Kirk Ferentz deserves to be Iowa head coach until he says otherwise
By Pat Harty
IOW CITY, Iowa – Those suggesting or asking for Beth Goetz to take it a step further by relieving Kirk Ferentz of his duties, just stop it.
That’s just silly and unreasonable.
You can poke fun of his offense, accuse him of nepotism, and for being predictable and stubborn.
And there is no wrong in wishing for a new head coach because 25 years is a long time.
But to suggest that Kirk Ferentz should be forced out, which some have in the wake of Monday’s announcement that Brian Ferentz would be fired as the Iowa offensive coordinator after the 2023 season, is absurd and misguided under the circumstances.
If you take everything into account, including, of course, wins and losses, as well as culture, fan support, stability, continuity, and player development, the good still far outweighs the bad with Kirk Ferentz.
Iowa is 6-2 overall heading into Saturday’s game against Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago, and in the thick of the Big Ten West Division race, trying to win it for the second time in three years.
Iowa ranks among the best in the nation on defense, and on special teams, and has earned 20 bowl game invitations since 2001.
I could go on and on listing Kirk Ferentz’s achievements as the head hawk, but hopefully, you get the point.
He has continued to win enough games to have the right to decide when he will step down.
My guess is that Beth Goetz, Iowa’s interim athletic director, would agree that Kirk Ferentz has earned the right to decide how long he will coach the Hawkeyes.
That could change with two or three losing seasons in a row, but Iowa seems far removed from being that vulnerable.
“The concern anytime you would have to replace a hall of fame coach in any sport is real,” Goetz said when asked if she was concerned that Kirk Ferentz might step down in response to his son being fired. “Obviously, we’ve got more than our fair share here at Iowa, and we want to keep them here as long as you can so they can continue to lead our great programs.”
Hindsight has shown that Kirk Ferentz made a mistake, and a miss calculation, by promoting his son to offensive coordinator, and then he made it worse by also making Brian Ferentz the quarterback coach in 2022.
Brian Ferentz just wasn’t ready or qualified for either role, at least that’s what the statistics show, and Goetz ultimately had seen enough with Iowa currently ranked at or near the bottom nationally in multiple offensive statistical categories.
Kirk Ferentz made it abundantly clear on Tuesday in his weekly press conference that he didn’t agree with the decision to fire his son, or with the decision to do it in season.
He was clearly agitated, and he refused to answer when asked, in light of what had just happened to his son if he could say with certainty that he would return next season.
That fueled heavy speculation about Kirk Ferentz’s future as the Iowa head coach and it reached the point where he felt it was necessary to release a statement Wednesday night in which he expressed his desire to keep coaching the Hawkeyes.
It seems that Kirk Ferentz ultimately realized that he might have come on a little strong in his press conference, and with some time to cool down, he was reminded how much he appreciates being the Iowa head coach, even if it means coaching without his son.
Kirk Ferentz has been good for Hawkeye football, but Hawkeye football also has been good for Kirk Ferentz, and for his family.
It’s been a give-and-take relationship with Iowa having given Kirk Ferentz a lot.
Most Hawkeye fans that I’ve spoken with since Monday’s breaking news feel that Goetz made the right decision by relieving Brian Ferentz of his duties, but they also feel that Kirk Ferentz has earned the right to decide when he will step down.
It’ll be interesting moving forward to see how Goetz and Kirk Ferentz co-exist together.
Kirk Ferentz is used to controlling the football side of his life, and his previous boss, former Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta, allowed him to do so for many years.
But Barta has since moved on, and there is a new person in charge whose leadership style apparently is different.
Goetz has sent a clear message to Kirk Ferentz that the performance on offense is unacceptable, and that it’s time to fix it.
And that’s a fair message.
The decision to fire Brian Ferentz, while widely popular with some fans, has caused other fans and former players to rally around Kirk Ferentz, and to lash out against Goetz on social media.
It would be unfortunate, unfair, and ironic in a way if some were to hold this decision against Goetz, since she did what so many had been clamoring for in regard to Brian Ferentz.
Kirk Ferentz has at last four more games to coach with his son, and there is always the chance that the players will rally around Brian Ferentz.
As for finding Brian Ferentz’s replacement, that’ll have to wait because Kirk Ferentz said his only focus right now is trying to finish this season strong.
He could promote from within his staff or go outside to find what will be his fourth offensive coordinator.
Whatever the case, Kirk Ferentz is the Iowa head coach until he says otherwise.
And fair enough.