Three and Out . . . The Greg Davis edition

1) When it doesn't work . . . -- Offensive coordinator Greg Davis was a topic of conversation with Iowa football this week. Here's why: Iowa is 10th in the Big Ten in scoring (20.4 ppg); Iowa is 10th in the Big Ten in rushing (133.75 ypg); Iowa is seventh in the Big Ten in passing (192.1 ypg), Iowa is last in the Big Ten in TD passes (three, with the next-to-last at seven); Iowa is last in the Big Ten in passing yards per attempt (5.7); and Iowa is 11th in the Big Ten in total offense (325.9).

There are four games left. These stats are mid-term as far as the Big Ten schedule goes. Kirk Ferentz would never make an evaluation public. He also is wrestling with a 4-4 team and trying to get the Hawkeyes bowl eligible in the next four weeks.

That said, he was asked about Davis.

"We haven't talked about it. Greg's a great guy," Ferentz said when asked about Davis working under a one-year contract. "I'm excited to have him here. I'm glad he came, and I don't think he's too worried about it and nor am I."

Some of the upper-echelon programs have started signing coordinators to multi-year deals. Iowa isn't one of those.

"That's just kind of how it is," Ferentz said. "I think most of them know that if they do their job and again, I think instead of talking about it, I think past performance typically has a little something to say about how to do your job. That's what everybody's supposed to do. Do your job. And they are."

2) Remember the hiring . . . -- Because of the timing, mid-to-late February, Iowa had to hire Davis under an "emergency plan." Iowa wanted to get Davis in before spring practice and so it had to massage the human resources process.

This comes with the kicker that Ferentz will have to officially reopen the position at some point in the next year. From the sounds of it, that is a formality.

"Not to my knowledge," Ferentz said when asked about the "emergency" plan and a reopening. "I think he's officially on board. As far as I know, nobody has to audition."

Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said he hasn't thought about contracts for assistant coaches.

3) Iowa isn't Texas . . . -- No Iowa, you won't be able to generate the same amount of heat that Texas took toward the end of his run as Texas' offensive coordinator. Texas fans raised a reported $1,300 to have air plane fly a banner that read "Greg Davis is not our standard" flown around the Longhorns' stadium before the 2010 Baylor game.

This will be game 9 with Davis as Iowa's offensive coordinator. Let's maybe see where this goes before violating the "no fly" rule around Kinnick Stadium.

"He's a super laid-back guy," quarterback James Vandenberg said. "Obviously, he takes it very seriously, as serious as any of us. He's a guy who's going to keep pushing us forward and keep acting like nothing is wrong. He truly believes we're close and I truly believe we're close. It all comes down to putting together that performance where it call kind of clicks."