Howe: Kirk Ferentz Stays On Brand

Veteran Iowa Coach Not One for Much Change

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz (center) and offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz watch the Hawkeyes warming up before a game against Illinois on Oct 8, 2022 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Having covered all 24 seasons of Kirk Ferentz's head coaching run at Iowa, few things he's done through the years surprise me. That's because he rarely catches people off guard with his actions. 

He arrived at Iowa in 1999 with a plan. He's stuck to it, by and large. 

So, if you were taken aback by him saying Wednesday that he expected all of his assistants to return in '23, you either haven't been around long or not paying attention. He may have nudged a few employees out the door in the past, but never publicly fired them. And mostly he's stuck by their sides. 

That certainly was going to be the case with the assistant most under fire last Fall. When he hired his oldest child, Brian Ferentz, to be his offensive coordinator before the '17 season, the final chapter of his legacy would be written with his son at his side, perhaps eventually replacing him in the head chair. 

That's a large wager, one where the atmosphere could become uncomfortable. We're experiencing that now. 

Brian has presided over an offense that has become a national punchline for futility. A dominant defense and standout special teams saved face by leading the way to 18 victories the last two seasons. 

The offense was too awful to be ignored, however. Questions were asked. Ferentz knew he'd have to address it publicly at some point, which arrived Wednesday. 

When you're the most powerful man on campus, you decide how you're proceeding. Kirk isn't firing his son. Odds are he won't ever cut him loose considering he hasn't after the last two seasons. 

Kirk and athletic director Gary Barta, Brian's direct supervisor (wink-wink), were selling the same idea to fans Wednesday - Hope. Last year's offensive woes were due to inexperience on the offensive line, and injuries and a key departure (Charlie Jones) at receiver. 

In that regard, Ferentz has history on his side. He manages a developmental program that experiences peaks and valleys depending on how the pieces comes together. The margin for error is thin. 

When the poop hit the fan in '06 and '07, a nice run of success came in '08 and '09. After Ferentz hit us with "That's Football" during an uninspiring '14, he dropped an undefeated regular-season and Rose Bowl berth a year later. 

He's fond of saying the Hawkeyes need to get back to work and clean things up. He reminds us that's what it takes. There's no magic pixie dust. 

We got "New Kirk" after '14. "Portal Kirk" has arrived. But, really, they were for survival and necessities, and not major shifts.  

What we found out on Wednesday always was the most likely scenario this offseason. Maybe Brian would receive and accept an NFL opportunity. With a racial-bias lawsuit hanging over his head and subpar on-field results, moving to another college was unlikely and probably would come with a big salary cut. 

Brian also is pretty isolated from the noise. His dad makes him available publicly a few times annually, much less than some other Power 5 coordinators. He should be able to focus on improvement without distraction. 

Brian's collaboration with Ken O'Keefe and his dad two years ago fell flat. He took on quarterback coaching duties last season and welcomed help from analyst Jon Budmayr. It resulted in being 130th among 131 FBS schools in total offense. 

So, they're going to run it back. Former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara headlines an incoming group that the coaches believe upgrades personnel. That and returning players improving with, perhaps, some play-design wrinkles will be fixing what ails them. 

The offense probably doesn't have to be great if the defense and special teams remain high-end. An average offense could very well be enough to win the Big Ten West. 

So, that leads us to you guys. Are you trusting that the necessary changes have been made and renewing your season tickets? That's really the only input you have. 

Some of you are talking a good game now. Brian's return is the last straw. 

Deep down, we all know better. 

Most of you will be back in those Kinnick Stadium seats come September. It's Iowa Football. You ain't missing that party on Saturday's in the Fall. The university knows that. 

Maybe another couple of years watching listless offense drives you away, but we're not there yet. That gives Kirk Ferentz time. He's betting on himself and his son. It will fascinating watching it play out.