Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz admitted to a recruiting violation that will sideline him for a game

Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz has accepted his one-game suspension for a recruiting violation involving transfer quarterback Cade McNamara.

Ferentz and assistant Jon Budmayr will both miss the Aug. 31 contest against Illinois State, as the penalty has been self-imposed by Iowa. Assistant coach Seth Wallace will lead the program for that game.

“Iowa said the Level II violation occurred in late 2022 surrounding improper communication with a player and his family prior to him entering the portal. McNamara is not named in the school’s news release,” ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported.

“Ferentz and athletic director Beth Goetz agreed to the school-imposed penalty after a review and consulting with NCAA officials. The NCAA’s investigation is ongoing.”

Speaking with media on Thursday to discuss the suspension, Ferentz admitted to the recruiting violation and apologized for it.

“I’ve taught our players, you know, we abide by the rules, and in this specific case, I did not do that,” Ferentz said, per The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman. “I made a mistake during the recruiting process. I want to apologize to our players, coaching staff, university leadership and our incredible fans.”