While the Iowa Hawkeyes still have a date in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against the Tennessee Volunteers, a lot of focus can turn to the offseason and what the next chapter in Iowa City looks like.
The last few seasons have been tumultuous offensively with production (or lack thereof), media storylines surrounding the team, and finally a change coming with Brian Ferentz exiting following the season. That final tidbit is what the Hawkeyes must answer this offseason.
With the offensive coordinator role open, ESPN knows that the biggest question facing Iowa this offseason is turning the offense around and how that will be done.
How and where will the Hawkeyes’ offense improve under a new offensive coordinator?
There’s no question Iowa’s offense has lagged behind the stout unit defensive coordinator Phil Parker, the 2023 Frank Broyles Award winner, has led for years. But this season it became clear that the offense needed an overhaul — it ranked 130th nationally in total offense (238.8 YPG) and 127th in both passing (123.2 YPG) and scoring (16.6 PPG). Kirk Ferentz’s son Brian isn’t returning in 2024 as the offensive coordinator after six seasons, and whoever gets to call the shots on offense will be one of the highly watched moves of the offseason. Quarterback Cade McNamara (505 passing yards with four TDs and three interceptions in five games) will return for his final year of eligibility after tearing his ACL against Michigan State in September. —Baumgartner
To put it bluntly, Iowa was anemic on offense this year against everyone they played. It was exacerbated when they played against the upper echelon of the Big Ten with Penn State and Michigan. They were shut out over the entirety of those two games.
The question within this question is a bit more complex. Who does Kirk Ferentz bring onboard to call the offense? Do they even get full reign of the offense? Does he promote internally or bring in someone from the outside? How much involvement does Beth Goetz have in the hiring decision?
The overall question of asking how Iowa can improve is straightforward enough. When unwrapped, things get much more nuanced and a bit congested. As the page turns to the offseason, Iowa doesn’t have the luxury of waiting. Offensive improvement needs to happen and it needs to happen fast.
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