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Why Great Leaders Make Big Mistakes: A Study of Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz

Agreed. I can not think of any other power five school that would allow an OC to suck for this long. Whats even more outrageous is that the AD and the HC know he and the offense are god awful. Otherwise there never would have been this ridiculous contract clause about averaging 25pts a game. That little gem is truly to most insulting aspect of the nepotism.
And its 25 total, not scoped to just the offense. F'ing ridiculous.
 
PS….I’m also fairly confident BF would have moved more pieces around offensively including QB, although again we didn’t really have a good QB PERIOD!
How, for KF's tenure has the offense been so complicated that it took the recruits years to understand and earn the start. Then the portal opens and the new QB is anointed the starter without more than a whisper of the "complex" offense? Is that sayi g the coaches recruited kids that weren't intelligent enougj, were the coaches being to complex with plays, or were the coaches just duping everyone with disinformation?
 
That's a losing mentality, you can't fear change, or nothing ever changes.

Not true….everything should be considered carefully and great leaders do change and you have called KF a great leader in a post above!

I may or may not agree with that statement, I do, however, think he’s a pretty damn good football coach, who is got better his last 10 years.

Not really much to dispute there!
 
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How, for KF's tenure has the offense been so complicated that it took the recruits years to understand and earn the start. Then the portal opens and the new QB is anointed the starter without more than a whisper of the "complex" offense? Is that sayi g the coaches recruited kids that weren't intelligent enougj, were the coaches being to complex with plays, or were the coaches just duping everyone with disinformation?

Well, let’s remember, Nate Stanley played in his sophomore year Banks in his second, Chandler in his second, Rudock, I think, in his second…

Sounds to me like your issue is with Coach speak. Stanzi I think in his 2nd?

The real problem has been quarterback, recruiting, and development over the last few years not hard for me to understand that.
 
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so according to you Illinois has absolutely no right to play good defense? and yet they ended up one of the best defenses in the country, but IA is supposed to just move the ball at will. funny I remember stopping teams that get inside the 5 close to the goal line and IA's defense stopped them and I bet you cheered about that.

what a hypocrite cheer about IA's defense stopping teams near the goal line but wanting coaches fired because a team stopped IA.
Illinois finished #2 in total defense
#2 in rush defense
#6 in pass defense
#1 in scoring defense
every team as the right to play outstanding defense now show me the law that is being broken by Illinois having one of the best defenses in the FBS. especially when their HC is Bret Beliema a HC that knows how to beat KF.

ISU
#7 in total defense
#11 in pass defense
#`7 in rush defense
#9 in scoring defense

yet they don't according to you and othes have no right to play good defense or to beat IA WHAT A BUNCH of conceited assholes
123/131 - that is horrible offense, period. Top thatnoff a top 5 defense and st, the offense is THE problem, and nothing you try to twist will change the DATA/FACTS.
 
Not true….everything should be considered carefully and great leaders do change and you have called KF a great leader in a post above!

I may or may not agree with that statement, I do, however, think he’s a pretty damn good football coach, who is got better his last 10 years.

Not really much to dispute there!
You just said leaders change, which is change, so yeah, not much to dispute.
 
When the offense ranks in the bottom 1/3 in the NATION that's flaccid offense, period. Like it or not, our defense and ST have kept us in games. Our offense (lack there of) has cost us far more.
since 2017 IA has only lost 23 games and won 51 for a winning % of 68.9%. that's better than most teams can claim.

again another idiot pissing and moaning about gaudy stats that really mean nothing. not to mention that you ignore the level talent that IA had available that last 9 years.

unless I missed something that IA had been getting top 5 recruiting classes vs the classes in the 50's, 40's. even the last 3 classes never came close. but please show me where I didn't see these top 5 recruiting classes that are needed to do what you demand
 
since 2017 IA has only lost 23 games and won 51 for a winning % of 68.9%. that's better than most teams can claim.

again another idiot pissing and moaning about gaudy stats that really mean nothing. not to mention that you ignore the level talent that IA had available that last 9 years.

unless I missed something that IA had been getting top 5 recruiting classes vs the classes in the 50's, 40's. even the last 3 classes never came close. but please show me where I didn't see these top 5 recruiting classes that are needed to do what you demand
Very true, you look at the wins and losses and all statistics come secondary. In The last ten years Iowa is the 16th winningest program in the country. But the bash Ferentz campaign must go on.
 
Really, considering the population of the state of Iowa and the surrounding states and the climate, Iowa under Kirk has done a remarkable job. Sure the offense has been weak the past two seasons and in spite of that the record is 18-9. College football has changed dramatically in the past few years and there is only a handful of schools that will be able to compete at the highest level and Iowa isn't one of them.
 
But the bash Ferentz campaign must go on.
That's a weird point to make coming from someone who chose a handle that could very much be interpreted as trolling the Ferentzes

Or are you just a purdue guy?

Pointing out the very real shortcomings of Iowa's offense isn't bashing Ferentz unless you are a fragile snowflake
 
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That's a weird point to make coming from someone who chose a handle that could very much be interpreted as trolling the Ferentzes

Or are you just a purdue guy?

Pointing out the very real shortcomings of Iowa's offense isn't bashing Ferentz unless you are a fragile snowflake
The fact that wins and losses are the bottom line and all the statistics are secondary are a weird point to make ?
critiquing My screen name will go in the who gives a shit disposal.

you are Just looking for something to whine about
 
since 2017 IA has only lost 23 games and won 51 for a winning % of 68.9%. that's better than most teams can claim.

again another idiot pissing and moaning about gaudy stats that really mean nothing. not to mention that you ignore the level talent that IA had available that last 9 years.

unless I missed something that IA had been getting top 5 recruiting classes vs the classes in the 50's, 40's. even the last 3 classes never came close. but please show me where I didn't see these top 5 recruiting classes that are needed to do what you demand
Show me the Top 5 defensive and special teams recruiting classes we have had that has amassed a top 10 defense over NP and PP tenure.
 
Very true, you look at the wins and losses and all statistics come secondary. In The last ten years Iowa is the 16th winningest program in the country. But the bash Ferentz campaign must go on.
What frustrates most of the fans here is the LACK OF OFFENSE that holds the TEAM back. Announcers even state it during games. Imagine if Iowa had a top 40 offense, that takes pressure off the Defense (gives them time to breathe in between series). If stats don't count for anything, then tell us why the top 10-15 teams are also leading in most of the statistical categories?

Total defense for 2022, iowa was #2, #6Mich, #10 GA, #13 AL, #14 OSU.

Total offense for 2022 Iowa #123, #5 GA, #9 OSU, #11 AL #24 MI

YOu put IOwa into the top 30 and our chances of winning the BIG and going to the playoffs jumps, exponentially.
 
Well, let’s remember, Nate Stanley played in his sophomore year Banks in his second, Chandler in his second, Rudock, I think, in his second…

Sounds to me like your issue is with Coach speak. Stanzi I think in his 2nd?

The real problem has been quarterback, recruiting, and development over the last few years not hard for me to understand that.
2nd year of the system...exactly what I said, why does it take the QB's that they recruited longer to learn the system then it does a portal guy?
 
Show me the Top 5 defensive and special teams recruiting classes we have had that has amassed a top 10 defense over NP and PP tenure.

As I’ve said many times over the years, our greatest strength is identifying poorly ranked or misranked talent. It just doesn’t always pertain to WR (rarely, more lucky than good) RBer ( more unlucky than poor) QB (hit and miss) and OL (off right now)….

I’m convinced based on the draft, early entries and early playing time we are indeed recruiting Defense at a top 10 level!
 
As I’ve said many times over the years, our greatest strength is identifying poorly ranked or misranked talent. It just doesn’t always pertain to WR (rarely, more lucky than good) RBer ( more unlucky than poor) QB (hit and miss) and OL (off right now)….

I’m convinced based on the draft, early entries and early playing time we are indeed recruiting Defense at a top 10 level!
Can't armchair qb the rankings. I will clarifiy it for ya. When Iowa recruits these kids out of HS and the rankings come out, show me a Top 5 class for D and ST that we have recruited.

Iowa has done a phenomenal job being a "developmental" factory. Why has that development not been shown in offensive stats as it has defensive stats?
 
2nd year of the system...exactly what I said, why does it take the QB's that they recruited longer to learn the system then it does a portal guy?

No one any good in front of him, all the others did.

Again I don’t personally see the problem. Also 4th year guy in a run heavy system!
 
Can't armchair qb the rankings. I will clarifiy it for ya. When Iowa recruits these kids out of HS and the rankings come out, show me a Top 5 class for D and ST that we have recruited.

Iowa has done a phenomenal job being a "developmental" factory. Why has that development not been shown in offensive stats as it has defensive stats?

I’ve covered that, and said it’s poor, you know I have and if the college of dentistry or engineering or law or or or classifies their school on the amount of kids, they place at the highest level of their field that’s how I’m going to do it too!

We are not recruiting top 40 Talent on Defense! I’ve always thought it was extremely insulting to the kids that come in and play as freshman or red shirt freshman, or even as true sophomores, and then end up in the NFL early!

But you grade how you like….mine isn’t a guess!
 
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No one any good in front of him, all the others did.

Again I don’t personally see the problem. Also 4th year guy in a run heavy system!
So is it a coaching issue, a player development issue, a player intelligence issue, etc? I don't believe it is latter as most of our QB's have been book smart (a few outliers).
 
I’ve covered that, and said it’s poor, you know I have and if the college of dentistry or engineering or law or or or classifies their school on the amount of kids, they place at the highest level of their field that’s how I’m going to do it too!

We are not recruiting top 40 Talent on Defense! I’ve always thought it was extremely insulting to the kids that come in and play as freshman or red shirt freshman, or even as true sophomores, and then end up in the NFL early!

But you grade how you like….mine isn’t a guess!
Nor is mine - I base it off of the stats that are built into the recruiting system (at the time of the kids being recruited). So there is no guessing, it's a data system.

After the fact, yep, Iowa puts those underrated kids into the NFL better than most.
 
So is it a coaching issue, a player development issue, a player intelligence issue, etc? I don't believe it is latter as most of our QB's have been book smart (a few outliers).

All and more…..talent identification misses, not an ability to transfer learning/teaching to field, happens in all fields, poor effort, injuries, multiple injuries in an area, tricking yourself into thinking you were better than you were, whole breakdown of system, last 2 years, et al…
 
Nor is mine - I base it off of the stats that are built into the recruiting system (at the time of the kids being recruited). So there is no guessing, it's a data system.

After the fact, yep, Iowa puts those underrated kids into the NFL better than most.

The underrated is the key. The data points are “projecting”! Going to and staying in the NFL is NOT projecting.

I am sure you’ve heard me say this before too, I don’t love being called developmental school. I know that what’s Kirk calls us. I know that’s what the national media call schools like us but there are a lot of developmental programs and they don’t all have 45+ kids in the NFL on Rosters right now.

We see the kids talent better than the “data points” you are referring to?!

Now per your point it’s debatable we’re doing a good job if identifying talent on O outside of Tight End but we are excellent at it on defense!!
 
How, for KF's tenure has the offense been so complicated that it took the recruits years to understand and earn the start. Then the portal opens and the new QB is anointed the starter without more than a whisper of the "complex" offense? Is that sayi g the coaches recruited kids that weren't intelligent enougj, were the coaches being to complex with plays, or were the coaches just duping everyone with disinformation?
Lean toward disinformation.
 
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So is it a coaching issue, a player development issue, a player intelligence issue, etc? I don't believe it is latter as most of our QB's have been book smart (a few outliers).

I will add to your overlying point. I don’t think we identify or coach WRs worth a crap. We can identify DBs and their ability at ever level of classification. Walk-on, 2-stars et al….

We seemingly know exactly what we’re looking for, and how to coach it up and I’m of the opinion that it is a Staff wide thing. I do believe they’re all involved in recruiting at every level and at every position… We know defensive talent we definitely do not know Awr receiver talent.
 
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?How, for KF's tenure has the offense been so complicated that it took the recruits years to understand and earn the start. Then the portal opens and the new QB is anointed the starter without more than a whisper of the "complex" offense? Is that sayi g the coaches recruited kids that weren't intelligent enougj, were the coaches being to complex with plays, or were the coaches just duping everyone with disinformation?
It has always been KF covering his _ss for his poor decisions. I've been amazed that so many fans have bought into it. Stani wasn't ready, so Jake had to take EVERY SINGLE SNAP that year? Stanzi could have thrown the ball into the ground just as well.
 
I am remembering a certain entity that shall shall not be mentioned that targeted the RB's, the last few years that entity has expanded to other positions. the OL has been hit the hardest

as for the WR's I think 5.5 3* ATH ISM turned out just fine,
5'5 3* Brandon Smith turned out just fine.

5.7 3* Tracey started out fine then for some unknown reason he just lost it.

Kirk just will run up the score. once he gets a lead he lets the defense hold the lead to win the game. it doesn't matter under Norm or under Phil.

they do not have issues finding WR/ATH. nor do they have issues with developing these players.

some times it is easier to develop Defensive players than it is Offensive players.

there is less to learn on defense than there is on offense, I have said this before with defense it is like this [see the ball go get the ball] go sic em. maybe a over simplification but it is pretty damn close.
 
What frustrates most of the fans here is the LACK OF OFFENSE that holds the TEAM back. Announcers even state it during games. Imagine if Iowa had a top 40 offense, that takes pressure off the Defense (gives them time to breathe in between series). If stats don't count for anything, then tell us why the top 10-15 teams are also leading in most of the statistical categories?

Total defense for 2022, iowa was #2, #6Mich, #10 GA, #13 AL, #14 OSU.

Total offense for 2022 Iowa #123, #5 GA, #9 OSU, #11 AL #24 MI

YOu put IOwa into the top 30 and our chances of winning the BIG and going to the playoffs jumps, exponentially.
Right, if we just get rid of KF we would be Georgia or Alabama, especially if we replace KF with a special teams coach with zero head coaching experience. Slam dunk.

am I doing this right ?
 
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Unfortunately no.
The ticket is modernizing our Offense.
wrong on every level. to be on a Alabama or Georgia level they need to get top 5 level recruits, and getting classes in the past in the 50's, 40's and even the 30's is just not going to get it done.

and no way in hell is changing coaches is going to suddenly change that, the current coaches are already improving recruiting, firing coaches now will only going to set the recruiting back how much and/or for how long.

you and others have to realize coaches have already set up most of the relationships with recruits HS Coaches, kids graduate but the HS coaches very rarely change. I coached at my school for 15 years. the college coach went thru me then to the parents then the kids. the parents are ussualy the hardest especially the father.

mom's were protective of their baby, but in the end the father plays a very big role in how a kid will decide.
 
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Right, if we just get rid of KF we would be Georgia or Alabama, especially if we replace KF with a special teams coach with zero head coaching experience. Slam dunk.

am I doing this right ?
And where did I say to get rid of KF? I was talking his son...
 
I am remembering a certain entity that shall shall not be mentioned that targeted the RB's, the last few years that entity has expanded to other positions. the OL has been hit the hardest

as for the WR's I think 5.5 3* ATH ISM turned out just fine,
5'5 3* Brandon Smith turned out just fine.

5.7 3* Tracey started out fine then for some unknown reason he just lost it.
Iowa has struggled to recruit and retain players at the skill positions for a multitude of reasons, mostly because these players aren't readily available in-state and in neighboring states compared to the blue bloods of the world. The impact of attrition will hit us harder than those schools and it snowballed on us in recent years. ISM was our best NFL WR prospect in a decade but we haven't been successful in recruiting of that type of player consistently for a variety of reasons. Smith was good when healthy but his ceiling is as an NFL practice squad guy. Tracy benefitted from playing with guys like ISM that gave him space. He lacked the size/speed to be a gamebreaker on his own.

I think the staff realized that they need to tweak things when it comes to recruiting that side of the ball and it's reflected in the 2024 class and portal acquisitions so far. We've lacked speed on the edge more often than not during KF's tenure and that has magnified our youth or weaknesses at other positions, especially the OL.


Kirk just will run up the score. once he gets a lead he lets the defense hold the lead to win the game. it doesn't matter under Norm or under Phil.

they do not have issues finding WR/ATH. nor do they have issues with developing these players.

some times it is easier to develop Defensive players than it is Offensive players.

there is less to learn on defense than there is on offense, I have said this before with defense it is like this [see the ball go get the ball] go sic em. maybe a over simplification but it is pretty damn close.

Way over simplified, but sure, given our demographics and player development, it's been an easier road to install stout defenses but our biggest issue on the offensive side of the ball has been attrition. We've been young/undeveloped up front for 2-3 years now due to injuries and transfers. OL is where it all starts and if you look at the past 4-5 recruiting classes, a number of those players haven't panned out, had career ending injuries, early NFL draft entry or transferred out.

OL Losses:
Endres (quit football)
Miller (injury)
Volk (transferred to UNI)
Britt (injury)
Ince (injury)
Jenkins (quit football)
Fenske (transferred)
Kallenberger (quit football)
Davidkov (injury)
Linderbaum (early NFL draft entry)


The same goes for the WR position and I highly doubt play calling has had the impact that attrition and QB play has. A lot of the BF hate stems from groupthink and emotional hysteria fed by social media. The past couple years have been a perfect storm of attrition at key positions and being forced to play younger players before they're physically ready. Despite some of our players leaving early for the draft, we're a developmental program to the core. Fans often show their ignorance during times like these.
 
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Brian Ferentz is one of the brightest minds in the game of football today.
he's been successful at every thing he has done.
which includes his time on the team as an Offensive Lineman from 2001-2005

he is 40 years old now and just hitting his prime.

the same people that hate the Ferentz' ... hate the McCaffery's

and they that hate them, hate the Iowa Hawkeyes.

the really strange thing about this hate is..
these haters have positioned themselves to now root against the team they pretend to support.
The Brian Ferentz offense is 7-1, scoring 31 ppg against little debbie. 😆 🤣 😂 😹
 
Yes it is patently untrue that he won’t change. He’s done it many times before many, many times… I will grant there are some things he’s probably never going to do and that is play musical quarterbacks and he is also a little slow but I think that’s because he’s very calculated and he’s not gonna just throw darts!
It's certainly easy for us to second guess but that's all we are doing is guessing. Rutgers played musical qbs last season and definitely like our 8 win season better.
 
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