Iowa's Kirk Ferentz values new recruiting director's credentials

RIVERSIDE — There's nothing about Tyler Barnes' credentials that suggests he's underqualified to rejoin Iowa's football staff.

After three years of experience recruiting in the cutthroat Southeastern Conference, Barnes left Vanderbilt to become Iowa's director of on-campus recruiting. Under two different head coaches, Barnes was Vanderbilt's co-recruiting coordinator in 2013, then director of player personnel the last two seasons.

But Barnes is married to Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz's daughter, Joanne. That resulted in the athletics department following the university's nepotism protocol, which calls for a different senior administrator to supervise Barnes. The department has it in place for offensive line coach Brian Ferentz (Kirk's son) and with assistant wrestling coach Terry Brands, the twin brother of head wrestling coach Tom Brands.

'One thing for sure, I don't have to worry about trust issues there,' Ferentz said before the Washington County I-Club stop Tuesday night. 'It would be really counterproductive for him to not be all in. I know they went through all the nepotism stuff — which I appreciate that — but what we do is really competitive. It would really be counterintuitive to hire people that aren't going to try and benefit and enhance our program. That would not be smart on any of our part to do that any time we hire a coach, support personnel. We're trying to get the guys best qualified for work at our place. I don't care where else they can work, but I want to get guys who can work at our place.'

While attending Iowa, Barnes worked as a student assistant for two years (2009-10), then later as a graduate assistant (2011) and administrative assistant (2012). As director of on-campus recruiting, Barnes will coordinate recruiting activities, assist Iowa's coaches in off-campus recruiting and lead in prospect identification.

The opening was created when linebackers coach Jim Reid left Iowa to become Boston College's defensive coordinator. That led to Ferentz elevating on-staff recruiting coordinator Seth Wallace to linebackers coach, and former on-campus recruiting director Kelvin Bell to on-staff recruiting coordinator. In order to recruit off campus, the recruiting coordinator must be a full-time assistant coach.

Barnes worked one year at Vanderbilt under James Franklin, who then became Penn State's head coach. Ferentz said Barnes turned down a job at Penn State to remain at Vanderbilt under a new staff for two years.

'On paper you'd say, go,' Ferentz said. 'Most people would have. He had his reasons to stay there, and I admire him for doing that. He had no guarantees when he stayed, either. So he earned his way with the new staff, and I think that really spoke volumes about him professionally and something I really admired.

'Tyler's worked in our program. He understands what we're all about and what we're looking for, and that's important. I think he's really developed an ability to evaluate players and see things in good perspective. I think he understands what we're looking for, and that's a big part in anything just kind of like the coaches we hired.'

Barnes originally worked in the football program before he began dating Ferentz's daughter.

'The irony is my daughter said she told her mom she would stay away from football people,' Ferentz said. 'She didn't want any part of this life. So life's ironies are funny and real.'

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