Kirk Ferentz to Michigan? Interest was one-sided in 2007, nixed quickly amid wild Wolverines coaching search

Michigan AD Bill Martin wanted Ferentz to take over the Michigan program, but that was quickly nixed

Sep 25, 2026 at 9:17 am ET • 2 min read

When No. 17 Iowa takes on No. 18 Michigan this Saturday, Kirk Ferentz will be in the midst of his 28th season with the Hawkeyes. It's tough to imagine him coaching anywhere else, but the Wolverines had some interest, at least initially during their 2007 coaching search.

When Lloyd Carr announced that he would retire following Michigan's New Year's Day bowl game after the 2007 season, it kicked off a wild coaching search in Ann Arbor. That search ultimately led to Rich Rodriguez, but it was a winding path that included a serious flirtation with Les Miles, a meeting with Greg Schiano and discussions about Brian Kelly.

Before it ever got that far, the primary target for athletic director Bill Martin was Kirk Ferentz. According to MGoBlog, Martin privately suggested Ferentz early in the search, but that idea was shot down by university president Mary Sue Coleman.

The irony of the situation was that Coleman was a major reason Ferentz was linked to Ann Arbor in the rumor mill. Coleman was president at Iowa when Ferentz was hired, but that pre-existing relationship didn't translate into serious consideration from either side.

When asked whether Michigan had contacted Iowa regarding permission, then-Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said no such request had been submitted. In fact, according to MLive.com, Ferentz's contract required him to notify Barta before discussing employment opportunities outside of Iowa.

Nearly 20 years later, Ferentz is still coaching at Iowa, and he owns a 7-9 career record against the Wolverines. What might've happened if Martin was granted permission -- from both Coleman and Barta -- to speak to Ferentz? Based on how Ferentz has operated throughout his career, perhaps nothing at all.

Ferentz's fierce loyalty to Iowa

Throughout his 28 years at Iowa, Ferentz has had opportunities to jump ship and take a higher-profile job. Other coaches in Ferentz's position would likely have moved on long ago.

The closest Ferentz ever came to leaving the Hawkeyes may have been in 2008, when he was connected to the Cleveland Browns coaching vacancy. Ferentz worked as the Browns offensive line coach from 1993-95.

In a 2020 interview with Dan Patrick, Ferentz addressed whether he was ever close to becoming the Browns coach in 2008.

"My response has been, I always felt like I needed a compelling reason to look elsewhere," Ferentz said. "We've loved living here, we've loved it as a family, and the professional opportunities have been great. So, I never felt like I had a compelling reason to leave. The other spot — which you never count on this — we've had three of our sons go through the program. So it's really hard to put a price tag on that."

Because of his loyalty, Ferentz has become an icon in Iowa City. His 215 career wins are the most in program history by a wide margin, and he's won two Big Ten titles. In 2002, Ferentz was named AP Coach of the Year, and he's taken home Big Ten Coach of the Year honors on four different occasions.