In Kirk We Still Trust

A contract extension was inevitable. With just three years remaining on his current contract, it was required for recruiting purposes to tack on at least one year to Kirk Ferentz's deal. But Thursday's extension showed the trust Athletic Director Gary Barta still has in his faithful head coach. With each passing season, it gets harder and harder to imagine life without Kirk Ferentz roaming the sidelines of Kinnick Stadium, despite the large shoes to fill when he came into Iowa City a decade ago.

Three Big Ten titles and six bowl games in 20 years used to be the standard at Iowa.

Meet the new standard: Two Big Ten titles, four bowl victories, and only halfway there.

While I may ruffle some feathers by proclaiming Hayden Fry the second best coach in Iowa's history, the numbers don't lie. Fry had six seasons with at least 9 wins. Ferentz already has four, and is in a good position to get number five next year.

But perhaps the most amazing thing about Ferentz's journey is the way he built the program from the ground up. When he arrived, the cupboard was empty. Being competitive in a game was a moral victory. Now it is not a suprise to compete for the Big Ten championship. Despite going through a quarterback transition this past fall, losing the best running back in the country, and one of the best defensive linemen, the Hawkeyes will enter 2009 with a team ranked in the Top 20.

Not bad for a coach who was under fire less than four months ago. Starting the season 3-3, the fanbase was growing restless, and the pressure fell on the coaching staff.

Facing rumors of being on the "hot seat", all Ferentz did was defeat the 3rd ranked team in the country, blowout the biggest conference rival in their stadium's farewell, defeat the all-mighty SEC in a New Year's Day bowl game, and finish the season 20th in the country.

But those events didn't turn Ferentz from nearly getting fired into the greatest coach in school history. He was already up there, and 2008 just cemented his legacy.

Without the strong finish, fans would have been calling for Ferentz's job. What none of the fans could answer, however, is who would take over. Who could coach the Hawkeyes better than Kirk Ferentz? Noone. That's who. There isn't a single coach in the country that would make a better fit at Iowa. His calm demeanor, his success on the football field, and his stability within the coaching staff is what makes the Iowa Hawkeyes and him the perfect couple. Every relationship experiences its ups and downs, but this one always seems to pan out in the long run.

Ferentz always knows what to say in any situation. When there were too many off the field issues, he created a Director of Player Development position. He immediately shot down NFL rumors this offseason. Now, he has secured a longterm contract to remain at Iowa.

Let's hope for at least 10 more years for the greatest coach in Iowa history to add to his legacy!

Flapping Their Wings

While I was on a hiatus from writing, one Iowa team in particular picked up steam and began to roll through Big Ten play. With their thrilling, triple overtime victory over Penn State yesterday afternoon, the Hawkeyes women's basketball team has now won five of their last six games after starting out the Big Ten schedule just 1-3.

In college basketball, momentum is one of a team's most valuable teammates. The team that is hot in January and February has a big advantage heading into March. It is still early to be thinking about the NCAA Tournament, but Bluder's Bunch is back on the right track.

The team now sits at 6-4 in conference play, 13-8 overall with eight games remaining until the Big Ten Tournament. This is plenty of time to continue to move up the conference ranks. Despite being in sixth place, Iowa remains just three games down from first place Ohio State in the top-heavy conference.

The next three games will be vital for the team's NCAA Tournament hopes as they compete against three teams with better conference records. After taking on 8-3 Indiana at home, the Hawkeyes will travel to 6-3 Minnesota before returning to Carver to face off against the 9-1 Buckeyes. Taking two out of three or even sweeping the three-step could set up a rise in the standings since only one other team on the schedule, Wisconsin, boasts a winning record.

3,486 fans came out to Carver on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the epic battle between the Hawkeyes and the Nittany Lions. And you thought men's basketball were the ones with attendance problems. This team is in a fight for the NCAA Tournament, and are catching fire at the right moment.

A few more big wins could set up a magical March. Don't be one of the "fans" who misses out.