Report: Brian Ferentz Out as Iowa Offensive Coordinator

Eric Strack — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:54:24 +0000

Well, I come with bad news for Minnesota Gophers fans. It appears as if the pressure for Iowa Hawkeyes head coach, Kirk Ferentz, to fire his son, Brian Ferentz, from his position as offensive coordinator has finally gotten so great that, even at 6-2 and currently atop the Big Ten West, the two sides are preparing to ‘mutually part ways’.

Brian Ferentz out as Iowa offensive coordinator?

Word is starting to float around on Iowa football message boards, one via a credentialed Hawkeye media member Adam Jacobi of Iowa Rivals.com that Brian Ferentz is on his way out in Iowa City.

The only question, according to Jacobi’s sources, is whether or not it will happen now, next week or at the end of the season. Speaking for all Gopher fans, let’s hope they hang onto the dream as long as possible…

🚨BREAKING ! 🚨
Reliable sources tell MBG that Brian Ferentz is out at #Iowa. pic.twitter.com/qSuASyqQJC
— Message Board Geniuses (@BoardGeniuses) October 30, 2023

247Sports has since confirmed with their own sources that Ferentz will not return as Hawkeyes OC in 2024.

Rumors began swirling on Sunday afternoon that Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz would step down following the 2023 season. On Monday, multiple sources reached out to HawkeyeInsider and confirmed that Brian Ferentz is not expected to return for the 2024 season.
David Eickholt – HawkeyeInsider.com (247Sports)

The Iowa offense has never been known for being prolific but, in recent years, the Hawkeyes have brought a new low to Big Ten West offensive reputation, which is saying something.

Hawkeyes offense brutal under Ferentz

In 2023, Iowa ranks dead last of 133 FBS schools in the country, with 232 yards per game, which is over 20 yards less than the 2nd-worst offense, which belongs to Eastern Michigan.

They also rank 120th in points per game (19.5) and 131st in passing yards per game (116.5). If you expand the sample size, Brian Ferentz’ offenses get even more embarrassing.

In Brian Ferentz’s last 5 seasons as Iowa’s offensive coordinator the Hawkeyes threw for fewer TDs (50) than Joe Burrow threw in his senior year at LSU (60)

Over 200 college QBs have thrown for more TDs in a single season than Iowa has since 2020 (34)
— Cyclone Larry (@CycloneLarry69) October 30, 2023

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Cooper DeJean Invalid Fair Catch was Correct Call But Kirk Ferentz is Crying Anyway

Eric Strack — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 18:14:22 +0000

Nobody was surprised when Iowa Hawkeyes’ swiss army knife, Cooper DeJean, returned a late 4th quarter punt for touchdown vs the Minnesota Gophers in what looked like yet another classic way for PJ Fleck to lose to Kirk Ferentz, especially given the game was at Kinnick Stadium.

COOPER DEJEAN! IOWA HAS GONE MAX IOWA AND GETS A PUNT RETURN TD TO LEAD 16-12!!! pic.twitter.com/35yge5ww7h
— Stretch Facts (@Stretchfacts) October 22, 2023

On the contrary, everyone watching was left shocked when the return was called back, not because DeJean stepped out of bounds, which is what we all thought was the reason for the elongated replay session between officials. Instead, it was ruled at he signaled for a fair catch, thus ruling the ball dead as soon as he touched it.

Refs rule this was a fair-catch call, which negates Iowa’s go-ahead punt return touchdown with 90 seconds left in the game. pic.twitter.com/0wER8ryyYN
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 21, 2023

After a Gopher interception ended the game at 12-10 a few plays later, and Minnesota took Floyd of Rosedale from Kinnick for the first time since 1999, the postgame conversation turned to DeJean’s nullified punt return.

Cooper DeJean invalid fair catch?

After review, there’s really no doubt DeJean waved his left arm and pointed at the football, prior to catching it. The pointing didn’t signal anything to referees.

The waving, however, signaled an “invalid fair catch”, which means the ball is dead when he touched it. The head official gave his explanation to a pool reporter, following the final whistle. The rule, itself, is pretty clear as well.

“If you look at the video you’ll see that. That waving motion of the left hand constitutes an invalid fair catch signal. So when the receiving team recovers the ball, by rule it becomes dead.”

“That is a reviewable element of the game. We let the play run out and then when we went to review, review shows with indisputable evidence that there is a waving motion with the left hand. And that is when these rules are applied.”
Big Ten Referee – Tim O’Dey (via Pioneer Press)

NCAA FOOTBALL RULE BOOK – SECTION 8. FAIR CATCH

ARTICLE 1(c): A valid or invalid fair catch signal deprives the receiving team of the opportunity to advance the ball. The ball is declared dead at the spot of the catch or recovery or at the spot of the signal if the catch precedes the signal.

Valid Signal

ARTICLE 2.

A valid signal is a signal given by a player of Team B who has obviously signaled his intention by extending one hand only clearly above his head and waving that hand from side to side of his body more than once.

Invalid Signal

ARTICLE 3.

An invalid signal is any waving signal by a player of Team B:

That does not meet the requirements of Article 2 (above); or
That is given after a scrimmage kick is caught beyond the neutral zone, strikes the ground or touches another player beyond the neutral zone (A.R. 6-5-3-III-V); or
That is given after a free kick is caught, strikes the ground or touches another player. [Exception: Rule 6-4-1-f]

So, while shocking and obviously disappointing for Iowa fans, coaches and players… the ruling was correct and, after explanation, pretty easy to understand.

Kirk Ferentz cries foul on called back punt return

But don’t tell that to Iowa head coach, Kirk Ferentz, who couldn’t talk about anything after the game without going back to the referees and that final ruling that DeJean called for an invalid fair catch. It was like someone had been lying to him about the sky being blue his entire life, even inviting the NCAA to fine him for bad-mouthing officials.

Might have all-time press conference coming from Kirk Ferentz.

Here’s how it started…

If the Big Ten fines him for whatever he’s about to say, I’ll start a fundraising effort to match every dollar and send it to the Univ of Iowa Children’s Hospital, too. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/RJoy61iWir
— Cody Hills (@ByCodyHills) October 22, 2023

“Most people, when they run, their arms do wave,” Ferentz said. “So if you looked at the video, it looked like he was naturally running to the football and then just made a great play. One of the best ones I’ve ever seen.” Ferentz mentioned multiple times that the coaching staff goes over fair catch procedure “with the officials each and every time” before the game.

“Above the head, wave,” Ferentz said. “And we also cover point to the ground for an errant kick, which there were several of those today.” He maybe “slept through the meeting” where the conference explained where the replay decisions get made. The Big Ten has a replay review center in Pittsburgh to assist with the process.

“I’m still not sure who makes the final decision,” Ferentz said. “I know we go to Pittsburgh for analysis. And my theory there is the more people get involved, probably the more screwed up things are.”
John Steppe – Iowa Gazette

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Kirk Ferentz is one of two things…

There may not be a better taste than Iowa Hawkeye tears, after a loss the the Minnesota Gophers that puts their hopes and dreams of another Big Ten West title in danger.

It’s ok to be upset but all Ferentz’ postgame press conference did was prove he is either (a) blind or (b) a sore loser. He’s 68 years old so I’m not ruling out either possibility.