Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz receives pay cut, ‘designated performance objectives’ for 2023

IOWA CITY — Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz will receive a pay cut for the 2023 football season, Iowa announced Monday afternoon in a news release.

Ferentz will now earn $850,000 instead of $900,000 annually. His salary will increase, though, to $925,000 on Feb. 1, 2024, if he meets “designated performance objectives.”

The objectives include averaging at least 25 points per game and winning at least seven games, which includes the regular season and bowl game.

Iowa’s assistant coach contracts usually automatically extend from year-to-year, but his contract will "terminate“ on June 30, 2024 if he does not meet the objectives.

It’s not entirely clear whether that means he needs to meet the objectives to stay with Iowa, though. It’s also possible Ferentz and athletics department leadership negotiate a new contract or role in 2024.

If he does meet the objectives, Ferentz would receive a “one-time lump sum” bonus of $112,500 along with the raise to $925,000.

The objectives are not hard to accomplish. Eighty-five FBS teams averaged at least 25 points per game in 2022, and 71 FBS teams won at least seven games when including bowl games.

Considering Iowa’s success on defense and special teams, the difference between averaging 17.7 points per game and 25 points per game would likely be significant in the win-loss column. Three of Iowa’s five losses in 2022 were by seven points or fewer.

Other aspects of his contract, including postseason bonuses, remain the same.

The contract amendment, effective Feb. 1, 2023, follows a 2022 season in which the Ferentz-led offense was among the worst teams in several key statistics.

Iowa was 130th in yards per game, 129th in yards per play and 123rd in points per game. Head coach Kirk Ferentz, Brian’s father, said he did not anticipate any staff changes last week despite the subpar results.

Iowa athletics director Gary Barta, officially Brian Ferentz’s supervisor to avoid violating university nepotism rules, said last week discussions were “ongoing” about 2023 expectations.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com