Ohio State Vs. Iowa: Can Kirk Ferentz Adjust?

Ferentz’s squad is always well-coached, but he’s come under some heat this season for a disappointing 7-3 record after last year’s success. He had this to say in a testy media session on Tuesday:
“We were getting ready to put Oregon’s offense in this week and then they got 15 points, and I said ‘Hell, that ain’t going to cut it,’ ” Ferentz sarcastically said of the high-scoring, top-ranked Ducks, narrow winners over Cal last Saturday.
While Ferentz was responding to criticism, his statement reflects his core football values and thus his program’s core values. Iowa has not been a reactionary team under Ferentz; they run their offense, defense, and special teams a certain way, and they believe in what they are doing, in good times and bad. This dedication to a specific style can anger some fans, but the importance of a process is that they never become lost in terms of their identity. There are benefits and drawbacks to Ferentz’s commitment to this identity, but it has worked extremely well for the Iowa program over the past twelve years and is unlikely to change.