Kaczenski puts on the 'N'

The news started in Iowa City on Tuesday and finally made it to Lincoln on Friday.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz issued a statement wishing defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski the best in his future endeavors. Friday, Nebraska announced that Kaczenski will be the Cornhuskers' new defensive line coach.

“I have great respect for the program at the University of Iowa and their defenses have annually been among the best in the nation,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said in a statement. “Rick's track record of developing defensive linemen speaks for itself. When I've watched Iowa's defense and in particular the defensive line, I see players that have great technique and fundamentals, who also play with a high level of intensity.”

Iowa staff assistant LeVar Woods, a former Hawkeye and NFL linebacker, will serve as Iowa's D-line coach for the Insight Bowl, Ferentz said Wednesday. With coordinator Norm Parker retiring, Iowa will be down two defensive assistants after next Friday's Insight Bowl.

Kaczenski served as Iowa's defensive line coach since 2007. He came to Iowa as a graduate assistant in 2004. His stop before that was Elon.

“Nebraska's always been a school that we've studied defensively at Iowa, even before they joined the Big Ten,” Kaczenski said Friday night on the radio show "Sports Nightly."

“Fundamentally and technically, they play so sound in what they do. They do things so well year in and year out. Teams will show up on the radar every once in a while, (but) Coach Pelini's defenses are always up there.”

Ferentz said Wednesday that staff openings would be addressed in January.