By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Below is a PDF from the Iowa sports information department featuring the complete transcript from Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz’s press conference on Tuesday in Iowa City:
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Below is a written transcript of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz’s teleconference on Tuesday with the Big Ten media:
Ferentz’s opening statement:
“Certainly, we’re disappointed to have come off a loss. Give Indiana credit. They played a good football game Saturday and we came up short. So we move our attention now to Purdue and it’s good to be back at Kinnick. We’ve been on the road two weeks, so good to be back at home and we certainly have our work cut out getting ready for this week’s game.”
On the development of wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley:
“Kevonte is a great young guy. A tremendous work ethic. We redshirted him two years ago and he did a nice job moving along last year as our third receiver and just continues to improve. He has got a great attitude, first and foremost. Just a tremendous young guy. Has great work habits, not only during the season but out of the season as well.
“He’s just totally committed to being a good football player and it has been fun to watch him grow and develop. Certainly excited about the way he played this past Saturday and by the way he has played all season long.”
On his thoughts about Purdue and what it does on both sides of the ball:
“You know, a lot of good players. You start on the offensive side, they’ve got some very, very explosive football players at receiver and at the running back, so they’ve got a lot of big-play capability and that has certainly shown up. You know, they’ve got three veteran guys up front along the offensive line. They’re already very, very multiple, not only with their personnel, but also formations. You really have to be sharp mentally.
“Then on the defensive side, they’re a very big, physical team, especially up front. I don’t think we’ve played anybody as big as these guys, including their fifth defender on the line now, at outside linebacker. He’s a really big guy, too. So they’ve got some size there. Their corners are veteran, very, very athletic, very talented players. They’ve done a good job there.
“Then on special teams, it’s kind of the same thing. When they have both their kick return guys, I don’t know if there has been a better duo. One of them has been out for a couple of weeks, but two guys that can take it the distance there, too. So just kind of in a nutshell, they’re a team that can hurt you fast within a multitude of ways offensively, defensively and with special teams.”
On what the key is for Iowa to snap its current three-game losing streak:
“We have to play better. It’s pretty simple. We need to improve and play better and that’s really where our focus is right now.”
On what he thought about Indiana and its coach Kevin Wilson after playing the Hoosiers last weekend:
“Well, it’s only his second year there and I said a week ago, we were very impressed with the improvement we saw from Year One to Year Two. A totally different team from what they were a year ago. Going into the game, that was our impression and nothing has changed.
“Perhaps even more impressive is they’re doing it, they lost their quarterback early in the season, so they just transitioned to a different mode of operation, if you will. Now, they’re just doing a good job. They play hard. They embrace the scheme and can hurt you in a lot of different ways.”
On whether his offensive players are still trying to pick up the new system or just need to execute better:
“I think it’s execution more than anything else. I think we’ve certainly been at it long enough now and we’ve had periods this year where we’ve executed really well. But the last couple of weeks, we haven’t. That certainly has impacted the outcome of the ball game. So we just have to continue to work hard there. There are no magic solutions right now.”
On how linebacker Christian Kirksey has put himself in position to make plays like he did against Indiana:
“You know, it’s a little bit like Kevonte, although Christian played more last year. Christian’s first year was last year, actually starting every game. But like Kevonte, they’re like the same person. They’ve got great attitudes, great work ethics and care about the team. They care about playing well. They take a lot of pride in what they do.
“So I think we’ve seen him improve with each week as well and he certainly has made some big plays. He had a pick early in the season for a touchdown and on Saturday, he had the pick and also the fumble recovery. So he’s working hard. Again, just a guy that brings a great attitude to our team. A very, very positive guy.”
On the status of running back Mark Weisman for Saturday’s game against Purdue:
“Yeah, we’ll see how the week goes. But I’m not overly optimistic. He couldn’t do anything on Sunday at all and don’t really anticipate him doing a lot right now. He’s still kind of rehabbing this thing. The trainers are working hard. I think he’s definitely breaking the 20-hour rule. There’s no 20-hour rule for medicine, I don’t think. If he is, we’re busted because he’s wearing the trainers out.
“He’s doing everything he can to get back. But nature has to take its course, too. So we’ll just have to wait and see how the week goes. But planning-wise, we can’t plan as if he’s going to be with us.”
On how he felt Damon Bullock did in his first start at running back since before his concussion:
“Well, you know, with Damon, I think the game two weeks ago, he was doing practically the same thing. He has really played well. He was playing well before he was injured and then just a week ago, after he came off a 5-6 week hiatus, he looked really sharp. He was very sore the next day, so I think he has moved beyond that a little bit. But he’s doing a great job.
“It’s a positive for sure. It’ll be real positive to get both guys back together. But in the meantime, that’s where we’re at and I’m really proud of Damon’s development.”
On what the attitude amongst the players is at this point given the current losing streak:
“Well, last time I saw them, it was good. Nobody likes losing, certainly. Nobody does. I don’t know who would and the players are probably at the top of that list. You know, we have three games left and we’ll start practice again this afternoon.
“But I think we’ve got a good group of guys. They’re high-character guys that are totally invested. I expect to have a good week of practice this week and hopefully, a good game Saturday. We’re going to need that because we’re playing a team that I’m sure is going to be thinking the same things.”
Every Monday, we will be running a weekly series titled “State of the Big Ten,” which will be made available to all members of HawkeyeDrive.com. This series of columns will focus on one major headline regarding the conference and go in-depth on the subject at hand.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Three weeks remain before the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. When that game concludes, there could be as few as five teams from the conference who are even bowl-eligible.
Yes, that’s not a misprint. As few as five teams, not even half of the Big Ten, could be bowl-eligible.
Now granted, Ohio State and Penn State would both be bowl eligible if not for postseason bans being part of their respective sanctions. But that’s not the case. Right now, the Big Ten has four bowl-eligble football teams: Nebraska, Northwestern, Michigan and Wisconsin.
At least one more team will get to six wins as Michigan State and Minnesota both already have five victories and still play each other Nov. 24 in Minneapolis. The odds of both these teams reaching six wins are actually pretty good, but if either of these teams loses all of its remaining games, 5-7 is the end result and the holidays are spent at home.
Of the 10 teams who could potentially reach a bowl game, the only one who can’t play in a bowl at this moment is Illinois. If Purdue loses to Iowa this week, that would be the Boilermakers’ seventh loss, keeping them in West Lafayette during bowl season. Even if the Hawkeyes prevail against Purdue, they’d still have to win one of their final two games of the season against either Michigan on the road or Nebraska at home in order to reach six victories.
Amazingly, there’s a scenario where Indiana could finish 5-7 but still play in the Big Ten Championship Game and then a win in that would send the Hoosiers to Pasadena, even though 6-7 wouldn’t even be .500. Assuming Indiana doesn’t win the Big Ten though, the Hoosiers still have to win two of their last three games in order to reach the six-win threshold.
But there are two problems for the Big Ten if this doomsday scenario of only five bowl teams happens. First, it all goes back to perception. The one thing that’s already a given is the only team going to a BCS bowl is whoever wins in Indianapolis next month playing in the Rose Bowl. If only five teams are bowl-eligible, it means the Big Ten fails to fill three of its eight bowl allotments — the two bowl games played in Texas and the Little Caesars Bowl in Detroit. Just that alone is going to have many nationwide frowning upon the conference.
More importantly for the Big Ten though is revenue sharing. Even though the three games not being filled are the three lowest bowls on the conference’s totem pole, that’s still money not coming in. Add in that this is the first time since 2004 where there won’t be two Big Ten teams playing in BCS bowls and that’s even more money the conference isn’t getting that it’s normally accustomed to receiving.
There might be a day where the Big Ten is the toast of the town in college football again. But the fact of the matter is more ridicule is coming before that day arrives and this particular scenario is one that should it play out, is going to be difficult for the conference to overcome in this day and age where every little thing is dissected. It won’t be able to live this year down.
OFFENSE:
WR 6 Davis, 81 Smith
LT 60 Tobin, 76 MacMillan
LG 76 MacMillan, 65 Walsh
C 53 Ferentz, 59 Bofelli
RG 63 Blythe, 50 Clark
RT 70 Van Sloten, 76 MacMillan
TE 86 Fiedorowicz, 82 Hamilton
QB 16 Vandenberg, 15 Rudock
WR 11 Martin-Manley, 83 Staggs
RB 32 Bullock, 4 Garmon
FB 92 Gimm, 41 Reisen
DEFENSE:
DE 99 Gaglione, 95 Ott
DT 54 Bigach, 71 Davis
DT 90 Trinca-Pasat, 97 Cooper
DE 79 Alvis, 49 Spears
OLB 20 Kirksey, 39 Perry
MLB 44 Morris, 52 Alston
WLB 31 Hitchens, 36 Fisher
LCB 2 Castillo, 19 Lowery
SS 21 Law, 13 Donatell
FS 5 Miller, 37 Lowdermilk
RCB 18 Hyde, 7 Draper
SPECIAL TEAMS:
P 98 Kornbrath, 14 Wienke
PK 96 Meyer, 1 Koehn
LS 61 Kreiter, 54 Bigach
HOLDER 14 Wienke
PR 18 Hyde
KR 23 Cotton, 81 Smith
Every week, we will post the TV schedule for all games featuring Big Ten teams. Here is where and when you can watch them this week:
Nov. 10:
Wisconsin at Indiana, 11 a.m., ESPN2
Purdue at Iowa, 11 a.m., BTN
Northwestern at Michigan, 11 a.m., ESPN
Minnesota at Illinois, 2:30 p.m., BTN
Penn State at No. 18 Nebraska, 2:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2
*All times listed are Central Standard Time.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Check out all of these links to content posted on Saturday after Iowa’s 24-21 loss to Indiana at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. Please note, anything with “premium” in parentheses are links that can only be accessed by those logged in as either a paid subscriber or three-day free trial member to HawkeyeDrive.com:
RECAP: Hawkeyes lose third straight, falling 24-21 to Hoosiers
COMMENTARY: Losing record telling (premium)
VIDEO:
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Three quarters of the 2012 season has concluded and the Iowa Hawkeyes — at least this particular group of players — find themselves in unchartered waters.
Iowa lost its third straight game Saturday, falling to Indiana 24-21 at Memorial Stadium. This defeat has the Hawkeyes sitting at 2-3 in Big Ten play and 4-5 overall, making this the first time since 2007 Iowa has possessed a losing record of any kind in football.
“This is a letdown,” senior cornerback Micah Hyde said. “Give the credit to them. They made some big plays and we didn’t make enough plays when we were capable of doing so.”
After severe weather delayed kickoff of this game by an hour, things finally got underway at 4:42 p.m. Eastern. Iowa struck first on its second possession of the game when senior quarterback James Vandenberg threw his lone touchdown pass of the day to sophomore wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley. The play covered 24 yards and put the Hawkeyes ahead 7-0.
Martin-Manley ended up having one of the better performances of any Iowa wide receiver this season, finishing with 131 yards receiving on seven catches.
“When we stayed in front of the chains on offense, we did a lot of things and Kevonte made a lot of plays with his hands,” Vandenberg said. “We were able to get it to him in a variety of different ways. The touchdown was just kind of one of those things where I just looked over, they wanted us in no-huddle and we caught them in a man-to-man.”
The Hoosier offense took the field for their second series and inserted quarterback Nate Sudfeld in place of starter Cameron Coffman. Sudfeld’s first play from scrimmage was a pass picked off by Iowa junior linebacker Christian Kirksey and taken back 18 yards for a touchdown that extended the Hawkeye lead to 14-0.
Indiana would respond with a 45-yard field goal to make it 14-3 and the score would remain this until the final minutes of the first half. Sudfeld was benched permanently in favor of Coffman and the switch paid off big time for the Hoosiers. Starting at their own 13-yard line with 2:13 left until halftime, Coffman guided an 87-yard scoring drive capped by a 15-yard touchdown reception by Cody Latimer that made it 14-10 when both teams went to their locker rooms.
Early in the third quarter, Iowa had a chance to extend its lead. But facing 3rd-and-Goal from Indiana’s 12-yard line, Vandenberg threw a pass into the corner of the end zone intended for junior wideout Jordan Cotton that was intercepted by Indiana’s Antonio Marshall, keeping the score at 14-10.
“He was probably pressing a little bit,” Ferentz said. “It’s one of those deals there, if you don’t have it, you probably just throw it out of bounds where nobody can get it and hopefully get the three points.”
Three plays later, the Hoosiers faced 3rd-and-8 from their own 22-yard line when Coffman hit a wide open Kofi Hughes for a 77-yard strike originally signaled a touchdown, but was changed when replay showed Hughes was out of bounds before the ball broke the plane. Indiana would eventually capitalize in the red zone after a pair of failed attempts in the first half and take its first lead of the game at 17-14.
Iowa would re-take the lead in the fourth quarter when sophomore running back Damon Bullock ran in from four yards out to give the Hawkeyes a 21-17 lead with 12:27 remaining. Bullock had re-entered the game after getting his knee twisted in the third quarter.
But the lead would be short-lived for the Hawkeyes. Once again, Indiana would strike back with big plays in the passing game and went ahead 24-21 when Coffman hit Latimer for his third score of the game on a play where he got past Hyde.
“That was a really good throw. I couldn’t even make a play on the ball,” Hyde said. “I tried slipping underneath and the ball was just even over my head and perfect for the receiver.”
Late in the game, Iowa had the ball and faced 4th-and-1 from its own 28-yard line after a completed pass by Vandenberg to senior wide receiver Keenan Davis resulted in Davis coming up just short of the marker as he got hit out of bounds. The Hawkeyes looked as though they would go for it, but while the spot of the ball was being reviewed, Ferentz opted to punt with 4:43 left and put the game in his defense’s hands.
“We felt like if we had tempo, we could take a shot at it right there,” Ferentz said. “But the play got stopped to review the spot and that kind of changed the complexion.”
Iowa now needs to win two of its last three games just to reach the six-win minimum needed to become bowl-eligible. The Hawkeyes return home Nov. 10 to face Purdue (3-6, 0-5), who is coming off a 34-9 loss to Penn State on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. Central and will be televised nationally on the Big Ten Network.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — There’s an adage in football made famous by legendary NFL coach Bill Parcells — “You are what your record says you are.” This is a line that has been used before by Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz and many others.
After losing its third straight game Saturday 24-21 to Indiana, the Hawkeyes left Memorial Stadium possessing a 4-5 overall record.
The aforementioned record adage applies here. Iowa is 4-5 and every bit the part of a 4-5 team. Following Saturday’s defeat, Ferentz made clear that this particular loss to the Hoosiers wasn’t because of lack of effort, and with regard to that, he’s correct.
In fact, I’d take that a step further and say none of the Hawkeyes’ losses, even the games where Penn State and Northwestern handily beat them, were due to lack of effort. Right now, they’re just not a good football team.
Now obviously there are a myriad of reasons for this and they’ve all been well-documented. One could talk all they want about player attrition, poor recruiting, poor coaching, lack of execution. Yes, all of those things are valid reasons.
All of those things were brought up when this team was losing games, yet had a winning record. So now what? Obviously, things haven’t gotten better and don’t appear as though they’re going to get better.
Iowa’s 4-5 and needs to win two of its last three just to get bowl-eligible. That’s not happening. It’s not because the Hawkeyes are going to pack it in. They won’t. It’s because two of those games are against the two teams currently sitting atop the Legends Division, and both Michigan and Nebraska are way ahead of Iowa at this point in time.
The Hawkeyes could lose to both those teams by the same three-point margin they lost to Indiana by on Saturday. It won’t matter. A loss is a loss. There’s no finding moral victories at this point in time. Not when Iowa’s possessing a losing record of any kind for the first time since 2007, a year where every fifth-year senior on this team was still in high school.
What stood out to me most when Ferentz spoke after the game — besides the fact that when he spoke to the media was actually separate from the players; thank you, Indiana — was that he didn’t act the way he usually does after losses. He said some of the same cliché lines, but there were also instances where he said what he was actually thinking and not giving a non-answer answer.
By no means did it seem like a sign of surrender. But it did seem like an acknowledgement of he knows what he’s working with and has reached a point where only so much can be done. Even if the coaching gets better these last three weeks — and I’m talking about his entire staff here, not just him — it probably won’t be enough.
This team isn’t underachieving unless you had ridiculously high expectations for it coming into this season. It’s just not a good one.
In this case, yeah. Iowa is what its record says it is.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Iowa junior linebacker Christian Kirksey finished with eight tackles and also had both a fumble recovery and an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Hawkeyes’ 24-21 loss to Indiana on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Iowa junior cornerback B.J. Lowery finished with six tackles in the Hawkeyes’ 24-21 loss to Indiana on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.