FanHouse

After FanHouse blogger Brian Cook posted on his personal site about Kirk Ferentz possibly being offered Michigan's head coaching job, many interpreted the ensuing media silence as a sign that this rumor was nothing more than a rumor. A couple media outlets in Iowa commented on the MGoBlog report, and it's certainly been grist for the talk-radio mill today, but is there anything to this rumor?

Well, we finally have our first official comment on the matter. Iowa athletic director Gary Barta has said that Michigan hasn't asked for permission to talk to Kirk Ferentz. Brian, in a post from earlier today, says that these days some of these dealings go on behind closed doors, which is true.

Barta hasn't been the athletic director at Iowa for very long, but he's already had experience with losing and hiring a prominent coach. Steve Alford left Iowa to become New Mexico's head basketball coach earlier this year. What happened back then?

Barta came right out and said he gave the Lobos permission to talk to Alford. Sure, that was a different situation. Few in Iowa were sorry to see Alford leave, and Alford was probably pretty happy to see Johnson County in his rear-view mirror.

The Hawkeye fan base is disappointed after a third straight mediocre season, but message board opinion is not overwhelmingly against Ferentz. The Iowa media largely seems to regard the Hawkeyes as a seven- or eight-win program with occasional excursions higher and lower. Many Hawkeye fans would like to see offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe step down, but he and Ferentz are a package deal.

In short, there's not much reason for Barta to hide any potential interest from Michigan. I know I said before Brian's post that this rumor is just strange enough that there may be something to it, but Barta's denial suggests to me that nothing has happened yet. After all, even if Ferentz does leave for Michigan for another job, Barta's not leaving, and he needs people to believe him if he is to do his job.