Iowa suspends football coach Kirk Ferentz for recruiting violation

Iowa State football coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant John Budmeyer have been suspended for the Hawkeyes’ season opener as part of a school-imposed penalty for a recruiting violation in late 2022.

Ferentz, the longest-serving FBS coach who has led Iowa since the 1999 season, pleaded guilty to a Level 2 violation for contacting a player and his family before he entered the transfer portal.

“I have consistently instructed our players to abide by the rules, and in this case I did not,” Ferentz said in a statement Thursday. “In my 26 years as head coach at Iowa — and more than four decades as a coach — this is my first potential NCAA Division II violation. I made a mistake and I want to apologize to our players, university leadership and Hawkeye football fans. I know Coach Budmeyer echoes those sentiments.”

Iowa did not identify the player, but sources told ESPN it was quarterback Cade McNamara, who was traded to Iowa from Michigan three days after officially entering the transfer window.

McNamara opened the 2023 season as Iowa’s starter before suffering a knee injury. He was in contention for the starting job during preseason camp.

Ferentz and athletic director Beth Goetz agreed to a one-game suspension and one week of off-campus recruiting for both Ferentz and Budmeier after reviewing the case and consulting with NCAA officials.

The suspensions for both coaches will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 31, prior to Iowa’s season opener against Illinois State at Kinnick Stadium. Both coaches are eligible to return for the Sept. 7 competitive game against Iowa State.

Co-defensive coordinator Seth Wallace, who was named an assistant head coach in January, will take over as interim head coach for the Illinois State game.

Ferentz, who went 196-119 at Iowa, told reporters Thursday afternoon he could not elaborate on the situation because of an ongoing NCAA investigation.

“Coach Ferentz and I made the decision to impose the sanctions ourselves, allowing the program to move forward without distraction,” Goetz said. “I appreciate the accountability that has been demonstrated and will continue to fully cooperate with the NCAA through this process.”

Budmeier, a former Wisconsin quarterback, is the Hawkeyes’ offensive linemen coach after serving as a special assistant to Ferentz in 2023 and an offensive analyst in 2022. He comes to Iowa from Colorado State, where he was offensive coordinator in 2021.

McNamara announced his intention to transfer to Iowa on December 1, 2022. He started with Michigan in 2021 as the team won the Big Ten Championship and reached the College Football Playoffs but suffered a leg injury that ended his season in the third game of the 2022 season.