In Iowa City, there lives a man. His name is Kirk Ferentz and he is the Head Coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes. After four years of watching this man in relation to our coach Mark Dantonio I have come to an indisputable conclusion. Kirk Ferentz's purpose in life is to shit in Mark Dantonio's cereal.
Last year was of course the most severe example with MSU losing 37-6 and Ferentz gleefully rubbing his nose in it. You know, as much as he gleefully does anything. In the video below, he cites the excellence of a play made by his team in this 37-6 blowout as payback for the "Hook and Lateral" that Michigan State ran against them in 2009.
You know, he was paying back Michigan State for making their 2009 game close. Maybe it wasn't satisfying enough for him to grow 70,000 arms and punch everyone in the gut as the clock expired in 2009. Seriously, what the hell kind of comment is that? The kind you deliver when you just drop the hammer on someone.
In 2008, MSU carries a 13-3 lead in at the half and is a 4th and 2 stop of Iowa's Shonn Greene away from losing at the end of the game. In 2007, we lose out in double overtime in a game we took right down to the wire. (Side Note: I watched that game in the Capital City airport bar with Tom Izzo.)
It's not that Ferentz beats MSU, it's that when he does beat MSU my blood hurts afterwards at the fashion in which the beating occurred. It's because of this that I find myself wondering if Kirk Ferentz is the nemesis of Mark Dantonio.
One Step Ahead
Ferentz and Dantonio share the mantra of playing football traditional Big 10 football with a focus on high percentage passes, minimizing turnovers and stifling defense. The problem is that in this match-up so far, Ferentz has totally outdueled Dantonio in these areas. The only time we won the turnover battle? When we won in 2008. How many times have we outrushed Iowa in this series? Zero. Even in 2008 win, they outgained us in total yardage and time of Possession. Why did we win that game they turned the ball over three times, we turned it over one. It's becoming clear that when Ferentz and Dantonio get themselves together in the yard, Ferentz beats Dantonio at his own game.
How And Why Is This Year Different?
There are two teams that control their own destiny in the Legends division. They are playing in Iowa City on Saturday. As a result, Iowa is getting the red-letter game treatment this week. Dantonio has closed off player access from the media for the second time this year. The first was against Ohio State who is apparently a much better team than we all thought they were after that game. Of course MSU has to win every game in November to have the opportunity to play for the Rose Bowl, but no remaining game will be more difficult than this Saturday's game in Iowa City.
Is there an analog for this season's game
Actually, yes. I'm glad you asked. This game actually reminds me a bit of the 2009 MSU-Iowa game. Iowa had a stifling defense, an at times baffling quarterback and was on their fourth string running back. MSU was having a disappointing season and struggled with losses in games they probably should not have lost. This game is mildly different in that 2011 Iowa is better than 2009 MSU was, but the stakes for 2011 MSU are equally as high they were for 2009 Iowa.
How Can Ferentz Foil Dantonio This Year? (Aka cause Mark Dantonio to say "I'll GET YOU NEXT TIME GADGET!!!!")
Simple. If he beats Dantonio on Saturday, goes on to lose a game to Nebraska, letting Nebraska back into the B10 title game and securing a bowl berth for MSU somewhere tepid in January like Tennessee. If this happens, next year this article will be titled Kirk Ferentz: The Man Who Ruins My Happy Times.
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