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Kirk Ferentz ties Hayden Fry’s historic mark, can pass him with Hawkeyes’ final game against Nebraska
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This is Kirk Ferentz’s 21st season as the head coach at Iowa. He has done many impressive things with the Hawkeyes.
For starters, he’s taken them to highly prestigious bowls such as the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl and others. Ferentz is a winner. He’s proven that much. Could he do better?
Of course. What coach is perfect?
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Ferentz, after his win against Illinois on Saturday owns a 96-75 record in the Big Ten. The 96 wins matches legendary coach Hayden Fry’s mark of 96-61-5. Fry won his 96 games in 20 seasons.
This coming Saturday, in the Hawkeyes’ final regular season game against Nebraska, he will have a chance to pass Fry and get win No. 97. Iowa, with a win, would move to 9-3.
In Big Ten history, only three coaches have more wins than Ferentz: Amos Alonzo Stagg at Chicago (115 in 37 seasons), Bo Schembechler at Michigan (143 in 21) and Woody Hayes at Ohio State (153 in 28).
“That’s lofty right there,” Ferentz said of the three men ahead of him. “I remember reading about Amos Alonzo Stagg in ‘When Pride Still Mattered.’ Everybody thought he was grossly overpaid in 1920, or whatever it was. That hasn’t changed. It’s one of the things I remembered about that book. I was laughing.”
Kevin covers Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.