OT: Ferentz to Cleveland?

[Son of a Badger]

Listening to ESPN radio heading back down to the Cities last night and after Chris Mortenson reported on the firing of Romeo Crennel the leading candidate other than a Cowher or Parcells was Kirk Ferentz. I was really surprised as I don't see Ferentz as an effective NFL coach.

 

[Anderson8284]

Ferentz has a fairly extensive NFL background

A coupl've of our frequent posters who are Hawkeye fans can supply all the details, but the Captain has quite an NFL background as an asst. coach. I'd guess he would be more likely than most college FB coaches to be successful in the NFL. Funny, when he ws hired at IC, he was criticized as being to "pro-oriented" to succeed in the college game.

If he decides to leave, it will obviously be on his terms. He was actually fairly close to folks in the previous regime at Cleveland, so I'd say a move there now is unlikely. One of the other jobs that opens up might be more likely (Jets???) -> that being said, his younger son is on scholarship at Iowa and just finished his RS freshman season, so I don't know how likely a jump the NFL is for the Capt. yet.....

I wouldn't miss him much if he goes pro. He's been a tough opponent......

 

[tjgopher]

Listening to ESPN radio heading back down to the Cities last night and after Chris Mortenson reported on the firing of Romeo Crennel the leading candidate other than a Cowher or Parcells was Kirk Ferentz. I was really surprised as I don't see Ferentz as an effective NFL coach.

From 2002-2006 Ferentz was rumored for every NFL opening. He was a hot NFL coaching prospect. He interviewed with a couple of teams. Ultimately, Iowa made him the highest paid coach in the Big Ten and one of the top three in the country (at the time) to keep him. With his recent downward trend, his name has not been popping up as much. He has Iowa back being a Jan. 1 bowl team so his name is getting thrown around again.

As mentioned, he was a longtime assistant with Cleveland and Baltimore in the NFL, working under Bill Billicheck and Ted Marchibroda.

 

[mkAz]

I'd love to see him leave the Big Ten.

 

[StPaulHawkeye]

Coach Ferentz WILL go to the pros

Eventually.
I just don't think it will be this year. As Anderson8284 said, he does have a son playing football for him at Iowa right now, so I would venture that he'll stay until he is done.
Additionally, I don't know if the Cleveland or Detroit jobs are all that enticing. He doesn't seem like a New York type of guy either.

 

[MplsHawk]

My prediction is that he will never go to the NFL

Eventually.
I just don't think it will be this year. As Anderson8284 said, he does have a son playing football for him at Iowa right now, so I would venture that he'll stay until he is done.
Additionally, I don't know if the Cleveland or Detroit jobs are all that enticing. He doesn't seem like a New York type of guy either.

Just my opinion, but the longer he is away from the NFL, the less likely it is that he will ever return. He will be around four more years until James graduates after the 2012 season. At that point, he will have been in Iowa City for a 14 year stretch, and will have coached in Iowa City for 23 out of 32 years. I just don't see him heading back to the NFL. He has also made some comments over the years about NFL players and the super star attitudes of some of them.

If he were to leave Iowa City, I could see him going to a higher profile college team before I could see him going to the NFL. Just my $0.02 worth.