Maize n' Brew: Stones

"It was [the final completion to DJK] that reminded me that Iowa isn’t that far removed from steamrolling the rest of the Big Ten and the SEC into the pavement. It reminded me that there’s a reason the Iowa faithful are so loyal to [Ferentz]. It reminded me he’s a pretty good coach who has somehow salvaged a season, and is bowl eligible, after an off season that was more like an episode of Cops than a conditioning program.

It reminded me the man’s still got the same pair of boulders hidden away in his trousers that gave Iowa its first consecutive ten win seasons, and then added another 10 win season on for good measure.

The man's got stones. And that why he’s still at Iowa."

about 1 year ago Hawkeye State 6 comments 1 recs |

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He's got tears forming.

Nice of him to genuflect. Perhaps he wishes Mary Sue had had her way.

If they had hired KF, they wouldn’t be sitting there now with 7 L’s. And if we play like this next year, I don’t think I want to miss the RichRod classic. All those little Blue linemen and running backs, running, running, running everywhere — against a defense that stays in lanes. Then wraps and pounds.

Mr. Boh Knows ...

by Bellanca on Nov 11, 2008 6:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

RichRod doesn't have anything to do with that team being as bad as it is

He inherited a disaster of an o-line and they’ve been playing with two freshman QBs, one of whom is Nick “DEATH” Sheridan. Ferentz wouldn’t have done shit with that team either.

Rich Rodriguez is a really good coach who’s won everywhere he’s ever been. That team is going to be scary once he’s been there a few years and they have the right players to run the style of offense that he prefers to run.

by NorseHawk on Nov 11, 2008 8:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It's not the coach.

It’s the coach’s scheme being deployed with inapt talent developed for Lloyd.

Look, if you take Shanahan’s O-line and give them to Tom Coughlin, the Giants would suck too. Ferentz and Carr share more than Carr and RichRod do. The guys he’s got are the wrong guys for his scheme. They are not badly suited to Ferentz’ style of ball.

The Sheridan remark is a red herring, because at least two drop back QBs would still be at MI if Rich hadn’t gone there. Sheridan is a Sam Brownlee: a plugger plugging a gap.

Rodriguez is now recruiting small, shifty lineman who can run. Good for him. Problem may be, guys like King and Klug can run too — but play up to 320 lb linemen. I think Iowa will do fine against Michigan in the future, because we play physical, yet highly disciplined, positional defense. The spread is a response to everybody charging the line with 5-6 guys to stop the run. Iowa stops the run with 4. Playing in the Big Ten is not like coaching at Tulane or competing with Connecticut. I look forward to playing Michigan again.

Mr. Boh Knows ...

by Bellanca on Nov 12, 2008 3:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Weinke would be starting

He never would have transferred from Michigan to Iowa. Not saying he would have won them any more games, but they would have had fewer recruits back out, I’m guessing. Ferentz’s system would have worked with the existing talent and recruits.

by YouCanPutYourEddsInIt on Nov 11, 2008 11:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Have you seen that line?

A power running game isn’t going to work with them either. The defensive system probably would have fit a bit better (mostly because the 3-3-5 is fucking retarded), but that offense was going to be horrible regardless of who the coach was.

I don’t really see what difference Weinke would have made. There’s nothing to suggest that he’s any better than Threet or would have beaten him out for the starting job. Threet was actually the more heralded of the two coming out of high school. That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but it’s really all we have to go off of given that Weinke probably isn’t going to see the field for a long time (especially given the rumors that Vanderberg has blown by him this year and will probably be the #2 guy next season).

by NorseHawk on Nov 12, 2008 12:23 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not so sure

Ryan Mallet possibly stays if Ferentz goes to Michigan. Same for Boren. Their offense would probably still suck, but not nearly on the round peg/square hole level it does now.

That being said, their blocking scheme is identical to ours, so if the line sucks now…

Oops Pow Surprise: "I'm stuck writing at the Titty Barn."

by Hawkeye State on Nov 12, 2008 12:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs