2024 Iowa Offseason thread

[847badgerfan]

I am as unimpressed with The Tim Lester hire, as I was with the two prior hires at OC, Greg Davis and Brian Ferentz. Actually, I was more unimpressed with the Brian Ferentz hire than the Time Lester hire, but they are both unimpressive hires.

You're not alone.

[betarhoalphadelta]

Hi. 

It's Kirk Ferentz.

I'm the problem. 

It's me. 

[Mdot21]

Hi.

It's Kirk Ferentz.

I'm the problem.

It's me.

that’s actually true. but Iowa is never gonna sack up and fire the guy. 

[FearlessF]

Kirk is very open and honest about offensive production
he feels it's very overrated

and his record seems to support his thinking to some degree

He may have sustained a few blows to the head while LB at UConn back in the day

[FearlessF]

Here are three things to know about Iowa's new offensive coordinator.

Tim Lester's Western Michigan tenure was a mixed bag at best.
Lester took over the Broncos after P.J. Fleck left for Minnesota following the 2016 season. After a 6-6 campaign in 2017, Lester led Western Michigan to back-to-back winning seasons and appearances in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and First Responder Bowl.


The height of Lester's tenure came with an 8-5 season in 2021, which included a win in the Quick Lane Bowl. However, after a 2-5 start than led to a 5-7 campaign in 2022, Western Michigan fired Lester in November 2022. That decision came 10 months after Lester had received a two-year extension.

"I didn't have a ton of confidence in the plan moving forward," Western Michigan AD Dan Bartholomae told the Detroit News at the time of the firing.


Tim Lester's only experience as a Power Five offensive coordinator didn't go great.

Lester’s only experience as a Power Five offensive coordinator resulted in offenses that ranked 116th and 119th nationally at Syracuse in 2014 and 2015, respectively. He became the OC five games in to the 2014 season and went 1-6 from there, putting his overall record as a Power Five OC at 5-14.

Tim Lester does have some experience in the Big Ten.
Lester spent the 2016 season as the quarterbacks coach at Purdue, a rough year for the Boilermakers overall but one that featured decent offensive success.

Quarterback David Blough threw for 3,352 yards that season with 25 touchdowns but also 21 interceptions. Six different Boilermakers caught at least 29 passes in 2016, something only two Hawkeyes did this past season.

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com.

[Hawkinole]

Well, maybe Kirk can score with a good WR coach. So far, Iowa has had several straight years with a lousy O-Line, lousy receiving corps, lousy quarterbacking, and mediocre running game. 
Marvin McNutt, a former WR at Iowa and a good one, is a commentator on a show in Eastern Iowa on KCRG 9.2 called "On Iowa Live." McNutt is coaching WRs at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. He has expressed interest in the WR job, and if John Budmayr were moved into the WR coach job, he said tonight he would also have an interest in the analyst job, and he has expressed these interests to Kirk Ferentz.
McNutt is charismatic, and an entertaining part of the "On Iowa Live" show which is mostly a weekly one-hour synopsis in the development of Iowa sports for the past week, but which usually opens up with commentary about football. The next part of the show this time of the year features Hannah Stuelke's mom, and she is entertaining as a former WBB player with a kid on the Iowa WBB team. 
The passing game at Coe was much more competent in 2023 than at Iowa. 2023 Football Cumulative Statistics - Coe College (kohawkathletics.com)  I would like to see Marvin McNutt on the Iowa staff. 
I am amazed people like Kenyon Murray, and Marvin McNutt, come from other states, get an athletic scholarship at Iowa, and remain in Iowa. I am here because I grew up here. It doesn't seem like a destination state.

[847badgerfan]

I could see myself living in Iowa (part time).

Best beef and pork in the country.

[MrNubbz]

He may have sustained a few blows to the head while LB at UConn back in the day

No he was left forever spell bound by Belichick's mesmerizing personality while with the Browns. Who use to run Eric Metcalf up the middle with perfect regularity,thinking the defense wouldn't be looking for it

[FearlessF]

I would like to see Marvin McNutt on the Iowa staff.
I am amazed people like Kenyon Murray, and Marvin McNutt, come from other states, get an athletic scholarship at Iowa, and remain in Iowa. I am here because I grew up here. It doesn't seem like a destination state.

well, the grass is always greener....

Doesn't seem like a destination state to this native Iowan, but I haven't found a better destination yet.

[LittlePig]

I am amazed people like Kenyon Murray, and Marvin McNutt, come from other states, get an athletic scholarship at Iowa, and remain in Iowa. I am here because I grew up here. It doesn't seem like a destination state.

I think it helps that McNutt is probably the best and most popular WR of the 25-year Kirk Ferentz era.  He is still quite popular in Iowa even 13 years after his playing days.  I mean, let's be honest,  McNutt is not going to get a TV gig in his native St Louis area. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

It doesn't seem like a destination state.

I agree. It's very cold there...

...but there's also very little to do. 

[FearlessF]

I agree. It's very cold there...

...but there's also very little to do.

that's the charm
especially when it's too cold to do anything

[847badgerfan]

I agree. It's very cold there...

...but there's also very little to do.

Depends on what your interests are.

[FearlessF]

most folks really enjoy ice fishing
if they give it a try