Iowa announces Kirk Ferentz contract extension through 2026

[SoDakHawk]

May be no succession plan to Brian but I think that as long as he is around New Kirk will be around as well.

As the hurry up and spread O becomes more and more prevalent, defenses will counter by becoming smaller & quicker with an emphasis on stamina. That is where Iowa's power running game takes over. Outrdinosaur offense is becoming the perfect counter. Look at what Texas did to ND at the end of the game the other night, power ran it right down their throats.

 

[Douglas C. Neidermeyer]

perhaps by 2026 he'll have a winning record against ISU?

Just sayin'.......

 

[HawkGem10]

Stupid extension IMHO....tired of one great year and have to extend him again just stupid boswby you are a moron

 

[NevadaHawk]

I think KF will retire at the end of his 25th season which would be the 2024 season. Barta added a couple of years knowing Kirk will be gone before the end of the contract. This sort of thing is done all the time. In essence, KF now has a lifetime contract.

 

[FranklinHawk]

Stupid extension IMHO....tired of one great year and have to extend him again just stupid boswby you are a moron

The Big 12 Commissioner is a moron because Kirk got a contract extension. You might want to rethink your statement.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Cowherd used KF's contract to whine about our non-conference.

 

[anon_2zMXH429BhxV1Npk]

I still don't understand what the detractors are upset about. Could someone explain what is bad about the extension? Do people really think he will be here for 10 more years or that we are forced to keep him and pay him for 10 years? Are you upset at the AD spending $4.5M a year?

Unless the buyout clause has been disclosed and it's similar to the previous, are people just pissed because they want Bret to swoop in come 2019 or that Iowa is going to have Ferentz retire soon and hire the next Urban Meyer, but now we can't?

 

[bouma1415]

I would be pleased if Brian takes over for KF, if he is ready to be a Head Coach. Sounds like some of you whiners got your butt hurt when we went 12-0 last year. KF if recruiting well, we hopefully, have another top notch QB to carry us the next 3 years, and Mansell after that. OL recruits are well stocked...and the DL is starting to fill in for the future. Good DB's coming along. What in the world are all of you whiny bitches crying about?

 

[DewHawk]

Whatever dude. You don't like it then don't post here.

ok Lance whatever..................

 

[LuteHawk]

The truth is this: The Iowa Hawkeyes have been blessed
by their last two coaches: Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz
provided stability, and gave the Iowa football program a
reason to be proud. Look around the Big Ten Conference
at Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, and Northwestern.
How many different coaches have they had in the past
25 years? It is difficult to have a winning program when
you are firing coaches on a regular basis.

 

[Lance Funsten]

The truth is this: The Iowa Hawkeyes have been blessed
by their last two coaches: Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz
provided stability, and gave the Iowa football program a
reason to be proud. Look around the Big Ten Conference
at Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, and Northwestern.
How many different coaches have they had in the past
25 years? It is difficult to have a winning program when
you are firing coaches on a regular basis.

Gospel. Right here folks.

No matter you're opinion this is the one thing all losing programs have in common is unstability.

 

[doughudd]

CJ saved his rear and now he's here forever.

No Greg Davis did.

 

[whatsup13579er]

There are a lot of good candidates post KF. I agree there is no succession plan. BF would have to be a coordinator first. Kerry Cooks, Jerry Montgomery, Bobby Diaco come to mind...others may appear in the coming years as well.

3-5 more years of Greg Davis and Brian gets promoted. After a couple years as OC, BF gets assistant head coach label. After a couple more years, KF retires and wham BF takes the reigns for another 25 years.

Cowherd used KF's contract to whine about our non-conference.

Iowa has an Iowa State problem. Look at the other out of conference rivalry games: Georgia/GT, FSU/Florida, Clemson/South Carolina, ND/USC, Pitt/PSU. All of these teams have been relevant nationally recently and are typically average to above average. Then you have Iowa State. One of the worst P5 teams in the history of college football. Iowa doesn't need ISU to be great, if they would win 5-7 games a year that would go a long way to helping Iowa. Beating UNI would be a good place to start...

 

[Hawks_Rock_12]

This is excellent, news. Couple more top 10 finishes and BCS bowl games in the next 10 years.....and more than likely a CFP appearance. Woot.

The BCS went bye, bye with the start of the playoffs.

 

[Kurt Warner]

Whatever dude. You don't like it then don't post here.

Idiotic post

 

[BigRedFlood]

This is truly great news and we should all feel blessed on this wonderful day.

 

[BioHawk]

The truth is this: The Iowa Hawkeyes have been blessed
by their last two coaches: Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz
provided stability, and gave the Iowa football program a
reason to be proud. Look around the Big Ten Conference
at Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, and Northwestern.
How many different coaches have they had in the past
25 years? It is difficult to have a winning program when
you are firing coaches on a regular basis.

To be fair, Northwestern really doesn't fit in with that group. Pat Fitzgerald is now the 2nd longest tenured coach in the Big 10 behind Ferentz and he has done remarkable things there (usually at our expense, unfortunately).

The bottom line is if this extension didn't happen recruiting becomes very difficult as teams will use the end of the contract against him. It's what happened to Hayden. Hell, it might still happen but the University is doing what it can to help. That doesn't mean I'll be ok with three 5-7 seasons in a row though. At $4+ million a year the number of winning seasons needs to far exceed the number of losing ones.

 

[Lance Funsten]

To be fair, Northwestern really doesn't fit in with that group. Pat Fitzgerald is now the 2nd longest tenured coach in the Big 10 behind Ferentz and he has done remarkable things there (usually at our expense, unfortunately).

The bottom line is if this extension didn't happen recruiting becomes very difficult as teams will use the end of the contract against him. It's what happened to Hayden. Hell, it might still happen but the University is doing what it can to help. That doesn't mean I'll be ok with three 5-7 seasons in a row though. At $4+ million a year the number of winning seasons needs to far exceed the number of losing ones.

Quoting lutes post and using his bottom line is ballsy, friend.

 

[laidbackdude2011]

Not a fan of this.

Ditto.

Iowa fans have short memories.

 

[B1G]

I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. SMH.

 

[BioHawk]

Quoting lutes post and using his bottom line is ballsy, friend.

I walk on the wild side.

 

[24 so far]

To be fair, Northwestern really doesn't fit in with that group. Pat Fitzgerald is now the 2nd longest tenured coach in the Big 10 behind Ferentz and he has done remarkable things there (usually at our expense, unfortunately).

The bottom line is if this extension didn't happen recruiting becomes very difficult as teams will use the end of the contract against him. It's what happened to Hayden. Hell, it might still happen but the University is doing what it can to help. That doesn't mean I'll be ok with three 5-7 seasons in a row though. At $4+ million a year the number of winning seasons needs to far exceed the number of losing ones.

That's why College Coaching in particular, is one of the greatest jobs on earth. You can still suck and get extensions up to 5 years "for the recruiting" (wink, wink), while your program withers and dies and your bank account fills up. Great gig if you can get it.

 

[MITCH492]

Will HCKF even be alive in 2026?

 

[notlongago]

If stanford doesnt have christian mccaferry that game is a lot closer. He's prolly gonna win the heisman this year. Dont feel bad about that game. Iowa just needed a little wake up call, smell the salts if you will.

If most top teams don't have their best player, they're much worse....what's your point?

 

[Lance Funsten]

If most top teams don't have their best player, they're much worse....what's your point?

My point is he's THAT good

 

[hawkinne]

This is truly great news and we should all feel blessed on this wonderful day.

Agreed. UNL will have 2 or 3 more coaches before KF retires.

 

[BigRedFlood]

Agreed. UNL will have 2 or 3 more coaches before KF retires.

Not sure what this is about. I genuinely like Coach Ferentz. He has earned his reputation as the Dean of Big 10 coaches through stellar performance and gentlemanly behavior. Iowa is fortunate to have Kirk, and I hope that Nebraska can have a coach that performs to our historic standard while being a great man.

Wish you the best, and look forward to our meeting later this year.

 

[BioHawk]

That's why College Coaching in particular, is one of the greatest jobs on earth. You can still suck and get extensions up to 5 years "for the recruiting" (wink, wink), while your program withers and dies and your bank account fills up. Great gig if you can get it.

Ummm...no. It's a great job if you have the chops, but I don't think you understand how much work it requires if you think they just sit back drinking martinis while a football team magically appears on the field. The coaches that do that don't last long. As Sarkisian (too soon?)

 

[theIowaHawk]

So it appears that his buyout is 100% if he goes 7+ wins each year for next 5 years. That fits with my #1 I posted earlier - he isn't being fired, especially not with a minimum 7 wins each year. If he doesn't hit that it is 50% for those years.

Bonus $500k if he wins 8+ any year. Looks like $1.5 Million bonus if he wins the National Championship. Those two seem to overvalue 8 wins and severely undervalue a NC. Actually, looks like $1.5 for NC, $250k for winning Big Ten, and $375k for Playoff game, adding 8 wins to that and he could bonus $2.6Million for the best possible season?

I doubt money is his incentive any more, but goddamn, get it done Kirk. Looks like he got good clauses for his assistants as well. Good for him.

 

[Kurt Warner]

Seems like a weird time for an extension

 

[UncleChesterton]

Put me in the group who doubts he coaches till the end of this contract. However it makes sense with the world of recruiting these days having him locked in that long even though I think he retires a few years before the end of it.

After the Paterno debacle where Joe had no idea he was a pale shadow of his former self- for at least a decade- and considering that KF was near the top of many overpaid coaches lists as recently as a year ago, it's willful negligence to commit to this many years.

 

[bagdropper]

Ditto.

Iowa fans have short memories.

My memory goes back to the 70's when Iowa hired a HS coach because they were so cheap. That decade makes ISU of today look good.

This is a steal of a deal - I don't give a crap what KF makes in salary, and I never will. You can never compare an Iowa salary against other programs on equal terms cause 80% of coaches would never coach here for ANY salary.

We're Iowa. Period. Nobody can ever change that. No name coach will ever move laterally to here, so when you're Iowa...you overpay just to keep pace. You want KF's overall record during his term yet go cheap, that coach will be gone.

 

[Kurt Warner]

My memory goes back to the 70's when Iowa hired a HS coach because they were so cheap. That decade makes ISU of today look good.

This is a steal of a deal - I don't give a crap what KF makes in salary, and I never will. You can never compare an Iowa salary against other programs on equal terms cause 80% of coaches would never coach here for ANY salary.

We're Iowa. Period. Nobody can ever change that. No name coach will ever move laterally to here, so when you're Iowa...you overpay just to keep pace. You want KF's overall record during his term yet go cheap, that coach will be gone.

Totally disagree

 

[mikesright]

Lots of whining here. Truthfully there's no way we make a move until at least 5 years from now minimum. Kirk has gotten to the mountaintop too many times for there to be a move any sooner. The Big Ten is going to triple the TV payouts soon and this deal will look small. Pay the man his money.

Besides, do you really think this team is gonna be bad the next few years? We should expect some success, we haven't recruited (and hit on) this many players in years! A true frosh qb beat out a tenured four star rs soph - that's unheard of and is at the most important position. A 5 star at a premium position, DE? This should be a fun ride guys, strap in!

 

[Urohawk]

I think Bill Snyder's contract was the way to go. 5 year contract with 1 year rolling extension. Keeps people from using the contract as recruiting ammunition. We have treated KF very fairly. KF just turned 61. Lets say he's 65 or 66 and the wheels start to fall off the bus again. I consider KF a man of integrity but I don't expect him to just willfully walk away and leave 4.5 million for the last 5 years of his contract on the table. That is too much money to leave behind and retire. I think football has a number of coaches who stayed past their prime.

Frank Beamer slipped into the last 4 years of 7-6, 8-5,7-6, 7-6. 69 at time of retirement
Hayden Fry is remembered retrospectively in a far more positive light than he was in 1998 when I graduated. The public was not happy with him coaching any longer. People who deny this live in a fantasy world. He was 69 when he retired.
Bobby Bowden slipped into mediocrity his final seasons. 80 at time of retirement.
Mack Brown was 62 at time of stepping down.

There are of course exceptions as Joe Paterno maintained a pretty good record in his final years.

When KF is in his mid to late 60s you run into the same recruiting issues. Are you going to extend him another 5 years when he is 67 assuming his health is doing well and he has no plans to retire? Instead of contract life you run into health issues/pending retirement as a negative recruiting spin. You have to quit sometime. Father time guarantees that. The Snyder contract works as good as any in this situation.

I think BF is a good position coach. I can't see what he as done to earn the keys to the car so to speak. The only thing worse than the long term coaches staying too long are the examples of planned coaching transitions failing apart.

 

[24 so far]

Ummm...no. It's a great job if you have the chops, but I don't think you understand how much work it requires if you think they just sit back drinking martinis while a football team magically appears on the field. The coaches that do that don't last long. As Sarkisian (too soon?)

Apparently you're unfamiliar with the thousands upon thousands of "other" occupations in the real world.

The large majority of which don't pay you millions of dollars when they can you. Yeah, tough gig, and part-time to boot. LOL! How DO they do it?

 

[NashvilleHawk]

They should've waited until after the Iowa State game.
If Iowa wins, then Kirk brings his record against the Cyclones, to a very impressive 9-9, overall.
This is reason to pop the champagne and reward him with another iron-clad contract.

The new facilities will help with recruiting, despite the weaknesses in our coaching staff.

and Kirk Ferentz better have CJ Beathard is his will.
Without CJ, no way does this happen.

 

[exiled in IL]

If stanford doesnt have christian mccaferry that game is a lot closer. He's prolly gonna win the heisman this year. Dont feel bad about that game. Iowa just needed a little wake up call, smell the salts if you will.

I like to go with the SEC line regarding IA's poor performance in the Rose - "Iowa was so disappointed in not winning the BIG and participating in the final four... We didn't really care about the Rose. Didn't bring our A game." See built in excuse. It's brilliant!!

 

[whatsup13579er]

For those whining about the new contract and the buyout, stop. Barta could fire KF tomorrow if he wanted to. The buyout isn't going to stop him. He basically said as much when asked.

 

[ichawk24]

Apparently you're unfamiliar with the thousands upon thousands of "other" occupations in the real world.

The large majority of which don't pay you millions of dollars when they can you. Yeah, tough gig, and part-time to boot. LOL! How DO they do it?

Guys like Kirk are at the very top of the pyramid. For every Kirk, there are 500 guys working as an assistant for $32k at grand valley mississippi-tenneesee state, working 100 hours a week and never seeing their kids. Kirk and other head coaches worked their way up the ladder and earned their spot.

If you rise to one of the top 30 in your field, you'll probably make millions, too. I imagine you are currently no where remotely close to the top 30 in your field. Does anyone gather on the internet to discuss and dissect your job performance? Or does no one give a crap about you because you are the real world equivalent of working at grand valley mississippi-tenneesee state?

Part time? You're crazy.