Some of you need to wake up!

[Rustys Dad]

I'm not ready to flush the season. We're sitting at 3-1 and lots of teams would like to start the season at 3-1. I understand some of the points raised by the OP ... That being said, we are recruiting better players. I think Stanley will be a very solid QB for us and if we can hold onto the recruits we have coming in I like to think we have some nice seasons in front of us.

The NDSU game was ugly. The Rutgers game was ugly. Our players didn't forget how to play football. They need to get the mental focus back. Miscues and missed tackles. And we have to get better play from our receivers.

Last year we got some nice breaks. Time will tell if we continue to improve week to week. I'll take our 3-1 record and hopefully 4-1 after next week. Whiskey, Nebby, and Michigan are all playing very well. We need to step up the intensity and I think we will.

We have a senior QB ... our line is better with Daniels and Welsh ... Our DLine is a concern and we're giving up a lot of yards. Let's let the season unfold before we flush 2016.

 

[toadfrog68]

Wildturk and grosie#2 and Scott559 are wise. Perhaps even stable.

 

[K OKeefe]

15-3 in the last 18 games. Think about the 2 and 3 star talent Iowa has to work with. Think about the lack of high school talent the state has to offer or how hard it is to recruit warm weather kids to the nasty Iowa Winters. This isnt Michigan or Ohio who can real in 5 star talent to cold environments. This is Iowa.

I for one am not going to bitch constantly about something i can't control. All this "we" crap as if you are apart of the team. You are no more apart of the Iowa team than your dog licking his sack at your feet.

I like the stat, but how many of those wins would be classified as a quality win? The last time Iowa played Nebby they were a 5-7 team. The Wisconsin win was a good win, but when Iowa faced MSU and Stanford the two best teams Iowa played last year they lost both games. Against MSU, Iowa's defense could not get off of the field during the long drive. In addition, MSU offense converted how many 3rd and long and 4th downs on the way to the winning score? Stanford exposed Iowa as posers. I do not understand why Barta needed to rush to lock Ferentz up for more years at this juncture of Ferentz career. Ferentz is/was not going anywhere.

 

[Stillwaterhawkeye]

I agree with Gigi. If we're willing to accept mediocrity as fans, that's all we'll get.

Traditionally, our defenses play a bend-don't-break approach and, if executed properly, require the other team to march down the field steadily with 4-8 yd plays with no mistakes. One holding or offsides penalty and the drive will die (if we're executing properly). This forces other offenses to play mistake-free football and accept they'll score at most 21-28 points. When was the last time someone put up 35+ on us in victory or a loss? It has happened, but rarely. Great defensive years happen when we have both a pass rusher (Roth, Clayborn) and outside linebackers that can cover a receiver (Edds, Kirksey etc)

What drives me nuts is the mediocrity on offense. Scoring 14 on Rutgers? Are you kidding me? 21 on NDSU? Giving their offense 16 is fine, scoring only 21 is unforgiveable. I'm always blown away at how few points we can score on even lousy defenses, how predictable the play calling is, how long it takes for a play to develop. When was the last time Iowa had an explosive receiver? In the past 10 years we've placed multiple players in all positions in the pros except QB (Vlasic was the last that ever got off a practice squad) and WR. In fact Kahlil Hill may be the last one to stay on a roster for a full year.

In the end, the mediocrity on offense is what I find intolerable. To the OP point, we should stop accepting it. I thought Greg Davis' play calling in the first two games was refreshing and, dare I say, unpredictable. The last two games remind me of 2012-2014. We wasted some good defenses those years.....

 

[Sett1997]

OP is correct.

We had a great season last year, better than our typical seasons of mediocrity, and Barta and all of you raised KF to god status. Locked him in for 10 more years of likely mediocrity.

Some of us thought we would be knocked by down to reality in 2 seasons, considering the returning talent. But nope, we are already there. Just a few months later.

Still blows my mind Barta pissed down his leg and gave him an extension. Lol

 

[Drift_Hawk]

Stay woke.

 

[gojojo]

Fire the coach!! He's only winning by a little bit!! I expect to win every game!! This 15-3 record since the start of last year is unacceptable!!

 

[Chewback]

tl;dr

I'm just going to assume it was stupid

Should be caps - TL;DR. New kid, whattya gonna do?

 

[ottumwan in tx]

Serious question: could waking up the fans cause positive things to happen on the field?

 

[Hawk_4shur]

When was the last time Iowa had an explosive receiver? In the past 10 years we've placed multiple players in all positions in the pros except QB (Vlasic was the last that ever got off a practice squad) and WR. In the end, the mediocrity on offense is what I find intolerable. To the OP point, we should stop accepting it. .

Uh, Marvin McNutt and Smith just last year at receiver? Stanzi at QB?

But, I digress. You are right, of course. I'm not going to accept it. Now what do I do?

 

[scotthawk1964]

I don't need to wake up at all, I have wanted Ferentz and company gone for about 5-6 years now already.

Eyes don't lie, and most of the time, watching Hawkeye football games are like going to the dentist and having teeth pulled.

Just stale, conservative, BAD football is what we play most of the time.

We play not to lose, and it shows. It is gutless football. No fun at all.

I watch some of these other programs, and watch their EXCITING games, and i get jealous. Why can't we have a FUN team like that, a team that puts up some points. A team that can wow you offensively. A team whose games are FUN TO WATCH! Imagine that?

Watching Iowa football games just sucks most of the time. Not fun at all, even the wins seem boring most of the time. Almost like we win ballgames by being a tad better at playing a crappy schemed football team, but managed to outcrap the other team, just barely.

I just wish we had some fire, have some fun, get some younger guys in here. This program could TAKE OFF if we had a HC willing to take off with it. Instead, we got a guy who continues to hammer stakes into the ground to try to keep it down. That's what it feels like most of the time.

Instead, we win a few games and barta feels like he needs to lock a has been 70 year old up until he's 100. I don't get it.

I don't know what he's afraid of. I would have let his contract run out and not renew it. To hell with recruiting, it's worth a couple years down to get some fresh blood in here after that. When we were 10-0 last year of whatever, you could have asked me and i STILL would have said I want a new staff in here and SURELY not to RENEW.

There are a lot of QUALITY coaches that would just DIE to come here and be the coach for our Hawkeyes.

Instead, we have to continue to watch this eyesore week in and week out.

If they were playing not to lose they be kicking field goals instead of going for it on 4th Downs. Hell I wish Kirk would kick some field goals at times, would have helped on Saturday. And this bad boring style of football you say we play is exactly what Alabama plays, yet with a roster full of elite recruits. It's like Iowa and Alabama are driving 2 1969 Dodge Charger R/T's, only ours has a 318 in it and Alabama's has a hemi. Does that clarify it for you?

 

[bagdropper]

It isn't about accepting mediocrity.

It's about acknowledging that chances are, the current ID is more capable of hiring a coach that drives the program back into the ground like it was in those infernal olden days, than make a great hire to take Iowa to such a lofty perch that has NEVER been done in their entire history.

The next head coach at Iowa, I will bet my retirement money on it - will have not won a goddam thing in his entire career that even remotely compares to what Ferentz has achieved at Iowa.

Jebus...do you even look at the surrounding college football world? If programs like LSU, USC, Texas, Florida, Auburn, Nebraska, Penn State Notre Dame...I could go on and on - if THEY cannot sustain success, what in the wide wide world of sports makes you think that merely by firing Kirk Ferentz, Iowa would achieve what the program has NEVER achieved before?

If you look at his Iowa resume, anybody with one ounce of objectivity can see that he has kept Iowa at a spot that is as good as any coach they've ever had in their history.

The Fire Ferentz crowd accepts as truth that Iowa can merely fire him and get just about ANYBODY and get better overall output, while not realizing that because of Ferentz, Iowa has sustained more long term success than any coach in the school's history. They see "brite shiny object". Only Brite Shiny Object pretty much hasn't also cracked into the vaunted lofty status that these morons seem to think is so goddam easy to achieve here.

It's harder to do here. Harder than it is at...oh...at the very least 30-35 programs nationally, but in reality it's probably more like 50. Always has been, always will be. And when you compare us to actual even comparisons and most of our neighbors...Iowa stands above them all, provided by none other than Kirk Ferentz.

The last 15 or so years, name another program better than Iowa in what I would term the upper midwest. Wisconsin, I'll give you. The gap there ain't so far apart as some might think.

Minnesota? Illinois? Nebraska? Northwestern? Indiana? Purdue? Notre Dame? Missouri? K-State? Kansas?

Those that cannot recognize and accept these things...it's a YOU problem, not a WE problem. Our ceiling as a program will ALWAYS be a lot harder to achieve than probably 30 to 50 different programs out there today. Our floor as a program is easily one bad hire away.

Iowa is one bad hire away from becoming Iowa State, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, etc...why do I know this? Because it has happened multiple times in our history, that's why.

And a lot of us Iowa fans LEARN from that history. My advice to you is to toughen the hell up. There's 8 games yet to play, most likely 9. Maybe 10. Enjoy it, because it can go away with one back f'n hire.

 

[Stillwaterhawkeye]

Uh, Marvin McNutt and Smith just last year at receiver? Stanzi at QB?

But, I digress. You are right, of course. I'm not going to accept it. Now what do I do?

Uhhh, are either playing on Sunday? No. They were good receivers to be sure, but not gamebreakers. Michigan State and Wisconsin, arguably similar caliber teams to Iowa, have 3 and 2 just in the last 5 years.

I don't care what you do, but if you're not bothered by mediocrity, you're probably mediocre yourself

 

[Stillwaterhawkeye]

It isn't about accepting mediocrity.

It's about acknowledging that chances are, the current ID is more capable of hiring a coach that drives the program back into the ground like it was in those infernal olden days, than make a great hire to take Iowa to such a lofty perch that has NEVER been done in their entire history.

The next head coach at Iowa, I will bet my retirement money on it - will have not won a goddam thing in his entire career that even remotely compares to what Ferentz has achieved at Iowa.

Jebus...do you even look at the surrounding college football world? If programs like LSU, USC, Texas, Florida, Auburn, Nebraska, Penn State Notre Dame...I could go on and on - if THEY cannot sustain success, what in the wide wide world of sports makes you think that merely by firing Kirk Ferentz, Iowa would achieve what the program has NEVER achieved before?

If you look at his Iowa resume, anybody with one ounce of objectivity can see that he has kept Iowa at a spot that is as good as any coach they've ever had in their history.

The Fire Ferentz crowd accepts as truth that Iowa can merely fire him and get just about ANYBODY and get better overall output, while not realizing that because of Ferentz, Iowa has sustained more long term success than any coach in the school's history. They see "brite shiny object". Only Brite Shiny Object pretty much hasn't also cracked into the vaunted lofty status that these morons seem to think is so goddam easy to achieve here.

It's harder to do here. Harder than it is at...oh...at the very least 30-35 programs nationally, but in reality it's probably more like 50. Always has been, always will be. And when you compare us to actual even comparisons and most of our neighbors...Iowa stands above them all, provided by none other than Kirk Ferentz.

The last 15 or so years, name another program better than Iowa in what I would term the upper midwest. Wisconsin, I'll give you. The gap there ain't so far apart as some might think.

Minnesota? Illinois? Nebraska? Northwestern? Indiana? Purdue? Notre Dame? Missouri? K-State? Kansas?

Those that cannot recognize and accept these things...it's a YOU problem, not a WE problem. Our ceiling as a program will ALWAYS be a lot harder to achieve than probably 30 to 50 different programs out there today. Our floor as a program is easily one bad hire away.

Iowa is one bad hire away from becoming Iowa State, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, etc...why do I know this? Because it has happened multiple times in our history, that's why.

And a lot of us Iowa fans LEARN from that history. My advice to you is to toughen the hell up. There's 8 games yet to play, most likely 9. Maybe 10. Enjoy it, because it can go away with one back f'n hire.

I agree, for the most part. I didn't say we should fire him although the OP did. You're correct that odds are we'd end up with a lesser coach. I think LSU is about to find that out. Still, we should bitch a bit and express our distaste for the lack of innovative play calling on offense. The lack of offensive production/points has been this teams demise in the last decade with a few exceptions. The season is young, and if we see more of what we showed at Iowa State, we'll be fine. The potential is there. Just wish we had a big play threat at WR. Would be a great complement to Vandeberg, who's looking like the second coming of Ed Hinkel.

Oh, and "we" is perfectly appropriate. I paid for season tickets and paid $400 to a "scholarship fund" in order to be allowed to have better seats. So do I and all fans who've paid for this program have a vested interest in this team? My checkbook says yes....

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Uhhh, are either playing on Sunday? No. They were good receivers to be sure, but not gamebreakers. Michigan State and Wisconsin, arguably similar caliber teams to Iowa, have 3 and 2 just in the last 5 years.

I don't care what you do, but if you're not bothered by mediocrity, you're probably mediocre yourself

Since you made it personal, I am quite certain I am more successful than you. I do not expect greatness in something I sit back and watch, like you do. Do you expect excellence in your neighbors yard? Do you demand greatness in your favorite sitcom? I focus my efforts on my career and my family, not on Saturday afternoon entertainment.

Now, go shout at the rain and make your demands. Stop accepting the fact that we have a very good football program and demand a great one. I think you are very close to making a big difference in the future of Iowa football.

 

[bagdropper]

I will never equate a single penny I spend on Hawkeye football with what I deserve from this program and Kirk Ferentz.

I also will never, ever believe that I am smarter than ANYBODY Iowa ever hires to coach Hawkeye football.

I will also take into consideration given Iowa's complete football history that...

a) what a large portion of this board's posting base is large next to impossible to achieve

b) that there is no magic bullet out there

c) merely by "going young" or "going different because I disagree with how coach X coaches despite past and recent success that indicates otherwise"


To change coaches because of those reasons is a recipe for absolute disaster.

Does KF piss me off? Hell yes. I ranted about not using Wadley enough against NDSU. Do I believe his "old fashioned approach" possibly limits the ceiling at Iowa? Heck yeah, I agree that it can.

However, I will not ever support a change in coaches merely because of style or "salary value". I am willing to accept that Ferentz keeps us from becoming what I suffered through in my formative years as a Hawk fan (the 1970's), will keep us as a national program better than Iowa State, Illinois, Minnesota, and several other Big 10 teams, all the while knowing that (in short) he's not Nick Saban or Urban Meyer.

Because folks...what a lot of people want at Iowa, that kind of success...it would take that f'n good of a coach to achieve. I mean really. Who is that Pied Piper that merely my existing as Iowa's coach, will achieve better success than Kirk Ferentz (and therefore Hayden Fry, and Forrest Evashevski)?

Name him! I want to know who it is!

It's posters' blindness to that fact that pisses me off to no end.

 

[vanhawkman]

WTF?? Seriously, W....T....F???!!! Look, losing to North Dakota State wasn't the best, but it sure seemed that we wanted to focus on passing the ball instead of rolling with the run. I've seen plenty of games where the run wouldn't work for 2 1/2 quarters, then all of a sudden, our RBs have holes to run through. We're 3-1, yesterday Davis was hell bent on showcasing the passing game more than the run. Once the run was focused on, 193 yards total. Let's not forget that we're the defending West Champs. Teams will play more aggressive against us. I'd be concerned if the defense played like last game, but they didn't. They were fantastic. Snyder was a Lomax wannabe missile out there, and Taylor had a nice game also.
It has to be acknowledged that our recruiting has not been the best, but these past few years have seen the corner turned. We just need to hold onto our guys (Eno, looking at you buddy).
I know, I know, the ole' Iowa excuses.

Look everybody......I want the Hawks to win every game, but I'm also a realist and know that's not going to happen in my lifetime. But, we're 3-1, 1-0 in the Big Ten. Let's get our boys ready for next week.

Just think, It could be June, where there's no football at all.....Just saying.

 

[Stillwaterhawkeye]

Since you made it personal, I am quite certain I am more successful than you. I do not expect greatness in something I sit back and watch, like you do. Do you expect excellence in your neighbors yard? Do you demand greatness in your favorite sitcom? I focus my efforts on my career and my family, not on Saturday afternoon entertainment.

Now, go shout at the rain and make your demands. Stop accepting the fact that we have a very good football program and demand a great one. I think you are very close to making a big difference in the future of Iowa football.

To my original point, no IA wide receivers in the pros.... since Kahlil Hill! Even mediocre teams like Indiana have placed a WR in the pros and even WI has with a stable of mediocre QB's (Russell Wilson excepted)! So why don't we? Can you explain that?

Is it unreasonable to expect excellence? Lord knows if you don't shoot for it you'll never get it by accident. Yes it's entertainment, but it costs a lot of money today and who pays for that? I do (maybe you don't) and so do many other fans. My freshman year I paid $9 a game. Now it's well over $110 and we have pumped as much money into our program and the coaches as the best programs. It's reasonable to have high expectations and to solve some of the problems (at least on offense) that have plagued Iowa year in and year out.

Oh, and I'm quite certain you are not more successful. If you define success by inaccurate comments (McNutt and Smith in the pros) then sure, you're more successful then me at being wrong.

 

[Stillwaterhawkeye]

I will never equate a single penny I spend on Hawkeye football with what I deserve from this program and Kirk Ferentz.

I also will never, ever believe that I am smarter than ANYBODY Iowa ever hires to coach Hawkeye football.

I will also take into consideration given Iowa's complete football history that...

a) what a large portion of this board's posting base is large next to impossible to achieve

b) that there is no magic bullet out there

c) merely by "going young" or "going different because I disagree with how coach X coaches despite past and recent success that indicates otherwise"


To change coaches because of those reasons is a recipe for absolute disaster.

Does KF piss me off? Hell yes. I ranted about not using Wadley enough against NDSU. Do I believe his "old fashioned approach" possibly limits the ceiling at Iowa? Heck yeah, I agree that it can.

However, I will not ever support a change in coaches merely because of style or "salary value". I am willing to accept that Ferentz keeps us from becoming what I suffered through in my formative years as a Hawk fan (the 1970's), will keep us as a national program better than Iowa State, Illinois, Minnesota, and several other Big 10 teams, all the while knowing that (in short) he's not Nick Saban or Urban Meyer.

Because folks...what a lot of people want at Iowa, that kind of success...it would take that f'n good of a coach to achieve. I mean really. Who is that Pied Piper that merely my existing as Iowa's coach, will achieve better success than Kirk Ferentz (and therefore Hayden Fry, and Forrest Evashevski)?

Name him! I want to know who it is!

It's posters' blindness to that fact that pisses me off to no end.

Agreed, I think only the original poster suggested firing Ferentz.

 

[hansenhawk]

I don't think their is a "fire Ferentz" crowd really, their are simply folks like myself who were fine with his coaching another 4-5 years, then either retiring or whatever. Extending him out to 10 years was ridiculous, especially at his age.

Also, I just don't understand how some are just SO worried that we will turn into the worst program in the nation should we EVER have to hire someone else. Have a little faith people, geez!! We have the facilities, we have the $, we have the history, we have the B1G, we have the ability to get a damn awesome new staff. If they suck? Well, you get rid of them and try again. I just don't get the, "Gotta have Kirk here forever because if he leaves OH NO we are gonna implode" mantra. I think it would be awesome, exciting to see who we could/would bring in. We would have some great options! Did we have a good program BEFORE Kirk got here? I think we would be just fine afterwards and don't have to throw out these ridiculous contracts because we are "scared" of what life might become once Kirk leaves. I have visions of that life, and I think they would be glorious! ;-)

You know what I think is behind his contracts? I think him and Barta are protecting each other. They have it figured out behind the scenes on how to protect each other as much as possible while becoming filthy stinking rich in the process. Every chance Barta feels he has the chance to extend him for more money, he does. Not a doubt in my mind their is some sort of kickback involved, as Barta knows he could be gone at any time himself. Loading ol' Kirk up for as long as possible? I am sure their is a pretty good gentleman's agreement on the back end of those contracts in some fashion.

One problem is Iowa doesn't hire based on winning. That is where Kirk shines and he is awesome. Being professional. Running a positive program. Running a clean program. keeping the students athletes in check, etc. etc. etc. No one runs a program better than KF. All he has to do is win JUST ENOUGH for his monster contracts, which he does. KF is awesome in pretty much everyway, except on game day.

 

[iowa surfer]

Straining to beat a bad Rutgers team that struggled to beat New Mexico and losing to a 1-AA team is NEVER ACCEPTABLE for a program with the resources, tradition, fan base, and conference affiliation of Iowa! The "aw shucks, it happens sometimes. . We're just Iowa" doesn't change that. Some humility is good, but an absence of any self-respect as a football program is no good. One of the reasons that, after all of these years of being almost a top-10 or top-15 program, we're still in "almost really good" category is this tolerance for ABYSMAL performance like we've seen in the last two weeks. Wisconsin made the leap - they won a number of Rose Bowls and went to a few more that they didn't win (and they were in way worse shape when Richter and Alvarez started over there than we were when Hayden arrived, right?). MSU made the leap - they finally won a Rose Bowl for themselves. Purdue failed to make the leap - they had their shot in Pasadena in 2001 and blew it (though with FAR fewer resources and advantages than we have). Illinois also failed to make the leap - they blew their shot in 2008, though also with somewhat fewer resources and historical advantages than Iowa.

For those of you who are troubled by people's use of pronouns here on this board, we're all part of the team as we ALL have our admittedly very small roles to play in the success of the program. Iowa, moreso that a Notre Dame or a USC or even Michigan is more reliant on smaller donors and a higher rate of engagement among alumni, the people of Iowa, and out-of-state fans otherwise loosely or unattached to the state (when their lucky) be successful. In a program that actually has aspirations of winning championships, just making occasional feel-good trips to championship games should NOT be the standard when we pay our coach $4.5 million TO RECRUIT THE PLAYERS who are supposed to annhialating these third-tier opponents. There should be no luck involved in playing those types of games. I understand that mild upsets happen and that you can't win every game, but first-rate programs don't lose to 1-AA schools EVER without MAJOR REPRECUSSSIONS. This idea that "we did reely gud verse Spartins in championships las year and we gave it a prity gud try and then we jus got a bad luk verse Stanfurd" is galactically stupid.

Coach Ferentz, by all accounts, is an outstanding human being and member of the University and Iowa City community. He has provided quality service at many times in the past to the University and the people of Iowa. At the same time, there have been MAJOR problems with the passing game and broader but related problems with recruiting for the better part of TEN YEARS now. The whole "aw shucks, we're just Iowa, we just work hard and hit you in the mouth" routine isn't gonna cut it on its own in the future. I'm not asking for tackiness - tacky approaches, tacky press conferences, tacky new uniforms every week, cheating, excessively obnoxious and rude tactics (OSU running through the OU warmups a few games, for example, was a total scumbag move). The world is changing, and so I'm just asking for Iowa football to evolve just a bit, even just schematically on the field. Is it possible that these skill players from urban and Sun Belt areas don't want to play for stodgy Grandpa Kirk and Great Uncle Greg who just don't seem to believe in fun, creativity, or change on the field? Now if the recruiting deficit comes down to our refusal to cheat (I get the sense that cheating seems to happen A LOT more then the media lets on in recruiting), then I can see where we just need to shut up and tolerate our 6-5/7-4 level seasons (our schedules will mostly suck without the top Big Ten East teams in the future, so 9 wins in this era can't be lauded as much as 9 wins before our conference became bloated with mediocrity).

We went 12-0 last year playing a POOR schedule against mediocre teams with mediocre talent. I told a friend at the end of the regular season that Iowa needed to prove that they were a first-rate team by BEATING another first-rate team. I was hopeful they were really "that" good but saw no evidence they were anything more than a fraud, a "paper tiger." They not only lost in Indianapolis, they responded so poorly to the opportunity to play in a Rose Bowl that the performance of this supposedly-experienced coaching staff was like a step back in time to 2002 or even Hayden's first Rose Bowl in 1982. HOW COULD YOU NOT HAVE THE PROPER CLEATS READY FOR THE PLAYERS!? Running the table in the Big Ten regular season avoiding the three best teams just doesn't mean what it did in, for example, 2002.

In this case, because of the resources that Iowa provides, recruiting the players, training and them in the off-season, putting the right ones on the field, and coaching them in the game so that they have the best chance to succeed (e.g., not calling three straight runs with 3:30 left up by less than a field goal) is the RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEAD COACH.

I'm one to let the results speak for themselves. Having blown a lead to lose AT HOME to a DIRECTIONAL SCHOOL FROM NORTH DAKOTA in pathetic fashion, if this team doesn't win at least 9-10 games (at least 6-2 the rest of the way) in this regular season, there needs to be a serious discussion about who ought to be our head coach. And if they can't win 8, barring serious injuries occurring on both sides of the ball and depending on the circumstances of the games, a buyout of this obtuse contract that Kirk just signed may be in order. At the very least, the pressure on Kirk's job had better get ratcheted up to the max for next year if they don't win most of these remaining games (many of them convincingly).

Change in life is sometimes necessary and I've heard that this is sort of the way that the Hayden era ended - the program just kind of withered away until Kirk resuscitated it. Is there such thing as a "mercy firing"?

I agree with you. Again you said IT. Well PUT BUT I DO UNDERSTAND OTHER SIDE. TOUGH TOUGH TO SWALLOW. BUT. VERY WELL STATED.

 

[the24fan]

It isn't about accepting mediocrity.

It's about acknowledging that chances are, the current ID is more capable of hiring a coach that drives the program back into the ground like it was in those infernal olden days, than make a great hire to take Iowa to such a lofty perch that has NEVER been done in their entire history.

The next head coach at Iowa, I will bet my retirement money on it - will have not won a goddam thing in his entire career that even remotely compares to what Ferentz has achieved at Iowa.

Jebus...do you even look at the surrounding college football world? If programs like LSU, USC, Texas, Florida, Auburn, Nebraska, Penn State Notre Dame...I could go on and on - if THEY cannot sustain success, what in the wide wide world of sports makes you think that merely by firing Kirk Ferentz, Iowa would achieve what the program has NEVER achieved before?

If you look at his Iowa resume, anybody with one ounce of objectivity can see that he has kept Iowa at a spot that is as good as any coach they've ever had in their history.

The Fire Ferentz crowd accepts as truth that Iowa can merely fire him and get just about ANYBODY and get better overall output, while not realizing that because of Ferentz, Iowa has sustained more long term success than any coach in the school's history. They see "brite shiny object". Only Brite Shiny Object pretty much hasn't also cracked into the vaunted lofty status that these morons seem to think is so goddam easy to achieve here.

It's harder to do here. Harder than it is at...oh...at the very least 30-35 programs nationally, but in reality it's probably more like 50. Always has been, always will be. And when you compare us to actual even comparisons and most of our neighbors...Iowa stands above them all, provided by none other than Kirk Ferentz.

The last 15 or so years, name another program better than Iowa in what I would term the upper midwest. Wisconsin, I'll give you. The gap there ain't so far apart as some might think.

Minnesota? Illinois? Nebraska? Northwestern? Indiana? Purdue? Notre Dame? Missouri? K-State? Kansas?

Those that cannot recognize and accept these things...it's a YOU problem, not a WE problem. Our ceiling as a program will ALWAYS be a lot harder to achieve than probably 30 to 50 different programs out there today. Our floor as a program is easily one bad hire away.

Iowa is one bad hire away from becoming Iowa State, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, etc...why do I know this? Because it has happened multiple times in our history, that's why.

And a lot of us Iowa fans LEARN from that history. My advice to you is to toughen the hell up. There's 8 games yet to play, most likely 9. Maybe 10. Enjoy it, because it can go away with one back f'n hire.

This is one damn fine post ! Pretty much sums up Iowa to the T! If you are waiting for Iowa to consistently win 12 games a year you are in for a very rude awakening. Iowa will never be tOSU or Michigan that's just something you better come to grips with! However I will say that without a doubt KF does DEVELOP those 2and 3 star players better than almost anyone in the country !
Personally I've just learned to accept Iowa football for what it is: 7-9 wins a year with the occasional special year or disappointment mixed in. In the end life goes on and the sun will rise on Sunday no matter what happens on Saturday .

 

[Rocket98]

Oh please, if you think firing Coach Ferentz and hiring Stoops bros or Bielema would take us to a top program you are smoking something. We'd be the next Nebby, firing a coach every 3 years that wins 8 or 9 games every season.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

To my original point, no IA wide receivers in the pros.... since Kahlil Hill! Even mediocre teams like Indiana have placed a WR in the pros and even WI has with a stable of mediocre QB's (Russell Wilson excepted)! So why don't we? Can you explain that?

Is it unreasonable to expect excellence? Lord knows if you don't shoot for it you'll never get it by accident. Yes it's entertainment, but it costs a lot of money today and who pays for that? I do (maybe you don't) and so do many other fans. My freshman year I paid $9 a game. Now it's well over $110 and we have pumped as much money into our program and the coaches as the best programs. It's reasonable to have high expectations and to solve some of the problems (at least on offense) that have plagued Iowa year in and year out.

Oh, and I'm quite certain you are not more successful. If you define success by inaccurate comments (McNutt and Smith in the pros) then sure, you're more successful then me at being wrong.

You asked for an "explosive receiver" ... a term defined by the beholder. I did not say they were in the pros. So much for inaccurate comments. Go back and read your post.

I attended and financially supported the Hawks for over 40 years. I don't believe I acquired any ownership for that support - I was provided with entertainment, and I got my money's worth. I get to choose to be a fan, or not be a fan. I am not aware of any other power.

I'm not sure what you are expecting. Some sort of revolt? How about let's get together and shout, "We demand excellence! If we don't get it, we will shout it again!"

 

[Giggy10]

In light of the recent loss to Fargo Aricultural Academy, combined with a number of years of relative underperformance going into last year and the bungling of the Rose Bowl trip, it should be incumbent upon Kirk to earn continued employment here. He's had 17 years and over $150 million in facilities improvements to help him figure things out. The schedule the rest of the season is not particularly strong, so 6-2 the rest of the year would probably be sufficient, and 5-3 could possibly be acceptable, but anything below 5 wins should bring about some discussion about what the plan is for next year is and whether and under what circumstances Kirk should be a part of that.

I'm not demanding that Kirk be fired. I strongly believe that everybody from Gary Barta right down to Kirk and every player, coach, and support staff member in the program needs to be accountable for the horrendous performance of this football team right now. Rout Northwestern, beat Minnesota and Purdue, and then win one or two out of the WI, MI, PSU, and NE games while beating Illinois and. . . Maybe there will be some reason for upset at the end of the season, but probably nothing that will merit firing Ferentz or even considering that for next season. Staying close in losses to the better teams (unlike last year's Rose Bowl) wouldn't hurt either. However, if he can't even pull that off, barring a catastrophic set of injuries or other series of events, then MAYBE his job needs to be on the line. It had better not be business as usual, that's for sure! That's not because I have any animus for Kirk Ferebtz - he is by all accounts a man of great character and accomplishment. It's because when your coach is paid $4.5 million per year to lead your supposedly respectable Big Ten football program and he loses to North Dakota State, that coach had better make some MAJOR improvements to the program to clearly demonstrate that such a pitiful showing was an anomaly and will NEVER occur again under that coach. So far, not so good - hopefully on Saturday, major improvements will be on display.

 

[nu2u]

Every chance Barta feels he has the chance to extend him for more money, he does. Not a doubt in my mind their is some sort of kickback involved, as Barta knows he could be gone at any time himself

This is laughable and perhaps the most ridiculous statement posted about Ferentz since he was hired 17 years ago. Besides being inflammatory and insulting, it is astonishingly idiotic.

 

[anon_8rcdnbko1jbe0]

In light of the recent loss to Fargo Aricultural Academy, combined with a number of years of relative underperformance going into last year and the bungling of the Rose Bowl trip, it should be incumbent upon Kirk to earn continued employment here. He's had 17 years and over $150 million in facilities improvements to help him figure things out. The schedule the rest of the season is not particularly strong, so 6-2 the rest of the year would probably be sufficient, and 5-3 could possibly be acceptable, but anything below 5 wins should bring about some discussion about what the plan is for next year is and whether and under what circumstances Kirk should be a part of that.

I'm not demanding that Kirk be fired. I strongly believe that everybody from Gary Barta right down to Kirk and every player, coach, and support staff member in the program needs to be accountable for the horrendous performance of this football team right now. Rout Northwestern, beat Minnesota and Purdue, and then win one or two out of the WI, MI, PSU, and NE games while beating Illinois and. . . Maybe there will be some reason for upset at the end of the season, but probably nothing that will merit firing Ferentz or even considering that for next season. Staying close in losses to the better teams (unlike last year's Rose Bowl) wouldn't hurt either. However, if he can't even pull that off, barring a catastrophic set of injuries or other series of events, then MAYBE his job needs to be on the line. It had better not be business as usual, that's for sure! That's not because I have any animus for Kirk Ferebtz - he is by all accounts a man of great character and accomplishment. It's because when your coach is paid $4.5 million per year to lead your supposedly respectable Big Ten football program and he loses to North Dakota State, that coach had better make some MAJOR improvements to the program to clearly demonstrate that such a pitiful showing was an anomaly and will NEVER occur again under that coach. So far, not so good - hopefully on Saturday, major improvements will be on display.

LOL- if you don't like what happens v. The Mildcats - oh what will you do then? More angry posts to get change? Maybe start kneeling during "Back in Black"?

 

[24 so far]

You forgot Jerry Burns. Those were the drunk days of Iowa football. That was the only way to watch those past Hawk teams.

The 20 year SLIDE started with those Jerry Burns teams (love Jerry Burns by the way, what a character, to this day - he was 34 at the time he took over), until Hayden Fry arrived.

Like it or not, when Iowa made Kirk Ferentz one of the Top 5 paid College Head Coaches in all of the Land, expectations rose along with the Head Coaches salary. Or in Iowa is extreme financial compensation not tied to actual job performance, like it is everywhere else on the planet? (apparently not for some)

There's a lot to like about Kirk Ferentz, and he's had some fine years (as did Norm Parker), recruits decent players who are largely good citizens, runs a clean program, etc. But I will not be saddened when he is done roaming the sidelines in Iowa City, for a multitude of reasons, most of which relate to the actual playing of the game and his role in the outcomes.

 

[Giggy10]

Well, Milt, that plunge in attendance and season ticket sales sure seemed to get the University's attention when there were problems in the basketball program under Alford and Lickliter.

 

[anon_8rcdnbko1jbe0]

Well, Milt, that plunge in attendance and season ticket sales sure seemed to get the University's attention when there were problems in the basketball program under Alford and Lickliter.

You're equating the Ferentz football program to Alford and Lickliter? Okay if you want to I guess... Highly illogical but whatever makes you feel better.

 

[Herkmeister]

Straining to beat a bad Rutgers team that struggled to beat New Mexico and losing to a 1-AA team is NEVER ACCEPTABLE for a program with the resources, tradition, fan base, and conference affiliation of Iowa! The "aw shucks, it happens sometimes. . We're just Iowa" doesn't change that. Some humility is good, but an absence of any self-respect as a football program is no good. One of the reasons that, after all of these years of being almost a top-10 or top-15 program, we're still in "almost really good" category is this tolerance for ABYSMAL performance like we've seen in the last two weeks. Wisconsin made the leap - they won a number of Rose Bowls and went to a few more that they didn't win (and they were in way worse shape when Richter and Alvarez started over there than we were when Hayden arrived, right?). MSU made the leap - they finally won a Rose Bowl for themselves. Purdue failed to make the leap - they had their shot in Pasadena in 2001 and blew it (though with FAR fewer resources and advantages than we have). Illinois also failed to make the leap - they blew their shot in 2008, though also with somewhat fewer resources and historical advantages than Iowa.

For those of you who are troubled by people's use of pronouns here on this board, we're all part of the team as we ALL have our admittedly very small roles to play in the success of the program. Iowa, moreso that a Notre Dame or a USC or even Michigan is more reliant on smaller donors and a higher rate of engagement among alumni, the people of Iowa, and out-of-state fans otherwise loosely or unattached to the state (when their lucky) be successful. In a program that actually has aspirations of winning championships, just making occasional feel-good trips to championship games should NOT be the standard when we pay our coach $4.5 million TO RECRUIT THE PLAYERS who are supposed to annhialating these third-tier opponents. There should be no luck involved in playing those types of games. I understand that mild upsets happen and that you can't win every game, but first-rate programs don't lose to 1-AA schools EVER without MAJOR REPRECUSSSIONS. This idea that "we did reely gud verse Spartins in championships las year and we gave it a prity gud try and then we jus got a bad luk verse Stanfurd" is galactically stupid.

Coach Ferentz, by all accounts, is an outstanding human being and member of the University and Iowa City community. He has provided quality service at many times in the past to the University and the people of Iowa. At the same time, there have been MAJOR problems with the passing game and broader but related problems with recruiting for the better part of TEN YEARS now. The whole "aw shucks, we're just Iowa, we just work hard and hit you in the mouth" routine isn't gonna cut it on its own in the future. I'm not asking for tackiness - tacky approaches, tacky press conferences, tacky new uniforms every week, cheating, excessively obnoxious and rude tactics (OSU running through the OU warmups a few games, for example, was a total scumbag move). The world is changing, and so I'm just asking for Iowa football to evolve just a bit, even just schematically on the field. Is it possible that these skill players from urban and Sun Belt areas don't want to play for stodgy Grandpa Kirk and Great Uncle Greg who just don't seem to believe in fun, creativity, or change on the field? Now if the recruiting deficit comes down to our refusal to cheat (I get the sense that cheating seems to happen A LOT more then the media lets on in recruiting), then I can see where we just need to shut up and tolerate our 6-5/7-4 level seasons (our schedules will mostly suck without the top Big Ten East teams in the future, so 9 wins in this era can't be lauded as much as 9 wins before our conference became bloated with mediocrity).

We went 12-0 last year playing a POOR schedule against mediocre teams with mediocre talent. I told a friend at the end of the regular season that Iowa needed to prove that they were a first-rate team by BEATING another first-rate team. I was hopeful they were really "that" good but saw no evidence they were anything more than a fraud, a "paper tiger." They not only lost in Indianapolis, they responded so poorly to the opportunity to play in a Rose Bowl that the performance of this supposedly-experienced coaching staff was like a step back in time to 2002 or even Hayden's first Rose Bowl in 1982. HOW COULD YOU NOT HAVE THE PROPER CLEATS READY FOR THE PLAYERS!? Running the table in the Big Ten regular season avoiding the three best teams just doesn't mean what it did in, for example, 2002.

In this case, because of the resources that Iowa provides, recruiting the players, training and them in the off-season, putting the right ones on the field, and coaching them in the game so that they have the best chance to succeed (e.g., not calling three straight runs with 3:30 left up by less than a field goal) is the RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEAD COACH.

I'm one to let the results speak for themselves. Having blown a lead to lose AT HOME to a DIRECTIONAL SCHOOL FROM NORTH DAKOTA in pathetic fashion, if this team doesn't win at least 9-10 games (at least 6-2 the rest of the way) in this regular season, there needs to be a serious discussion about who ought to be our head coach. And if they can't win 8, barring serious injuries occurring on both sides of the ball and depending on the circumstances of the games, a buyout of this obtuse contract that Kirk just signed may be in order. At the very least, the pressure on Kirk's job had better get ratcheted up to the max for next year if they don't win most of these remaining games (many of them convincingly).

Change in life is sometimes necessary and I've heard that this is sort of the way that the Hayden era ended - the program just kind of withered away until Kirk resuscitated it. Is there such thing as a "mercy firing"?

Too long. Let me know if you do a pod cast. Thanks.

 

[Rocket98]

In light of the recent loss to Fargo Aricultural Academy, combined with a number of years of relative underperformance going into last year and the bungling of the Rose Bowl trip, it should be incumbent upon Kirk to earn continued employment here. He's had 17 years and over $150 million in facilities improvements to help him figure things out. The schedule the rest of the season is not particularly strong, so 6-2 the rest of the year would probably be sufficient, and 5-3 could possibly be acceptable, but anything below 5 wins should bring about some discussion about what the plan is for next year is and whether and under what circumstances Kirk should be a part of that.

I'm not demanding that Kirk be fired. I strongly believe that everybody from Gary Barta right down to Kirk and every player, coach, and support staff member in the program needs to be accountable for the horrendous performance of this football team right now. Rout Northwestern, beat Minnesota and Purdue, and then win one or two out of the WI, MI, PSU, and NE games while beating Illinois and. . . Maybe there will be some reason for upset at the end of the season, but probably nothing that will merit firing Ferentz or even considering that for next season. Staying close in losses to the better teams (unlike last year's Rose Bowl) wouldn't hurt either. However, if he can't even pull that off, barring a catastrophic set of injuries or other series of events, then MAYBE his job needs to be on the line. It had better not be business as usual, that's for sure! That's not because I have any animus for Kirk Ferebtz - he is by all accounts a man of great character and accomplishment. It's because when your coach is paid $4.5 million per year to lead your supposedly respectable Big Ten football program and he loses to North Dakota State, that coach had better make some MAJOR improvements to the program to clearly demonstrate that such a pitiful showing was an anomaly and will NEVER occur again under that coach. So far, not so good - hopefully on Saturday, major improvements will be on display.

14 posts in 3 years. You are a winner! Go troll somewhere else.

 

[Suterman]

We are 3-1. looking forward to getting to 4-1. I don't settle for mediocrity, I don't have a choice. I don't play and I don't coach so my influence is quite limited. I am a fan and I pull for my team when they are 4-8 and I pull for them when they get to 12-0.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

We are 3-1. looking forward to getting to 4-1. I don't settle for mediocrity, I don't have a choice. I don't play and I don't coach so my influence is quite limited. I am a fan and I pull for my team when they are 4-8 and I pull for them when they get to 12-0.

Oh, so you are one of "those" fans that simply like to cheer for your favorite team on Saturday in the fall, without demanding superior performance in every facet of every game? Apparently you don't feel you are "owed" better? You have the audacity to cheer for a team that only beats Rutgers by 7? You don't care enough to let a college football team bring out your anger and hate?

Bless you.

 

[5Fan5]

In light of the recent loss to Fargo Aricultural Academy, combined with a number of years of relative underperformance going into last year and the bungling of the Rose Bowl trip, it should be incumbent upon Kirk to earn continued employment here. He's had 17 years and over $150 million in facilities improvements to help him figure things out. The schedule the rest of the season is not particularly strong, so 6-2 the rest of the year would probably be sufficient, and 5-3 could possibly be acceptable, but anything below 5 wins should bring about some discussion about what the plan is for next year is and whether and under what circumstances Kirk should be a part of that.

I'm not demanding that Kirk be fired. I strongly believe that everybody from Gary Barta right down to Kirk and every player, coach, and support staff member in the program needs to be accountable for the horrendous performance of this football team right now. Rout Northwestern, beat Minnesota and Purdue, and then win one or two out of the WI, MI, PSU, and NE games while beating Illinois and. . . Maybe there will be some reason for upset at the end of the season, but probably nothing that will merit firing Ferentz or even considering that for next season. Staying close in losses to the better teams (unlike last year's Rose Bowl) wouldn't hurt either. However, if he can't even pull that off, barring a catastrophic set of injuries or other series of events, then MAYBE his job needs to be on the line. It had better not be business as usual, that's for sure! That's not because I have any animus for Kirk Ferebtz - he is by all accounts a man of great character and accomplishment. It's because when your coach is paid $4.5 million per year to lead your supposedly respectable Big Ten football program and he loses to North Dakota State, that coach had better make some MAJOR improvements to the program to clearly demonstrate that such a pitiful showing was an anomaly and will NEVER occur again under that coach. So far, not so good - hopefully on Saturday, major improvements will be on display.

Looks like you have a choice to make because Iowa will not be changing football coaches anytime soon. Either you can accept that or you can move on to a more glamorous team/program that always meets your expectations.

(BTW... it is 'AGricultural' and they are a very well respected football team. Maybe that is where you should spend more time. The Bison would love to chat with you.)

 

[SoDakHawk]

Iowa could fire Ferentz tomorrow and be just fine. Way too many people here who sell this program short. Fear of what MIGHT happen. I'll put it to you this way, if you really think that Iowa would fall into the abyss then you are, in effect, admitting that Ferentz isn't doing his job making the program a winner. You see, the Fry and Ferentz tenures have shown coaches across the country that you can experience sustained success, have job security, get filthy rich, and enjoy life in a great college town coaching at Iowa.

Iowa can offer much, much more than most schools in the country, outstanding facilities, a great stadium, awesome fan support, financial resources, a successful Big Ten program, an athletic department that has shown patience with their coaches, and really, with Iowa City's location relative to Illinois & Missouri, the recruiting market isn't THAT bad. Hell, Nebraska is in a much, much worse recruiting area as there is literally nothing to the North or West of Lincoln, blocked in the East by Iowa, and to the South by Oklahoma. Anybody who thinks Iowa has bad recruiting grounds needs to look at what Nebraska deals with, but that doesn't stop them from signing good recruits.

I know one coach Iowa could hire tomorrow that would elevate Iowa to the next level. You'd love him because his teams play power football and tough defense. You already saw him this year as he's the head coach at NDSU.

All that said, I don't think Iowa should fire Ferentz. I just don't think they should have extended him for life. When that move was announced I was actually for it as I thought it was the right thing to show stability in the program and that things were going in the right direction. Immediately afterwards Iowa loses to the North Dakota Ag College and sputters out a win against a woeful Rutgers team. It's like Kirk decided to shut it down and retire in place once he got paid. I feel stupid now for supporting that decision.

 

[5Fan5]

Iowa could fire Ferentz tomorrow and be just fine. Way too many people here who sell this program short. Fear of what MIGHT happen. I'll put it to you this way, if you really think that Iowa would fall into the abyss then you are, in effect, admitting that Ferentz isn't doing his job making the program a winner. You see, the Fry and Ferentz tenures have shown coaches across the country that you can experience sustained success, have job security, get filthy rich, and enjoy life in a great college town coaching at Iowa.

Iowa can offer much, much more than most schools in the country, outstanding facilities, a great stadium, awesome fan support, financial resources, a successful Big Ten program, an athletic department that has shown patience with their coaches, and really, with Iowa City's location relative to Illinois & Missouri, the recruiting market isn't THAT bad. Hell, Nebraska is in a much, much worse recruiting area as there is literally nothing to the North or West of Lincoln, blocked in the East by Iowa, and to the South by Oklahoma. Anybody who thinks Iowa has bad recruiting grounds needs to look at what Nebraska deals with, but that doesn't stop them from signing good recruits.

I know one coach Iowa could hire tomorrow that would elevate Iowa to the next level. You'd love him because his teams play power football and tough defense. You already saw him this year as he's the head coach at NDSU.

All that said, I don't think Iowa should fire Ferentz. I just don't think they should have extended him for life. When that move was announced I was actually for it as I thought it was the right thing to show stability in the program and that things were going in the right direction. Immediately afterwards Iowa loses to the North Dakota Ag College and sputters out a win against a woeful Rutgers team. It's like Kirk decided to shut it down and retire in place once he got paid. I feel stupid now for supporting that decision.

Am I reading this correctly? In the span of what, a couple of weeks now, you have vacillated between completely supporting the extension to now being totally against it.

As for the rest of your rant... so what? Do the recruiting 'trophies' that UN has make them any better than several other Big Ten teams? What happened last season in Lincoln?

There absolutely no guarantee that the coach of NDSU would do as well, much less better than the current staff in Iowa City. That is preposterous to suggest.

In another post I believe that you stated that you switch channels frequently to avoid watching Iowa football. My question is why do you ever switch back? Why put yourself through the obvious agony and despair if there is so much better out there to be had? You would be much more at peace to root for someone like NDSU all of the time.

 

[iowa surfer]

We are 3-1. looking forward to getting to 4-1. I don't settle for mediocrity, I don't have a choice. I don't play and I don't coach so my influence is quite limited. I am a fan and I pull for my team when they are 4-8 and I pull for them when they get to 12-0.

WELL SAID.I HANG WITH 10 WINS AND GOOD+ BOWL.LAST YEAR AGAINST MSU HAWKS WERE AND TOUGH.AGAIN WE GO AT THEM!!! SATURDAY FIRST STEP.GO HAWKS.

 

[SoDakHawk]

Am I reading this correctly? In the span of what, a couple of weeks now, you have vacillated between completely supporting the extension to now being totally against it.

As for the rest of your rant... so what? Do the recruiting 'trophies' that UN has make them any better than several other Big Ten teams? What happened last season in Lincoln?

There absolutely no guarantee that the coach of NDSU would do as well, much less better than the current staff in Iowa City. That is preposterous to suggest.

In another post I believe that you stated that you switch channels frequently to avoid watching Iowa football. My question is why do you ever switch back? Why put yourself through the obvious agony and despair if there is so much better out there to be had? You would be much more at peace to root for someone like NDSU all of the time.

No idea what you are talking about with the switching channels thing, you must have me confused with somebody else.

Yes, in a couple of weeks I have flopped on the extension KF was given. How this team has been coached the last couple of weeks woke me up and reminded me what the last 5 years or so was like, last year being the exception. There was no reason to extend a guy out that wasn't going anywhere anyway.

By almost every recruiting measurement Nebraska has been outrecruiting Iowa. Now you can say, so what we develop players, which is true. But recruiting is the life blood of college football and the better recruits you have the better players you can develop. Way too many people throw up their hands and just say we can't compete on the recruiting front. That's loser talk. We can compete if we want to. Iowa has a lot to offer, too many of our fans sell the program short and provide the crutch that is needed to accept mediocrity.

The NDSU coach wouldn't do as well? Well, he brought a team in here with a smidgeon of the resources that KF has available to him at Iowa and kicked his ass. He outschemed him, out coached him, his players looked more prepared and better conditioned. The guy rarely, if ever loses. There was another coach that had that kind of success at the FCS level and moved on to a Big Ten program, his name was Jim Tressel and he went from Youngstown State (same conference as NDSU BTW) to Ohio State and rebuilt them into a power.

Root for NDSU? I actually hate the Bison.

 

[bagdropper]

I wouldn't hire the NDSU guy. Here's why. Todd Lickliter.

Think it through. He inherited the program and style of play from the prior guy, now at Wyoming I believe.

Sound familiar? Let him prove himself as a program builder on a national FBS scale outside the NDSU universe somewhere else before we start pining for him here. He very well may be a great coach...but we also thought that Lickliter was too.


And btw my prior posts in this thread are not directed any any specific person so much as the line of thought transpiring post NDSU/Rutgers. To believe that my views are that everything is business as usual is misguided, because yeah, Iowa on paper should have kicked both's butts. There is cause for concern, but there still is cause for optimism.

But that is running under the assumption that Iowa is something different than what they are - which is a thin team with a lot of inexperience playing big time minutes fighting through some key early injuries.

I never bought into the hype for this year. But I do not think that Iowa will fold the tents once the competition increases in intensity. Ferentz teams have a history of improving throughout the season (with a few exceptions of course), and I suspect the lines will improve as long as they stay healthy.

People are hurt by expectations for this year, and many still cling to the theory that because the extension is for as long as it is and the price that it is, we should demand more.

My personal belief is that at Iowa, you must overpay to avoid becoming (convenient example) ISU. My views aren't "settling for mediocrity" because Iowa has been far from mediocre under Ferentz' watch. I just accept that at Iowa, it is very difficult to maintain the levels some people in the fan base expect merely because of Ferentz' salary and contract length.

There will be dips at Iowa no matter who the head coach is. History proves this out. No matter what the coach gets paid, that will always be an issue. So, pay to me is and always will be a non-factor when viewing Iowa football.

Many here look game to game. I look at 5 year windows. That's just how I roll. And until KF puts up a 5 year run at 6-6 or a say 5-7 year followed up by a 2-10 year, I will ride out years with starts like we have so far in 2016. I will not pass in the songbooks for 2016 until I see the year in it's entirety.

Iowa could go 4 and 8 (I doubt it actually will be that), Iowa could go 10 and 2. I would personally ballpark it at 8-4. I plainly am going to wait it out because really...I have no choice but to do exactly that.