Press Conference Thoughts: Assistant Salaries

[C/Seahawk]

I'm glad Kirk is meeting with the media following the season for the second year in a row, hope this continues. A lot of good comments and information, especially the part about meeting Coach Eddie Robinson on a couple occassions, great stuff.

There was however one comment/response that made me stop in my tracks. Kirk was asked about an assistant leaving Wisconsin for LSU, here is the Q&A and I've bolded the comment that I found to be interesting to say the least:

Q. Assistant coaches' salaries seem to be increasing, Dave Aranda went from Wisconsin to LSU, but as far as keeping your own in this day and age, how challenging is that for you knowing that I'm sure the market is pretty high for your success and you lost your linebackers coach.

COACH FERENTZ: "...The guys that have left have left for logical reasons. If salary is going to be the most important thing, then that might be -- you're always going to be at risk there, because I don't think we're prepared to compete with some of the SEC schools and I'm not sure we want to, quite frankly".


So...Kirk is willing to be paid in the top tier of college football and is right in line with the top tier of the SEC, but he isn't prepared to pay his assistants in a similar fashion? Interesting. We are a self proclaimed developmental program, I would think it would be money well spent to pay assistants in the top tier so we not only get great candidates but also can keep them.

Of course, Kirk couldn't avoid using the 'we're just little 'ole Iowa' themes throughout too, I wish he would have stopped that after this three year run of top 10 finishes back in 2005. It's infuriating when he pulls out that card and its a shame he didn't ditch that tendency long ago. He is one of the best coaches in college football and he has had nearly 20 years to put his stamp on the program following the legendary Hayden Fry...its time to drop that 'were just little 'ole Iowa' attitude, especially when talking in public.

rant over Go Hawks

 

[HerkyFan]

You may not be reading KF's comments the way he may have intended. I took the comment about an Assistant looking primarily at salary as not someone who would be aligned with our values anyway. I don't think KF has any problems with paying his assistants what he feels is valued based on performance. Doyle is case in point. KF is very pleased with the performance of the S&C program and pays Chris what he feels values his contribution. I don't think KF or Iowa set out to be a school that pays at the top for a S&C coach but that is where we are today.

Doyle also doesn't strike me as someone who would jump ship just to make some more money either.

 

[Drew003]

I think "little ole Iowa" is one of the cultural themes he uses as a cornerstone to the football program. It permeates everything he is about--fundamentals, weight room development, assignment-sound football, chip on the should attitude.

He is right on one thing--geography is not our friend. We probably shouldn't expect to out athlete certain teams simply given our geography, so we need to find other ways to win.

 

[DavenportHawk8]

You also have to look at the SEC guidelines and how they treat their student athletes. I mean anyone with a pulse can get into any institution in the SEC (outside of Vanderbilt). They are all in for football and that means they allot a lot more $$ towards football.

Iowa I am sure has a competitive salaries, but why compete with a league that is hells bent on being the best. They are going to continue to pay these outrageous salaries because they are the SEC.

I am sure Iowa could pay their assistants more, just have to charge a little more for season tickets and individual game tickets.

 

[SLarew]

I'm glad Kirk is meeting with the media following the season for the second year in a row, hope this continues. A lot of good comments and information, especially the part about meeting Coach Eddie Robinson on a couple occassions, great stuff.

There was however one comment/response that made me stop in my tracks. Kirk was asked about an assistant leaving Wisconsin for LSU, here is the Q&A and I've bolded the comment that I found to be interesting to say the least:

Q. Assistant coaches' salaries seem to be increasing, Dave Aranda went from Wisconsin to LSU, but as far as keeping your own in this day and age, how challenging is that for you knowing that I'm sure the market is pretty high for your success and you lost your linebackers coach.

COACH FERENTZ: "...The guys that have left have left for logical reasons. If salary is going to be the most important thing, then that might be -- you're always going to be at risk there, because I don't think we're prepared to compete with some of the SEC schools and I'm not sure we want to, quite frankly".


So...Kirk is willing to be paid in the top tier of college football and is right in line with the top tier of the SEC, but he isn't prepared to pay his assistants in a similar fashion? Interesting. We are a self proclaimed developmental program, I would think it would be money well spent to pay assistants in the top tier so we not only get great candidates but also can keep them.

Of course, Kirk couldn't avoid using the 'we're just little 'ole Iowa' themes throughout too, I wish he would have stopped that after this three year run of top 10 finishes back in 2005. It's infuriating when he pulls out that card and its a shame he didn't ditch that tendency long ago. He is one of the best coaches in college football and he has had nearly 20 years to put his stamp on the program following the legendary Hayden Fry...its time to drop that 'were just little 'ole Iowa' attitude, especially when talking in public.

rant over Go Hawks

IF KIrk raised pay for GD and PP to $1 million each to be competitive, would that make you happy???

 

[Packer54]

If I could get Aranda for $1 mil I would do it. Wisky was half of an offense short of being in the final 4. Losing him is going to really hurt Wisky. They need to get REAL good on offense in a hurry. If Aranda was at Iowa can you imagine how good these LBs would be and how he would leverage them in the total scheme? Shoot with the corners we have and those LBs we would not be concerned about our DEs.

 

[icu81222]

You also have to look at the SEC guidelines and how they treat their student athletes. I mean anyone with a pulse can get into any institution in the SEC (outside of Vanderbilt). They are all in for football and that means they allot a lot more $$ towards football.

Iowa I am sure has a competitive salaries, but why compete with a league that is hells bent on being the best. They are going to continue to pay these outrageous salaries because they are the SEC.

I am sure Iowa could pay their assistants more, just have to charge a little more for season tickets and individual game tickets.

And they pay what they pay because most of their schools don't fund nearly as many sports as B1G teams do. That is a big deal.

 

[Herkmeister]

IF KIrk raised pay for GD and PP to $1 million each to be competitive, would that make you happy???

It would certainly make me happy. That's if I was GD or PP. Otherwise, I just don't care.

 

[MepoDawg#]

So if the assistants made more money would it change how they coach? They have to weigh the risk and reward.

 

[storyhawkeye]

So if the assistants made more money would it change how they coach? They have to weigh the risk and reward.

If you don't think this whole conversation is a little more deep than that, well not sure what to tell you.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post...aid-shows-why-big-ten-still-looking-up-to-sec