Iowa Football: Crash & Burn

It's gonna get worse before it gets better.

Spring practice wrapped up a few weeks ago for the Iowa football program, which means we effectively don't have to think about football for the next three months.

Nothing on display during the practices or annual spring game made me feel any better about the Hawks. Boring offense. Uninspired coaching. A lot of mediocre players.

And now let the mass exodus begin.

Two players have transferred just in this past week.

Sophomore defensive back Malik Rucker is leaving. So is sophomore linebacker-turned-fullback John Kenny.

Transfers after spring practice aren't a rarity for college programs. Players see where they are on the depth chart and get the picture, but this is becoming an epidemic at Iowa. The Hawks are losing the few highly-touted recruits they can get because the coaching staff doesn't know how to use them in the offensive or defensive schemes.

If that isn't bad enough, this story surfaced this week. It's about a recent Notre Dame commit who expressed his anger with the Iowa program. The dude's name is Trevor Ruhland. His dad is Matt Ruhland. Matt was an All-Big Ten defensive tackle and team MVP at Iowa back in the day. Trevor was ranked as a four-star prospect by ESPN. He was considered one of the top high school players in Illinois. He had always dreamed of playing at Iowa. One problem: it seems Captain Kirk and the boys didn't pay him much attention.

Notre Dame wanted him. Notre Dame got him. All Iowa got was a public bashing.

Is anyone else sick of this?

I mean all of it. The shortsighted coaching. The terrible recruiting. The archaic rules and prohibitions -- like barring players from using any form of social media. Recruits are looking for schools with some excitement -- both on the field and off it. Iowa has none of that right now.

Shark recently posted a blog in support of head coach Kirk Ferentz. He said good times are still ahead for this program under Ferentz.

I disagree. Big time.

We're circling the drain right now, and another 7-5 season isn't going to save us. This program needs something fresh. This program needs some creativity. This program needs a new life. This program needs a new coach.