VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota head football coach Bob Nielson is pleased to announce that Steve Ferentz has joined his staff as an assistant coach working primarily with the outside linebackers group.
 
"We are excited to add Steve to our football staff," said Nielson. "His background as a NCAA Division I football player and coach along with his experience coaching in the NFL will be an asset to our program."
 
Ferentz competed for the Iowa Hawkeyes as a tight end and offensive lineman from 2012-16. He was a junior on Iowa's Rose Bowl team and competed in eight games as a senior in 2016 when the Hawkeyes competed in the Outback Bowl.
 
Ferentz moved to the coaching side at Iowa in 2017 before spending two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Central Michigan where he worked primarily with the linebackers. In 2020, he became an assistant linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins where he has spent the last three seasons.
 
"I am excited to get to Vermillion and join Coach Nielson and his staff," said Ferentz. "I look forward to getting to work with the players and build great relationships with them that will last beyond their time at South Dakota."
 
Ferentz is married to Annie Ferentz. Steve is the youngest child of Mary and Kirk Ferentz, the head football coach at University of Iowa.