Discrimination suit dismisses Ferentz, Barta and Doyle claims

IOWA CITY — The former Hawkeye football players who in 2020 sued the University of Iowa athletics operation for racial discrimination and harassment have dropped their claims against head coach Kirk Ferentz, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, Athletic Director Gary Barta and former strength coach Chris Doyle.

Those dismissals leave the university and the state Board of Regents as the only defendants in the federal case, which last week also dropped claims against linebackers coach Seth Wallace.

While the Wallace dismissal was done “with prejudice” — meaning the players can’t refile a case against him — dismissals filed against both Ferentzes, Barta and Doyle were done “without prejudice,” meaning the players could try again.

And while Kirk Ferentz, Barta and Doyle in court documents filed Monday night didn’t oppose the dismissals “without prejudice,” Brian Ferentz in the documents reported he “opposes dismissal of these claims.”

A judge Tuesday issued an order granting the dismissal against Doyle, who explicitly in the filing said he didn’t oppose it happening “without prejudice.“

A next deadline in the case related to Brian Ferentz’s opposition to the dismissal is set for March 13, according to federal court documents. Filings do not specify why he is opposing the “without prejudice” dismissal.

The case had been set for a jury trial in May 2023, but a U.S. District Court judge earlier this month postponed a pretrial conference and trial until further notice “in light of pending motions in this case.”

The former players — Akrum Wadley, Jonathan Parker, Marcel Joly, Aaron Mends, Darian Cooper, Brandon Simon, Javon Foy and several others later removed from the lawsuit — sued the Hawkeye football program and its coaches in November 2020 following outcry from former players on social media and years of internal and external investigations into accusations of discrimination.

The lawsuit accused the program and coaches of creating a racially-hostile environment, using derogatory terms and discriminating against players — even hampering their post-college careers. In pursuing their case, the players made myriad requests for hundreds of thousands of documents and investigative reports on coaches — prompting a back and forth involving accusations of retaliation and stalling.

Before recent developments, the coaches had asked the judge to dismiss the claims against them or grant them immunity — given they’re public employees and arguing the players’ claims are too vague, too broad and too late.

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