The 2025 season might go down as one of the most turbulent years in recent college football history, when every Sunday seemed to claim another coach. Despite guiding the Hawkeyes to a 6-2 record, Kirk Ferentz, the 29th highest-paid coach in the country at $7.175 million, admits that even steady hands aren’t immune to the tension. Especially as massive contracts like James Franklin’s $72.7 million buyout dominate headlines. For Ferentz, the pressure extends beyond himself; he is now concerned about his family’s future in the profession.

On the November 6th episode of The Rich Eisen Show, the Iowa head coach said, “I’ve got three kids in the profession, and I worry about that. Three of my sons are all coaching, and I do worry about that. Obviously, you know NIL and revenue share, all that stuff, it’s a new world for us. But the biggest thing in my mind that’s changed is just the noise from social media,” Ferentz believes fan-driven reactions online now shape administrative moves, sometimes prematurely. And as a father, he can’t help but wonder what kind of coaching landscape his sons will have to navigate in the years ahead.

Kirk’s firstborn, Brian Ferentz, joined the New England Patriots in 2008 as a scouting assistant. Kirk later took him under his wing in Iowa. In 2015 and 2016, Brian was also the Iowa running game coordinator. Post that, Kirk’s firstborn was named the new offensive coordinator for Iowa. On January 15, 2025, he was named the tight ends coach for the Fresno State Bulldogs after serving as an offensive analyst in Maryland. 

His second son, James Ferentz, will likely be less affected by this CFB coaching overhaul because he has been the assistant offensive line coach for the New York Giants since 2024. While his youngest, Steve Ferentz, is associated with the University of South Dakota Athletics.

“A lot of good things on the internet, I’m sure, and social media but it just presents a different challenge, and I think that’s influenced the way a lot of people think, including people making decisions on the futures of programs.” With more than ten head coaches already dismissed from major programs, among them notable figures like James Franklin, Mike Gundy, Brian Kelly, and Hugh Freeze, Ferentz’s words carry even greater weight this season.

Ferentz believes the cycle of abrupt dismissals does more harm than good. When programs rush to replace experienced leaders with less seasoned hires, the ripple effects are immediate: instability in recruiting, players flooding the transfer portal, and entire teams struggling to find direction. Citing a quote from legendary coach Marv Levy, Ferentz added, “If you listen to the people in the stands too much, you’re going to be sitting with them.” In his view, this reactionary culture, fueled by social media outrage and booster impatience, is creating chaos rather than progress. And for a father with three sons building their own paths in coaching, that instability is concerning.

James Franklin’s freefall makes Kirk Ferentz anxious

After Penn State fired its head coach, Franklin must be going door-to-door. Yes, there indeed exists a mutual interest between Virginia Tech and Franklin, but the final stamp of approval is yet to come. Maybe that’s because he is now busy exploring more options. And unfortunately, his dream job now depends on the Florida State Seminoles head coach, Mike Norvell, to run out of time.

“A massive hinge point has been Florida State this whole time.  It’s almost comical, like, do you see that coming open? You sort of hear mixed reviews. If that were to come open, I think James Franklin would have interest. Now, is Franklin directly talking to those schools? No. But obviously, he’s going to try and see where they’re at and set the market with him if that’s what they’re to do,” said the Virginia Tech insider Kolby Crawford. 

It’s now up to the Seminoles whether they will get rid of Norvell or not. The head coach is locked into a massive deal, $72.7 million through 2031. So, even if the Noles pulled the plug, they’d still owe a staggering $53.3 million. Thanks to that 85% buyout clause. All these dilemmas must be leaving a feeling of dread in Kirk’s heart. 

For 27 seasons, Kirk Ferentz has been Iowa’s rock amid college football’s chaos. But as he watches the sport grow harsher by the year, one thought nags him: could his sons be next to endure a dark fate like James Franklin?