Time Iowa Hokies Longtime head coach Kirk Ferentz will not be leading the team when the 2024-25 college football season begins. The program suspended Ferentz. The team fired wide receivers coach John Budmaier following Week 1’s matchup against Illinois State for allegedly violating Level II recruiting rules related to recruiting quarterback Cade McNamara through the transfer portal.
McNamara spent the first four years of his collegiate career at Michigan before entering the transfer portal after the 2022 season. Shortly after the portal opened, McNamara had already committed to the University of Iowa. The deal was finalized so quickly that suspicions were raised, and now the school is self-imposed a suspension to avoid punishment from the NCAA.
Cheating in college sports is, of course, a very serious issue that deserves severe action lol, but what’s especially amusing is that the Iowa offense was caught cheating. The Hokies’ passing attack was just awful last year, both when McNamara was the Week 1 starter and with other QBs after he was injured. Iowa finished the season with 9 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions, and only 1,661 passes on the year, which was a good 4.8 yards per attempt.
Iowa’s offense was awful. Ferentz actually had to fire his son.They fired offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, ending one of the most shameless cases of nepotism in sports, and McNamara is in his sixth (!) year of college football, but while he’s a championship contender, he’s still not quite locked down as a starter.
On the football side of things, Kirk Ferentz said he’s had both quarterbacks take the No. 1 snaps, and that both are more comfortable now. “If we were to play tomorrow, Cade would be the No. 1,” he said.
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) August 22, 2024
Maybe part of Iowa State’s punishment will be having to use Cade McNamara at quarterback again this year. Just kidding, Iowa State’s offensive problems at this point are systemic and go far beyond any one player. Coach Ferentz has consistently fielded teams where the punter is the best and most-used player, yet Iowa State has still had a pretty successful track record under his direction, thanks in large part to a consistently ferocious defense.
Ferentz said Thursday about his suspension:
Fans now have a better idea of how Iowa should handle his absence in Week 1.
They need to pretend Kirk died like Michigan did, make shirts, have Seth Wallace give a tearful interview after the game, punt on the first play of the game, that sort of thing.
— Adam (@ADSohn) August 22, 2024
The only thing more pathetic than Iowa’s passing attack last season is the fact that they broke some rules just to get wins. thatThe Hokies are ranked 25th in the preseason poll, and it’s not because of their offense.
