Iowa under the leadership of Kirk Ferentz has become one of the premier examples in college football where players go to be developed.
The Hawkeyes aren't bringing in boatloads of blue chip recruits, or dominating recruiting rankings, yet Ferentz is looking at his eighth season of at least ten wins if the Hawkeyes beat Nebraska this weekend. He'll will have an opportunity to add to that next weekend facing the winner of Michigan or Ohio State in the Big Ten title game as they represent the Big Ten West Division.
Asked to talk about the instant gratification culture of college athletics today, and how Hawkeye players seem to have an almost uncommon trust in the longterm process he and his staff have in place, Ferentz had some interesting thoughts to share on analysts employed by The Worldwide Leader.
"It's a tougher time to be a parent, or a teacher, or a coach," Ferentz opened his answer by saying.
"It's a little tougher today, and with all the ESPN coverage and all that, in fact I was making a comment to a couple guys on staff this morning, I was looking through there and saw three faces on that little thing on the left of your ESPN site, where they’ve got the videos. Three guys that are basically coach killers or player killers that are just like, all they’re trying to do is just stir up controversy."
"So that’s kind of what’s out there now for people to take in. You wonder why there’s so much negativity."
Ferentz goes on to share a lesson he learned coaching the Hawkeye offensive line back in the 1980's as an assistant, when three guys didn't start for him until their fifth year in the program. All three of those guys would go on to have NFL careers, and that experience has stuck with him so patience and trusting the process have become a part of Iowa football he has tried to instill in his guys.
The "coach killer" comment is also especially interesting as his son Brian Ferentz entered the year with a highly controversial contract that required him to hit objectives of 25 points per game and seven wins to keep his job next fall.
The highly unpopular contract was an unwanted distraction and weekly conversation piece on ESPN and throughout other national media outlets despite the 9-win season Ferentz has led the Hawkeyes to, which led to athletic director Beth Goetz making the announcement three weeks ago that Brian would not return to the staff.
Hear more from Ferentz in the clip.