Iowa football mailbag: Kirk Ferentz has always been evasive on the topic of offense

Let's jump right into the #oniowapod mailbag this week.

November 11, 2019

#oniowapod In 1971, Bear Bryant switched to the wishbone. In 2005, JoePa switched to the Spread HD. I know we have seen incremental changes in the offense this season, but does KF have a late-career overhaul in him like those other stubborn, old coaches?

— Tom Ksobiech (@TomKsobiech)

Know we are all saying we need an offensive scheme that is more with the times, do Brian/Kirk know how to coach other types of offenses? Is the issue here stubbornness or just that when you're a hammer everything looks like a nail? November 12, 2019

Know we are all saying we need an offensive scheme that is more with the times, do Brian/Kirk know how to coach other types of offenses? Is the issue here stubbornness or just that when you're a hammer everything looks like a nail? #oniowapod @marcmorehouse @ScottDochterman

— Ryan Welsh (@RyanJWelsh)

The excuse of 'that's football' is about as stale as the offense. Just screams laziness in my opinion. When is the coaching staff going to step up to the media and take accountability? November 13, 2019

The excuse of 'that's football' is about as stale as the offense. Just screams laziness in my opinion. When is the coaching staff going to step up to the media and take accountability? #oniowapod

— Brett Iverson (@Brett_Iverson)

Questions about the offense are totally fair and warranted. It's the thing that has held Iowa back from a special, special season in 2019.

I just can't put another pic of Brian Ferentz on top of the #oniowapod mailbag column.

I range between 'dead horse' and 'yeah, let's what until the offseason' on the 'change this @#$&!@* offense' topic. Really trying not to cop out here, but nothing is changing, not right now. I hope everyone gets that.

Ever maybe? For this week's bag of mail (not actual mail), I went through the archive to see what Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said about the offense when he was hired in December 1998.

As you might imagine, he didn't say a whole lot.

Ferentz left his offensive line position under Hayden Fry at Iowa in 1989 for the head coaching job at Maine, an FCS program. He didn't touch that offense.

'When I went to Maine, we changed our defensive package up there but I elected to keep the offensive system the same as it was,' he said.

The Black Bears went 3-8 for a couple of years before Ferentz changed the offense.

At Iowa, for the first time since Maine, he was in charge. The ideas were going to be his or collectively built by the staff he initially hired in 1999.

'My idea when I came in here was, I'm going to please one guy on some things,' he said, 'and that's me.'

Ferentz went to work with then-offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe, but there also was some Fry influence on the staff, with former running backs coach Carl Jackson and quarterbacks coach Chuck Long.

'We wanted to come up with the Iowa offense — our Iowa offense,' he said.

Ferentz played the subterfuge game then, too. He did work with Bill Belichick. Lots of news conferences before the 1999 season ended up being reporters asking about the offense and Ferentz playing coy.

'I don't know what direction we're going to go,' he said, 'but hopefully it will be a sound one, one that utilizes our players as best we can.'

There was talk of a 'west coast' offense.

'There's not a lot of original ideas out there,' Ferentz said.

Basically, this was never set up to be an offensive laboratory. I don't see that changing now.

I believe it's about what Iowa can sustain with the players it's able to recruit and develop on a regular basis. But that's my assumption.

The Big Ten changed when Rich Rodriguez brought spread offense to Michigan. It changed forever when Urban Meyer brought spread offense to Ohio State and won a natty.

I feel like something has to change. Not sure what yet, let's put in a pin in that for January. There hasn't been enough winning to justify standing pat. Period.

Whenever I think Ferentz has to 'give it up' on what he wants to see out of the offense, he seems to double down on secrecy, which is a football coach thing.

I really think cold or evasive answers on the topic in the postseason are going to be received like 'That's football' in 2014.

One way or another, Kirk's tenure is winding down. Assuming Brian isn't the successor in waiting, who are your top 3 candidates to take over the head job, and why? November 13, 2019

One way or another, Kirk's tenure is winding down. Assuming Brian isn't the successor in waiting, who are your top 3 candidates to take over the head job, and why? #oniowapod

— NYC Hawkeye Fan (@NYCHawkeyeFan)

I continue to think Iowa should look at Kansas State attack, but that would be a MAJOR overhaul. I do think Klineman would be a good fit at Iowa too, it K-ST to IA might simply be a lateral move. November 11, 2019

I continue to think Iowa should look at Kansas State attack, but that would be a MAJOR overhaul. I do think Klineman would be a good fit at Iowa too, it K-ST to IA might simply be a lateral move. #oniowapod

— Will Ryan (@RevWillRyan)

It's Chris Klieman, but I knew who you were tweeting about, Will. By the way, he's a Waterloo Columbus grad, Northern Iowa grad and former Loras College head coach.

I'm going to continue the moratorium on the next coaching regime. Who knows when it's happening. There are three games left in 2019. The Hawkeyes could still win 10 games. Could. The fact that's still a possibility in mid-November just doesn't vibe with discussion on the next coach.

NYC is totally right. One way or another, this is winding down. I've always thought after this year, but that's just my thought. KF seems into it. Three games left, 10 wins still possible, I'm tabling this topic until after the bowl.

Why can't we have nice things? November 13, 2019

Why can't we have nice things? #oniowapod

— Andrew Blessing (@ABlessing89)

You have to stop running inside the house, Andrew. You keep breaking all of mom's 'Precious Moments.'

My idea for the offense is to score more points and we'd probably win more games...is that good? November 13, 2019

My idea for the offense is to score more points and we'd probably win more games...is that good? #wiseguysolutions #oniowapod

— Dr. Seuss (@RecklessSue)

Can't argue.

Numbers for Greg D vs Brian: ppg/ypg November 13, 2019

Numbers for Greg D vs Brian: ppg/ypg #oniowapod

— Jonny Hawkeye (@JonnyHawkeye)

Greg D: 19.3/310, 26.3 /377, 28.2/400

30.9/386, 24.9/325

Brian:

28.2/329, 31.1/375, 24.1/381 -

What are your takeaways from the stats?

That Iowa's offense is variable and offensive line recruiting and development need to get better for this to work at all.

This is like the 'QB regression' argument. Yeah, QBs have regressed in their senior seasons at Iowa. Why? I think if you go case-by-case and do the homework, you'd find variability in the reasons why (for example, Drew Tate had oblique and thumb injuries in 2006).

But hey, if Jonny wants to say Greg Davis is better than Brian Ferentz at OC, have at it. I've written here the jury still is out.

Why can't Iowa sustain momentum from year to year? Outside of 2002-04 they haven't been able to do it. Now, It feels like the program is back to 2014. All the changes to scheme, recruiting philosophy, etc made prior to 2015 seem to have evaporated. So...now what? November 13, 2019

Why can't Iowa sustain momentum from year to year? Outside of 2002-04 they haven't been able to do it. Now, It feels like the program is back to 2014. All the changes to scheme, recruiting philosophy, etc made prior to 2015 seem to have evaporated. So...now what? #oniowapod

— Jason Crafton (@JasCrafton)

Let me fix this for you, 'Why can't Iowa be Wisconsin?'

Wisconsin has found an offensive system that it's been able to stoke and reshape and sustain for almost 30 years. It's not foolproof, but Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez brought this offense to Wisconsin in 1990. It's become more sophisticated, but it's still giant dudes blocking for a great running back.

That's what you need to win the Big Ten West on such a consistent basis. Teams have to come to you, have to beat you at your own game.

This is a great point, Jason, and I'm glad you brought it up. I've written in the past that the lack of sustained runs of title contention would be a thing. The 2002-04 run was historic, with two Big Ten co-championships, which are now extinct with the B1G title game. Also, Fry went to two Rose Bowls with an 8-3 record. That's never happening again.

You had 2009 and 2015 for high-level fun. Last season had it until it didn't. Sustaining high-level success is elusive for B1G programs on Iowa's level (look what happened to defending B1G West champ Northwestern this year) but that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

November 13, 2019

#oniowapod when hordes of keyboard warriors come to KF's door demanding resignation, will his lineman block the invaders using a zone or gap scheme? Probably both right? Need agility to get around the pitchforks, but gotta bullrush the torchbearers to smother the flames.

— Jeff Hellman (@runninfool10)

Let's not put 'offensive line' and 'flames' in the same sentence this year. I'm not sure where the fire extinguisher is.

What is the most candid question you would love to ask Kirk, in year 2019/2020 of his tenure? November 13, 2019

What is the most candid question you would love to ask Kirk, in year 2019/2020 of his tenure? #oniowapod

— Frank Gannon P.I P.I. (@FrankGannonPIP1)

When are you going to retire? I'm not saying it's time, but I think we'd all like to know, right?

November 13, 2019

@marcmorehouse #oniowapod For the 4th straight year, Iowa will not contend for the division title, which begs the question, what should Iowa fans realistically expect? My opinion is avg 8-9 wins year, win the division every 3-4 yrs. Am I wrong?

— Phil M (@sting2387)

Interesting question.

Yes, I do believe Phil is being reasonable. Where I think fans can quibble (or more than quibble) is what do the eight or nine wins look like? Pending Saturday's result, this year hasn't included a win against a ranked team. Neither did last year. So, what do the eight or nine look like? Is beating Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa State enough? Probably not.

But Wisconsin has put a dent in the 'eight or nine wins are cool for the Iowa head football coach.' Iowa fans want the run in the B1G West that Wisconsin has had and they should want that. Unless, you know, you want to concede an unbroken line of division titles and title game appearances to the Badgers. I'm not sure anyone would be down with that.

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