As you might have noticed, there was no We Must Break You this weekend. Part of that was due to Signing Day madness, the KOK surprise, and general life busyness. But it was also due to the fact that there isn't much of a need to preview this meet. Wisconsin is bad. Like bottom of the Big Ten bad. They have been getting steamrolled by, oh, pretty much everyone. Michigan beat them 21-12, just Northwestern beat them 33-9, Penn State beat them 43-0, Purdue beat them 41-3, Minnesota beat them 37-3, Nebraska beat them 36-0, and Illinois beat them 38-3.

Iowa has three dual meet losses this season, but all three losses were to top-ten caliber opponents. Wisconsin is far, far, far from that level. They have exactly one ranked wrestler in their lineup: Ben Jordan (12th at 165). Iowa should be favored in almost every match -- if not all of them. This could -- and absolutely should -- be a rout. It's also Senior Day, which means it's the final CHA appearance for a handful of guys. 2-3 of the starters will be seniors -- Montell Marion at 141, Vinnie Wagner at 184, and possibly Blake Rasing at HWT -- but there are a few other seniors in the reserve ranks: Tyler Clark at 133, Stew Gillmor at 157, Tyler Halverson at 141, and JJ Krutsinger at 133. Thanks to all of them for their hard work over the past 4-5 years; they haven't gotten any of the glory that their more celebrated peers have, but their hard work in the training room is essential for the success of those same starters.

The meet is on AM-800 KXIC as well as Hawkeye All Access (audio and video; $$$) at 1pm CT.

The usual rules of open threading apply: no links to illegal online streams, no porn, no religion, no politics, no slurs, no douchebaggery.

Hello, friends.

We're going to have a lot to discuss over the next few weeks about Iowa's next offensive coordinator. Obviously, a lot of us are salivating/masturbating over the prospect of a spread guru so that all quarters can be like the 2011 Pitt fourth quarter (because that's totally how it works), but the reality is that Ken O'Keefe's departure was hardly Kirk Ferentz's decision to make, so the notion that Ferentz would go in a decidedly different direction from a tactical standpoint probably needs a little more logical footing before it's something to seriously entertain.

Marc Morehouse over at the Gazette ran down the list of possible replacements from within, and there was this nugget about Erik Campbell buried in Lester Erb's blurb (A "Lester blerb," if you will) that I hadn't been aware of:

Lester Erb

He's been the journeyman of Ferentz's staff, starting with receivers in 2000, adding co-special teams and then moving to running backs and co-special teams.

If the hire comes from within, it's hard to say where he'd rank. Campbell has been offered a job nearly every year he's been at Iowa (Michigan came knocking when Brady Hoke took over).

Emphasis ours. So, this poses an interesting question about Campbell's desirability from outside, and one that has at least two plausible answers. And the question is this: Does Erik Campbell's status as a coveted assistant coach make him more likely to be promoted to Iowa's offensive coordinator?

Continue reading this post »

Sure, we all have football on the brain at the moment after the surprising news re: Ken O'Keefe heading to Miami, but we can spare a few hours to think about the basketball team, right? Right. Iowa looks to build on their thrilling comeback win over Minnesota on Wednesday with a second-straight win today as they entertain B1G cellar dweller, Penn State. PSU is just 2-8 in the league but they're still not a team Iowa should take lightly. Past experience (coughcough Campbell coughcough Nebraska) should have taught us that Iowa isn't in a position to be taking any team lightly and, frankly, Penn State is probably a little better than that 2-8 record. Tim Frazier is an excellent player (he leads PSU in points, rebounds, assists, and steals) and their two league wins came over Purdue and Illinois, so they're certainly capable of beating good teams.

Of course, both of those wins came in the friendly confines of State College; Penn State is winless on the road in the league this year (in fact, they have just one true road win all season -- over Boston College in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge) and all five road defeats have been by double digits. If Iowa can play more like they did at the beginning and ending of the Minnesota game -- and less like they did in the godawful middle of that game -- this is a game they should win. Iowa's also honoring the 1986-1987 Elite Eight team at this game and wearing those sweet gold throwback jerseys we talked about a few weeks ago. So there's quite a bit going on in this game.

The game is on ESPNU at 2pm CT.

The usual rules of open threading apply: no links to illegal online streams, no porn, no religion, no politics, no slurs, and no douchebaggery. Go Hawks.

No need to pinch yourself. It's really happened: Thirteen-year Iowa offensive coordinator and twelve-year quarterbacks coach Ken O'Keefe has decided to leave the program:

"Ken O'Keefe has decided to leave our Iowa staff for another coaching opportunity," said Ferentz. "Ken's work contributed greatly to our program's success during the past 13 years, and more impressively, to the growth and development of the young men in our program. We wish Ken and Joanne the most success in this new chapter of his career."

The other "coaching opportunity" is wide receivers coach with the Miami Dolphins, which gives us the opportunity to discuss the Ken O'Keefe coaching tree. In the late 1970s, Ken O'Keefe was the head coach of Worcester Academy, a prep school in Worcester, Massachusetts. His coaching staff might have been the best high school coaching staff in history: His offensive coordinator was Mike Sherman, his defensive coordinator Kirk Ferentz. He also had a player on that team named Joe Philbin. Twenty years later, when Kirk Ferentz was named Iowa's head coach, he brought in O'Keefe as his offensive coordinator and Joe Philbin, who had spent the last two seasons as offensive coordinator at Harvard, as his offensive line coach. Philbin left after four seasons at Iowa for the vacant offensive line coach position with the Green Bay Packers under his former high school offensive coordinator, Mike Sherman. He eventually became offensive coordinator and, a couple of weeks ago, was named the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. He brought in Mike Sherman as offensive coordinator and has apparently called on his old high school head coach to join the staff now, as well.

Continue reading this post »

This is not hard news -- yet. What it is a rumor with a lot of smoke. The rumor in question is Ken O'Keefe leaving Iowa to become the Quarterbacks Coach for the Miami Dolphins (and new head coach Joe Philbin, who worked with O'Keefe on the Iowa staff for several years early in Ferentz's tenure).

Sayeth Morehouse:

I think KOK to the Dolphins has and or is happening. It's 5 on Friday, so you know what that means.

Um... wow.

EDIT: And confirmation from the Des Moines Register, too. It's really happening, people.

We'll have much more on this as soon as we get more information.

IOWA CITY (AP)

In a shocking revelation today, Iowa men's basketball coach has admitted using a straw-based "center facsimile" in Wednesday's victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers. McCaffery acknowledged his use of the ploy after eagle-eyed viewers noticed the incongruous site of a tall and intimidating Iowa defender standing firmly in front of the basket.

"What can I say? You got me," said McCaffery. "But you need to understand: we were at our wit's end trying to come up with something that would work on defense."

In recent games the Iowa defense has returned to the bad defensive habits that marked some of their early season performances. Lowly Nebraska scored 48 points on the Hawkeyes in the second half of their victory at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and #17 Indiana scored 103 points via 28 dunks or layups. McCaffery called his ploy a "last resort".

"We had tried everything: not guarding players, having our defenders switch which players they were not guarding, using a zone defense so that every defender was not guarding a certain area of the court -- you name it, we had tried it, and nothing had worked. So the only thing left was to stuff a jersey full of straw, slap on some rec specs and a headband and hope the other team didn't look at it too closely."

The figure, nicknamed "Hayseed Earl" by the coaches, measures out at an imposing 8'6" and has a wingspan of 9'8". Big Ten Network cameras noted the figure occupying a prominent place near the basket, as well as several Minnesota players seeming to sense the dummy's presence and then giving it a wide berth.

According to McCaffery, the original plan was to use the straw-pivot in addition to the normal starting five, but that proved impractical. "We knew that several of the Gopher players were extremely near-sighted, but it turned out they were still able to distinguish whether there were five or six players on the court. So we played the thing instead of a traditional center." McCaffery described the move as a necessary compromise.

"Ideally we would have liked to have him out along with our current five players. Because, you know, playing defense is much easier with six players than five. But when we were forced to make a decision, the choice was obvious. Our current post players have many advantages over an immobile hay golem, obviously, such as the power of locomotion and ... well, many other qualities I'm sure. But the overwhelming advantage of our straw figure is that he stays put in front of the basket. That and his monstrous size give him the edge over our other options."

Continue reading this post »

[A-bump. Bump. Bumpity bump. A-bump bump bumpity bump. -- PTV]

Chapter Four: The Corpse in the Copse

I awoke the following morning with such a sense of foreboding as I had not experienced since I was on campaign in the Kush. The events of the previous night had well robbed me of a peaceful sleep and my own nerves, which had served as faithful faculty on many previous Holmesian adventures, were in outright, tremulous rebellion. The day was calm and moist. The early spring air seeped into my bones and only exacerbated the shaking first caused by my neurotic affliction. I found Holmes in the common room; he was staring rather intently at a set of chess that was placed on the desk near a great window.

"What do you think of these pieces, Watson?" Holmes called out without turning away from the object of his question. "Peculiar, are they not?"

Eager for reprieve from my own depressed thoughts, I walked to where Holmes was standing and attempted a feat of observation for which my companion was well known and I, myself, had gained some skill.

"I see nothing peculiar. They are of the Staunton design and appear perfectly regular examples of Jacques' fine craftsmanship." I said in a rather defeated tone.

"Quite right, Watson. To a man suffering infirmity of the eye or to a simple child these pieces would be exactly as you have said."

"Holmes! Really, I must protest!"

"However, to a trained eye, one familiar with the equine nostril flare specific to over one hundred and twenty different master chess designers, this set is an obvious, ill-executed forgery."

My companion rattled on regarding the intricacies of the St. George carving style, but I had ceased to listen. It was clear that Holmes was exhibiting the same diversionary train of thought that had oft times served to relieve his mind during a stressful case. That we did not have his chemical apparatuses available to occupy him and smother me in fumes was something for which I was exceedingly grateful.

"Shall we proceed to breakfast Holmes? I am sure that our guests will be waiting for us."

"Yes, of course Watson."

We entered the HotelVetro's dining room and met Mssrs. Podolak and Dolphin and Ms. Conners. The mood of the gentlemen appeared much improved from the previous night, as they both, following our greeting, embarked on a surprisingly jovial, salutatory circuit of the hotel's other patrons.

"It seems that the pillow has worked its somnial wonder yet again. Our friends seem refreshed anew." Said Holmes.

"Alas, that is only partly true, Mr. Holmes. They are brave men and in the light of day they may act as they once were, but their own brightness does not last. This malignancy hangs about us like a dense fog and it is inescapable. It is a villainous hand that blinds and wounds, but has, itself, no form to behold and no heart to strike." Replied Ms. Conners with a sad desperation in her eyes.

"There is no denying the truth of what you have said; nevertheless, I hold that even in the deep of earth the spring knows there is light and seeks its warmth and so must you my dear." Said Holmes, displaying a depth of compassion starkly absent from his usual calculative process.

This kindness was short-lived, as a clamor near the hotel's lobby drew our attention. In my haste to investigate the commotion I walked squarely into detective Brewster, who was in a state of intense agitation.

"Mr. Holmes, where is he? I must speak with him."

"What is it my good man? What could have you in such a fluster?"

"Mr. Holmes? I must speak with him, Mr. Watson. It is of the utmost importance."

"I am here Mr. Brewster. What is the matter, dear man? You have disrupted our breakfast"

"Mr. Holmes, there has been a development." Said Detective Brewster. By this time, Mssrs. Podolak and Dolphin had returned to the table to learn more of what had caused such tumult in the dining room. "A body has been found and I believe it is connected to our case."

Continue reading this post »