Moneyball

johnnydugouts

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2013
1,602
168
63
Makes sense, but why can't it work the other way. If Iowa dumped a little more money into recruiting maybe they could get to Texas, California and Florida more often. Unless they are conceding the fact that those efforts wouldn't pay off? I suppose those types of athletes don't have much desire in playing in a northern climate in Iowas system?

it could, but no one will find out until iowa gets a new coach.
 

BigLame

Well-Known Member
Feb 6, 2008
4,792
1,802
113
Western IA
The day I feared has come. This is a cyclone and hawkeye message board now. Better update the site name.

Posting anything on a Halgeye site won't get any views. Gotta go where actual eyes may read it. I'm not clicking the link however. Halg stuff makes me sick
 

Tre4ISU

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Dec 30, 2008
27,894
8,655
113
Estherville
not really. The concept of moneyball isn't using advanced stats, it's finding value in under-appreciated markets. For the A's, that was OBP and defense. For Iowa, it's midwestern kids.

Actually using a non-measureble attribute goes against pretty much everything Billy Beane did was was the subject of a pretty significant part of the movie when Peter Brand was talking about how people are paid on perception. Moneyball came from the A's who used statistical analysis. Saying something where guys are using the idea of a geography reacting better would not ever be something he did.
 

CyJack13

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2010
12,666
1,665
113
This seems much more like a lazy, we didn't have much success recruiting out of the midwest anyway, so we're just going to stick around here approach than any sort of outside the box, analytical approach to recruiting.
 

besserheimerphat

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
10,478
13,009
113
Mount Vernon, WA
Ferentz recruits heavily in the midwest, from eastern Nebraska through western Pennsylvania.

Big League Chew is based in Plano IL
Wrigley is based in Chicago IL
Chiclets were invented and manufactured in Cleveland OH
Modelez International (owner of Dentyne brand) is based in Deerfield IL

Coincidence?
 
  • Like
Reactions: peteypie

dualthreat

Well-Known Member
Oct 8, 2008
11,013
3,881
113
I see two sides to it. Yes, he does a great job finding guys and turning them into NFL talent.....but if he has all this NFL talent, where are the championships?

Iowa isn't the only team in their conference putting guys in the NFL.... OSU and Wisconsin do every bit as good of a job as iowa.
 

HFCS

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
68,507
55,879
113
LA LA Land
Iowa's team is more loaded with talented high school QBs than its ever been. Some will actually be a qb and others will star at some other position. Aspect of their program I most wish ISU would emulate and part of their system that kind of does mirror moneyball in baseball.
 

HFCS

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
68,507
55,879
113
LA LA Land
Iowa isn't the only team in their conference putting guys in the NFL.... OSU and Wisconsin do every bit as good of a job as iowa.

The point is that if Iowa is putting players in the NFL anywhere near Ohio State's range…gigantic accomplishment. We'd be going nuts if we were putting players in the NFL at the same pace as Texas and OU…and yes I know we put more in than Texas last year but I'm talking over a 5-10 year stretch.

It's debatable how much it helps their team, but it's undeniable that they've produced a boatload of NFL players, most of whom weren't on the radar of college football blue bloods during recruiting.
 

cyhiphopp

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
33,267
14,536
113
Ankeny
Game management issues and being too conservative are the two major things, IMO. I think the guys that Ferentz recruits lend themselves very well to his system, I just think the system could be executed a little better. Iowa obviously prides themselves on running a pro style offense, but for my money they concentrate too much on the run game and 6 yard outs. I think if they tried to stretch the field a little more it would open up the run game and the tight ends over the middle even more. But, it's a catch 22 because they don't (can't) recruit the guys to do that.

Sounds like Davis has a couple of true burners to work with this year in Powell and Willies. Lets see if they try and add any flavor to the play book or if Rudocks lack of arm strength prevents that.

Every Hawk fan that I've heard criticize the great Captain Kirk has said the same thing. In the end they know Kirk likely wont change and you can't get rid of him because he's the main reason they have/develop all of the NFL caliber talent.

If Kirk would let his OC open it up they could be scary good some years but no matter who the OC is, they usually bend to what KF wants.
 

Section110

Active Member
Apr 4, 2014
1,866
11
38
Every Hawk fan that I've heard criticize the great Captain Kirk has said the same thing. In the end they know Kirk likely wont change and you can't get rid of him because he's the main reason they have/develop all of the NFL caliber talent.

If Kirk would let his OC open it up they could be scary good some years but no matter who the OC is, they usually bend to what KF wants.

I agree with a lot of this, but if you've watched Iowa closely the past two years (mostly last year) it has become very clear that Kirk is indeed giving in to some changes. He still makes conservative decisions in terms of punting and clock management, but he's certainly allowed changes with the offensive and defensive philosophies. That's why I'm excited about where the team could be going.

Like you, I've always thought the Iowa staff does a great job at producing NFL caliber players. If Kirk continues to allow his coaches to be a little more aggressive on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball they could be scary good in years where they are talent heavy.

Development is the main reason I don't ever want to see Kirk go anywhere. Iowa isn't going to consistently land elite recruits. They have to rely on development to compete, and very few are better at that than KF. If he keeps showing a willingness to adjust to the times I think it will pay off in big ways.