Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz to serve 1-game suspension for Cade McNamara recruiting violation
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz and wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr will not coach the Hawkeyes’ season-opening game on Aug. 31 against Illinois State due to self-imposed one-game suspensions.
Ferentz and Budmayr will sit out the game after they were notified of possible recruiting violations related to the transfer of quarterback Cade McNamara from Michigan to Iowa in 2022.
“I frequently tell our players to abide by the rules, and in this instance, I did not,” Ferentz said in a statement released by the school on Thursday. “In 26 years as head coach at Iowa, — and more than four decades as a coach — this is my first potential Level II NCAA infraction.
“I made a mistake and would like to apologize to our players, University leadership, and our Hawkeye football fans. I know Coach Budmayr echoes those sentiments.”
During a Thursday press conference, Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz said that the school was notified of the violation by the NCAA and made the decision to self-impose the penalties for Ferentz and Budmayr.
Ferentz said that the violation was regarding contact made with McNamara before he entered the transfer portal. Budmayr had previously recruited McNamara when Budmayr was an assistant at Wisconsin.
McNamara committed to Iowa on Dec. 1, 2022, three days after he entered the transfer portal. He started for the Wolverines in 2021, leading the team to the Big Ten title and the College Football Playoffs. His season came to an end during the third game of the season after he injured his knee.
Last season with Iowa, McNamara threw for 505 yards and four touchdowns in five games before suffering a torn ACL.
McNamara remains eligible to play and would be the starting quarterback if the season started this season, Ferentz said.
After taking charge of the Hawkeyes program in 1999, Ferentz is the longest-tenured FBS head coach. Budmayr joined as an offensive analyst in 2022 and worked as a special assistant to Ferentz last season.
Assistant coach Seth Wallace will take charge for the game against Illinois State.
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