Brian Ferentz

Brian Ferentz
Current position
TitleOffensive analyst
TeamMaryland
ConferenceBig Ten
Biographical details
Born (1983-03-28) March 28, 1983 (age 41)
Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.
Alma materIowa
Playing career
2002–2005Iowa
2006Atlanta Falcons
2007New Orleans Saints
Position(s)Offensive lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2008–2010New England Patriots (OQC)
2011New England Patriots (TE)
2012–2014Iowa (OL)
2015–2016Iowa (RGC/OL)
2017Iowa (OC/RB)
2018–2021Iowa (OC/TE)
2022–2023Iowa (OC/QB)
2024–presentMaryland (Offensive analyst)

Brian Ferentz (born March 28, 1983) is an American football coach and former player. Following his collegiate career at the University of Iowa, as an offensive lineman, Ferentz was in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons in 2006 and New Orleans Saints in 2007. Following his playing career, Ferentz began a coaching tenure. Ferentz coached in the NFL for the New England Patriots from 2008 to 2011. Serving as the tight ends coach for the Patriots in 2011, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski set NFL records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns by tight ends, and Gronkowski became the first tight end in NFL history to lead the league in touchdown receptions. Ferentz then began a coaching tenure at Iowa in 2012.

He was the offensive coordinator at the University of Iowa from 2017 to 2023. He served under his father, the Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. In the years as offensive coordinator in his tenure at Iowa, Ferentz faced scrutiny due to alleged nepotism within the program, tied to the underperformance of Iowa's offenses under his instruction.[1] In 2024, Ferentz became the Senior Offensive Assistant at Maryland.[2]

  1. ^
    • Kirshner, Alex (October 10, 2022). "The Iowa Football Team Is the Best Case Against Nepotism That Humankind Has Ever Seen". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
    • "The outside world sees nepotism at Iowa, but recruits just see family". FOX Sports. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
    • "Brian Ferentz's ridiculous contract tweak casts Iowa football as a small, family-run business". 247Sports. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
    • Hein, Meredith (October 19, 2022). "Column: Iowa is a cautionary tale of the dangers of nepotism and cronyism". Land-Grant Holy Land. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Maryland football hires former Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz as senior offensive assistant". April 26, 2024.