Neb will finish this recruiting cycle ahead of iowa, neb is in on a bunch of highly rated recruits
What will it take for Iowa to become an Elite program?
- Thread starter swanhawk
- Start date
Iowa finally got the "facilities" they needed. I am sorry but 3 years ago our facilities were very outdated and compared to the rest of the Big 10 a joke.
Now we have the facilities, I mean recruits come in and are awe struck by what they get at Iowa. Also having the ability to pulling recruits from Texas and other states help out.
The problem is laying the eventual turd every year. KF and his staff always seem to lay a stinky one in September. I mean they are just horrible losses that shouldn't happen, but they do. Can't have that if your an elite program.
Competitiveness atmosphere in practice. It seems like KF is set on starting upper classmen and sticking with them in crunch time. I would like to see KF start a freshman and if a senior isn't getting it done, get them out there for the younger player. KF is way too loyal to his players and I think it bites him in the @ss at times. Some recruits see possible PT time, but then he starts the same player over and over again.
Now we have the facilities, I mean recruits come in and are awe struck by what they get at Iowa. Also having the ability to pulling recruits from Texas and other states help out.
The problem is laying the eventual turd every year. KF and his staff always seem to lay a stinky one in September. I mean they are just horrible losses that shouldn't happen, but they do. Can't have that if your an elite program.
Competitiveness atmosphere in practice. It seems like KF is set on starting upper classmen and sticking with them in crunch time. I would like to see KF start a freshman and if a senior isn't getting it done, get them out there for the younger player. KF is way too loyal to his players and I think it bites him in the @ss at times. Some recruits see possible PT time, but then he starts the same player over and over again.
For Iowa to be an elite program they need to move the University to another state.
That's not even the point. We do very little recruiting in the state of ND. They are an FCS school. There isn't much upside if you do win and nothing but trouble if you lose.
Iowa is a small population state. We need to schedule home/away with programs based in high populations. At least then there is some potential recruiting upside.
You sir are one of the few iowa fans that I have met that is intelligent and knows his sh*t. Tip of the cap to ya
The problem is you need the home game bc of the nine game conference schedule and the home and home with ISU.
It shouldn't be that big of a problem. With the nine game conf schedule, we might not get 7 home games every year.
Are you saying it's not a big deal if we only get 6 home games in a given year? If so, those in the athletic department strongly disagree with you. That is a lot of money that we'd be leaving on the table.
However, perhaps I misunderstood what you're trying to say.
The name of the game is money. A neutral site game I can see because they could at least get some of the money of a home game but they aren't going to give up the money of a home game just to do a home and home series. The biggest thing they need to do is drop ISU. That would open up more home and home opportunities with other Power 5 schools. Right now they are playing 10 power 5 games. I am sorry but they should not be scheduling 11 of them. That is just not needed.
Lol no. Nebraska has the edge in the last 15 years over Iowa. You do realize we have a national title appearance and Heisman trophy winner in that time frame. Also we went through 4 coaching changes in that time frame and still somehow have had more success then Iowa.
better winning percentage, same amount of conference championships (0), more divisional titles, a national title appearance, a Heisman winner and all while going through 4 coaching changes and a conference title change. Good grief you'd think with all the changes we've gone through that Iowa's best decade ever could at least be better then our worst decade ever.
You are in the same boat as Iowa. Don't get cocky. You don't have a recruiting base either.
The "ahh haa" moment for me was when I saw what nebraska spends on recruiting and what Iowa spends. To answer the question what will it take. We need to sell out to be great (which we have already started with new facilitis and coach pay) but need to spend way more on recruiting and honestly Iowa has always been a little too nice. When they get the chance they need to bury and make a fool of teams on the field. Quit being so damn nice.
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First of all I am disappointed there are so many Hawkeye fans who just give up and concede that Iowa cannot ever compete with the likes of OSU or Michigan for the conference title. Seriously, this is like reading CycloneFanatic. No way does Iowa just concede to our conference foes, give up, and say we can't do it. We have no choice in the matter, we are in the same conference with some elite schools so we have to do what it takes, within the rules, to be elite ourselves.
There are some steps that can be taken to start down the path to becoming elite, and, really, Iowa was just on the cusp of it and had it sniffed out in one Saturday. It all starts with acting like an elite and carrying yourself that way.
1. Facilities - Iowa is there. New football facility. Kinnick is great the way it is with more building planned.
2. Money - We're a BIG school, we got cash and donor support.
3. Fan Base - Got it.
4. Scheduling - this is where we fail. The ISU series needs to be reduced or eliminated. There should never be another FCS school on the schedule again. No more than one G5 team per year. There should be a focus on Iowa playing two P5 intersectional games per season. One against a traditionally weaker school that is close to somewhat fertile recruiting grounds. A perfect example would be Virginia this season. The other P5 intersectional matchup would be the marquee match-up. Pick out historically solid programs that don't always live up to the hype. CFB is full of them any given year, Notre Dame, Texas, USC, Florida, all of these are "traditional" powers that have a hard time living up to the hype. Sure, you schedule them years in advance, but some years you hit them when they are down, some years you catch them on an upswing. These games are able to be scheduled as our BIG peers are able to do so. Besides, many of these programs are also looking for a "name" P5 school where they have a great chance at a win (in their eyes). Iowa fits that profile for many schools. But to be big you have to play big and that's what the next group wants to see...
5. Recruiting. I will credit KF for being able to develop NFL level talent. Imagine if he had something to work with to begin with. We do need better game day coaching and a bit of a different philosophy. I do like the NFL style of ball we play but would like to see a tad bit more open of an offense. Recruits want to play in big time games on the big stage. Iowa needs to give them that. All of our conference peers are now doing so, time for Iowa to get with the times. Better scheduling will lead to better recruiting.
Iowa just needs to act like a big program. Using the "we're not sexy", " we're just little old Iowa" doesn't sound very confident. If I'm a 4 or 5 star, why would I want to come to a program that doesn't believe in itself and doesn't believe it can compete? We laugh at Nebraska but at least they don't accept being mediocre and will never accept not striving to be the top of the conference.
There are some steps that can be taken to start down the path to becoming elite, and, really, Iowa was just on the cusp of it and had it sniffed out in one Saturday. It all starts with acting like an elite and carrying yourself that way.
1. Facilities - Iowa is there. New football facility. Kinnick is great the way it is with more building planned.
2. Money - We're a BIG school, we got cash and donor support.
3. Fan Base - Got it.
4. Scheduling - this is where we fail. The ISU series needs to be reduced or eliminated. There should never be another FCS school on the schedule again. No more than one G5 team per year. There should be a focus on Iowa playing two P5 intersectional games per season. One against a traditionally weaker school that is close to somewhat fertile recruiting grounds. A perfect example would be Virginia this season. The other P5 intersectional matchup would be the marquee match-up. Pick out historically solid programs that don't always live up to the hype. CFB is full of them any given year, Notre Dame, Texas, USC, Florida, all of these are "traditional" powers that have a hard time living up to the hype. Sure, you schedule them years in advance, but some years you hit them when they are down, some years you catch them on an upswing. These games are able to be scheduled as our BIG peers are able to do so. Besides, many of these programs are also looking for a "name" P5 school where they have a great chance at a win (in their eyes). Iowa fits that profile for many schools. But to be big you have to play big and that's what the next group wants to see...
5. Recruiting. I will credit KF for being able to develop NFL level talent. Imagine if he had something to work with to begin with. We do need better game day coaching and a bit of a different philosophy. I do like the NFL style of ball we play but would like to see a tad bit more open of an offense. Recruits want to play in big time games on the big stage. Iowa needs to give them that. All of our conference peers are now doing so, time for Iowa to get with the times. Better scheduling will lead to better recruiting.
Iowa just needs to act like a big program. Using the "we're not sexy", " we're just little old Iowa" doesn't sound very confident. If I'm a 4 or 5 star, why would I want to come to a program that doesn't believe in itself and doesn't believe it can compete? We laugh at Nebraska but at least they don't accept being mediocre and will never accept not striving to be the top of the conference.
They didn't start playing football 15 years ago. Most people consider late 60's when integration came into play as the modern area of college football. If you compared Nebraska to Iowa in that time frame if it was a fight they would stop it. You can argue about who has been more irrelevant that last 15 years if you want, but long standing tradition it isn't even close. As a Husker fan, these last 15 years have been nothing special and unacceptable, for Iowa fans, it is just Iowa football. That is the difference in the fan bases.
Yes..I specifically said 15 years, as kirks tenure started with bare cupboards.
Iowa will never be an elite program no matter who the coach is, for the simple reason we lack the population to sustain a winning program year after year without bringing in many players from out of state.
And like I said, if that is the standard you set, than good for you. I have way more respect for Iowa fans that don't think they have ever been anything special and strive for more. A Nebraska fan would get laughed at saying they are happy because they have been as good as a middle of the pack team the last 15 years. Nebraska has gone through 3 coaches to avoid what Iowa keeps giving a guy more money to maintain. Call Husker fans delusional if you want, but don't ever act like the fan bases are the same. One accepts mediocrity, and one does not.
Back to the OP, I'm interested in who is elite? Whom are we comparing Iowa to?
Ohio State & Alabama - nuff said. They are elite.
Oklahoma - 2 losses
FSU - just got smoked by L'ville.
So Cal - no way
Oregon - Lost to Nebby
Texas - uh, no.
Notre Dame - 2 losses
Mich St? - maybe
Michigan - sucked for a decade
So, just who is elite? Who doesn't have bad losses? CF has a great deal of parity, outside of Bama and tOSU.
What is the expectation? Or, even the optimistic hope?
Ohio State & Alabama - nuff said. They are elite.
Oklahoma - 2 losses
FSU - just got smoked by L'ville.
So Cal - no way
Oregon - Lost to Nebby
Texas - uh, no.
Notre Dame - 2 losses
Mich St? - maybe
Michigan - sucked for a decade
So, just who is elite? Who doesn't have bad losses? CF has a great deal of parity, outside of Bama and tOSU.
What is the expectation? Or, even the optimistic hope?
You will be going through a lot of coaches then. Because those days are not coming back. You don't have the recruiting base. You were a better program than Iowa, now its even. Minnesota was a big power once too....
They have to win games that they are supposed to. They have to come prepared to play every time. They have to look like they are trying. None of that happened on Saturday.
You might be right, but I hope the Huskers keep trying. The day they give up, I give up on them.
And hey, in all seriousness if you are happy to be even with Nebraska as you said, good for you. I am not satisfied with being Iowa.
For Iowa to truly be elite it would take being located in a different city, probably in a different state lol. There are not many coaches, if anyone at all who'd do better than Kirk has, and the few who could most likely would never even consider the job because recruiting to Iowa is a pain in the ass.
All that ho Hum poor Iowa crap goes away if they open up the checkbook and say "alright coach you have access to everything win or kick rocks"
To be elite, you need an elite coach and a fertile recruiting base. I dont see a scenario anywhere in the near future where Iowa will have the latter.
Its not really that I am satisfied with it, it is what it is. Neither Iowa or Nebraska has a big recruiting base. Both have good fan support and money. I want the Hawks to win every game, but I get over it. You wont have a consistently better program than Iowa anymore, you can choose to be satisfied or not.
He did good at MSU, but not what he is doing now. A big part of that is that its Alabama. I am not sure he would do better than KF here.
I must've missed the part where I said Iowa was going to out recruit Neb. Just pointing out our improved recruiting and not looking at just 2016 like you
You don't think Nick Saban would bring in much better athletes? Look at what the Zooker did at Illinois. That guy was pulling in 4 and 5* athletes. He didn't do much from the coaching side, but he brought in some stellar athletes.
