Kirk’s best teams almost always followed by underwhelming ones

[HawkeyeHoopyball]

‘09: Orange Bowl > ‘10 7-5 and finish the year losing to a horrendous Minnesota team.

---

‘15 Rose Bowl > ‘16 Lose to NDSU and put up one of the worst showings I’ve ever seen in the Outback Bowl vs Florida.

---

‘21 B1G Championship Appearance > ‘22 worst offense in college football.

---

Any theories as to why this is the case? It appears that for the most part success leads to stubbornness and complacency in this coaching staff that doesn’t change until we drop off again. Most teams build upon success, and we do the opposite.

 

[Kurt Warner]

Kf needs put out to pasture

 

[kcgolfer]

No offenses will give you very spotty results.

 

[HemiHawk]

‘09: Orange Bowl > ‘10 7-5 and finish the year losing to a horrendous Minnesota team.

---

‘15 Rose Bowl > ‘16 Lose to NDSU and put up one of the worst showings I’ve ever seen in the Outback Bowl vs Florida.

---

‘21 B1G Championship Appearance > ‘22 worst offense in college football.

---

Any theories as to why this is the case? It appears that for the most part success leads to stubbornness and complacency in this coaching staff that doesn’t change until we drop off again. Most teams build upon success, and we do the opposite.

Interesting. The same phenomena occured in the past under KF as well. After winning 31 games in 02, 03, and 04 Iowa won 7,6 and 6 games in the next three seasons. After going 11-2 in 09 Iowa's win totals next three years: 8,7,4. To me it's a lack of recruiting as well as lack of coaching.

 

[Mohawkeye]

2003 and 2004 were pretty respectable after 2002. I do think KF tends to go in cycles and we appear to be starting a new one. If history holds, then 2023 should be ok and 2024 spectacular.

 

[BrewHawk]

Players leaving early for the NFL has had a huge impact.

 

[Hawk_82]

I have to believe this could be related to the race issues and Doyle leaving. Maybe we didn't get our top choices for recruits. But I really have nothing solid to base this on.

In the past I think our slip ups have been due to players leaving and the new ones were not quite ready yet.

 

[Benddontbreak1]

‘09: Orange Bowl > ‘10 7-5 and finish the year losing to a horrendous Minnesota team.

---

‘15 Rose Bowl > ‘16 Lose to NDSU and put up one of the worst showings I’ve ever seen in the Outback Bowl vs Florida.

---

‘21 B1G Championship Appearance > ‘22 worst offense in college football.

---

Any theories as to why this is the case? It appears that for the most part success leads to stubbornness and complacency in this coaching staff that doesn’t change until we drop off again. Most teams build upon success, and we do the opposite.

2010: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

2016: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

2021: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

Ask Barta, he might know.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

2010: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

2016: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

2021: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

Ask Barta, he might know.

/winner

 

[uihawk82]

‘09: Orange Bowl > ‘10 7-5 and finish the year losing to a horrendous Minnesota team.

---

‘15 Rose Bowl > ‘16 Lose to NDSU and put up one of the worst showings I’ve ever seen in the Outback Bowl vs Florida.

---

‘21 B1G Championship Appearance > ‘22 worst offense in college football.

---

Any theories as to why this is the case? It appears that for the most part success leads to stubbornness and complacency in this coaching staff that doesn’t change until we drop off again. Most teams build upon success, and we do the opposite.

Well Iowa's pattern of having a couple of really good seasons followed by a couple of lesser season records is not much different than most teams that are not called "the blue bloods". Iowa can sometimes work to have a great group of upper classmen along with a few really good underclassmen which leads to a couple of really great seasons.

Iowa just doesn't reload each year like OSU, Bama, Georgia, Clemson etc. But Georgia and Clemson have been down before, Texas and USC, etc but for those teams it is not about talent but instead finding the right coaches.

Iowa does not just reload every year. Kirk's best cycles are when a confluence of a great 30-40 players make up the 2 deep roster but as they graduate Iowa cannot always have that top 40 players.

The best cycles have really good playmaking QBs and offensive lines as the Parker's have always had pretty damn good defenses.

You mention 2010 as being underwhelming and much of that was Jeff Tarpinian being injured on defense as he was really great when healthy at middle linebacker, the starting right guard getting hurt and being replaced by about a 270 lb backup center which gave defenses a weak attack point, ARob getting hurt, and a very think defensive line that was usually exhausted by the end of games. Not enough really good bodies on that team.

 

[SI_NYC]

2010: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

2016: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

2021: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

Ask Barta, he might know.

Seeing this shows Barta should have more oversight. As I’ve stated before, there was no reason to give Kirk such a long contract with a huge buyout this last go around. He wasn’t going anywhere. I would have paid him very well but for a shorter time with a small buyout.

 

[anon_b29nm7v7dwp6r]

Seeing this shows Barta should have more oversight. As I’ve stated before, there was no reason to give Kirk such a long contract with a huge buyout this last go around. He wasn’t going anywhere. I would have paid him very well but for a shorter time with a small buyout.

Exactly….Barta is an awful AD

 

[jonesy5960]

Well Iowa's pattern of having a couple of really good seasons followed by a couple of lesser season records is not much different than most teams that are not called "the blue bloods". Iowa can sometimes work to have a great group of upper classmen along with a few really good underclassmen which leads to a couple of really great seasons.

Iowa just doesn't reload each year like OSU, Bama, Georgia, Clemson etc. But Georgia and Clemson have been down before, Texas and USC, etc but for those teams it is not about talent but instead finding the right coaches.

Iowa does not just reload every year. Kirk's best cycles are when a confluence of a great 30-40 players make up the 2 deep roster but as they graduate Iowa cannot always have that top 40 players.

The best cycles have really good playmaking QBs and offensive lines as the Parker's have always had pretty damn good defenses.

You mention 2010 as being underwhelming and much of that was Jeff Tarpinian being injured on defense as he was really great when healthy at middle linebacker, the starting right guard getting hurt and being replaced by about a 270 lb backup center which gave defenses a weak attack point, ARob getting hurt, and a very think defensive line that was usually exhausted by the end of games. Not enough really good bodies on that team.

The defense has reached a point where it actually is reloading every year. The offense has reached a point where rebuilding is now in serious doubt.

 

[amahawk]

Developmental team. Get 2 and 3 stars develop them, get a good team and then start over again. It is still not an excuse for the performance of the offense.

 

[jonesy5960]

Seeing this shows Barta should have more oversight. As I’ve stated before, there was no reason to give Kirk such a long contract with a huge buyout this last go around. He wasn’t going anywhere. I would have paid him very well but for a shorter time with a small buyout.

It was a retirement gift.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Exactly….Barta is an awful AD

Well that depends on what your definition of the role of the AD is..........

 

[Tylerl_28]

Makes me have high hopes for next season, then!!

 

[WDMHawk72]

I

Makes me have high hopes for next season, then!!

I just hope Spencer comes back for another year,

 

[hawx]

You guys really need to start seeing 2021 season for what it was: Easy schedule and we lost to anyone we played with a pulse.

 

[Fan In Black]

they play a lot of close games that's why. It's hard to win that way 2 years in a row.

The difference between 7-5 and 10-2 is 3 toss up games.

 

[Dargo]

The defense has reached a point where it actually is reloading every year. The offense has reached a point where rebuilding is now in serious doubt.

This offense will never be competent with Ferentz duo here

 

[uihawk82]

Seeing this shows Barta should have more oversight. As I’ve stated before, there was no reason to give Kirk such a long contract with a huge buyout this last go around. He wasn’t going anywhere. I would have paid him very well but for a shorter time with a small buyout.

Yes, a college head football coach does not need more than 4-5 years left on their contract. That is enough time to tell recruits that "I will be there" etc, and "your position coach who recruited you will be there barring they get a promotion somewhere else".

Barta should just keep giving him one or two year extensions out to 4 or 5 years.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

they play a lot of close games that's why. It's hard to win that way 2 years in a row.

The difference between 7-5 and 10-2 is 3 toss up games.

We aren't going 7-5......

 

[ShonnDeereGreene]

KFs philosophy probably has a ceiling of 10/11 wins. Typically will have a floor of 6/7. And of course outliers possible on either side.

I read a stat once that was something like teams that win one-possession games at a high rate OR live off a high level turnovers in any given year tend to regress to the norm the following year. Probably applies to KF teams at their high points.

 

[Fan In Black]

KFs philosophy probably has a ceiling of 10/11 wins. Typically will have a floor of 6/7. And of course outliers possible on either side.

I read a stat once that was something like teams that win one-possession games at a high rate OR live off a high level turnovers in any given year tend to regress to the norm the following year. Probably applies to KF teams at their high points.

this is a better way of saying what I meant

 

[Titanhawk2]

everything goes in cycles - who'd have thought

 

[Incredible Hawk]

they play a lot of close games that's why. It's hard to win that way 2 years in a row.

The difference between 7-5 and 10-2 is 3 toss up games.

They're 2 plays short of 2 more wins this year 1) ISU: ball breaking the plane 2) Illinois: scoop and score. Not arguing either call was right/wrong, but they were within inches of 2 more wins.....Ugly way to play, but your point is exactly right.

 

[TonyTheTiger.1865]

Last year was smoke and mirrors with the D and special teams pulling games out of their a$$es.

 

[hawkfan0319]

They're 2 plays short of 2 more wins this year 1) ISU: ball breaking the plane 2) Illinois: scoop and score. Not arguing either call was right/wrong, but they were within inches of 2 more wins.....Ugly way to play, but your point is exactly right.

But even an average offense allows us to not be in this position. That's the point.

 

[hawktech]

2003 and 2004 were pretty respectable after 2002. I do think KF tends to go in cycles and we appear to be starting a new one. If history holds, then 2023 should be ok and 2024 spectacular.

It will all depends on the OL. I cannot count on both fingers & toes how many times our lineman looked like they intentionally did not block, or barely touched the defensive lineman. Unreal...

Without question we need to hit the portal for some OL. We have the RBs, TEs and good enough receivers...and if Kaleb Johnson's IG post is any indication, we have a QB. 🤞🤞🤞

The defense will be good-to-great once again. THAT Kirk knows how to do. He just needs to keep his hands off of the offense(except teaching OL).

 

[onlyTheObvious]

I will take “who they played and DID NOT play”

 

[TampaHawkfan]

2010: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

2016: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

2021: Giant contract extension +
increased buyout

Ask Barta, he might know.

I think KF also got a big contract after 2004, did he not? Then we got 2005-07.

Fat cat coaches.

 

[madmustang4]

Never this bad on offense

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

Last year was not one of KF's best teams - they were a paper tiger.

And this year's team is far worse than "underwhelming."

Note that both of the above were a result of the offense, which wasted what could have been 2 high-caliber teams.