I have never been so glad a season was over………………

Chad

On another note these commenst show a team in denial. We will be better next year, honestly!!

Chad

Why? There are a million reasons, but perhaps it boils down to this: Iowa lost its momentum, got of synch, and never recovered when the coaching decision was made to keep the starters in but to lay down in the second half after building a 30-0 halftime advantage of Michigan State.

Confidence and momentum can be fragile, and the coaching staff fumbled them both away in that second half. Prior to that, Iowa had been averaging over 30 points a game. After that, they never scored more than 18 until Saturday, and 24 still wasn’t enough.

Change five plays and Iowa is 12-0 and, frankly, I can’t think of any really good reason why they’re not.

But, as they say, it is what it is…a stinker of a season. And what’s worse, perhaps, is that it’s not over yet. I can’t imagine many teams in the country who have less enthusiasm for a bowl game than Iowa. I’m pretty sure the fans wish the season would just end here, too. Alas, the Hawkeyes must play in a bowl game somewhere, a fact that must seem more like punishment than reward — especially when you remember that MSU game…

I’m guessing there’s some things we don’t know about this team that may never see the light of day. Morale things. I found it odd, for example, that KF was punishing DJK right up to the last game of his senior year. Is that really the best approach? Or, in a better world, is something worked out, an understanding reached. A small thing, for sure, but this is a team that lacks cohesiveness and a sense of fun. It surely will be one of the mysteries of Hawkeye football. This loss will be remembered a long time, sadly.

The football players were not mentally prepared to compete. They lack passion and enthusiasm, because the head coach is uninspiring and stoic. Technically, they are well coached, mentally they are not focused on the task. It starts at the top!

Please let me start by saying that I understand that we’re dealing with kids. Many 18-20 year olds are working at Fareway or smoking pot in their parents basement (some 40 year olds are too). These guys, on the other hand, are asked, for example, to block the JJ Watts’ of the world or tackle any one of those amazing Wisconsin running backs. I get that, and have tried very hard to never, ever be overly critical of any one player because I know he did his best and sometimes that’s just not enough. HOWEVER, I think what we’re talking about here are system issues, fundamental issues, etc…, that fall on coaches that are very experienced and very well paid to provide these “kids” with the knowledge of how to handle particular situations and, if you get burned once, you learn from it. Our football team looks, right now, like it’s starring in the movie “Ground Hogs Day”. Bend but don’t break defense continues to break, players seem out-conditioned by the other team game after game, we can’t, or seem unwilling, to put any heat on the opposing QB, even when it matters the most, etc… Same stuff, over and over. And, add the fact that I feel that we are EXTREMELY predictable ourselves and you set yourself up for times like this. I am a big fan of Ferentz as a person but I feel that he is, at times, loyal to a fault and this season should, hopefully, provide a wake-up call that the rest of the conference (and college football as a whole) continues to evolve and get better and we need to adjust as well. I am not saying, nor do I think I’d ever say that Ferentz should be fired, but I think losses like the one we had yesterday are unacceptable and we can’t stick our heads in the sand and pretend these last five weeks or so (should have lost to Indiana) didn’t happen. I’m not jumping ship and will proudly wear my black and gold but at the same time recognize that this football program is geared (salaries, facilities, ticket prices, etc…) to be at an elite status, and 7-5 regular seasons, sub-par bowl games and losing to the Minnesota’s world can’t support that long term. I don’t think this is a long term issue, and I do feel we’ll get it corrected. I pray we do.

Great post Dwight!! Exactly where I was headed. I think that Ferentz saying all these “external expectations” was a joke. You know if people wanna pay $3.2 million or so to see these results until 2020 (which is the extension he just signed I believe), then please develop a new gameplan or get new coaches. Becasue they know EXACTLY what we’re gonna do, and then we get to watch.

I refuse to pay for tickets anymore that are just, as if not more, overpriced than our team was overhyped this year.

Sash made comment that he didn’t they came out flat. Watch the first MN series, I believe. Their Rb laid out Sash on a run. Knocked him back. To me, that’s flat

Dwight, you make excellent observations. As a season ticket holder I will reevaluate as to whether I will buy tickets again next season. I am not a fair weather fan, but I do have an expectation that if a coaching staff is going to be well compensated, then they need to produce. It is no different than the corporate world. I am not saying Ferentz needs to go but he needs to reevaluate his coaching staff and his expectations for them. The results of this season are not acceptable in light of the money being paid to the athletic staff. And that goes all the way up to Mr. Barta.