Report: Former Iowa LB Abdul Hodge returning to his alma mater to coach tight ends
Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz will now coach quarterbacks
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team has had the unusual setup under Brian Ferentz in which he hasn’t coached the quarterbacks despite being the offensive coordinator.
That apparently will change.
Multiple media outlets are reporting that Iowa will hire former Hawkeye All-Big Ten linebacker Abdul Hodge as its new tight ends coach.
The report also said that Brian Ferentz will now coach the quarterbacks after having coached the tight ends since 2018.
Brian Ferentz, who is the son of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, has been the Iowa offensive coordinator since 2017, but Ken O’Keefe coached the quarterbacks until it was announced in February that he would step away from that role to accept a non-coaching role in the program.
Hodge, a former three-time All-Big Ten linebacker at Iowa under Kirk Ferentz, has spent the past three seasons coaching outside linebackers for the University of South Dakota.
Hodge will join an Iowa program that has a strong tradition at tight end, but that has struggled mightily on offense with Brian Ferentz as the offensive coordinator.
Iowa finished 10-4 this past season, and won the Big Ten West Division, despite having an offense that was ranked at or near the bottom of the Big Ten offense.
In most cases, the offensive coordinator also coaches the quarterbacks and is the play caller.
Brian Ferentz has called plays since 2017, but he hasn’t coached the quarterbacks, nor has he ever coached quarterbacks.
Hodge played at Iowa from 2002-05, and together with Chad Greenway, formed one of the best linebacker duos in program history.
They played on two Big Ten champions teams at Iowa in 2002 and 2004.
A native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Hodge also played five seasons in the NFL before launching his coaching career.
Iowa has yet to confirm the hiring of Hodge, but that is expected to happen Tuesday afternoon in a release.
Hodge would be the second former Iowa player to join Kirk Ferentz’s coaching staff in the past year.
Former Iowa running back Ladell Betts was hired as the Iowa running backs coach last March.
