Iowa Press Release
O’KEEFE DEPARTS IOWA COACHING STAFF
IOWA CITY, Iowa - - Ken O’Keefe, offensive coordinator at the University of Iowa for the past 13 seasons, has resigned from the Hawkeye coaching staff to accept another coaching opportunity. The announcement came Friday from head coach Kirk Ferentz.
“Ken O’Keefe has decided to leave our Iowa staff for another coaching opportunity,” said Ferentz. “Ken’s work contributed greatly to our program’s success during the past 13 years, and more impressively to the growth and development of the young men in our program. We wish Ken and Joanne the most success in this new chapter of his career.”
O’Keefe has been Iowa’s quarterbacks coach for 12 seasons after coaching Hawkeye wide receivers in 1999. Iowa has been bowl eligible the past 11 seasons and has participated in 10 bowl games since 2001. The Hawkeyes won bowl games following the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons, defeating ranked opponents in both 2009 and 2010. Iowa ranked in the final top 10 of both major polls four times in the past 10 seasons.
Iowa has won 85 games over the past 10 seasons, including 50 Big Ten games. The Hawkeyes earned a share of the Big Ten title in both 2002 and 2004 and tied for second in 2009. Iowa has finished in the Big Ten’s first division in 10 of the past 11 years.
Under O’Keefe’s direction, junior QB James Vandenberg passed for over 3,000 yards and had 25 touchdown passes in his first year as a starter in 2011. Vandenberg’s favorite target, WR Marvin McNutt, Jr., established Iowa single season and career records for receiving yards and touchdown receptions. McNutt was named the top wide receiver in the Big Ten Conference.
