The Iowa Hawkeyes don't exactly represent a flash point of college football on a national scale, but Kirk Ferentz appears to be as secure as any coach in the country. After a 12-win season and a 45-21 win in the 2016 season opener, Ferentz received a new contract on Tuesday, and the 61-year-old will now be employed through the 2026 campaign.
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Kirk Ferentz new contract goes through 2026 and his salary goes up to $4.5 million.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) September 6, 2016
As part of the announcement of his new contract, Ferentz had this to say via an official statement:
"I am pleased and proud to continue as head coach of the University of Iowa football team through 2026. It is a tremendous privilege and responsibility to lead the Iowa football program. I am extraordinarily proud of our program, our players, and our supportive fans. I appreciate the trust and confidence demonstrated by Athletic Director Gary Barta and President Bruce Harreld - and I look forward to continuing our winning tradition."
During an 18-year career at Iowa, Ferentz holds a solid but uninspiring 128-87 record, but that was apparently good enough to command top dollar and more security than just about anyone in the sport. The Hawkeyes do land within the top 20 in both major polls for 2016 and expectations are high for this season, but this appears to be a leap toward security and safety more than anything else in Iowa City.
Kirk Ferentz embodies the Big Ten in a way that most head coaches can't claim so, in the long run, this move does make some semblance of sense.
