Husker70, You're So Right!
The move off campus to the Metrodome has been cussed, discussed, cussed, discussed repeatedly. Without a doubt, the move cost the Gopher program dearly.
That said, the firing of Cal Stoll (1978) was also a major, major mistake. He was a tremendous recruiter, had some great staffs and his teams were for the most part very competitive. When Joe Salem was hired, Iowa turned their program around with Hayden Fry. (Both were hired at the same time.) Salem defeated Fry's teams 1979-81 primarily with Stoll's recruits. The big advantage that Fry had, however, was the support of the school's administration. Iowa immediately started taking steps to improve Fry's chances of success in Hawkeyeland. Warmath, Stoll, and Salem did not have the facilities to attract recruits. As an example, film sessions were reportedly conducted on hallway walls. Things improved, of course, when Holtz was hired and the indoor practice facility was constructed.
In fairness to Salem and his successors, they never really had a chance to succeed since they didn't have the full support of the school's administration. It's pretty hard to compete with the other Big 10 schools without the support of the administration and your facilities and tools for success are woefully behind your opponents.
That's my take . . .
Go Gophers!!