Iowa is known for having a stable coaching staff in football, but this spring is different. Brian Ferentz, the offensive coordinator and son of coach Kirk Ferentz, was fired last October. Tim Lester is the new OC since early February. This spring, they’re putting in a new offense to replace one that’s been one of the worst in Division I for the past two seasons.
This change is unusual for Iowa. Offensive lineman Nick DeJong says they’re not used to coaching changes, but they’re blending old and new terminology well.
Last season, Iowa had a 10-4 record but had the worst total offense and second-worst scoring offense among all Division I teams, averaging only 15.4 points per game. They even lost three games without scoring, including the Big Ten championship game and the Citrus Bowl.
Lester, who was with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers last season, is expected to improve the offense while keeping some of Kirk Ferentz’s principles that have been in place since 1999.
“It’s a new playbook with different words,” wide receiver Kaleb Brown explained. “But the ideas are similar.” Coach Ferentz always talks about all parts of the team working together, even with a new offensive coordinator.
“Yeah, the offense might look different, but our philosophy is the same,” Ferentz said. “He’s been a head coach before, so he knows how everything fits together. Defense has been strong here for over 20 years, so that’s important.”
Learning the new offense language was the hardest part for players this spring. “The plays are different,” said DeJong. “But the basics stay the same. It’s the strategies that change.”
Tight end Addison Ostrenga noticed more movement before playing with this offense. “The play calls are different, and then you have to run them,” Ostrenga said.
Putting in the new offense will take time. Quarterback Cade McNamara is recovering from a knee injury, but he should be ready for summer workouts. Deacon Hill, who played a lot last season, has been practicing with the first-string offense this spring.
“Learning a new offense is tough. This is my third time,” Hill said. “But this one is the hardest. Eventually, it starts to make sense. You still make mistakes, but you get better.”
