Former Iowa football players drop claims against coaches, keep UI, regents as defendants in lawsuit
The lawsuit dropped Kirk Ferentz, Brian Ferentz, Chris Doyle, and Gary Barta “without prejudice,” and Seth Wallace “with prejudice.”
Iowa helmets sit on the sidelines before a football game between No. 18 Iowa and No. 17 Indiana at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021. The Hawkeyes defeated the Hoosiers 34-6.
February 28, 2023
Four Iowa football coaches have been dropped from a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and harassment, multiple sources reported Tuesday.
Head coach Kirk Ferentz, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, and former strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, along with athletic director Gary Barta were dismissed “without prejudice” on Tuesday morning, The Cedar Rapids Gazette reported.
“Without prejudice” means the plaintiffs — former Hawkeye football players Akrum Wadley, Jonathan Parker, Marcel Joly, Aaron Mends, Darian Cooper, Brandon Simon, and Javon Foy — can reintroduce those defendants into the suit.
Linebackers coach Seth Wallace, who was added to the lawsuit in an amended complaint in April 2022, was dismissed from the lawsuit “with prejudice” — the former players cannot refile a case against him.
The University of Iowa and the state Board of Regents are the only defendants left on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit originated in November 2020 with the former players alleging the coaches created a racially hostile environment.
Doyle voluntarily left the Iowa football program on a $1.1 million separation agreement in June 2020 after multiple Black players claimed he made racist remarks to them.