Photograph by Matthew Holst/Getty Photos)
The Iowa Hawkeyes are in dire want of an offensive shakeup. They’re reportedly nearing a brand new rent to steer the method.
In line with ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, Kirk Ferentz is predicted to rent former Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester as his new offensive coordinator. Lester was nearing a deal to take the identical place at Troy after working for the Inexperienced Bay Packers as an analyst final season.
Sources: Iowa is predicted to rent Tim Lester, the previous Western Michigan coach, as offensive coordinator. Lester spent the 2023 season as a Inexperienced Bay Packers analyst, and was set to take the OC job at Troy. Iowa additionally strongly thought-about former Duke OC Kevin Johns, per sources.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 28, 2024
Western Michigan went 37-32 with Lester in cost from 2017 to 2022. The MAC program demonstrated some offensive spunk throughout his tenure.
The Broncos scored 250 factors in six video games throughout a pandemic-shortened 2020. They averaged 32.5 factors and 467.2 yards per sport the next 12 months behind quarterback Kaleb Eleby.
Nevertheless, Western Michigan scored simply 19.0 factors per sport in Lester’s closing season. The staff accomplished lower than half of its passes with extra interceptions (13) than passing touchdowns (10).
Lester, who previously coached at Syracuse and Purdue, landed his first NFL position with the Packers. Transitioning from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, Inexperienced Bay completed eleventh in whole offense earlier than upsetting the Dallas Cowboys within the postseason’s first spherical and practically taking down the San Francisco 49ers.
One in all Lester’s former Western Michigan receivers, Jayden Reed, led the Packers with 793 receiving yards in his rookie 12 months. Former Broncos wideouts D’Wayne Eskridge and Skyy Moore are additionally within the NFL.
Modernizing Iowa’s offense will not be a straightforward activity. Though they went 10-4, the Hawkeyes scored 15.4 factors per sport with the worst whole offense of any FBS program.
Iowa determined to not retain Ferentz’s son, Brian Ferentz, as offensive coordinator past 2023. Brian was on his father’s workers for over a decade.
