However, the Iowa football program must also recognize the precarious nature of its current situation. Iowa’s offense needs the kind of fixing only a cleansing fire can provide, which may require Kirk to part ways with his son/offensive coordinator Kirk’s son, Brian Ferentz, rethink the fundamentals of his offense, and embrace the trappings of modern recruitment and roster-building to fast track the rebuilding process. Iowa has a favorable schedule next season and should have another championship-caliber defense in tow. Given the massive uncertainty surrounding the next few years, it would be criminal for the coaching staff not to do everything it can to assemble an offense good enough to make one final push for a divisional title. For all his perceived stubbornness, Kirk Ferentz has also proven capable of altering his approach when the situation calls for it, such as embracing “New Kirk” and abandoning some of his more conservative coaching tendencies, adopting the 4-2-5 base defense, and making much-needed cultural changes in the wake of conversations surrounding racial bias. If Iowa wants to win the West next season and set the program up for another bout of sustained success, its leadership must prove that it is willing to continue evolving, even if doing so means stepping outside their comfort zone.
