Where Kirk Ferentz is in the CBS Sports Hot Seat Rankings

Last summer, the future of Iowa’s program was uncertain, especially whether head coach Kirk Ferentz would remain the ship’s captain. After allegations of racial disparities In the program released last June, Iowa was the talking point of the college football world.

“Ferentz came under intense scrutiny last month after longtime coach Chris Doyle was kicked out for racist and degrading comments towards players,” CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd wrote last off-season. “Although Doyle is still gone, complaints continue to flow from former players about Ferentz. After 22 seasons, could this be his final year with the Hawkeyes?”

After a period of reflection, Ferentz spoke to former and current players to see if they still thought he was the right fit for the job and if they wanted Ferentz to stick around. Since then, the culture has changed over the past year according to some actors who spoke to the media.

“[Coaches have] been constant last year. It’s OK. But you told me you were going to do this. Now you gotta be consistent when I’m not around, you know? In four years. Or in 10 years, ”Iowa wide receiver Tyrone Tracy said via Iowa Public Radio. “Now, if it’s like that in 10 years, that’s how you change the culture here.”

Last July, Iowa athletic director Gary Barta gave Ferentz his public vote of confidence that he was still the right person to run the program.

“On June 15, I shared that I still had great confidence that Kirk could guide us through this and continue to lead this football program,” Barta said last summer. “I am very reassured that the report, after interviews with former student-athletes and current student-athletes, confirms that they share this confidence in Kirk’s ability to move forward and lead. This program.”

After starting 0-2 in 2020, the outside noise started to get louder, but Ferentz and the Hawkeyes answered the call with six straight wins and became one of the hottest teams in the country to finish. the 2020 season.

Earlier this summer, Dodd unveiled his annual ranking of FBS coaches in the hot seat. Dodd classified the 130 FBS coaches into one of six categories, numbered 0 to 5, with 0 being “untouchable” and 5 falling under the “win or be fired” distinction. Ferentz has been tagged two, which means “everything is fine … for now”.

Ferentz, the longest-serving college football coach, doesn’t look like he’s ready to step down anytime soon. Shortly after Iowa’s season ended due to Missouri’s withdrawal from the Holiday Bowl, Ferentz revealed he was full steam ahead.

“I might need an oil change, a 65,000 mile oil change, one of those shots, but I’m feeling pretty good,” Ferentz said on Sunday. “This is what I love to do. This is probably another reinforcement of the era of the COVID-19 pandemic that we have been through. I’m not quite ready for stamp collecting or watching. birds. Maybe until I can find some interesting hobbies outside of soccer, but that’s what I love. We’re all ready for a break; we could probably all enjoy a break to come back and reconnect with the people who are close to us. That’s what I love to do. I’ve probably been thinking more about five years than I have about five weeks or five months, that’s for sure. “