By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Before writing this column, I didn’t look up what George Barnett is paid on an annual basis to coach the Iowa offensive line.

Because I figured whatever it is, he’s earning it, quietly, steadily and impressively.

Of course, it helps that Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz climbed the coaching ladder as an offensive line coach, including for nine seasons under Hayden Fry at Iowa from 1981 to 1989.

But Barnett is the one who coaches the offensive linemen on a daily basis, on an hourly basis; the one in the trenches with them every day; the one who oversees what they do on and off the field; the one who inspires them each day to get better, and the one mostly responsible for recruiting them.

Hayden Fry once told me that head coaches are only as good as the assistant coaches that work under them, and if anyone should know, it’s Hayden Fry, who has one of the greatest coaching trees in the history of college football.

It’s easy to take assistant coaches for granted because they mostly work behind the scenes, embracing the daily grind.

I’ve had the opportunity to interview Barnett a couple times at media day events and he seemed humble, appreciative and focused on the task at hand.

His current unit was just named one of three finalists for the 2025 Joe Moore Award, which goes to the nation’s most outstanding offensive line, while his graduate center, Logan Jones was also recently named one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy, which goes to the nation’s top center.

All five of Iowa’s starting offensive linemen received at least third-team All-Big Ten recognition, and three of them made first team; Jones, senior guard Beau Stephens and senior right tackle Gennings Dunker.

In addition to excelling as pass blockers, the Iowa offensive line also paved the way for graduate quarterback Mark Gronowski to score 15 rushing touchdowns and rush for 491 yards during the regular season, both of which are single-season program records for a quarterback.

Just in the last four years, Iowa will have produced both Logan Jones and former All-America center Tyler Linderbaum at the center position.

Linderbaum was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and has been a fixture at center ever since.

He and Jones both came to Iowa as defensive linemen before switching to center.

Linderbaum already had made the switch when Barnett joined the staff in 2021.

And though they only spent one year together, what a year it was as Linderbaum was named a consensus All-American in 2021 and the recipient of the Rimington Trophy.

Barnett started coaching at the high school level in 1999 at Mattoon High School in Illinois. He started as an offensive line coach and hasn’t changed despite having nine different jobs before coming to Iowa.

The Iowa offensive linemen speak glowingly about Barnett, and it isn’t just lip service. You can tell they’re being sincere.

“He just makes us better, individually, and as a group,” Logan Jones said recently. “He’s a great teacher and a great motivator.”

Jones, Stephens and Dunker will all make their final appearances as a Hawkeye when Iowa faces Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

A season that came so close to being a special season still could end on a high note if Iowa were to defeat the 10-2 Commodores.

Iowa’s four losses have come against ranked opponents by a combined 15 points.

Playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl, obviously, isn’t what Jones and his fellow offensive linemen wanted for their final game as a Hawkeye.

But they will undoubtedly make the most of it because of how much they respect their team, their school, their teammates, their head coach, and their position coach.

Iowa signed 18 high school seniors during the early signing period last week, including five offensive linemen.

There is good energy and a good vibe surrounding the Iowa offensive line right now.

The Iowa offensive line always gets a certain level of respect, partly because of Kirk Ferentz’s reputation, and because of his track record.

But with the current offensive line, the respect is certainly deserved because it isn’t easy having all five starters make All-Big Ten.

Kirk Ferentz and George Barnett both should be proud.

Oh, as for Barnett’s salary, I looked it up before finishing this column and he will be paid at least $745,000 in fiscal year 2026.

To the average person, that’s a massive figure.

But in this age of college football, it’s just the cost of doing good business.