Top 5 Brian Ferentz replacements as next Iowa offensive coordinator

Iowa Hawkeyes offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz would not be returning for the 2024 season, the school announced Monday.

Ferentz is the son of Hawkeyes' long-serving coach, Kirk Ferentz, and has held the offensive coordinator role since 2017. Since taking over as offensive coordinator, the Hawkeyes offense has struggled. Iowa is 6-2 (3-2 Big Ten) and has scored 156 points in eight games this season.

With Iowa's offense struggling, Ferentz took a $50,000 pay cut, and the Hawkeyes needed to average 25 points per game for his 2024 and 2025 options to roll over.

After a disappointing offensive season, here are five OC candidates to replace Brian Ferentz.

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Top 5 options to replace Brian Ferentz

#1 Jon Budmayr

The most logical choice to replace Brian Ferentz is the Iowa Hawkeyes offensive analyst Jon Budmayr.

Although Ferentz is still handling the offensive coordinator duties, some fans have called for Budmayr to replace him now. The 32-year-old was a quarterback for the Wisconsin Badgers from 2009 until 2011 and began his coaching career in 2012.

Budmayr was Colorado State's offensive coordinator in 2021 before taking the role with Iowa. If the Hawkeyes don't hire someone from outside the school, Budmayr makes the most sense.

#2 Tim Polasek

Tim Polasek is currently the offensive coordinator for the Wyoming Cowboys and has been linked to going to a bigger school.

Polsaek has been at Wyoming since 2021 and has experience coaching at Iowa. He was the Hawkeyes' offensive line coach from 2017 until 2020, so he's familiar with the coaching staff.

#3 Tony Tokarz

Tony Tokarz is the quarterbacks coach of the Florida State Seminoles, and seeing what he has done with Jordan Travis should put him in line to take over from Brian Ferentz for the Iowa offensive coordinator job.

Tokarz is in his fourth season at FSU and his second as quarterbacks coach. In his first year as the QC, he was tasked with developing Jordan Travis, and he has done a phenomenal job.

Travis is one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, and credit should be given to Tokarz.

#4 Paul Chryst

Paul Chryst is the former head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers and Wisconsin Badgers. He's in his first year as an offensive analyst for the Texas Longhorns.

Although Chryst will want the head coach role again, becoming Iowa's offensive coordinator is a step in the right direction for him. Chryst is known for his offensive mind and should help turn around this Hawkeeys offense, which has been terrible for years.

#5 Ryan Grubb

Ryan Grubb is unlikely to be Iowa's Brian Ferentz successor, as he's currently the Washington Huskies' offensive coordinator. However, Michael Penix Jr. will be off to the NFL, so he may look to join another school instead of starting over with a new quarterback.

Even though Grubb has security with Washington, he's a Kingsley, Iowa, native. If he can turn around the offense, perhaps he will clinch the head coach position if a change is made.