Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz Sets Roster Management Standard Ahead of Revenue Sharing Era

Kirk Ferentz took early action on the NCAA’s new 105-player roster cap, helping Iowa football navigate revenue sharing changes with minimal disruption.

Nov 29, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz reacts as defensive back Quinn Schulte (30) looks on during the first quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Kinnick Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

With the final approval hearing for the House v. NCAA settlement just days away, college football is staring down the most dramatic transformation of its modern era.

If the proposed agreement is finalized (as many expect), schools will soon enter the revenue-sharing age, permitted to directly compensate athletes up to $20.5 million annually.

The shift does come with trade-offs, most notably a hard cap on roster size. Starting this fall, FBS programs must trim to 105 players, a sizable chunk from the 120-man rosters many coaches have long relied upon.

For plenty of programs, that number has become a springtime headache. Coaches are quietly crunching rosters behind closed doors, weighing scholarship talent against developmental walk-ons and delaying difficult conversations until the very last moment. In some places, the vibe is panicked, or at least uneasy.

For the Iowa Hawkeyes, things are different.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz, now entering his 27th season in Iowa City, made the call to get ahead of the inevitable. Instead of waiting until April or August, he and his staff told players in December whether they would likely be part of the final 105. It wasn’t easy. But it was honest.

“We just let our guys know in December if we couldn't guarantee a 105 spot,” Ferentz said via Football Scoop's John Brice. “We told our players that and allowed them to go on visits and still be part of the team and still go to the bowl and all that.”

That kind of transparency isn’t common in college football, especially when jobs and scholarships are on the line. But it’s worked. Iowa’s roster is already close to compliance, and several players chose to stay through spring camp despite knowing their futures may lie elsewhere.

Ferentz believes Iowa’s approach may benefit G5 and FCS programs, too. As high-major teams finalize cuts, a second wave of talent could hit the portal, players who suddenly find themselves on the wrong side of the 105.

“You have to wait until the end of April and get your net out and catch whoever falls through,” Ferentz said, describing what could become a spring ritual for smaller schools.

While painful for some, the roster squeeze will be a pipeline for many. It may shift the transfer calendar, change how scholarships are handed out, and give overlooked players new opportunities at programs eager to build from the fallout.

While the rest of college football is still bracing for impact, Iowa has already landed the punch. Ferentz read the room early, made the hard calls, and positioned his program for a smoother entry into the sport’s next financial chapter.

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