Jay Norvell

IOWA CITY — Jay Norvell will move from senior offensive analyst to running backs coach at Iowa after Omar Young left the Hawkeye football program for a similar position with the Las Vegas Raiders last month, head coach Kirk Ferentz announced Monday.

Norvell previously was head coach at Nevada for five years and at Colorado State for four before the Rams fired him seven games into last season. Ferentz had hired him as an analyst last month.

“Jay has extensive experience as both a head coach and a position coach in college and professional football,” Ferentz said. “His perspective is a great addition to our coaching staff and will be beneficial for our running backs and our entire offense.”

Norvell played for the Hawkeyes from 1982-85 and was the team MVP as a senior. He’s been an assistant at six other power-conference schools as well as with the Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts.

Ferentz also announced Illinois State running backs coach Mike Grant has been hired as senior offensive analyst and Brian Smith, who was on the staff in 2024-25, as senior defensive analyst.