Memo to Hawkeye Fans: Appreciate Stability
By Kif Richmann
Despite a dissapointing 2010 season, Kirk Ferentz still led the Iowa Hawkeyes to a win over Missouri in the Insight Bowl (photo via dailyme.com)
Remember the 2007 Hawkeye football season?
You know; The University of Iowa football team lost at home to Western Michigan, wrapping up the second consecutive six-win season.
The year the Hawkeyes missed a bowl game.
Remember the doom and gloom in Iowa City. (I’m pretty sure I saw brimstone.) People were calling for Kirk Ferentz’s job. Something has to be done!, fans and media cried. Gary Barta can’t put up with this! So, what did Iowa athletics director Gary Barta do?
How about a contract extension?
People could not believe it! Two mediocre (at best) seasons and you’re going to give Ferentz a contract extension?!
Three consecutive bowl wins later and it turns out that was a pretty good call.
Firing coaches brings instability, and instability in any organization is a bad thing, be it business, school, or college and professional teams.
Granted, lack of success and firing coaches can be a chicken-and-egg situation, (is Notre Dame struggling because they have been a coaching carousel, or are the Irish a coaching roller coaster because they’ve been struggling?) but when in doubt, a program should stick with stability and let a coach do his job.
Case in point #1: The Michigan Wolverines.
Lloyd Carr was one of the best coaches in the country, winning 5 Big Ten titles and a national championship from 1995-2007. However, struggles later in his career caused discontent from fans and boosters to make a change. Although Carr officially retired, pressure from outside forces played a big part in his decision to leave.
Now look at Michigan. Rich Rodriguez led them to a 15-22 record, a dismal mark for the most storied NCAA football program. Now they have gotten rid of Rich Rodriguez, and will again attempt to reestablish Michigan as a Big Ten powerhouse. Only problem: they don’t know who they’re going to hire, and whoever Michigan does hire will have to try to win with Rodriguez’s recruits, who were brought in to run a spread offense based around a shifty quarterback.
Case in point #2: The Oakland Raiders
One year after going to Super Bowl XXXVII the Oakland Raiders went 4-8 in 2003-04, and pathological firer Al Davis chose to get rid of head coach Bill Callahan. The franchise has been in a tail spin ever since.
Even Tom Cable, who led the Raiders to an 8-8 record, (the best since the Super Bowl year) was fired. By all accounts the team was improving and the Raiders players were buying into Cable’s system, but this was not good enough for Al Davis, who treats firing coaches like popping chewing gum.
When the 2011 season starts, the Raiders will have had 6 coaches since 2002. They will also have had one of the worst runs in NFL history.
The last coach to leave the Raiders with a winning record is Jon Gruden, who left in 2001.
Case in point # 3: The Penn State Nittany Lions
Joe Paterno: Penn State head football coach since 1966, 401-135-3 overall record, two national titles. Enough said.
Case in point #4: The Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history and the most AFC Championships. They have also had three coaches since 1969.
Although Chuck Noll occupies the majority of this time frame, coaching the Steelers from 1969 to 1991, Bill Cower also takes up a large portion (1992-2006), and you can expect Mike Tomlin to do the same by the time he leaves the Pittsburgh job.
In 1998 the Steelers finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs. The next year they would finish 6-10, the worst record under Bill Cower. What did the Rooney family, which owns the Steelers, do?
They kept Cower on for another seven seasons, allowing him to keep building and eventually win Super Bowl XXL in February, 2006. Good choice Rooneys!
As you can see, keeping coaches around and allowing them to build a stable program is valuable. I could list a few other college football programs that have let instability cripple their teams, (Notre Dame anyone? Or how about Hawkeye basketball?) but for now I will just be thankful to watch an Iowa football team that has consistency in its leadership.
Iowa is not Florida, Ohio State, Michigan or USC. Iowa football is not an elite program and Iowa City is not the most desired destination for football coaches or recruits. However, with consistency, stability, and leadership Iowa can do more with less. A guy like Ferentz can make that possible.
Without Ferentz, Iowa might be worse off than Michigan.
Now that’s scary!
Please Assuage my Ire: Iowa to the Insight Bowl
By: Mike Rabon
Shaun Prater returns an INT for a TD vs Penn State (Photo by Julia Thompson via hawkcentral.com)
Adam Robinson scores a TD vs. Michigan (Photo by Carlos Osorio via blackheartgoldpants.com)
The 7-5 (4-4) Iowa Hawkeyes ended the regular season on a 3-game losing streak and dropped precipitously out of the BCS rankings. Failures in the final 3 weeks cannot be understated and losing late in the season has a disproportionate impact on a team’s body of work and appeal in terms of bowl selection. Let’s elaborate on that.
Michigan State is going to play Alabama in the Capital One Bowl game on January 1st. Iowa throttled Michigan State in Kinnick Stadium 37-6 on October 30th. No one would argue with Michigan State’s bowl placement but Iowa proved that the program maintained an ability to defeat a top 10 team. The Spartans finished the season 11-1 (7-1) and I offer sincere congratulations to Mark Dantonio and the program for a tremendous season.
Penn State will play Florida in the Outback Bowl on January 1st. Iowa dismantled Penn State 24-3 in Kinnick Stadium on October 2nd and made the Nittany Lions look like a team that was unfocused, ambivalent about their identity and crestfallen. Joe Paterno and Penn State finished the season 7-5 (4-4) and with wins against Youngstown State, Kent State, Temple, Minnesota, Michigan, Northwestern and Indiana. I’m speechless. Are they more deserving? Please tell me if I am wrong.
Michigan will square off against Mississippi State on January 1st in the Gator Bowl. The Hawkeyes traveled to Ann Arbor and defeated the Wolverines in the Big House 38-28 on October 16th. Rich Rodriguez deserves credit for getting this Michigan team bowl eligible despite all of the distractions, which include injuries and NCAA investigations. Michigan finished 7-5 (3-5) and won against Uconn, Notre Dame, Umass, Bowling Green, Indiana, Illinois, and Purdue. While a 30-10 win against the Big East Champion Uconn is respectable, the Huskies were 8-4 overall with losses to Temple, Louisville and Rutgers. Michigan’s body of work is far from impressive and they ended the season with a 48-28 loss to Wisconsin and 37-7 loss to Ohio State.
As mentioned earlier, Iowa defeated Michigan State, Penn State and Michigan. Iowa’s other wins came against Eastern Illinois, Iowa State, Ball State and Indiana. The Hawkeyes cannot boast about their resume but can make a case based on wins over MSU, PSU and UM. Iowa lost 3 games to end the season and lost 5 games by a grand total of 18 points. QB Ricky Stanzi finished the season Top 10 in Passing Efficiency and with 25 touchdowns to only 4 interceptions. DE Adrian Clayborn is an All-American and multiple Hawkeyes won Big10 commendation. Iowa’s defense is 7th in the nation in scoring and top 15 against the run.
I am under no illusion about what bowl selections are all about. Money and TV ratings drive the selection process. Nonetheless, Iowa had a stronger body of work to offer the Outback Bowl and the Gator Bowl than did Michigan or Penn State. Iowa will face #12 Missouri in the Insight Bowl and have an opportunity to reach 8 wins. Unfortunately, the Iowa players and coaches will be playing in a less prestigious bowl game because they lost late rather than early and preseason expectations that were not lived up to.
Michigan’s futlity in the previous two seasons actually bolstered its case for the Gator Bowl this season due to the fan’s thirst for the postseason. Joe Paterno’s name alone was probably enough for the Nittany Lions despite Kirk Ferentz’s 8-2 overall record against Mr. Paterno.
I am excited for the Hawks to play on December 28th but will not forget that Iowa’s body of work was stronger than Penn State and Michigan’s total resume.
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