Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz announced Monday that Jay Norvell will take over as running backs coach, effective immediately as spring practices began in Iowa City. The move fills a coaching vacancy in a position group that produced 3.6 yards per carry in 2024, the program's lowest mark since 2012.
Norvell arrives from within the organization, though Iowa has not disclosed his previous title or whether this represents an internal promotion or a lateral shift from another quality-control or analyst role. Ferentz's Monday statement included no mention of a departing coach, suggesting the change was either planned or handled quietly enough that no formal announcement preceded it. The Hawkeyes' previous running backs coach, Ladell Betts, left after the 2023 season to join the Philadelphia Eagles' staff.
The timing matters because Iowa's spring roster includes four scholarship running backs, none of whom averaged more than 4.1 yards per attempt last season. Kaleb Johnson, the team's leading rusher with 463 yards, declared for the NFL Draft in January but went undrafted and has yet to sign with a team. That leaves Kamari Moulton, Jaziun Patterson, and true freshman Terrell Washington Jr. as the primary ball-carriers heading into summer workouts. The Hawkeyes signed no running backs in their 2025 recruiting class, meaning Norvell inherits a thin depth chart with limited proven production and no incoming reinforcements until 2026.
Ferentz operates one of college football's most stable coaching structures—his average assistant tenure is 6.2 years, more than double the Power Four average. That continuity has produced 19 winning seasons in 26 years, but Iowa's offensive efficiency has slipped: the Hawkeyes ranked 103rd nationally in yards per play last fall and 118th in rushing success rate, according to ESPN's advanced metrics. A new running backs coach entering an open competition could signal a broader schematic shift under offensive coordinator Tim Lester, who completed his first season in Iowa City in December.
Norvell's hire also arrives as Iowa begins conversations around its 2026 home schedule, which includes matchups against Ohio State and Penn State. The program's apparel deal with Nike runs through June 2026, and athletic director Beth Goetz has been meeting with both Nike and Adidas representatives since January, according to two people familiar with the discussions. A coaching staff perceived as stable—or at least fully staffed—becomes a selling point in those renewals, particularly when brands evaluate how coaching turnover affects merchandise velocity and fan engagement.
Watch for Norvell's recruiting activity in the 2026 class, where Iowa currently holds commitments from zero running backs and has extended offers to just three. Spring practice runs through late April, and the Hawkeyes' annual spring game on April 26 will offer the first public look at how Norvell deploys the position group. Kirk Ferentz's next scheduled media availability is April 2.
The running backs coach position at Iowa has turned over three times in four years. Norvell is the fourth person to hold the title since 2022.
The takeaway
Iowa's running backs coach hire addresses a position group that produced the program's worst yards-per-carry average in over a decade.
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