End of the Kirk Ferentz Era Too?

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RememberMurray said:
Ferentz will be in the Hall of Fame. Book it.

Iowa is conservative, run-oriented and physical. Anyone who watches them can see that. The fact that their offense doesn't post big numbers doesn't change that. They don't expect big numbers. That's what it means to be conservative on offense.

No one, including myself, would ever claim that they're a great offense. What they are is: conservative, run-first, physical.
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Iowa has been bottom 4 in yards per rush in the B1G for three straight years. They are a bad balanced offense that benefits from defense and special teams. If they don't get takeaways or big special teams plays, they lose.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Iowa has been bottom 4 in rushing in the B1G for three straight years. They are a bad balanced offense that benefits from defense and special teams. If they don't get takeaways or big special teams plays, they lose.
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The discussion I was involved in wasn't about whether they are good or bad on offense.

It was about whether or not they are a conservative, run-first, physical offense. Whether or not that's their identity.

Whether they end up top 4, bottom 4 or wherever in the rankings has nothing to do with what they are.

Also the fact that they often win in spite of their offense doesn't change the obvious: they are conservative, they are run-first and they are physical.

The nature, philosophy and identity of their offense is not the same thing as the quality of their offense.
 

RememberMurray said:
I really, really doubt if Kirk Ferentz is resisting NIL too strongly. In fact, it sounds as though he and Iowa have "adapted" just fine...
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I'm not suggesting that Kirk is resisting NIL.

my point is more that he's 68 - he's always done things a certain way - and now if he wants to land top talent, he can't do it without making sure that someone is paying that talent. It's just one more thing heaped on a head coach's plate - along with recruiting the portal and trying to keep his own players from leaving via the portal.

that might be fine for a younger man, but for someone of Kirk's age and stature, at some point you get the straw that breaks the camel's back. and he turns into Roger Murtaugh from "Lethal Weapon" and says "I'm too old for this sh*t!"

add all of that to the grief his son has taken, and now his son being forced out by the suits upstairs, and you have to think Ferentz is looking in the mirror and asking "why in the bleep am I doing this?"
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I'm not suggesting that Kirk is resisting NIL.

my point is more that he's 68 - he's always done things a certain way - and now if he wants to land top talent, he can't do it without making sure that someone is paying that talent. It's just one more thing heaped on a head coach's plate - along with recruiting the portal and trying to keep his own players from leaving via the portal.

that might be fine for a younger man, but for someone of Kirk's age and stature, at some point you get the straw that breaks the camel's back. and he turns into Roger Murtaugh from "Lethal Weapon" and says "I'm too old for this sh*t!"

add all of that to the grief his son has taken, and now his son being forced out by the suits upstairs, and you have to think Ferentz is looking in the mirror and asking "why in the bleep am I doing this?"
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I agree with the general gist of what you said; I would be shocked if he wasn't seriously considering walking away.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
$20 million buyout after 2023 season. $8 million after 2024.
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o_O The guy gets paid $5 million a year to maybe win one Big Ten game. Must be nice. (Hopefully, that one win is this week for the Hoosiers.)
 
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GoForGold said:
o_O The guy gets paid $5 million a year to maybe win one Big Ten game. Must be nice. (Hopefully, that one win is this week for the Hoosiers.)
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The East is tough. But he’s not a good coach.
 



swede2 said:
Is it for certain that Brain Ferentz is out the door completely at Iowa? Or could he remain on staff in side capacity?
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This is why they worded things the way they did. Leaves the door open for them
to walk this back almost entirely. Maybe he’ll be the OL/AHC.
 





2nd Degree Gopher said:
It will be really interesting to see what happens.

Did the University really empower an interim AD make the decision to part ways with BF, knowing that KF was opposed?

Does this mean that she's getting the permanent job, allowing her to reclaim some of the power that the prior AD ceded to KF? Or did they have her pull the trigger so that the new AD didn't have to do it and immediately create conflict with KF?

Did it happen this way in spite of KF's objections, risking his ire? Or was it in part because of those objections hoping to provide the impetus to get him to walk out the door without having to fire him?
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He has fallen short of the 25-point scoring average contract.
 




Low-hanging fruits in the Big Ten are prime for picking with the addition from the PAC 12. I wonder how the Gophers are going to adapt and adjust.
 

hungan1 said:
He has fallen short of the 25-point scoring average contract.
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No, he hasn't. He is far off the pace and will almost certainly fail to meet it, but as long as there are still games to play, he still could reach the benchmark. If he does, he'll have whatever rights he has under his contract for meeting that objective. I haven't seen his contract, so I don't know what those might be, but, for example, if the contract says that he gets a $50,000 bonus for reaching 325 points, he's still entitled to that bonus at the end of the year if he gets there.
 


I actually do see where Kirk is coming from, he's been on the job for 25 years, outside mettling is uncalled for when you see his track record. Iowa is still firmly in the conversation every year. The Big Ten has gotten incredibly defense oriented over the last 5-10 years, it's not like he's got the only team not scoring a bunch of points.

The problem with hiring family, especially in a (overpaid) role at a public institution, is that the scrutiny is going to be far more intense.

At this point in his career, he might not want to start over with a new staff, a realigned conference and nothing to gain while risking his strong legacy.

He can start Ferentz & Sons Investments, LLC with all of his earnings and stack the board with his progeny.
 

Dakota2 said:
He's being pushed out. This is not about Brian Ferentz.
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I tend to think this is the case too. Kirk isn't going to walk away from $40M but I wouldn't be surprised if he negotiates a retirement where he gets $1M a year over the next 20 to be a "consultant" and maybe an additional $5M gets sent to the Children's Hospital by the University in his name.
 



Some guy said:
I predict he will hold out for a better job than iowa
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I don't see a coach jumping at the Iowa job until the AD position is solidified. I think the Iowa president just needs to come out with some sort of statement on nepotism going forward and allow Kirk to coach out his contract as he desires.
 


RememberMurray said:
they are conservative, they are run-first and they are physical.
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This has been an interesting conversation to follow. I'm just curious about one thing. What make an offense "physical"? Against the Gophers there was no doubt as to which team was pushing the other team around when Iowa had the ball. Iowa is 100th out of 133 in yards per rush.
 

Maybe Kirk was in on the BF removal so he could save face within his family.
Maybe it’s all an elaborate ruse for Kirk to exit iwoa football so they can save face.
 

NateDawgUM said:
I actually do see where Kirk is coming from, he's been on the job for 25 years, outside mettling is uncalled for when you see his track record. Iowa is still firmly in the conversation every year. The Big Ten has gotten incredibly defense oriented over the last 5-10 years, it's not like he's got the only team not scoring a bunch of points.

The problem with hiring family, especially in a (overpaid) role at a public institution, is that the scrutiny is going to be far more intense.

At this point in his career, he might not want to start over with a new staff, a realigned conference and nothing to gain while risking his strong legacy.

He can start Ferentz & Sons Investments, LLC with all of his earnings and stack the board with his progeny.
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Ferentz has no place to come from, no point to make. Coaching at a public university you do not hire your son for anything, let alone a coordinator position. You do not hire your son-in-law for any job in the program.

To say Brian did not report to the head coach is absurd. As a practical matter he did, every working minute of the day.

No matter how good a coach Kirk has been the University could not continue to allow this abuse of power.
 

mngolf said:
Saw a video yesterday saying klieman is quoted as retirement at conclusion of current contract.
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Yeah, he’ll probably retire in 2030.
It isn’t going to be at K-State though.
 


MaxyJR1 said:
I don't see a coach jumping at the Iowa job until the AD position is solidified. I think the Iowa president just needs to come out with some sort of statement on nepotism going forward and allow Kirk to coach out his contract as he desires.
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Common sense goes out the window when coaches get a chance for a big contract and massive buyouts. No shortage of guys ready to jump to Iowa City.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
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So.... interesting, eh?

Was this a message to Hawkeye Nation, or was it really a shot across the bow intended for Ferentz's superiors?

He might be telling them, "Screw you. You think you can push me out? Guess again; I have a contract. If you want to get rid of me, you'll have to fire me... and then write me big checks in my retirement."
 

HopHead said:
This has been an interesting conversation to follow. I'm just curious about one thing. What make an offense "physical"? Against the Gophers there was no doubt as to which team was pushing the other team around when Iowa had the ball. Iowa is 100th out of 133 in yards per rush.
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See Post #92 in this thread.
 

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