Sep 1, 2018; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz talks with an official during the fourth quarter against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Hate Week is in full swing and that means it is time to get to know our frie– uh.. rivals to the east. This is a compilation of links, videos and notes from across the state to help you get ready for Saturday’s 4 p.m. kick in Iowa City.
Links
*** Normally when we mention Brian Ferentz on this website, it is because he has made some sort of backhanded jab at Iowa State. On Wednesday, he was very complimentary of the Cyclones and it feels so weird. (Des Moines Register)
*** Kirk Ferentz has never won four games in a row against Iowa State. Iowa’s seniors are relishing the opportunity to make it happen. (Des Moines Register)
*** Mike Hlas wrote about the lack of verbal jabs from either side of the aisle leading up to this week’s game. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
*** The Cy-Hawk game is always important to people in the state of Iowa. This year, the rivalry is selling itself on merit nationally. (The Athletic)
*** Get a break down of the Iowa depth chart right here. (Go Iowa Awesome)
*** Is Kirk Ferentz overrated or underrated nationally? Scott Dochterman answered that question and more in his weekly mailbag. (The Athletic)
Notes
*** Here are the Iowa game notes for this week’s matchup.
Videos
*** Kirk Ferentz is not pleased with one of the rules changes in college football this season.
*** Iowa is a unique state with two Power 5 programs and a high-level FCS program all residing within the borders. Ferentz talks about the impact of that on the state here.
*** I could not find full video of Ferentz’s weekly press conference, but you can read the transcript right here.
They Said It
*** Kirk Ferentz on the 2016 Cy-Hawk game at Kinnick Stadium.
“That game is so irrelevant when you talk about the series, first of all. You go back, whatever, ’11 on, if you look at that, pretty much outside of that game, it’s been a one-possession ballgame. In ’15 I know it was a little bit more than one possession, but if you were at that game, that was a one-possession game. That was a tough, hard-fought game. That’s representative. The game from two years ago, it looked like a new team with a new staff and everything was just totally — and I think it was about two weeks after that where they really started to gain traction, and since then they’ve been playing excellent football. You can take that tape, but it’s really worth nothing for anybody in our organization. I know that. And hardly representative of what this series is about and what the rivalry is about.”
*** Brian Ferentz on Iowa State’s defense.
“I have the utmost respect for those guys and the way they approach their football team. Most importantly, they play very hard, defensively, and they rally to the football…This is a really sound defensive football team, and it starts with, obviously, the head coach, who’s a very good football coach and has a tough, hard-minded background.”
*** Iowa defensive end Parker Hesse on the rivalry.
“You kind of inherently know the significance of this game to the state, to both teams’ fanbases. It’s something you’re going to have to hear about all year, win, lose or draw. Coming from Iowa, you understand the importance of it.”
*** Kirk Ferentz on David Montgomery.
“I told our guys, I don’t know that we’ll see a better back this season. I don’t know who’s out there, but we’re going to see good players. We always do in our conference. But he’s as good a back as you’re going to face anywhere in the country. It starts with him — first thing about it, he’s tough. He’s a tough, competitive guy, runs extremely hard, and I thought last year when it really counted, that’s when he was at his best. He really kind of — I don’t want to say carried the team, but he sure impacted the game in a really positive way.”
*** Kirk Ferentz on Hakeem Butler.
“It’s a huge challenge for anybody, and fortunately one graduated but the other guy is taller. Unless you have 6’6″ DB’s, which not many teams do, it’s a challenge. It’s a real edge, an advantage. It’s one thing to have a tall receiver, but when you have a tall receiver that’s a good player, that’s more important, and that’s certainly the case with Butler. He’s a really good football player. If we’re going to have success this week, we’d better account for him in the game plan and try to do the same thing at the running back, as well, and the quarterback. They’ve got a bunch of guys that are pretty capable, but he certainly stands out.”
*** Kirk Ferentz on Ray Lima.
“Yeah, he’s a good player, good veteran player and good interior guy, and sounds like he’s a team leader, as well. He’s one of their captains. Should be a good match-up in there because we’ve got a couple veteran guys and a younger guy. But that’s part of the reason they’re good. He’s an unselfish guy, too, a tough, unselfish tough guy.”
