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f r o m I e d i t o r b r2013 i a n n e u b e r t OPPONENT PREVIEW • Nov. 9 • Ross-Ade Stadium • Time TBA • TV TBD Iowa Hawkeyes Who's in Charge? COACH KIRK FERENTZ owa stands at an apparent crossroads as 2013 approaches. A run in which it routinely ranked among the Big Ten's elite has apparently come and gone, the Hawkeyes bottoming out last season at 4-8 and now facing a season in which they're projected to again finish toward the bottom of the Big Ten's LegIowa ends Division. Mark Weisman is an option at running back, Whereas Hawkeye fans where Iowa doesn't seem to have any stars but once lost sleep over the pros- needs serious production. pect of losing Coach Kirk He needs to win. Ferentz to the NFL, The odds do not TOM'S TAKE today the coach's appear in his favor "There is a sense of urpopularity quotient after Iowa lost eight gency in Iowa City for a has dipped considerprogram that has seen its of its 12 games in ably. win total drop each of the 2012 and missed the "It's really a great postseason for the last three seasons. The unknown for Iowa first time since 2000. problem? Offense. The (this season), beThe key to reversHawkeyes can run the cause the past three ball, but the passing game ing course is very years have been pretsimple: Score more. needs to develop. Job 1: ty run-of-the-mill and Only Illinois, Find a quarterback. The delast year was a nonfense is good enough to get which went winless bowl year," said Tom this team to a bowl. Fans in the Big Ten, fared Kakert, who covers worse than Iowa's are getting restless." Iowa for Hawkey— Tom Dienhart, Big Ten paltry scoring avereReport.com. "This age of 19.3 points and Network might be the (most total offense mark of important) year for 310.4 yards. Kirk Ferentz since 2001." Granted, a smattering of injuries at While Ferentz's mammoth contract running back — a tradition of sorts and astronomical buyout, reported at Iowa, for whatever reason — and to be in the vicinity of $17 million, on the offensive line impacted a runmight serve as a bucket of ice thrown ning game that ranked worst in the on whatever "hot seat" the coach league, but still, this was not what the might be sitting on, the fact remains: Record at Iowa: 100-74 (14 seasons) Record vs. Purdue: 6-4 Bottom Line: It wasn't all that long ago that Kirk Ferentz was headed toward icon status at Iowa. Now, a few lackluster seasons and off-the-field troubles have made the Hawkeye coach a hot-button topic around Iowa City. He needs to win to reclaim hearts and minds. Coming off a lousy 4-8 season, good luck with that. Air Crash Fewer than 10 TD passes = negative results (since 1990) 2012 Hawkeyes TD passes: 7 (4-8 record) 1999 Hawkeyes TD passes: 6 (1-10 record) 1998 Hawkeyes TD passes: 8 (3-8 record) Early line vs. Purdue: Purdue -2 GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com Gold and Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 6 • 105