What is it that motivates a kid to play football at (Fill in The Blank) University?

I'll start:

IOWA

A. They claim a mythical national championship title for the 1958 season. You know, that same season where LSU was recognized as National Champions by the AP Writer's poll and the UPI Coaches poll as the only unbeaten college team in America and with an unbeaten/untied regular season record of 1O-0, later extended to 11-0 on the strength of a Sugar Bowl win over Clemson. Recall that team?

IOWA claims a minor writers title that LSU legitimately won that same year and also had the player who was unanimously recognized by the national sportswriters as a first-team All-American. He was also awarded player of the year honors by the United Press International, The Sporting News, and the Touchdown Club of Columbus. LSU's own, Billy Cannon, came in third in the Heisman voting in 1958 (but would go on to win the award the next year in 1959).

So, right off the bat, the legitimacy of The University of Iowa is suspect, at best.

B. So, if you strip them of that "claimed" national title, what have they won before or since?

"I'm glad you asked."

Before? Zero
After? Zero

C. Their coach, Kirk Ferentz, has been with them for a full Quarter-Century. His overall record is 187-105 for a .574 record. Just kind of mediocre.

D. IOWA's overall record during this time averages 7.8 wins per season vs. 4.4 losses. If you remove the two "rent-a-win" games, they're really only a 5.5 wins vs. 4.4 losses a year program

Conclusion:

The program is posing as a destination college for elite players that want to win championships. The head coach runs a mediocre program, and achieves mediocre records. The University has no desire to do anything about it. Ferentz is a lifer. He'll be at Iowa like Jo PA at Penn. Forever. On crutches. In a wheelchair from the coaches booth.

So with all that in mind, what would motivate a kid to play there? It sure isn't to win championships! When was the last time you considered Iowa to be a national title contender? Ever?

That's all I got. It's just really interesting to see a program like Iowa, a major in the Big Ten, just completely not care about winning championships. I mean, even before Ferentz, they had Hayden Fry as head coach for 21 years. They believe in continuity over all else. Even at the sake of losing.

It's not all bad. They have won five or six Big Ten titles in those 45 combined seasons, but if a kid commits to compete for Big Ten titles, but not a national title, is that a kid LSU would want to recruit, anyway? I'm not saying those kids are untalented. Not at all. But I would question their chest.

No, if The University of Iowa is the school you go to because the Bigs don't come crawling with offers, consider yourself lucky to get to play at a major college. Otherwise, if you WANTED to go to Iowa all along, and believe you and your class will make a difference and lead to a possible national title, then your decision-making capability is as suspect as Iowa's mythical 1958 national title.