Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz lost credibility by skirting nepotism laws for his son. But Brian Ferentz was fired as OC last year in a fully justified move by athletic director Beth Goetz. Now, Kirk Ferentz attempts to restore success, win back the faithful, and defy age. Kirk Ferentz began his head coaching career at Iowa in 1999, facing a full rebuild. Consider by 2002 he went 11-2 to qualify for the Orange Bowl. It was the first of three consecutive College Football Betting seasons in which Iowa had a final AP national ranking of 8th.
College Football Futures 2024 Iowa Hawkeyes
| Odds to Win National Championship | +30000 |
|---|---|
| Odds to Win Big Ten Championship | +2800 |
| Over/Under Win Total: | 7.5 |
2024 Iowa Schedule
- vs. Illinois State, August 31, 2024
- vs. Iowa State, September 7, 2024
- vs. Troy, September 14, 2024
- at Minnesota, September 21, 2024
- at Ohio State, October 5, 2024
- vs. Washington, October 12, 2024
- at Michigan State, October 19, 2024
- vs. Northwestern, October 26, 2024
- vs. Wisconsin, November 2, 2024
- at UCLA, November 9, 2024
- at Maryland, November 23, 2024
- vs. Nebraska, November 29, 2024
2024 Iowa Hawkeyes Preview
Since then, Ferentz has produced three more top 10 offshore betting seasons. Iowa has been an AP top 25 program 11 times under Ferentz, including five of the past six seasons. However, the Hawkeyes finished 99th or worse for scoring offense in the previous three years and 88th or worse in five of the last seven campaigns.
Iowa’s lack of College Football Betting offensive production wasted the outstanding work of defensive coordinator Phil Parker. Parker was the 2023 Broyles Award winner as the nation’s top assistant coach. Additionally, Iowa’s kicking teams have been in the elite class during this time.
The last three seasons were such an abomination that no offensive coordinator could have survived it. Of course, unless that OC’s father was the head coach. Brian Ferentz was spared for his incompetence because his father was never going to fire him.
Kirk Ferentz and former athletic director Gary Barta found a creative workaround for the state’s nepotism laws. Brian Ferentz became a direct report to Barta. But when Barta left before the 2023 season, the scheme lost its protector. Goetz pulled the trigger against Kirk’s wishes. Hence, for 2024, Tim Lester replaces Brian as Iowa’s OC.
When Nick Saban retired at age 72, he did so not only as the GOAT of college football coaches but as one of the few who defied the magic number of 60. To show, age 60 is the Mendoza Line of college football coaches. Few coaches succeed at or close to the age of 60. The further coaches advance to age 70, the worse things tend to go. Namely, Kirk Ferentz will be 69 when the season kicks off. He is not about to change his ways, especially as the all-time winningest coach in Iowa history.
But Ferentz is confronting an era where offense is king. And he is trying to do so in a Big Ten Conference that will be more difficult than ever. The Big Ten has abolished its divisional format for a single 18-team conference in 2024. Correlate that Iowa can no longer hide in the weaker West Division.
Of course, Iowa has never been a top recruiter and will likely never become one. Instead, Iowa ranks with programs such as Wisconsin, Kansas State, and Missouri as a top developmental program. Thus, Ferentz’s formula makes the most sense to sustain Iowa’s future.