How Much Can Iowa Ask Of Its Defense?

Black Heart Gold Pants asks some tough questions after yesterday’s heartbreaking loss:

…How much can any team ask of its defense? This season has been a case study in just that question.

The last two games has seen Iowa turn the ball over 10 times to their opponents’ 4 and perhaps this has finally unmasked Iowa’s blueprint as too simplistic. Also, Ferentz’s football teams have relied on refinement over time. Refinement is code for “coaching up” players as the season progresses. November is usually the reveal for Ferentz’s teams, the time when silly mistakes evaporate and experience and commitment to execution take over. But not this year.

So this brings us back to Ken O’Keefe. His offenses have undoubtedly had some success. Iowa’s scoring offense has been in the Top Three in the conference in 4 of the past 10 years, and led the conference twice. But with the exception of last year, the last 5 years has seen Iowa in the lower half of the conference in scoring and dead last in 2007. These numbers might be an indictment on the talent that Iowa has recruited to the offense. Or it might be something else.

Ferentz likes Ken O’Keefe’s offensive philosophy. It fits his blueprint. And he is probably right, but perhaps we need to reassess Ken O’Keefe’s coaching and play calling. Maybe it is time for us to reassess Ken O’Keefe’s place on this Iowa staff.