Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz is a loyal guy. When he has a rare opening on his staff, Ferentz usually promotes from within.
So it was somewhat surprising to learn Ferentz named former Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis to the same position at Iowa. It was also somewhat surprising that Davis landed the job after being away from football for a year.
Davis was a highly successful offensive coordinator under Texas coach Mack Brown. However, he resigned under pressure following the 2010 season. Texas stumbled to a 5-7 record that year.
Iowa fans had a love-hate relationship with former offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe. Many were happy when the long time Iowa assistant took a job with the Miami Dolphins. Many hope Davis will bring new life to the Hawkeye offense.
But if fans are expecting a radical change, forget it. Remember who your head coach is? Ferentz is loyal to the system and doesn’t favor throwing the ball 60 times per game or trying all kinds of gadget plays.
Ferentz hopes Davis is a vanilla type of coach who does his job and gets some victories. He wants no flash or different flavored ice cream. So in that vein, Ferentz’s hire was pretty typical.
Showing posts with label Mack Brown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mack Brown. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Listen to Texas' Mack Brown
Texas football coach Mack Brown said yesterday he wants to remain in the Big 12 Conference. He also said Texas wants to stay in the league.
If those statements are true, then the next step is simple. Texas needs to come out publicly and declare it will definitely stay in the Big 12.
Texas could place a huge roadblock on this realignment chaos with that simple statement. But can Texas be trusted? The Longhorns seem to enjoy flirting with suitors just like other schools.
Would Texas find happiness in the Pac-12 or ACC? How about as an independent? The Longhorns are viewed as a Big 12 bully. They have basically taken advantage of flavored status in the old Southwest Conference and the Big 12. In a way, you cannot blame them. But if you (Texas) drive away the competition, what do you have left? A king without subjects is not a kingdom.
I doubt whether the Pac-12 or the ACC is viewing Texas as the ultimate gold piece. If the Longhorns want to join one of those leagues, they will actually find themselves in a sharing position. They will no longer be the top dog in a conference.
I sense Texas is a lonely institution in these changeable times. The Longhorns want to become loved. The problem for Texas, if it joins another conference, is someone else will make the rules. And following is a whole different story than having followers.
If those statements are true, then the next step is simple. Texas needs to come out publicly and declare it will definitely stay in the Big 12.
Texas could place a huge roadblock on this realignment chaos with that simple statement. But can Texas be trusted? The Longhorns seem to enjoy flirting with suitors just like other schools.
Would Texas find happiness in the Pac-12 or ACC? How about as an independent? The Longhorns are viewed as a Big 12 bully. They have basically taken advantage of flavored status in the old Southwest Conference and the Big 12. In a way, you cannot blame them. But if you (Texas) drive away the competition, what do you have left? A king without subjects is not a kingdom.
I doubt whether the Pac-12 or the ACC is viewing Texas as the ultimate gold piece. If the Longhorns want to join one of those leagues, they will actually find themselves in a sharing position. They will no longer be the top dog in a conference.
I sense Texas is a lonely institution in these changeable times. The Longhorns want to become loved. The problem for Texas, if it joins another conference, is someone else will make the rules. And following is a whole different story than having followers.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Texas Longhorns Get Their Own Network
They say everything is bigger in Texas and that holds true for Texas Longhorn athletics.
According to reports, Texas and ESPN will join forces to offer a 24-hour Longhorn network later this year.
Now you know why the Longhorns didn’t jump to the Big Ten conference or any other conference. Texas doesn’t want to become part of the pie, it wants to become the whole pie.
Notre Dame was the first school to televise its games exclusively. Then the Big Ten rolled out its network and put millions of dollars in its member-schools laps. By the way if you have cable or satellite, you are contributing to the Big Ten’s bottom line.
So now it’s Texas’ turn to make the big splash and the big dollars. Maybe Texas football coach Mack Brown will get a pay raise. That’s my attempt at a joke, sorry. For my foreign readers, Brown is making 5.1 million per year. That is huge American dollars.
My biggest question in this is what’s ESPN’s role? Will the sports network plaster Longhorn ads on its other channels? Will they give Texas more game exposure on its other channels? Will ESPN become an arm of the Texas athletic department?
At the very least, prepare yourself to see plenty of the burnt orange color scheme and the hook ‘em Horn’s symbol.
What do you think of Texas’ plan?
According to reports, Texas and ESPN will join forces to offer a 24-hour Longhorn network later this year.
Now you know why the Longhorns didn’t jump to the Big Ten conference or any other conference. Texas doesn’t want to become part of the pie, it wants to become the whole pie.
Notre Dame was the first school to televise its games exclusively. Then the Big Ten rolled out its network and put millions of dollars in its member-schools laps. By the way if you have cable or satellite, you are contributing to the Big Ten’s bottom line.
So now it’s Texas’ turn to make the big splash and the big dollars. Maybe Texas football coach Mack Brown will get a pay raise. That’s my attempt at a joke, sorry. For my foreign readers, Brown is making 5.1 million per year. That is huge American dollars.
My biggest question in this is what’s ESPN’s role? Will the sports network plaster Longhorn ads on its other channels? Will they give Texas more game exposure on its other channels? Will ESPN become an arm of the Texas athletic department?
At the very least, prepare yourself to see plenty of the burnt orange color scheme and the hook ‘em Horn’s symbol.
What do you think of Texas’ plan?
Friday, December 17, 2010
College Football's Most Interesting 2010 Team
The envelope please…Texas Longhorns.
Texas was the most interesting team in 2010 and definitely the most disappointing. Longhorn fans want to know how their team can play in the national championship game one year and slip to 5-7 the next season.
For my foreign readers, football is huge in Texas. Especially Longhorn football. According to one report, Texas has a $25.1 million football budget. Some college and universities don’t even have that much money for their entire athletic budgets.
So Texas fans want big returns on the financial investment. Texas doesn’t want to lose any games. Texas wants championships. They demand championships.
As expected, fallout has happened from the disastrous season. Head coach Mack Brown will have a revamped staff in place next season. For example, Brown needs to fill both offensive and defensive coordinator spots.
Change might be the best thing for the Texas football program.
Texas realized something this season. You cannot just show up every Saturday and take home the victory. The guys across the line from you want to win too. The days of entitlement in college football are over
So the question out of Austin, Texas becomes, “Was this a unique season or the start of a distributing trend?”
All of college football awaits the answer.
Texas was the most interesting team in 2010 and definitely the most disappointing. Longhorn fans want to know how their team can play in the national championship game one year and slip to 5-7 the next season.
For my foreign readers, football is huge in Texas. Especially Longhorn football. According to one report, Texas has a $25.1 million football budget. Some college and universities don’t even have that much money for their entire athletic budgets.
So Texas fans want big returns on the financial investment. Texas doesn’t want to lose any games. Texas wants championships. They demand championships.
As expected, fallout has happened from the disastrous season. Head coach Mack Brown will have a revamped staff in place next season. For example, Brown needs to fill both offensive and defensive coordinator spots.
Change might be the best thing for the Texas football program.
Texas realized something this season. You cannot just show up every Saturday and take home the victory. The guys across the line from you want to win too. The days of entitlement in college football are over
So the question out of Austin, Texas becomes, “Was this a unique season or the start of a distributing trend?”
All of college football awaits the answer.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Mack Brown and Texas
After Iowa State’s upset victory over Texas last Saturday, I was wondering what the people in the Lone Star State thought about the game. Obviously, I knew they would be upset.
In case you didn’t realize it, they take football pretty seriously in Texas—especially Longhorn football. But maybe as the Texas losses mount, the fans are being conditioned to accept the worst.
Not.
This one columnist was going after the coaches and players. Pretty typical stuff. He said that Texas will probably only qualify for a low tier bowl like the Insight Bowl. Memo to the writer: the Longhorns have just four wins, they need six. Don’t count your chickens, I mean steers before it’s time.
But this columnist also went after Brown’s salary—more than $5 million per year. I don’t understand why writers and fans go after coach’s salaries only when the team starts losing. When a team wins consistently, the coach’s salary is largely a mute point.
But folks, the coach is going to get paid whether he wins or loses. The money is only affected in terms of bonuses and termination.
So if Texas fans believe Brown is such a bad coach, then call for his firing. But as the old saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for.”
Brown is the same guy who led Texas to a national championship. Did his coaching skills decline that fast?
Food for thought Texas fans as you await a hungry Baylor Bears team this week.
In case you didn’t realize it, they take football pretty seriously in Texas—especially Longhorn football. But maybe as the Texas losses mount, the fans are being conditioned to accept the worst.
Not.
This one columnist was going after the coaches and players. Pretty typical stuff. He said that Texas will probably only qualify for a low tier bowl like the Insight Bowl. Memo to the writer: the Longhorns have just four wins, they need six. Don’t count your chickens, I mean steers before it’s time.
But this columnist also went after Brown’s salary—more than $5 million per year. I don’t understand why writers and fans go after coach’s salaries only when the team starts losing. When a team wins consistently, the coach’s salary is largely a mute point.
But folks, the coach is going to get paid whether he wins or loses. The money is only affected in terms of bonuses and termination.
So if Texas fans believe Brown is such a bad coach, then call for his firing. But as the old saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for.”
Brown is the same guy who led Texas to a national championship. Did his coaching skills decline that fast?
Food for thought Texas fans as you await a hungry Baylor Bears team this week.
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