The Wolverine Now

NOV. 14, 2012 BOWL OR BUST I owa head coach Kirk Ferentz inherited a 3-8 team and in his first season went 1-10 in 1999, and then 3-9 in 2000, but since then he has enjoyed a fairytale career in Iowa City, leading the Black and Gold to league crowns in 2002 and 2004, and 10 postseason games (and a 6-4 record in those bowls). The Hawkeyes experienced a little bit of a lull from 2005-07, but in the past four years went 35-17 overall, winning three bowl games, including the 2010 Orange Bowl. This fall, however, with two contests re- maining, Iowa — 4-6 and facing two teams, Michigan and Nebraska, with a combined 15-5 record — could suffer its first losing season since 2006 (6-7) and is on the cusp of finishing below .500 for the regular sea- son for the first time since Ferentz's second year. "You know, we've lost four straight games, and we're 4-6, and that's where we're at," said Ferentz, matter-of-factly. "Really the only thing I can be concerned with is beating Michigan." The fifth highest paid coach in college football, with a 2011 salary of $3.86 mil- lion, Ferentz has had a difficult time ex- plaining his team's struggles this year, at times citing special teams miscues, while at other times talking about turnovers, de- fensive breakdowns and inconsistency of- fensively. The reason he cannot isolate the Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has posted a 100-73 record in 14 seasons in charge of the Hawkeyes. PHOTO COURTESY IOWA problem is because it truly is all encompass- ing this year for the Hawkeyes. "Lack of talent, attrition, lack of expe- rience, depth concerns — it's been a lot of everything," HawkeyeReport.com pub- lisher Tom Kakert said. "Greg Davis' of- fense hasn't clicked all year. They've had key injuries. They lack playmakers offen- GAME FACTS Iowa Faces Two Must-Win Games To Earn Postseason Eligibility BY MICHAEL SPATH sively, the running game is sputtering, and defensively they have a nice defensive line but not the kind of front seven that has been at the heart of Iowa's great defenses from the past; they just really have too many weaknesses." Pick an offensive category, and the Black and Gold likely rank among the nation's worst teams. They sit 102nd in scoring (20.8 points per game), 106th in total of- fense (321.6 yards per game) and 93rd in third-down conversions (36.1 percent). Defensively, they're better statistically for the season — they rank in the 50s in most groupings — but during the four-game los- ing streak, the Hawkeyes have surrendered an average of 475.0 yards and 29.3 points per game. Northwestern rushed for 349 yards in a 28-17 win over Iowa Oct. 27, Indiana threw for 406 yards in a 24-21 win Nov. 3 and feeble Purdue, which had lost five in a row itself while averaging 17.2 points and 313.6 yards of offense, scored 27 points and amassed 490 yards of offense. Seeking answers, Iowa could try to build off its recent success against Michigan; the Black and Gold have won three in a row over the Wolverines for the first time in series history. Ferentz noted, though, this is a new season and a new team, and Iowa's fragile psyche probably won't receive an overnight jumpstart due to past success. "Even in 2000, when they went 3-9, they the game. The contest can be heard on the Michigan Sports Net- work (950 AM in the Detroit area), SiriusXM (channel 193) and Armed Services Radio (channel 113). Coaches: Michigan: Brady Hoke What: Michigan vs. Iowa. When: Nov. 17 • 12:01 p.m. Radio-TV: ESPN will broadcast (18-5, second season). Iowa: Kirk Ferentz (100-73, 14th season) History: Michigan leads the se- ries with Iowa 40-13-4, last beating the Hawkeyes 20-6 in 2006. Iowa Notes: Kirk Ferentz's 14- year tenure is the fourth longest among active Football Bowl Sub- division coaches … The Iowa ros- ter includes six players from the state of Michigan: WR Kevonte Martin-Manley (Pontiac), DB Kevin Buford (Canton), DB Ruben Lile (Detroit), LB Laron Taylor (Detroit), DL Carl Davis (Sterling Heights) and TE Jake Duzey (Troy) … Michi- gan will be the first ranked oppo- nent the Hawkeyes have played this year … Ferentz coached U-M assistant coach Jerry Montgomery, who was a four-year letterman at Iowa from 1998-2001.

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