Kirk Ferentz addresses recruiting violation, suspension

IOWA CITY — Kirk Ferentz on Thursday publicly addressed the self-reported NCAA recruiting violation that resulted in a self-imposed, one-game suspension for both Ferentz and wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr.

Ferentz and Budmayr will each serve their suspensions during Iowa’s season opener against Illinois State on August 31. Assistant head coach Seth Wallace will serve as the head coach in the game.

Ferentz said the violation was impermissible contact of a recruit in 2022, and that it’s his first potential Level-II recruiting violation in 26 years as Iowa’s head coach. It will be the first game that Ferentz misses in his Hawkeye career.

A release from the Iowa athletic department characterized the violation as “communications with a player and his family prior to him entering the transfer portal”. Scott Dochterman of The Athletic reported that the player in question is quarterback Cade McNamara, a transfer from Michigan.

Ferentz and Budmayr will participate in team activities the week of the game, but must step away from all duties for 24 hours starting at 12:01 a.m. on August 31st. The Hawkeyes will also lose one week of off-campus recruiting.

Athletic director Beth Goetz said Thursday that the program collaboratively agreed to self-report the violation, and said that while it was a “mistake”, Ferentz used “poor judgment” in committing the violation.

Goetz went on to reiterate that she has complete confidence in Ferentz as the season progresses.

Iowa hosts Illinois State at 11:00 a.m. on the 31st at Kinnick Stadium.

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