Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz, assistant suspended for game over recruiting

Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz will be suspended for the Hawkeyes' season-opener because of a recruiting violation. Wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr also will receive a one-game ban.

Sources told the The Athletic , ESPN and 247Sports about the suspensions late Wednesday. Those reports said the bans are related to the recruitment of transfer quarterback Cade McNamara.

The Hawkeyes will host Illinois State in their season opener at noon EDT Aug. 31 in Iowa City.

Ferentz, 69, has a 196-119 record over 25 seasons as Hawkeyes coach and is the longest-tenured coach in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Hawkeyes went 10-4 last season, but lost to Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl.

McNamara, who started his career at Michigan, committed to Iowa on Dec. 1, 2022. He opened the 2023 season as the Hawkeyes starter, completing 46 of 90 (51.1%) passes for 505 yards, four scores and three interceptions over five appearances last season.

Fellow Hawkeyes quarterback Deacon Hill completed 122 of 251 (48.6%) of his throws for 1,152 yards, five scores and eight interceptions over 13 games last season.

Hill transferred to Utah Tech this off-season. McNamara is competing with Brendan Sullivan for starting duties this year. Sullivan announced his transfer from Northwestern in May.