The Ferentz succession plan/dream shouldn't have been this hard

[hawkdave007]

The Ferentz succession plan/dream shouldn't have been this hard.

In 2016, the Iowa Oline won the Joe Moore award. The Oline coach of that squad was our very own Brian Ferentz, who won that award in his 5th year as a college assistant. Kirk could have/should have puffed up Brian, given him all the credit, and pulled some media strings to hype Brian's potential.

Brian probably could have parlayed his 5 years of experience and the award into:

-an NFL Oline coach position
-a G5/lower P5 O-Coordinator position
-an FCS head coach position

All of those would have been considered a step-up, and the Brian hype machine would start. Most importantly Brian would have had an opportunity (not a guaranty) to show success outside of the Iowa program.

That was about 7 years ago. If Brian had followed that path, and been successful elsewhere, he'd probably be a G5 head coach or a P5 coordinator today. Assuming he'd shown success outside of Iowa, some would STILL have resisted Brian taking over at Iowa after Kirk (Ferentz fatigue), but at least it would be FEWER than if they just handed him the job while still on the staff.

This is what Kirk did for himself. He built his resume outside of Iowa, and 1) improved himself as a coach, 2) got out of Hayden's shadow, and 3) added new experience. That's the old-fashioned way of doings things, that's the hard way.

Unfortunately, the Neil Cornrich, Gary Barta, Kirk, and Mary braintrust got too greedy and had other plans for Brian. They wanted Brian to get it the "easy way", right after Kirk retired. Well, this way sure hasn't been easy...for ANYONE.

P.S.- It's also possible that Brian wanted to leave Iowa at that time, but Kirk wouldn't let him. A lot of wealthy family patriarch types tend to be really needy and thrive on having family around to make them comfortable, as they build their whole power structure on the principle of loyalty, and no one is more loyal than family.

 

[MelroseMauler]

Truth.

 

[HawkMachine]

P.S.- It's also possible that Brian wanted to leave Iowa at that time, but Kirk wouldn't let him.

Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt.

 

[BrotherHawkeye]

Key components to Iowa's "success" on offense have been missing since 2019-2020. 1) a competent quarterback and 2) a stout offensive line (Linderbaum was not capable of blocking everyone although he tried). That is where Brian's inexperience as a coordinator comes into play. He didn't have the breadth of knowledge to know what to do when things didn't go according to the plan.

When Iowa's running game fell apart in 2004, O'Keefe was able to draw upon his background and experience to shift into a passing game that took Iowa to the Big Ten Championship and Cap One Bowl win. Brian has not been able to come up with a Plan B. Maybe if he'd been somewhere else with a lower profile on him he could have figured it out over time, or maybe he never would. Those years somewhere else would have allowed the UI to assess whether he was going to be ready for a Big 10 position. A Big 10 coordinator's job is not a place for on the job training. It's too bad, for everyone, that it's gone this way, but that's how I see it.

 

[HemiHawk]

I still can't believe the oline won that award. The team finished 8-5 with an embarrassing 27 point loss in the bowl game.

 

[desihawk]

bf's coaching career actually was planned really well. that stint with the patriots followed by several years as a good iowa position coach at various positions set him up well on paper for the oc position. thing is he has failed as oc. and from the looks of it he likely would have failed as oc at any place in the country. can't have necessarily predicted that, people who look good on paper do fail. the problem in this case is rectifying the situation. a different guy would've been gracefully replaced after last year's disaster. let's see if it gets done this year. brian appears to be a good position coach, so let him do that. find someone else for the bigger leadership position.

 

[Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo]

Dear Brian,
Whatever you do, don't go out in a boat on a lake fishing with one of your dad's "friends".
Sincerely,
Fredo

 

[83Hawk]

The Ferentz succession plan/dream shouldn't have been this hard.

In 2016, the Iowa Oline won the Joe Moore award. The Oline coach of that squad was our very own Brian Ferentz, who won that award in his 5th year as a college assistant. Kirk could have/should have puffed up Brian, given him all the credit, and pulled some media strings to hype Brian's potential.

Brian probably could have parlayed his 5 years of experience and the award into:

-an NFL Oline coach position
-a G5/lower P5 O-Coordinator position
-an FCS head coach position

All of those would have been considered a step-up, and the Brian hype machine would start. Most importantly Brian would have had an opportunity (not a guaranty) to show success outside of the Iowa program.

That was about 7 years ago. If Brian had followed that path, and been successful elsewhere, he'd probably be a G5 head coach or a P5 coordinator today. Assuming he'd shown success outside of Iowa, some would STILL have resisted Brian taking over at Iowa after Kirk (Ferentz fatigue), but at least it would be FEWER than if they just handed him the job while still on the staff.

This is what Kirk did for himself. He built his resume outside of Iowa, and 1) improved himself as a coach, 2) got out of Hayden's shadow, and 3) added new experience. That's the old-fashioned way of doings things, that's the hard way.

Unfortunately, the Neil Cornrich, Gary Barta, Kirk, and Mary braintrust got too greedy and had other plans for Brian. They wanted Brian to get it the "easy way", right after Kirk retired. Well, this way sure hasn't been easy...for ANYONE.

P.S.- It's also possible that Brian wanted to leave Iowa at that time, but Kirk wouldn't let him. A lot of wealthy family patriarch types tend to be really needy and thrive on having family around to make them comfortable, as they build their whole power structure on the principle of loyalty, and no one is more loyal than family.

It's funny how there were several people on this board that wanted Brian to take over for Kirk (despite many of us saying it was a bad idea).

Now, the only one who would be happy with that (among Iowa fans), is f5n5. But he is a nut.

 

[hawkdave007]

bf's coaching career actually was planned really well. that stint with the patriots followed by several years as a good iowa position coach at various positions set him up well on paper for the oc position. thing is he has failed as oc. and from the looks of it he likely would have failed as oc at any place in the country. can't have necessarily predicted that, people who look good on paper do fail. the problem in this case is rectifying the situation. a different guy would've been gracefully replaced after last year's disaster. let's see if it gets done this year. brian appears to be a good position coach, so let him do that. find someone else for the bigger leadership position.

Just like "the switch" in Seinfeld, no coach has ever been able to pull off the promotion of junior to head coach.

Bowden, Snyder, Paterno, and Holtz all failed at it. Ferentz will fail too, along with Harbaugh.

 

[jhawk23]

Just like "the switch" in Seinfeld, no coach has ever been able to pull of the the promotion of junior to head coach.

Bowden, Snyder, Paterno, and Holtz all failed at it. Ferentz will fail too, along with Harbaugh.

In the Middle Ages you could get locked up for even suggesting it

 

[farcyted]

Kirk is a good judge of football and coaching talent. Pretty sure he knew Brian wasn't going to survive anywhere else than under his wing. Probably thought he could cover up junior's deficiencies.

 

[BonzoFury]

Kirk is a good judge of football and coaching talent. Pretty sure he knew Brian wasn't going to survive anywhere else than under his wing. Probably thought he could cover up junior's deficiencies.

His record of hiring assistants would suggest he's not a great judge of coaching talent.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

I've come to the realization that I wouldn't give a F either if some idiots (Barta) were willing to pay ransom money for me to do a mediocre job. I'd take the paychecks. But I certainly would never show my face in Iowa again.

 

[yiana]

I still can't believe the oline won that award. The team finished 8-5 with an embarrassing 27 point loss in the bowl game.

I think it was more ceremonial than anything with Joe Moore being kirks mentor

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Honestly I think coordinator is a harder coaching job than head coach. Head coach is a decision maker, sets the tone for the team, puts up guidelines for his coordinators, and has final say over things. But none of that is truly the detail work required to be a coordinator. A coordinator has to have every last detail planned out across the board for every play and every position group. And then the players have to execute on that. A failure on either part and he looks like an idiot.

Brian was a successful position coach. But making that leap from teaching fundamentals and nuance for a position to the detail work of every position isn’t easy. He’s obviously failed in that. He’s also failed to recruit the talent he needs to succeed because of his prior failures as a coordinator.

Kirk was never a coordinator, he never should have put Brian into a coordinator position for the reasons I described above. The work was too far over his head. Like you said, Brian should have left home and built a resume on his own over the last 7 years. He’s only three years younger than Kirk was when he became our head coach. But he doesn’t even remotely have the resume that Kirk did because he’s stayed here. Only 1 year as an actual NFL coach with three years as an NFL staff member aside from his time here.

The keys will not be handed to Brian when Kirk retires. That ship has sailed. Hopefully Brian sails on at the end of this season too. The plan failed, time to move on from it. Especially when we have two far more successful coordinators on staff already, one of whom probably wants the job.

 

[amahawk]

Key components to Iowa's "success" on offense have been missing since 2019-2020. 1) a competent quarterback and 2) a stout offensive line (Linderbaum was not capable of blocking everyone although he tried). That is where Brian's inexperience as a coordinator comes into play. He didn't have the breadth of knowledge to know what to do when things didn't go according to the plan.

When Iowa's running game fell apart in 2004, O'Keefe was able to draw upon his background and experience to shift into a passing game that took Iowa to the Big Ten Championship and Cap One Bowl win. Brian has not been able to come up with a Plan B. Maybe if he'd been somewhere else with a lower profile on him he could have figured it out over time, or maybe he never would. Those years somewhere else would have allowed the UI to assess whether he was going to be ready for a Big 10 position. A Big 10 coordinator's job is not a place for on the job training. It's too bad, for everyone, that it's gone this way, but that's how I see it.

Does BF have a plan A ? I think an alternate career route could have led to more success for him. Now he is either a poor choice for OC or handicapped by KF . It is sad.

 

[jberesford]

Key components to Iowa's "success" on offense have been missing since 2019-2020. 1) a competent quarterback and 2) a stout offensive line (Linderbaum was not capable of blocking everyone although he tried). That is where Brian's inexperience as a coordinator comes into play. He didn't have the breadth of knowledge to know what to do when things didn't go according to the plan.

When Iowa's running game fell apart in 2004, O'Keefe was able to draw upon his background and experience to shift into a passing game that took Iowa to the Big Ten Championship and Cap One Bowl win. Brian has not been able to come up with a Plan B. Maybe if he'd been somewhere else with a lower profile on him he could have figured it out over time, or maybe he never would. Those years somewhere else would have allowed the UI to assess whether he was going to be ready for a Big 10 position. A Big 10 coordinator's job is not a place for on the job training. It's too bad, for everyone, that it's gone this way, but that's how I see it.

That's one of the best and complete responses to this matter that i have read. My first realization that I probably had false optimism was Michigan '19. Funny, because a post of that game was resurrected this week. It was an all out blitzkrieg on Stanley that game and there was no adjustment made for it. No quick hitting pass plays to back to defense off, nothing to get the ball to the outside and into space. Nothing. Just following the same game plan of methodically slow developing routes and running between the tackles against 8 and 9 man fronts and Stanley getting crushed. 4 years later still doing the same stuff but with inferior quarterbacks and receivers.

But I guess that's what happens when you have to learn on the job at a high level. You're only experience is working for your dad and basically being an intern for one of your dads coaching buddies whose tendencies and philosophies his dad embodies. Brian Ferentz 100% didn't earn that job. It was just given to him. He should have gone elsewhere to prove himself and diversify his knowledge outside of that sole bellichek coaching tree. He's been at it for 6 years. More than enough time to take a stepping stone job and earn the job he has now if shown he was even average at it.

 

[MAXIMUSHAWKEYE]

I really hoped that BF would be successful for the good of the program. If he had,I would not have had a problem with him becoming the next HC. But here we are with stubburn Kirk refusing to make any changes that need to be made and doubling down on the mess he has made. I want Kirk to retire and a new coaching staff that can compete with the new BIG.

 

[BHCrusader2010]

The Ferentz succession plan/dream shouldn't have been this hard.

In 2016, the Iowa Oline won the Joe Moore award. The Oline coach of that squad was our very own Brian Ferentz, who won that award in his 5th year as a college assistant. Kirk could have/should have puffed up Brian, given him all the credit, and pulled some media strings to hype Brian's potential.

Brian probably could have parlayed his 5 years of experience and the award into:

-an NFL Oline coach position
-a G5/lower P5 O-Coordinator position
-an FCS head coach position

All of those would have been considered a step-up, and the Brian hype machine would start. Most importantly Brian would have had an opportunity (not a guaranty) to show success outside of the Iowa program.

That was about 7 years ago. If Brian had followed that path, and been successful elsewhere, he'd probably be a G5 head coach or a P5 coordinator today. Assuming he'd shown success outside of Iowa, some would STILL have resisted Brian taking over at Iowa after Kirk (Ferentz fatigue), but at least it would be FEWER than if they just handed him the job while still on the staff.

This is what Kirk did for himself. He built his resume outside of Iowa, and 1) improved himself as a coach, 2) got out of Hayden's shadow, and 3) added new experience. That's the old-fashioned way of doings things, that's the hard way.

Unfortunately, the Neil Cornrich, Gary Barta, Kirk, and Mary braintrust got too greedy and had other plans for Brian. They wanted Brian to get it the "easy way", right after Kirk retired. Well, this way sure hasn't been easy...for ANYONE.

P.S.- It's also possible that Brian wanted to leave Iowa at that time, but Kirk wouldn't let him. A lot of wealthy family patriarch types tend to be really needy and thrive on having family around to make them comfortable, as they build their whole power structure on the principle of loyalty, and no one is more loyal than family.

You know it's time to quit when Michigan doesn't even bother to send their staff to spy on you. They spied on every team but Iowa lol. Now you know you officially suck as a football program.

 

[RomanHawk]

His record of hiring assistants would suggest he's not a great judge of coaching talent.

This entire fiasco is amazing in a sick kind of way. OC and DC are the 2 most unique jobs in football coaching.. Both require an innate understanding as well as an intense passion for the position.

BF had shown neither. In a selfish attempt to prioritize his son's career over the Iowa football program, KF demonstrated his own lack of understanding of offensive football. So instead of promoting his son's career, he has destroyed it. .But the fault is not just his. If BF had any understanding, he would not have accepted the job.

This thing is failure on so many levels it makes the University look like a group of imbeciles. Why did the administration let it happen and why do they enable the deceit of saying BF reports to the AD?

 

[SA_Hawk]

Adam Rittenberg on Dari and Mel this morning mention LeVar Woods as possible candidates for the Michigan State and Northwestern jobs.

He went on to say he thinks LeVar ultimately wants to stay at Iowa and take over for Kirk when he retires.

He also stated that he thinks Chris Klieman at Kansas State dream job is head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

 

[BonzoFury]

Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt.

Not really. This was reported by more than one person connected to the program after the 2021 season. Kirk would not let go of his dream to install Brian as the next HC. His motives that last few years have been purely selfish and have tarnished his legacy. It's not going to end well.

Much of this goes back to Barta. He should have had to balls to tell Kirk the direct succession plan was a bad idea. But we all know how good Gary Barta's judgement was. This is just one more of his F-ups.

 

[danny14]

yes...that

I still can't believe the oline won that award. The team finished 8-5 with an embarrassing 27 point loss in the bowl game.

Yes, that seemed like a gift...the lines before that were better.

 

[BonzoFury]

I still can't believe the oline won that award. The team finished 8-5 with an embarrassing 27 point loss in the bowl game.

It was more of a "lifetime achievement" award. Oh, man...we haven't given this to IOWA? We really should...look at their history of great OLs.

 

[Rambler Hawk]

I think it was more ceremonial than anything with Joe Moore being kirks mentor

100% correct, if memory serves it was 'moore' of a nostalgic gesture than anything...IMHO.

 

[Rambler Hawk]

Just like "the switch" in Seinfeld, no coach has ever been able to pull off the promotion of junior to head coach.

Bowden, Snyder, Paterno, and Holtz all failed at it. Ferentz will fail too, along with Harbaugh.

LMAO!! Great call - I had been thinking about that Snyder situation too....

That begs the question - has it ever been pulled off!? TIA

 

[BonzoFury]

The Ferentz succession plan/dream shouldn't have been this hard.

In 2016, the Iowa Oline won the Joe Moore award. The Oline coach of that squad was our very own Brian Ferentz, who won that award in his 5th year as a college assistant. Kirk could have/should have puffed up Brian, given him all the credit, and pulled some media strings to hype Brian's potential.

Brian probably could have parlayed his 5 years of experience and the award into:

-an NFL Oline coach position
-a G5/lower P5 O-Coordinator position
-an FCS head coach position

All of those would have been considered a step-up, and the Brian hype machine would start. Most importantly Brian would have had an opportunity (not a guaranty) to show success outside of the Iowa program.

That was about 7 years ago. If Brian had followed that path, and been successful elsewhere, he'd probably be a G5 head coach or a P5 coordinator today. Assuming he'd shown success outside of Iowa, some would STILL have resisted Brian taking over at Iowa after Kirk (Ferentz fatigue), but at least it would be FEWER than if they just handed him the job while still on the staff.

This is what Kirk did for himself. He built his resume outside of Iowa, and 1) improved himself as a coach, 2) got out of Hayden's shadow, and 3) added new experience. That's the old-fashioned way of doings things, that's the hard way.

Unfortunately, the Neil Cornrich, Gary Barta, Kirk, and Mary braintrust got too greedy and had other plans for Brian. They wanted Brian to get it the "easy way", right after Kirk retired. Well, this way sure hasn't been easy...for ANYONE.

P.S.- It's also possible that Brian wanted to leave Iowa at that time, but Kirk wouldn't let him. A lot of wealthy family patriarch types tend to be really needy and thrive on having family around to make them comfortable, as they build their whole power structure on the principle of loyalty, and no one is more loyal than family.

Here's what you should have written...

The Ferentz succession plan/dream shouldn't have been

 

[Greenway4Prez]

That's one of the best and complete responses to this matter that i have read. My first realization that I probably had false optimism was Michigan '19. Funny, because a post of that game was resurrected this week. It was an all out blitzkrieg on Stanley that game and there was no adjustment made for it. No quick hitting pass plays to back to defense off, nothing to get the ball to the outside and into space. Nothing. Just following the same game plan of methodically slow developing routes and running between the tackles against 8 and 9 man fronts and Stanley getting crushed. 4 years later still doing the same stuff but with inferior quarterbacks and receivers.

But I guess that's what happens when you have to learn on the job at a high level. You're only experience is working for your dad and basically being an intern for one of your dads coaching buddies whose tendencies and philosophies his dad embodies. Brian Ferentz 100% didn't earn that job. It was just given to him. He should have gone elsewhere to prove himself and diversify his knowledge outside of that sole bellichek coaching tree. He's been at it for 6 years. More than enough time to take a stepping stone job and earn the job he has now if shown he was even average at it.

Not just the Michigan game, but Penn State intentionally overwhelmed the middle of our OL a few games later, and Wisconsin (whose defense under Leonhard never seemed to be solved by Brian) sent guys like crazy too. We scored a few late TD’s in that one to make it close.

The 2019 squad was one of the fastest, most talented teams KF has had. The capability for more was definitely there.

 

[kwik44]

Not just the Michigan game, but Penn State intentionally overwhelmed the middle of our OL a few games later, and Wisconsin (whose defense under Leonhard never seemed to be solved by Brian) sent guys like crazy too. We scored a few late TD’s in that one to make it close.

The 2019 squad was one of the fastest, most talented teams KF has had. The capability for more was definitely there.

Crazy, but alot of us were on Stanley for not winning 1 or 2 more games that year.

2020 would've been special too but covid screwed that up.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

You know it's time to quit when Michigan doesn't even bother to send their staff to spy on you. They spied on every team but Iowa lol. Now you know you officially suck as a football program.

Michigan spied on EVERY team. One--not named anywhere--apparently isn't able to reconcile ticket purchase/use from secondary market.

 

[HawknBadgerLand]

The Ferentz succession plan/dream shouldn't have been this hard.

In 2016, the Iowa Oline won the Joe Moore award. The Oline coach of that squad was our very own Brian Ferentz, who won that award in his 5th year as a college assistant. Kirk could have/should have puffed up Brian, given him all the credit, and pulled some media strings to hype Brian's potential.

Brian probably could have parlayed his 5 years of experience and the award into:

-an NFL Oline coach position
-a G5/lower P5 O-Coordinator position
-an FCS head coach position

All of those would have been considered a step-up, and the Brian hype machine would start. Most importantly Brian would have had an opportunity (not a guaranty) to show success outside of the Iowa program.

That was about 7 years ago. If Brian had followed that path, and been successful elsewhere, he'd probably be a G5 head coach or a P5 coordinator today. Assuming he'd shown success outside of Iowa, some would STILL have resisted Brian taking over at Iowa after Kirk (Ferentz fatigue), but at least it would be FEWER than if they just handed him the job while still on the staff.

This is what Kirk did for himself. He built his resume outside of Iowa, and 1) improved himself as a coach, 2) got out of Hayden's shadow, and 3) added new experience. That's the old-fashioned way of doings things, that's the hard way.

Unfortunately, the Neil Cornrich, Gary Barta, Kirk, and Mary braintrust got too greedy and had other plans for Brian. They wanted Brian to get it the "easy way", right after Kirk retired. Well, this way sure hasn't been easy...for ANYONE.

P.S.- It's also possible that Brian wanted to leave Iowa at that time, but Kirk wouldn't let him. A lot of wealthy family patriarch types tend to be really needy and thrive on having family around to make them comfortable, as they build their whole power structure on the principle of loyalty, and no one is more loyal than family.

Great post. You might be right. I always thought Brian should have just remained "run game coordinator" and learned from Polisek (as true OC and play caller). Iowa would have killed the last 5 years. Probably would have won the west 4 of 5 years, and appeared in the cfp. Kirk could have appointed Brian as HC the day before Barta retired.

 

[ItsAllBallBearingsNowadays]

I like what I’ve seen from this Arizona team. Intrigued by Jedd Fisch.

 

[HawkLogic]

I still can't believe the oline won that award. The team finished 8-5 with an embarrassing 27 point loss in the bowl game.

They were bad at pass blocking. Beathard got killed. That was just a FIX.


There is no reason to believe BF would have been successful at other schools other than as OL coach.