Two Deeps

Hawkangler

All-Conference
Mar 16, 2014
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I think he actually DOES enjoy messing with the message-board portion of the fan base.
I have seen this scenario several times. I have no preference for which QB wins the job.
Since Kirk has said many times that he doesn't waste his time on the internet, I highly doubt he is messing with message board fans. Kirk had beat his drum to his tune for 28 years, been pretty darn good at it too.
 

iahawkeyes17

All-Conference
Apr 22, 2014
782
1,990
83
Why is Kirk such a wuss? Just name one. If it is a disaster, make a change.
Correct. He’s done this with OL last few hes years rotated guys in to play at some spot. Feel like need to let that unit build continuity with starting 5. so fact doing this with qb is even more bothersome.

and speaking of remember last time we played niu to open season. Amani jones starting mlb. Struggled big time. Phil and Wallace benched mid way through 1st game for Welch who took the job and never looked back.
 
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85Bears

All-American
Aug 31, 2019
5,435
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Correct. He’s done this with OL last few hes years rotated guys in to play at some spot. Feel like need to let that unit build continuity with starting 5. so fact doing this with qb is even more bothersome.

and speaking of remember last time we played niu to open season. Amani jones starting mlb. Struggled big time. Phil and Wallace benched mid way through 1st game for Welch who took the job and never looked back.
Well the O line did win the Joe Moore last year so his rotations seem to have paid off.
 

Hawkfan_08*

All-American
Jul 2, 2025
3,453
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Yearly reminder that a KF depth chart means about as much as all of our opinions on a message board. Not a whole lot. Starters rarely change on there despite guys playing a ton/ getting fewer reps. It doesn't matter.
 
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paednoch23

All-Conference
Oct 23, 2009
474
1,062
93
Yes and imo time to do it was after kids day. Each had their fair shot up to that point it's obviously neck and neck and performances were much different. At that point you try to help offense build momentum and revisit it if you have too. Imo I think KF wants Brown to be starter and had results from the scrimmage been flipped Brown would be named starter by now.
They were neck and neck in practice. The scrimmage should have the deciding factor. I assume this is an old geezer rewarding seniority coupled with risk aversion. Cignetti wasn’t into risk aversion and that is why he has a title.
 

uihawk82

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2021
2,582
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If I remember correctly (and I probably don’t) we played Tennessee in an early season game, maybe 1st game and Hayden was undecided on 3 QB’s. McGuire, Poholsky and Hartlieb I believe. And he played all 3 in that game and it was a disaster. Now NiU is not Tennessee and we could probably get away with playing both. Going to be interesting!
You are correct. It was the 1987 season, easy to look up, and McGuire was number 1. We all found out how slow McGuire's dropback was as it lead to a lot of pass rush pressure on him (McGuire would later do well at San Diego St iirc). Poholsky, who played well in 1986, when the starter got hurt, did not do well in the home opener a week later so Hartlieb got the #1 job and ran with it, including that great last second win at OSU.

This year, well Brown is the more natural looking dropback passer with the height etc and some say this summer practice he looks quick enough. But Heck might be a gamer. That is why I am always up for playing both of them a good deal in this first game, and even against ISU and UNI. Get the video tape on them, look at their stats, look at their intangibles and their decision making. Then make a decision before the Mich game.

Against ISU if your starter is playing well against a P4 team you maybe leave him in and hope you have a big lead to let the other QB get snaps
 

Kceasthawk@77

All-American
Feb 2, 2005
3,667
6,655
113
They were neck and neck in practice. The scrimmage should have the deciding factor. I assume this is an old geezer rewarding seniority coupled with risk aversion. Cignetti wasn’t into risk aversion and that is why he has a title.
So is Lester in old geezer? Sure sounds to me like he's the deciding factor. People keep saying that its KF. I'm not buying it. Lester's been a HC, and an OC and has coached in the pro's and college. If Kirk brought him in to run this offense, and is overriding his decision I doubt he'd still be here now, and he sure as hell won't be here next season.
 

Garzatough85

Junior
Dec 28, 2022
177
255
63
It’s never good going into a season without a starter named at quarterback. It’s too unsettling for a team with all the uncertainty and unnecessary drama. Just pick a godd@mn starter and if you’re wrong change it. This is one Ferentz tendency that has always bothered me.
Oddly consistent inconsistency from a consistently consistent coach 😳
 

Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
6,105
12,636
113
It’s never good going into a season without a starter named at quarterback. It’s too unsettling for a team with all the uncertainty and unnecessary drama. Just pick a godd@mn starter and if you’re wrong change it. This is one Ferentz tendency that has always bothered me.

Absolutely unnecessary drama. Very un-Kirk like. He has to know the longer he goes without naming a starter the more he's going to get asked about it and I can't imagine he enjoys answering those questions.

I get it, the QB competition has been close. Just seems dumb to go into the season without naming a starter. Name a guy and let the offense rally around him.

Why is Kirk such a wuss? Just name one. If it is a disaster, make a change.
Everyone is aware that Kirk is loathe to make changes at the QB position, and the easiest way to avoid making a change at QB is to avoid naming a starter in the first place.

If he names a guy and that guy shats the bed then he's forced into a position that he wants to avoid.

It's pretty clear that neither guy has distinguished himself as "the guy" and the staff is hoping this happens over the coming days/weeks so as to avoid a potential controversy going forward. At some point, probably next week, the "or" gets lifted regardless of performance because they'll have no choice.
 
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85Bears

All-American
Aug 31, 2019
5,435
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Everyone is aware that Kirk is loathe to make changes at the QB position, and the easiest way to avoid making a change at QB is to avoid naming a starter in the first place.

If he names a guy and that guy shats the bed then he's forced into a position that he wants to avoid.

It's pretty clear that neither guy has distinguished himself as "the guy" and the staff is hoping this happens over the coming days/weeks so as to avoid a potential controversy and going forward. At some point, probably next week, the "or" gets lifted regardless of performance because they'll have no choice.
Or Lester and Kirk want to see both qbs perform in game conditions against NIU. Yawn
 
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JayDeeSC

All-Conference
Nov 1, 2015
1,173
2,863
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Or Lester and Kirk want to see both qbs perform in game conditions against NIU. Yawn
But even then, you aren't letting either get into a rhythm or a feel for the flow of the game, so I am not sure what it accomplishes. Kirk hasn't made a decision because they have both evidently had good days and bad days. It is possible that the better option (whomever that is) has a bad day on Saturday. Kirk gets paid a lot and has been successful, so I will defer. However, it is just VERY odd that this has been a recurring issue with this program. They either aren't finding the right guys, they aren't developing them, or they are too afraid to alienate someone due to the portal environment.
 
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85Bears

All-American
Aug 31, 2019
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But even then, you aren't letting either get into a rhythm or a feel for the flow of the game, so I am not sure what it accomplishes. Kirk hasn't made a decision because they have both evidently had good days and bad days. It is possible that the better option (whomever that is) has a bad day on Saturday. Kirk gets paid a lot and has been successful, so I will defer. However, it is just VERY odd that this has been a recurring issue with this program. They either aren't finding the right guys, they aren't developing them, or they are too afraid to alienate someone due to the portal environment.
For one game ? Lol. Yea no coach in ncaa history ever split PT in a pre conference game. Ok coach.
 

kmurpny

Sophomore
Jul 22, 2006
143
150
43
They were neck and neck in practice. The scrimmage should have the deciding factor. I assume this is an old geezer rewarding seniority coupled with risk aversion. Cignetti wasn’t into risk aversion and that is why he has a title.
I don’t think either QB has any seniority at Iowa do they?
 
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squeezebox_1

All-Conference
Mar 6, 2018
838
1,260
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Right. Even though one guy is killing it, they'd rather the situation remain unresolved heading into the first game of the season.
Slinging it for 300 yards against this NIU defense should be the bench mark, but I'm still not sure it tells the coordinators much. Take Brown's performance 4TD performance against New Mexico while at Auburn, followed by a 3 INT day against Arkansas.
 

Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
6,105
12,636
113
They were neck and neck in practice. The scrimmage should have the deciding factor. I assume this is an old geezer rewarding seniority coupled with risk aversion. Cignetti wasn’t into risk aversion and that is why he has a title.
How do you know they were neck and neck in practice? Maybe Heck's best day was Kid's day and Brown has looked better most of camp. I also don't understand your seniority comment. They both have the same time on campus and neither has started a game.
 

Kceasthawk@77

All-American
Feb 2, 2005
3,667
6,655
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Right. Even though one guy is killing it, they'd rather the situation remain unresolved heading into the first game of the season.
I just don't see the kids game being a deciding factor, and evidently neither does Lester. How many times have we seen stuff in the "kids scrimmage" and that's all it is, its not a game, that didn't seem to hold true once the real games started? I also don't agree that "they'd rather it remained unresolved". I would think they'd have hoped one would have been significantly better, and it seems that hasn't happened, at least according to Lester, who's the guy monitoring each guy since bowl prep last year. We're going to find out a lot more here in a few days.
 
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Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
6,105
12,636
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Slinging it for 300 yards against this NIU defense should be the bench mark, but I'm still not sure it tells the coordinators much. Take Brown's performance 4TD performance against New Mexico while at Auburn, followed by a 3 INT day against Arkansas.
Yeah. Competition matters. Iowa's worst offense in modern history dropped 41 on Western Michigan a few years ago. I still remember people on here trying to convince me that the offense was functional after that game.
 
Oct 30, 2023
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I don’t think either QB has any seniority at Iowa do they?
Hank Joined in that weird December portal they did in 2024 and was with Iowa for the bowl game prep that year. Heck joined in the April portal window after and they were both there for spring ball going into 2025, and obviously the 2025 season. So technically Hank has like a month more of practices but no real seniority advantage.
 
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Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
6,105
12,636
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I just don't see the kids game being a deciding factor, and evidently neither does Lester. How many times have we seen stuff in the "kids scrimmage" and that's all it is, its not a game, that didn't seem to hold true once the real games started? I also don't agree that "they'd rather it remained unresolved". I would think they'd have hoped one would have been significantly better, and it seems that hasn't happened, at least according to Lester, who's the guy monitoring each guy since bowl prep last year. We're going to find out a lot more here in a few days.
That response from me that you're quoting was sarcasm directed at the resident smooth brain.
 

85Bears

All-American
Aug 31, 2019
5,435
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Do you ever tire of looking like an azz hole on here?

Right. Even though one guy is killing it, they'd rather the situation remain unresolved heading into the first game of the season.

How do you know they were neck and neck in practice? Maybe Heck's best day was Kid's day and Brown has looked better most of camp. I also don't understand your seniority comment. They both have the same time on campus and neither has started a game.
So you contradict yourself, saying one guy is killing it, then post the opposite two minutes later when exposed. lol.
 
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AFM22

Heisman
Oct 31, 2022
20,694
39,632
113
Slinging it for 300 yards against this NIU defense should be the bench mark, but I'm still not sure it tells the coordinators much. Take Brown's performance 4TD performance against New Mexico while at Auburn, followed by a 3 INT day against Arkansas.
It would be the first time since 2019.

I can see the RBs going off, but not the QBs.
 

Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
6,105
12,636
113
Another meltdown, just like when you were busted for lying about Hayden Fry’s ”rolling ball of butcher knives” quote last week. are you going to go into hiding again ?
Hiding? No. Lying? No. Avoiding mental defectives like yourself? Generally.
 

AFM22

Heisman
Oct 31, 2022
20,694
39,632
113
Fair, I would certainly hope they focus on the passing attack for this first game. I guess the point still stands, even if it's 200+, I don't think this game tells you much.
I would love 200+, an I agree with your last statement.

I think this game is all about getting some pops in against another team, control of the game, fundamentals, and seeing the weak spots of the units.

250 yards passing, 150 yards rushing, and 0 injuries would be a great day in my book.
 
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Max Rebo

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2022
777
2,107
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Honestly, it doesn't make any difference at all what he did, there would be posters on here complaining, and that's the only thing we do know.
Iowa fans (and some media) for months: "It looks like this QB competition might go into the season."

Kirk Ferentz, upon releasing the depth chart: "The QB competition is going to go into the season."

Iowa fans (and some media), upon the release of the depth chart: "OH MY GOD! WHY CAN'T KIRK MAKE UP HIS MIND??!!"
 

Max Rebo

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2022
777
2,107
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But even then, you aren't letting either get into a rhythm or a feel for the flow of the game, so I am not sure what it accomplishes. Kirk hasn't made a decision because they have both evidently had good days and bad days. It is possible that the better option (whomever that is) has a bad day on Saturday. Kirk gets paid a lot and has been successful, so I will defer. However, it is just VERY odd that this has been a recurring issue with this program. They either aren't finding the right guys, they aren't developing them, or they are too afraid to alienate someone due to the portal environment.
Hot take, but I think the idea that a quarterback has to play every snap to "get into the flow of the game" is overrated. We swap guys in and out at every other position on the field without a second thought. That’s not to say rhythm doesn't matter for a QB, but fans, media, and coaches overstate its importance. I’m sure RBs, WRs, DLs, and guys at pretty much every position would love to stay out there to build a rhythm too, but rotation is still standard practice.
 

MeetTheFerentzes

All-Conference
Sep 6, 2022
2,366
4,590
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I think he actually DOES enjoy messing with the message-board portion of the fan base.
I have seen this scenario several times. I have no preference for which QB wins the job.
I’d love to hear about all these scenarios in which a high profile coach specifically did things to mess with the message board portion of the fan base.
 
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