Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, right, and offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz walk along the sideline at the Citrus Bowl against Kentucky last Saturday in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

When a college football program is barely keeping its head above water and Boise or Detroit are regular bowl destinations, it’s much easier to identify necessary philosophical or personnel changes.

The Iowa Hawkeyes, meanwhile, just completed their sixth consecutive season with a win percentage above .600 — but below .800 — under head coach Kirk Ferentz. It’s been a remarkably consistent stretch; since the Hawkeyes’ 2015 Rose Bowl campaign, the program has won 8, 8, 9, 10 and 10 games in consecutive fashion (the COVID-shortened season of 2020 saw Iowa go 6-2, meaning another similar conclusion was likely around the corner).

In so many ways, this is Ferentz in his prime. The Hawks are an impressive 42-19 in the Big Ten over the last seven years. They’ve clinched two Big Ten West titles, and haven’t finished worse than third in the divisional standings during that period of time. When the final polls are released next week, Iowa will likely land in the Top-20 for the third consecutive season.

So what’s the problem? Well, there isn’t really one, per se — unless your expectations are to see the Hawkeyes go from dreaming about championships and playoff berths to delivering it.

Iowa has been good, without question. Very good. We saw what happened in the Big Ten title game, though. And in the Citrus Bowl. The Hawks scored 20 total points in eight quarters of action against Michigan and Kentucky. In their four losses this year, Iowa managed just 34 total points and 1,090 yards of offense — a paltry average of 273 per outing.

Restless fans want Ferentz and his son — offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz — to ramp up the tempo and start putting more points on the board with a modernized gameplan. The critics see the Hawkeyes annually “wasting,” so to speak, elite defenses and special teams play.

The argument does carry some weight; football in 2022 is geared more toward scoring and yards in bunches. Iowa is making the hard parts of the sport look easy, but muddying up the trendy areas that so many other programs have mastered.

The glass half-full bunch finds comfort in the Hawkeyes knowing who they are and sticking to it, reminding everyone that a gamble against the status quo could go sideways in a hurry (see Nebraska, Illinois, etc.). Iowa’s strengths are objectively impressive. And it’s absolutely noteworthy that Ferentz — who turns 67 years old a few weeks before the 2022 kickoff — has shown no signs of slowing down his steady, methodical pace.

Many Hawkeye supporters are getting impatient, though, and I don’t necessarily blame them to a certain extent. They’re not rooting for Ferentz to ride off into the sunset, mind you: just asking for an offense that sufficiently complements the defense and special teams. They don’t want to see Iowa grind and survive if a path of lesser resistance — and possibly, more success — is available.

Brian Ferentz is often the target of criticism here, as is the quarterback de jour (currently Spencer Petras). Truth be told, this is a system-wide strategy on a much broader scale — and Kirk is the constant. Offensive coordinators and quarterbacks have come and gone. Some have been a bit more dynamic and stretched the boundaries; others have stayed close to the vest.

Ultimately, though, this is Kirk’s call to make. Iowa won 10 games and the Big Ten West crown this season. I wouldn’t hold my breath on wholesale — or even exploratory — changes. Why would Ferentz be motivated to do so coming off the best seven-year stretch of his career?

There are no “right” or “wrong” answers here. And a lot depends on your point of view as a Hawkeye supporter and the perspective your own experiences and expectations bring to the table. Beating Iowa State, Nebraska and Minnesota on a regular basis has become a program cornerstone, and it’s a critical one. Since 2016, though, Iowa is a combined 5-11 against Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State. And during that period of time — again, an incredibly successful one by all bottom-line accounts — the Hawks have ranked 121st, 117th, 44th, 99th, 88th and 121st in the nation, respectively, in total offense (out of 128 teams).

Regardless of what happens during the rest of Ferentz’s tenure, Iowa fans are blessed to have this first-world football conversation. Most coaches in their mid-60s rapidly lose touch with the game and the product deteriorates accordingly. Ferentz has found a way not only to stay relevant, but become born again, so to speak. Remember, the legendary Hayden Fry went just 43-38-1 in his final seven seasons before retiring at the age of 69.

Long story short? A few tweaks here and there would obviously be nice to see, but the slope down the hill toward irrelevance is a slippery one. Be careful for what you wish.

Eric Pratt is Sports Editor at The Messenger. Contact him via email at sports@messengernews.net, or on Twitter @ByEricPratt