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Thanks Barta and the U of I

Maybe some people were saying that, but not nearly as many as now, since it's obvious. Plus, rebuilding a dead offense at age 59 is a bit more realistic than at age 67.
The term "backsliding" comes to mind. KFz is almost never proactive. He only makes changes or adjustments when things get so undeniably bad...that he has to. Often, it's too late.
 
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Bullshit. The mentality you and some others have is that you would RATHER lose 30-27 in a more "entertaining" game than win 14 - 10. Again, Ferentz is in the midst of literally the best 5-7 year performance by an Iowa football coach post-1960. That's 60+ years.

That's fine to be mad about the Offense but those wanting to run KF off are borderline brain dead.
I would like to enjoy watching the game. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for. KF seems to have forgotten he’s in the entertainment business.
 
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Yes, but they are connected. Barta has ZERO leverage to push for change (like moving Brian out of OC) when he's given KFz all the cards.
Barta has all the cards to fire Brian. WTH are you talking about?
 
Correct. It struck me as odd that they moved on from him now. I would get it to an extent if they canned him after they had a bad year. But this is how you treat a loyal soldier and good coach? Firing him mid-season? Frost was canned as much for his off the field behavior, combined with the on-field results.

Was Jim Leohnard really going to bolt to another college job or the NFL before the end of the college season? I think not. My guess is programs will be less patient going forward as the money continues to increase. Less patience for riding it out.
That's absolutely my take as well. I have a hard time believing Leohnard was just going to leave without giving Wisconsin the chance to retain him and I have to believe there have been some conversations about him being the coach-in-waiting to replace Chryst in the past.

I have a lot of friends who are hard-core Badger fans and while the fan base has viewed Chryst very similar to how the Iowa fan base overall views KF, it was pretty well known that Leohnard was likely to be the next coach at some point.

Maybe they just got worried Jim was going to entertain some of the openings out there and decided it's not worth the risk. I think that is one big difference between Iowa and Wisconsin situation. There isn't really a highly sought after HC candidate on Iowa's staff right now like Leohnard. PP doesn't want to be an HC, BF isn't in demand, and that leaves Woods. While we all love him and many believe he would make a very good HC at some point, he doesn't have the national cache that Jim does.

I am hopeful that if Woods is the guy in the pipeline, that he is hearing that behind the scenes from the administration and he understands that it might be his opportunity when KF leaves.

And maybe it might be best for Woods - and the Iowa program - long-term if he took a lower-level G5 HC job for a few years before coming back to Iowa when KF is ready to retire.

Obviously, no one wants to lose him off the staff but if the understanding was that Woods would love to come back when KF is done, might be a better long-term approach.
 
That's absolutely my take as well. I have a hard time believing Leohnard was just going to leave without giving Wisconsin the chance to retain him and I have to believe there have been some conversations about him being the coach-in-waiting to replace Chryst in the past.

I have a lot of friends who are hard-core Badger fans and while the fan base has viewed Chryst very similar to how the Iowa fan base overall views KF, it was pretty well known that Leohnard was likely to be the next coach at some point.

Maybe they just got worried Jim was going to entertain some of the openings out there and decided it's not worth the risk. I think that is one big difference between Iowa and Wisconsin situation. There isn't really a highly sought after HC candidate on Iowa's staff right now like Leohnard. PP doesn't want to be an HC, BF isn't in demand, and that leaves Woods. While we all love him and many believe he would make a very good HC at some point, he doesn't have the national cache that Jim does.

I am hopeful that if Woods is the guy in the pipeline, that he is hearing that behind the scenes from the administration and he understands that it might be his opportunity when KF leaves.

And maybe it might be best for Woods - and the Iowa program - long-term if he took a lower-level G5 HC job for a few years before coming back to Iowa when KF is ready to retire.

Obviously, no one wants to lose him off the staff but if the understanding was that Woods would love to come back when KF is done, might be a better long-term approach.
Comparing Iowa to Wisconsin is full blown apples to oranges. They are trying to petition the state to include a 300 million dollar facilities project. This has as much weight into why Chryst was fired as placing the interim coach.
 
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Maybe some people were saying that, but not nearly as many as now, since it's obvious. Plus, rebuilding a dead offense at age 59 is a bit more realistic than at age 67.

Edit - KF also had a future NFL QB and 4 future NFL OL on the roster going into 2015. He has nowhere close to any of that now.
I think the future NFL players piece is a little premature ... I don't think anyone knew that Beathard would be a 6 yr NFL vet w/ some starting experience as a Soph at Iowa. In fact, the guys Iowa has in the pipeline at QB in May and Lainez (as well as Resar) all have as high - higher - recruiting rankings and offers than Beathard did coming out of HS. The only P5 school Iowa beat out for CJ was Ole Miss.

And I am going to hold off on judgement on what the guys playing on OL will look like in 2-3 years considering the bulk of the guys playing right now are SO or FR. Are they a good unit now - no way. But it is definitely possible that the core 5-6 guys that are only a few years in the program will produce a few NFL OL after development - and with being given so many reps early in career - 2-3 years from now. And that doesn't even take into consideration highly-sought after guys coming in like Proctor, Luack, and Davidikov (if he plays again who knows but obviously was a big-time recruit).
 
I keep seeing all these winning statistics for Kirk, but looking back, just exactly what have they accomplished? National Title?...No. Play off appearances?....No. B1G Titles?....No. You would hope a coach with this much experience and all the beneficial surroundings he has been handed might do better than winning a weak B1G division title now and again. Don't we, and I'm including the coach and his staff, have higher aspirations for the program? Or are we just out to post numbers?
 
If Iowa were to lose all of the trophy games again, which would include losing to 2 interim head coaches, as well as Illinois, with a second-year head coach, which in all would be ending 4 long winning streaks this season, not to mention what will almost certainly be an inexcusable 4th loss to Purdue in 5 years, KF should be told that it is time for the next stage of his life. His hanging on will only make things worse. Won't be nearly as many big-time programs hiring new head coaches this off-season compared to last. This would be a good year to hire.

If what I mentioned above happens and both KF and BF are back next year, GB needs to be fired.
No dispute from me. ;) However, I think Barta (having a chance to get off the sinking Titanic on a lifeboat) will be left holding hands with Kirk as they clutch to the stern rail riding the Titanic all the way to the bottom. LOL
 
I keep seeing all these winning statistics for Kirk, but looking back, just exactly what have they accomplished? National Title?...No. Play off appearances?....No. B1G Titles?....No. You would hope a coach with this much experience and all the beneficial surroundings he has been handed might do better than winning a weak B1G division title now and again. Don't we, and I'm including the coach and his staff, have higher aspirations for the program? Or are we just out to post numbers?
Kirk has 2 Big 10 titles.
 
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I keep seeing all these winning statistics for Kirk, but looking back, just exactly what have they accomplished? National Title?...No. Play off appearances?....No. B1G Titles?....No. You would hope a coach with this much experience and all the beneficial surroundings he has been handed might do better than winning a weak B1G division title now and again. Don't we, and I'm including the coach and his staff, have higher aspirations for the program? Or are we just out to post numbers?
Ah yes, Nebraska we are thee. Let's fire coaches with a long winning history.
 
I agree with everything you said....until the last sentence. I see no reason to believe that this program will thrive anymore with KF at the helm. He has a dangerous combination of stubbornness for his old ways and complacency. He is toast, and so are we until he decides to step away...
You are entitled to your opinion and there is always a chance you are right. I don't agree but that is the beauty of a message board such as HR where we have the freedom to express what we think. Go Hawks!
 
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No dispute from me. ;) However, I think Barta (having a chance to get off the sinking Titanic on a lifeboat) will be left holding hands with Kirk as they clutch to the stern rail riding the Titanic all the way to the bottom. LOL
I'm actually not sure what all that means, but if you're suggesting that Barta get run out of town with KF, I'm all for it.
 
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Exactly. He has averaged over eight wins the last ten years. Iowa ranks in the top 20 over the past ten years nationally. Heck they won 10 games a year ago. Whiners are going to whine.

I would love nothing more than to eat crow but Iowa fans are starting to sound like Nebby fans.

"Over the last X years Iowa has been ranked Y nationally" yada yada yada

Iowa got destroyed in the championship game last year ... offense looked terrible in the bowl game.

DIdn't score a TD in the fist game this year. Scored 7 points-at home-against a weak ISU D.

I could go on but the trend is getting severe and Iowa fans need to accept the reality that it's going to get worse. There's no great offensive players coming to Iowa anytime soon and Ferentz Inc. does not have the mental prowess to create an ingenious offense.

Other programs are gaining fast on Iowa and Iowa will soon be passed by. Nebby fans cope in the way they do .... too many Iowa fans are doing the same type of coping.

To put this perspective, in only his 2nd year at IL, BB is making a team that will probably foot stomp Iowa this Saturday. If that happens, I hope Iowa fans wake up.
 
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I keep seeing all these winning statistics for Kirk, but looking back, just exactly what have they accomplished? National Title?...No. Play off appearances?....No. B1G Titles?....No. You would hope a coach with this much experience and all the beneficial surroundings he has been handed might do better than winning a weak B1G division title now and again. Don't we, and I'm including the coach and his staff, have higher aspirations for the program? Or are we just out to post numbers?
Is this for real? National Titles and Playoff Appearances ... seriously?! It's fine to WANT those things - everyone does - but the lack of commons sense and awareness is astounding. There are 3 Big Ten teams that have been in the playoffs and only one - Ohio St - has been there more than once. And 2 of the 3 are Blue Bloods (Ohio St & Michigan). And the one time the non-Blue Blood made it - Michigan St. - Iowa was one minute away from being there.

The CFP is currently designed for about 4-6 teams to have a realistic chance to make it most years. Iowa is not, HAS NEVER BEEN, and very likely would have a very hard time ever attaining that type of program as a non-Blue Blood program in a poor weather state with low population. What are "all the beneficial surroundings" are you referring to that have been handed to KF and staff?

That's not people having no aspirations ... it's called reality. When fans say shit like this, it just reeks of dealing with parents in youth sports who get mad all the time at the coaches and kids and why don't they just "try harder" or "do better". Sometimes teams just have access to better talent and players.

When I see this next level stuff from fans about how moving on from KF will somehow automatically lead to National Championships and CFP appearances, my response is who is going to lead the program to this promised land and how exactly are they going to do it with the obstacles that would exist for a program like Iowa. And is it even realistic to get this messiah-like coach to do this. Usually, that question is met with silence and/or a complete hail mary of an answer that is either not realistic to get that coach or not based in reality and just pure hope that this coach will make everything great (i.e. similar to Nebraska's fantasies at the beginning of the Frost regime).

Yeah, I want the Offense to be better and KF is not infallible but be realistic.
 
Barta ain't going anywhere and Kirk ain't going anywhere. But let's have 1,000 more posts about that possibility.
 
I would love nothing more than to eat crow but Iowa fans are starting to sound like Nebby fans.

"Over the last X years Iowa has been ranked Y nationally" yada yada yada

Iowa got destroyed in the championship game last year ... offense looked terrible in the bowl game.

DIdn't score a TD in the fist game this year. Scored 7 points-at home-against a weak ISU D.

I could go on but the trend is getting severe and Iowa fans need to accept the reality that it's going to get worse. There's no great offensive players coming to Iowa anytime soon and Ferentz Inc. does not have the mental prowess to create an ingenious offense.

Other programs are gaining fast on Iowa and Iowa will soon be passed by. Nebby fans cope in the way they do .... too many Iowa fans are doing the same type of coping.

To put this perspective, in only his 2nd year at IL, BB is making a team that will probably foot stomp Iowa this Saturday. If that happens, I hope Iowa fans wake up.
The comparison of Iowa fans and Nebby fans is about as far off as possible. You are closer to a Nebby fan than anyone else on this board. Most sane fans realize the reality of the college football world and Iowa's place in it. You, like most Nebby fans, want to replace a very successful coach who is winning games at a higher level than has been seen for an extended period over the last 60 years with a mystical shiny new coach who is going to immediately propel Iowa into a Top 5 program - that is some Nebby fan stuff right there.

Also, the programs passing KF by has been said by fans like you for over a decade through MANY coaches coming and going at Iowa's rival programs and it doesn't happen.
 
Barta has all the cards to fire Brian. WTH are you talking about?
Technically yes, he does. But KFz owns Barta. Gary won't do anything that Kirk doesn't sign off on. The contract is symbolic of same.
 
Ferentz should not be fired, he's done enough to leave on his own terms. However I saw no point in Barta extending Kirk's contract as I believe it originally ended in 2025, so he still had like 4 years left on it when he extended it. I think the threat of losing Kirk to another school at this point in Kirks career was pretty minimal and had Barta not extended it, we as fans who are Ferentz weary would have the light at the end of the tunnel within plain view, instead of having to squint to see it way off yonder. ;)
No coach is above being fired.

What has he really done? Has he won an out right bigten title?

Have we played for a championship?

I guess some people are fine with being an all right team that might get an upset once in a while.

I'm sure you'll pop up and say we'll we went undefeated during a season. Yeah only to lose the last 2.
 
No coach is above being fired.

What has he really done? Has he won an out right bigten title?

Have we played for a championship?

I guess some people are fine with being an all right team that might get an upset once in a while.

I'm sure you'll pop up and say we'll we went undefeated during a season. Yeah only to lose the last 2.
Try the decaf, some I hear are almost as good as the caffeinated brands. ;)
 
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