Taking Emotion Out

[ShonnDeereGreene]

Admittedly this is probably a combo of trying to find some hope and removing emotion. And this is still an outright abomination of an offense. But, our 3 BIG losses are to teams now 20-1 overall and really good defenses and we always find a way to muck up the ISU game and keep it close. We could have won ILL, we kept the Mich game respectable (admittedly not the Iowa standard for success though), and OSU was…well…yeah…

Remaining opponents are 17-20 (16-14 if you take out Northwestern). With three games at home and two on the road. It won’t be pretty, but we should be in every single one of those games. The season is both salvageable for a bowl game and if nothing else, almost entertaining at this point to see just what the in hell the offense is going to do.

It did get me wondering - I’ve been as irate and critical as anyone about the offense and lack of urgency to try any changes (namely QB) and to try something new. But…maybe the next five games will give us a nice clear picture of just how far off we are and a good barometer if we can see something out of Padilla and/or Labas with some OL growth.

It all starts with NW tho - lose that and all bets are off. But I’m finding reason - and maybe a little logic - to stay optimistic for a bit longer (but still adamant changes absolutely need to be made, btw).

 

[Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo]

This is where the majority are. We're just in the "24-hour Rule" period where hyperbole and vitriol are still not only acceptable but expected. No matter what happens the next 5, no one can deny, this is outstanding "theater of the absurd" playing out on a weekly basis on a college football field. No Soap Opera has anything on Iowa Football right now.

 

[grayhair81]

Michigan and OSU are both excellent teams. Illinois is mediocre at best. Yes, Iowa could conceivably get to 6-6 and make a bowl in Detroit where they would lose to a mid-major powerhouse.
The defenders would then be spinning "but we won 6 games in a re-building year" without admitting that those 6 wins all came against weak teams, just like 9 of the 10 wins did last year.

 

[HawK + i]

So let me get this straight, Iowa now returns to its horribly weak backend schedule of West teams, which we should be ‘somewhat’ competitive in and we should relish that fact we could maybe win these games and get a worthless bowl game? That sounds like something straight out of the Ferentz autobiography titled “mediocrity is success at Iowa”.

Anything meaningful to this season is done, it is time to start cleaning house and repairing damage to reputation and future teams. We can do this by getting our young players with potential some experience right now and firing our worthless coaches.

 

[hawkisak]

OP, your thought process is logical and in most years, I'll completely agree if we had a normal KF team. But since we have zero offense and have already shown the ineptness in the 3 non-conference game and Rutgers, I cannot feel good about any game simply by the lack of ability to do anything with the football. At some point our defense is going to fail. Purdue, for example, cannot be beaten unless you score at least 24 points. I can't see it. Wisconsin seems to have found there way with Leonard now. I think that may get ugly fast this year. I love the optimism but I'm not even counting Northwester as a W at this point.

 

[frydaze]

Admittedly this is probably a combo of trying to find some hope and removing emotion. And this is still an outright abomination of an offense. But, our 3 BIG losses are to teams now 20-1 overall and really good defenses and we always find a way to muck up the ISU game and keep it close. We could have won ILL, we kept the Mich game respectable (admittedly not the Iowa standard for success though), and OSU was…well…yeah…

Remaining opponents are 17-20 (16-14 if you take out Northwestern). With three games at home and two on the road. It won’t be pretty, but we should be in every single one of those games. The season is both salvageable for a bowl game and if nothing else, almost entertaining at this point to see just what the in hell the offense is going to do.

It did get me wondering - I’ve been as irate and critical as anyone about the offense and lack of urgency to try any changes (namely QB) and to try something new. But…maybe the next five games will give us a nice clear picture of just how far off we are and a good barometer if we can see something out of Padilla and/or Labas with some OL growth.

It all starts with NW tho - lose that and all bets are off. But I’m finding reason - and maybe a little logic - to stay optimistic for a bit longer (but still adamant changes absolutely need to be made, btw).

You’re trying too hard to put lipstick on the pig.

This offense is so terrible it’s conceivable Iowa doesn’t win a game the rest of the year.

We were one big offensive play at end of game to losing to SDSU. Without our defense, we may not have beaten Rutgers.

 

[MVPFAN]

I hope they lose out in embarrassing fashion.

 

[QChawks]

I hope they lose out in embarrassing fashion.

I’m kinda in the same boat. Becoming bowl eligible will save jobs and that’s not what we need.

 

[jonesy5960]

You’re trying too hard to put lipstick on the pig.

This offense is so terrible it’s conceivable Iowa doesn’t win a game the rest of the year.

We were one big offensive play at end of game to losing to SDSU. Without our defense, we may not have beaten Rutgers.

I don't think he's trying to put lipstick on a pig. I think he just said that he's going to enjoy the train wreck as much as one can and then hope for changes in the off season.

 

[MVPFAN]

I’m kinda in the same boat. Becoming bowl eligible will save jobs and that’s not what we need.

Yep, it's going to take some real bleak stuff to rock the boat appropriately.

 

[anon_b29nm7v7dwp6r]

This team is staring at 5-7 as a best case scenario and more than likely 4-8 or 3-9

 

[HawK + i]

This team is staring at 5-7 as a best case scenario and more than likely 4-8 or 3-9

Best case is probably 6-6, which will somehow save BF’s job. Guaranteed they spin that as progress. We as fans must hope for the likely worst case 4-8, for the sake of the future of this program.

 

[MitchLL]

The only way things improve is for the season tix holders to bite the bullet and stay home.

 

[FireBrianFerentz]

This is hard for me to say because I love the Iowa program and feel for the players.

But the last thing I want is to somehow scrape by with this miserable offense to 6-6 and "earn" a bowl game.

For the long term success of the program, Brian NEEDS to be fired, and ideally the pain of torching his sons career will cause Kirk to hire an OC he gives a degree of freedom.

I'm seriously concerned a .500 season or 7-5 result in Brian staying as OC, which is just delaying the inevitable.

 

[frydaze]

This is hard for me to say because I love the Iowa program and feel for the players.

But the last thing I want is to somehow scrape by with this miserable offense to 6-6 and "earn" a bowl game.

For the long term success of the program, Brian NEEDS to be fired, and ideally the pain of torching his sons career will cause Kirk to hire an OC he gives a degree of freedom.

I'm seriously concerned a .500 season or 7-5 result in Brian staying as OC, which is just delaying the inevitable.

You really feel that way about Brian? Never would have known by your screen name.

 

[millah_22]

So let me get this straight, Iowa now returns to its horribly weak backend schedule of West teams, which we should be ‘somewhat’ competitive in and we should relish that fact we could maybe win these games and get a worthless bowl game? That sounds like something straight out of the Ferentz autobiography titled “mediocrity is success at Iowa”.

Anything meaningful to this season is done, it is time to start cleaning house and repairing damage to reputation and future teams. We can do this by getting our young players with potential some experience right now and firing our worthless coaches.

I'd rather finish the season strong, figure some shit out, go to a bowl game, than see them get their dicks pushed in the last 5 games.

 

[HawK + i]

I'd rather finish the season strong, figure some shit out, go to a bowl game, than see them get their dicks pushed in the last 5 games.

I’d rather see KF/BF move to Canada next week, but we both know that won’t happen.

 

[millah_22]

I’d rather see KF/BF move to Canada next week, but we both know that won’t happen.

For sure. I 100% want to see some changes, but we have no control over that and its been made clear they're not doing it in season.

So for the rest of the season, I'd like to at least see some of the OL and QB situation figured out. Maybe some progress. I think losing out in embarrassing fashion will harm Iowa way more in the long run than help, even if it means the Ferentz are forced out.

 

[HawK + i]

For sure. I 100% want to see some changes, but we have no control over that and its been made clear they're not doing it in season.

So for the rest of the season, I'd like to at least see some of the OL and QB situation figured out. Maybe some progress. I think losing out in embarrassing fashion will harm Iowa way more in the long run than help, even if it means the Ferentz are forced out.

I would rather see new personnel get opportunities to play and we clean house on coaches now. Neither of those are unrealistic expectations for a CFB team in this position, except at Iowa. Fans need to put more aggressive pressure on this program to change that, starting with an empty stadium next week.