Kirk Ferentz gave everyone a stark reminder about how he feels about the state of CFB

Kirk Ferentz had multiple interesting sound bites during his time at the podium during Big Ten Football Media Days, and if there is one major takeaway, it's this: he's consistent.

The major topics of discussion were Iowa's quarterback situation, the state of the defensive line, and Ferentz's thoughts on College Football Playoff expansion and the league overall. Ferentz stayed true to form and didn't divulge any information about the starting quarterback or the defensive line, claiming the QB battle could easily go into late August and that they could rotate at least nine guys on the d-line. Aside from team-specific questions, Ferentz also gave everyone a reminder about what he thinks about the current CFB landscape. Hint: he's not a fan.

Ferentz is 'concerned' about the current state of college football

As name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals have expanded and revenue-sharing programs have become the standard, athletes have more opportunities to be paid than ever before. Ferentz has never been against paying players what they are owed, but he still isn't a fan of how it is handled.

When he was asked about his thoughts on the current state of college football, Ferentz gave a simple but powerful answer. He stated simply that he is "concerned," and this isn't the first time he has expressed those feelings. Shortly after the 2025-2026 college football season concluded, Ferentz told On3 Sports' Pete Nakos that he supports revenue-sharing programs, calling them a "worthy and needed step," but he doesn't like the fact that most of the money flow is unregulated. Ferentz has been hesitant to fully embrace the transfer portal, and he isn't a fan of the unchecked money that accompanies it.

Before his Hall of Fame career with the Iowa program, Ferentz spent six seasons in the NFL as an offensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens (1993-1998), and has a unique perspective on paying players. He has constantly stated that he doesn't miss the NFL, but one thing he does miss is the clarity on payroll, aka a salary cap. With the nearly-unlimited resources of some of the blue bloods in college football, there is no way a salary cap comes any time soon, but Ferentz has been saying what has been on a lot of programs' minds.

Ferentz has a legitimate gripe about the lack of clarity surrounding NIL, revenue-sharing

Ferentz might not be the only coach to suggest a salary cap for players, but he has definitely been one of the most outspoken on the issue. While some have played it off as Ferentz being stuck in his ways or simply not embracing the new landscape of college athletics, he has a valid concern here. The Hawkeyes have been a stellar football program since Hayden Fry resurrected it after being hired in 1979 following 13 consecutive losing seasons. Now in the midst of 13 consecutive winning seasons, the program has been a beacon for development and doing things the right way.

With the introduction of revenue sharing and the ability to pay players directly, Ferentz is not only concerned about the state of college football, but also about his desired outcome of a salary cap, which suggests he doesn't want his program or others to be left behind. Iowa has a solid fanbase, but lacks some of the resources of the bigger programs like Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, and USC. As long as Ferentz is in charge, Iowa will be competitive on the field, but having the necessary resources is a whole different issue. An expanded CFP will definitely help, but it will be increasingly difficult for smaller programs to compete with the big dogs.

A salary cap would at least even the playing field, and put everyone close to the same level, regardless of the size of the program. Having more parity in college football is never a bad thing, and Ferentz has a valid point about the need for some kind of regulation or salary cap for payroll.

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