Development remains the template for Hawkeyes

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., — Kirk Ferentz took the stage with four of his seniors Wednesday, the last talking day of TaxSlayer Bowl week.

From left to right, there were self-made players or players who navigated a crooked sea to their spot as a senior spokesman. Running back Mark Weisman walked on after deciding military life wasn't for him at the Air Force Academy. Defensive tackle Louis Trinca-Pasat had to put on 50 pounds to have a shot at thriving and surviving in the pit.

Linebacker Quinton Alston waited four years behind players he couldn't pass on the depth chart. Before Brandon Scherff was an Outland Trophy winner and consensus All-American, he was a chubby 320-pound freshman who had to learn the hard lessons on the line of scrimmage.

All fantastic stories, all stories that are indicative of Iowa football. You already know Iowa isn't a place that can pick recruits off trees. You try to be patient as Iowa develops. You try to be patient, they try to crank up the football factory.

Iowa football is realism. It's accepting and understanding the situation and dealing with it accordingly.

Where are we on this?

Internally, Iowa is grinding to get back to the mid-2000s success that saw three straight double-digit-win seasons. Ferentz has his template. He's in his 25th season in Iowa City, ending his 16th as head coach. He saw how Hayden Fry's great '80s teams were built as the offensive line coach. And then he imprinted that with his vision of what works at Iowa, building teams from inside out that usually are strong on the line of scrimmage.

'We're not going to get the recruits Ohio State gets or that Michigan traditionally gets,' Ferentz said, 'that's just how it is. I did look up Ohio State and it looks like if you scheduled them prior to 1899, you had a good chance of getting them. Since that time, they really haven't had a bad year except maybe a 6-6. That's just the way it is.

'You are who you are and you are what you are and you try to make the best of it.'

That's all true, but Ferentz also knows this is a results-based business. Development is hard to measure and difficult to reel in at the same time for a senior offensive lineman or a junior running back or a sophomore quarterback.

The results the last five seasons show a blemish on the template. Since Iowa's fun and nutty 11-2 Orange Bowl-winning season in 2009, the Hawkeyes are just 34-29 (and this includes five victories against FCS schools.

The reality is Ferentz's third act has treaded water. This point is exacerbated by the rise of Wisconsin and Michigan State. Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio eyed Iowa when he started building the Spartans in 2006. Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan State carry similar status in terms of brand and modern standing within the Big Ten.

In the last five years, Wisconsin and MSU have combined for five appearances in the Big Ten title game, with the Badgers winning two and the Spartans one. Wisconsin has been to three Rose Bowls in the last five seasons. Last season, Michigan State won the Rose Bowl and finished 12-1.

If wins is the measure, there haven't been enough. If building people and players is the measure, Iowa is OK there. On the stage with Ferentz on Friday was a couple of future coaches, a graduate student working toward a master's in educational leadership and a likely first-round NFL draft pick.

'I've been here 16 years. I haven't talked an awful lot about winning,' Ferentz said. 'To suggest that winning isn't important that would be almost insulting if you said that to any player or coach. But to that point, our emphasis is on being maximizing what we have and play our best, and that's a tough goal to reach.

'So, wins and losses don't always measure that, but that's the ultimate goal.'

Iowa's administration and fans will have to decide their priorities. Is living with something solid and competitive with great continuity and a good and decent man as the face of the program enough? Fans voiced their opinion loudly enough to athletics director Gary Barta after the Hawkeyes' 37-34 loss to Nebraska in the season finale that Barta felt the need to give Ferentz a vote of confidence in the media the following week.

Or do administration and fans chase the bigger dream, toss away security and risk becoming a bottom feeder?

Ferentz's third act has treaded water. Iowa has still pumped out NFL-caliber offensive linemen. That's sound, and Scherff is living proof.

Part of what has Iowa stuck has been thoroughly examined this week. Iowa (7-5) will play quarterbacks Jake Rudock and C.J. Beathard against Tennessee (6-6) today. Ferentz came up wanting to be an offensive line coach. He's said many times he didn't have a master plan to be a head coach and call plays. Iowa's offense has reflected this.

Former Hawkeye O-lineman Marshal Yanda will play in his second straight Pro Bowl this season. Iowa hasn't had a QB throw a pass in the NFL since Dan McGwire in 1995. The last Iowa wide receiver to catch a pass in the NFL? It's Tim Dwight in 2006.

Iowa has seen its like-branded B1G foes sprint past it the last few seasons with high-level skill players leading the way — Russell Wilson, Montee Ball, Melvin Gordon and Connor Cook.

'You are who you are' is true at Iowa, but it's no absolution for dynamic quarterback and wide receiver play.

Ferentz resurrected Iowa football in the early 2000s and then rejuvenated it for a second act. These are lessons in sustaining a championship level at Iowa — and all the inherent struggles that go with that — and imprinting the vision of one man's philosophy on a program for 16 and going on 17 years.

Is there even any precedent for a third act?

'It's a battle everywhere,' Ferentz said. 'It's tough everywhere. That's competition, that's competitiveness. That's the fun, that's the fun of it all.'

Everyone Iowa has to decide on what is fun for them.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com