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Iowa’s Ferentz on Steady Ground Despite Turmoil

Sports

February 10th, 2012 by Jim Field

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two straight years of disappointing results, star running backs leaving the program and the loss of both coordinators would land many coaches on the hot seat.

Not Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz. He’s not going anywhere.

Ferentz is the Big Ten’s longest-tenured coach at 13 seasons and counting. He also has the unwavering support of athletic director Gary Barta despite the turmoil that has engulfed the program over the past 18 months.

Barta says Ferentz has run a program that’s extremely successful on the field and sports one of the highest graduation rates in the country. Barta also says Ferentz’s value system is shared by the people of Iowa.