You remember the story. Hayden Fry, coach of the Iowa Hawkeye’s football team was to retire with about a 70% winning record. Under him, many years meant a winning season and a bowl... Some grumbled that the bowls weren’t the best, but I was very happy. Iowa is not a football factory.

Then of course Bobby Stoops was going to take over and Iowa would win more games and everybody would ride off into the sunset. It didn’t happen. Iowa got a guy name Kirk from somewhere and his last name was Ferentz. He was one of Fry’s coaches of long ago and like most of his assistants went on to big things.

So in the first year, if memory serves me correctly, Iowa won one (1) game. The next year was a little better. Then third year every thing went better. The team had a 7-5 season and won its bowl. The fourth year was Iowa’s season in the sun. It was gangbusters. The team ended up in the top ten and the quarterback was a Heisman candidate.

This last year, it got as good or better. Iowa won a bunch of games and clobbered its opponent in a big time bowl. It earned a top ten berth. I was as happy as you were.
Incredible!

So where I am sitting, I will be happy with a winning season and a bowl. For those purist out there that want the top EVERY year, stick your head in the toilet.

I am a Ferentz fan now and he’s going to have some bad years. However, my sources tell me that he is an incredible coach with great assistants and a talent at recruiting. He also knows how to “poor mouth.” If he has got a great team, he says that there just okay. Then he works his magic.

I think the years ahead may be interesting to Hawkeye fans. I hope so and I put my trust in what appears to be a solid guy with a talent for coaching. Iowa got lucky. If Ferentz keeps winning, watch out for the pro football teams who may want him. On the other hand, Iowa City is a nice place to live and I think Iowans now like their coach.

I do.