Whatever happened to "Scratch where it itches "?

[Mesahawk1]

I'm new to this board and wanted my first post to ask that question, which includes one of Coach Fry's favorite mottos. For whatever reason the Hawks now seem to stand for a rigid devotion to basic formations and plays. In the 1980's and 90's we had a reputation for unpredictability and "exotics".

I think Coach Ferentz is a good man and represents the University well. I'd like to ask him whether our coaching staff should make a greater effort to adjust to each opponent and that opponent's strategy, both before and during the game. Right now the apparent lack of such effort is my main complaint.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

And your complaint is shared by thousands of Hawk fans. I do see some progress from recent years in this regard, however. Hope it continues.

 

[LuteHawk]

Hayden Fry had been a quarterback himself in
high school and college. He had the mind of
a quarterback who would look for the other team's
weakness. He could improvise a game plan
and change it at halftime.

 

[Hawkdogwoof]

That left with coach Fry.

 

[danny14]

Slight case of Poison Ivy right now...have to get it under control.

 

[JayTheOkay]

The currently philosophy is scratch the same spot over and over and hope it eventually starts to itch.

 

[theIowaHawk]

I must have imagined the fake fg and the entirely new TE motions this year.

Hayden wasn't nearly as "exotic" as people want to remember.

Secondly, I think they adjust defensively very well for each opponent this year.

Offensively, well, it hasn't gone great, mostly in the running game.

 

[HawkIDrummer]

scratch the same spot until it bleeds...is the KFz version

 

[hawkeye54545]

It's now do the same thing again...and again...and again.

 

[hawkeye bb n fb fan]

If our QB could complete a deep pass once in a while so it's a threat, that would help a little

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

Play action passing is now overrated too, just ask Brian based upon the dissapearance of it too.

 

[Hawkeye3087]

I was young.... but I've always thought Hayden's offensive genius was a myth.

How many 3rd down draws did he call?

You heard about the exotics, but were they really used that often?

And did he really do enough to get Tim Dwight the ball?

 

[nck24]

The currently philosophy is scratch the same spot over and over and hope it eventually starts to itch.

Or perhaps scratch the same spot, in spite of the fact that another spot itches...because THAT is the spot that we scratch, and thats what we do.

 

[HawkIDrummer]

I was young.... but I've always thought Hayden's offensive genius was a myth.
How many 3rd down draws did he call?
You heard about the exotics, but were they really used that often?
And did he really do enough to get Tim Dwight the ball?

I think that's a bit of historical distortion. Hayden was thought of as a "coaching genius" not necessarily an offensive genius...an important distinction. He knew what to do at the right time, how to manage a game and how to motivate his players and coaches. His offense was only a part of that.

Offensively he "scratched where it itches"...not necessarily genius but he was FLEXIBLE enough to take what the defense gave instead of stubbornly doing the same thing no matter what. It was a refreshing change from what came before at IOWA and compared to the Big Ten's "two yards and a cloud of dust" approach at the time. But the main thing, is that he was flexible and played to win depending on the game in front of him...instead of stubbornly doing the same thing in the face of a defense that knew what was coming and was set up to stop it.

 

[hawkguy77]

There is nothing wrong with the offense that a Chuck Long, Chuck Hartleib, CJ Beathard (healthy), Brad Banks couldn't fix. Nate Stanley has shown flashes of potential and I think he will improve as the season rolls on. We have three very winnable games ahead of us and I hope he builds up his confidence heading into the last four games.

 

[PogeyKahn]

I am an aging Gopher fan, and Iowa football meant little to me as we did well vs. Iowa back in the late 70s . It all changed under Hayden Fry..

It all changed under Hayden Fry. The KF teams look good on paper, but are a shell of the Fry Teams and that all starts with the firepower on offense.

 

[PogeyKahn]

Meant to post the late '1970s

 

[Dumpster Fire Smores]

Ferentz is the opposite of Fry. His middle name is probably Bake.