Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant coach John Budmeyer will be suspended one game for a violation related to the recruitment of transfer quarterback Cade McNamara, according to multiple reports.
Ferentz is the longest-tenured FBS coach in the country, having led Iowa since the 1999 season. Budmeier is the team’s linebackers coach after serving as a special assistant to Ferentz in 2023 and an offensive analyst in 2022. The suspensions are reportedly related to an NCAA investigation. Iowa is scheduled to open the season on Aug. 31 at home against Illinois State.
Ferentz is scheduled to speak to reporters Thursday afternoon to wrap up preseason training camp. The Athletic first reported the suspensions of Ferentz and Budmeier.
McNamara committed to Iowa on Dec. 1, 2022, just three days after entering the gate as a graduate transfer. He started for Michigan in 2021 as the team won the Big Ten championship and reached the College Football Playoffs, but suffered a season-ending leg injury in the third game of the 2022 season. McNamara has struggled with injuries throughout his time at Iowa but opened the 2023 season as the team’s starter. Although Ferentz announced McNamara as the team’s starter in July, McNamara and Northwestern’s Brendan Sullivan were competing for the job in camp.
Budmeier, a former Wisconsin quarterback, was offensive coordinator at Colorado State in 2021 before joining the Iowa staff.
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