Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz Suspended Over Recruiting Violation

Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz and an assistant coach are facing a suspension due to recruiting violations.

Scott Dochterman from The Athletic reports that Ferentz and wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr will each receive a one-game suspension for the violations. A source familiar with the investigation told The Athletic that the violation had to do with the recruiting of quarterback Cade McNamara before the transfer portal opened in 2022.

The suspension is related to an NCAA investigation, but The Athletic states that it isn't clear if the sanctions are being handed down by the University of Iowa or by the NCAA. Iowa Athletic Director Beth Goetz declined to comment. Ferentz is scheduled to meet the media this afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

McNamara played his first three seasons of college football at the University of Michigan. He led the Wolverines to the Big Ten Championship in 2021 but played only three games in 2022 due to a knee injury. The Athletic reports that he entered the transfer portal on November 28th of that year, the day it opened. By November 29th there was mutual interest between McNamara and Iowa.

The Athletic reports that at that time, Budmayr was a special assistant to the head coach, and as a former assistant at Wisconsin, he had previously recruited McNamara. That past relationship was a factor in the quarterback joining the Iowa program. After an injury-plagued first season in Iowa City, McNamara is back with the Hawkeyes this season and is battling former Northwestern QB Brendan Sullivan for the starting job.

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