Brian Ferentz’s evaluation as Iowa offensive coordinator will be ‘same process’ as usual

Brian Ferentz believes he did ‘best I could this year with the pieces we had’

Dec. 30, 2022 2:27 pm, Updated: Dec. 30, 2022 4:23 pm

Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz walks off the field after during a weather delay in Iowa’s win over Nevada at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

NASHVILLE — Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz will “go through the same process he always does” to evaluate offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, athletics director Gary Barta said Friday.

“Because of Brian's relationship to Kirk, I'll be more involved than I otherwise would, but the process Kirk uses will be exactly the same,” Barta said shortly after news conferences with the Music City Bowl head coaches and offensive and defensive coordinators.

Barta’s deference to Kirk Ferentz is despite Barta officially being Brian Ferentz’s supervisor to comply with the University of Iowa’s nepotism policy.

Asked whether he would be willing to overrule Kirk Ferentz’s decision on Brian Ferentz’s future, Barta said Friday he will “wait 'til Kirk is done with his evaluation.”

Going into the Music City Bowl, Iowa’s offense ranks 130th out of 131 FBS teams in yards per game and 122nd in points per game.

It’s not a new problem for the Hawkeyes, who were 121st in yards per game and 99th in points per game in 2021.

The metrics Barta uses to evaluate Brian Ferentz will be “the same metrics that Kirk uses to evaluate anybody.”

Kirk Ferentz, when asked earlier this month about the metrics he will use to evaluate the offense and his offensive coordinator, did not offer any specific ones. Instead, he pointed to reasons for the metrics being low, including injuries and the loss of Charlie Jones to the transfer portal.

Brian Ferentz said Friday he did “the best I could this year with the pieces we had to try to put the team in a position to win.”