Kirk Ferentz explains Jacob Bostick's decision to leave Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz recently explained wide receiver Jacob Bostick‘s decision to leave the program and enter the Transfer Portal.

Bostick entered the portal once it opened for the spring window. It was shortly after that when Ferentz addressed his departure.

“He just felt like it was in his best interest,” Kirk Ferentz said. “So, we wish him the best. He’s a tremendous young man. He just didn’t feel like this was the best spot for him at this point. So, onward and upward for him.”

Jacob Bostick had come to Iowa as a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was also the 89th-ranked wide receiver and the 585th-ranked player overall in that class. In 2022, he missed time due to injury but took a redshirt. Then, in 2023, he played in five games for Iowa without recording a statistic.

Admittedly, Kirk Ferentz says his departure left the wide receiver room very young. However, he is happy with what he’s seen from that group to this point even if they still have work to do.

“The room, overall, we’re young. We’ve got some older guys, but we’re still young in terms of production experience. You start with [Kaden Wetjen] and Kaleb [Brown] would be the two guys that have the most experience out there, and I think they both have a chance to be really good football players. Then, the younger guys have done a good job too. Jarriett Buie doing a nice job and he’s really taken some steps forward. I think [Dayton] Howard‘s done some good things. So, it’s a good mix right now,” Ferentz said.

“Encouraged about the way the guys are working and they certainly have a lot of improvement to make too, but I think the potential is there. They’re working hard. Attitude’s been good. So, I’m optimistic about those guys.”

In 2023, Iowa struggled on offense, especially in the passing game. The Hawkeyes’ leading receiver was tight end Erick All, who had 299 yards and three touchdowns in seven games. He’s moving onto the NFL, and Iowa as a team only threw for 118.6 passing yards per game. That was 130th in FBS football, only ahead of the military academies.

Along with Jacob Bostick, Iowa has lost several key offensive players to the Transfer Portal recently, including quarterback Deacon Hill and offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor. Proctor, incidentally, had transferred into the program following the end of the 2023 season.

This comes with Iowa changing its offense going into the 2024 season, following the departure of Brian Ferentz at offensive coordinator. Now, Tim Lester is taking over the position following time as an analyst for the Green Bay Packers and as the Western Michigan head coach.