Exactly. Illinois has had a shit program going back more than 20 years. It’s not a recent development.
U of I President Barbara Wilson
- Thread starter pistachio1999
- Start date
And she didn't help make it any better.
Idk, I'm not old enough to know further back. But I don't think using past failures is a good reason to not want to change anything.
Oh FFS. Overreact much? There is ONE phase of the program that is broken. ONE. Defensive is borderline elite, special teams the same. You want to burn down the house because you think the carpet sucks.
That's like having a bad heart and saying Hey, only one organ is a problem.
Well, it's like saying, If you have a bad heart fix the heart not kill the person.
It's a loose analogy, to be sure. But the point is your offense is pretty damn significant. There are plenty of people who function with bad hearts...but it certainly limits their capacity.
That being said, it must mean GDR must have done well with the face lube and shafting vendors.
Unless and until I know for sure there is a broader plan (and a good plan) in place to replace KF, I’m going to be concerned more risk was introduced here than needed to be. I don’t mind the decision- but the leaders better sure as hell have a great plan lined up. If so, they’re awesome. If not, they’re idiots. I honestly don’t see much room for middle ground here.
What new coach would like to walk around looking over his shoulder all the time.
The AD for Iowa does not get to pick the next head coach. A committee will be formed and candidates picked from a list provided and they will take sooooo long interviewing several candidates.
That's how Kirk was picked over Bob Stoops. They had to interview a few more candidates.
Good lord, I’m no young buck, being in my early 40’s, but WE KNOW all about the 60’s and 70’s from you boomers that CONSTANTLY talk about it as your reason for being afraid to move on from Ferentz (as if Hayden Fry never existed). Nobody cares about 50+ years ago. Like someone else said on another thread, 1970’s football is as relevant to today as 1920’s football was to the 1970’s. Did you care about the 1920’s back in the 70’s too?
They had to act. KFz was looking more and more like a dictator. The risk is no greater now than if KFz decided to retire 3 years from now. I would suggest if this pushes up his retirement then it's probably a good thing. He's basically admitting he was in it just to get Brian the HC job.
They may already be vetting candidates if they're getting the vibe that KFz may leave. The IOWA job is a damn good one. I trust Beth Goetz to make the next hire a hell of a lot more than I would have Gary Barta.
Bingo. And I don't think they have a plan. Evidence, reports are KF is not pleased at the current moment. If they were on the same page those reports wouldn't be coming out. You think they've already contacted potential replacements for KF if he decides he's had enough? Hell no, and if they have those prospects would be WTF? you're sneaking around the back of a 25-year HC looking for a replacement? Good luck finding a quality replacement with that strategy.
Do they have a short list? Of course, every AD has a short list. Do they have a solid replacement ready to go? No way.
Your age-based assumptions are fundamentally flawed. My group of college buddies who all graduated in the 80s are 5 out of 6 ready to move on from KFz...and have been for a bit.
This is a perfect way to create no accountability for the decision. I don’t mind a committee to help inform, vet and select - keep someone from going rogue. But ultimately the AD needs to be held accountable. That’s my opinion anyway - but not sure the university will see it that way.
You describing Iowa FB?
Wilson fired the FB HC and the AD and nothing improved. That should be concerning. You think she’s changed? Firing a coach with games left to play? Who does that to a team? Unless you have a kick ass plan up your sleeve it looks like she was a hired hit man. Don’t expect someone like that to also be a fixer.
I disagree that Kirk wouldn't have run it back without this move from the administration. In today's press conference, he blamed injuries for this year's results on offense. Left unchecked (i.e., Barta still in charge), Kirk would have Brian would return in 2024.
Most do. They know they better produce or they’re unemployed. Coaching any single program usually isn’t a long term gig.
Take it to the wrestling board.....
46-76 in the years prior. (Zook and Beckman) Illinois has sucked regardless of who their AD is or was.
Uhhhhhh…. Maybe don’t hire your son and then refuse to replace him when he produces the worst stretch of offensive football in modern power 5 history. Sounds pretty simple.
I don’t do this very often Pistahcio. But I guarantee iowa’s offense will be better next year. Won’t that mean the right decision was made offensively?!?
She doesn’t have a track record of success when it comes to turning around a program. But she does have a track record of doing what she just did. One. Trick. Pony.
I know no one would answer, but why didn’t press ask how many conversations have been had in last month or two leading up to the decision. Usually a manager has to have discussed performance issues a few times leading up to a dismissal. Had Beth or Barbara been talking to Kirk and Brian in the weeks leading up to this or did they do the Barta and just can him.
I’ll take your bet Steamer. Over the next two seasons (2024 and 2025) Iowa’s FB record won’t be as good as the .750 win percent (6-2) when Wilson did the deed.
I mean technically he’s not dismissed. He’s just not getting renewed. He has a contract that expires after this season. That’s what 25 ppg was about. He misses that and it doesn’t auto renew.
I might not recall it correctly, but isn’t that what Barta did to the deputy AD lady?
Jane Meyer? Barta fired Meyer’s partner who was the field hockey coach, coach sued, and Meyer was reassigned within athletic dept related to that I think? And then Meyer sued too.
Not the right comparison...the correct comparison would be:
What would Iowa's record be in 2024 and 2025 with BF as OC v. what would it be without him as OC? Obviously, there is no way to be sure about either one, so the conversation is academic, but we do know that the schedule toughens considerably starting next year AND there is no guarantee that the D and the ST play stays as strong as it is right now.
I think everyone though can imagine the O being significantly improved. Now then, whether that bears out, or not, remains to be seen. But status quo on offense was DEFINITELY not going to be OK going forward.
Whether the deed was done in the right way, at the right time, etc, etc...who can say, but I credit Goetz, and whomever else was in on it, with addressing the elephant in the room...because as good as KF is in so many ways, he has a giant blind spot towards the effectiveness of his son here, essentially forcing someone else to end the madness.
