Ferentz returns to the Dodd Trophy conversation.

Kirk Ferentz is one of 18 coaches on the 2026 Dodd Trophy Midseason Watch List, Iowa announced October 13. The list is compiled by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. Its criteria extend beyond wins: graduation measures, Academic Progress Rate, community service and the first half’s on-field performance all figure in the review.

Ferentz has been here before. He won the Dodd Trophy in 2015 and was a semifinalist in 2023. The new listing comes in his 28th season leading Iowa, with the current team entering the bye at 5–1. The university’s announcement credits his tenure with Big Ten championships in 2002 and 2004 and division titles in 2015, 2021 and 2023.

The distinction also reflects the program’s development record. Iowa’s announcement counts 101 NFL Draft selections under Ferentz and 14 individual national award winners on 17 occasions. Those are the university’s stated career figures; they are not projections for the current roster or promises of future professional careers.

A watch list is an intermediate step in an award process. The remaining schedule still includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Purdue, Illinois and Nebraska. The nomination gives the season another storyline, while the team’s next football decision remains how to prepare for the Minnesota trip.

Sources: Iowa Athletics · Dodd Trophy announcement.

Image credit: Iowa Athletics.

Editorial source snapshot: October 14, 2026. Unreleased editorial draft.