Iowa hired 28-year-old Brian Ferentz, son of Kirk, as its offensive line coach from a pool of 102 applicants and paid him $15,000 more than the other assistant the school hired, linebackers coach LeVar Woods. Ferentz the younger is a legitimate offensive line coach (fresh off employment with the Patriots), though this hiring has come under scrutiny, since it blatantly violates a university policy against nepotism.

The football program devised a cunning ruse to skirt this issue, trying to convince us head coach Kirk Ferentz played no role whatsoever in the hiring process and will not be his son’s boss during his tenure at Iowa. Placing your offensive line under the independent purview of the athletic department is clearly standard operating procedure at a major college football program.

Athletic director Gary Barta has said it was his decision to hire Brian Ferentz, he will act as his supervisor and that Kirk Ferentz recused himself from the interview process.

This entirely plausible narrative was, alas, thwarted unintentionally, by comments from Brian Ferentz himself.

Brian Ferentz said he had spoken about the job with his dad and took it because “you can’t say no to your father.”

We’ve no beef with Kirk Ferentz spreading the benificence of his personal fiefdom. This is Division I-A football. University policies are intended for mortals. Furthermore, this is Kirk Ferentz’ Iowa. Let them progress through an entire offseason with neither a massive drug scandal nor a rash of hospitalizations before holding them accountable for procedural malfeasances. Baby steps.

[Photo via Getty]