Now that we officially have the bowl possibility removed, let’s focus on next year. We obviously have very limited talent on the field. I think it is also very reasonable to assume we have less then nothing at QB. We also won’t get the benefit of practicing for a bowl like our opponents from next year will (count teams like Minnesota, Northern Illinios and probably ISU among them). So we are in a bad way. Cupboard bare, but let’s look at the schedule. Oh yeah, remember that Penn State and Indiana roll off the schedule and Ohio State and Wisconsin come on. So here you have it for 2013:

Northern Illinios – Currently 10-1 with only loss to Iowa. Can’t imagine Iowa beating them next year.
Missouri State – Bad at 3-7. If we can’t beat them, we will go 0-12. Assume a win.
Iowa State – Already better then Iowa and will be even better next year plus we have to go there. Guaranteed ISU win.
Western Michigan – Bad at 4-7 but hey, 50/50 against Iowa
Minn on the road – Loss
Mich State in Iowa City – Loss
Ohio State on road – Loss
Northwestern at home – Loss
Wisconsin at home – Loss
Purdue on road – Loss
Michigan at home – Loss
Nebraska on road – Loss

So looks like a tough season. Best case 2-10 and 0-8 in Big Ten. I challenge people to be realistic and look at what we have seen this year, the talent we have back and the opponents we will play and come back with a case where we win 4 games. Good luck to the University ticket office selling season tickets to this crap. This is a down bound train with no bottom in sight.

Mike:

We all know the defense would struggle (though not at the level of the past 5 games), but the offense has been absolutely atrocious. The talent is light at best at the skill positions, there are zero playmakers, and the QB reads a defense like he’s studying an ex-ray in a darkened lab with hours to make a diagnosis (or in some cases, he makes a decision in .5 seconds for a 2-yard throw on a non-blitzed 3rd and 8). The offense, though not a dominant force since 2002, is actually worse than the defense in many ways. People blame the OC, but anyone who knows Iowa football knows KF’s mantra rules above all. Part of Kirk’s way includes mediocre offensive play that in no way is intentionally allowed to dominate opponents (save an occasional MSU game). KF is just too uncomfortable even taking a small chance of having a good offense – I really don’t hold Greg Davis all that responsible for this year at all. JVB is was all Iowa QB’s (save Banks and Tate) were: over-analytical, over-thinking and basically paralyzed during high-stress times such as two-minute drills.

Defensively, better talent would help. There’s CLEARLY no Matt Roth, Adrian Clayborn or Christian Ballard waiting in the wings – there’s not even a Mitch King or Matt Kroul. Our best bet at DE just changed his commitment to Indiana (yeah, his dad works there, I know). But as we can ALL see (including our chuckling opponents, who have zero scouting to do on us other than changing numbers on the scouting report), we our scheme has to be dominant for Iowa to even have a CHANCE for a great season – without it, we’re lucky to be even average team.

For all those still bowing at the altar of Kirk: Have you ever even CONSIDERED the fact that the college game has changed and KF’s stubbornness to change with the times (even at “pool ‘ol Iowa”) has been, is, and will continue hurting the Iowa program?

I think what really should concern all Iowa fans is that we are not buliding towards anything. I listened to the post game interview with James VandenBerg, and it was pathetic. James said, “We are always build towards the next championship”. Really? This is a pathetic team and there is nothing positive relative to the younger players. Iowa is pathetic, and every team we play next year has better talent coming back. I am watching ISU right now and ISU is playing their 3rd string QB in a game where they qualify for a bowl. ISU leads 38 to 17. We have not played another QB all year. We are in real trouble. It will be interesting to see next year what our pathetic AD Gary Barta does when we have a 14 game losing streak in the Big Ten. We will enter next year with a 6 game Big Ten losing streak, and, again I challenge you to pick the game we will win in the Big Ten next year. This is an incredible mess. Oh yeah, and our coach is the 5th highest paid coach in the country and his is guaranteed $20.8 M over the next 8 years. I am sick of this whole mess, but who will be the one to actually do something!!!!

If this team showed any sign of life, slight improvement, or the least bit of fight it might be great. The offense is the worst I have ever seen. The fact is – Iowa has been underachieving since the Orange Bowl. We may have been spoiled, but it’s time for this train wreck to stop. It’s time for the fans to stop watching it. It’s time to make some changes. A malaise this deep can only be fixed by a full purge. We can keep KF to coach the offensive line, but his leadership, and the program are clearly lacking, and without solutions or schemes to remedy the problems.

I think everyone realizes we have a lack of talent here this year. I am curious to see some of the young defensive lineman (Johnson and Ekakitie). I also think Cooper has shown flashes in limited time. I really think most of the issues on defense this year were from lack of pressure up front. Of course tackling has been an issue as well but better contain and pressure would have gone a long way.
As for the offense, hopefullyyou the line play will improve

I’m not sure who couldn’t have seen this coming. Iowa’s defensive coordinator retires only last season. The Hawks hire a new offensive coordinator. The running back corps is decimated by transfers and immaturity. The QB position is, well…not filled by anyone who is consistently competent.

The hawkeyes have done well to get as far as they have this season. But you’re right, NEXT season will be the problem.

On a happier note, ISU has found their QB of the future tonight.

Pay the $20 million buyout. Start over. This season was, as Marc Morehouse put it, a dead body falling down the stairs for three months. I see no need to be patient.

My favorite football team is becoming my favorite baseball team “wait till next year” The only thing is I would bet the Cubs win a championship before the Hawks.
We need a fresh look at Iowa and as good as he has been in the past KF should think retirement

As a smart friend of mine said, Iowa is now a D1-AA team now. Players out of position is coaching folks. Players are allowed to be just okay athletes who are unable to win one-on-one battles. But, when players are that AND out of position over and over again, that’s coaching and a football death sentence.

Iowa fans are going to have to patient or just take a break for awhile. This is not an overnight sensation. We did not get her overnight, and we will not get out of here overnight. My guess is that if KF doesn’t find a very good QB next year and a couple of D-linemen to build around, then you are looking at another year like this one and it might be 2015 before another bowl game.

I think the bigger issue is that KF doesn’t know what he wants to do offensively. He’s all over the place. This was not anything I saw Greg Davis do at Texas. It was a poor man’s KOK offense. And KOK’s offense was not very high rent. If he wants to play like Stanford, then he needs to hunker down and commit to that.

But again, Iowa has been here before as a program. The world did not stop turning. Just focus on other things and before you know it we’ll be somewhere…else.

Mike….any truth to the rumor that Ruddock is transferring?