ESPN’s Paul Finebaum delivered a harsh assessment of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz during a recent segment about college football coaches who may be living on past success.
Less than two weeks remain before the college football season kicks off. The criticism is already starting for the Hawkeyes.
Finebaum didn’t hold back when discussing coaches he believes are overrated heading into the 2024 season.
“I think sometimes coaches live off of their resume and not really anything they’ve done (lately). I think Kirk Ferentz is one of the most overrated coaches in the country.”
The comments come despite Ferentz’s lengthy tenure and consistent success in Iowa City. He’s led the program for 27 seasons with numerous bowl appearances.
Ferentz hasn’t responded to Finebaum’s remarks.
Iowa opens the season with three of their first five games at Kinnick Stadium. That stretch includes a Week 2 rivalry matchup in Ames against Iowa State.
The Hawkeyes finished 8-5 last season after qualifying for a bowl game in the competitive Big Ten. They fell to Missouri in Nashville to end their campaign.
The Sporting News’ Bill Bender takes a different view of Ferentz’s coaching ability. He ranked the Iowa coach 19th nationally among active coaches.
“With Mack Brown’s exit from North Carolina, Ferentz is now the active FBS leader in career victories,” Bender wrote. “The Hawkeyes have enjoyed 12 straight winning seasons, and the Hawkeyes have ranked no lower than 13th in scoring defense since 2018.”
Iowa faces a challenging schedule this fall.
A three-game stretch could determine their bowl eligibility. The Hawkeyes host Indiana on September 27, travel to Wisconsin on October 11, then return home for Penn State on October 18.
The season concludes with the traditional Black Friday rivalry game against Nebraska at noon ET on CBS.
