Iowa Coach Drops Frustrating Comments on Transfer Portal

Iowa Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz has delivered some frustrating comments concerning the NCAA transfer portal.

Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz gives team updates during a press conference as spring training begins Wednesday, March 26, 2025 in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz has frequently been criticized to adapt to the modern era of college football, which involves utilizing the transfer portal.

While Ferentz has made some use of the portal, landing quarterback Cade McNamara back in December 2022 (which failed) and then bringing in another impressive signal-caller in Mark Gronowski this offseason, he has largely avoided it.

That has led to plenty of frustration from Iowa fans, and deservedly so considering how much other Big Ten schools have taken advantage of the portal over the last several years.

Well, the agitation of Hawkeyes fans will continue, as Ferentz recently stated at a press conference that he still doesn't plan on using the transfer portal all that much.

"Then the portal, we're not trying to build a roster out of the portal," Ferentz told reporters. "Pretty sure I'm correct in saying we're the lowest number in the Big Ten. I think Penn State had six, we had five, and I think Northwestern had nine. Everybody else it seems like is in the teens or beyond."

It almost seems as if Ferentz is taking pride in not bringing in a whole lot of players via the portal, which is really not the way to go in 2025.

Remember: the Ohio State Buckeyes just won a national championship with a transfer quarterback (Will Howard), a transfer running back (Quinshon Judkins) and a key transfer safety (Caleb Downs).

While building through recruiting is certainly the best way to create a championship team, refusing to dip into the portal is a mistake, and Ferentz—who has been coaching Iowa since 1999—has yet to really learn from it.

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