Kirk Ferentz simply does things right; Iowa football's Networking Event is Latest Example

[BBHawk]

If only Ferentz would have spent the time and effort recruiting, Iowa could have been the big dogs of the Legends Division, and up there with the elites. But, it was not to be. He shut down recruiting while bushels of blue chip players were still up for grabs. Difference makers. Lack of roster strength and skilled players throughout has been obvious, particularly in bowl games.

I don't want this to be an indictment of the program, but I am an Iowa football fan. No coach is more important.

This is what I expect of mindless jerks, I knew my post would not be well received but it is objective, honest, and correct. If Ferentz would have dedicated as much effort as other coaches making the money he has been making over the years going after top tier athletes, Iowa's program would be among the top tier programs.

Ferentz has the program to develop players. If he would have raised the level of recruits by even 15 to 25%, extrapolate the improvement, and …..!

He hasn't had to because Iowa fans have been happy with 7 and even 6 win seasons. For 6/7 wins, nothing has to change. Sit back, recruit hard for 2 or 3 months, part time through the year, let things happen. Everybody's happy.

To say that Iowa doesn't spend the time to recruit quality players is incorrect and an insult to the kids they bring in. Some of those kids who you say are not "top-tier athletes" are and were top-tired football players. Some even went on to become All-Americans.

Iowa fans nor the staff is ever "happy" with 6 or 7-win seasons. Iowa fans are loyal, that's why we continue to show up in droves on Saturdays. But happy? We and the staff want more wins, but sometimes it just isn't to be.

Iowa fans are happy with winning seasons with bowl game wins. 8, 9, 10-win seasons are great. 12-win seasons are tremendous. But understanding how hard it is to get those seasons shows an understanding of the game. There was a recent post that showed how difficult it is to sustain winning even at 8 games per season. Only 15 teams have done it over the past 4 years in a row, and Iowa is one of those teams, and did it through a massive coaching change. That is not mediocrity.

 

[ft254]

To say that Iowa doesn't spend the time to recruit quality players is incorrect and an insult to the kids they bring in. Some of those kids who you say are not "top-tier athletes" are a were top-tired football players. Some even went on to become All-Americans.

Iowa fans nor the staff is ever "happy" with 6 or 7-win seasons. Iowa fans are loyal, that's why we continue to show up in droves on Saturdays. But happy? We and the staff want more wins, but sometimes it just isn't to be.

Iowa fans are happy with winning seasons with bowl game wins. 8, 9, 10-win seasons are great. 12-win seasons are tremendous. But understanding how hard it is to get those seasons shows an understanding of the game. There was a recent post that showed how difficult it is to sustain winning even at 8 games per season. Only 15 teams have done it over the past 4 years in a row, and Iowa is one of those teams, and did it through a massive coaching change. That is not mediocrity.

Iowa is and has been on the edge of being a big time program. How many WRs have been recruited in the past 5 years? How many bowl victories? How many 4 and 5 star players? If you monitor the recruiting boards, for the most part programs' success trends with recruiting trends providing coaching, facilities and other support is adequate.

Not precisely. Iowa does succeed with player development, but my point is, if recruitment improves, program success will improve in Iowa's case. When analyzing a situation, it is necessary to put things in perspective. If All Americans are indicators, which they certainly are if you are looking at programs comparatively, it is the programs that recruit multi star players that generate the bulk of All Americans and fill the largest stadiums.

Why is this such a debatable issue? Look at 'Bama, Auburn, Oklahoma, OSU for the past 10 years. Look at their records. Look at their recruiting profiles. Tell me how many 2 and 3 star athletes they have recruited. Now tell me that recruiting doesn't matter. And before you tell me that we can't recruit against them, there are tons of 4 and 5 star athletes out there that they aren't signing.

Ferentz has built a strong enough program we can have this discussion. It is my opinion that he doesn't make the effort to take the program to the next step. I have made my point.

 

[BBHawk]

Iowa isn't "Bama, Auburn, Oklahoma, or OSU". They are schools with built-in advantages that Iowa will never have. With your logic, why don't all of the other teams outside of the select group of schools have all 4-5 stars on their teams, too? Maybe it's geography? Iowa is not exactly in a talent-rich state, and especially not for skill position players. It has always been an uphill battle for Iowa to recruit talented, out-of-state kids. That is not going to change. and don't give me examples of schools like NE who will take anyone as long as they have a pulse. I don't want a 4 or 5-star head case that the Iowa staff feels is trouble before they even get here. I would rather see good players who can develop like ISM or Brandon Smith with the occasional 4-star who is not a headache, than have them bring in cancers annually.

 

[birdman1973]

This is what I expect of mindless jerks, I knew my post would not be well received but it is objective, honest, and correct. If Ferentz would have dedicated as much effort as other coaches making the money he has been making over the years going after top tier athletes, Iowa's program would be among the top tier programs.

Ferentz has the program to develop players. If he would have raised the level of recruits by even 15 to 25%, extrapolate the improvement, and …..!

He hasn't had to because Iowa fans have been happy with 7 and even 6 win seasons. For 6/7 wins, nothing has to change. Sit back, recruit hard for 2 or 3 months, part time through the year, let things happen. Everybody's happy.

Feel free to follow another program! Not another program out there that doesn't have a down side to it. If your only measurement to success is ball games won then going to be a long life for you and the people around you. Does one dwell on deficiencies of their family (wife, son, mom, dad).No you just accept them as they are. You can obsess over Michigan State record but would you want the Iowa program to have all those sex offenders representing Iowa just to get more wins? I would not! Be happy. Iowa could be a lot worse!

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

Lonny Olejniczak rocking that sweet purple plaid blazer!

Anyone know what Lon is up to these days?

 

[Franisdaman]

Virus or no virus, this event lives on.

Still pretty cool, one year later.

 

[kceasthawk]

Very cool of the former players to take time out of their schedule to come share their experiences with the current group.

Absolutely. This is a great program. Also just another perk of, "once a Hawk, always a Hawk", that guys like Mr. Wadley and DJK have pissed away.....

 

[kceasthawk]

?

Ah, I'm sure he was lampooning the fact that James dad was the teams equipment manager in charge of their uniforms....

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

Lonny Olejniczak rocking that sweet purple plaid blazer!

Anyone know what Lon is up to these days?

I know he's living in Cedar Rapids. I believe he was doing some work with the football team in what I think was volunteer capacity.

 

[rchawk]

I know he's living in Cedar Rapids. I believe he was doing some work with the football team in what I think was volunteer capacity.

He was a pretty darn good player. I remember when he was carried off the field on a stretcher during the 1981 UCLA game. Broken leg I think. Iowa won the game, even with Lon in University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

 

[T. Kimball]

Lonny Olejniczak rocking that sweet purple plaid blazer!

Anyone know what Lon is up to these days?

He's working with Kampman. https://www.thealignprocess.com/the-team

 

[JayIrwin95]

If you listen to the Washed up Walkons they have discussed this event and the value of the Hawkeye network

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

If only Ferentz would have spent the time and effort recruiting, Iowa could have been the big dogs of the Legends Division, and up there with the elites. But, it was not to be. He shut down recruiting while bushels of blue chip players were still up for grabs. Difference makers. Lack of roster strength and skilled players throughout has been obvious, particularly in bowl games.

I don't want this to be an indictment of the program, but I am an Iowa football fan. No coach is more important.

Calling bullshit. "Legends division"? Clone troll trying to stir shit up.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

He was a pretty darn good player. I remember when he was carried off the field on a stretcher during the 1981 UCLA game. Broken leg I think. Iowa won the game, even with Lon in University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

And a good guy. I roomed with him in the HS east west all star game and teammate at Iowa. I certainly remember that game as well.

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[HogLovinHawkeye]

Thread title did not age well.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...or-ad-gary-barta-to-be-removed-from-post/amp/

“The University of Iowa and state government reached a settlement worth more than $4 million with a group of Black former football players who alleged mistreatment based on race by Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz, according to the Des Moines Register.”

 

[MelroseMauler]

"...does things right..."

That's subjective.

What's your perspective? Certainly not wins and losses.

 

[Fade-To-Black]

 

[LampoonYou]

Whoa, that’s a separated at birth post right there!

 

[BonzoFury]

Thread title did not age well.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...or-ad-gary-barta-to-be-removed-from-post/amp/

“The University of Iowa and state government reached a settlement worth more than $4 million with a group of Black former football players who alleged mistreatment based on race by Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz, according to the Des Moines Register.”

One small group of malcontents does not define a program.

 

[HogLovinHawkeye]

One group of malcontents does not define a program.

Im just posting the story as published by the Des Moines register. I would expect that most Iowa fans would explain it away with some excuse, so your response is par for the course.

 

[Garzatough85]

Im just posting the story as published by the Des Moines register. I would expect that most Iowa fans would explain it away with some excuse, so your response is par for the course.

Be honest; do you really think Kirk promotes or even supports a racist environment? His biggest prejudice was and has always been against freshman and maybe even sophomores playing, regardless of race. And that has even changed in the last few years. He’s an equal opportunity disciplinarian!

 

[HogLovinHawkeye]

Be honest; do you really think Kirk promotes or even supports a racist environment? His biggest prejudice was and has always been against freshman and maybe even sophomores playing, regardless of race. And that has even changed in the last few years. He’s an equal opportunity disciplinarian!

No more or less than the unsubstantiated opinions most Iowa fans have about former Nebraska HC TO. Apples to apples comparison.

 

[BonzoFury]

Im just posting the story as published by the Des Moines register. I would expect that most Iowa fans would explain it away with some excuse, so your response is par for the course.

Excuse for what? It's no secret what went down and how...including the players involved. Opportunistic lawyers never miss a chance to make a mountain out of a molehill and cash in.

If you really believe KFz ran a program for 20 years where his players (of all colors) spoke very highly of him and how he did things....routinely saying he helped them develop not only as players...but as people, then he suddenly became a racist in 2020...you're a special kind of idiot.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

I want to win more than anyone but events remind me our program isn’t just W’s and L’s

It isn't, and I'll venture to say that most aren't just wins/losses.

So much can be accomplished by a well-run athletic program at any level.