New Kirk is laughable

[Ihawkhoops]

Same old Kirk all season including bowl game. Shaw and his staff had Iowa schemed from A to Z and we changed nothing. Every good coach recognizes the need to throw some wrinkles in when a team has a month to prepare--except Status Quo Kirk.

Two bowl debacles in back to back years is no accident. Shaw said in postgame he was disappointed they did not score more points in second half. Ferentz would never say this because the concept of winning with offense is lost on him. Behind 28 and we continue to run for no gain to put Beathard in obvious passing situation-- brilliant.

Rose Bowl was electric, but Kirk made sure to kill the buzz by going into surrender mode offensively and playing inside our 30 the entire first half.

I had no expectations we would win, but another absolute no show in a bowl is pathetic. The team deserved better, but got the same Old Kirk.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

This new Kirk stuff is a sham. Heck even a couple weeks ago he made a crack about the only thing he needed to do was run a few trick that don't work and you reinvent yourself.

The same old Kirk showed up today. Running when we needed to pass.

 

[Sett1997]

New Kirk disappeared around mid season. We did start off totally different.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

Whoever did 12-0, new/old Kirk, I'll take it!

 

[denmar81]

I understand needing to run to keep the defense honest but damn, not right at them for 1 and 2 yd gains. We need a qb coach that can teach a qb when to abandon the pocket and when to throw it away. CJ ran right into sacks all year long by stepping up in the pocket when he should have stepped out.

 

[moral_victory]

This new Kirk stuff is a sham. Heck even a couple weeks ago he made a crack about the only thing he needed to do was run a few trick that don't work and you reinvent yourself.

The same old Kirk showed up today. Running when we needed to pass.

Pass? We would have needed to pass protect today to pass.

 

[BlackNGoldWings]

I got the impression around the fourth or fifth game that KF is simply not able to accept, acknowledge or respond in a positive way to criticism or to the possibility that he adjusted anything as a result of it. That was about the time he started with the "Aw, I didn't really change anything" routine.

Whichever Kirk will be running the show next year, I don't think Status Quo Kirk will beat the rising Michigan, probably not Wisconsin either. (I don't put The New Nebraska in the same class.) We'll see.

It's hard not to like this team and the guys on it. They play hard and well with, and for, each other. I hope they get the coaching they deserve.

 

[scotthawk1964]

Well it didn't take long for the Kirk bashing to start. Every one of you would have done back flips before the season started if you knew Iowa would be 12-2 at seasons end. They played like shit today, no doubt, but I am proud of the team and for what they accomplished. I think this was the only egg they laid this year if I recall. Hell, even MSU laid an egg last night. I certainly hope we don't have to go through the next 7 or 8 months of the KF haters. Maybe some of you people should get a hobby and "lighten up Francis".

 

[starbrown]

New Kirk disappeared around mid season. We did start off totally different.

There were some changes this year like taking points instead of a knee at the end of the first half. But like you suggest the more we won the more risk averse Kirk became. It will be interesting to see the play-calling in 2016.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Pass? We would have needed to pass protect today to pass.

agree. But my point is that we were very predictable.

 

[doughudd]

This new Kirk stuff is a sham. Heck even a couple weeks ago he made a crack about the only thing he needed to do was run a few trick that don't work and you reinvent yourself.

The same old Kirk showed up today. Running when we needed to pass.

Freak' en 8 sacks, hurries and a pick six. Pass was shut down too. KEep showing that keen insight

 

[And1Hawk]

I think the greater issue is we have been out scored 98-0 in the first half of the last 4 bowl games. That's a major problem that Kirk needs to acknowledge publically and address. He needs to place a paramount emphasis on winning instead of getting freshman reps and enjoying the experience. Study our opponent. Prepare some wrinkles that our opponents will not see on tape.

Nothing will mean more to the program and the kids than winning but it does seem like there is any true focus on that and the results speak for themselves.

First Halfs last 4 bowls
2011 - 21-0 Oklahoma
2013 - 14-0 LSU
2014 - 28-0 UT
2015 - 35-0 Stanford

98-0 !!!!!!!!!! Not one freaking scoring drive in the last 4 games. Not one field goal even!

 

[freemanbrenner]

"New Kirk" has led Iowa to the most wins in a season. Disappointed with the way the game turned out but "new Kirk" has had a fall of fame career.

 

[starbrown]

"New Kirk" has led Iowa to the most wins in a season. Disappointed with the way the game turned out but "new Kirk" has had a fall of fame career.

want of bee?

 

[BeepBeepInMyJeep]

I think the greater issue is we have been out scored 98-0 in the first half of the last 4 bowl games. That's a major problem that Kirk needs to acknowledge publically and address. He needs to place a paramount emphasis on winning instead of getting freshman reps and enjoying the experience. Study our opponent. Prepare some wrinkles that our opponents will not see on tape.

Nothing will mean more to the program and the kids than winning but it does seem like there is any true focus on that and the results speak for themselves.

First Halfs last 4 bowls
2011 - 21-0 Oklahoma
2013 - 14-0 LSU
2014 - 28-0 UT
2015 - 35-0 Stanford

98-0 !!!!!!!!!! Not one freaking scoring drive in the last 4 games. Not one field goal even!

That is pretty astounding. Clearly something is going wrong in that preparation period. I know they have been good opponents, but over 120 minutes your think even a team like North Texas would get a score or two

 

[Hawkman98]

"New Kirk" has led Iowa to the most wins in a season. Disappointed with the way the game turned out but "new Kirk" has had a fall of fame career.

Yes had nothing to do with the players or schedule.

 

[smallcenter]

How can you really try to do much in the way of "wrinkles" when the opponent jumps your sh*t and takes a 21 point lead in the 1st quarter. He tried to stick to the Iowa identity and run the ball and found out that we couldn't run nearly as effectively as we had been this season. The pass blocking was abysmal at best. You can't try new "wrinkles" in the passing game when your Oline can't stop the four guys with their hands on the ground from killing your QB. I love this group of Hawks, but the lack of experience in the Oline was exposed today, the lack of speed in the WR group was exposed today, and shear awesomeness that was Christian McCaffery was on full display today. Some days Murphy's Law just takes over.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

You can do some pretty straightforward things when you're having difficulty running the ball and your pass protection is struggling. You can run screens to the RB's. We saw one very late, in the 4th quarter, I think, that went for about 15 yards as I recall. You can run quick patterns to the WR's in the flat, slants, tunnel screens, etc. You can run various types of misdirection. You can roll out the QB. We pretty much didn't. You can run throw-backs to the TE. You can pitch it to your RB to attack the edge when you're struggling to run it up the gut. You can run reverses, etc.

I don't recall seeing any of these kinds of plays -- at least when the game mattered. I saw plenty of attempts to run it up the gut that were mostly stuffed. I saw lots of straight drop-backs on third and long with slowly developing routes that gave Stanford's defensive front time to sack CJ 7 times.

I agree that it's tough to do much when your O-line is getting outplayed. That said, Stanford was bringing LB's often, too, and we should have been able to make them pay from time to time but didn't manage to get that done. However, I think we became very predictable, as well, and allowed them to bring the house and over pursue without ever really making them pay for it. We wouldn't have needed anything exotic or any new "wrinkles", per se, but we weren't at all creative in our play-calling today, and I think that only compounded the problem. Poor execution killed us, too, however. We had a bunch of drops on plays that could have gone for good yardage.

It was "one of those days", too. Pretty much nothing went right. We had at least one near-pick by Bower, I think it was, that went through his hands. We had a pass deflected by a Stanford LB that was headed straight for Kreiger Coble who was about 15 yards downfield, over the middle, and wide open for what probably would have been about a 30-yard gain. Murphy's law was in full effect for the Hawks today.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

Quick patterns to WR's in the flat is what cost us the game.

 

[Gridiron24]

From the Wisconsin game onward, we were as conservative as we've ever been in our attack. That Wisconsin game we crawled into a shell and never came out.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

Quick patterns to WR's in the flat is what cost us the game.

I'm not talking about a 3-yard out route on 3rd and 3 that can get undercut for a pick 6. I'm talking about a quick screen, more or less to the WR, to get him in space, before the CB can close on him.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

I'm not talking about a 3-yard out route on 3rd and 3 that can get undercut for a pick 6. I'm talking about a quick screen, more or less to the WR, to get him in space, before the CB can close on him.

You said quick patterns to the WR's in the flat.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

You said quick patterns to the WR's in the flat.

Right. In my mind, that's not an out route, like the one where we gave up the pick 6. Furthermore, that out route gave up a pick 6; it didn't cost us the game. You said it cost us the game.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

Right. In my mind, that's not an out route, like the one where we gave up the pick 6. Furthermore, that out route gave up a pick 6; it didn't cost us the game. You said it cost us the game.

Ok, I'm confused. That play definitely cost us the game. And that's the definition of a quick pattern to a WR in the flat.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

Looks like you're in the mood for a pissing contest.

First of all, if you think one play cost us the game when we got blown out 45-16, I can't help you. You're wrong.

Second, the "flat" isn't a defined route. It's an area, lateral to the tackle box. Various routes can be run there, and by definition, they're short and quick, be they to a WR or a RB. I don't consider an out route to be a route in the flat. If you do, great -- our definitions are different. But I don't consider an out pattern to be what I was describing.

I'm done pissing. If you want to keep putting words in my mouth and beating a dead horse, you'll have to carry on without me.

 

[Gridiron24]

We lost the game on the first play. Our players realized they didn't have anyone in practice who even came close to emulating the speed and quickness of McCaffrey. They thought they did. They were wrong.

 

[IACentralHawk73]

How can you blame Kirk for this? How are you expected to stop (IMO) the best player in college football like that? You can't, McCaffery is a special talent that will make millions. We were simply outmatched on all phases.

 

[Hawks_Rock_12]

Do HOF coaches have a losing bowl record 6-7 with four straight loses ?

 

[freemanbrenner]

Hayden fry has a losing bowl record. Kirk does now. Hopefully that changes in the next couple of years. 4x big ten coach of the year only behind no schebechler. 4 top eight finishes and maybe a fifth one this year. 5 ten win seasons. Two big ten titles and a big ten west title. Had a undefeated regular season which Hayden never did and ran the table in te big ten twice. Won an elite bowl the orange bowl. Obviously very disappointed in how Iowa played yesterday but he is a hall of fame coach.

 

[Arbor1]

How can you blame Kirk for this? How are you expected to stop (IMO) the best player in college football like that? You can't, McCaffery is a special talent that will make millions. We were simply outmatched on all phases.

Outmatched in all phases and how can you blame kirk in the same paragraph. That is iowa stockholm syndrome beautifully demonstrated.

 

[Hawkeyestate81]

I'm so proud of this team, coaches and fans.

 

[anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba]

What Stanford did to Iowa in the Rose Bowl it did not do to any other team all season.

Who thought it was a good idea to punt the ball to McCaffrey? KF, perhaps? Hell, kick it out of bounds; kick it a mile high for 30 yards and force a fair catch; do whatever you have to do, but do NOT give McCaffrey the chance to return it. Solid, intelligent coaching there for sure. It reminded me of the time when, with about 20 seconds left in the half at Ann Arbor, Michigan punted to Tim Dwight who, of course, returned it for a TD. Brilliant stuff.

And on that opening play, you mean nobody was assigned to try and hit McCaffrey on his way out of the backfield? He just runs free? Hmmmm.

Iowa, MSU, and Northwestern embarrassed themselves and their conference. Men against boys in all three games. And those were three of the four highest ranked teams in the Big Ten. And we wonder why the talking heads mock the Hawkeyes....

 

[theIowaHawk]

I understand needing to run to keep the defense honest but damn, not right at them for 1 and 2 yd gains. We need a qb coach that can teach a qb when to abandon the pocket and when to throw it away. CJ ran right into sacks all year long by stepping up in the pocket when he should have stepped out.

You are right, they should have run at them for 4, 5 yard gains. Planning for 1 and 2 was silly.

 

[hawkeye54545]

However you get to 12-0 and regardless of you played not giving credit to the coaches simply isn't fair. I do agree though as the pressure mounts and the bigger the games get KF does seem to go into his conservative shell a little bit and it almost always seems to get us bit in a big spot.

Hopefully, much like this year we see him get a little more aggressive as the first half of this season at times I didn't even recognize the coach in a good way.

 

[IACentralHawk73]

Outmatched in all phases and how can you blame kirk in the same paragraph. That is iowa stockholm syndrome beautifully demonstrated.

I didn't blame Kirk? By outmatched I meant they had more talent than we did, I thought the coaching staff did all they could in preparation. There's no way we had a guy who could play like McCaffery in practice. If we did he would've played yesterday

 

[HawkeyeInKC]

New Kirk disappeared around mid season. We did start off totally different.

100% dead on. When the pressure built up he went back to the old Kirk. We all saw it.

 

[Bigfann1966]

We played two good teams and lost both games...what good is 12-0 and then you lay a turd in the games that count. When you are down 28 points, its time to pass. Mickey Mouse must have consulted on the game planning. And people want more of this in the future... He needs coordinators who have a clue, or maybe a head coach that knows his coordinators are lost...coach of the year awards should come after the season is completed! Mc caffery should have won the Heisman....that kid is one of the best players I have ever watched!!!!!

 

[Bigfann1966]

I didn't blame Kirk? By outmatched I meant they had more talent than we did, I thought the coaching staff did all they could in preparation. There's no way we had a guy who could play like McCaffery in practice. If we did he would've played yesterday

Even if we had a player like McCaffery, I'm not sure he would see field...maybe when he was senior and then it would be how he has improved so much over the last year....blah, blah, blah, blah.

 

[scotthawk1964]

You know, if Iowa had not got down 21-0 before the bands could get there instruments put away, maybe they could have eventually established some sort of a run game. They did have some effective running at times, but could absolutely not protect CJ to save there lives.The game spiraled out of control so fast that I don't think any amount of coaching could save the game. Stanford being there the last few years showed as they were business like and ready to play, while Iowa still had Disney Land glimmering in there eyes. I actually think this ass kicking will help motivate next years team, since the majority of them will be back and want some sort of redemption.

 

[scotthawk1964]

We played two good teams and lost both games...what good is 12-0 and then you lay a turd in the games that count. When you are down 28 points, its time to pass. Mickey Mouse must have consulted on the game planning. And people want more of this in the future... He needs coordinators who have a clue, or maybe a head coach that knows his coordinators are lost...coach of the year awards should come after the season is completed! Mc caffery should have won the Heisman....that kid is one of the best players I have ever watched!!!!!

How bout they lay the turds during the season and not go bowling, would that make you feel better? LOL