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More to the story -- the 1973 Hawkeyes (0-11)

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If you're a Hawkeye fan, you should know that Iowa went 0-11 in 1973, which led to the firing of head coach Frank Lauterbur. But what you may not know or remember is the schedule that 1973 team played. There was no FCS team. There was no Nevada. There was no Ball State or Northern Illinois or Arkansas State or North Texas State. Instead, here are the first three teams Iowa faced in 1973:

* Season Opener: #5 Michigan in Iowa City (31-7 loss)
* Game Two: @ #18 UCLA (55-18 loss)
* Game Three: @ #6 Penn State (28-7 loss)

And game #4 was against Arizona, a 23-20 loss in Iowa City.

KF would've had a heart attack just looking at that schedule. Start with a conference game, play two top 10 teams and a top 20 team, two on the road, and one on the West Coast . . . and then finish the nonconference slate with another P5 team . . .

If Lauterbur had played a KF nonconference schedule, it's pretty easy to imagine that 1973 Iowa team would have won at least two or three games and, perhaps, managed a win or three in the Big Ten. Instead, after being beaten up in those first four games, Iowa completed its 0-11 season with its only other close games an eight-point loss to Minnesota and a nine-point defeat to Michigan State.

So as many Iowa fans know, from 1961 to 1981, Iowa never won more games than it lost. But there were some pretty good reasons for that, beginning with the schedules. Imagine, if you can, what would have happened if KF had started this season with a schedule similar to that Lauterbur faced in 1973 or 1972 (@ #3 Ohio State, Oregon State, @ # 13 Penn State) or 1971 (@ #11 Ohio State, @ Oregon State, #12 Penn State).

Lauterbur had a terrible 3-year run in Iowa City, but it's pretty clear that he'd have done a heckuva lot better had he faced UNI, Ball State, and the like instead of top 10 and top 20 teams. Just thought I'd mention it, FWIW, since KF has played ONE top 25 team in the nonconference schedule during his entire tenure in Iowa City.
 
If you're a Hawkeye fan, you should know that Iowa went 0-11 in 1973, which led to the firing of head coach Frank Lauterbur. But what you may not know or remember is the schedule that 1973 team played. There was no FCS team. There was no Nevada. There was no Ball State or Northern Illinois or Arkansas State or North Texas State. Instead, here are the first three teams Iowa faced in 1973:

* Season Opener: #5 Michigan in Iowa City (31-7 loss)
* Game Two: @ #18 UCLA (55-18 loss)
* Game Three: @ #6 Penn State (28-7 loss)

And game #4 was against Arizona, a 23-20 loss in Iowa City.

KF would've had a heart attack just looking at that schedule. Start with a conference game, play two top 10 teams and a top 20 team, two on the road, and one on the West Coast . . . and then finish the nonconference slate with another P5 team . . .

If Lauterbur had played a KF nonconference schedule, it's pretty easy to imagine that 1973 Iowa team would have won at least two or three games and, perhaps, managed a win or three in the Big Ten. Instead, after being beaten up in those first four games, Iowa completed its 0-11 season with its only other close games an eight-point loss to Minnesota and a nine-point defeat to Michigan State.

So as many Iowa fans know, from 1961 to 1981, Iowa never won more games than it lost. But there were some pretty good reasons for that, beginning with the schedules. Imagine, if you can, what would have happened if KF had started this season with a schedule similar to that Lauterbur faced in 1973 or 1972 (@ #3 Ohio State, Oregon State, @ # 13 Penn State) or 1971 (@ #11 Ohio State, @ Oregon State, #12 Penn State).

Lauterbur had a terrible 3-year run in Iowa City, but it's pretty clear that he'd have done a heckuva lot better had he faced UNI, Ball State, and the like instead of top 10 and top 20 teams. Just thought I'd mention it, FWIW, since KF has played ONE top 25 team in the nonconference schedule during his entire tenure in Iowa City.
k....
 
The reason Iowa played those schedules in the 70s is because Iowa was one of those soft nonconference games in the 70s.

As Iowa started to improve under Hayden (and began to rebound under KF), they got less and less of those opportunities.
And Hayden promoted getting "softer schedules.
 
DNK0Cv.jpg

I'd kill for that rushing offense, that 1973 team averaged more yards of offense than this years group :(
 
Arizona and ASU were still in the WAC in 1973. The WAC started the Fiesta Bowl in 1971 to make sure ASU, BYU, Wyo and the U of A would have an occasional bowl game in the era of 10 or fewer postseason games. ASU and the U of A joined the Pac 8 a few years later to make it the Pac 10.

and then finish the nonconference slate with another P5 team . . .
 
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Yeah Bob Commings would have had a winning season or two with the softer scheduling, as would have Ray Nagle.
 
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If you're a Hawkeye fan, you should know that Iowa went 0-11 in 1973, which led to the firing of head coach Frank Lauterbur. But what you may not know or remember is the schedule that 1973 team played. There was no FCS team. There was no Nevada. There was no Ball State or Northern Illinois or Arkansas State or North Texas State. Instead, here are the first three teams Iowa faced in 1973:

* Season Opener: #5 Michigan in Iowa City (31-7 loss)
* Game Two: @ #18 UCLA (55-18 loss)
* Game Three: @ #6 Penn State (28-7 loss)

And game #4 was against Arizona, a 23-20 loss in Iowa City.

KF would've had a heart attack just looking at that schedule. Start with a conference game, play two top 10 teams and a top 20 team, two on the road, and one on the West Coast . . . and then finish the nonconference slate with another P5 team . . .

If Lauterbur had played a KF nonconference schedule, it's pretty easy to imagine that 1973 Iowa team would have won at least two or three games and, perhaps, managed a win or three in the Big Ten. Instead, after being beaten up in those first four games, Iowa completed its 0-11 season with its only other close games an eight-point loss to Minnesota and a nine-point defeat to Michigan State.

So as many Iowa fans know, from 1961 to 1981, Iowa never won more games than it lost. But there were some pretty good reasons for that, beginning with the schedules. Imagine, if you can, what would have happened if KF had started this season with a schedule similar to that Lauterbur faced in 1973 or 1972 (@ #3 Ohio State, Oregon State, @ # 13 Penn State) or 1971 (@ #11 Ohio State, @ Oregon State, #12 Penn State).

Lauterbur had a terrible 3-year run in Iowa City, but it's pretty clear that he'd have done a heckuva lot better had he faced UNI, Ball State, and the like instead of top 10 and top 20 teams. Just thought I'd mention it, FWIW, since KF has played ONE top 25 team in the nonconference schedule during his entire tenure in Iowa City.
Ha ha ha...we were the cupcake on their schedule!
 
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I’d like to add more to Frank Lauterbur story because it so relates to what’s going on today. Lauterbur won 4 games and had 1 tie in 3 seasons. Ironically, at the end of of his third season, fans wanted his defensive coordinator, Ducky Lewis fired. Sound familiar. Well , our AD, Bump Elliott, meets with Lauterbur and tells Frank he needs to fire Ducky. Lauterbur tells Elliott he cannot tell the head coach who to fire. Elliott thinks it over for a minute, THIS is where the story changes from today. Bump says, “You are right Coach. I don’t really have the say to have you fire one of your assistants. But I do have the right to fire the head coach….and you are fired!” You see, Bump Elliott had a set of balls…..and Gary Barta…..well, you get the picture.
 
Everyone wanted Iowa on their schedule in the 1970's because of what they had accomplished under Evy.
 
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I’d like to add more to Frank Lauterbur story because it so relates to what’s going on today. Lauterbur won 4 games and had 1 tie in 3 seasons. Ironically, at the end of of his third season, fans wanted his defensive coordinator, Ducky Lewis fired. Sound familiar. Well , our AD, Bump Elliott, meets with Lauterbur and tells Frank he needs to fire Ducky. Lauterbur tells Elliott he cannot tell the head coach who to fire. Elliott thinks it over for a minute, THIS is where the story changes from today. Bump says, “You are right Coach. I don’t really have the say to have you fire one of your assistants. But I do have the right to fire the head coach….and you are fired!” You see, Bump Elliott had a set of balls…..and Gary Barta…..well, you get the picture.
So when has Iowa gone 0-11 under KF?


61515
 
Everyone wanted Iowa on their schedule in the 1970's because of what they had accomplished under Evy.
So two decades after he stepped down to become a horrible AD?

Iowa had one season above .500 in the 60s. Evy's impact on the program had changed by that point.
 
I’d like to add more to Frank Lauterbur story because it so relates to what’s going on today. Lauterbur won 4 games and had 1 tie in 3 seasons. Ironically, at the end of of his third season, fans wanted his defensive coordinator, Ducky Lewis fired. Sound familiar. Well , our AD, Bump Elliott, meets with Lauterbur and tells Frank he needs to fire Ducky. Lauterbur tells Elliott he cannot tell the head coach who to fire. Elliott thinks it over for a minute, THIS is where the story changes from today. Bump says, “You are right Coach. I don’t really have the say to have you fire one of your assistants. But I do have the right to fire the head coach….and you are fired!” You see, Bump Elliott had a set of balls…..and Gary Barta…..well, you get the picture.
So Barta should fire a coach that has his teams ranked in the top 25 the last four years in a row? Should Hayden Fry been fired in 1992 when he went 5-7, or 1993 when he went 6-6 or 1994 when he went 5-5-1? Three non winning seasons in a row. Even hall of fame coaches can have difficulty winning consistently at Iowa with two state schools and the second smallest populated state in the Big 10.

Great to see everyone is talking about difficulty of schedules. Iowa's offense has played the #1, 2, 5, 7, and 10, defenses by total defense in college football. And South Dakota State has the number 3 defense in FCS. And we have 4 losses two to top 5 ranked teams another to the #17 team on the road. We now come to the weaker part of our schedule, let's hope the offense looks better and we win out.
 
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And Hayden promoted getting "softer schedules.
This. One of the 1st things Hayden did was change the schedules but he still had contracts that needed to be honored. The 81 season opened with #7 Nebbie, then the Aggers, then #6 UCLA...fortunately had Nebbie and UCLA at home. That ain't happenin in these times.
 
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So two decades after he stepped down to become a horrible AD?

Iowa had one season above .500 in the 60s. Evy's impact on the program had changed by that point.
In 1959 Iowa won the Rose Bowl. In those days schedules were made 10-15 years in advancne.
 
I’d like to add more to Frank Lauterbur story because it so relates to what’s going on today. Lauterbur won 4 games and had 1 tie in 3 seasons. Ironically, at the end of of his third season, fans wanted his defensive coordinator, Ducky Lewis fired. Sound familiar. Well , our AD, Bump Elliott, meets with Lauterbur and tells Frank he needs to fire Ducky. Lauterbur tells Elliott he cannot tell the head coach who to fire. Elliott thinks it over for a minute, THIS is where the story changes from today. Bump says, “You are right Coach. I don’t really have the say to have you fire one of your assistants. But I do have the right to fire the head coach….and you are fired!” You see, Bump Elliott had a set of balls…..and Gary Barta…..well, you get the picture.
The firing happened early in the week prior to the final game (home versus Michigan State). After being fired, there was no interim coach named, so Frank Lauterbur coached the game that Saturday (a 15-6 loss to MSU).
 
I'm gonna need a source for that, because that seems highly doubtful.

Even if we go with the 10 year estimate though, the 1973 schedule would have been set after two straight losing seasons.
Just Google up "how long in advance are college football schedules set?" and you get your answer.
 
If you're a Hawkeye fan, you should know that Iowa went 0-11 in 1973, which led to the firing of head coach Frank Lauterbur. But what you may not know or remember is the schedule that 1973 team played. There was no FCS team. There was no Nevada. There was no Ball State or Northern Illinois or Arkansas State or North Texas State. Instead, here are the first three teams Iowa faced in 1973:

* Season Opener: #5 Michigan in Iowa City (31-7 loss)
* Game Two: @ #18 UCLA (55-18 loss)
* Game Three: @ #6 Penn State (28-7 loss)

And game #4 was against Arizona, a 23-20 loss in Iowa City.

KF would've had a heart attack just looking at that schedule. Start with a conference game, play two top 10 teams and a top 20 team, two on the road, and one on the West Coast . . . and then finish the nonconference slate with another P5 team . . .

If Lauterbur had played a KF nonconference schedule, it's pretty easy to imagine that 1973 Iowa team would have won at least two or three games and, perhaps, managed a win or three in the Big Ten. Instead, after being beaten up in those first four games, Iowa completed its 0-11 season with its only other close games an eight-point loss to Minnesota and a nine-point defeat to Michigan State.

So as many Iowa fans know, from 1961 to 1981, Iowa never won more games than it lost. But there were some pretty good reasons for that, beginning with the schedules. Imagine, if you can, what would have happened if KF had started this season with a schedule similar to that Lauterbur faced in 1973 or 1972 (@ #3 Ohio State, Oregon State, @ # 13 Penn State) or 1971 (@ #11 Ohio State, @ Oregon State, #12 Penn State).

Lauterbur had a terrible 3-year run in Iowa City, but it's pretty clear that he'd have done a heckuva lot better had he faced UNI, Ball State, and the like instead of top 10 and top 20 teams. Just thought I'd mention it, FWIW, since KF has played ONE top 25 team in the nonconference schedule during his entire tenure in Iowa City.
Holy heck look at the 1974 schedule. The first 4 games !
at #4 Michigan L 24-7
vs #10 UCLA W 21-0 !
vs # 13 PennSt L 27--0
at # 3 USC ... eventual national champions L 41-3
later
vs #2 OhioSt L 35-10
at #11 MichSt L 60-21

Imagine Hayden and Kirk trying to do this !
 
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So when has Iowa gone 0-11 under KF?


61515
He hasn’t….but the situation has to do with the AD’s. People wanted the defensive coordinator fired. Lauterbur wouldn’t do it, so Bump Elliott fired Lauterbur. That’s an AD with some backbone. The same cannot he said for Gary Barta.
 
He hasn’t….but the situation has to do with the AD’s. People wanted the defensive coordinator fired. Lauterbur wouldn’t do it, so Bump Elliott fired Lauterbur. That’s an AD with some backbone. The same cannot he said for Gary Barta.
I know what you were saying. I;m saying the situation is not the same. While you were in the room when Bump fired Lauterbur :) how did you assume he fired him for not getting. rid of Lewis instead of firing for a 0-11 record.Let us know about more of those Bump convos.
 
You guys are missing the point. You should be judged by the best teams in your conference. Not how many cupcakes you beat.
 
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If you're a Hawkeye fan, you should know that Iowa went 0-11 in 1973, which led to the firing of head coach Frank Lauterbur. But what you may not know or remember is the schedule that 1973 team played. There was no FCS team. There was no Nevada. There was no Ball State or Northern Illinois or Arkansas State or North Texas State. Instead, here are the first three teams Iowa faced in 1973:

* Season Opener: #5 Michigan in Iowa City (31-7 loss)
* Game Two: @ #18 UCLA (55-18 loss)
* Game Three: @ #6 Penn State (28-7 loss)

And game #4 was against Arizona, a 23-20 loss in Iowa City.

KF would've had a heart attack just looking at that schedule. Start with a conference game, play two top 10 teams and a top 20 team, two on the road, and one on the West Coast . . . and then finish the nonconference slate with another P5 team . . .

If Lauterbur had played a KF nonconference schedule, it's pretty easy to imagine that 1973 Iowa team would have won at least two or three games and, perhaps, managed a win or three in the Big Ten. Instead, after being beaten up in those first four games, Iowa completed its 0-11 season with its only other close games an eight-point loss to Minnesota and a nine-point defeat to Michigan State.

So as many Iowa fans know, from 1961 to 1981, Iowa never won more games than it lost. But there were some pretty good reasons for that, beginning with the schedules. Imagine, if you can, what would have happened if KF had started this season with a schedule similar to that Lauterbur faced in 1973 or 1972 (@ #3 Ohio State, Oregon State, @ # 13 Penn State) or 1971 (@ #11 Ohio State, @ Oregon State, #12 Penn State).

Lauterbur had a terrible 3-year run in Iowa City, but it's pretty clear that he'd have done a heckuva lot better had he faced UNI, Ball State, and the like instead of top 10 and top 20 teams. Just thought I'd mention it, FWIW, since KF has played ONE top 25 team in the nonconference schedule during his entire tenure in Iowa City.
I do love looking back at Iowa football history.

Even forwarding to the Commings era, we played the likes of USC, UCLA, Penn State, Syracuse, and other Power 5 schools (using today's terms) as non-conference opponents. Even with him, there were no "directional" opponents.

Clearly in today's mindset, especially at Iowa, in non-conference they play Iowa State annually because that's how it is, but the two other non-conference games are set up to be simply throw away games where a win is expected against a low caliber opponent.

What I'm excited about is the hope and somewhat expectation that the B1G will go to a 10-game conference schedule as early as next year. That would mean only two non-conference games but would clearly put an end to the Iowa-Iowa State series because neither team wants a year of only 6 home games because of their home and home arrangement. I'm fine with that game going off the schedule.
 
I'm gonna need a source for that, because that seems highly doubtful.

Even if we go with the 10 year estimate though, the 1973 schedule would have been set after two straight losing seasons.
Iowa thought of itself as a national power after it no longer was a national power. The schedules that were drawn up were appropriate for the Hawkeyes that had existed under Evy, but not for the Hawkeyes that were around when the games actually were played.

Look at the schedules Hayden inherited. IIRC, in his first season he played three of the top four teams in the Big Eight, which at the time probably was the strongest conference in the country. His first priority was to lighten the schedule, not because he was afraid too play good teams, but because he wasn't a total moron.
 
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