IOWA CITY, Iowa — Kirk Ferentz has a second-floor office within sight of a huge banner celebrating Hayden Fry’s accomplishments on the west side of Kinnick Stadium.



From 1981 through 1989, Ferentz served as the late icon’s offensive line coach and developed a blocking system that has become a standard of the Iowa program and in professional football. Style of play always is a topic for Ferentz, who enters his 22nd season at Iowa as the dean of FBS coaches. He likes football. But not this time. Not this conversation.



The online recruiting world was as novice as its dialup system was cumbersome when Ferentz, 64, took over for Fry at Iowa in 1999. Over Ferentz’s Iowa tenure, recruiting and its accompanying rules, guidelines and best practices have changed more than at any time in its history. With it has brought forth as many issues as it has changes. So has television revenue and overall exposure. In Ferentz’s eyes, high-level football has...