People have an odd way of allowing their heads to revise history when that history can be uncomfortable.
"New Kirk"
- Thread starter Hawk and Awe
- Start date
I'm so glad you asked. I spent the last 2 or 3 years defending KF as I believed he was the best coach for the job and could get this turned around. Plenty of people made respectful arguments that he deserved to be fired, but most screamed at the top of their lungs he needed to be run out of town.
I just find it interesting that instead of people saying "man we were wrong about KF" it's "wow this new guy is great" or "he finally listened to us and look at the results". I'm sorry I just think its kind of insulting to the guy.
yeah, what was going on when he did that?
had a 30 point lead and going into the wind with a kicker who had already missed a 28 yarder with the wind but you didnt intentionally leave that context out, I'm sure.
Hawk and Awe.....R&Rface is referring to you here bud. prob dont want to like this post. just sayin'
Well ok but that's a different argument. What I don't understand is your denial of the obvious changes Kirk has made in his approach. What's the point of denying what you're own eyes are telling you? Enjoy the ride man. You're trying to create an argument where there isn't one.
yeah, what was going on when he did that?
had a 30 point lead and going into the wind with a kicker who had already missed a 28 yarder with the wind but you didnt intentionally leave that context out, I'm sure.
Ahhhh.... No sir. I was referring to the first drive of the game
Are we keeping score? It was an interesting point. I have my version of history and you have yours. Thanks for the advice though.
This has gone completely off the rails. I didn't mean to suggest nothing has changed and was probably lazy in subsequent posts. And I hadn't intended to argue with anyone, because i really don't care if you change your mind. I was just curious if folks agreed with me and it turns out they do.
4th and 10 after three straight incompletions and a PI/Roughing that offset, I think trying a fifth time is literally the definition of insanity. The punter actually knows what he's doing, koehn was off today, and the drive was spinning in place. I'd have been pissed if we went for it, knowing the game was going to be a field position battle. (Which we all thought it'd be up to that point). Why give them momentum?
We all owe Rockface and Pucha and their buddies a huge thanks for crying and ranting for 6 months (or more) and getting KF to change his ways, LOL! Never mind all the interviews with the players asking them about the 'new' KF and what he has changed and ALL of them saying absolutely nothing about him has changed since they've got there and that the difference is they are just executing and finishing better (but hey, what would they know, lol. The reporters should be interviewing Pocha, LOL.) When you are executing and finishing better, it allows coaches to make some game decisions they can't possibly make when kids are struggling in some areas.
I think there are several things that have changed:
No contact practice on Th and F
Practices in the morning rather than afternoons
More aggressive in end of half
More aggressive on 4th down
More screens, more wide receiver screens
Running games with more than outside and inside stretch plays - I think I have seen far more pulling o-lineman this year than ever before
Better team chemistry - which some have credited to the new player facility
Our punting has improved dramatically
Our linebackers are a year older, stronger, and a step faster
No contact practice on Th and F
Practices in the morning rather than afternoons
More aggressive in end of half
More aggressive on 4th down
More screens, more wide receiver screens
Running games with more than outside and inside stretch plays - I think I have seen far more pulling o-lineman this year than ever before
Better team chemistry - which some have credited to the new player facility
Our punting has improved dramatically
Our linebackers are a year older, stronger, and a step faster
Once again somebody trying to change the argument. Look, I can't believe this has actually has made it to a page two. It's very simple. KF has changed in many ways (examples have been provided all throughout this thread) and that really can't be refuted. I'm not trying to argue why he has changed in this areas, just that he has. Please continue though to let the always forthcoming Iowa player interviews make up your mind for you instead of what your own eyes are telling you when watching the games. Only on this board could a made up argument such as this one make it to a page two, but I guess people like arguing with what their own eyes tell them if it fits into their personal agenda.
Fans had nothing to do with it. Keep telling yourself that if it makes your life better.
This is a fascinating topic, given the difference in outcome of the teams' performance from last year to this year, and given many hawk fans' (not mine!) gloomy view of the program/HC last year.
IMO, KF has remained true to his core principles (hard work, humility, team-first mentality, "next man in"), but he has changed the way in which he runs the team. Examples of this abound, but I will stick to the objective, documented ones: 1) change in practice schedule (including two big features - switch to am practice, switch to thurs dead day); 2) switch from pro style to shield punt formation (rugby punting is a variation of the shield punt); 3) reassigning Asst coaching duties (well documented elsewhere); 4) demoting a winning quarterback in favor of his backup.
Other changes that he's made, which are less quantifiable, include: 1) being more thoughtful and eloquent in answering questions from the press (I welcome Tom and Blair's opinions); 2) more aggressive play-calling (see his use of time outs to set up a scoring opportunity just before half in yesterday's game, although others correctly point out he became much more aggressive in going for it on 4th down last year); 3) increasing use of trick plays (the timing of the choice of when to use them is perhaps debatable, but the fact that he has used them more frequently is not).
Changes that began last year (not this one, as many believe) include more aggressive recruitment, which has already yielded benefits (20 commits by June which is the high-water mark for KF, I believe). It remains to be seen, of course, if this will translate to better quality play by the Hawkeyes on the field, but the fact that many of our commits are lighting it up on the field this year is certainly encouraging. I am not counting the fact that the team moved into the new facility, although it has clearly helped as well, because it was a change many years in the planning.
So, I think KF has changed the way he conducts business, but not changed his core belief system, and the team/program is better for it. I think he did hear us, the fans, clamoring for change, and did respond. Good for him. Good for us!
IMO, KF has remained true to his core principles (hard work, humility, team-first mentality, "next man in"), but he has changed the way in which he runs the team. Examples of this abound, but I will stick to the objective, documented ones: 1) change in practice schedule (including two big features - switch to am practice, switch to thurs dead day); 2) switch from pro style to shield punt formation (rugby punting is a variation of the shield punt); 3) reassigning Asst coaching duties (well documented elsewhere); 4) demoting a winning quarterback in favor of his backup.
Other changes that he's made, which are less quantifiable, include: 1) being more thoughtful and eloquent in answering questions from the press (I welcome Tom and Blair's opinions); 2) more aggressive play-calling (see his use of time outs to set up a scoring opportunity just before half in yesterday's game, although others correctly point out he became much more aggressive in going for it on 4th down last year); 3) increasing use of trick plays (the timing of the choice of when to use them is perhaps debatable, but the fact that he has used them more frequently is not).
Changes that began last year (not this one, as many believe) include more aggressive recruitment, which has already yielded benefits (20 commits by June which is the high-water mark for KF, I believe). It remains to be seen, of course, if this will translate to better quality play by the Hawkeyes on the field, but the fact that many of our commits are lighting it up on the field this year is certainly encouraging. I am not counting the fact that the team moved into the new facility, although it has clearly helped as well, because it was a change many years in the planning.
So, I think KF has changed the way he conducts business, but not changed his core belief system, and the team/program is better for it. I think he did hear us, the fans, clamoring for change, and did respond. Good for him. Good for us!
The main differences between last year and this year are the QB, the LBs, and RBs. It was clear the LBs were a huge hole last year against MD, MN, and TN.
Kirk is rolling with the same general philosophy, but is going for scores at the end of halves. The running game is more inside if I'm recalling correctly. That dumb stretch play to Weisman should have been vetoed. Throw in some screens to the RBs (again, not something Weisman would do). The RB was only a receiving threat on 3rd down last year.
Kirk is rolling with the same general philosophy, but is going for scores at the end of halves. The running game is more inside if I'm recalling correctly. That dumb stretch play to Weisman should have been vetoed. Throw in some screens to the RBs (again, not something Weisman would do). The RB was only a receiving threat on 3rd down last year.
