Seth Wallace promoted to ‘assistant head coach;’ offensive coordinator to be named in ‘near future’

IOWA CITY — Iowa football does not have any news to share on an offensive coordinator, saying in a news release the search is “ongoing” and “an announcement is expected in the near future.”

But Coach Kirk Ferentz did announce a few other staff updates on Tuesday.

Most notably, Seth Wallace has been promoted to “assistant head coach” while retaining his previous responsibilities as assistant defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

“Seth is an excellent coach and has been an asset to our coaching staff for many years,” Ferentz said in a news release. “He works tirelessly to develop our players into outstanding men on and off the field. I am grateful that he is a part of our program.”

With the new job title, Wallace’s base salary will increase from $775,000 to $1 million.

“The University of Iowa and this football program are both very special to me,” Wallace said in the release. “I am appreciative of this new, expanded role and look forward to preparing our athletes for the upcoming season and beyond.”

Linebackers who have thrived under Wallace’s tutelage include Josey Jewell, Jack Campbell and Jay Higgins. Jewell and Campbell were consensus All-Americans while at Iowa and now are enjoying NFL careers. Higgins was a first-team All-American this past season and tied the program record for tackles in a single season with 171.

Wallace has been on Ferentz’s staff since 2014, including as linebackers coach since 2016. He was the assistant defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator in 2014 and the cornerbacks/nickelbacks coach in 2015. He was a graduate assistant at Iowa from 2006-08 as well.

The Coe College alum also held staff positions at Coe, Lake Forest and Valdosta State before joining the Hawkeyes.

Phil Parker’s raise

Defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s base salary will increase to $1.9 million, Ferentz also announced in Tuesday’s news release. It is a 35.7 percent increase from Parker’s previous base salary of $1.4 million.

The big raise follows an outstanding season for Parker’s defense, which led the country in yards allowed per play and was in the top five in several other key metrics.

Parker became Iowa’s first recipient of the Broyles Award, which goes to the top assistant coach in college football, and also won the American Football Coaches Association’s Assistant Coach of the Year Award after the season.

Kelton Copeland’s contract not renewed

Wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland will not return to the Iowa football staff in 2024, as first reported last week by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Specifically, his contract “has not been renewed,” according to Tuesday’s release.

“I appreciate Kelton’s contribution to the Hawkeye staff and wish him the very best,” Ferentz said in the release.

Copeland is the second offensive coach to leave the Hawkeyes following offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s firing. Copeland and Brian Ferentz were the two longest-tenured offensive assistant coaches on Kirk Ferentz’s 2023 staff.

Iowa’s offense — and especially its passing attack — struggled mightily in 2023. The Hawkeyes ranked dead-last in the FBS in yards per game, yards per play and passing efficiency and was second-to-last in completion percentage.

Copeland’s departure opens the door for Iowa’s next offensive coordinator to potentially have a say in who one of his colleagues could be.

Offensive coordinator search

Tuesday’s brief update on Iowa’s “ongoing” offensive coordinator search was nearly three months — 78 days to be exact — after the October announcement of Brian Ferentz’s upcoming dismissal and 15 days after Iowa’s 35-0 loss in the Citrus Bowl.

Kirk Ferentz said while preparing for the bowl game in Orlando that he would “like to think by the third week of January, we got it done.”

Other schools in the Big Ten such as Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern and Penn State already have filled their offensive coordinator vacancies.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com