By Jordan Hansen | [email protected]
In a move that is perhaps the least shocking thing in the history of Iowa football, Brian Ferentz will take full control of the Hawkeye offense, officially taking the role of offensive coordinator.
The move was announced on Monday afternoon during a press conference.
Iowa Names Brian Ferentz Offensive Coordinator | #Hawkeyes | https://t.co/k4Lj6ssCsJ pic.twitter.com/V87mVPEzyS
— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) January 9, 2017
Brian Ferentz, who is head coach Kirk Ferentz’s eldest son, has coached at Iowa since 2012 as the offensive-line coach. In 2015, he also took the “run-game coordinator” position, which ended up foreshadowing his rise to offensive coordinator.
Ferentz played for his father from 2002-05 as an offensive lineman. He spent a little time in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and New Orlean Saints before entering the tutelage of New England Patriot head coach Bill Belichick in 2009. As a member of the Patriots, Ferentz rose rapidly from a scouting assistant to an offensive coaching assistant in a span of two years.
He was promoted again in 2011 to tight-end coach before leaving after the season to join his father at Iowa.
It was widely assumed Brian Ferentz would be in the running for the Iowa offensive coordinator position after Greg Davis officially retired on Jan. 6.
Iowa chose to move fast and made a decision that makes a lot of sense. Ferentz knows his dad’s system in every way, shape, and form. It will likely mesh with what Kirk Ferentz wants to do far better than anything Davis ever tried to do with Iowa.
All in all, it was just about the only decision that makes sense and only furthers the assumption Brian Ferentz could one day take over for his dad as the head coach of the Hawkeyes. That, however, is at least 10 years down the road, but it certainly seems like it could be in the cards.
That’s getting a little ahead of ourselves here, but the bottom line is this: Kirk Ferentz thinks Brian is ready for the gig, and it’s hard to disagree with him.
Follow @DIPregame for updates as this story develops.