Kirk Ferentz didn’t offer much mystery at Big Ten Football Media Days, and that was the point. The Iowa coach kept his answers tight on the questions that mattered most inside his own building, then turned blunt when the conversation shifted to the bigger picture in college football.
On Iowa’s quarterback battle, Ferentz said it could stretch all the way into late August. Asked about the defensive line, he said the Hawkeyes could rotate at least nine players there.
No peeking behind the curtain. No accidental hint.
Just Ferentz being Ferentz.
The clearest window into his thinking came when he was asked about the current state of the sport.
"I'm concerned."
That was Ferentz’s answer, plain and direct.
The longtime Iowa coach has been consistent on this subject. He has never argued against players being paid, but he does not like the way the system is currently operating.
As NIL has grown and revenue-sharing has become part of the landscape, Ferentz has made it clear that the lack of regulation bothers him. After the 2025-2026 season ended, he told On3 Sports' Pete Nakos that revenue-sharing is a "worthy and needed step," but he also said he dislikes how much of the money flow remains unregulated.
His skepticism also extends to the transfer portal and the money that comes with it. Ferentz has not exactly embraced the new setup, and his comments at media days fit right in with that stance.
He also brings a perspective that comes from the NFL. Before his long run at Iowa, Ferentz spent six seasons as an offensive line coach with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens from 1993-1998. He has said plenty of times that he doesn’t miss the NFL, but one thing he does miss is the clarity of payroll - in other words, a salary cap.
That part of the conversation is where Ferentz’s frustration really lives. College football now has revenue sharing, NIL, and the kind of spending power that can separate the biggest brands from everyone else. Ferentz’s view is that without some kind of cap or tighter regulation, the gap only gets wider.
He has been one of the more outspoken coaches on that front, and the concern is not hard to understand. Iowa has built itself into a steady program under Ferentz, following Hayden Fry’s turnaround after he was hired in 1979 following 13 consecutive losing seasons. The Hawkeyes are now in the middle of 13 consecutive winning seasons, and the program has long been associated with development and discipline.
But even with that foundation, Ferentz knows the financial side of the sport is changing fast. Iowa has a strong fan base, but it does not operate with the same resources as schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, and USC. An expanded College Football Playoff helps, but it does not erase the reality that the biggest programs still have a major edge.
That is why Ferentz keeps circling back to the same point. In his view, a salary cap would level things out and give programs a better shot at competing on something closer to equal footing.
Whether that kind of structure ever arrives is another question entirely. For now, Ferentz is making sure everyone hears where he stands.
In Other News...
Iowa Freshman Earns Rare Basketball Honor That Has Hawkeye Fans Proud
Miles Degner, a high school basketball player from Iowa with college aspirations, recently got a chance few prep players ever see when he was selected for the Student Athlete World program and sent on an international basketball tour in Costa Rica. The experience put him on a United States team that featured talent from across the country, and he stood out as the only Iowan in the group.
Degner earned the invitation through a competitive application process, one that reportedly accepted only about 15 percent of applicants, which makes the honor feel even bigger for a player still building toward the next level. Student Athlete World USA came home undefeated on the trip, a strong showing that only adds to the pride back in Iowa for a freshman whose name is starting to travel well beyond his own gym. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Ferentz Just Said What Hawkeye Fans Long Felt About Matt Campbell
Kirk Ferentz had plenty to say about Matt Campbell at Big Ten Football Media Days, and not just because the longtime Iowa State coach has become one of the most respected names in the league. Ferentz praised Campbells move into a new head-coaching role and called it a good fit, a nod to the kind of regard Campbell built across the state line while turning the Cy-Hawk game into one of the Big Tens more watched rivalries from afar.
For Iowa fans, the more interesting part was the tone beneath the compliment. Ferentz made clear he is relieved not to have Campbell on the other sideline in this seasons rivalry meeting, even as he acknowledged the matchup probably is not gone for good. Meanwhile, Iowa State is trying to sort through a major transition under Jimmy Rogers, with the program facing the usual post-departure questions and a roster that has already taken its share of transfer hits. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Ferentz Just Put Tony Diaz In Rare Hawkeye Company
Tony Diaz is already drawing attention in Iowa City, and not just because he arrived from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley with a reputation for making plays. At Big Ten Football Media Days, Kirk Ferentz singled out the transfer wide receiver for the kind of work ethic that tends to travel well in Iowa, pointing to a player who has shown he wants the ball and has the production to back up the buzz from his redshirt freshman season.
For a program that has long prized toughness and role clarity, Diaz fits the profile of a player who could matter quickly in the offense next season. Ferentz put him in rare company by linking that drive to some of the most recognizable names in Hawkeye history, which says plenty about the impression Diaz has already made and why his place in the receiver room is becoming one of the more interesting storylines to watch. [Read more 🡒]