By Jordan Hansen
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz isn’t leaving the school anytime soon.
The longest-tenured coach in the Big Ten signed a six-year extension on his deal, which now goes through the 2026 season. He also gained a raise in the deal, up to 4.5 million from the 4 million he was already making.
“I am pleased and proud to continue as head coach of the University of Iowa football team through 2026. It is a tremendous privilege and responsibility to lead the Iowa football program,” Ferentz said in a release. “I am extraordinarily proud of our program, our players, and our supportive fans.
“I look forward to continuing our winning tradition.”
From a recruiting standpoint, some sort of deal this season was almost assured. Head coaches like to have a four-year deal in place so they can sell stability to prospective student-athletes. In the world of recruiting, stability is a critical element to have and one of the main tenants Iowa has built its program on.
It also doesn’t hurt Ferentz is coming off of a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl appearance. Those are big, flashy, games and there’s a sense the Hawkeyes are on a bit of an upswing as a program.
He was also the Big Ten Coach of the Year last season and led Iowa to 12 wins, the most in school history.
The contract has been in the works for quite some time and there was talk during the Big Ten Media Days Ferentz was close to signing a “life-time” deal. He will be 70 after the contract comes up and may very well decide to retire after.
If he does stick through the end of the contract, Iowa will only have had two coaches (Ferentz and Hayden Fry) during a period of 47 years. This is fairly rare and only one other coach — Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops — has held his position as long as Ferentz has.
“I’ve said it many times, I would like Kirk to retire as a Hawkeye, and this contract is a strong statement toward that commitment,” Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said. “Kirk’s dedication to the football program and the University of Iowa has brought national attention and recognition to the Hawkeyes for nearly 20 years.
“Kirk is one of the top coaches in country.”