The Iowa Hawkeyes have received their punishment from the NCAA for tampering violations. The Hawkeyes must vacate four victories from the 2023 season for tampering with former Michigan Wolverines quarterback Cade McNamara prior to his officially entering the transfer portal, according to ESPN.
The NCAA determined that Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant Jon Budmayr participated in 13 phone calls with McNamara and sent two text messages before the quarterback entered the transfer portal.
Ferentz and Budamayr were both suspended for the 2024 season opener in a self-imposed penalty from Iowa for the violations.
Iowa president Barb Wilson and athletic director Beth Goetz shared their disappointment with the ruling via a statement.
“We are very disappointed in today’s ruling by the Committee on Infractions,” the statement said. “Throughout this nearly two-and-a-half-year process, the University has fully cooperated with the NCAA enforcement staff. More importantly, when the facts revealed that violations had taken place, the institution and the head coach publicly accepted full responsibility and self-imposed several significant sanctions, something few others have done. We believe the decision of adding the penalty of the forfeiture of wins is unwarranted. The matter is now closed, and we have moved forward.”
Ferentz shared a statement of his own, expressing similar sentiments.
“I am disappointed by the NCAA’s decision today,” he said. “Throughout the process, our program has been open and honest about my mistake — contacting a potential player in the hours before it was permissible by NCAA rules.
“I felt it was important to make amends for the issue, which is why I voluntarily served a one-game suspension to start the 2023 season. I believe today’s decision by the NCAA vacating four wins in our 2023 season is overly harsh and inconsistent with the violation.
“As I tell our team and staff, it is how you respond and move forward that defines you. Our focus is on the 2026 season and that is how we are moving forward.”
McNamara went 4-1 with the Hawkeyes in 2023 before his season was cut short due to a knee injury, and was on the Hawkeyes roster for one more season before transferring to Tennessee State for the 2025 season.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.