You almost have to credit Iowa for leaning into the jokes. Finally some self-awareness.

When you think of Iowa football, what do you picture? You think of an elite defense and an offense that ranges from bad to abominable. The 2022 Hawkeyes had six defensive touchdowns and seven passing touchdowns, scoring 17.7 points per game. Week to week, they flirted with the lowest over/under point totals in college football betting history. The Music City Bowl indeed set a new record low at 31 points. The under still hit as Iowa scored two defensive touchdowns and one offensive touchdown in a 21-0 win full of backup players, including both quarterbacks.

Brian Ferentz will return as the Hawkeyes’ offensive coordinator with one of the most bizarre contract amendments we’ve ever seen. Iowa must score 25 points per game and win at least seven games for him to continue in the role. (That’s 25 points by the team, not just the offense.) His two-year rolling contract is, for now, a one-year contract that expires on June 30, 2024. If he hits the comically-low benchmarks, he’ll go back to his rolling two-year contract and get the money back, with a slight pay bump. Back to the status quo. If he doesn’t hit them, the contract ends and it’s an easy out for everyone.

Believe it or not, I actually think this is a pretty smart deal for Iowa, given the circumstances. It’s also incredibly embarrassing, and that’s the problem.

The “Iowa 25/7” shirts are already available. Get ready for a running point tracker, counting up to 325 (25 points per game in 13 games). Will Iowa attempt more fourth downs? Will it keep the starters in longer during a blowout? Will Kirk Ferentz be more aggressive to try to save his son’s job? These are the questions that surround the program now.

No normal college football program would be in this position. This isn’t the first coaching contract to provide extensions for hitting benchmarks. But it’s almost never the case for an assistant coach. The only reason this is in place is because the offensive coordinator is the head coach’s son, and the longtime head coach, Kirk Ferentz, wields a lot of power relative to his longtime boss, athletic director Gary Barta.