Some college football programs this spring are preparing for the likelihood that they will need to cut down their rosters by as many as 15 players, if not perhaps a few more, in roster management.
The new 105-man roster limit is a key component of the impending House Settlement, which is scheduled for a final ruling -- and expected adoption -- Monday in U.S. District Court.
Throughout college football, and per no less than a half-dozen college coaches who have spoken to FootballScoop in recent weeks, roster cuts are both the spoken and unspoken theme looming over many programs' spring camps.
At Iowa, where Kirk Ferentz is entering his 27th season at the helm, by far the most active tenured coach in FBS, the Hawkeyes are tackling spring camp this month without much concern for making roster adjustments.
Ferentz and his staff took a much more proactive approach.
"It turns out we're in the minority," Ferentz said of his program's preparedness for the 105-roster. "I didn't take any surveys or do any surveys back in the fall, but we just let our guys know in December if we couldn't guarantee a 105 spot, we told our players that and allowed them to go on visits and still be part of the team and still go to the bowl and all that.
"But, I just think we were all in agreement staff-wise that the right thing to do was let guys know and be transparent with them. We've had a handful of guys that know right now they don't have a guarantee that chose to stay here this spring instead of go out and find places, but it turns out nobody else is doing that."
Though Ferentz took that initiative for his program, he offered his son, Steven, a defensive assistant at South Dakota, different advice.
"I actually have a son coaching at the FCS level," said Ferentz, a 204-game winner at Iowa, "and I told him, you have to wait until the end of April and get your net out and catch whoever falls through, because apparently that's what's going to go on."
While Ferentz acknowledged that approach could have its pluses, he leaned against that style -- but also suggested the transition from a 120-man roster down to 105 could have been staggered.
"From a competitive standpoint, that would have been smart; I just didn't think it was the right thing to do," Ferentz said. "These guys come in here, work hard every day. Had a lot of guys that have found new homes, whether it be in the MAC, FCS, John Pascuzzi went to West Virginia on a scholarship, so I'm thrilled for all those guys.
"We're pretty much there [at 105]. The hard discussions have already taken place.
"Not to be critical, but if I would make a recommendation, it would have been nicer if they'd stair-stepped it down, given us a year to get to 105, kind of going. But it is what it is, so we've dealt with that. So, I think our roster is pretty much where we need it to be right now. It's pretty much under control."
Iowa, which has won 36 games in its last four seasons under Ferentz, is holding an open practice for the public April 26 and then is scheduled to kick off its 2025 season Aug. 30 at home vs. FCS program Albany.
The Hawkeyes face rival and Big 12 Conference resident Iowa State the next week on the road. Their Big Ten slate in the fall includes games against three Big Ten foes who made College Football Playoff appearances in 2024 -- Indiana, Penn State and Oregon -- as well as USC and at rival Wisconsin, among notable contests.