Kirk Ferentz on whether or not he’ll return to Iowa in 2025: ‘That is my plan’
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz discusses quite a lot of subjects on early signing day.
IOWA CITY − Simply because the Cade McNamara acquisition didn’t work for Iowa soccer doesn’t imply this system ought to shrink back from bringing in one other big-name transfer-portal quarterback.
And it seems the Hawkeyes agree with that strategy. Iowa has already been related to two outstanding portal targets at quarterback, specifically USC’s Miller Moss (a graduate who has one 12 months of eligibility remaining) and Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman (who has two years left). Extra names will floor Monday, when the transfer-portal window formally opens.
In accordance to On3’s write-up on Weigman, a former five-star prospect, Iowa is among the many record of 5 potential suitors and “is prepared to herald a top-level quarterback … and pay the {dollars} wanted.”
On Wednesday, McNamara formally ended his two-year Iowa profession by asserting he would enter the switch portal as he seeks a seventh 12 months of eligibility, one he ought to get after enjoying solely three video games for Michigan in 2022 earlier than knee surgical procedure. That was not a shock, contemplating McNamara has not performed since an Oct. 26 interception towards Northwestern and elected to not be honored throughout Iowa’s senior-day ceremony final Friday.
With Tim Lester returning as a second-year offensive coordinator, this can be a probability to begin contemporary at quarterback with guys he likes, guys he recruits. Iowa did add two incoming freshmen on Wednesday’s nationwide signing day in Fort Wayne, Indiana, prospect Jimmy Sullivan and walk-on Ryan Fitzgerald (son of former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald) of North Discipline, Illinois.
“Tim performed the place at a excessive stage. He’s coached the place for a very long time,” Iowa normal supervisor Tyler Barnes stated Wednesday. “He is aware of precisely what he’s searching for and precisely what he needs. However he’s additionally open-minded, too.”
The query is: Ought to Iowa herald a one-year quarterback like Moss or a longer-term choice who can maybe sit behind Brendan Sullivan and/or Jackson Stratton subsequent season? Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, who affirmed he would return for a twenty seventh season, is sustaining flexibility on that matter. Who has legit curiosity in Iowa? Who does Lester like? What’s the asking value? All these components will come into play.
“Normal reply on that’s we’re every little thing,” Ferentz stated. “The entire thought is to enhance our workforce as a lot as we are able to. … We’re simply searching for any person to steer the workforce and transfer the workforce. Brendan has carried out a very good job with that. We’re wanting to work with him. He’s received a extremely good future. Jackson’s actually intriguing. And Marco (Lainez) is a good younger man.”
Ferentz additionally famous that Sullivan, who suffered a big ankle harm Nov. 8 at UCLA, “needs to be full velocity” for Iowa’s bowl recreation, a vacation spot that will likely be revealed someday Sunday afternoon.
Roster retention is a excessive precedence
December is a loopy month in faculty soccer. Signing day was Wednesday. Convention championship video games are Saturday. Bowl bids are handed out Sunday. The portal opens Monday. It’s additionally awards season. And there nonetheless isn’t concrete steerage about what revenue-sharing will seem like subsequent season. leaving roster managers like Barnes in limbo.
However amid the chaos, Iowa coaches are grateful that they don’t seem to be on the highway recruiting this month like they often are. There’s sufficient happening as it’s.
“Initially, we’re spending time with our gamers,” Ferentz stated. “The blokes on our roster.”
There are a number of Hawkeyes who might elect to make use of an additional 12 months to return to Iowa subsequent season. All indications are that first-team all-Huge Ten heart Logan Jones and workforce sacks chief Ethan Hurkett will return for his or her sixth-year senior seasons. Each have a medical-hardship choice that they’ll use. Huge Ten return specialist of the 12 months Kaden Wetjen additionally has an additional 12 months from the COVID-19 pandemic that he might use to return for a fifth season in 2025.
Video: Tyler Barnes on legacy Hawkeyes Iose Epenesa, Mason Woods
Iowa soccer’s chief of employees and normal supervisor Tyler Barnes discusses quite a lot of subjects on early signing day.
Uncommon signing-eve drama for the Hawkeyes
Signing-day flips was extra widespread than they’re now, however Barnes was sweating out one prospect a lot that he missed seeing a memorable Hawkeye sports activities second.
Barnes attended Tuesday’s males’s basketball recreation between Iowa and Northwestern. And simply earlier than Josh Dix linked on a 30-plus foot shot as time expired to ship an 80-79 victory, Barnes received a textual content message that O’Lontae Dean’s signing may be in jeopardy.
“I didn’t see Dix make the game-winning shot as a result of I used to be wanting down at my cellphone at a textual content I didn’t count on to obtain with some not-so-great information,” Barnes stated. “So, it was a later night time than I’d wish to admit, however we received it carried out.”
Apparently, Louisville was making a late push for Dean’s providers. Dean is a 6-foot-1, 205-pound, do-it-all prospect from Seffner, Florida, however he’ll begin as a security for Iowa.
Dean will likely be one in every of seven gamers in Iowa’s 17-player class (two are walk-ons) who will enroll in January. The others: offensive lineman Lucas Allgeyer (6-6, 280) of St. Louis; defensive again C.J. Bell Jr. (6-1, 175) of Mansfield, Massachusetts; linebacker Carson Cooney (6-3, 215) of Oswego, Illinois; linebacker Burke Gautcher (6-3, 215) of Sycamore, Illinois; offensive lineman Joey VanWetzinga (6-2, 260) of Bettendorf; and Jimmy Sullivan.
Lester will keep on campus all spring to work with Sullivan and any new quarterback who comes aboard.
Time to restock the tight-ends cabinet
With Luke Lachey going to the NFL and Johnny Pascuzzi coming into the switch portal, Iowa will likely be rather a lot youthful at tight finish in 2025. It will be senior Addison Ostrenga and junior Zach Ortwerth on the prime, then query marks.
That’s mirrored in 20% of the Hawkeyes’ 15-player scholarship class being tight ends. Here’s what Barnes stated about every one.
- Thomas Meyer (6-5, 220) of Clear Lake: “Extremely-recruited child within the state. Fortunately comes from a Hawkeye household,” Barnes stated. “They’ve had season tickets eternally.” Iowa nonetheless needed to shut the deal on Meyer, who’s the highest recruit in Iowa and No. 141 nationally based on 247 Sports activities.
- Eli Johnson (6-5, 225) of River Falls, Wisconsin: “How Minnesota and Wisconsin weren’t throughout this child earlier than we received to him is unbelievable,” Barnes stated, noting that Johnson grew up 25 miles from Minneapolis. That sounds rather a lot like Iowa being in disbelief that Illinois by no means recruited Sam LaPorta in its yard, and that labored out amazingly nicely.
- Mason Woods (6-3, 210) of Iowa Metropolis West: The son of Iowa special-teams coordinator LeVar Woods has been within the constructing since he was in elementary faculty. He’s an athlete however will begin within the tight-ends room. “Sort of Noah Fant-ish, if you’ll. … He can actually run,” Barnes stated. “Superior ball expertise. Very fluid. He can simply be a mismatch on the market. I believe it is a man that Tim is wanting ahead to as a brand new toy.”
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has served for 30 years with The Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Sports activities Community. Chad is the 2023 INA Iowa Sports activities Columnist of the 12 months and NSMA Co-Sportswriter of the 12 months in Iowa. Be part of Chad’s text-message group (free for subscribers) at HawkCentral.com/HawkeyesTexts. Observe @ChadLeistikow on X.
