Listening to the good old days

[CoachoftheFuture1]

I recently had to take a road trip, so I took the opportunity to listen to a CD produced by WHO radio in honor of Jim Zabel's 50 years of broadcasting the Hawkeyes. Listening to Zabel call Iowa's upset of #7 Nebraska in 1981 brought back great memories. I was in the stands at Kinnick for that 10-7 Iowa victory, just as I had been in the stands a year earlier in Lincoln to witness a 57-0 loss to those same Huskers. The crowd at Kinnick was electric, and when the 10-7 Iowa win was in the books, I wasn't the only one saying "Rose Bowl" out loud despite Iowa's 19 straight losing seasons. You knew from Hayden Fry's first season that Iowa was back, and that brilliant win over Nebraska was evidence that the Hawkeyes were rising. And, of course, that Nebraska win, against all odds, not only began the season that ended two decades of losing but it also, in fact, led to an Iowa appearance in the Rose Bowl in only Fry's third season in Iowa City.

Then it was 1985 and Iowa was the clear No. 1 team in the country as Michigan, ranked #2, came to town. Iowa dominated the game but still trailed 10-9 when the Iowa defense gave the ball back to Chuck Long and friends for one final series with only a few minutes to play. The Hawkeyes took over on their own 22 and faced third and 10 when Long hit Mike Flagg from Cedar Falls, and the powerful TE bulled his way just far enough for the vital first down. Long and Ronnie Harmon and Flagg kept the march going until it was 2nd and 7 from the Michigan 16. Hayden called time with 2 seconds left to set up the biggest FG in Iowa history. Rob Houghtlin drilled it, of course, and mayem ensued. Again, I was there. What a feeling it was to be a fan of the No. 1 team in the nation after dispatching #2 Michigan.

The highlights rolled on with descriptions of Chuck Long and Mark Vlasic and Chuck Hartlieb firing TD passes from all over the field while running back and fullbacks ran crazy. And then there was Hayden talking about getting revenge on Michigan State when he called a naked bootleg from the 2 yard line. Long faked to Harmon who dived into the middle of the line as MSU defenders converged on him and threw him back for a loss...but no...dancing around the right end an into the end zone was Chuck Long with the ball held high over his head and no MSU defender within 15 yards. Iowa wins. Kinnick goes nuts. And again, I was there.

All that nostalgia just makes the current state of Iowa football that much more frustrating. Many of us know what Iowa did and how they did it, consistently, under Hayden Fry. We remember what Kinnick used to be like. We know that the right head coach would have the Hawkeyes playing exciting, entertaining, unpredictable, winning football again before SRO crowds of crazy fans.

"Long is back to throw...he's got Robert Smith...it's an Iowa touchdown! Long hits Smith with another 49-yard bomb and, believe it or not, we're still not at the end of the first quarter, and the score is Iowa 34, Illinois nothing!" It has happened before. Will KF and GD permit it to happen again?

 

[markfromj]

Zabel reported the 1985 Michigan final as 11 to 10.

 

[trippnschmidt]

I recently had to take a road trip, so I took the opportunity to listen to a CD produced by WHO radio in honor of Jim Zabel's 50 years of broadcasting the Hawkeyes. Listening to Zabel call Iowa's upset of #7 Nebraska in 1981 brought back great memories. I was in the stands at Kinnick for that 10-7 Iowa victory, just as I had been in the stands a year earlier in Lincoln to witness a 57-0 loss to those same Huskers. The crowd at Kinnick was electric, and when the 10-7 Iowa win was in the books, I wasn't the only one saying "Rose Bowl" out loud despite Iowa's 19 straight losing seasons. You knew from Hayden Fry's first season that Iowa was back, and that brilliant win over Nebraska was evidence that the Hawkeyes were rising. And, of course, that Nebraska win, against all odds, not only began the season that ended two decades of losing but it also, in fact, led to an Iowa appearance in the Rose Bowl in only Fry's third season in Iowa City.

Then it was 1985 and Iowa was the clear No. 1 team in the country as Michigan, ranked #2, came to town. Iowa dominated the game but still trailed 10-9 when the Iowa defense gave the ball back to Chuck Long and friends for one final series with only a few minutes to play. The Hawkeyes took over on their own 22 and faced third and 10 when Long hit Mike Flagg from Cedar Falls, and the powerful TE bulled his way just far enough for the vital first down. Long and Ronnie Harmon and Flagg kept the march going until it was 2nd and 7 from the Michigan 16. Hayden called time with 2 seconds left to set up the biggest FG in Iowa history. Rob Houghtlin drilled it, of course, and mayem ensued. Again, I was there. What a feeling it was to be a fan of the No. 1 team in the nation after dispatching #2 Michigan.

The highlights rolled on with descriptions of Chuck Long and Mark Vlasic and Chuck Hartlieb firing TD passes from all over the field while running back and fullbacks ran crazy. And then there was Hayden talking about getting revenge on Michigan State when he called a naked bootleg from the 2 yard line. Long faked to Harmon who dived into the middle of the line as MSU defenders converged on him and threw him back for a loss...but no...dancing around the right end an into the end zone was Chuck Long with the ball held high over his head and no MSU defender within 15 yards. Iowa wins. Kinnick goes nuts. And again, I was there.

All that nostalgia just makes the current state of Iowa football that much more frustrating. Many of us know what Iowa did and how they did it, consistently, under Hayden Fry. We remember what Kinnick used to be like. We know that the right head coach would have the Hawkeyes playing exciting, entertaining, unpredictable, winning football again before SRO crowds of crazy fans.

"Long is back to throw...he's got Robert Smith...it's an Iowa touchdown! Long hits Smith with another 49-yard bomb and, believe it or not, we're still not at the end of the first quarter, and the score is Iowa 34, Illinois nothing!" It has happened before. Will KF and GD permit it to happen again?

Year by year Hayden did no better than Kirk. I think you're misremembering things a slight bit. Hayden knew when to leave. Hopefully Kirk does too.

 

[OldTownPepe]

I agree Hayden wasn't that much better than Kirk, although he was great because he brought Iowa back to relevance. But, I think Fry waited too long before leaving, and Ferentz doesn't have the sense to know when to.

 

[hawkeyesports92]

What Fry accomplished is light years more impressive than Ferentz. Fry made Iowa football known around the country. Ferentz inherited a top 25 program over the previous 20 years and has done his best to sink it to irrelevance.

 

[trippnschmidt]

I agree Hayden wasn't that much better than Kirk, although he was great because he brought Iowa back to relevance. But, I think Fry waited too long before leaving, and Ferentz doesn't have the sense to know when to.

Agreed that's pretty much how I see it.

 

[GarryO37]

Iowa was actually quite a bit more relevant under Hayden Fry than under they are under Kirk Ferentz. I've pointed it out several times to Kilroy. He just simply refused to respond to those stats as did a lot of posters who believed that Kirk was better than Hayden.

 

[OtayLake Hawkeye]

What Fry accomplished is light years more impressive than Ferentz. Fry made Iowa football known around the country. Ferentz inherited a top 25 program over the previous 20 years and has done his best to sink it to irrelevance.

Hyperbole much?

 

[bagdropper]

About the only things I see as far as differences between the two career wise at Iowa is records vs ISU and Kirk has a "traditional NYD bowl" win.

Let's face it...it was called the Big 2 and Little 8 for a reason. All Fry did was turn it to the Big 3 for about 10 years. The rest of the conference still most years stunk on a stick and after 1991 he had 2 good teams that never got above a T-3 in conference. 7 years...2 good teams.

I got no problem with replacing Kirk as long as the "I told you so's" in the crowd admit beforehand that all it takes is one bad hire to turn Iowa into ISU. Secondly, that they admit it to all that say if that happens, that Kirk prevented Iowa from getting to that point...and he wasn't as bad a coach as he's painted as nowadays.

I know...I'm dreaming. Hater posters never admit to things like that.

That's all it takes at Iowa, folks. One bad hire. Iowa can NEVER just roll the ball out with any coach.

 

[gryzz14]

About the only things I see as far as differences between the two career wise at Iowa is records vs ISU and Kirk has a "traditional NYD bowl" win.

Let's face it...it was called the Big 2 and Little 8 for a reason. All Fry did was turn it to the Big 3 for about 10 years. The rest of the conference still most years stunk on a stick and after 1991 he had 2 good teams that never got above a T-3 in conference. 7 years...2 good teams.

I got no problem with replacing Kirk as long as the "I told you so's" in the crowd admit beforehand that all it takes is one bad hire to turn Iowa into ISU. Secondly, that they admit it to all that say if that happens, that Kirk prevented Iowa from getting to that point...and he wasn't as bad a coach as he's painted as nowadays.

I know...I'm dreaming. Hater posters never admit to things like that.

That's all it takes at Iowa, folks. One bad hire. Iowa can NEVER just roll the ball out with any coach.

ALL he did was turn it into the big 3 for a measly decade? That seems like a pretty big accomplishment, especially the way college football used to be stacked in favor of the dominant programs with roster size.

You're dreaming because you are not making any sense. Iowa and Iowa State are 2 totally different programs. Facilities, money in and money spent, fan size, alumni support, national recognition, just about everything factors as an advantage for Iowa. Heck, even watching the Big 12 tourney, Iowa's tigerhawk logo was put above Iowa St for the entire pregame.

There may be irrational Ferentz haters, but the irrational Ferentz apologists are a lot worse, because they are Iowa haters. They believe Iowa is some blackhole backwater that would never be above .500 if it was not for Ferentz. Hogwash.

You admit with an FCS team, a MAC team, a mediocre power 5 team, Iowa St., and at least 2 awful Big 10 teams every year, it is very hard to lose less than six games in the Big 10 West. And with the willingness to pay huge salaries and still turn a top 10 profit in college football, it is likely Iowa will not hire some schmo.

I know I'm dreaming, Iowa hater posters never admit to things like that.

There's a high floor to Iowa football, folks. We can always make the Taxslayer Bowl, Music City, Outback, or Heart of Detroit beef O Meineke Bowl. Especially when half of all teams do now. Iowa can NEVER get to a Division Title in the forseeable future with Ferentz.

 

[bagdropper]

Not one of the haters ever takes Iowa's history into consideration. What exactly makes one believe that there's some assistant or head coach that a) wants to come here, and b) can re-write history merely by existing?

Exactly who is it that can overcome 100+ years of mostly average or worse output merely because YOU SAY IT CAN HAPPEN?

In my arguments about this, I always and I say always use historical facts, and all the haters ever use is "the programs is in ashes and he's fat/lazy laughing at all of us sitting on his pile of cash and he mails it in and he's and idiot"....they don't use nearly ANY facts at all to back up their claims...yet I get ripped for using 100% FACT.

Hayden Fry was great for Iowa, but if you look at his record objectively, he never won a NYD bowl, and really doesn't have a single standout bowl win. The Fry bowl wins are against a 6-5-1 Tennessee, a 7-4-1 Texas, an 8-4 San Diego State, a 10-3 Wyoming, a 7-4-1 Washington, and a 7-5 Texas Tech.

Just pinch me. Murderer's Row right there.

So what exactly has Ferentz done to deserve getting fired when you compare him to Fry? The only thing you can hang on Ferentz is his ISU record and some of the other baffling non-con losses. But you can also look at several losses during Fry's tenure, and multiple outright no-shows in bowls...yet he is deified around these parts and nobody ever rips him for those.

I say he under-achieved several times...massively. The 3 Rose Bowls were near unmitigated disasters.

Sound familiar?

I just need more reason to can Ferentz than one 4-8 season and a handful of 7-5 or 6-6 type years. I have not, nor ever will - say the current state of affairs is trending upward currently or that things are just peachy around these parts, but not one damn poster can ever convince me that he deserves to be fired over 7-6. Ferentz has kept Iowa from becoming Iowa State...and being someone who lived through the wasteland of the 19 straight...trust me, the records and history says all it takes is one bad hire and Iowa can become what amounts to ISU.

So, pull out the pitchforks and hammer handles and get up on that cross because goddammit life sucks when you're 7-6 and get Ferentz fired. Just accept the responsibility of that 5 year stretch of 2-10's as it comes down the pipe because history tells us, there's more a chance of that happening than suddenly the ghost of Knute Rockne taking Iowa to a place they NEVER have gotten to before.

 

[cidhawkeye]

Does having the most out right losses while being a double digit favorite lend some credence to an inability to a coach that struggles to prepare a team for a game? Maybe you can do a Fry/Ferentz heck any other coach in the NCAA comparison.

 

[bagdropper]

Does having the most out right losses while being a double digit favorite lend some credence to an inability to a coach that struggles to prepare a team for a game? Maybe you can do a Fry/Ferentz heck any other coach in the NCAA comparison.

I have complete confidence that Gary Barta will hire a great coach. The very same person who hired Todd Lickliter. He batted .500 with the men's basketball...all the more reason to fire Ferentz, cause hey, a 50% MBB track record is better than Ferentz staying, amiright? What could go wrong?

 

[GarryO37]

Not one of the haters ever takes Iowa's history into consideration. What exactly makes one believe that there's some assistant or head coach that a) wants to come here, and b) can re-write history merely by existing?

Exactly who is it that can overcome 100+ years of mostly average or worse output merely because YOU SAY IT CAN HAPPEN?

In my arguments about this, I always and I say always use historical facts, and all the haters ever use is "the programs is in ashes and he's fat/lazy laughing at all of us sitting on his pile of cash and he mails it in and he's and idiot"....they don't use nearly ANY facts at all to back up their claims...yet I get ripped for using 100% FACT.

Hayden Fry was great for Iowa, but if you look at his record objectively, he never won a NYD bowl, and really doesn't have a single standout bowl win. The Fry bowl wins are against a 6-5-1 Tennessee, a 7-4-1 Texas, an 8-4 San Diego State, a 10-3 Wyoming, a 7-4-1 Washington, and a 7-5 Texas Tech.

Just pinch me. Murderer's Row right there.

So what exactly has Ferentz done to deserve getting fired when you compare him to Fry? The only thing you can hang on Ferentz is his ISU record and some of the other baffling non-con losses. But you can also look at several losses during Fry's tenure, and multiple outright no-shows in bowls...yet he is deified around these parts and nobody ever rips him for those.

I say he under-achieved several times...massively. The 3 Rose Bowls were near unmitigated disasters.

Sound familiar?

I just need more reason to can Ferentz than one 4-8 season and a handful of 7-5 or 6-6 type years. I have not, nor ever will - say the current state of affairs is trending upward currently or that things are just peachy around these parts, but not one damn poster can ever convince me that he deserves to be fired over 7-6. Ferentz has kept Iowa from becoming Iowa State...and being someone who lived through the wasteland of the 19 straight...trust me, the records and history says all it takes is one bad hire and Iowa can become what amounts to ISU.

So, pull out the pitchforks and hammer handles and get up on that cross because goddammit life sucks when you're 7-6 and get Ferentz fired. Just accept the responsibility of that 5 year stretch of 2-10's as it comes down the pipe because history tells us, there's more a chance of that happening than suddenly the ghost of Knute Rockne taking Iowa to a place they NEVER have gotten to before.

No one is saying it can happen. It's just common sense that it does happen, and fairly regularly. Look at Northwestern and K-State. They are historically the worst programs in NCAA history. Teams like FSU, Miami and Wisconsin have all done it. Those teams were mediocre to bad for a long time before they became good to great teams. Oregon has good God, OREGON.

Now before you start, I don't want to hear your reasons as to why other programs were able to do it. Because all they are is sorry excuses for why Iowa can't do it. The real reason why all these programs have been able to do it, is that these coaches changed the mentality, the culture of those programs, much like Hayden Fry did when he came to Iowa. Hayden Fry made everyone believe that you could win at Iowa. Recruits believed you could win at Iowa. Bowden, Schnellenberger and Alvarez all did this at their respective schools. This is what Hayden Fry did and this is what made him great. It's what made him better than Ferentz.

I like that you point out bowl history, but you don't point out how many more bowls there are today vs when Hayden Fry coached. When Fry coached, just making it to a bowl game was a huge deal for any team. Why? Because not everyone with a winning record got to go to a bowl game. That's right. There were good teams with winning records that didn't get to go to a bowl game.

Do you really think that same Ferentz teams would have gotten to go to a bowl game in Fry's day? Child please! The 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2014 teams do not get to go to bowls in Fry's era. That's 4 of Ferentz 12 bowl games. Still think Ferentz is on par with Hayden? You shouldn't.

I'm not even going to bring up the OOC schedules and the Big Ten still being a poor conference. What has Ferentz brought to Iowa? Respectability? No, Fry gave that to Iowa. Blue collar mentality? Nope. Fry brought that to Iowa. Everything that teams and other fans thought about Iowa (good, tough and hard working team) during Ferentz' great years had already been there because of Fry!

I'll ask again. Do you still think Ferentz is on the same level as Hayden? You shouldn't. What has Ferentz changed about Iowa? Nothing, except that other teams and their fans don't see Iowa in the same way anymore.

 

[trippnschmidt]

No one is saying it can happen. It's just common sense that it does happen, and fairly regularly. Look at Northwestern and K-State. They are historically the worst programs in NCAA history. Teams like FSU, Miami and Wisconsin have all done it. Those teams were mediocre to bad for a long time before they became good to great teams. Oregon has good God, OREGON.

Now before you start, I don't want to hear your reasons as to why other programs were able to do it. Because all they are is sorry excuses for why Iowa can't do it. The real reason why all these programs have been able to do it, is that these coaches changed the mentality, the culture of those programs, much like Hayden Fry did when he came to Iowa. Hayden Fry made everyone believe that you could win at Iowa. Recruits believed you could win at Iowa. Bowden, Schnellenberger and Alvarez all did this at their respective schools. This is what Hayden Fry did and this is what made him great. It's what made him better than Ferentz.

I like that you point out bowl history, but you don't point out how many more bowls there are today vs when Hayden Fry coached. When Fry coached, just making it to a bowl game was a huge deal for any team. Why? Because not everyone with a winning record got to go to a bowl game. That's right. There were good teams with winning records that didn't get to go to a bowl game.

Do you really think that same Ferentz teams would have gotten to go to a bowl game in Fry's day? Child please! The 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2014 teams do not get to go to bowls in Fry's era. That's 4 of Ferentz 12 bowl games. Still think Ferentz is on par with Hayden? You shouldn't.

I'm not even going to bring up the OOC schedules and the Big Ten still being a poor conference. What has Ferentz brought to Iowa? Respectability? No, Fry gave that to Iowa. Blue collar mentality? Nope. Fry brought that to Iowa. Everything that teams and other fans thought about Iowa (good, tough and hard working team) during Ferentz' great years had already been there because of Fry!

I'll ask again. Do you still think Ferentz is on the same level as Hayden? You shouldn't. What has Ferentz changed about Iowa? Nothing, except that other teams and their fans don't see Iowa in the same way anymore.

They are similar
Hayden was 143-89-6 in 20 years with 10 top 25 finishes and 2 top 10 finishes. He had down years throughout his career as well with records of 5-6, 4-7, 6-4-3, 5-6, 5-7, 5-5-1, and 3-8. He made it to 3 "BCS" bowl games, but did lose all three.

Kirk is 115-85 in 15 years with 5 top 25 finishes, but 4 of those being in the top ten, including 3 in a row (which is what I consider the golden era of Hawkeye football). He has had fewer down years, 1-10, 3-9, 6-7, 6-6, and 4-8. He's made it to two BCS bowl games, going 1-1.

Look, I remember Hayden fondly, and consider him to be the better of the two coaches, but to say there is no comparison is absurd.

 

[GarryO37]

They are similar
Hayden was 143-89-6 in 20 years with 10 top 25 finishes and 2 top 10 finishes. He had down years throughout his career as well with records of 5-6, 4-7, 6-4-3, 5-6, 5-7, 5-5-1, and 3-8. He made it to 3 "BCS" bowl games, but did lose all three.

Kirk is 115-85 in 15 years with 5 top 25 finishes, but 4 of those being in the top ten, including 3 in a row (which is what I consider the golden era of Hawkeye football). He has had fewer down years, 1-10, 3-9, 6-7, 6-6, and 4-8. He's made it to two BCS bowl games, going 1-1.

Look, I remember Hayden fondly, and consider him to be the better of the two coaches, but to say there is no comparison is absurd.

What's absurd is to not consider things like how many bowl games then vs now and how big of a deal it was. The schedules Hayden played vs Ferentz. Ferentz has had to schedule directional schools and FCS teams just to become bowl eligible at the end of some years. Had he scheduled some of the opponents Hayden did, Iowa would have been sitting at home for the holidays.

I guess Ferentz has changed the mentality of the program. When Hayden came, he didn't believe in moral victories. He didn't accept mediocrity. He didn't believe in the whole "We are just poor little Iowa. We don't have the things other schools have to compete in recruiting." He didn't accept that we should just be happy average.

There's now a good percentage of the fan base that believes in the things that Hayden despised! This is now the culture that Ferentz has created. Acceptance of the way things are!

When Hayden came to Iowa, he saw a loyal fan base that deserved better. Hayden loved the the Iowa program and the fans. There was absolutely zero doubt in any Iowa fan's mind. No one doubted this about Hayden when he was coaching.

You think the same can be said of Ferentz? Of course you can't.

When you say you can compare the two, you're right. You can compare anything. You can compare a Ferrari to an AMC Gremlin. But when you actually look at the two, it's not even close as to which is better.

 

[gryzz14]

Ferentz had a really good run from 2002-4, but he is no Hall of Fame coach.

Did Ferentz help create the tigerhawk logo?

Did he design the uniforms?

Was he number one in the nation ever?

Did he win conference titles in 3 different conferences?

Did he create one of the greatest coaching trees ever?

Did both television and a movie (coach and 9 to 5) reference him?

Ferentz was a really good coach, he was not a legend.

Iowa finished in the top 25 six times in the 80s, four times in the 90s, and 5 times in the 2000s. They were voted national champions in the 50s and 20s by various sports publications.

Why do Iowa haters selectively look at the 60s and 70s and say Iowa has always been losers? Evashevski ran the program into the ground all through the 60s on purpose, and it took another decade for Bump Elliot to get it back on track with Fry. Good coaches turned down the Iowa job a few years after a national championship because they knew Evy was sabotaging the program.

Not asking for the moon here, just want to finish in the top 25 ONCE every five years, which is way below how Iowa has performed the last 30 years. But it is above how Iowa has performed the last five years. How hard is this to understand for Iowa football haters and Ferentz lovers?

 

[cidsports]

Yes, Iowa broke the B1G 2, but lets not put it as the B1G 3
Illinois went 9-0 the next season and Michigan State also pulled out a title. Fry was clearly the guy that broke the B1G 2, but the Big Ten has become even more competitive, since Fry retired.

Other than Indiana and Minnesota; all 8 Big Ten teams, and Penn State have won in conference. Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers are newcomers who have not won a title.

1980 Michigan 8-0-0
1981 Iowa 6-2-0, Ohio State 6-2-0
1982 Michigan 8-1-0
1983 Illinois 9-0-0
1984 Ohio State 7-2-0
1985 Iowa 7-1-0
1986 Michigan 7-1-0, Ohio State 7-1-0
1987 Michigan State 7-0-1
1988 Michigan 7-0-1
1989 Michigan 8-0-0

 

[Bill_Callahan2.0]

Zabel reported the 1985 Michigan final as 11 to 10.

12-10

 

[markfromj]

12-10

Are you saying Zabel didn't say "11 to 10"?

 

[JupiterHawk]

Both coaches are amazing and Iowa has been lucky to have both. Enough said.

 

[Timschoh]

Year by year Hayden did no better than Kirk. I think you're misremembering things a slight bit. Hayden knew when to leave. Hopefully Kirk does too.

Actually you're wrong. Hayden had 4 ranked seasons in the 90s. Kirk has had ZERO so far in his corresponding decade. And it looks like he'll finish out his tenure keeping that number at zero.

 

[EZ2BJZ]

I would disagree that Ferentz has been equal to or better than what Hayden Fry accomplished in terms of an entire career to this point. Ferentz has had way too many mediocre seasons when the schedule was for all practical intents and purposes soft. Hayden Fry had a lot of good teams produce average results record-wise because of how brutal the schedule was. And yes, he had seasons here and there where the team was just average. Regardless, overall picture, Hayden was a little better.

If one wants to compare bowl success, no doubt Ferentz has the upper-hand. But overall, no, Hayden was much more consistent.

 

[ozziesimmons22]

I think that what Fry did at Iowa, considering the state of the program, is remarkable and pretty hard to argue against. It wasn't just that he had them winning again, but all the other things he did in other facets to get them there.(as some have noted)

Having said that, It was a different time. Scholarship limits changed so teams now can't hoard so many players. I'm not saying I like losing to, or not blowing out MAC, etc., schools, but Iowa State and Northern Illinois, etc, are not the same teams, anymore. There is more parity. And Ferentz has a winning record against Michigan. So, using this example, I think, good or bad, Ferentz seems to almost always be competitive, whomever the opponent.

I just don't understand why people can think, or know, that KF doesn't love Iowa Football.

Maybe this wasn't the point, but people wouldn't have wanted Ferentz to change the uniforms, or any of the tradition Fry established, would they have?

I'm not gonna make an attempt to declare one better than the other. Right now we have KF, and he has done a lot of good in different arenas, including football, which is ultimately his task. I do agree with those that say he shouldn't be fired, but I'm not blind to the last four or five years. I guess I just wish people would offer criticism and opinion, without the personal attacks, and black and white thinking.

 

[cohawk]

What Fry accomplished is light years more impressive than Ferentz. Fry made Iowa football known around the country. Ferentz inherited a top 25 program over the previous 20 years and has done his best to sink it to irrelevance.

Outside of the Midwest very little is known about Iowa football. I live out West and I am surprised when someone knows we are the Hawkeyes. Unless we start finishing in the top ten annually and win a NC we will never be known like Nebraska or Oregon. Oregon has major recruiting advantages we will never have.