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#%*&ing Nebraska

torbee

HR King
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This one legit caught me by surprise. I did not see even a flawed Iowa failing so miserably against a 3-win team with an interim coach. Saturday was gross.

Tuesdays with Torbee​

Kirk Ferentz will now have to take a hard look at his offense in the off-season.

Kirk Ferentz will now have to take a hard look at his offense in the off-season.

Tory Brecht
Columnist

In many ways, the Iowa Hawkeye football team’s abysmal failure last Friday was a microcosm of its entire season.

Like the lead up to 2022, there was much anticipation for, if not greatness, at least meaningful success. Iowa came into the year as a dark horse Big 10 West Division champion, but started with a thud – barely squeaking by FCS South Dakota State and suffering humiliating losses to two very mediocre teams in Iowa State and Illinois.

Against Nebraska, fans were revved up and rowdy, knowing that a home win against a three-win team would send the Hawkeyes back to Indianapolis for a rematch with Michigan, a team many believed Iowa might have a puncher’s chance against. However, just as it started the season, Iowa began the game looking as if the sport of “football” was something with which the players had only a passing familiarity. The offensive line didn’t block. Wide receivers didn’t get open. The quarterback went 1 of 6 for a measly 9 yards before being strip-sacked and injured. Even defenders – the one true bright spot of the season – joined in the absurdity, letting Nebraska’s receivers run unmolested through the secondary on the way to an ultimately insurmountable 24-0 lead.

After the season’s disastrous start, Iowa found some footing and managed a four game winning streak against fellow Big 10 west palookas. Against Nebraska Saturday, the defense finally clamped down in the second half and backup quarterback Alex Padilla made a few plays, as did emerging star running back Kaleb Johnson; his 109 rushing yards and 44-yard touchdown scamper the lone bright spot on an otherwise dismal showing.

The slow start to the season doomed the Hawkeyes from living up to potential just as Saturday’s slow start dashed any hopes for a return date in Indy.
Honestly, it’s probably better that way. At least Iowa fans won’t be tempted to equate fool’s gold with actual success.

If we are being fair, bad luck also played a role in the ignominious outcome of the Hero’s Game. Losing Sam LaPorta in the win over Minnesota scratched Iowa’s best offensive playmaker on a team sorely lacking in that area to begin with. In addition, Iowa lost its best special teams playmaker and a key cog in the secondary when Cooper DeJean went out after a blind side block. And all of that was before the starting quarterback got KO’d. The Hawkeyes are just not good or deep enough to overcome the loss of three critical playmakers and find victory, even against a crumb bum squad like the Cornhuskers.
The truth is, Iowa is in need of a total offensive overhaul. Had the Hawks found a way to win Saturday, I fear that glaring deficiency might have been overlooked in the celebration of back-to-back division titles. There is no looking away this offseason, however.

Job one should be scouring the portal for a game-ready quarterback. Alex Padilla is a capable enough backup. He is not the long-term answer for a Big 10 team that purports to have championship aspirations. The jury remains out on Joey Labas and Carson May. Here is hoping one of them has the “it” factor so sorely missing from the position lately. But common sense says if they can’t beat out Padilla or Petras, they are a long way away from being ready to start. Maybe look for a receiver or two while you’re perusing that portal as well.

Job two should be reshuffling the offensive coaching staff. I’m not naïve and know Brian Ferentz will not be fired from his offensive coordinator job. My hope is Kirk gets creative and/or Brian self-demotes. Maybe Brian goes back to coaching the offensive line full-time with the title of “associate offensive coordinator” but a new coach comes in to call plays? That solution would necessitate the firing of the current offensive line coach, but based on the on-field product, that certainly wouldn’t be a big loss.

I’m not as convinced as others that Iowa’s “offensive scheme” is a worthless relic that doesn’t work in modern football. Hell, Michigan is about to make a second-consecutive College Football Playoff appearance running a pro-style, heavy tight end scheme heavy on zone runs and play action passing. It is a thing of beauty when you have the personnel capable of running it. Right now, Iowa doesn’t, and it needs to find ways to incorporate concepts that do take advantage of the players on the roster.

With rivals Wisconsin and Nebraska both bringing in shiny new coaches with all the irrational hope and exuberance that entails, Iowa fans are going to perceive Ferentz’s coaching seat as hot heading into 2023. While it may be warming up in fans’ imagination, a pragmatist realizes that Ferentz has earned the right to call it quits on his own terms, in his own time, barring some kind of utter catastrophe. This season was a disappointing “meh” but nowhere near a full-bore catastrophe, despite fan sentiment.

A few silver linings to tide you over as Iowa prepares for a mediocre bowl and an offseason of intrigue:

· By all accounts, recruiting continues to trend up. If 5 star Kadyn Proctor sticks with Iowa as expected, the Hawkeyes will most likely end with a Top 25 ranked recruiting class. Considering the Hawks have shown the ability to notch 10-win seasons and compete for Big 10 titles with classes ranked in the 40s and 50s, this is a great sign.

· Kaleb Johnson looks to be the kind of running back threat Iowa hasn’t had since the Shonn Greene days. The man has an extra gear we haven’t seen around Iowa City in years and could be a key cog in a revamped offense.

· The secondary will remain sick (the good kind) for the foreseeable future. Cooper DeJean is going to be a star no matter which side of the ball he plays on, and it appears he’s sticking in the defensive backfield for now. Xavier Nwankpa is, like Proctor, a 5 star recruit with offers from all of college football royalty. He will join the fray fulltime next season as All-American Riley Moss and other seniors depart.

· Kinnick Stadium remains a potent home field advantage. I was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiasm, fervor and deafening decibel levels Iowa fans reached in the fourth quarter of a game that was miserable for nearly every second of the preceding 45 minutes. There may be a few folks ready to move on from the current iteration of the Iowa football program, but the meat and potatoes common fan is still with this team, through thick and thin. And that’s the way it should be.
 
If you didn't see the possibility of this happening you either undervalued Nebraska and hadn't watched them all year or overvalued Iowa's last 4 games. Nebraska with a healthy Thompson was going to score on Iowa.
 
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So.... I was blasted for my preseason prediction for Iowa. I predicted 9 or 10 wins and a division championship. Had Iowa beaten Nebraska, which they should have, I would have only missed by 1 game.

I was so disappointed in Iowa. It just seemed like they had no respect for Nebraska. Gone are the days that most teams can simply show up and win.
 
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So.... I was blasted for my preseason prediction for Iowa. I predicted 9 or 10 wins and a division championship. Had Iowa beaten Nebraska, which they should have, I would have only missed by 1 game.

I was so disappointed in Iowa. It just seemed like they had no respect for Nebraska. Gone are the days that mot teams can simply show up and win.
Kind of a perfect storm Friday. We gave them the ball I think 4 times and failed to guard the one guy you had to (palmer). It was more disturbing that Iowa seemed to not have any fire. The lack of pass rush was noticeable also.
 
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Iowa needs to make some changes to freshen up the offense (duh, right?). They have, and should continue to have, a championship caliber defense. Defense travels, especially in cold weather. College offenses need to have some explosiveness. The Service Academies are forced to run option offenses, but everyone else needs to have the ability to stretch the field in some fashion.
 
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With rivals Wisconsin and Nebraska both bringing in shiny new coaches with all the irrational hope and exuberance that entails,

I don't know. If you utilize the portal strange things can happen, like improving and winning.
 
Iowa needs to make some changes to freshen up the offense (duh, right?). They have, and should continue to have, a championship caliber defense. Defense travels, especially in cold weather. College offenses need to have some explosiveness. The Service Academies are forced to run option offenses, but everyone else needs to have the ability to stretch the field in some fashion.

The formula is pretty simple. Maintain the elite defense/special teams and overhaul the offense with the goal of scoring 30+ points every game. I'm guessing we haven't lost very many games over the past 10 years where our offense put up 30+.
 
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The formula is pretty simple. Maintain the elite defense/special teams and overhaul the offense with the goal of scoring 30+ points every game. I'm guessing we haven't lost very many games over the past 10 years where our offense put up 30+.
Correct. But the offense has to have a particular identity that complements the defense. More like Michigan's offense, power football, than like a Big 12 offense, spread 'em out.
 
Correct. But the offense has to have a particular identity that complements the defense. More like Michigan's offense, power football, than like a Big 12 offense, spread 'em out.
This is why I don't necessarily believe in drastic changes. We have to have a balanced offense in this league and with our recruiting footprint.
 
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This is why I don't necessarily believe in drastic changes. We have to have a balanced offense in this league and with our recruiting footprint.
The only drastic change that needs to happen is how hard we hit the portal. We need to be riding that thing like a rented mule. The coaches need to sell Iowa to transfers as a graduate course to get to the NFL. Iowa can be the place where great college linemen learn how to be great NFL linemen. They should be lining up to get that chance.
Instead, we use the portal less than just about everyone because our coach doesn’t think players can grasp the system in eight months.
 
It was pretty obvious this could happen. Nebraska’s bowl. Playing last game for their coach. Nebraska’s best team in what, 4, 5, 6 years? Iowa’s worst team in a decade? Iowa missing their best receiver then lost their best DB and special teams player. Everything aligned for Nebraska.
 
So.... I was blasted for my preseason prediction for Iowa. I predicted 9 or 10 wins and a division championship. Had Iowa beaten Nebraska, which they should have, I would have only missed by 1 game.

I was so disappointed in Iowa. It just seemed like they had no respect for Nebraska. Gone are the days that most teams can simply show up and win.
Those days for Iowa football are long past. When you can “hold” your opponent to 20 points, you should win a vast majority of those games. Iowa is challenged to score 17 points...unless the defense or special teams get involved.
 
Iowa needs at least 2 OL from the portal, 1 QB, and probably at least 1 WR.

Then they need to hire an actual QB coach and let him ya know, coach. If they keep Brian, put him back at OL coach and find a new OC.
 
I'm not worried about Nebby.....that is where coaches go to die. But Wisconsin is about to win National Championships. (plural).

I saw Iowa losing to Nebraska. In fact I had dream on how it would play out. Dream was correct.

Gary Barta should not be the one to hire Kirk's replacement. No accountability.
 
I'm not worried about Nebby.....that is where coaches go to die. But Wisconsin is about to win National Championships. (plural).

I saw Iowa losing to Nebraska. In fact I had dream on how it would play out. Dream was correct.

Gary Barta should not be the one to hire Kirk's replacement. No accountability.
How much money did you bet on Nebraska?
 
This one legit caught me by surprise. I did not see even a flawed Iowa failing so miserably against a 3-win team with an interim coach. Saturday was gross.

Tuesdays with Torbee​

Kirk Ferentz will now have to take a hard look at his offense in the off-season.

Kirk Ferentz will now have to take a hard look at his offense in the off-season.

Tory Brecht
Columnist

In many ways, the Iowa Hawkeye football team’s abysmal failure last Friday was a microcosm of its entire season.

Like the lead up to 2022, there was much anticipation for, if not greatness, at least meaningful success. Iowa came into the year as a dark horse Big 10 West Division champion, but started with a thud – barely squeaking by FCS South Dakota State and suffering humiliating losses to two very mediocre teams in Iowa State and Illinois.

Against Nebraska, fans were revved up and rowdy, knowing that a home win against a three-win team would send the Hawkeyes back to Indianapolis for a rematch with Michigan, a team many believed Iowa might have a puncher’s chance against. However, just as it started the season, Iowa began the game looking as if the sport of “football” was something with which the players had only a passing familiarity. The offensive line didn’t block. Wide receivers didn’t get open. The quarterback went 1 of 6 for a measly 9 yards before being strip-sacked and injured. Even defenders – the one true bright spot of the season – joined in the absurdity, letting Nebraska’s receivers run unmolested through the secondary on the way to an ultimately insurmountable 24-0 lead.

After the season’s disastrous start, Iowa found some footing and managed a four game winning streak against fellow Big 10 west palookas. Against Nebraska Saturday, the defense finally clamped down in the second half and backup quarterback Alex Padilla made a few plays, as did emerging star running back Kaleb Johnson; his 109 rushing yards and 44-yard touchdown scamper the lone bright spot on an otherwise dismal showing.

The slow start to the season doomed the Hawkeyes from living up to potential just as Saturday’s slow start dashed any hopes for a return date in Indy.
Honestly, it’s probably better that way. At least Iowa fans won’t be tempted to equate fool’s gold with actual success.

If we are being fair, bad luck also played a role in the ignominious outcome of the Hero’s Game. Losing Sam LaPorta in the win over Minnesota scratched Iowa’s best offensive playmaker on a team sorely lacking in that area to begin with. In addition, Iowa lost its best special teams playmaker and a key cog in the secondary when Cooper DeJean went out after a blind side block. And all of that was before the starting quarterback got KO’d. The Hawkeyes are just not good or deep enough to overcome the loss of three critical playmakers and find victory, even against a crumb bum squad like the Cornhuskers.
The truth is, Iowa is in need of a total offensive overhaul. Had the Hawks found a way to win Saturday, I fear that glaring deficiency might have been overlooked in the celebration of back-to-back division titles. There is no looking away this offseason, however.

Job one should be scouring the portal for a game-ready quarterback. Alex Padilla is a capable enough backup. He is not the long-term answer for a Big 10 team that purports to have championship aspirations. The jury remains out on Joey Labas and Carson May. Here is hoping one of them has the “it” factor so sorely missing from the position lately. But common sense says if they can’t beat out Padilla or Petras, they are a long way away from being ready to start. Maybe look for a receiver or two while you’re perusing that portal as well.

Job two should be reshuffling the offensive coaching staff. I’m not naïve and know Brian Ferentz will not be fired from his offensive coordinator job. My hope is Kirk gets creative and/or Brian self-demotes. Maybe Brian goes back to coaching the offensive line full-time with the title of “associate offensive coordinator” but a new coach comes in to call plays? That solution would necessitate the firing of the current offensive line coach, but based on the on-field product, that certainly wouldn’t be a big loss.

I’m not as convinced as others that Iowa’s “offensive scheme” is a worthless relic that doesn’t work in modern football. Hell, Michigan is about to make a second-consecutive College Football Playoff appearance running a pro-style, heavy tight end scheme heavy on zone runs and play action passing. It is a thing of beauty when you have the personnel capable of running it. Right now, Iowa doesn’t, and it needs to find ways to incorporate concepts that do take advantage of the players on the roster.

With rivals Wisconsin and Nebraska both bringing in shiny new coaches with all the irrational hope and exuberance that entails, Iowa fans are going to perceive Ferentz’s coaching seat as hot heading into 2023. While it may be warming up in fans’ imagination, a pragmatist realizes that Ferentz has earned the right to call it quits on his own terms, in his own time, barring some kind of utter catastrophe. This season was a disappointing “meh” but nowhere near a full-bore catastrophe, despite fan sentiment.

A few silver linings to tide you over as Iowa prepares for a mediocre bowl and an offseason of intrigue:

· By all accounts, recruiting continues to trend up. If 5 star Kadyn Proctor sticks with Iowa as expected, the Hawkeyes will most likely end with a Top 25 ranked recruiting class. Considering the Hawks have shown the ability to notch 10-win seasons and compete for Big 10 titles with classes ranked in the 40s and 50s, this is a great sign.

· Kaleb Johnson looks to be the kind of running back threat Iowa hasn’t had since the Shonn Greene days. The man has an extra gear we haven’t seen around Iowa City in years and could be a key cog in a revamped offense.

· The secondary will remain sick (the good kind) for the foreseeable future. Cooper DeJean is going to be a star no matter which side of the ball he plays on, and it appears he’s sticking in the defensive backfield for now. Xavier Nwankpa is, like Proctor, a 5 star recruit with offers from all of college football royalty. He will join the fray fulltime next season as All-American Riley Moss and other seniors depart.

· Kinnick Stadium remains a potent home field advantage. I was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiasm, fervor and deafening decibel levels Iowa fans reached in the fourth quarter of a game that was miserable for nearly every second of the preceding 45 minutes. There may be a few folks ready to move on from the current iteration of the Iowa football program, but the meat and potatoes common fan is still with this team, through thick and thin. And that’s the way it should be.
Wait a second, I was the source of your and Loungers' ire 2 or 3 weeks ago for taking the position that our offense had not actually improved despite it managing to score when gifted immaculate field position. Was prior success actually fool's gold or real gold? Is the truth that we need a total offensive overhaul of a glaring deficiency, or that we had made sufficient progress to no longer be garbage?
 
The only drastic change that needs to happen is how hard we hit the portal. We need to be riding that thing like a rented mule. The coaches need to sell Iowa to transfers as a graduate course to get to the NFL. Iowa can be the place where great college linemen learn how to be great NFL linemen. They should be lining up to get that chance.
Instead, we use the portal less than just about everyone because our coach doesn’t think players can grasp the system in eight months.
Fire Brian Ferentz.

Dude should just go get a new job. He has to know remaining at Iowa any longer is going to be the end of his career. Needs to go be a position coach in the NFL and start over.
 
Damn, dude! With that kind of vision you should have bet enough to buy a 500 foot yacht, complete with crew.

If I was a millionaire I wouldn't spend money on a boat. Why leave perfectly good ground to die on the sea?

It is not hard to prognosticate Iowa fball games. Take the ball, 3 & out, let the other team get a big lead, etc...
 
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It was pretty obvious this could happen. Nebraska’s bowl. Playing last game for their coach. Nebraska’s best team in what, 4, 5, 6 years? Iowa’s worst team in a decade? Iowa missing their best receiver then lost their best DB and special teams player. Everything aligned for Nebraska.
3-win team. Interim coach. NO EXCUSE losing to those jabronis.
 
Correct. But the offense has to have a particular identity that complements the defense. More like Michigan's offense, power football, than like a Big 12 offense, spread 'em out.
I think Baylor's offense under Briles would work well in the Big 10. It was a spread formation, but it was actually oftentimes power football.
 
Wait a second, I was the source of your and Loungers' ire 2 or 3 weeks ago for taking the position that our offense had not actually improved despite it managing to score when gifted immaculate field position. Was prior success actually fool's gold or real gold? Is the truth that we need a total offensive overhaul of a glaring deficiency, or that we had made sufficient progress to no longer be garbage?
Our offense had the talent to be good enough to go toe-to-toe with the mediocre Big 10 West.

On Friday, Iowa played without it's leading receiver (LaPorta), starting quarterback and best special teams returner. That made a bad offense terrible.
 
The sad part was that I didn't feel well, so I watched the game on recording. I watched the game in less than an hour because I knew exactly how it would finish. I would have loved to be wrong.
 
Our offense had the talent to be good enough to go toe-to-toe with the mediocre Big 10 West.

On Friday, Iowa played without it's leading receiver (LaPorta), starting quarterback and best special teams returner. That made a bad offense terrible.
That doesn't sound like a need for a total overhaul - it sounds like bad luck and excuses.
 
That doesn't sound like a need for a total overhaul - it sounds like bad luck and excuses.
Nope, if Iowa has Big 10 championship aspirations, being just good enough on O to beat palookas in the Big 10 West is not anywhere near good enough. Overhaul needed.

Just because I noted they moved from awful to bad doesn't negate the need for improvement.
 
Nope, if Iowa has Big 10 championship aspirations, being just good enough on O to beat palookas in the Big 10 West is not anywhere near good enough. Overhaul needed.

Just because I noted they moved from awful to bad doesn't negate the need for improvement.
Sounds like fool's gold to me.
 
Sounds like fool's gold to me.
This seems like an awfully narrow argument we are having, but what the hell, it's keeping me from pulling my hair out watching the USMNT hanging on by a thread!

I felt like last year's team was definitely "fool's gold" in that for a 10-win team, they were quite average.

This season, at 7-5, is about what I expected for such an offensively challenged team. They started out absolutely brutally atrocious on offense and gradually got a little better. Hell, in the loss to Nebraska they got 272 total yards and more than 100 rushing --- that was better than nearly EVERY GAME in the first half of the season. So yeah, they got better - but that only brought them from awful to bad. BFD.
 
So.... I was blasted for my preseason prediction for Iowa. I predicted 9 or 10 wins and a division championship. Had Iowa beaten Nebraska, which they should have, I would have only missed by 1 game.

I was so disappointed in Iowa. It just seemed like they had no respect for Nebraska. Gone are the days that most teams can simply show up and win.
That was my prediction also. I was thinking that after all of that quarterback coaching from a host of star SEC/NFL quarterbacks and the next step in the maturation of BF, we were ready for a breakout year.

Kirk has built this team on a record of spotting potential and watching it grow into NFL-ready play. I thought he and Brian and the Mannings were set to make history. If Kirk could see a breakout coming, then it simply had to be there. We were about to be shocked as these various influences finally made their way into an at-the-ready Brian Ferencz brain and onto the field.
 
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Our offense had the talent to be good enough to go toe-to-toe with the mediocre Big 10 West.

On Friday, Iowa played without it's leading receiver (LaPorta), starting quarterback and best special teams returner. That made a bad offense terrible.
These factors added to my taking Nebby and the points...hindsight is always 20/20 as they say....but this line was screaming “Bet Me!” I view “betting lines” as entertainment but I very seldom participate any more....but I do find occasional values and I will play.....Ia/ Nebby last Friday was such a value.
Go Hawks!
 
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This seems like an awfully narrow argument we are having, but what the hell, it's keeping me from pulling my hair out watching the USMNT hanging on by a thread!

I felt like last year's team was definitely "fool's gold" in that for a 10-win team, they were quite average.

This season, at 7-5, is about what I expected for such an offensively challenged team. They started out absolutely brutally atrocious on offense and gradually got a little better. Hell, in the loss to Nebraska they got 272 total yards and more than 100 rushing --- that was better than nearly EVERY GAME in the first half of the season. So yeah, they got better - but that only brought them from awful to bad. BFD.
The bottom line is that players make plays. Our players on offense were not good enough to have an effective offense. It was never an effective offense this year, relatively speaking. An overhaul bringing in new players is required, barring position changes (like Graves moving to OL).
 
These factors added to my taking Nebby and the points...hindsight is always 20/20 as they say....but this line was screaming “Bet Me!” I view “betting lines” as entertainment but I very seldom participate any more....but I do find occasional values and I will play.....Ia/ Nebby last Friday was such a value.
Go Hawks!
I did the same with TCU-Iowa basketball. Iowa had no business being favored against a tough, physical Big 12 team on the second night of a back-to-back. I didn't think they'd get their asses kicked like they ended up doing, but felt if they won it would have been a squeaker at best. Biggest bet I made all weekend.
 
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