By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Maybe this is getting carried away because spring football just started recently at Iowa, marking the next significant step towards what will be Kirk Ferentz’s 28th season as head coach.

But Kirk Ferentz rarely has faced this kind of roster overhaul and uncertainty on the field, at least not recently.

Whether it is a reload or a rebuild following a 9-4 season in 2025 will be proven on the field this coming fall.

One thing is certain, though, as spring practice kicks into high gear; Kirk Ferentz is being tested and challenged by this new era of roster fluidity, players being paid and having the flexibility to transfer with little resistance, but also with losing so many players from the previous team.

This new era is hard enough to handle under what is the new normal, but Kirk Ferentz also has to replace three starters on the offensive line, the starting quarterback, nine starters on defense, the starting punter, the starting kicker, the All-America return specialist, the special teams coordinator and the running back coach.

Those three offensive linemen – center Logan Jones, tackle Gennings Dunker and guard Beau Stephens – weren’t just your ordinary offensive linemen, either.

All three made first-team All-Big Ten last season, while Jones was also the recipient of the 2025 Rimington Trophy, which goes to the nation’s top collegiate center.

The starting quarterback that has to be replaced, one-year wonder and fan favorite, Mark Gronowski, well, all he did was set single-season program records for a quarterback in rushing yards (545) and rushing touchdowns (16).

And then having to replace nine starters on defense; that’s a daunting task, even for somebody as established and respected as Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker.

Iowa football added 27 new players in January, a combination of 13 early entrees from high school and 14 players from the transfer portal.

That is believed to be the most in program history for January, and also a sign of the times.

It’s hard to think of a spring, at least recently, when Kirk Ferentz has faced this much roster change and roster uncertainty.

Just having to replace the starting quarterback and nine starters on defense would be hard enough.

But to also have to replace three stud offensive linemen, one of the best kickers in program history in Drew Stevens and the assistant coach that helped to make special teams an consistent strength in LeVar Woods; takes what Kirk Ferentz is facing to a whole new and fascinating level.

The fact that Kirk Ferentz still is coaching at the age of 70, and with little to prove, but with so much to do, shows that he still has the passion and energy to embrace the daily grind.

Of course, the money helps.

But Kirk Ferentz doesn’t need money as inspiration, not anymore, if he ever did.

He gets inspiration just from coaching each day, from interacting with his players, assistant coaches and support staff, and from the challenge on the field.

Iowa’s 2026 roster was mostly on campus when the spring semester started in January as Ferentz pointed out this past Tuesday in a press conference.

“The interesting thing is right now, back in January, we had 90-plus percent of our roster here on campus. That’s the first time I can remember a number that big,” Kirk Ferentz said. “All that being said, I think the take away for us is we wanted to start at the start, didn’t assume anything. A lot of newcomers. So just the things that we try to cover in the summertime historically, the old days, it was August, just orientational stuff and trying to get them to know the program, understand the program.

“That began back in January. And the guys have been great. Both the mix of 14 transfers and 13 first-year guys out of high school. They’ve all been great. They have had a good attitude. Certainly I mentioned special teams being important. Special teams always will be, always have been. Strength conditioning is where everything starts in football in my mind. That got off to a great start.”

It almost seems as if Ferentz is coaching with a sense of urgency in the spring due to all the changes that have occurred. He wants to hit the ground running when preseason practice starts, and yes, passing, too.

Sophomore Jeremy Hecklinski and junior Hank Brown are competing for the starting quarterback position this spring, but don’t be surprised if the competition carries to the summer.

Though wouldn’t it be interesting if one of them were to separate enough to be named the starter in the spring?

And speaking of interesting, adding former Hawkeye defensive back and former college head coach Jay Norvell to the coaching staff this offseason certainly fits into that category.

Norvell was an All-Big Ten safety on Iowa’s 1985 Big Ten champion team, while Kirk Ferentz coached the Iowa offensive line from 1981 to 1989.

They are now reunited with Norvell recently named the Iowa running back coach after having first joined the staff as an offensive analyst.

Norvell brings a wealth of experience, including being the head coach for Nevada from 2017-21 and for Colorado State from 2022-25.

He also served as Iowa’s honorary captain for the regular-season home finale against Michigan State this pat November.

“Back in November, I never would have guessed this was going to happen,” Kirk Ferentz said. “But it’s great to have Jay join our staff. When he spoke to our team back in November, it was really impressive. And it was fun for me to tell his story a little bit being a guy that really didn’t have a home for quite a while during his time in the program, and then finally got some traction at the strong safety position his senior year. Ends up being an All-Big Ten player, leads the league in interceptions and captain of a Rose Bowl team.

“So his career as a football player really illustrates what the game’s all about. And obviously he’s done a great job in his coaching career, too. He’s been a great addition to our program. Really happy with that.”

Looking ahead to Iowa’s 2026 schedule shows both potentially favorable and unfavorable stretches.

Iowa faces Northern Illinois, Iowa State and Northern Iowa in the first three games, all of which will be played at Kinnick Stadium, before facing a potentially brutal three-game stretch at Michigan, at home against Ohio State and at Washington.

And while Kirk Ferentz’s only concern right now is the next spring practice, he knows what is waiting for his team this fall.

That’s what motivates him on a daily basis; the challenge of first building and then trying to help a team reach its potential.

That part of his job never will change.

Every schedule moving forward will look tough on paper with 18 teams now in the Big Ten