 Marc MorehouseHi, I'm Marc Morehouse. I've covered sports for more than 15 years, mostly in Eastern Iowa. I've had Hayden Fry [...] |
|
Email the author
Purdue 27, Iowa 24: Lunar moons and ‘dog crap’
Hawkeyes go for it on 4th down, but the Boilermakers go get it (now w/ Ferentz video)
IOWA CITY — Iowa’s last punch Saturday was a 1-yard completion to the No. 2 tight end on a fourth-and-3 play.
That was how Iowa chose to go out in a 27-24 defeat to Purdue. Quarterback James Vandenberg completed a 1-yard out route to tight end Zach Derby on fourth-and-3. The Boilermakers took it from there.
Quarterback Robert Marve, on one good ACL, scrambled for 17 yards. He then completed a 20-yard pass to wide receiver Antavain Edison to move the ball to Iowa’s 29. After a timeout and with 5 seconds left on the Kinnick Stadium clock, Paul Griggs booted a 46-yard field goal to lift the Boilermakers (4-6, 1-5 Big Ten) on the game’s final play.
“It’s feels like you got kicked in the gut, for lack of being able to use a better term,” defensive lineman Steve Bigach said.
Behind Marve, who suffered a torn ACL in week 2 and completed 25 of 33 for 266 yards and two TDs against Iowa, the Boilers won at Kinnick for the first time since 1992, a span of six games. Purdue also didn’t have offensive coordinator Gary Nord, who was in a West Lafayette, Ind., hospital with a back injury.
Let’s not even talk bowl for the Hawkeyes (4-6, 2-4), who’ve hit their first four-game losing streak since 2007.
Right out of the gates, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz was asked how he was outcoached and why. He pointed to a first half where Purdue, which stopped a five-game losing streak of its own, took the fight to Iowa.
“They were more ready to play emotionally, more ready to play cleaner, more fundamentally sound,” he said. “You can say it’s this, it’s that, lunar moon, whatever . . . but that’s coaching. And that’s me. Coaching starts with me.”
He referenced victories over Minnesota and Michigan State on a day when his team was outgained 490 to 264, lost with a turnover margin of plus-3 in front of sellout crowd of 70,585 and spit back 10 Purdue penalties for 100 yards.
“It’s not like this has been a dog crap team,” Ferentz said. “You want to paint that picture, I’m not buying that.”
It became a portrait of someone in a news conference trying to say nothing. The bullet points were gone and it got testy and pointless.
There was some other stuff about connecting dots and how the offense, which averaged less than 4 yards a play for the fourth game this season, has kicked into reverse. And then another reference to the competent Iowa that beat Minnesota and Michigan State.
He went back to the first half, which saw Iowa trail by just 14-7.
“We’ve had our chances to win the last couple of weeks, but we weren’t there,” he said. “Today, we didn’t give ourselves a chance. I’ll sign on that one. I’ll sign on that one.”
OK, the first half was bad. Let’s go back to Iowa’s last punch in this. One-yard completion, No. 2 tight end, fourth-and-3.
That wasn’t everything. Purdue still moved the ball and Iowa wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley still dropped a 6-yard TD pass that would have given the Hawkeyes a 28-24 lead with about four minutes left in the game.
“I dropped a touchdown pass, put that on me,” Martin-Manley said. “I have to fix things personally, we have to fix things as a team. It was completely my fault.”
The fourth-and-3 set up at Purdue’s 35 with 21 seconds left. Ferentz crossed off kicker Mike Meyer, who earlier in the fourth quarter tied the game 24-24 with a 24-yard field goal, as an option. It would’ve been a 52-yard field goal into an 18-mph wind.
So, fourth-and-3, here we go: Martin-Manley and tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz, who caught his first TD pass of the season in the third quarter, ran hitch routes. Derby ran a quick out in the flat. He said that was his called route for the play.
Vandenberg said he interpreted the call go to the tight end (or fullback, which really was Derby’s position Saturday) in the flat. It was something they practiced all week. Purdue blitzed and had man-to-man coverage on the three receivers. Vandenberg said he thought the call was made to catch 3 yards on free safety Taylor Richards to his outside.
“We worked that several times this week,” said Vandenberg, who finished 19 of 36 for 190 yards and a TD. “That’s kind of how I understand us running it. The guys in the box were out of the box [around the line of scrimmage], so it’s just a race. I’m sure I’m going to see there was a shoulder for someone else [another receiver open], but that’s how I interpreted the call, that’s how we worked on it.”
Fiedorowicz looked to be open. That’s probably what Vandenberg referred to.
“Coverage dictates where the ball goes,” Ferentz said. “That’s usually how the passing game works.”
Usually that’s how it works, though who can tell with the Hawkeyes at this point.
The talking points have run out. Ferentz ended the day with references to a “lunar moon” and a “dog crap team.”
That is usually how it works for 4-6 teams.
Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Taylor Richards (4) and cornerback Ricardo Allen (21) celebrate after stopping Iowa Hawkeyes tight end Zach Derby (85) short of the first down on fourth and three late in the fourth quarter of their college football game Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. (Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG)
-u20042.png?1366232523)
KF says they were more ready. How can you not be more ready than the worst team in the conference, oh wait you are the worst team. How can you not try another QB? This win mode all in with Vandenberg that KF said last week just goes to show he has no clue about what to do as a coach, he has lost whatever he had in the past as far as coaching. Don’t give me that jive we have injuries, everyone has injuries. Anyone who watches the Hawks knows that you can’t throw 1 yard when you need 3, you go on 4th and 4 earlier in the game when last week on 4th and inches you punt inside the foes 40. KF you have totally lost touch with big time football. Sorry but something has to change with the Iowa Football program and as even KF says it starts with coaching and he is the coach. I know some won’t like my comments but face the facts the coach has no desire to win
When your argument includes saying that the coach or player has no desire to win, your argument isn’t good.
The thing that chaps my hide the most is not running routes past the first down marker on 4th. Talk about not playing the percentages.
The frustration we as fans I’m sure is felt by Ferentz as well if not more. The difference? The fans have no direct control over anything here. Another reason i sometimes wonder why i play fantasy football. LOL. I see some talent here and there but just not enough.
The problem is we do have some control. Unitl we stop filling the stadium the powers that be have no reason to kick KF to the curb. That is never going to happpen. Until his kids are gone he will stay no metter what, for $5 mill a season why not……I would. He will leave in 5 or so years and the cupbords will be totally empty……..wait they are right now so we (iowa people not being payed 5 mill a season) are effed either way…..sometimes its not good to be a hawkeye
At least we didn’t hire Bob Stoops. Then we’d all be spoiled into expecting BCS games every year
Arguably the most talented team that Ferentz had outside of 2002 was the Stanzi-Clayborn-Ballard crew with some Angerer and Edds sprinkled in. From the years that those fellas were on campus, they were very good to outstanding for the second half of 2008 (with that Greene guy toting the rock) and the 2009 season. 2010 was an absolute mess punctuated with special teams’ multiple brainless blunders (with a good side of poor preparation/coaching) and complete collapses on offense and defense (180 degree difference from 2009 defensively – and the offense has NEVER carried its weight close to adequately outside of 2002) in which no lead was ever safe and no offensive drive more predictable.
So for all of the development talk we hear at nauseating levels for most of the past 8 years, there’s really not a whole lot to show for it in wins = you know, where it really counts. Argue all you want about how KF is the only guy who could ever win 6-8 games a year at Iowa, but his philosophy/way/method/etc. just isn’t working out very often anymore. So either the philosophy needs to be modified (fat chance) or the staff does (fatter chance). The best coaches actually adapt – those once-great ones never do. Which is KF?
I do see some talent in the chute but they’re n seasoned enough to help yet. I have noticed the last couple of games more play action and roll out which brings me back to the KOK days which seems to help Vandenberg and the receivers. Not enough to make a difference but the thing that seems toto pain me the most is that it took a whole season to make adjustments. Oh well, time to think about next year.
Mike, you’re on target with the failure to adapt thing. KF seems extremely slow to adapt. The tone and tempo of college football has changed a lot in the last few years. We see this. Doesn’t he?
It seems like KF is talking a lot about personnel and execution lately. Agree that there are issues there, but that’s not all that’s wrong. I hope KF can get this “dog crap” turned around by next year. It’s all on him.
Time and time again I have defended JVB and Iowa. They played like crap (and it pains me to admit it). These short passes are killing us! 4 and 3 and you throw a one yard pass. That is on JVB. Last year he was really good but where is that player? JVB this year is below average at best. He just lost his ability to make the plays….it’s like he’s playing scared like a freshmen. I love JVB and I know it’s not all his fault. The play calling has been AWFUL. We kept running to the left and the destroyed us every time yet we continued running that way. I’m willing to give Davis time to settle in with his game plan but these calls are sometimes horrible. Last year JVB threw it. Short, long, middle of the field, deep, EVERYWHERE! Now he throws either 2 or 3 yards down field or in the flats where our receivers haven’t got the greatest speed. Nobody on our offense is consistent and our D looked great earlier in the year but are now getting pushed all over the place. We are just not that consistent to be competitive in the league this year. I pray we can win 2 more games (but I know that probably won’t happen). I will continue to cheer my heart out for my hawks and will never give up on them. But this year hurts…bad.
I think everyone is to some degree giving jvb a pass. Cjf was wide open on the last play. He flat out doesn’t look at the middle of the field. Teams know this now. His happy feet and unwillingness to stand in the pocket and deliver the ball and take a hit is evident. Another good example was a boot early in the game he short armed a pass to bullock on 3rd down and short. That play would have gone for not only a 1st Down but would have gone for a big big game. He is playing like a guy who knows he is a future dr. And not a future qb. Which good for him, at least he knows where his talents lie.
I really feel sorry for the players who have put in a tremendous number of hours to build up their body, practice to develop their skills, knowledge, etc. and lay it on the line every saturday during the season with little or nothing to show for it. The players effort was obviously lacking once again, although the coaches say the players attitude remains positive week after week.
I hate to keep sounding like a broken record, but the Iowa football teams problems are multiple and obvious to everyone who has watched them play
(or try to play). It is ironic that the the military veterans are being honored on a day when the Iowa football team has finally “crashed” after being in a sharp downward tailspin for most of this season. Now we are in a “search and recovery mode” to see if there are any players (and recruits/verbal commitments for 2013) who will still be with the team next year. I have been a season ticket holder (rarely miss a game) and financial contributor to the University of Iowa and the Iowa athletic department for over 40 years. I have witnessed many ups and downs over these years. But I can’t recall ever watching an Iowa football coaching staff and team that is so disfunctional and out of touch with reality of what needs to change in order for improvements to be made.
1. I think that Kirk Ferentz is a “good coach”, but his coaching philosophy and system needs to change.
2. Recruitment and retention of players needs to improve dramatically.
For example the 2008 and 2009 recruiting classes (this years juniors and seniors) were ranked in the lower level of the Big Ten. And many of those players are no longer with the football program. The team can not be successful with just 2 and 3 star recruits. Not being able to attract at least a few 4 star (and 5 star) recruits at Iowa is a cop-out by the coaching staff.
3. Get rid of Greg Davis as offensive coordinator and hire someone who can IMPLEMENT and ADAPT a system/scheme that will complement the strengths and abilities of the players (talent level) on the team. Greg Davis was fired at Texas for a reason, and it was not due to a lack of talent.
4. The defense philosophy and system/scheme needs to change.
A lot of the problems on defense are talent (lack of) related. Game after game there is no pass rush, and the opposing quarterbacks seem to have career days against Iowa. There are plenty of “holes” in the defense that are recognized and exploited by opposing teams. This has been a problem for many years, but not addressed when the team has winning seasons.
5. Kirk Ferentz continues to say that most of the problems or lack of success rest with the players due to a “lack of execution.” If the players execute what the coaches teach them then the “team” will be successful.
The coaches should be asking themselves WHY are the players not executing? Once they do this and uncover the root causes, then and only then will they be able to make the improvements necessary to have a winning program once again.
This is not about t coordinators, The do what the head man says to do. It all comes from the head coach, and wheher or not you have faith in him to do what is necessary to win. I no longer have faith in Ferentz’s ability to win. I am not alone, either.
So Kirk got some tough questions and it got testy? Well, that’s what happens when you spend year after year basically telling the fan base to shove it if you don’t like it visa vis your stock phrases about how we don’t know football because we’re just the peanut gallery. The KF cliches have worn thin — all that kodak moment crap. Time to face the music big boy.
I’m not a coach so admittedly I’m not considered an expert when it comes to football. But in the post game there was a lot of talk about missed tackles. At the same time there was mention of the players not quitting. Those two things don’t quite jive. I’m not saying the players are quitting, but tackling is a combination of concentration and effort with physicality sprinkled in. I think the effort is there, concentration looks like its starting to be lost and almost every team we have played this year has seemed more physical.
I sense that the players are starting to get frustrated with the offensive gameplan and play calling. On the 4th and 3 it appeared Vandenberg went to the 1 yard pass as his primary option. Bad play call, bad decision. But it wasn’t just that play call. Remember when it was 2nd and goal at the 5. 2nd down pass went to the 4 with no chance to score, 3rd down pass went to the 3 with no chance to score. These didn’t appear to be check downs either. This has been a common theme this year even when we had all of our linemen healthy. And for those Weisman lovers, he wouldn’t have helped in this game because there was nothing inside. Most of the rushing yards were made with Bullock turning the corner outside which Weisman can’t do.
I have been bouncing back and forth all season debating on whether Iowa’s offensive woes are QB, offensive coordinator, or just bad team play all around. Vandy is playing bad but I think he has been poorly coached this year. He played well against OSU as a freshman and played well at times last year, so he had the ability to have a good senior season but bad play calling has severely ham-stringed him. Look what coaching did for the Penn St. QB. I always hear that Iowa is no magnet for talent like Texas, USC, Alabama, etc. and I agree. But is there any reason we can’t have as potent of offenses as Indiana, Nothwestern, Iowas St, and even Boise St for that matter? Half of college coaching is recruiting. If we can’t recruit as well those guys with our facilities and backing, then we have a severe problem.
I still think we will be alright defensively next season if we can find someone to rush the passer. But the offense needs a better plan. A plan that gives our players a chance to score without having to put 10-15 consecutive perfectly executed 5 yard plays in a row. It will be interesting to see if Barta & Ferentz will choose blind loyalty at the expense of 100 players or if they have the guts to make a needed change.
And for those Weisman lovers, he wouldn’t have helped in this game because there was nothing inside. Most of the rushing yards were made with Bullock turning the corner outside which Weisman can’t do.
I beg to differ. If it wasn’t for Weisman we wouldn’t be where we are now. He has the ability to run over people, bring the D Line in to stop the run which gives our QB time. If you remember there have been a couple drives where Weisman did get outside AFTER he went through the line.
Vandenberg has failed to find open receivers, where it’s lack of O Line blocking or he’s to fixed on one primary receiver doesn’t matter. 4 TD’s and almost twice as many INT, something has to give. As far as KF loyalty I agree, there comes a time when you’ve rode a horse to death and it’s time for a new blood. I’m sure all Iowa fans would have liked to have had a better season, but let’s not handicap the future prospect buy not letting them play this year. I’m also sure that if KF makes some drastic changes fans would understand and accept the outcome, rather than watch the same old tried and true failures for the rest of the season.
Jim I’m not knocking Weisman, he is a good player and offers a good change up to Bullock if we can ever get them on the field at the same time. A couple of points here:
1) Recall Bullock was chunking 100 yard games before Weisman came along
2) I agree Weisman had been running over LB’s and DB’s once he broke through the line. I don’t recall him ever running over DT’s at the line of scrimmage. In the Purdue game, and Indiana game for that matter, the 300 pound tackles were clogging up the middle. Weisman would not have ran over them.
3) You made my point for me, yes Weisman gained yards on the outside “after” he broke through the line. That wasn’t going to happen in the Purdue game. Bullock made what yards he got by running around the line.
4) I don’t recall Vandy having any more success when we had Weisman and a running game. Sadly enough the last 2 games may have been his best. Which actually isn’t very good considering both Indiana and Purdue have horrific defenses. But again, I am not attributing this as much to Vandy as I am to the offensive system.
Again, I hope I don’t sound like I am knocking Weisman. I just don’t think he would have made a difference in the last two games.
Chuck you make two great points here: (1) I’ve always heard NFL players/coaches talk about you know when a team has quit when the defense tackles poorly. I even remember clayborn alluding this couple years back when we lost to Minny and he said we just “gave up” or “lost our passion”. Also it is pretty hard to play defense when your offense is this bad. The defense is on the field a lot more and is under a lot more pressure.
(2) I totally agree about the recruiting. There is no (none) excuse for Iowa not to be able to get a dynamic dual threat quarterback or other amazing athletes. Indiana does it every year. Heck look at Northwestern, they have Colter, Siemian, and Mark! Three amazing athletes. I know for a fact Iowa (at least historically) has a way better recruiting brand than Northwestern. Colter came from Colorado. The whole thing about iowa not having a lot of people in the state (i.e., good high school players to pick up) is bogus. Look at the roster of any other big ten team. How many players are actually from that state??
Retention of Davis is not deserved. Anyone who can make us pine for the days of KOK (apparently the most underrated coach in America) should not be resigned.
I’ve pretty much checked out, in part because I don’t think the coach cares whether or not I follow the team, and because the repetitive, predictable nature of our failures is cringe-inducing — its embarrassing, if a thinking person identifies emotionally with the team. And as a grown-up (in theory, not always in practice, thankfully) I don’t enjoy giving time and money to people who express contempt for my interest in the game and the Iowa boys who play it.
But I will say I’ve not seen a Ferentz team tackle as poorly as this one did yesterday in the first half. I have no idea what that’s about. I’ve never seen so many Iowa guys launch themselves like crappy NFL tacklers and not bother to wrap. My suspicion is that there is more dissension between some of the coaches than we realize, and the players (who are playing worse now than at NIU) are losing focus.
On the farms and in the small towns, in the plain and simple taverns in those small towns, across Iowa, people are sensing the enormous gulf between their lives and their coach’s life. They are checking out too. Ferentz emphasizes this gulf in his strangely aggressive “press conferences”. Ferentz is squandering the remarkable good will and love for the team that has accumulated since 1979. Of course, he recently said that if you listen to the crowd, pretty soon you’ll be sitting with the crowd — as though the very experience of being a fan is contemptible. He doesn’t associate himself with the people who sustain the business and pastime of Iowa football. After a career as strong as his has been, and after all of his good fortune at work and at home, one would think he would be a little more self-confident and generous in his public aspect. For a guy who is as successful as he is he’s got a huge chip on his shoulder. He is as defensive as a flailing, losing, angry coach staring at a precipitous dismissal. Yikes.
Years ago, when son #1 was about 3, his mother and he bumped into Hayden Fry before an Iowa practice. She’s a Connecticut WASP, she knew, and knows zilch about football much less Iowa football, and had no idea who Hayden Fry was. Hayden took five minutes to talk to her and my little boy while the athletes were strolling off to practice. Well, she will never forget that. In contrast, Ferentz makes weekly remarks now about how stupid everyone outside the program is before rushing back inside his well-funded bubble. It is his least attractive quality, and he needs to get outside of his bubble and mix a little bit (and I don’t mean on a scripted I-Club tour) with some Iowa humanity. I get it that he’s by nature an introvert, and I don’t believe he is ever rude to anyone, individually. But if he just wants to get paid to work the practice field and sidelines, and ignore the peanut gallery, he needs to go back to the NFL and coach up an offensive line. Even a DIII coach these days needs to enjoy interacting with former players and alumni in order to succeed. Most don’t try to do that by telling everyone how stupid they are.
S-D: I think you nailed it. Especially in regards to our poor tackling. What’s even more shocking/disappointing is the fact that tackling has been getting worse each year for the past few. It first showed up as a problem in 2010, declined last year and is even worse this season. I really don’t understand why, however. Even during the dark times of 2006-2007 our defense was always good about wrapping up and tackling.
I do not and will not ever blame the young men that give their time to the U of Iowa football program.
I do and will blame the lack of success to the coaches. I start with and finish with Coach Davis. Everyone talks about the the 4th and 3 play at the end of the game, and it was a bad call.
I choose to pick a different series of plays that set the tone for the whole game. The first series of the game; 1st down, run, 2 yds., 2nd down, run, 0 yards, 3rd down, pass, incomplete. This type of play calling continued the whole game, until it was panic time. Shouldn’t Iowa throw on a first or second down to mix things up a little bit. Coach Davis is not putting any players into a position to be successful. He is stubborn and my impression is he believes he has all the answers.
I’m KF backer, always have been and always will be. Please KF, don’t give Coach Davis another year to coach the Hawks offense. Our offense needs a change of philosphy. I for one would take KOK back in a second.
Obviously this is a very poor team in all aspects, and I have read a few comments that say we have “hit bottom”. We will see about that, but let’s look at the bigger picture. From 2006-2012 (7 years), we are currently 27-27 in Big Ten play. So if things go to form, we will end the season at 27-29 over the last 7 years in Big Ten play. In that 7 years, we will have finished over .500 twice. So it is fair to say that we have been no more then average for 7 years. Now let’s look at 2 other realities. Our coach has been the 5th highest paid coach in the nation for all 7 of those years. Our current season ticket prices are the 6th highest in the country. There is no question that Iowa fans are not getting our money’s worth. So what now? Because Barta is such a fool, we can’t even consider changing coaches. All I can do is vote with my season ticket purchase, which won’t be forthcoming next year.
Where do you get that figure that Iowa’s season ticket prices are 6th highest in the country? I can’t find anything that says that. I find one chart from Rivals.com that shows Iowa as 6th highest in the Big Ten (as of 2010), and in the last 7 years Iowa has averaged about 6th in the conference standings. So, ticket prices are in line with conference rankings by that measure.
The price rankings come diectly from an ESPN article on the most expensive games in NCAA FBS. Here is the link. It is based on list price for season tickets.
http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/dollars/post/_/id/984/the-most-expensive-college-football-games
Sorry, in my last post I said “list price for season tickets. That is not correct. It should be “the listed price” per game, which to be honest with you, I am not sure how “the listed price” is calculated. Read the ESPN article for clarity.
That’s price based on what people are willing to pay on a secondary market. A high price there is a good sign, it means there’s demand for a product and people are willing to pay more than face value.
Yup – those Nebraska fans are going to be paying top dollar to take over Kinnick in two weeks! Hey, if you can’t beat ‘em on the field = hit them in the pocketbook and make a brighter Christmas for your family!