The pot was being stirred in the mid-morning hours of Oct. 30 that some big news regarding the Iowa football team was set to be released to the public. At approximately 11:30 a.m. David Eickholt of HawkeyeInsider released news that the team’s offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz will not return following the bowl game this season. Interim Athletic Director Beth Goetz officially made a statement that this was true at 2:30 p.m. The rumors on the inside that something like this would be happening began as early as Sunday afternoon. But what does this mean for the rest of the Hawks season?
Brian Ferentz will continue to be the offensive coordinator for the remainder of the season, but this announcement, although presumably opposed by Head Coach Kirk Ferentz, does a number of things for the program. For one it gives the class of 2024 recruits clarity that change is in the works for the Hawkeyes, it also does the same for any student-athlete in the transfer portal. It can also take any little thought of the point total that Brian needed to achieve to keep his job out of anyone’s head, the hawks currently sit at 19.5 points per game and have scored 156 points through eight games. This means they would have to average about 42.3 points per game through the final four games to hit the mark, not attainable. Beth Goetz, although not the official athletic director, clearly isn’t messing around with this kind of stuff as some believed former athletic director Gary Barta did a little too much of. Goetz has long been expected to get the job when the University of Iowa announces it, and this solidifies her as the next athletic director.
Kirk Ferentz made an announcement in his press conference on Nov. 1 that this announcement has no effect on the future of him in the program. This is great news for the Hawkeyes as some were naturally skeptical about his return after the sudden announcement to release his son. Ferentz is arguably the greatest coach in Iowa history and boasts a 192-117 record in his nearly 24 seasons. The Hawks are in the heat of a Big Ten West race for a spot in the Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis, it will be interesting to see if this news could spark some fire in the team, and can the Hawks muster a few clutch wins to get back to Indy for the second time in three years.