NOW
There is no point in waiting to hire Beth Goetz as the University of Iowa’s full-time athletic director.
Since she stepped into the role on Aug. 1, she’s not only shown her passion for the university but also her confidence in making difficult decisions — like letting go of offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, son of head football coach Kirk Ferentz, at the end of this season.
What might be even more impressive is that she isn’t afraid to show her face after making these decisions.
A day after announcing she informed Brian Ferentz his time on the Hawkeye coaching staff would be over after the bowl game, she showed up at Kirk Ferentz’s weekly press conference and spoke to the media. She didn’t go into detail about the decision, but it was clear she didn’t care about the interim tag in front of her name.
“I told her when she took this position, ignore the interim and do the job, and she has,” University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson told The Daily Iowan.
Goetz has also adjusted to the new era of college athletics involving NIL — something that former AD Gary Barta refused to do. She is actively involved with the SWARM, a NIL Collective that supports all 22 of Iowa’s athletic teams, frequently showing up at events and voicing her support for the collective on social media.
Goetz continues to garner support from nearly every head coach at Iowa, such as women’s basketball’s Lisa Bluder, men’s wrestling’s Tom Brands, and volleyball’s Jim Barnes.
At Big Ten Media Days in October, Bluder said not hiring Goetz full-time “would be a really, really not smart thing to do.”
Wilson also told the DI the university has not opened its search for an AD, and she “hopes” Goetz applies for the full-time position, so what are we waiting for?
LATER
There is no possible counterpoint surrounding whether Iowa Interim Athletic Director Beth Goetz should be hired full-time — the answer is yes. The question is when, and I think right now is not the time.
I have seen Gary Barta once in my life. Goetz is the opposite. She is not some obsolete, unknown figure. Every football and women’s basketball game I cover, she interacts with fans and is present in every press conference.
She has championed women’s athletics, boosted Iowa’s NIL, and informed Hawkeye football offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz he will no longer be a Hawkeye at the end of the season.
Brian Ferentz’s firing is a big reason why the interim tag should be removed, but not right now.
On Oct. 30, we saw an explosive stir arrive with the apparently unintentional leaking of the news that Ferentz would not return next season as the lead of Iowa’s quite sub-par offense.
That news not only upset head coach Kirk Ferentz, but completely distracted everyone — the team included — from the upcoming contest against Northwestern.
While this is not Goetz’s fault, an explosive decision like announcing her as the full-time athletic director in the middle of so many big sports seasons starting up would serve as another distraction.
The focus and attention should be on Iowa women’s soccer’s success, the football team’s push for the Big Ten Championship, and both basketball teams beginning big seasons — not on more administrative decisions, even if they’re positive ones.
When 2024 hits, break the news that Goetz will be the true athletic director. That comes at a time when fall sports are over and winter sports are well underway.
This also gives her a chance to continue to prove why she does deserve to have that interim tag removed.