Kirk Ferentz Worried About Coaching Future for His Sons

The 2025 college football season has already been wild, with head coaches losing their jobs almost every week. Even successful teams haven’t been safe. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has led the Hawkeyes to a 6–2 record this season, and he’s one of the longest-running head coaches in the sport. But even he says things feel different now — and not in a good way.

Ferentz joined The Rich Eisen Show on November 6 and talked about how the coaching world has become more intense and unstable. He said that while NIL money and revenue sharing are big changes, the biggest problem might be social media. According to Ferentz, online comments and fan reactions now have a real influence on whether schools fire coaches.

Kirk Ferentz remarked, “I worry about that because I have three children in the profession.” “The biggest thing that’s changed is the noise from social media.” He explained that decisions feel faster and more emotional now, and sometimes programs don’t get a fair chance to develop.

The coaching life is personal for Kirk Ferentz because all three of his sons work in football. His oldest son, Brian, has coached in both the NFL and college. After serving as Iowa’s offensive coordinator, Brian recently joined Fresno State as the tight ends coach, following a short role at Maryland. His middle son, James, is the assistant offensive line coach for the New York Giants. His youngest son, Steve, works with the University of South Dakota athletics program. Ferentz hopes they won’t have to deal with constant job fear as the profession becomes more unstable.

This season has already seen more than ten major head coaches fired. Big names like James Franklin, Mike Gundy, Brian Kelly, and Hugh Freeze have all been affected. Franklin, in particular, is in the spotlight because Penn State let him go while he still has a massive $72.7 million deal. Schools like Virginia Tech and possibly even Florida State could become options for him depending on what happens next with their coaching situations.

Kirk Ferentz says that rushing to fire coaches hurts programs more than it helps. When a coach leaves, recruits may change their minds, players may enter the transfer portal, and a team can lose its identity fast. “If you listen to the people in the stands too much, you’re going to be sitting with them,” he shared, quoting the renowned coach Marv Levy.

After 27 years at Iowa, Kirk Ferentz has seen a lot. But now, he’s more worried than ever — not just for himself, but for the future of his sons in a profession that seems to be changing faster than anyone expected.

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