Iowa football: Hawkeyes 'probably' breaking out alternate uniforms in 2018

Show Caption Hide Caption Kirk Ferentz’s closing thoughts on Hawkeyes' spring practice Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz speaks after the final spring practice of 2018, noting (as he always does) the Hawkeyes are hardly "game ready."

IOWA CITY, Ia. — The Iowa football team will likely adorn alternate uniforms again at some point during the 2018 season, its head coach said Tuesday.

That revelation was just a small snippet of a 45-minute conversation between Kirk Ferentz and the Des Moines Register, an interview that will air during the "Hawk Central" radio show from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday night on KxNO (1460 AM) in Des Moines. A podcast version also will be available.

“To some degree, probably,” Ferentz said of an alternate-jersey game this season, though he said the details haven’t been finalized. “It’s a lot more complex than it sounds. … It’s like planning for the Normandy invasion. It’s tough to get that done. We’ve got a few things in the works. We’ll see.”

Of course, the alternates worked out quite well last time.

Iowa’s all-black look Nov. 4 against Ohio State saw the Hawkeyes deliver a 55-24 shellacking of the nation’s third-ranked team (and eventual Big Ten Conference champion).

Ferentz didn't rule out wearing those same (successful) jerseys again, but said he would put such a decision to a staff/team vote.

Although most of columnist Chad Leistikow's interview with Ferentz tackled new angles of his journey to Iowa City (look for a longer piece in Sunday's Register), there was a little other piece of news mentioned: That Iowa is not active in the graduate-transfer market.

A few weeks ago, Ferentz had told reporters during an I-Club event in Bettendorf that his staff would be open to bringing on immediate help at running back, one of Iowa's youngest and thinnest positions.

But Ferentz said Tuesday he didn't anticipate adding a grad-transfer this offseason, as Iowa did last summer with Nevada's James Butler.

“Not to my knowledge. Something would have to pop up," Ferentz said. "We’ve inquired and kept our ear to the ground. Right now, it’s all quiet.”