Season on the Brink
Four games into the 2012 Iowa football season, the Hawkeyes find themselves in a precarious position.
While many expected growing pains this year, few in any felt Iowa would be 2-2 after four games yet that is the reality they face.
Central Michigan beat Iowa 32-31 this week in a game I thought was a lock. I couldn’t find any prognosticator in the country who picked Iowa to lose this game. Not one, and I know where to look. Iowa was a double-digit favorite in this game and lost, something we’ve seen a few too many times.
Mark Weisman turned in one of Top Eight rushing performances in Iowa history, his 27 carry, 217 yard and three touchdown affair. That’s exactly eight yards per carry.
Iowa has now lost a game in each of the last two seasons where it had a running back run for at least 217 yards. That almost never happens, yet its happened to Iowa twice in its last 10 or 11 games.
The offense put up 430 yards in this game but was still misfired at times when it was set up on a short porch; they ran just 53 plays. CMU scored 32 points but there were three possessions where they got three instead of seven when they had marched the ball into the Iowa redzone or started there after a turnover.
Iowa was also very undisciplined today, getting flagged nine times for 106 yards. Some of those were simply bad calls. However, do you really need a cleanly officiated game to beat Central Michigan at home? If you do, it still points to larger issues.
This team has them and they isn’t a game remaining on the schedule that you feel good about. It almost feels like the 2007 season, but worse in this way; four games into that season, people were still somewhat optimistic. You are going to have to look high and low to find an optimist right about now. That 2007 team lost to Western Michigan in the regular season finale, so the only consolation in that loss is that the season was over. This team has eight more games remaining and while they can still improve, you feel the odds of even a .500 season are starting to look long. Given how favorable this year’s schedule was, that’s not a good thing.
I don’t get angry over the outcome of sporting events the way I did when I was a teen or an immature twenty-something. Some folks are angry right now, I’d say I am disappointed.
Yet when I look back at what I thought about this Iowa defense all spring and summer and juxtapose that against my preseason prediction, I wonder what happened to that pragmatist. I think many of us fall prey to greater optimism as the season comes closer, but wow.
Still, I feel this team could very easily be an ugly 4-0 which would look a lot better than an ugly 2-2. Iowa State is the better football team, that’s not what I am saying. The offensive line has flat out done work the last two weeks and were once again opening up huge holes for Mark Weisman today, and they get a loss to show for it. They deserved better, to be sure.
The wheels feel like they are coming off the Hawkeye train just four games into the season and you might have to go back a long way, maybe to 2000, to find a time where a) that was the case and b) the confidence of the fan base was this low. This team didn’t have lofty expectations and wasn’t coming off a 10-win season the way it was in 2002 when that team began 2-2. That team never lost another game but it had the talent to do that. It would appear that this team does not.
A few weeks ago, my friend Rob Howe wrote about a feeling of apathy related to the 2012 Iowa football season. If he wasn’t right then, I believe he’s about to be.
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Would it hurt to give Ruddock a chance and see what this kid can do? Season seems to be lost and we got him for another 4 years! Experience never hurts a young player to develop.
I’ve heard chatter that CJ Beathurd will beat out Sokol and Ruddock. This chatter could be wrong but with another loss I would agree with you experience is key to development.
You guys should know better than to think that KF is going to work for the future. Their is no way he is benching JVB.
This holds true all the way back to 2001 when he wouldn’t put McCann’s rump on the bench for what everyone else knew was a better chance to win in Brad Banks. It’s not the same since we haven’t seen Rudock or whoever is #2. But in 2001 Brad Banks was our best qb and if I recall did ok in 2002.
Once again…this coaching staff can’t hold onto a lead. Awful, awful special teams. This will be a long season.
Time for Kirk to go. The game has passed him by. He needs to go back to being an O line coach somewhere. He is not a good head coach. Period.
I don’t know how old you are. I’m old enough to remember Bob Bowlsby running off Tm Davis.. It’s been a tough, tough period since then. Not only would we owe Kirk $2.6 million a year through 2020, but one would really need to ask who we’d get?
Can’t see a game on the remaining schedue that I would consider them a favorite. To lose against Central Michigan at home in a game where you had a 200 yard rusher is pathetic. When does basketball season start?
Your point on the 200 yard rushing is startling. The Minnesota game was bad enough, BUT if I’m going to be generous about it for Iowa, that was on the road against a conference rival. To lose to a MAC team, at home, four games into the year with a senior QB, and a guy who rushed for over 200 yards is inconceivable and outright frightening, I have no idea where this program is headed but there is something seriously disturbing going on behind the scenes.
I’ts time for changes!! I am a patient person, but enough is enough! Vandenburg is not getting the job done! The defense needs a leader! I am not disappointed as I did not expect much this year. but I want to see something different. We are not the bully’s of the Big Ten – we are the little sisters! Tricks, gadget plays, anything – what the heck do we have to loose?
Disgraceful.
Back to 1999 stature … Let me off
1999 2000 flashbacks. Norm. Help us!
Luckily the bball team seems to be on the rise or it would be a real long year
I like the local Iowa kids that have become Hawkeyes and are starting for the Hawks. Guys like Vandenburg, Morris and Miller are all fine young men but they are not nationally recruited blue chip football players. Until Ferentz gets kids that are also being recruited heavily by Notre Dame, Florida, USC, Texas etc. he will never get Iowa’s football program where it needs to be. In my humble opinion I think Iowa’s talent is mostly mediocre. They simply do not hhave the studs to beat Michigan, Ohio State, Mich. St. and Nebraska year in and year out. They have kids who will get you 6 or 7 wins. Recruit better talent and the wins will follow.
that’s not true because we had as much talent as anybody from 2008-2011 in the big ten.the problem with iowa is the same as always.Ferentz is a terrible in game coach.he plays to not lose.#1 example is not going for win at Ohio State in Vandy’s first start.you had nothing to lose ,and still couldn’t nut up and go for win.it’s always been a problem ,but has been covered up with some lucky wins.it’s the same every year it’s just a matter of how lucky we get.i say make your own luck and play to win,but thats not his style.
I see your point and do somewhat agree. However, outstanding talent usually trumps bad coaching. I think if Iowa had athletic, speedy players on the field they would win the games that the bad coaching usually loses. I know it’s hard to get some of those SEC type players out of the south but if Iowa fields a team with local Iowa boys at skill positions or at positions other than defensive and offensive line then these types of losses will continue.
On another note, there’s no reason why a big time University can’t pony up the dough to can a head coach. If Iowa continues to keep Ferentz until his contract runs out then they deserve everything they get. Time to let the man go.
Wow to say Iowa could be 4-0 is absolutely delusional. Yeah they could be but they are a heck of a lot closer (realistically) to being 0-4. Get real – this is a bad team no other way to characterize it. In corporate america the CEO that makes this kind of money and garners this kind of performance (there is plenty of historical data that says this is not a near term thing) gets canned not two ways about it.
I have never been an advocate for firing Ferentz. That said, I sure as hell can’t defend it anymore.
To quote the classic song “It’s the same ol’ song…”
I live on the west coast. I watch Boise State often, amongst other teams. Boise is not from a highly populated state, a warm climate, or a major conference. But they recruit well, the develop their players, they coach them up, they play the best ones, they substitute and platoon some, they have creative coaches and game plans. Heck they even make adjustments during the game! Is any of that beyond our coaching staff?? Because it would certainly seem so.
If this gross incompetent happened in the military there would be a court martial, if it happened in a business there would be pay cuts and heads rolling. What will happen with our team? Will the fans, the media, and the AD even bother to bring it up? Its either the players or the coaches….or some of both. CJ is correct, lets give Ruddock some playing time, I am sure there are many deserving of some playing time during the games.
Jon went on and on on soundoff about how much it would cost to fire Ferentz.
My question is how much will it cost to NOT put some pressure on him now? The fan base? If it gets bad this year, Kinnick will NOT sell out next year, and I know I won’t be writing my usual 4 figure check to the U.
Just how bad will it need to get before anything is done?
I hear you. I was listening to that garbage as well. I’m sick of losing games like this one. YEAR after YEAR!
After the last field goal, I immediately thought of my parents and the two other couples they have tickets with. I felt bad knowing they were at the game today. I wonder how much more they’re willing to put up with. The last three football seasons at home have been miserable. One rivalry game won in 2010 and none since. 2006 and 2007 were pretty rough for season ticket holders as well.
These fans deserve better. Though I would love it if Kinnick sold out every game, I can’t blame anyone for jumping ship on season tickets after this season. There are a lot of angry Iowa fans right now, but if the downward spiral continues that anger will only turn to ambivalence.
We’re into another situation like we were a few years ago. We have a division ll caliber quarterback “in over his head” at the division l level. Time to see what else (if anything) we have available. Hope it doesn’t take a near rebellion in the stands to force a change like it did when Ricky Stanzi was finally given an chance to play.
As a lifelong hawkeye fan, I do not expect to win 10 games every year. I enjoy the good seasons as much as I can, and hope for being competitive and to watch the team improve in between. What I do expect though, is to see a team that plays hard and disciplined, regardless of their talent level…..that is what being from Iowa is about.
Undisciplined, selfish, jack*** plays that cost us games is unacceptable. Fix it Kirk, now. If I want to see that *$#@ I will go become a Gators fan.
What really caused my disappointment in today’s game was the way the defense played. Further, I think the defense has been questionable all season. Mayber Coach F needs to take another look at the position that P Parker fills. If memory serves me correctly, there weren’t too many Hawk fans pleased with the selection of P Parker to lead the defense and it appears that could definitely be a good place to start placing some of the blame for the horrendous playing we fans have had to endure in this 2-2 season. If Coach F decides his coaches are doing a fine job, then maybe the AD needs to start looking for a head coach too. Sometimes being “bullheaded” isn’t the best attitude to display. Go Hawks!
Umm, our Defense I would argue is the ONLY reason we are not 0-4
I agree with ryebread. The defense has been pretty good in the first 4 games with P Parker making some nice adjustments throughout the game, primarily some great halftime adjustments. Gave up just 17 points to Northern Illinois, gave up just 9 points to ISU (only 3 pts in 2nd half), only gave up 16 pts to UNI. The real problem is inconsistent offense which starts with the QB. Vandenberg is not seeing the whole field, still doesn’t recognize where blitzes are coming from as a 5th year senior, and his mechanics are getting worse. You see missed opportunities with open receivers and balls in thrown in the dirt (aka Jake Christainsen). That is on the QB. 1 out of 8 for 3rd down conversions when we have 430 yds total offense, and have a guy that avgd 8 yds per carry? Defense was on the field nearly 2/3 of this game.
nail on the head, mdjd
It sure isn’t the offense! Or special teams, or preparation, or out coaching the other team. Its like Lickliter is coaching with Christenson at quarterback. I loved Fry, but at the end he had poor assistant coaches, no recruiting, and always played the more senior players because they had put in the time and effort. I rejoiced when Ferentz came in and said we will have tryouts and competition, some players left, but for awhile we had the best available on the field.
Does anybody pay attention to Regina football? A bunch of Hawkeyes coaching. having fun, letting their players have fun. I bet they are in the phone book.
Ferentz isn’t winning the recruiting battle anymore. Just look at the athletes up in Ames. Superior to Iowas.
A die-hard Hawk fan I know said something very interesting to me after losing to the Clones at Kinnick..
“You know, here’s why I respect Coach Rhodes. He could get his players to eat barbed wire for him. Coach Ferentz? Yeah, not so much.”
What has happened to this football program???
Go State!
The last comment about this season being flat…..seems the team is flat but so are the fans. Kinnick just doesn’t seem to have the excitment as in years past. Wonder if the players feel that loss of energy that isn’t coming from the fan base.
Has iowa every recovered an onside kick under coach Kirk? I can think of four we lost, but none we have recovered. Anyone?
Marvin got atleast 2 last year.
The only way they will fire Ferentz is if there are empty seats in Kinnick. So put your money where your mouth is. Don’t buy tickets. Don’t go to the games. While you make your point, I can go to the game without having to sit in front of you and listen to you whine about every play call, insult the coaches, use more swear words than I even know existed and berate a bunch of young adults who put a lot more into being a Hawkeye than you ever will. Seems like a win-win to me.
For everyones information, and maily for those that want to get rid of Kirk. Iowa is one of the top 25 teams in the nation since 2000 in win and loss record no matter how it is figured. By one account we are as high as 18. Look it up if you don’t beleive it. Out of all the D1 schools I consider tha damn good considering it is Iowa. If you guys can recruit all these kids you think will come here why don’t you apply for the job. It ain’t gonna happen even if Jesus Christ is the coach.
great CEO and spokesman for Iowa—staff are really bad game coaches. Why are our WR’s always covered and their WR’s have no one within ten feet most of the time? We are going to see those running back wheel routes all season long as they are good for at least 5 yards a pop every time. Why can NW put in a third string QB and beat us–and our QB’s have to play a year before they act like they know what they are doing—and each year in the program they get worse?
Yeah Marvin m. Recovered 2 onside kicks 2011.