Iowa football to vacate 4 wins from 2023 season due to tampering violations
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- The NCAA Committee on Infractions has ruled that Iowa must vacate four wins from its 2023 football season due to tampering violations by head coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant coach Jon Budmayr involving communication with quarterback Cade McNamara before he entered the transfer portal.
- The violations occurred in late 2022 when Ferentz and Budmayr contacted McNamara, who had left Michigan but had not yet officially entered the transfer portal, rendering him ineligible under NCAA rules.
- Iowa and Ferentz had previously self-imposed a one-game suspension and recruiting restrictions, but the NCAA deemed these penalties insufficient and required the vacating of wins in games McNamara played.
- The decision reduces Ferentz’s career wins from 213 to 209, though he remains the winningest active coach in college football and the Big Ten’s career wins leader.
- Ferentz expressed disappointment with the ruling, stating the penalty was overly harsh and inconsistent, while the NCAA maintained that the tampering violation warranted the historic penalty despite Iowa’s arguments against vacating wins.
