Yes

Matt McGowan, Pregame Editor

I can’t believe I’m writing this, but Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz will reach the top of the mountain. And by mountain, I mean the peak of Sickos Committee’s “The Price is Right”-esque graphic on Twitter. In other words, Iowa will average 25 points per game this season, with help from the defense and special teams, of course.

After registering a historic 41 points against Western Michigan on Saturday, the Hawkeyes have averaged roughly 28 points over three games this season. This means that Iowa doesn’t have to hit 25 points over their next nine conference matchups.

In fact, I think Iowa will actually score more than 25 in its contests against Northwestern, Illinois, Michigan State, and Purdue.  That group of division foes ranks at the bottom five of the Big Ten in terms of opponent points and rushing yards, which will prove helpful for the Hawkeyes’ deep ground game.

Week 4 against Penn State may be the only game where Iowa puts up less than 15 points, as the Nittany Lions have conceded just 267 yards per game and only five touchdowns.

So hypothetically, if Iowa scores 30 points against the Wildcats, Illini, Boilermakers, and Spartans, tallies only 14 at College Station, and scores 22 in the rest, then it will average 27 points in the regular football season.

Yes, I know the 325 points is difficult to argue, but the contract clause ultimately doesn’t determine Ferentz’s fate. If the Hawkeyes don’t average 25 per game, then Ferentz’s current contract won’t be renewed for next year. The clause doesn’t say that Ferentz will not return to the program. Instead, what really matters is Iowa’s wins. If Iowa goes 9-3 and wins the Big Ten West, expect Ferentz on the sideline in 2024.

No

Jake Olsen, Sports Reporter

Since Brian Ferentz took over offensive coordinator duties in 2017, Iowa football’s offense has been a talking point around the country.

However instead of praise, the offense is ridiculed for having one of the worst outputs in all of football.

Over Ferentz’s tenure, the Hawkeyes have ranked 128th nationally in yards per game and 105th in offensive touchdowns.

Last year was especially tough for the play-caller. The Hawkeyes ranked 130th out of 131 teams with 251.6 yards per game. They also ranked 129th with 4.24 yards per play.

Entering the 2023 season, there were a lot of fans who wanted to see the younger Ferentz step down as the Hawkeye play-caller.

The then-athletic director Gary Barta renegotiated Ferentz’s contract. Ferentz would take a $50,000 pay cut, going from $900,000 to $850,000.

The new contract rules state that the Hawkeye team under Ferentz’s watch needs to average 25 points per game. If this point minimum is met, Ferentz would earn a $112,500 bonus, and the contract salary would bump back up to $925,000.

So far this season, the Hawkeyes have only scored more than 25 points in one of three contests.

Failing to do so in games against Utah State and Iowa State isn’t a good sign that the mark will be met.

The Hawkeyes are about to start the Big Ten schedule against defenses that will be better than previous opponents.

Four of Iowa’s next nine opponents are all in the top 50 in opponent yards per game this season: Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Penn State.

With the level of competition only increasing, I cannot see the Iowa football team scoring more than 25 points per game for the rest of the season.