CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd broke down 24 compelling storylines, teams, coaches and players that will dominate the 2024 college football season.
Iowa football and Kirk Ferentz made the cut.
Dodd highlighted “Ferentz in winter” as one of his top storylines for 2024.
The second-oldest FBS coach (69) didn’t get this far just punting and playing defense. Wait, actually, Kirk Ferentz did exactly that. Even with the worst offense since the Washington Generals, Iowa still won 10 games last season. With a healthy quarterback (Cade McNamara), a new offensive coordinator coordinator (Tim Lester) and a can’t-be-that-bad-again attitude, the Hawkeyes could average 20 points this season. Iowa hasn’t done that since 2021 and has scored as many as 20 in a Big Ten game only seven times in the last two years. If Ferentz’s O is merely average this season, he’ll get three more contract extensions before the bowl game. – Dodd, CBS Sports.
Like many nationally, Dodd appears most interested in seeing what new offensive coordinator Tim Lester can do with returning quarterback Cade McNamara and Iowa’s offense.
Dodd rides that fine line of, “Wait, was that a compliment or not?”
Entering his 26th season leading the program, Ferentz is the dean of the Big Ten and of college football. Over the course of his tenure, Ferentz has become Iowa’s all-time winningest coach as he has guided the Hawkeyes to 21 bowl invites in his 25 seasons.
Ferentz boasts a 196-119 (122-85 Big Ten) mark in Iowa City. With its 25 conference victories from the 2020 through the 2023 season, Iowa has matched its highest four-year conference win total in program history.
The Hawkeyes have done so on the backs of their stellar defense and special teams.
Iowa ranked fourth in scoring defense (14.8 points per game), fourth in passing efficiency defense (102.13), fifth in passing yards allowed (170.7) and seventh in total defense (282.5 yards per game) in 2023.
The Hawkeyes did all of that while ranking just 97th nationally in turnovers gained.
“As we look forward right now, our 2024 team, first obvious takeaway, we have a very sizable senior class, unusually big class that way. The COVID exemption added to that certainly back in January. Had a lot of guys choose to come back.
“I think we have a good leadership base with our football team based on the work they’ve done so far. As we get ready to head into camp next week, we’re healthy overall, and that’s certainly a positive also.
“The key thing right now, just like it is every year, is what kind of growth can we demonstrate throughout the month of August and then certainly as the season goes on as well?
“Just in a nutshell, defensively, we’re about as veteran as I can remember. A lot of good players back and a lot of guys that have done a great job. Like every other team, we expect those guys to be focused on growth and trying to take on new challenges because they’re certainly going to be coming at us
“Offensively, certainly a little bit more veteran than we have been, and that’s good news for us, especially up front. I think we have the potential to be a good offensive football team, but we still have steps to take, not unlike any season probably,” Ferentz said at Big Ten Media Days in July.
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