Iowa offensive coordinator O'Keefe leaves team
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Iowa used to have one of the nation's most stable staffs under head coach Kirk Ferentz. In less than two months, he has lost the only coordinators he has ever had.
Iowa announced Friday that offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe had resigned after 13 seasons, leaving the program for another coaching position the school did not identify. The surprise departure, first reported by the Des Moines Register, leaves both coordinator jobs open at Iowa.
"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," Ferentz said in a statement.
Ferentz is expected to name a replacement for longtime defensive coordinator Norm Parker, who retired, sometime next week. Iowa has also yet to officially replace defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski, who left for a similar job at rival Nebraska.
The 58-year-old O'Keefe was known for running a balanced, pro-style attack at Iowa that some fans considered too conservative. The Hawkeyes finished 58th in the country in scoring offense in 2011, averaging 27.5 points per game, behind first-year starting quarterback James Vandenberg, star wide receiver Marvin McNutt and running back Marcus Coker.
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