Iowa Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz makes stunning move

After the Iowa athletics department put together an alumni advisory committee that began meeting in the summer of 2020 after members of the Hawkeyes’ football team alleged that the program presented a culture of racism and bullying, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz abruptly wiped away the committee last Tuesday, according to The Gazette newspaper in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

After a contentious group meeting back on Oct. 18 and a group chain of text messages on Jan. 2 that featured committee chair David Porter – a former Iowa offensive lineman – suggesting to the other members of the committee that it was time to “bring in a new head football coach, football staff, and athletic director,” Ferentz made the decision to dissolve the entire group.

Ferentz informed the alumni advisory committee – which included 10 Iowa football alumni – of his decision to end the group via email on Tuesday.

“I have come to a decision that this is an appropriate time to dissolve our committee as it stands currently,” Ferentz said. “As we start a new calendar year and prepare to move forward with our preparation for the 2022 season, I am giving thought to how we restructure the committee/board in a way that best serves our program moving forward.”

While Porter made the suggestion that Iowa should let Ferentz go, the committee member also said Ferentz is “loyal to a fault” and will “fall on the sword for his son and his staff because he thinks it’s the right thing to do. I disagree.”

Porter also added this strong statement about Iowa’s head coach: “The only way I see to save his legacy, protect the program, help those kids, and continue to move forward at the same time is for Kirk to retire.”

Although Porter made those comments about the coach, Ferentz claims that’s not the reason why he dissolved the alumni advisory committee.

“Dave Porter did not share his sentiments with me directly,” Ferentz said in a statement to The Gazette. “I was surprised and disappointed by his comment and wish him the best moving forward. His comment had no influence on the decision regarding the advisory committee.”

Ferentz, who’s been Iowa’s head coach for 23 years, received a contract extension on Friday – just three days after ending the committee. His new contract runs through the 2029 season and will pay him $7 million annually, with $6 million being guaranteed.

Ferentz holds a 178-110 overall record at Iowa, which includes nine bowl wins. His 2021 Hawkeyes team went 10-4 overall, losing to Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl.