IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Ken O'Keefe will move from quarterbacks coach to an off-the-field role with the Iowa Hawkeyes, football coach Kirk Ferentz announced Wednesday.
O'Keefe was a member of Ferentz's first staff at Iowa, serving as offensive coordinator from 1999 to 2011 as well as receivers coach (1999) and quarterbacks coach (2000-2011).
O'Keefe left in 2011 for a coaching position in the NFL and returned to Iowa City to coach quarterbacks in 2017.
"My entire family and I are incredibly grateful to Coach Ferentz, the players -- especially the quarterbacks I have been privileged to work with -- the staff, the University of Iowa, and the great Hawkeye football fans for all of their support these many years," O'Keefe said.
"When you love what you do, and where you do it, when you love being around the staff and working with tremendous men like I do day in and day out, it is hard to walk away. But I am confident that the time is right for me to step off the field and embrace a new opportunity."
O'Keefe's coaching career has spanned 45 years. He was named Division III National Coach of the Year in 1990 after leading Allegheny College to the national title.
Iowa did not specify what O'Keefe's role would be going forward.
"While we will miss having him on the field on Saturdays, we are looking forward to him continuing to share his perspective and knowledge to benefit our entire program," Ferentz said.
The Hawkeyes are coming off a topsy-turvy season, and quarterback play had a lot to do with it. Iowa finished 10-4 and won the Big Ten West but scored just 328 points on the season. The Hawkeyes lost their final two games -- the Big Ten championship game and the Citrus Bowl -- by a combined 62-20 score.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.