I'm all in!

You don't pick your class mates...poor analogy! If I loved to hear myself talk I wouldn't need 5 paragraphs to say something that you could sum up in one? KF is ALWAYS responsible for the outcome, sorry you and your buddy don't like hearing that!

You like to make declarative statements - but you fail to construct supporting lines of reasoning that justify your statements.

I would agree with you that Ferentz is always responsible for the outcome. However, I would disagree that he is solely responsible for the outcome. After all, does Ferentz suit up and play in the games too?

Entertain the hypothetical ... isn't it possible for the coaches to do EVERYTHING RIGHT ... perfect game-plan, perfect prep, perfect assembly of talent ... and yet the teams loses? The players don't execute ... for whatever reason. How are the coaches responsible in such an instance?

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

I really think Ferentz said it best, "bad football is bad football and good football is good football"

last year was bad football and it had a lot to do with bad leadership at the top.

it's really hard to argue otherwise.

Promote your #2 QB, feature a FB at RB, promote a WR in MM that always seemed to get the least amount of yards he could possibly get... if he caught the ball. tell everyone how bad your #1 QB is, don't play your best running back because he "might" fumble even though your feature FB fumbled twice in one game earlier in the year, run off your best wide receiver by not playing him.

that is a recipe for an underachieving team and a pissed off fan base.

 

[Bigfann1966]

You like to make declarative statements - but you fail to construct supporting lines of reasoning that justify your statements.

I would agree with you that Ferentz is always responsible for the outcome. However, I would disagree that he is solely responsible for the outcome. After all, does Ferentz suit up and play in the games too?

Entertain the hypothetical ... isn't it possible for the coaches to do EVERYTHING RIGHT ... perfect game-plan, perfect prep, perfect assembly of talent ... and yet the teams loses? The players don't execute ... for whatever reason. How are the coaches responsible in such an instance?

I would agree that everything could be perfect and the team could still lose. I agree with what your saying! I don't understand why this is so controversial...KF gets paid good money to put together a football program, every aspect of it. Win or lose the blame falls on him because he hired the coaches, recruited the players, put together the game plans, and determines who gets to suit up and play. I have never heard of a school not fire a poorly performing football coach because they felt the players were not up to snuff? If you recruit players who don't perform it will lead to poor performance on the field. I don't believe players were the problem...the choice of players lead to his criticism and bad run the last 5 years. As well as play calling, game management and in game strategy.....

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I really think Ferentz said it best, "bad football is bad football and good football is good football"

last year was bad football and it had a lot to do with bad leadership at the top.

it's really hard to argue otherwise.

Promote your #2 QB, feature a FB at RB, promote a WR in MM that always seemed to get the least amount of yards he could possibly get... if he caught the ball. tell everyone how bad your #1 QB is, don't play your best running back because he "might" fumble even though your feature FB fumbled twice in one game earlier in the year, run off your best wide receiver by not playing him.

that is a recipe for an underachieving team and a pissed off fan base.

That is perception ... but not necessarily reality.

Look at the fumble stats .... last year, Wadley's fumbles weren't simply "random" ... it was a chronic problem that he had to work through. Fortunately, he has!

Furthermore, the RB position has important responsibilities in the passing game. You miss blitz pick-up once ... and then your QB is potentially out for the season. For most programs, if the top QB is out, then the season is in real jeopardy.

I'm willing to bet that Ferentz and Co would have loved to have had a healthy Canzeri throughout last season. Sadly, it didn't happen. Of course, fans would have been happier too.

If you listen to Brian Ferentz's interview with Hlas - it's rather telling. Brian emphasizes how FAIR Kirk is as a coach and a boss. In the short term, fans may perceive that "fairness" as undermining the bottom line ... however, in the longer team, that same "fairness" made this year possible. The perception of "fairness" as it relates to personnel decisions can definitely lead to divisions within the locker-room. The Hawks could have suffered a terrible division in the locker room during the off-season had Kirk NOT been so demonstrably fair.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I have never heard of a school not fire a poorly performing football coach because they felt the players were not up to snuff? If you recruit players who don't perform it will lead to poor performance on the field. I don't believe players were the problem...the choice of players lead to his criticism and bad run the last 5 years. As well as play calling, game management and in game strategy.....

Northwestern had a horrible season last year - but that is largely attributable to injuries. Through the prior 2 years, not only did they suffer from untimely injury issues - but also the whole player-union-movement at Northwestern served as a bit of a distraction. These aforementioned factors contributed to players being the problem ... however unfair that allegation may seem.

Without the benefit of context, it would be easy to throw Fitzy under the bus. However much I dislike the guy, without a doubt, he's a great "fit" at Northwestern AND he's a talented coach.

As it relates to Iowa, severe attrition issues had depleted the squad through the past 5 years or so. As it related to the defensive line ... Coach Kaz was pretty obvious contributor. Running back was another position that got hit - although the causes there were less obvious. Some was probably due to Erb ... although injuries and off-field issues definitely contributed as well. Heck, a portion of the RB issue is probably due to the fact that it is a high-profile position ... and players at that position don't always share Ferentz's blue-collar philosophy.

In addition to attrition issues, the coaching changes Iowa had were no less significant. I would attribute A LOT of the issues that the Hawks have experienced over the past several years as being influenced by these factors alone.

The fascinating question I keep asking myself is this ... are those issues now behind us?

Then I encourage to parse the Iowa roster as obsessively as I do (actually don't ... it's weird) - you'll find that our team is surprisingly YOUNG. There is plenty of talent on roster AND the success of this year will likely be having them embracing the formula of commitment and unity that helped to cultivate the winning culture that we're now observing.

Furthermore, look at Iowa's next few recruiting classes ... there's talent there too. Heck, just imagine what the D-line could like with guys like Hesse, Lattimore, and Epenesa on it!

I'm reminded of how I felt about the promise of program back when we enjoyed the run from '02 to '04. The difference here being that the culture of entitlement that crept in ... along with Norm's declining health are factors that ended that first promising run. I'm not sure I see obvious stumbling blocks that would undermine the present momentum of the program.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Love that they are having a great season...win or lose I have the right to think what I want???? (You have the right, doesn't mean you're right. That's a fundamental difference that many people fail to grasp. But then again, when those people think they're right, that's when we get these issues of everyone sharing their opinions.) I have been extremely critical about the last 5 years and nothing would have made me happier than seeing KF fired! With that being said, if he is changed and refocused on turning things around...I'm all in! (Fantastic. )

You don't pick your class mates...poor analogy! (It is if you thought I was talking about class mates picking class mates, or players picking players.....come on now. What you were trying to say is that teachers don't pick their students, and while that's true at some levels, look at what colleges do in accepting students for various trades- law school, dental school, engineering etc. You're evaluated and then potentially accepted by the school. And they'll do their best to train you once you get in, but if you can't snuff it, is it the school's fault you failed? Is it the school's fault for accepting you in the first place? Should they have known you were gonna end up being a poor student, and couldn't perform to the standards expected?) If I loved to hear myself talk I wouldn't need 5 paragraphs to say something that you could sum up in one? (Wordy people are wordy.......deal with it.) KF is ALWAYS responsible for the outcome, (Is he responsible for what the other team does or doesn't do? They usually play some part in the outcome of a game too....or at least I think that's how sports work. If KF is responsible for Stave fumbling the handoff at the 2-yd line and throwing early on 4th down at the end of the game, then Ferentz has more power to control a game than any of us could've imagined and we should've been winning national championships every year since he started in 1999. Hell wtf was Hayden doing all those years then, if he was the one who was ultimately responsible for, and affecting the outcome of games? I get that the adage is 'credit the players for the wins and the coach for the losses' but that's not the whole story.) sorry you and your buddy don't like hearing that! (Well, I'm glad, at least, that you liked hearing what I had to say.......clearly.)

You're welcome.

 

[Bigfann1966]

Northwestern had a horrible season last year - but that is largely attributable to injuries. Through the prior 2 years, not only did they suffer from untimely injury issues - but also the whole player-union-movement at Northwestern served as a bit of a distraction. These aforementioned factors contributed to players being the problem ... however unfair that allegation may seem.

Without the benefit of context, it would be easy to throw Fitzy under the bus. However much I dislike the guy, without a doubt, he's a great "fit" at Northwestern AND he's a talented coach.

As it relates to Iowa, severe attrition issues had depleted the squad through the past 5 years or so. As it related to the defensive line ... Coach Kaz was pretty obvious contributor. Running back was another position that got hit - although the causes there were less obvious. Some was probably due to Erb ... although injuries and off-field issues definitely contributed as well. Heck, a portion of the RB issue is probably due to the fact that it is a high-profile position ... and players at that position don't always share Ferentz's blue-collar philosophy.

In addition to attrition issues, the coaching changes Iowa had were no less significant. I would attribute A LOT of the issues that the Hawks have experienced over the past several years as being influenced by these factors alone.

The fascinating question I keep asking myself is this ... are those issues now behind us?

Then I encourage to parse the Iowa roster as obsessively as I do (actually don't ... it's weird) - you'll find that our team is surprisingly YOUNG. There is plenty of talent on roster AND the success of this year will likely be having them embracing the formula of commitment and unity that helped to cultivate the winning culture that we're now observing.

Furthermore, look at Iowa's next few recruiting classes ... there's talent there too. Heck, just imagine what the D-line could like with guys like Hesse, Lattimore, and Epenesa on it!

I'm reminded of how I felt about the promise of program back when we enjoyed the run from '02 to '04. The difference here being that the culture of entitlement that crept in ... along with Norm's declining health are factors that ended that first promising run. I'm not sure I see obvious stumbling blocks that would undermine the present momentum of the program.

I think there is truth to what your saying and there was some attrition. I still believe, "though I can't prove it, " those years did not have to that bad. The QB position is one of the most important on the team...you can over come some weakness when you have a QB who can win games. Even with the attrition, if the offense could have been more consistent and kept the Defense off the field there are games that would have had different outcomes. I also think the coaching was a big part of that problem.

What happened is water under the bridge, and I know you can "what if" this to death. I don't expect national title runs every year, but I do expect the coach to have his head in the game and give the players every opportunity to win. He admitted that there were problems and said they were addressed. I can respect any man who can admit he made a mistake and then fix it! Not enough of that anymore.... If this version of KF sticks around then I will jump back on the wagon. I love this team, and whatever there doing I hope it continues.

 

[theIowaHawk]

I really think Ferentz said it best, "bad football is bad football and good football is good football"

last year was bad football and it had a lot to do with bad leadership at the top.

it's really hard to argue otherwise.

Promote your #2 QB, feature a FB at RB, promote a WR in MM that always seemed to get the least amount of yards he could possibly get... if he caught the ball. tell everyone how bad your #1 QB is, don't play your best running back because he "might" fumble even though your feature FB fumbled twice in one game earlier in the year, run off your best wide receiver by not playing him.

that is a recipe for an underachieving team and a pissed off fan base.

Isn't it funny that in a 9-0 season all of these decisions are the correct ones? Funny how that works.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Furthermore, the RB position has important responsibilities in the passing game. You miss blitz pick-up once ... and then your QB is potentially out for the season. For most programs, if the top QB is out, then the season is in real jeopardy.

Rudock got hurt in the 2014 Pittsburgh game and Iowa ending up winning because of it. So there goes that theory......only at Iowa does the starter get hurt so the better player can get on the field.

Then CJ started the next game and went to the redzone 6 times in his first start.

Weird, not bad for a backup.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Isn't it funny that in a 9-0 season all of these decisions are the correct ones? Funny how that works.

It isn't funny but making good personnel decisions does tie pretty closely with success. Which is why i think it is so important.

Play the right players. It isn't pee wee league awarding playing time for gold stars.

I don't want to hear about how swell of a med student our starting QB is while the guy who should have been starting all along is talking about transferring, that pisses me the hell off and it should piss you off too.

 

[bagdropper]

I see we're still splitting the atom over last year's news, and apparently still need something to argue about.

Carry on with the madness.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Rudock got hurt in the 2014 Pittsburgh game and Iowa ending up winning because of it. So there goes that theory......only at Iowa does the starter get hurt so the better player can get on the field.

Then CJ started the next game and went to the redzone 6 times in his first start.

Weird, not bad for a backup.

I like CJ great. I think that he's a terrific player. However, I also suspect that he's not nearly the mature, prepared player last year that he's become this year.

Some Iowa fans wanted to insist upon the coaches dropping the ball by not starting Brad Banks in 2001.

The coaches were vocal through ALL of last year that the intention was to give Beathard quality reps. Explain that one to me ... because Rudock had a surprisingly effective SO campaign in 2013. Rudock was seemingly an entrenched starter ... already with a full year of starts under his belt. And yet the coaches are still open to giving Beathard reps?

Given how some posters seem to be spinning the story ... this whole fact flies in the face of such a contention.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I love this team, and whatever there doing I hope it continues.

I share this sentiment wholeheartedly! I hope it continues as well!

 

[Hawk and Awe]

This is a really bad thread

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

The coaches were vocal through ALL of last year that the intention was to give Beathard quality reps.

Ever heard of lip service?

CJ played one meaningful series (ball state) while Rudock was healthy in 2014.(aside from bowl game)

CJ didnt play again until 2nd half of Pitt game, due to injury. Won.

Started the Purdue game, Won.

Then didnt play again until the bowl game.

Look you can delude yourself and believe everything KF ever says is true but I'm not gonna be finessed on this topic. Guess why? I have a sneaking suspicion it will happen again if Kirk is given half a chance.

If Kirk came out and said, "you know, I just really dont know what to look for in QB's and I'm going to leave that position up to other folks from now on."

I would have nothing more to say on the matter.

Play a stiff like Jake over a guy like CJ though, yeah I'm probably going to be critical.