- Sep 13, 2002
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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.
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.
Tuesdays with Torbee
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.