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Prior to his Hawkeyes’ drubbing at the hands of the Tennessee Volunteers on Monday in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said what many people who work in and follow college football are thinking: there is a big problem with the current system.
Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes last played in the Citrus Bowl two years ago, so one reporter asked how college football has changed since they last visited Orlando.
“Sorry to say two years later, we are in worse shape than we were two years ago. I did not think that was possible,” Kirk Ferentz replied.
“We, the adults, have done a lot to really screw this thing up. We have a great game, so I do, old guy in the room, I have got some concerns about what the future is going to look like. I think most people are aware that we have some real issues right now. I am not sure what we can come to agreement what the remedies may be. You see a lot of things that just concern you, and again, there are a lot of moving parts. I’m not going to pretend I have all the answers.
“Despite all the challenges, I think the thing that remains consistent, the single best part about what we do is we get to work with really high-quality young players, and that has not changed. It was the same way two years ago, ten years ago, and that is the part you really enjoy. I have always told people in any job, you have X amount of percent of things you do not really look forward to doing, and then another percent, hopefully, you do like doing. If that percent outweighs the other side, then it is still a pretty good deal.”
He also lamented how so many players are deciding to opt-out these days.
“It is just a different world,” Ferentz continued. “Even 20 years ago, you had guys possibly opting out for the NFL, not near to the extent now. There are just a lot of parties involved now, and it is not always healthy voices that the players here and some of the parties involved are not necessarily thinking about what is best for the individual young people.”
Ferentz added, “We have opened the rules up now where it is real easy for people to make bad decisions.”