Ferentz Photos From Recent Years May Show Us More Than Today’s Press Conference Told Us [PHOTOS]

Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz turned 59 in August, and in looking at the photo above, the stress of recent seasons may be showing itself. The photo was taken on the sideline of this past season's Iowa/Illinois game. Iowa won the game, played on November 14th, 30-14. It was Iowa's final win of the season. The Hawks losing streak is at three heading into this fall's season opener against Illinois State.

When I saw that photo today, I started thinking about how Kirk seems to have aged so much in recent years. The photo below was taken in 2010. What a difference.

And this one below? 2002, also known as the Brad Banks Heisman-runner-up season. Iowa would end up playing in the Orange Bowl.

Kirk held a press conference in Iowa City today and, to be honest, there was very little newsworthy information. Two things caught my eye. Two transfers have been granted. Linebacker Reggie Spearman and Offensive Lineman Colin Goebel. Spearman made the announcement via Twitter, minutes before the press conference:

The other was what Ferentz said when asked about Iowa's fan base:

"I think our fans have been second to none for a long, long time. My experience in 25 years worth is if we put a team out there that they think is playing the way they like to see them play, they're going to support that team.

As I came here, our attendance wasn't great in 1999. It took a while to build that up. And last year I think we averaged 67,500, somewhere in that ballpark, that is a pretty healthy percentage of the stadium being filled. Our goal is to fill the stadium. It's like anything else, we want to win Big Ten Championships and fill Kinnick Stadium every week.

But we have to earn our fans' approval. I get that. That is part of support and part of football and part of the challenge. But Hawkeye fans don't want to come boo your team. They want to come cheer your team. And that is the great thing about coaching at Iowa."

Kirk's right. Iowa fans are passionate and that has helped give the Hawks an incredible home-field advantage... one that's vacated Iowa the last three seasons. Iowa is 5-7 in Big 10 play at Kinnick during that time and 10-11 overall at home since the start of the 2012 season. Two losses to Iowa State, one to Central Michigan, one to Northern Illinois, one to Purdue.

I, from the bottom of my heart, hope and will cheer for a Hawkeye turnaround for the coming season. One thing is assured: a terrible home schedule & growing fan complacency assures fewer of them will be at Kinnick in the Fall of '15 too. Another sub-par season and I shudder to think beyond that.