Sources: Ferentz suspended for QB recruiting

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant Jon Budmayr will be suspended one game for a violation related to the recruitment of transfer quarterback Cade McNamara, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Ferentz is the nation’s longest-tenured FBS coach, having led Iowa since the 1999 season. Budmayr serves as the Hawkeyes’ wide receivers coach after working as a special assistant to Ferentz in 2023 and offensive analyst in 2022.

The suspensions are related to an NCAA investigation, according to sources. Iowa is set to open the season Aug. 31 at home against Illinois State.

Ferentz is scheduled to speak with reporters Thursday afternoon to wrap up preseason training camp. The Athletic first reported the suspensions for Ferentz and Budmayr.

McNamara committed to Iowa on Dec. 1, 2022, just three days after entering the portal as a graduate transfer. He started for Michigan in 2021 as the team won the Big Ten and reached the College Football Playoff but suffered a season-ending leg injury in the third game of the 2022 season.

McNamara has battled injuries throughout his time at Iowa but opened the 2023 season as the Hawkeyes’ starter. Although Ferentz announced in July that McNamara was the starter, McNamara and Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan have been competing for the job in camp.

Budmayr, a former Wisconsin quarterback, was offensive coordinator at Colorado State in 2021 before joining the Iowa staff.