After Iowa lost its second consecutive game Saturday, Hawkeye Athletic Director Gary Barta made a statement. You realize things are really bad when Barta starts making statements.
In this election year, Barta is throwing his full support behind the Iowa program.
I guess Barta felt the need to express some comments after Northwestern handled the Hawkeyes 28-17 Saturday. The week before Penn State totally destroyed Iowa.
Iowa is a mediocre 4-4 and needs at least two more wins to become bowl eligible. The best chances appear Saturday at Indiana and next week hosting Purdue. The two other remaining games (Michigan and Nebraska) appear out of reach.
But this is how far the Hawkeye program has fallen this season. Iowa fans are talking about “just” winning enough to become bowl eligible.
Coach Kirk Ferentz is obviously taking lots of heat. But the veteran coach isn’t going anywhere with a long-term contact and an expensive buyout. Plus, Iowa changes head coaches about as often as The Des Moines Register newspaper endorses a Republican for President of the United States. For my international readers, that isn’t often in either case.
Senior quarterback James Vanderberg is also catching fan’s ire. But Vanderberg isn’t going anywhere either. Ferentz is loyal to players and coaches and probably won’t make a change at quarterback. The Hawkeyes will continue to lifv or die with Vanderberg.
These last four games will be interesting. Can Iowa save its season? Or will the critics grow louder?
It’s never simple with Iowa Hawkeye sports. That’s a sure vote.
Showing posts with label Iowa football team. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iowa football team. Show all posts
Monday, October 29, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Iowa Football Team Receives More Bad News
Sports publicists at the University of Iowa may not want to pick up the telephone, read a text message or open an email because it might require more damage control.
Iowa sports publicists have done their share of damage control over the problems with the running back position on the football team.
Iowa has endured various injuries, transfers and players getting in trouble with the law at the position.
So surprise, surprise there was more bad news last week. Different media outlets reported that freshman running back recruit Greg Garmon was charged with marijuana possession.
The Iowa sports publicity office or coach Kirk Ferentz has made no public comments about the Garmon situation other than a no comment from the publicity office.
The Hawkeyes are paper thin at running back anyway. Depending on the outcome with Garmon, maybe Ferentz needs to hold student body tryouts.
This incident may mean that incoming freshman Barkley Hill will become the starter. Hill was projected for major work before Garmon’s challenge anyway.
The old adage in football is you can never have enough running backs. Iowa has gone well beyond that saying. The Hawkeyes hope their running back fortunes change directions in a hurry.
Iowa sports publicists have done their share of damage control over the problems with the running back position on the football team.
Iowa has endured various injuries, transfers and players getting in trouble with the law at the position.
So surprise, surprise there was more bad news last week. Different media outlets reported that freshman running back recruit Greg Garmon was charged with marijuana possession.
The Iowa sports publicity office or coach Kirk Ferentz has made no public comments about the Garmon situation other than a no comment from the publicity office.
The Hawkeyes are paper thin at running back anyway. Depending on the outcome with Garmon, maybe Ferentz needs to hold student body tryouts.
This incident may mean that incoming freshman Barkley Hill will become the starter. Hill was projected for major work before Garmon’s challenge anyway.
The old adage in football is you can never have enough running backs. Iowa has gone well beyond that saying. The Hawkeyes hope their running back fortunes change directions in a hurry.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
What's the Problem at Iowa?
Another player is leaving the Iowa football program. That in itself is not surprising, but the surprising thing is it becomes the sixth scholarship running back to depart in the last two years.
These players aren’t fifth string, folks, they are talented. Marcus Coker is the latest to pack his bags and leave Iowa City. Coker rushed for 1,384 yards last season. He was also MVP of the Insight Bowl in 2010.
Three of the guys got in trouble with the team, one wanted to be closer to home, another had battled injuries and just wanted to leave and the other left allegedly for family matters.
While the help wanted sign at Iowa for running backs is definitely circulating, would you want to go to school there with the recent problems? Opposing coaches must like this. Imagine all the dirt they are putting on Iowa with their sales pitches.
It’s difficult to determine what’s happening at Iowa. Is this just a string of bad fortune with the recruiting or is there a problem inside the program?
Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz seems like a good guy. But he has had his share of problems with player issues. He should clean this up quickly. Iowa has had mediocre teams the last couple seasons which doesn’t lend itself to tolerance with repeated mistakes with the squad.
This stuff keeps happening and Ferentz might be free to pursue that much rumored job in the NFL.
These players aren’t fifth string, folks, they are talented. Marcus Coker is the latest to pack his bags and leave Iowa City. Coker rushed for 1,384 yards last season. He was also MVP of the Insight Bowl in 2010.
Three of the guys got in trouble with the team, one wanted to be closer to home, another had battled injuries and just wanted to leave and the other left allegedly for family matters.
While the help wanted sign at Iowa for running backs is definitely circulating, would you want to go to school there with the recent problems? Opposing coaches must like this. Imagine all the dirt they are putting on Iowa with their sales pitches.
It’s difficult to determine what’s happening at Iowa. Is this just a string of bad fortune with the recruiting or is there a problem inside the program?
Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz seems like a good guy. But he has had his share of problems with player issues. He should clean this up quickly. Iowa has had mediocre teams the last couple seasons which doesn’t lend itself to tolerance with repeated mistakes with the squad.
This stuff keeps happening and Ferentz might be free to pursue that much rumored job in the NFL.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Iowa Football Team in Turmoil
The Iowa Hawkeye football team has experienced several negative incidents over the last several weeks and months.
The latest was about 10 days ago when 13 players were admitted to the hospital. Too much exercise during workouts was the reported cause. It’s a condition called ‘rhabdomyolysis’ which can develop into serious kidney problems.
Rumors said that the player’s problem was more than excessive exercise. Coach Kirk Ferentz said it was the exercise.
Regardless of what happened, this is bad. It’s bad for the effected players. It’s bad for the entire Iowa football program.
I have often sung the praises of Ferentz. I believe he is a good person and a good coach. But his program is becoming a problem, a big problem. Too many incidents. It is becoming a pattern.
I understand that Ferentz is in charge of about 110 players. He cannot baby sit them all. Players will make bad decisions and find trouble. One or two or three incidents happen, but a pattern of continued bad behavior makes you wonder about the program.
At the end of the day, Ferentz is the CEO of the Iowa football team. He receives serious money for that task. He needs to clean this mess up and in a hurry. Life has consequences and as the football boss, Ferentz should be held to high consequences.
The latest was about 10 days ago when 13 players were admitted to the hospital. Too much exercise during workouts was the reported cause. It’s a condition called ‘rhabdomyolysis’ which can develop into serious kidney problems.
Rumors said that the player’s problem was more than excessive exercise. Coach Kirk Ferentz said it was the exercise.
Regardless of what happened, this is bad. It’s bad for the effected players. It’s bad for the entire Iowa football program.
I have often sung the praises of Ferentz. I believe he is a good person and a good coach. But his program is becoming a problem, a big problem. Too many incidents. It is becoming a pattern.
I understand that Ferentz is in charge of about 110 players. He cannot baby sit them all. Players will make bad decisions and find trouble. One or two or three incidents happen, but a pattern of continued bad behavior makes you wonder about the program.
At the end of the day, Ferentz is the CEO of the Iowa football team. He receives serious money for that task. He needs to clean this mess up and in a hurry. Life has consequences and as the football boss, Ferentz should be held to high consequences.
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