IOWA CITY, Iowa − On Thursday afternoon, Kirk Ferentz, the esteemed head football coach for Iowa, revealed significant news. Instead of issuing a formal press release, he chose to share the information directly.

No, the third-most successful coach in Big Ten history, who celebrated his 69th birthday earlier this month, was not declaring his retirement. However, there was another surprising update concerning the prominent figure at the university, and it wouldn’t wait for the expected press conference.

Ferentz, along with wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr, will each serve a one-game suspension due to an NCAA recruiting violation. The violation was related to what the university described as “communications with a player and his family prior to his entry into the transfer portal.” As reported by The Athletic, the player in question is quarterback Cade McNamara, who began his journey at Iowa after transferring from another school following the 2022 season. Both coaches will be absent from the team’s opening match against Illinois State on August 31.

In his statement regarding the punishment, Ferentz acknowledged, “I often remind our players to follow the rules, and I failed to do so in this situation.” He continued, “In my 26 years as head coach at Iowa — and more than four decades in coaching — this is my first potential Level II NCAA infraction. I made an error and want to apologize to our players, university leadership, and our Hawkeye football supporters. Coach Budmayr shares these feelings.”

Alongside the one-game suspension, the university is also enforcing a self-imposed penalty of one week without off-campus recruiting. Iowa stated that these measures were taken as they await confirmation from the NCAA that the matter is resolved.

“Both Coach Ferentz and I decided on these self-imposed consequences, which will allow the program to proceed without distractions,” noted Iowa’s athletics director Beth Goetz. “I commend the accountability shown and we will remain fully cooperative with the NCAA throughout this process. I trust Coach Ferentz’s leadership and am eager to focus on the upcoming game and the exciting season ahead.”

McNamara entered the transfer portal on November 28, 2022, as a graduate student. In a podcast last year, he indicated that he already had a destination in mind at that time. He committed to Iowa on December 1, aided by his previous connection with Budmayr, who previously coached quarterbacks at Wisconsin.

McNamara started in the first five games of the 2023 season before suffering an ACL tear during the matchup against Michigan State on September 30, 2023. He was confirmed as the starting quarterback for the team on Thursday.

This suspension will mark the first time since his hiring in December 1998 that Ferentz will not be present on the sideline during a game. Over his tenure with Iowa, he has coached 315 games, winning 196, making him the third all-time in wins within the Big Ten Conference, following Woody Hayes (205 wins) and Amos Alonzo Stagg (199). He surpassed Bo Schembechler (194) with the previous year’s ten-win record.

Anticipating this suspension, Ferentz appointed Seth Wallace, 45, as his first-ever assistant head coach in January, and increased Wallace’s annual pay to $1 million. Wallace, who oversees Iowa’s linebackers and serves as assistant defensive coordinator, is expected to take over head-coaching responsibilities for the game against Illinois State.