Hlas: Ken O'Keefe gives Ferentzes exactly what they need

IOWA CITY — Marbles and moons are both circles. The size of Kirk Ferentz's circle of trust is a lot closer to the former than the latter.

So it is that Ferentz has rehired Ken O'Keefe, his offensive coordinator from the 1999 through 2011 seasons, to be his Iowa football team's quarterbacks coach.

It's funny how time changes perceptions. Five years ago, the voices outside Iowa's now-former football complex were mostly pleased to see O'Keefe accept the chance to become the Miami Dolphins' wide receivers coach and open up new possibilities for Iowa's offense.

After five years with Greg Davis in that era, the same voices see O'Keefe as more sage than realized. Inside that football circle, though, there never was a doubt.

As Ferentz noted Sunday morning in Carver-Hawkeye Arena before reintroducing O'Keefe here, former Iowa players like Brad Banks, Ed Hinkel, Marvin McNutt and Drew Tate lauded the hire since it was announced Friday.

'His depth of experience, his wealth of experience,' Ferentz said. 'Not only in terms of the positions he's held, but the various level he's coached at.

'He's going to be an outstanding resource for everybody on our staff. He was the guy I leaned hardest on 18 years ago.'

O'Keefe, 63, joked he's in 'the de-evolution of my career.'

'I've been the head coach, the coordinator, now position coach. Pretty soon I'll be the GA (graduate assistant) again.'

As for who's running the offense, it's new coordinator Brian Ferentz, no ifs, ands or buts. Only someone who's never met him would dream otherwise.

'I don't think I'll be coaching Brian in his new position,' said O'Keefe. 'You're looking at a guy who spent four years with the New England Patriots, one of the best football minds, maybe the best football mind ever in Bill Belichick. And five years here as line coach.

'I wish I had that base when I was his age to jump in and start going. He's absolutely ready to do whatever he needs to do with his position as offensive coordinator. I just need to be concerned about making sure the guys I'm coaching are doing what they're supposed to be doing. Whatever Brian needs me to do, obviously, I need to get done as well.'

Just as obviously, Iowa's quarterbacks will need coaching to the hilt this spring and fall. The No. 1 quarterback on the Hawkeyes' winter depth chart is Nathan Stanley. O'Keefe was asked how familiar he is with the sophomore-to-be?

'I've looked at all 12 (nine, actually) of Stanley's throws, if that's what you mean,' O'Keefe said. 'I'm still looking for some other ones.

'That's what we have spring ball for. We're all going to find out a lot more about each other when that baby gets rolling.'

What even previous O'Keefe-bashers have to admit is Iowa's quarterbacks were usually ready to play when they made their debuts as starters. Banks, Tate, Nathan Chandler, Ricky Stanzi and James Vandenberg were all prolific in their first year starting.

'The work he's done with our first-year players at that position, that speaks for itself,' Kirk Ferentz said.

This all dovetails nicely for the Hawkeyes. They needed a QBs coach and passing game expert. That's O'Keefe. They surely wanted someone who would make Brian Ferentz's transition to coordinator easier, someone with knowledge and a personality Brian respects and embraces. That's O'Keefe.

You know they wanted someone who knows the ways of this program, how things are done and not done, what is and isn't valued. That's O'Keefe.

The Ferentzes aren't reinventing the wheel here. They just want it to roll smoother, and O'Keefe ought to help a lot with that.