While Kevin Costner and a band of shamed Chicago White Sox may have called Iowa home for a short time back in the day, the state is normally devoid of any major league professional sports franchises. So, if there is one thing that Iowans live and die for, its college sports, most notably football.
This is no exception for the Iowa Hawkeyes football program. The streets of Iowa City are jam packed on game day, where it is hard to find a single soul not dressed from head to toe in black and yellow. Hawkeye football is a tradition, one that is held very near and dear to the hearts of its students and fans.
The protection of that tradition has come under some scrutiny as of late, as the Hawkeyes have not been preforming as they did in the past, and when that happens, fans call for the heads of the coaching staff. The job of head coach Kirk Ferentz is one that has come to question, so much so that a petition orchestrated by a disappointed fan base was circulated, demanding Ferentz’s resignation.
Though various jobs of a few fellow Big Ten coaches have been on the chopping block, it seems that for the time being, Ferentz will still call Kinnick stadium home next season. A big part of that decision is the confidence Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta has in Ferentz:
“Without question, he will be our coach next season. That being said, (myself), Kirk and others surrounding the program have very high expectations for Iowa football.”
That vote of confidence should be going a long way to send a message to the rest of the Big Ten and the NCAA. Barta has no intention on giving up. He cites his expectations as being “for us to compete and win championships. Maybe that’s a bowl championship. A Big Ten championship. Maybe, someday, even beyond that.”
Many people are under the impression that Ferentz’s job is safe because of his $4 million dollar contract. Barta shut down that speculation almost immediately, saying it is not about the money. While some may continue to say “oh sure” to this statement, I for one find it refreshing.
Ferentz just finished his 16th regular season as head coach of Iowa. Before that, he spent nine seasons under legendary coach Hayden Fry, learning the ropes from someone many people in Iowa hold at the status of a god. Overall, the saga that is Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes has had its ups and its downs, but has always fought.
This season, Ferentz finished 7-5 overall, going 4-4 in the Big Ten. After a few seasons of what has been an uphill battle for the Hawkeyes, fans are undoubtedly frustrated, which Barta understands. However, he insists that he “looks at it from a different perspective. I have to evaluate the program year to year, and then what I have to evaluate is whether the foundation is strong enough to go forward.”
As a product of the Hayden Fry era, I have no doubt that Ferentz knows his way around the gridiron. He has years of experience and a perceptive eye for talent, which has sent 11 former Hawkeyes to the NFL. That being said, it is evident that the Iowa sideline boasts its fair share of talent from year to year. So what gives?
Ferentz needs to find a staff that can work with him and his unit in an optimal way. He needs a staff that can hold strong and find one consistent method of coaching. Something is just not clicking for Iowa, and it is something that we see time and time again from teams with the potential for greatness. A change in coaching technique is what could heal the wounds Iowa has been tending to endure for the last several years.
Barta made a smart move in keeping Ferentz around. Too often, it seems that programs think that firing the coach is the easiest solution. The coach is like the President of the United States. He isn’t the only person responsible for making decisions but he is an easy target as he often serves as the face of the team. It is, however, time for Iowa to find an answer and churn out better results. The Big Ten may be in shambles, but that doesn’t mean Iowa has to be.
*Section Photo credit to Reese Strickland, Getty Images; Featured Photo (above) credit to Sandra Dukes, USA Today Sports.
