3 interesting quotes from Ferentz’s news conference
IOWA CITY — Kirk Ferentz's typical news conference to kick off spring football got pushed back seven days, with so much sports activity already going on last week in Iowa City between the men's NIT and women's NCAA Tournament.
So, on Tuesday, Ferentz, for the first time, addressed his 2024 football team, already having one week of spring practice in the books. And in his opening statement, he seemed to relish the lack of attention his program has received the past two months since Tim Lester was hired as offensive coordinator.
“It has been a while,” Ferentz said. “Everybody here has been busy covering a lot of good success stories. We've been quiet for a while, too, which isn't all bad.”
Early on, Ferentz addressed the arrival and departure of offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor without ever saying his name, adding these strong words: “If there's a silver lining here, we didn't spend any practice reps with someone who had no intention of being here. And that's a positive.”
The offense is where all the biggest question marks for the Hawkeyes are this spring, this summer and this fall. We'll continue to learn more about the quarterback situation and the Lester offense as we go.
On that note, here were probably the three most notable quotes from Ferentz during his 30-minute news conference.
“We're just taking his playbook material and going with it.”
What's that we hear? A round of applause from Hawkeye nation? That comment was made about how Lester is constructing things while taking over college football's worst Power Five offense in each of the last two years. There was some trepidation that Lester, a six-year Western
Michigan head coach who spent last season with the Green Bay Packers, would cater to whatever Ferentz wanted, but it appears he does have the keys to the offense.
Now, there might be a restrictor plate on the engine, but Lester at least has a license to drive this thing where he wants.
That's the good news. The bad news, and this should be expected, is that installing a fresh offense doesn't happen instantly.
“It's been a process,” Ferentz said. “We're trying to install something each and every day. It's been challenging, I think, for everybody, and myself included, just learning the language and … trying to keep up.”
Ferentz said Lester has been a good fit personally and professionally. Remember, this is only the second outside hire that Ferentz has made at offensive coordinator since 1999, so Lester came with some unknowns. Not repeating Greg Davis' disastrous first season of 2012 is a must.
Considering Iowa should have a Playoff-caliber defense, there's urgency in making sure 2024 is productive offensively.
“I think it's going to look different,” Ferentz said, but stressed that Iowa will still emphasize complementary football led by a strong defense. “But I think philosophically we're in line. … Not being reckless with the football is a big part of that, and being good on special teams. That's been a big part of our blueprint.
“Stats are great and all that, but the most important stat is winning games, and that has been first and foremost. And my visits with Tim, I think that's where he's at, too. He thinks the same way, and he gets it. He gets how things work together.”
“I would like to think in June he will be full speed to do everything.”
This was Ferentz on quarterback Cade McNamara, who suffered a torn ACL during Iowa's Sept. 30 home game against Michigan State. That seems like a really good prognosis for the sixthyear senior.
Brief practice videos on social media have shown McNamara in the pocket throwing passes, but Ferentz cautioned that he won't be doing much this spring.
“He can throw the football standing, but he can't be really moving back, moving around or dropping, that type of deal,” Ferentz said. “I have a harness on him because he's always anxious to do a little bit more than what he probably should. What we don't want to do is go backward.”
A June return would give him nearly three months to get prepped for the Aug. 31 opener vs. Illinois State.
Deacon Hill was listed No. 2 on Tuesday's released depth chart and Marco Lainez No. 3, but that doesn't really mean anything right now. Hopefully, as spring ball goes on, we'll get a better sense of how Iowa feels about its quarterback room.
“Really interested in all the positions on our team,” Ferentz said, “but really curious to see how the two guys competing right now (at quarterback) look at the end of spring ball.”
Unless Hill or Lainez wows in spring ball, Iowa will need to hit the transfer portal. Depth is crucial at QB, given McNamara's injury history and how rough the offense was with Hill at the helm, capped by a 35-0 loss to Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl.
“We haven't been as good up front as we've been in years past.”
That is about Iowa's offensive line. And yes, we knew that just by watching the lack of consistent production in the running game and the constant punts. But coming out of Iowa's February selfscouting sessions, at least the head coach saw that poor line play was at the root of Iowa's offensive problems.
“It's tough to operate offensively within most systems if you don't block as well as you like,” Ferentz said.
Losing Proctor, a 14-game starter at left tackle for Alabama last season, doesn't help. For now, Mason Richman is at left tackle again, with Gennings Dunker at right tackle and Nick DeJong as a swing tackle who could kick inside to guard.
Center Logan Jones is out this spring after surgery. Three others on the line have starting experience – guards Beau Stephens and Connor Colby and center Tyler Elsbury. Those seven offensive linemen have a combined 150 college starts. A lot of those were poor starts, but Ferentz is banking on their experience paying off.
Iowa will need some good development stories to join that veteran group. Redshirt freshmen Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper appeared on Tuesday's depth chart as second-team guards.
“We have an opportunity maybe to develop into a good line because we do have pretty good experience,” Ferentz said. “I think we have good leadership in there, too, and that's paramount to any group, any team.
“It's just a matter of taking the steps in front of them and just keep working. The guys that are out there right now are working hard and doing a good job.”
Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has served for 29 years with The Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Sports Network. Chad is the 2023 INA Iowa Sports Columnist of the Year and NSMA Co-Sportswriter of the Year in Iowa. Join Chad's text-message group (free for subscribers) at HawkCentral.com/ HawkeyesTexts. Follow @ChadLeistikow on Twitter.