Kirk Ferentz may be the Big Ten's common denominator, but that doesn't mean everything in Iowa City has been smooth sailing for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Ferentz, who has led the Hawkeyes for 26 seasons, enters his 27th with a chip on his shoulder and a fresh start offensively. The offseason saw a key change at the quarterback position, which now sees Mark Gronowski succeed Cade McNamara entering this fall.
SN's Bill Bender still touts Ferentz as one of the sport's best coaches, ranking him at No. 18 among the top 25 coaches entering this season.
"With Mack Brown's exit from North Carolina, Ferentz is now the active FBS leader in career victories," Bender wrote. "The Hawkeyes have enjoyed 12 straight winning seasons, and the Hawkeyes have ranked no lower than 13th in scoring defense since 2018. The offense? Well, that's the point of criticism."
The Hawkeyes finished this past season 8-5, losing the Music City Bowl to the Missouri Tigers. Ferentz's team struggled against some of the league's best throughout much of the season, which included eventual national champion Ohio State.
Gronowski was candid in his assessment about why he says the relationship with Ferentz is going to pay off after meeting with local media last month.
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"It was great. Just kinda learning a lot about him," Grownowski told reporters. "I always see him as the face of Iowa football and that's kind of who he is as the head coach."
With added respect for Ferentz, Gronowski said he is excited to work alongside him.
"But I didn't really know much about him as a person," Gronowski said. "So just kinda asking about his life and where he came from, how he built up through the ranks. It was cool to learn those things about him."
Gronowski said the Hawkeyes' "culture" is what pushed him toward his commitment over looking elsewhere.
He'll have a chance to prove Ferentz's investment was a good one, as the Hawkeyes' season gets underway Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. UAlbany.