Kozan you bastard!

He's going to be an Auburn Tiger.


"So what about GoldenHawk's prediction?"


I'll tell you what GoldenHawk did, he phucked up!


Actually here's how it went down.  Alex Kozan and Brian Bobek have something in common.  They both have parents who drove the Hawkeye coaches crazy.  KF and his assistants aren't into making promises.  The Kozan's were informed up front that some coaching changes might be in the offing.  If Iowa had not experienced any coaching moves Kozan would likely be at Iowa right now.  But Iowa needed to make some changes and when the Kozan's didn't get the reassurances they wanted they took their son to cheating Chizik and said, "What promises and guarantees can you make us?"


Quick as you can say "get me knee pads" Chizik replied with, "Your wish is my command."


By the way, Michigan also grew tired of the Kozan drama and they too bowed out for his services.  The Kozan's are about to experience what the Bobek's went thru.  The Bobek family was attracted to all that glitters and they ended up in the middle of a mess.  I hope Kozan's dad isn't too upset when Chizik is fired and Auburn is caught in the middle of an NCAA investigation.  What's even more telling for Kozan's Karmic Kiss-off is that Auburn now has SEVEN offensive linemen with their latest letter of intent.  How appropriate that the prima donna is rated lower than most of the future Auburn freshmen he'll be competing against.


I will follow this kid's progress in college because I cannot ever get enough of the "Seantrel Henderson Dramedy Hour" that follows high school superstars who think they are a BMOC before they ever get to campus.

Iowa isn't a national football power? Say what?!

Who says Iowa isn't a national power?  And what are they basing that on?


Over the last 10 years name me the schools who have had more NFL talk in regards to their head coach? (Can't think of any, can you?)


Over the last 10 years name me all the schools who have had more players drafted into the NFL? (42 for Iowa - 38 for Penn State - 40 for Michigan - 41 for Nebraska - 40 for Notre Dame)


Name me all the schools who currently have more alumni in the NFL? (38 for Iowa - 35 for Penn State - 34 for Nebraska - 28 for Michigan - 30 for Notre Dame)

Iowa has had 3 or more players drafted in 9 of the last 10 years. (Penn State = Nope; Michigan = Nope; Notre Dame = Nope)


In the last 10 years how many schools have had more players taken in the first round? (Iowa has had 5 - Nebraska has had 4 - Notre Dame has had 2)


Over the last 10 years name for me the schools who have played in more BCS Bowl games? (Penn State=Nope; Nebraska=Nope; Notre Dame=Nope)


Over the last 10 years name for me which schools have won more BCS games? (Notre Dame=Nope; Nebraska=Nope; Penn State=Nope)


Over the last 10 years name which schools have won a wider variety of national awards by individual players? Hawkeyes have won 5 different national awards by 5 different players - Lou Groza (Kickers) - John Mackey (Tight Ends) - Davey O'Brien (Quarterbacks) - Outland Trophy (Lineman) - Doak Walker (Runningbacks)
Michigan has not had more individual winners in separate categories.  Neither has Nebraska.  Same is true of Penn State.  Notre Dame also cannot match Iowa.


Name which schools currently have a coach who has not only won a National Coach of the Year accolade, but has also won Conference Coach of the Year 3 times or more? (Michigan = Nope; Ohio State = Nope; Penn State = Nope; Nebraska = Nope; Notre Dame = Nope; Florida = Nope; USC = Nope; Auburn = Nope; Florida State = Nope; Stanford = Nope; Oregon = Nope)

Name for me all the current head coaches who have produced an Assistant Coach of the Year Award Winner? (Outside of Kirk Ferentz there aren't that many)


In the last 10 years name for me all the schools who have a winning Bowl record against the SEC? (Iowa=Yes; Ohio State=Nope; Nebraska=Nope; Penn State=Nope; Notre Dame=Nope)


In the last 10 years name for me all the schools who have played in more Bowl games than Iowa? (Penn State=Nope; Michigan=Nope; Nebraska=Nope; Notre Dame=Nope)

In the last 10 years name for me all the schools who have won more Bowl games than Iowa? (Notre Dame=Nope; Nebraska=Nope; Michigan=Nope)


In the last 10 years name for me all the schools who have won more games than Iowa? (Iowa=85 wins; Michigan=82 wins; Nebraska=82 wins; Notre Dame=72 wins; Penn State=83 wins; Alabama=63 wins; Florida State=73 wins)


In the last 10 years Iowa has played Texas; LSU; USC; Oklahoma; South Carolina; Georgia Tech; Missouri and Florida (twice), that's 6 legendary programs in 10 years.  Name me all the schools who have played a more difficult roster of Bowl teams in that time frame? (Outside of Ohio State I can't think of any school with a more impressive slate of Bowl opponents, can you?)


Name me all the schools who have had fewer losing seasons than Iowa over the last 10 years?  (Michigan=Nope; Nebraska=Nope; Notre Dame=Nope; Ohio State=Nope; Texas=Nope; Alabama=Nope; Auburn=Nope; Penn State=Nope; Florida State=Nope; USC=Nope; Oregon=Nope; Tennessee=Nope; Stanford=Nope; Georgia=Nope; Georgia Tech=Nope; Arkansas=Nope; Miami(Fl)=Nope)


IOWA IS A NATIONAL FOOTBALL POWER when measured against the other FBS programs over the last 10 years.  It's a FACT, accept it and you'll sleep better at night.

Greg Davis and the Hawkeye coaching staff - SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED

Above you'll see your Hawkeye coaching staff for the 2012 season.  Oh, Kirk is the one with the hairy chest in case you were wondering.

Kirk Ferentz - Head coach.

Greg Davis - Offensive coordinator.

David Raih - QB coach.

Erik Campbell - WR's coach.

Lester Erb - Runningbacks and Special Teams coach.

Eric Johnson - Recruiting coordinator and Tight Ends coach.

Brian Ferentz - Offensive line coach.

Phil Parker - Defensive Coordinator.

Reese Morgan - Defensive Line coach.

LeVar Woods - Linebackers coach.

Darrell Wilson - Defensive backs and Special Teams coach.

Let me add that David Raih may become an administrative assistant before he becomes an assistant coach and "Soup" may take on the added duties of QB coach if Greg Davis doesn't assume that role.  If that happens look for David to be promoted in a couple years as Kirk would like to get Raih more involved with his program.

So how do I feel about all these changes?  After a dismal 2010 and 2011 campaign I am glad to see a shake-up in the coaching staff.  Rick was invited to leave and Norm was invited to retire.  Ken also wasn't getting the happy vibe from Kirk that he was used to.

In true Kirk Ferentz fashion he shook-up the staff without doing much actual shaking, you might say (despite what my header tells you) he stirred the glass.  The only true outsider brought in was G.D.  Davis has an impressive resume and is a good hire.  If nothing else he has more connections to Texas than any of the current coaches and he is used to high expectations, not that he'll suffer that while at Iowa.  More importantly to Kirk Ferentz he is about 5 years from retirement which works perfectly in the Ferentz family scheme to make Brian the offensive coordinator before his dad retires.  And why is that important?  I see Kirk retiring at the top of his game.  And I see that happening in about 10 years.  A time frame that allows Brian to establish himself as a successful O.C.  So if Kirk hangs it up after he wins another BCS Bowl his recommendation will carry a lot of weight with the AD and the big-time boosters.  To put it in simple terms, KF is laying the groundwork to hand the head-coaching duties off to his son.  I wouldn't be surprised if James is also on staff in some capacity when K.F. retires.  So in essence Kirk is turning the University of Iowa football program into a family business.  Actually, I shouldn't phrase that as if he is GOING to do it, he already has!

My Three Sons - or as I like to call it - FERENTZAPALOOZA!!!!

The pieces keep falling into place.  But finally someone from "outside" the program was added to the coaching staff.  Well, not really from outside, unless you consider the coache's son to be from "outside".  The worst kept secret in Hawkdom is now a reality.  Brian Ferentz is now officially an assistant coach at Iowa.  He will take the job that Hayden offered to his father 30 years ago.


So how does GoldenHawk feel about all the changes?


Rick Kaczenski leaving was addition by subtraction.


Phil Parker may not be blood-related to Norm Parker, but they are related in terms of their priorities and philosophies.  Both men understand that fundamentals determine how good a defense is, so I'm predicting Phil will do just fine but there is one caveat to my prediction.  Phil will be working with a defensive coaching staff that is new to their assignments.  So a lot is riding on how these new coaches handle their new roles within the organization.  Reese Morgan is a smart and proven coach so it's fair to assume the DL will remain a strength under the "new" Parker.  Same can be said about Darrell Wilson, who will take over Phil's role as defensive backs coach.  LeVar woods is unproven as an Iowa coach, but everything he has shown indicates he will live up to expectations.  Overall I like what I see on the defensive side of the ball.


As far as Brian Ferentz goes, he brings many things to the table.  Like Woods he is relatively young (Woods and BF were both born in March and will be 34 and 29 very soon) and full of energy and ideas.  The two youngest additions to the staff should help in recruiting.  But there are some risks with Brian Ferentz.  Nepotism can poison any professional environment and Kirk seems to have a blind spot in this area.  To this day Kirk and Brian do not see any ethical problem with a millionaire's son taking advantage of a legal loophole and living in taxpayer-subsidized housing.  Also, there are questions regarding Brian's meteoric rise from lightly recruited high school football player to D-1 starter and NFL assistant.


Overall I think bringing in Brian will be a good thing.  But he'll need to have the courage to challenge his father's ultraconservative ways and there are two schools of thought in this area.  First, he is in a unique position to be candid with his father when talking about Kirk's blind spots so that's a positive.  Second, loyalty often forces men into silence when being outspoken is called for, so that could become a negative.  Brian will need to be brutally honest with his father when the time comes for candid discussions on how to improve Iowa's win total.  And for those of you saying, "The O-line coach doesn't have two-way communication with the head coach", puhleeze.  The father and son connection will transcend their professional relationship and any Hawkeye fan is well aware of that from watching the program when Brian was a student-athlete.


Next season will have some added political intrigue with the Ferentz on Ferentz angle.  Kirk will be Brian's boss.  Brian will be James' boss.  Steve Ferentz will be the pleep with James being his mentor in certain ways.


Once upon a time there was a popular TV show called "My Three Sons".  The Hawkeyes will have their own version of that starting in the fall of 2012, with Kirk Ferentz playing the role of Fred MacMurray.  Will it be a drama?  Will it be a sitcom?  Will it be a dramedy?  As of right now nobody really knows.  Iowa could benefit greatly from this explosion of Ferentz DNA.  But if Iowa stumbles toward another 5/6 loss season, the media and fans won't be shy to say, "It looks like the Ferentz family finances are a greater priority than the health of the Hawkeye football program."

Did we finish strong with this football class? Hell yes we finished strong!

Iowa finished strong during the final lap of the race that included Jan/Feb.  January started off with Iowa gaining the commitment of a 4-star Semper Fidelis All-American athlete who hails from PA.  They followed that up with a Rivals 3-star O-lineman from IWCC tailor-made to star at the center position.  Next came a local RB who also happens to be a Parade All-American.  On January 30th Iowa found another diamond in the rough right in its own back yard.  The kid reminds me of James Morris only bigger!  On that same day Kirk stole a 3-star QB out of SEC country when a TN local flipped from Ole Miss to Iowa.  A day later Glenville supplied Iowa with a tall 3-star cornerback.  On February 1st the Iowa coaches heeded the recommendation of Mitch Keppy when they acquired the services of another Illinois prospect who has the size to play on either side of the line and the talent to dominate on the wrestling mat.  That same day Iowa found itself in the enviable position of hearing the word "yes" from a legacy recruit who fills Iowa's need for a versatile 6'4" athlete who can play multiple positions on both sides of the ball.  And finally, Iowa finished off February the same way it started January, by gaining the services of a highly sought-after Semper Fidelis 4-star All-American who happens to reside outside the state of Iowa.


So when you do the math, Iowa gained 10 new recruits while racing down the final stretch.  Of those 10, three of them were All-Americans; 6 of them had multiple FBS offers and an equal number of them came from out of state.  That is a pretty damn good way to finish off the 2012 recruiting cycle.




ALEX KOZAN 6-4 295 - Highlands Ranch, CO - (ESPN #23 OG/4-stars/79) One of three Semper-Fidelis All-Americans in this class, he had a barrel-full of elite offers and decided to become a Hawkeye. At the end of the recruiting process Auburn started pulling some cyber-shenanigans, orchestrating a disinformation campaign in a vain attempt to convince the kid to come to CHEATER-U. But Alex proved how smart he was by ignoring them. And that intelligence along with his natural physical talents is why Kirk made him a top priority for the Hawkeyes. It will be fun to watch him follow in the footsteps of Reiff and Bulaga on draft day.


GEORGE KREIGER-KITTLE) 6-4/200 -  Norman, OK - (Rivals 3-star WR) Kittles father is the former Co-Captain of the 1982 Hawkeye Rose Bowl Team and he is currently the Tight End/OL coach at Oklahoma under Bobby Stoops.  Kittle is an athlete with speed and size who has excelled at multiple positions while playing high school football in B-12 country.  He reminds me of AJ Derby without the delusions of grandeur.  Stoops may have won the Insight Bowl, but Iowa came away with the services of a young man who will help the Hawkeyes beat the Sooners in their bowl rematch in 2015.


REID SEALBY) 6-4/250 - Byron, IL - (Lineman/2-star Diamond-in-the-Rough) Oh I know what you're thinking: FALLBACK RECRUIT!  Well this kid has the character and brains that made the Air Force Academy offer him a scholarship.  And he has the strength; tenacity and quickness to beat Mitch Keppy on the wrestling mat.  If this kid turns out to be another Yanda or Klug don't say I didn't predict great things for him.


SEAN DRAPER) 6-1/180 - Cleveland, OH - (ESPN #41 CB/3-stars/77) You know I read a lot of comments in cyberspace saying Iowa would never get another kid from N.J. because we turned away TEVIN SHAW. Well then explain how we got Draper considering every player we have gotten from Glenville either quit and/or has a sad story to tell. If former Glenville product (and Iowa defensive back) William Lowe doesn't scare away a guy like Draper, who had several D-1 options, then the Tevin Shaw story ain't scaring away any future N.J. recruit.


C.J. BEATHARD) 6-2/180 - Franklin, TN - (ESPN #33 QB/3-stars/79) Can you say "C.J. connects on a 50 yard pass to C.J. Another touchdown for the freshmen QB and the senior tight end!"? Okay okay, I know that CJ to CJ will never happen. But you knew I wasn't going to ignore the chance to invoke their identical initials. We poached a QB from the SEC with impressive bloodlines (grandson of a legendary NFL General Manager). This is a fine catch. If we had poached someone from the MAC then maybe I'd let you complain. But since we didn't, I won't!


NATE MEIER) 6-2/235 - Tabor, IA - (247 ILB/2-star/72) Can you say, "James Morris on steroids!" Because that's who this kid is. And if I'm wrong it's because he is actually Mitch King part deaux! He is OFFICIALLY the sleeper of this group, getting a 2-star rating from everyone. 4 years from now he is the feel-good story of this recruiting class. I know you're hearing he will play RB but don't you believe it. He's going to play on the DL and he is going to be special.


BARKLEY HILL) 6-0/200 - Cedar Falls, IA - (247 RB/3-stars/85) Can you say, "A cautionary tale of two Iowa running backs"? Can you guess who the other one is? That's right, once upon a time Michael Malloy was going to be the Hawkeye running back from within Iowa's borders. But quick as you can say - Adam Robinson - he got busted with drugs and then fell victim to injury. Out with Malloy, in with Parade All American B. Hill. Did I mention that we poached him from Iowa State? Isn't that just the cherry on top of this recruiting tale.


ERIC SIMMONS) 6-3/300 - Council Bluffs, IA - (3-star O-lineman on 247/87 rating) Does the name Brian Bobek rign a bell?  He was the kid Iowa needed to create some depth at the center position.  As much as I love Conor Boffeli he is not a natural center.  Bobek was, and Kirk apparently couldn't handle his son having a little competition at that position.  How much you want to bet Simmons red-shirts next season so James gets to finish out his career without ever having to look over his shoulder.


GREG GARMON) 6-2/200 - Erie, PA - (ESPN #23 Athlete/4-star/80)  Another Semper Fidelis All-American who happens to hail from the same area as Bob Sanders and Ed Hinkle.  He's targeted for running back but he has the natural gifts to play any skill position at Iowa.  He and Faith Ekakitie discovered a natural rapport while participating in the Semper Fidelis game together.  He may play as a true freshman.


CODY SOKOL) 6-2/205 - Born in Iowa and raised in Arizona - (3-star QB on 247/rating of 80) He had offers from Cincinnati; Maryland and Arizona among others.  His connection to Iowa helped Kirk gain his talent.  He will red-shirt because Kirk will not open up the QB position to anyone but JVB.  He will provide crucial depth after Vandy graduates.


TEVAUN SMITH) 6-1/180 - Toronto Ontario Canada and Kent, CT - (3-star WR) The less heralded of the two Canadians in this class, Tevaun still was a nice catch for Kirk and a valuable tool for Rudock down the road.  "Returning at wide receiver is 2011 IFAF World Team MVP, Canadian TEVAUN SMITH, who scored the first ever touchdown conceded by the U.S. U19 national team in all competitions when he returned a kickoff 79 yards to the end zone when the teams met in February 2011. Smith plays at the Kent School in Connecticut (post-graduate prep school) and has helped his team to six straight wins to open the current season."  On Feb 2nd 2012 T.S. played in the INTERNATIONAL BOWL (4 catches including a 17 yard TD grab) with Faith Ekakitie and Greg Garmon and acquitted himself very well.  I think we'll be hearing all three of those names over the Hawkeye loudspeaker quite a bit in the years to come.


ANTHONY GAIR-MORGAN) 6-2/195 - New Orleans and Plano, TX - (3-star defensive back) Mr. Morgan, oops, I mean Mr. Gair reminds me a lot of Charles Godfrey.  Both are the same size, from the same state and have the same versatile athletic talents.  Oh, and both were born to play in the NFL.


KEVIN BUFORD) 5-10/175 - Canton, MI - (Scout 3-star DB/#70CB) Boy Buford's stock rose fast after he verballed to Iowa, if you believe the recruiting sights.  Funny how switching from Toledo to Iowa changed the respect factor that was his due.  Iowa really upgraded its defense with this class and Buford is one of the key components.


FAITH EKAKITIE) 6-3/275 - Ontario, Canada and Lake Forest, IL - (Consensus 4-star and #13 DT according to Scout)  Iowa's third Semper Fidelis All-American in this group and quite possibly the brightest gem in a class full of over-looked diamonds.  Like most of his fellow class-mates his intelligence is matched by the quality of his character.  I just hope that the legend of Coker wakes up the kids in this class to the dangers of wicked women in Iowa City.


DAUMANTAS VENCKUS-CUCCHIARA) 6-4/225 - Weston, FL - (ESPN #146DE/3-star/75) Good God how many name changes and hyphenated last names does this class contain?!  I never realized how many high school guys are married or divorced.  We can thank Rudock for this future All-Conference Defensive End.  He's a pale version of Kenny Iwebema.  That's a compliment by the way.


GREG MABIN) 6-2/190 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - (3-star 247 WR/83) This kid didn't have the offers he deserved.  But when he got an offer from Iowa he showed how bright he was by jumping on it while it was in front of him.  If only Tevin Shaw was his best friend, maybe T.S. would be a Hawkeye right now.


RUBEN "Shoes" LILE) 6-3/200 - Detroit, MI - (consensus 3-star athlete) This kid could land on either side of the ball.  Whichever unit he ends up helping is gonna be mighty thankful they have him.  He has all the tools of Tyler Sash and Bradley Fletcher combined.


LARON TAYLOR) 6-0/210 - Detroit, MI - (3-star OLB)  ESPN actually gives him a better numeric rating than his teammate "Shoes".  Building a pipeline to Michigan is necessary if Iowa is going to continue their winning streak over the Wolverines.  Taylor and Lile are two pieces of the puzzle needed to beat Hoke and Dantonio.  I see Laron as another Edmond Miles.


RYAN WARD) 6-6/270 - New Lenox, IL - (ESPN 4-star/#29OT/79)  This Army All-American is the second coming of Bryan Bulaga.  Same size; same state; same NFL future complete with Superbowl ring.  How do I know?  They wouldn't call me GoldenHawk if I didn't have a Golden tongue able to relate the clairvoyant thoughts of my Golden brain.


JALEEL JOHNSON) 6-2/280 - Lombard, IL - (Consensus 4-star DT)  Another Adrian Clayborn?  Yep.  Complete with mouth-punching dark side.  He'll get in trouble while in Iowa City, and just when it looks like his time is prematurely over, he will get his act together and go on to star in the NFL.  Oh I can't wait for all the message board threads that he'll be the focus of.


CONNOR KORNBRATH) 6-6/210 - Bridgeport, WV - (Scout 3-star/#13 kicker) Anyway we can make this kid a duel threat TE/Kicker?  Ahh, never mind.  He'll end up an All-Conference punter when it's said and done.  Gotta like how Kirk scoured the entire North American continent to fill out this class.  And for God's sake stop bitching about all the scholarship kicking specialists on the team.  One thing which Kirk has correctly figured out is that Special Teams are crucial for Iowa's quest to be the best.


MAURICE FLEMING) 6-0/180 - Chicago, IL - (ESPN 4-star/#30 athlete/79) This kid helped Iowa's recruiting the same way Marcus Grant helped Iowa last year.  Lord please don't let that be an omen for what's to come in 12 months.  I want this kid to make an impact at Iowa and our secondary could use his elite talents.  If he stays healthy he is another Amari Spievey.  And when I say another Spievey I mean an NFL-caliber defensive back, not a kid who struggles with academics.


DREW OTT) 6-4/235 - Giltner, NE - (ESPN #168 DE/3-star/75) Uh, Nebraska will rue the day they let this Parade All-American get away.  And if Mike Shoff isn't banging his head against the wall right now, he will be when OTT makes headlines as Iowa defeats the Cornhuskers.  Enjoy playing at South Dakota State Mike.  Feel free to torture yourself thinking about how OTT made the wise choice while you sat at the poker table bluffing with a pair of threes.


CAMERON WILSON) 6-1/190 - Dublin, OH - (consensus 3-star WR) This kid committed early and never wavered, even when his star was rising and schools like Purdue; Illinois; West Virginia and Boston College came a courting he held firm with his commitment to Iowa.  That makes him my second favorite member of this class right next to  . . . 


MITCH KEPPY) 6-5/280 - Port Byron, IL - (3-star on 247/#70 OG/81 rating) A MAX PREP ALL-AMERICAN and this kid is my favorite in this class, and not just because he is another legacy lineman.  His focus was always on being a Hawkeye.  But he didn't just want to help himself, he demonstrated how committed he was to the team before he was a member of the team.  Read below for more on that.

He comes with a great attitude, too. After the first time Keppy lost to Sealby, Keppy told the Iowa coaches to take a look at Sealby, who ended up signing with the Hawkeyes after a quick courtship.

Keppy could’ve sulked, could’ve kept his head down, but, no, Sealby caught his eye and put a bug in the Iowa coaching staff’s collective ear. That, friends, is an intangible you want.

  

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So how was it that Iowa recruited so well (9 All-Americans in this class placing them 3rd in the B1G for 2012) after consecutive down years?  Click here or take a look at the graphic below and you'll start to figure it out.

Klassic hawKeye Konniption over a lengthy Kozan Kourtship

I'm still waiting on this kid to give my final report on the class of 2012.  If anyone should be pissed at this kid it should be me.  How dare he hold up Goldenhawk from his appointed duties.


Surprisingly, I'm not angry at him. I have no problem with him wanting to take his time. It's his life, he should take the time required to make a decision he is comfortable with.


Below you'll see a typical response from the hammerheads on Hawkeye message boards:

"Hope he comes here but with JD going to Cheezwiz U he's prolly headed to Meechigan." farmerjohnny

That's some powerfully flawed deductive reasoning from your typical internet clown.


Whenever a kid takes his time deciding the various boards light up with people who say, "If he doesn't collapse in orgasmic ecstasy at an Iowa offer it obviously means he doesn't like Iowa and now I don't like him!"


And if they don't say that directly, you can usually see that thought-process in their posts. To this day I can't figure out why so many take the default position that if a kid is "high" on 3 schools - and Iowa is one of the 3 - then he won't be coming to Iowa. Why always assume the negative outcome? When you asked your wife to marry you did you say, "I hope you'll accept my proposal but you probably won't since you have other guys interested in you."


Or did you get your Chuck Norris on and say, "Woman, this is your lucky day, Prince Charming has arrived and I brought a big box of Happily-Ever-After with me. Now put this diamond on your finger and let's jet to Hawaii for some serious honeymooning!"

Ken O'Keefe is swimming with the Dolphins

It's one thing to lose my Norm, now someone has stole my KOK.


Rick Kaczenski is off to Nebraska to scream at Bo Pelini's players. Norm Parker is off to "Retirement Village" in Florida. Ken O'Keefe is off to the Miami Dolphins as a WR coach.


Who predicted this titanic plate shift back in December? Nobody, though many people, including myself, were either overtly (or in subtle ways) calling for major change and now it has happened.


Why has it happened? Maybe, just maybe, Kirk understands that since 2005 his team has underachieved much more often than it has overachieved. Does he blame himself? Clearly not, he blames his assistants. In public he plays the diplomacy game and heaps praise upon them, which is the correct thing to do. But in private he knows fans are unhappy with his team's overall production and something needed to be done before his head was on the chopping block.


The Hawkeyes better get better than 5-loss seasons now. If they don't, the idiots who've spent 13 years blaming everyone in KF's administration but KF will have no choice but to finger Captain Coward as the culprit who couldn't take advantage of multiple favorable football schedules over the last several years. Remember 2007 and 2008 when Iowa didn't have Michigan OR Ohio State on the schedule? Remember this past season when Iowa had 5 road games against the Cyclones; Nittany Lions; Gophers; Boilermakers and Cornhuskers and managed to lose 80% of those contests?


With the rest of you I'll be crossing my fingers that Kirk finds innovative coaches to implement his predictable schemes. The first test of their creative skills will come when they are asked to overcome the limitations of their boss.

You know, ESPN really doesn't get enough Hawkeye love

Let's look at the "star breakdown" in the B1G.


OHIO STATE) 25 commits - one 5-star - eleven 4-stars - twelve 3-stars.


MICHIGAN) 25 commits - zero 5-stars - eleven 4-stars - twelve 3-stars.


IOWA) 24 commits - zero 5-stars - six 4-stars - ten 3-stars.


MICHIGAN STATE) 20 commits - zero 5-stars - four 4-stars - thirteen 3-stars.


NEBRASKA) 17 commits - zero 5-stars - four 4-stars - eight 3-stars.


WISCONSIN) 12 commits - zero 5-stars - four 4-stars - five 3-stars.


MINNESOTA) 31 commits - zero 5-stars - three 4-stars - four 3-stars.


PENN STATE) 19 commits - zero 5-stars - two 4-stars - eleven 3-stars.


INDIANA) 25 commits - zero 5-stars - one 4-star - eleven 3-stars.


NORTHWESTERN) 22 commits - zero 5-stars - one 4-star - nine 3-stars.


PURDUE) 25 commits - zero 5-stars - zero 4-stars - thirteen 3-stars.

ILLINOIS) 19 commits - zero 5-stars - zero 4-stars - seven 3-stars.

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There's some interesting symmetry in the various services and how they rate Iowa's class within the B1G.


ESPN has us 3rd.


Scout has us 4th.


247 has us 5th.


Rivals has us 6th.