Online Now 612

The House of Blue

The home for all discussion on UK athletics

On this Board 347
Record: 3046 (4/11/2012)

Online now 666
Record: 6210 (3/13/2012)

Boards ▾

The House of Blue

The home for all discussion on UK athletics

The Paddock

The place to discuss general topics outside of Kentucky

UK Ticket Exchange

Buy, sell or swap tickets

Reply

How does UK football compare to Iowa?

  • I posted this over on Cats Illustrated recently. Curious to hear what you guys think.

    Looking at Iowa football over the last 10-15 seasons, this is what I would like to see Kentucky football become. There are some similarities. Not a great instate talent base. An instate nonconference rival that is played early in the season.

    The Hawkeyes are usually an 8 win team. Have had a few 10-11 win seasons and have played in a couple of BCS bowls. They have beaten SEC teams like Florida, LSU, and South Carolina in bowl games. I know the SEC is the top football conference, but the Big Ten is plenty tough with Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State. So UK and Iowa have faced similar competition. Iowa also hasn't been afraid to play other BCS teams besides Iowa State in the nonconference. Arizona, Arizona State, Kansas State, Pittsburgh. Whereas UK hasn't played another BCS team besides Louisville since the Indiana series was ended.

    Iowa's recruiting is what Kentucky should strive to be. The Hawkeyes got 4 4 star recruits in the 2010 and 2011 classes each. They have 3 for the 2012 class so far. I can't imagine that Iowa City is a whole lot more of a desirable destination than Lexington.

    Kentucky had the probation to recover from in the early 2000s. Iowa had their own down cycle when longtime coach Hayden Fry retired after the 1998 season. After 1-10/3-9 seasons in 1999 and 2000, the Hawkeyes worst seasons were 6-7 with a bowl loss in 2006 and a nonbowl 6-6 season in 2007. In that same time frame, Iowa has had 2 11 win seasons and 2 10 win seasons. Multiple 7-8-9 win seasons. Appeared in 2 Orange Bowls and several Outback, Capitol One, Insight, and Alamo bowls.

    So how has Iowa built and maintained a very competitive football program? I see no reason whatsoever that Kentucky football can't achieve the same status. What can we take from Iowa football and use at Kentucky

    Robcatt

  • Honestly, I think Iowa is a lot like Georgia... Always a solid team, quietly turns out more NFL players than anyone AND underachieves. I'd like UK to be them for a little while - but to remain in their shoes would be like treading water.

    Kooky Kats 247

  • I would think we are more similar to Arkansas, except that they don't really have an in-state rival to worry about recruiting against. I'm not sure about the talent in Arkansas, but I don't remember hearing that it's very good. Plus, where were they three or four years ago? I think where they are now is our ceiling.

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by MossCat15 on 1/8/2012 at 3:27 PM

    MossCat15

  • Arkansas is who they are today because their university made the financial commitment to reach for the stars in their coaching search. They went "all in" in football by hiring Petrino. They don't have a ton of in-state talent, but they have a terrific recruiting staff that is landing players in Florida, Georgia, Bama, and Texas.

    Arkansas wanted to win. They made the commitment. Now they're winning. Pure and simple.

    Same with Iowa. Very little in-state talent, but they made a commitment to make Firentz (sp) the highest paid college footall coach (he was a few years ago).

    It's not rocket science.

    This post was edited by MinterWonderlnd on 1/8/2012 at 3:36 PM

    MinterWonderlnd ●

  • I think it's a fair comparison in terms of potential, but I would argue that we have already been at Iowa's level, Brooks' last four years or so, and the record didn't show it only because we're in the SEC. Swap conferences and our record would be as good as theirs and theirs would be no better than ours. The hill UK has to climb in the SEC is just incredible.

    old jim

  • I'll tell you the difference between Iowa and UK ... good, solid, consistent, long-tenured coaching.

    In the last 30 years, Iowa's 2 head coaches, Hayden Fyre (143-89-6) and Kirk Ferentz (96-66) are much better coaches than the string of Jerry Claiborne, Bill Curry, Hal Mumme, Guy Morriss, Rich Brooks and Joker Phillips that UK has run out of the tunnel during that time period. Not one of our coaches mentioned have a winning record at UK and the two Iowa coaches have a combined record that is 84 games over .500 ...

    Iowa made the commitment to go out and get ... AND KEEP ... very good coaches.

    That's the difference.

    WildcatKNH :: my NCAA Resource Center > www.knhayes.com/NCAA

    wildcatknh

  • Iowa is basically Kentucky (at least 2006-2011 UK) if playing in the SEC. Maybe slightly better. They've had excellent coaching and long-term stability. I don't want to sound like I'm dissing them. Just saying they'd be around .500 playing an SEC schedule.

    signature image

    E-mail: JDRUM@247SPORTS.COM Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JDrumUK

    Jeff Drummond

  • Jeff Drummond said...

    Iowa is basically Kentucky (at least 2006-2011 UK) if playing in the SEC. Maybe slightly better. They've had excellent coaching and long-term stability. I don't want to sound like I'm dissing them. Just saying they'd be around .500 playing an SEC schedule.

    I would think I had died and gone to heaven if we had excellent coaching, long term stability and a .500 record in the SEC. That would be just complete fantasy land to me.

    Tskware

  • Jeff Drummond said...

    Iowa is basically Kentucky (at least 2006-2011 UK) if playing in the SEC. Maybe slightly better. They've had excellent coaching and long-term stability. I don't want to sound like I'm dissing them. Just saying they'd be around .500 playing an SEC schedule.

    I disagree with your statement about Iowa maybe being slightly better than UK In the years from 06-11, Iowa in those years that was mentioned was 47-30 and UK was 41-36. Iowa currently has 23 players in the NFL from those years that was mentioned and 34 total in the league currently while UK has 10 from 2006-11 and does not have a player in the NFL that played at Kentucky before 2006.

    ukcats2123

  • Tskware said...

    I would think I had died and gone to heaven if we had excellent coaching, long term stability and a .500 record in the SEC. That would be just complete fantasy land to me.

    JD didn't see they would have a 0.500 record in the SEC, he said they would have a 0.500 record playing an SEC schedule, i.e. over0.500 OoC and under 0.500 in conference.. Two different dogs altogether.

    signature image

    rompcat ●

  • I have always thought Iowa has had some excellent offensive lineman. Not that UK hasn't had some good ones but the biggest difference to me is their O-line vs ours.

    kydfnse

  • Tskware said...

    I would think I had died and gone to heaven if we had excellent coaching, long term stability and a .500 record in the SEC. That would be just complete fantasy land to me.

    I think you mis-read that. It was .500 playing an SEC schedule (as in the whole schedule, 6-6 or 7-5 range) not .500 in league play.

    signature image

    E-mail: JDRUM@247SPORTS.COM Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JDrumUK

    Jeff Drummond

  • They have 3 TE's in the league that I know of right off my head. And yes, the O-Line is not even a comparison. Having 23 players in the NFL compared to 10 in the last 6 years is not a comparison either.

    ukcats2123

  • kydfnse said...

    I have always thought Iowa has had some excellent offensive lineman. Not that UK hasn't had some good ones but the biggest difference to me is their O-line vs ours.

    Good point. A lot of corn-fed guys and kids with wrestling backgrounds help.

    signature image

    E-mail: JDRUM@247SPORTS.COM Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JDrumUK

    Jeff Drummond

  • A lot of my wife's family is from Iowa around Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. They love their Iowa football. I have been there a few times and there are similarities to KY and Cedar Rapids nor Iowa City are very big cities. I would say CR is about 1/2 the size of Lex but similar in some ways. They are close to other big cities (decent driving distance) like UK.
    One thing I always thought was funny is how Iowa painted the visitors locker room or bathrooms all pink years ago. I thought that was a pretty neat idea. I can't remember if that has changed but I always thought that was pretty funny.

    kydfnse

  • kydfnse said...

    A lot of my wife's family is from Iowa around Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. They love their Iowa football. I have been there a few times and there are similarities to KY and Cedar Rapids nor Iowa City are very big cities. I would say CR is about 1/2 the size of Lex but similar in some ways. They are close to other big cities (decent driving distance) like UK. One thing I always thought was funny is how Iowa painted the visitors locker room or bathrooms all pink years ago. I thought that was a pretty neat idea. I can't remember if that has changed but I always thought that was pretty funny.

    I remember people getting all up in arms about that, but it was an interesting psychological ploy.

    signature image

    E-mail: JDRUM@247SPORTS.COM Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JDrumUK

    Jeff Drummond

  • kydfnse said...

    A lot of my wife's family is from Iowa around Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. They love their Iowa football. I have been there a few times and there are similarities to KY and Cedar Rapids nor Iowa City are very big cities. I would say CR is about 1/2 the size of Lex but similar in some ways. They are close to other big cities (decent driving distance) like UK. One thing I always thought was funny is how Iowa painted the visitors locker room or bathrooms all pink years ago. I thought that was a pretty neat idea. I can't remember if that has changed but I always thought that was pretty funny.

    Iowa is the team that did that! I couldn't remember who that was. Thanks for the reminder. For those that don't know, here is a link.

    Iowa is similar to KY but they have had the better DL/OL, play in a weaker conference, and most importantly have maintained their HC over a long period and not changed them out every 5-6 years. Give Joker time to recruit and build this beyond what Brooks was able to do.

    Quick tour of the pink lockerroom | TheGazette

    It's either the scourge of Western Civilization or just a harmless bit. I'm sure many of you have been in or at least have

    thegazette.com
    signature image

    Stoopified!

    cobbycobb ●

  • Who was the last olineman that was drafted from uk?

    MinterWonderlnd ●

  • Wow this is pretty shocking. I decided to look it up and it was 93 the last time an OL was drafted from KY. Mr. Warford is gonna change all that though. Hopefully in another year not a few months.

    This post was edited by Warmother51 on 1/9/2012 at 9:57 AM

    » It’s true: UK has not had an O-lineman drafted since 1993 John Clay's Sidelines

    http://johnclay.bloginky.com/2011/08/09/its-true-uk-has-not-had-an-o-lineman-drafted-since-1993/#

    johnclay.bloginky.com
    signature image signature image signature image

    It smells like microwaved homeless people in here.

    Warmother51

  • wow. simply wow.

    MinterWonderlnd ●

  • Warmother51 said...

    Wow this is pretty shocking. I decided to look it up and it was 93 the last time an OL was drafted from KY. Mr. Warford is gonna change all that though. Hopefully in another year not a few months.

    That is shocking.

    I still don't understand how Gary Williams wasn't drafted but yet he was good enough to be signed as FA by Carolina and started 11 games and played in 23. I believe he was injured this season and was slated to be the starter before the injury?

    IMHO Summers will get more UK OL drafted. Warford looks to be the first and Miller looks like a kid that can grow into a NFL type OT.

    This coaching staff has done a better job IMO of bringing in better talent at the OL position. We just need more! West, Milller, Elliott, Watson, Swindle and Toth are upgrades from what we've signed in the past few years. Guys like Love, Jones and Meyers are kids you sign, RS and get them into our S&C program with the hope they develop into solid OL down the road.

    It's no secret that UK must get better at the OL & DL positions before we really make a move up this ladder,

    Whitaker568

  • Just off base a touch, but the state of Wisconsin mirrors Kentucky as they typically produce roughly ten guys per year who are rated by Rivals, and a couple of 4* athletes. Prior to 1990, Wisconsin had been to four bowl games in their history and then they hired Alvarez and made a commitment to football. Since 1990, they have been to eighteen bowl games and after he retired in 2005, Alvarez was promoted to AD and there DC rolled into he HC job.

    My point being is that it takes a solid commitment from the University and that is what is happening in Madison. When you think of UW, they are a football school with a decent basketball team from time to time. That is my concern at UK - we will always be a basketball school with a BB AD. That wouldn't be so bad if they would throw us football guys a bone from time to time but with the way things are structured by our bonding, it's like we're just spinning our wheels in the mud, over and over. I guess I've finally just accepted things for what they are and hope we can recruit well enough to have a team that can make a bowl with an occasional season of 7-8 wins.

    I know I bitch a lot guys but it's only because I've been following this team for 35 years and nothing ever seems to change. I honestly hope Joe and company can turn this thing into an Iowa or Wisconsin, and I would like to see him be the longest tenured coach in UK history. Once again, beating a dead horse, I'm just afraid he will never have the tools and support it takes to get us to a bowl outside of the Liberty or MCB. I'll head into next season optimistic as ever but I've pretty much decided that my happiness for three months is not going to revolve around how this team performs. Honestly, I will be happy as hell if we just continue to qualify for a bowl bid.

    rob65 ●

  • rob65 said...

    Just off base a touch, but the state of Wisconsin mirrors Kentucky as they typically produce roughly ten guys per year who are rated by Rivals, and a couple of 4* athletes. Prior to 1990, Wisconsin had been to four bowl games in their history and then they hired Alvarez and made a commitment to football. Since 1990, they have been to eighteen bowl games and after he retired in 2005, Alvarez was promoted to AD and there DC rolled into he HC job.

    My point being is that it takes a solid commitment from the University and that is what is happening in Madison. When you think of UW, they are a football school with a decent basketball team from time to time. That is my concern at UK - we will always be a basketball school with a BB AD. That wouldn't be so bad if they would throw us football guys a bone from time to time but with the way things are structured by our bonding, it's like we're just spinning our wheels in the mud, over and over. I guess I've finally just accepted things for what they are and hope we can recruit well enough to have a team that can make a bowl with an occasional season of 7-8 wins.

    I know I bitch a lot guys but it's only because I've been following this team for 35 years and nothing ever seems to change. I honestly hope Joe and company can turn this thing into an Iowa or Wisconsin, and I would like to see him be the longest tenured coach in UK history. Once again, beating a dead horse, I'm just afraid he will never have the tools and support it takes to get us to a bowl outside of the Liberty or MCB. I'll head into next season optimistic as ever but I've pretty much decided that my happiness for three months is not going to revolve around how this team performs. Honestly, I will be happy as hell if we just continue to qualify for a bowl bid.

    Your "bitching" pales in comparison to some others. Seriously, your not that bad. You actually just sound worried, and rightfully so, I think we all are on some level.

    MossCat15

  • Warmother51 said...

    Wow this is pretty shocking. I decided to look it up and it was 93 the last time an OL was drafted from KY. Mr. Warford is gonna change all that though. Hopefully in another year not a few months.

    That is shocking. You'd think somebody would be drafted every 4-5 years. 18+ That's nuts.

    signature image

    E-mail: JDRUM@247SPORTS.COM Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JDrumUK

    Jeff Drummond

  • Jeff Drummond said...

    That is shocking. You'd think somebody would be drafted every 4-5 years. 18+ That's nuts.

    No, I knew that to be true. How many first round picks have we had since 1993? Couch and Robertson? Are there any others?

    Granted, some of these guys seem to just want to bash the program all day long, especially in recruiting, which is obviously a hot topic. And I know that gets tiresome. OTOH, when you see those kind of stats re NFL draft picks, it is hard to read the "our recruiting is just getting better and better" mantra with a straight face. Some of us have been hearing that since Jerry Claiborne took over from Curci, which was a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away.

    Tskware

Kentucky
247Sports
Features
Resources
Connect

247Sports In partnership with CBS Sports