The 2020s will be marked as the decade of change for Iowa athletics. Men’s and Women’s basketball both made changes after long tenures at the university. Rick Heller is in his 60s and could hang it up relatively soon. It’s a bittersweet time to be a Hawkeye fan. I’m sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what the future holds. That’s all fun, but at the end of the day, it’s all small potatoes compared to the looming question with the football program.

I’m not running Ferentz out of town, but having a plan when he calls it quits is paramount in today’s college football landscape. Everything is fast-moving chaos; there’s no way to avoid it, only to adapt.

Being a head coach today is like being a whitewater rafting instructor. The best of them dodge disasters constantly, can bark orders but still show you a good time, and make you feel like everything is alright. Ferentz has done surprisingly well as Iowa’s guide on the NIL and portal river. He makes you feel safe, and you’ll go home satisfied, even if it was a little tame. We should keep him around as long as he wants to be here.

The man will be 70 by the time we kick off against Albany in the fall. I see a world where we get a Clint Eastwood career arc from Ferentz. The year is 2040, and Patrick Mahomes Jr leads the Hawkeyes to an undefeated season under Iowa’s football czar, Kirk Ferentz. Still punishing his gum on the sidelines, now with his dentures. This isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds, folks. 2040 could be Ferentz’s version of Eastwood’s “The Mule”.

As fun or weird as elderly Ferentz recruiting 17-year-olds would be, it’s not what the athletic department should bank on. Admittedly, I have no clue what the athletic department has done in preparation for his imminent retirement. They could have a succession plan for all I know. I suspect they won’t prepare much for fear of upsetting Ferentz on his way out of town. We’re going with the ignorance is bliss method for now. I’ll do what I hope Goetz and company have started. ?It’s time to do a preliminary coaching search.

There’s no obvious choice out there waiting for the hawks like there was for the men’s basketball program. When the opening comes around, I pray that the perfect man for the job is sitting right there. Iowa could be the most attractive job available. Iowa is a top-tier job if Kirk doesn’t crash and burn in the last few years. The previous two coaches lasted at Iowa for as long as we would have them. The track record would give the next potential head coach ample time to establish themselves in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes are a top 20 brand in football and are safely in one of the two mega conferences. It seems unlikely that a program bigger than Iowa would have a vacancy that has no strings attached.

The disadvantage we get is not having hired a head coach since before I was born. It’s a champagne problem for us, but a challenge regardless. There’s a crucial pitfall to avoid that our little brother failed to do. Do not fall for the shiny thing when you’re not a shiny program.

When Wisconsin went with Luke Fickell in 2022, I was shocked and nervous for Iowa’s future. Fickell undeniably did a fantastic job at Cincinnati. Bringing a G5 program to the four-team playoffs was an impressive feat and a credit to the culture he created. I thought he’d turn the Badgers into a nationally competitive powerhouse in 2022. That’s why I’m writing blogs and not making institution changing decisions.

Like Iowa, Wisconsin had its brand of football solidified for twenty years. That identity doesn’t just consume the team on the field, but the fans, local prep football, and the entire state. The problem is that Fickell tried to change that identity on day one. Going from the power run game to the “Dairy Raid” undid what Barry Alvarez started and others continued.

I love country music, and the twangier the better for me. Real “my dog ran off and she left me” type of stuff is what I love. I know what I’m getting and don’t worry about finding new stuff. Fickell to Wisconsin was like Beyonce wanting to do country music. I’m a Beyonce guy for the record, but really? Because country music is hot in the streets doesn’t mean anyone can do it. The music wasn’t true to the genre and was dishonestly labeled country. It alienated her and country fans alike, leaving all parties unhappy.

That’s what I fear about Iowa’s future. It’s easy to fall in love with a young guru who wants to shake things up. We should embrace change whilst still keeping the strong foundation that has been built. I’m generally against offensive coordinators who are below 40. Sorry, those guys usually think they know everything and never actually do.

Now here’s where I differ from most of the fanbase. I am strongly against promoting within the program. How could anyone invigorate the program into a new era? The excitement wouldn’t be there. Excitement matters a lot when hiring a college coach. In today’s game of NIL, getting our wealthy boosters excited will do wonders. It’s like how Madden trots out the same game at the same price. I’ll pay for it, but I will not go any higher. A new version advertised as fun, adding more unique features, would get me to shell out some extra bucks. We’d have an incredible talent budget if every donor threw in a couple of extra bucks.

The Usual Suspects

The two internal options would be LeVar Woods and Seth Wallace. Woods would’ve excited me a few years ago, but we missed the boat on him. He’d be good, but it doesn’t move the needle enough for me. Ferentz also has shown a preference for Seth Wallace.

I suspect Wallace will have the best shot at the job. I can’t express how much I don’t agree with it. What can he do? Linebackers have been great, we do appreciate it, but Phil Parker is the brains behind everything on defense. The promotion to assistant head coach was to ensure he didn’t leave us for Minnesota. He’s a little prickly and he’d be way over his head if he got the job. Wallace doesn’t have the personality or experience to take the reins.

Regarding external options, it’s broader than most would limit us to. I hope Ferentz has little to no input on who succeeds him. Let’s go outside of the realm of conventional thinking when it comes to Iowa sports. Why can’t we get someone with no prior ties to Iowa? It happens everywhere else in college sports, except Iowa. I don’t want to be limited to Mark Stoops and Chris Klieman.

To the people who wish to get Klieman, I am with you. He’s done a great job. He’s just not into us. In an interview, he recently said he has no ties to Iowa or Iowa State. Plus, Klieman is doing just fine in Manhattan and seems comfortable.

Stoops doesn’t do it for me. I’m sorry, the guy is fine, but I don’t know where he can take us. Stoops is your favorite hoodie when the temperature hits 50 degrees. It’s comfortable and familiar, but you’re not getting complimented when you walk down the street. There’s another level to be accessed. Here’s who’s taking us there.

The Better Options

I chose two candidates for this exercise. One is for if Ferentz is gone within two years, and the other is three plus years down the road. The guy for the immediate future that I would love is Jeff Monken from Army. What he has done with a service academy is unbelievably impressive. Monken is 82-57 in his time at West Point. He turned around the program and, most importantly, turned around their fortunes in the biggest rivalry in sports.

Monken is an older gentleman, but the guy is tough as nails. The kids would say he has aura. He looks like he’d crush your hand when he goes to shake it. Monken reminds me of Kirk in a lot of ways. They’re beloved by their players, establish a culture, and maximize what they are given. Recruiting at Army is virtually impossible, with the rigorous standards and military service. Last year, he went 12-2, undefeated in American Athletic Conference play against legitimate programs like Tulane and Memphis. Monken has proven he’s able to win with huge disadvantages.

I’d love to see what he could do with Iowa’s resources. The culture of assignment-sound, disciplined football would fit seamlessly into the program. Tough, smart, physical would continue to thrive if Monken took over. It makes too much sense. Monken is also a midwestern guy who would respect what Ferentz built. He was rumored to have turned down a West Virginia offer this offseason. Turning down a return to Big Ten country with a program like Iowa seems impossible to say no to. He’d just get it at Iowa. It’d keep the current Iowa football identity going into the future.

Monken probably wouldn’t be the grand slam, national champion, program-elevating hire that could be out there somewhere. Nothing wrong with a solo shot, that’s what Monken is. He’d elevate the existing culture, and the fanbase would get behind him.

If I were Beth Goetz, I’d call Monken all the time. Chat the guy up. Go find out what music he likes, what car he drives, how he likes his coffee, and let him know we have around 20 million dollars to build a super version of what he has at Army. If I called the shots, I’d do what I could to steal him away from West Point.

Unfortunately, Monken is no spring chicken. He’s 58 years old (looks great though, still keeping it tight) and not getting younger. If Ferentz sticks around for a few more years, we’re missing the window to make Monken a feasible option. In that case, we should look at what Jordon Hudson is up to. Unfortunately, it’s looking like she’ll stay at North Carolina with her hubby, Bill Belichick. In that case, we should look into Jason Candle of Toledo.

I’ll address the sizeable red flag with Candle (great name, wow). He was an assistant to Matt Campbell during his time at Toledo. Not great.

I’m sure they’re still friendly, but if he got hired at Iowa, that’d be over. Candle and Campbell understand the rivalry. It’s a classic student surpasses the master situation. Candle is proving to be a force in everyone’s favorite Wednesday night conference, the MAC. Candle hasn’t had a losing season in a conference of volatile change. Not only does he not lose, he wins big. Toledo takes down a Power 5 team each year and has had four seasons with nine-plus wins. Candle is a mild-mannered Ohio guy who knows how to coach football.

He’s cranked out NFL talent from a program that doesn’t get big recruits. Candle reminds me a little bit of a younger Ferentz. Real low-key offensive guy who gets the job done. No tricks, no flash, just a good culture that squeezes every ounce of talent out of their guys. It would get me excited, but it feels very safe. Candle seems like a guy you trust with your darkest secrets. The best part is that he’s been at the helm in Toledo for ten years and is only forty-five.

There’s a chance Candle is just scratching the surface of what he can do as the figurehead of a small brand. Iowa could unlock Candle, and I want to see what that looks like.

Predicting things like a successor to a legend isn’t easy. The most likely outcome, much to my chagrin, will be a Seth Wallace promotion. Gross. We can do so much better. Get on the phones and start poking around and see what’s possible for us. Just don’t let Kirk know we’re snooping around. If you’re reading this, Beth Goetz, I’m prepared to dial any number you want. I have nothing else going on, so don’t be a stranger. That’s enough conjecture for today. Go Hawks (especially you, Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend).