We had the talent to make the playoffs this year ...

Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
5,966
12,299
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Have you recently been choppered to a hospital after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a car accident?
So, interesting that you should ask me that. I actually was choppered to a hospital after a head on collision rolled my van into a ditch after rolling several times. Badly concussed, but no brain injuries. Just a fractured sternum, 3 broken ribs, and 2 feet and a thumb that needed to be rebuilt. Other than that I was relatively unscathed.
 

RuggieC

Senior
Mar 30, 2014
431
900
93
We would have lost a first round game in my opinion. Just not the level of D we have seen. Not bagging on Phil. He is the best. Just hard to keep that top level every year. Our run D was exposed in a few games for sure and not a ton of pressure. Darn good but not elite.
 

3-D_chess

Senior
Jul 18, 2025
864
952
93
“Never argue with a fool, he will pull you down to his level and beat you with experience”
Rule Number 1) No matter how many times Kamala tells you it is so, name calling never changes a person's mind. Nor does it indicate a superior intellect.
Rule Number 2) An inability to follow simple instructions could indicate undiagnosed autism. Something to consider when talking with your social worker.
 
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HoggI74

All-Conference
Nov 27, 2015
2,359
4,048
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So, interesting that you should ask me that. I actually was choppered to a hospital after a head on collision rolled my van into a ditch after rolling several times. Badly concussed, but no brain injuries. Just a fractured sternum, 3 broken ribs, and 2 feet and a thumb that needed to be rebuilt. Other than that I was relatively unscathed.
Next man in! ;)
 

BaseBallerP27

All-American
Nov 23, 2021
2,014
5,331
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Or maybe a team that just isn’t talented enough to win outright against more talented teams and didn’t get the breaks along the way that many of those 10+ win KF teams got.

might just be as simple as Iowa is the 5th/6th best team in the big 10 and had to play 3 more talented teams this year.
 
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3-D_chess

Senior
Jul 18, 2025
864
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Agreed, the not seeing the field is my biggest issue with him. Truly could have been unbeaten if he sees open receivers - CLARINDA A

KF refused to sit him in favor of a QB with better vision. ONE of many things KF did to ensure that team potential was not maximized. He hinders IOWAs potential.
 

scotihawk

All-Conference
Nov 10, 2011
3,085
2,581
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The LBs and DL prevented Iowa from reaching that level. Mark Gronowski was inconsistent throwing the football.

Given the schedule, 8-4 is a successful season IMO. It wasn’t a great season, but it was successful. And even though Iowa is still winless against top 25 teams, they were competitive in every game they played this year.

If Iowa wins their bowl game, it might be the perfect time for Kirk to ride off into the sunset.
Everything you said was totally 100% accurate except the last sentence.

Oops. Changed my mind. Might be best for Kirk Ferentz, not for Iowa football.
 
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scotihawk

All-Conference
Nov 10, 2011
3,085
2,581
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One first down with 1 minute left on 2nd and 5 against Indiana with a backup quarterback and they are in the playoffs. Can't get any closer than that.
 
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BringBackBradBanks

All-Conference
Jul 19, 2022
822
1,824
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Sure three of the four losses involved the defense not allowing 21 points and every loss involved holding the winning team below their season average, it was the defense’s fault.

You think the offense was playoff caliber (I’m reading that correctly) but not the defense? You didn’t exactly say that, but it’s certainly implied.
Our offense bailed out the special teams and defense in multiple games this season. That almost never happens. Rutgers cooked our defense in the first quarter in a way an Iowa defense hasn’t been cooked in the opening quarter since the Rose Bowl. The offense responded. Special teams miscued should have cost the Penn State game. But the offense responded. You put this offense with the 2022 or 2023 defenses and you have a playoff team for sure.
 
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BringBackBradBanks

All-Conference
Jul 19, 2022
822
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Aren't you the same guy who thinks MG is an all time Iowa great and will be in the NFL next year? The Iowa fanbase amazes me more and more with every passing week.
Mark is an all time great Hawkeye. He most definitely won’t be in the NFL other than maybe a 3rd string quarterback. He’s literally had no help from the skill group until Vander Zee got healthy and DJ emerged at tight end. The guy carried us to multiple wins.
 

52317Hawk

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2025
1,080
1,258
113
I'll make no effort to change your mind.

IMO this team is not terribly talented. But they played hard and came up with 8 wins. 3 of their 4 losses against playoff teams.

Good season. Could have been better, could have been worse.
USC and ISU aren't playoff teams.

Only games that were mis-managed were, oddly enough, USC and ISU.
 
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DBHawkSoCal

Senior
Oct 1, 2006
353
718
92
We would have lost a first round game in my opinion. Just not the level of D we have seen. Not bagging on Phil. He is the best. Just hard to keep that top level every year. Our run D was exposed in a few games for sure and not a ton of pressure. Darn good but not elite.
Iowa averaged 16ppg against the best teams they played this year….

The defense gave up avg 20ppg against those same teams, which was anywhere from 40-50% below those opposing teams averages.

Yea the defense didn’t get that final stop, but they haven’t in how long against ranked teams ? Even those 2022-2023 “elite” defenses couldn’t shut out the ranked teams.

the issue is still the offense. You can’t expect to make the playoffs by not scoring points against the best teams. And if you do somehow make the playoffs….you think Iowa is winning 16-13 games in that atmosphere?
 

HoustonHawk

Junior
Mar 26, 2024
39
215
33
Coaches don’t make plays and are not in the games. We had plays that cost us those games, botched snap on 2 punts vs Oregon for example, fumbles at inopportune times, etc. I don’t always agree with the plays called in offense, but that being said, I am also not at practice every day and I don’t pretend to know or understand our strengths and weaknesses as the coaches obviously do during game prep during the week. Blame the coaches if the players are not ready or prepared, that has RARELY been an issues under this head coach, quite the opposite, he gets more out of his talent than arguably any other coach in the country. We routinely get 3star players yet we win our share and compete with teams that have much better talent.
Quit bitching about the coaches when they are rarely the problem. And if you think bringing in a new coaching staff is going to miraculously change our recruiting I have some oceanfront property to sell you outside of Iowa City. Be careful what you wish for, we easily could be one retirement away from being Nebraska, Wisconsin, or several other once proud programs.
 

The Big Z

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2023
1,779
3,387
113
Coaches don’t make plays and are not in the games. We had plays that cost us those games, botched snap on 2 punts vs Oregon for example, fumbles at inopportune times, etc. I don’t always agree with the plays called in offense, but that being said, I am also not at practice every day and I don’t pretend to know or understand our strengths and weaknesses as the coaches obviously do during game prep during the week. Blame the coaches if the players are not ready or prepared, that has RARELY been an issues under this head coach, quite the opposite, he gets more out of his talent than arguably any other coach in the country. We routinely get 3star players yet we win our share and compete with teams that have much better talent.
Quit bitching about the coaches when they are rarely the problem. And if you think bringing in a new coaching staff is going to miraculously change our recruiting I have some oceanfront property to sell you outside of Iowa City. Be careful what you wish for, we easily could be one retirement away from being Nebraska, Wisconsin, or several other once proud programs.
I was in the fire Kirk crowd for the last 2 years of the Brian debacle. Not anymore. Yes, we clearly struggle at QB and WR. But if you can’t recognize how much better we are over those last 2 years I don’t know what to say. Remember going into games against the big boys knowing if the defense didn’t pitch a shutout we were losing? Do we remember the scores against Michigan in the B1G championship game? We were right there against the number 2 and 7 teams this year. I know, we lost so I should cry about it and say Kirk sucks. But I won’t. We can say Nebby, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc all suck but damn not only are we beating them we are actually kicking the **** out of them.
 

MAKhawks

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2001
1,418
2,174
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Our offense bailed out the special teams and defense in multiple games this season. That almost never happens. Rutgers cooked our defense in the first quarter in a way an Iowa defense hasn’t been cooked in the opening quarter since the Rose Bowl. The offense responded. Special teams miscued should have cost the Penn State game. But the offense responded. You put this offense with the 2022 or 2023 defenses and you have a playoff team for sure.

In the Penn State game, special teams didn’t miscue, the coach did. The coach admitted to such.

Had the offense been able to just score 21 points each game, Iowa would have been 11-1. Had the offense been able to score 6 points in the second half of the USC game you’re looking at 12-0 and Ohio State next weekend.

Rutgers cooked Iowa’s defense, yet were held to their season average. Okay That’s how good the defense is in general. When a team scores their average against them, you think they got cooked.

Was the offense bailing out the defense when they turned it over Indiana two plays into the game? Or was it when they couldn’t pick up the first down for a closer FGA and run out the clock? Five yard screen passes can be difficult to complete. Iowa held Indiana to 20 points which is 24 points below their 44.3 ppg average. Seven of those 20 points were gifted to them two plays into the game.

I know, you’re talking about the offense bailing out the defense in the Iowa State game. The game where Iowa allowed one TD and lost. The TD which came after an INT that ISU took over on the Iowa 18 yard line. Every FBS team on Iowa State’s schedule scored 14 or more on them except Iowa and (1-11) OK State. lol playoff caliber offense lol

I completely get it, the offense is improved over the last five years, it has. It’s nothing close to playoff level quality or Iowa would be in the playoffs this year.
 

Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
5,966
12,299
113
Coaches don’t make plays and are not in the games. We had plays that cost us those games, botched snap on 2 punts vs Oregon for example, fumbles at inopportune times, etc. I don’t always agree with the plays called in offense, but that being said, I am also not at practice every day and I don’t pretend to know or understand our strengths and weaknesses as the coaches obviously do during game prep during the week. Blame the coaches if the players are not ready or prepared, that has RARELY been an issues under this head coach, quite the opposite, he gets more out of his talent than arguably any other coach in the country. We routinely get 3star players yet we win our share and compete with teams that have much better talent.
Quit bitching about the coaches when they are rarely the problem. And if you think bringing in a new coaching staff is going to miraculously change our recruiting I have some oceanfront property to sell you outside of Iowa City. Be careful what you wish for, we easily could be one retirement away from being Nebraska, Wisconsin, or several other once proud programs.
Do you have some more information on that property? It sounds very unique.
 

The Big Z

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2023
1,779
3,387
113
In the Penn State game, special teams didn’t miscue, the coach did. The coach admitted to such.

Had the offense been able to just score 21 points each game, Iowa would have been 11-1. Had the offense been able to score 6 points in the second half of the USC game you’re looking at 12-0 and Ohio State next weekend.

Rutgers cooked Iowa’s defense, yet were held to their season average. Okay That’s how good the defense is in general. When a team scores their average against them, you think they got cooked.

Was the offense bailing out the defense when they turned it over Indiana two plays into the game? Or was it when they couldn’t pick up the first down for a closer FGA and run out the clock? Five yard screen passes can be difficult to complete. Iowa held Indiana to 20 points which is 24 points below their 44.3 ppg average. Seven of those 20 points were gifted to them two plays into the game.

I know, you’re talking about the offense bailing out the defense in the Iowa State game. The game where Iowa allowed one TD and lost. The TD which came after an INT that ISU took over on the Iowa 18 yard line. Every FBS team on Iowa State’s schedule scored 14 or more on them except Iowa and (1-11) OK State. lol playoff caliber offense lol

I completely get it, the offense is improved over the last five years, it has. It’s nothing close to playoff level quality or Iowa would be in the playoffs this year.
Great post.
 

Fight4Iowa

Junior
Nov 25, 2025
265
379
63
The LBs and DL prevented Iowa from reaching that level. Mark Gronowski was inconsistent throwing the football.

Given the schedule, 8-4 is a successful season IMO. It wasn’t a great season, but it was successful. And even though Iowa is still winless against top 25 teams, they were competitive in every game they played this year.

If Iowa wins their bowl game, it might be the perfect time for Kirk to ride off into the sunset.
He's not retiring.
 

Hawk4Ever!

Senior
Sep 9, 2025
344
489
62
we could have made the playoffs and missed it by the skin of teeth but that was despite the talent. we are maximizing production out of the guys we have at least on defense
Skin of teeth LOL ... 4 losses. A lot of teams lost close games, some only two. Hawks are a long way from the play-offs. Even with 2 losses, doubt they make it with such a bad schedule. Seemed like every other game was against a team's who staff has just been fired.
 

IowaFarmBoy2

All-Conference
Oct 22, 2023
1,664
1,120
113
Too many spots that cost them. I’m pretty excited that Iowa WRs are actually getting open and can make plays. Early in the year it was bad drops. Later Mark wasn’t seeing them or dirt-balling throws. Spend some NIL money elsewhere and Lester needs to develop the QBs on the roster.
No just quit buying damaged goods
 
Jul 3, 2025
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In the Penn State game, special teams didn’t miscue, the coach did. The coach admitted to such.

Had the offense been able to just score 21 points each game, Iowa would have been 11-1. Had the offense been able to score 6 points in the second half of the USC game you’re looking at 12-0 and Ohio State next weekend.

Rutgers cooked Iowa’s defense, yet were held to their season average. Okay That’s how good the defense is in general. When a team scores their average against them, you think they got cooked.

Was the offense bailing out the defense when they turned it over Indiana two plays into the game? Or was it when they couldn’t pick up the first down for a closer FGA and run out the clock? Five yard screen passes can be difficult to complete. Iowa held Indiana to 20 points which is 24 points below their 44.3 ppg average. Seven of those 20 points were gifted to them two plays into the game.

I know, you’re talking about the offense bailing out the defense in the Iowa State game. The game where Iowa allowed one TD and lost. The TD which came after an INT that ISU took over on the Iowa 18 yard line. Every FBS team on Iowa State’s schedule scored 14 or more on them except Iowa and (1-11) OK State. lol playoff caliber offense lol

I completely get it, the offense is improved over the last five years, it has. It’s nothing close to playoff level quality or Iowa would be in the playoffs this year.
Also the Rutgers game was on the road on a quirky early season Friday night game. That's not an excuse or intended to be one, but strange things happen in the road at night on a short week.
 
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RuggieC

Senior
Mar 30, 2014
431
900
93
I think it may have taken 11-1 to get us in after seeing JMU and Tulane getting the nod. No doubt no worse than 10-2. I hear people say ISU was the killer.....in my mind beating Indiana and Oregon probably gets us in...probably.
 
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DukeSlater

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2023
1,835
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“Never argue with a fool, he will pull you down to his level and beat you with experience”
So you've heard of MAGA too. Excellent definition of that cult that is trying to destroy everthing good about this country, including sports.
 

DukeSlater

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2023
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The LBs and DL prevented Iowa from reaching that level. Mark Gronowski was inconsistent throwing the football.

Given the schedule, 8-4 is a successful season IMO. It wasn’t a great season, but it was successful. And even though Iowa is still winless against top 25 teams, they were competitive in every game they played this year.

If Iowa wins their bowl game, it might be the perfect time for Kirk to ride off into the sunset.
Iowa was about four plays away from being 12-0, despite the issues noted. When you're that close, maybe coaching played a role in not AT LEAST being 10-2. Maybe.