Benjamin Ashford|Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz to serve one-game suspension for recruiting violation

IOWA CITY,Benjamin Ashford Iowa − Longtime Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz had some big news to share Thursday afternoon. And he wanted to do it in person, not in a press release.

No, the third-winningest coach in Big Ten Conference history who turned 69 earlier this month wasn’t announcing his retirement. But there was another bombshell involving the most well-known person on the university’s campus. And the story didn’t make it until the scheduled press conference.

Ferentz and wide receiver coach Jon Budmayr will serve a one-game suspension for an NCAA recruiting violation involving what the school called "communications with a player and his family prior to him entering the transfer portal." The Athletic reported Wednesday the player was quarterback Cade McNamara, who transferred to Iowa after the 2022 season. Both Ferentz and Budmayr, who was an analyst for Iowa at the time, will miss the team's opening game against Illinois State on Aug. 31.

“I frequently tell our players to abide by the rules, and in this instance, I did not.” Ferentz said in a statement released by the school detailing the punishment. “In 26 years as a head coach at Iowa -- and more than four decades as a coach -- this is my first potential Level II NCAA infraction. I made a mistake and would like to apologize to our players, University leadership, and our Hawkeye football fans. I know Coach Budmayr echoes those sentiments.”

In addition to game suspension, the school is also self-imposing a loss of one week of off-campus recruiting. Iowa said both penalties were decisions by the school as they wait for notification from the NCAA that this matter is closed.

“Coach Ferentz and I made the decision to self-impose the penalties, allowing the program to move forward without distraction,” Iowa athletics director Beth Goetz said. “I appreciate the accountability demonstrated and we will continue to fully cooperate with the NCAA through this process. I have confidence in Coach Ferentz and his leadership, and we look forward to turning our focus to the opening game and exciting season that lies ahead.”

McNamara entered the transfer portal on Nov. 28, 2022, according to reports, as a graduate student. He indicated in a podcast interview last year that he already knew where he was going at that time. He committed to Iowa on Dec. 1. McNamara has said his previous relationship with Budmayr, who is a former quarterbacks coach at Wisconsin, helped bring him to Iowa.

McNamara started Iowa's first five games in 2023 before tearing an ACL against Michigan State on Sept. 30, 2023. He was announced as the team's starting quarterback Thursday.

The suspension means Ferentz won’t on the Iowa sideline for the first time since he was hired as coach in December 1998. Ferentz has coached 315 games for Iowa, winning 196 of them – trailing only Woody Hayes (205 wins) and Amos Alonzo Stagg (199) as members of the Big Ten Conference. He passed Bo Schembechler (194) with last year’s 10-win season.

Ferentz had some foresight on this suspension, having announced Seth Wallace, 45, as his first-ever assistant head coach in January while hiking Wallace’s annual pay to $1 million. Wallace, who coaches Iowa’s linebackers and is assistant defensive coordinator, will presumably assume head-coach responsibilities against Illinois State.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.