Brian Ferentz has a new contract with Iowa football. How 25 is his magic number.
Take a look up at the Kinnick Stadium Wall of Honor, just under the press box, and you'll see the number 25.
It's the number of former Hawkeye quarterback Randy Duncan, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He led Iowa to a pair of Rose Bowl appearances and even set a Big Ten record with 23 completions during the 1958-1959 season.
Fast forward to 2023, and once again, 25 is a topic of discussion. Only this time, the number isn't met with as many warm regards as Duncan's playing days.
On Monday, the University of Iowa released an amended contract for offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. After a season in which the Hawkeyes averaged just 17.7 points per game (nearly 10 fewer points than Duncan's final season with the team), Ferentz's new contract states two goals: Win at least 7 games and average at least 25 points per game. Should the team fail to meet those "performance objectives," Ferentz's contract will be terminated.
The new stipulations didn't exactly draw praise. 25 points per game isn't exactly a lofty goal for most teams. In fact, 85 of the 131 FBS programs hit that mark last season.
Here's a look at some of the numbers behind Ferentz's offense at Iowa.
The Hawkeyes scored 25 points or more in just three games last season
Prior to 2022's debacle, the Brian Ferentz-led offense had always scored 25 or more points in at least six games a season. But last season, the Hawkeyes hit that bar just three times.
More:Leistikow: Iowa football sets a laughable bar for offensive-coordinator success
Iowa football scored 25 points or more in 36 games since Brian Ferentz took over as offensive coordinator
Since Ferentz's inaugural season as the play caller, the Hawkeyes surpassed the 25-point mark on 36 occasions out of a possible 74. That equates to about a 49% success rate over that time span.
When the Hawkeyes have reached the 25-point mark, it almost certainly indicates a win. Iowa is 35-1 when it scores 25 points or more.
How many games would Iowa football have won if it scored 25 points?
Dabbling in hypotheticals, if the Hawkeyes would have scored at least 25 points in every game during the 2022 season, the team would have boasted a 10-win record.
Three losses stand out from the 2022 season: a 10-7 loss to Iowa State, a 9-6 defeat at the hands of Illinois and a 24-17 defeat to close out the regular season. All three of those games were more than winnable at the time.
Throw in a 27-14 loss against Michigan, too, as another game that Iowa could have won had the offense produced.
More:What college football media are saying about Brian Ferentz's contract amendments
Since Brian Ferentz took over, Iowa's defense allowed 25 points or more just 11 times
And five of those games took place in 2018, when Iowa football enjoyed its best season under Ferentz's tutelage. From 2019-2020, the Hawkeyes never allowed more than 25 points in a single game. Phil Parker's defense gave up just four 25-point games over the course of the past two seasons.
Point being, Iowa's defense repeatedly puts the offense in a position for success.
Brian Ferentz's offensive rank fell from 40th to 123rd in a span of three years
In 2020 with a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Iowa's 31.8 points per game ranked 40th in the country. It was the highest points per game total for a single season with Ferentz calling plays.
But that mark tumbled to 23.4 points per game the following season, which ranked 99th nationally.
The following year, the Hawkeye offense ranked 123rd out of 131 teams.
Brian Ferentz's offenses haven't always been this bad
The Hawkeyes averaged more than 28 points per game in three seasons under Ferentz: 2017, 2018 and 2020.
Looking past the COVID-shortened 2020 season where fans weren't allowed to attend games, one could argue that Ferentz's best season came in 2018, where the Hawkeyes averaged 31.2 points per game — nearly a touchdown more than in 2022.
That year, Iowa scored more than 25 points in eight games. The Hawkeyes scored more than 40 points three times that season, including a 63-point blowout against Illinois. Quarterback Nate Stanley threw 26 touchdowns in 2018 and nine different Hawkeyes caught at least one score.
Read more Iowa football news
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- Leistikow: Kirk Ferentz knew he couldn't win this press conference, but he sure tried
- For now, Iowa football's staff will remain intact heading into 2023
- Brian Ferentz returning as Iowa football's offensive coordinator
Adam Hensley is a digital producer with the USA Today Network. You can follow him on Twitter @A_Hens83 or reach him at ahensley@gannett.com.