Iowa's Kirk Ferentz calls on NCAA to address gambling policy

Gambling falls outside the interests of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, a topic he is getting up to speed on as the Hawkeyes begin the 2023 season.

At least 26 University of Iowa athletes across five sports are suspected of wagering on sports in violation of NCAA rules, the school confirmed in May. How many of them are part of the football program isn't known.

Defensive tackle Noah Shannon was not alongside Ferentz as originally planned on Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis because of an ongoing NCAA investigation into Iowa players in multiple sports allegedly betting on game. Ferentz said "it's not a large number of players, period," when asked how his roster might be impacted by any ruling on the matter from the NCAA and called on the governing body of college athletics to take a closer look at the intersection of sports and gambling.

"Long story short, we don't know what the outcome is going to be," Ferentz said. "I don't think anyone condones gambling, especially on the college game. I do think that being said, I have learned a lot the past two months just about gambling. I never really paid attention to it, other than we signed a form, probably the same form we signed when I was playing."

Athletes, coaches and staff are prohibited from betting on any amateur, collegiate and professional sport in which the NCAA conducts a championship.

That means even NBA, NFL, MLB and PGA-related betting would be among pro sports wagering options that, while legal in many states, would be off-limits for college athletes, coaches and administrators.

It is also illegal in Iowa for a person under 21 to bet on sports.

"I think our world has changed dramatically," Ferentz said. "Anybody who does pay attention to gambling knows that better than I -- certainly the last couple of years. We live in a real different world right now. I think what the NFL's done with their rules makes a lot of sense. I'm hopeful this is an opportunity with the NCAA to maybe reconsider two things: what the, quote-unquote, punishments or penalties might be that are ... I would say, fair and relevant to the world we're living in right now. And then probably the bigger thing is there's an opportunity right now, I think, for better education process, if you will."

Ferentz said he is not among viewers of ESPN's popular pregame show "College GameDay," but one of his sons informed him the college football kickoff show discusses betting lines and point spreads before games. Ferentz pointed this out Wednesday as an "illustration of the world we're living in right now. It's not going away. It's going to continue to grow."

In his 25th season as Iowa head coach, Ferentz equated his role in educating athletes about gambling to the same approach he might have with marijuana-use policies.

"Gambling is going to exist. It always has," Ferentz said. "I hope eventually the policies will reflect what's best for college athletics. Certainly not betting on college athletics would be a good starting point."

Shannon, a fifth-year senior, started 27 games over the past two seasons and is on the radar of NFL scouts after being named honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2021 and 2022.