Three questions that have to be answered by the independent review
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – How much did Kirk Ferentz know?
How complicit was Brian Ferentz?
And what should happen to Seth Wallace?
Those are three questions that have to be addressed by the independent review that is looking into numerous allegations of racial disparities and bullying within the Iowa football program.
Chris Doyle already has lost his job as the Iowa strength and conditioning coach, a 21-year relationship destroyed by accusations of racial unrest based on the fact that more than a dozen former black Iowa players have accused Doyle of racial disparities.
Now the question is does anyone else deserve a similar fate?
There hasn’t been enough credible evidence or allegations to say that Kirk Ferentz should lose his job, but his once-proud and squeaky clean legacy is now tarnished forever, fair or not.
Brian Ferentz also has suffered a severe blow from a reputation, and from a perception standpoint. And it doesn’t help that he is Kirk Ferentz’s son in this particular situation.
But from everything that has been alleged in this sad and disturbing story, the accusations against Wallace might be the most disturbing.
Iowa’s assistant defensive coordination and linebacker coach is accused of posting the grade-point average of former player, Jack Kallenberger, who suffers from a learning disability, on the whiteboard apparently as a way to poke fun and ridicule.
Kallenberger shared the story on social media, and he later confirmed that Wallace was the coach to whom he was referring. And why would Kallenberger lie about something so sensitive and demeaning?
Kallenberger said that his issues began when an assistant coach, later identified as Wallace, nicknamed him Simple Jack after a mentally challenged character from the movie “Tropic Thunder.”
“I had never seen that movie before, but my coaches and teammates were quick to tell me exactly who Simple Jack was,” Jack Kallenberger said. “One coach was great at jumping on opportunities to bring me down and make me feel dumb.”
My question to Wallace is what were you trying to accomplish by making fun of a player who has a learning disability?
In addition to being mean, immature and disgusting, it’s also a violation of Kallenberger’s privacy rights as a student-athlete.
It’s the kind of behavior that parents tell their children to rise above, and it’s unacceptable.
The fact that Kallenberger’s younger brother, Mark Kallenberger, is an Iowa offensive lineman adds another layer to the story. It has to be awkward for Mark Kallenberger with Wallace part of the coaching staff.
Iowa’s culture under Kirk Ferentz was long considered the backbone and driving force behind the program, and in many ways it still is the foundation.
But unfortunately, that same culture has allowed racial disparities and bullying to fester for years and it will never be looked at the same again.
The line between demanding and demeaning has been crossed too many times, and now it’s up to the independent review, which is being conducted by a law firm from Kansas City, Mo., to determine who is at fault and to what extent.
And for those who defend the coaches, or who dismiss the allegations by accusing the former players of being soft, or of having an axe to grind, the person who launched this movement by speaking out is former Iowa center Daniels, who now starts for the Chicago Bears after being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta said last week that the independent review would take weeks, and not months, and he made that statement during an emotionally charged press conference in which he started crying at least twice.
Barta’s tears were caused by shame, embarrassment, and hopefully, by anger, because he should be angry that this has occurred under his watch.
Kirk Ferentz should also be angry and a shame that it occurred under his watch.
As for Brian Ferentz, it’s too early to form an opinion on his situation.
While some former players, including Jaleel Johnson, have referred to Brian Ferentz as part of the problem with Iowa’s culture, there haven’t been as many accusations or complaints against Brian Ferentz compared to Doyle.
It seems that Brian Ferentz’s biggest problem is that he speaks with no filter and sometimes says things that are rude and mean-spirited.
His outspokenness, combined with being Kirk Ferentz’s son and the Iowa offensive coordinator, is a recipe for trouble.
Football is a brutal, demanding and violent sport that requires a high tolerance to pain and a strong mental attitude.
Coaches have been yelling and screaming at players for as long as the game has been played, and have done so with language that is vulgar, and sometimes insulting.
But at some point, tough love turns into mental abuse if left unchecked, and that’s what is being investigated at Iowa.
Chris Doyle already has paid a heavy price, even with his $1.1 million separation package that includes 15 months of health insurance benefits, so it’s not that Iowa is trying to deny or dismiss what is being alleged.
Iowa is dealing with a potential crisis that will be impacted greatly by what the independent review ultimately says in response to three three aforementioned questions.
Iowa has to be accountable and transparent, meaning the situation could get worse before it starts getting better.