Iowa Football Coach Kirk Ferentz

Kirk Ferentz is in his 11th year as head football coach at the University of Iowa. His tenure as Iowa's head football coach trails only Hayden Fry, who led the Hawkeyes for 20 seasons (1979-98). Ferentz ranks second in longevity among Big Ten Conference football coaches.

Under the direction of Ferentz and his staff, Iowa has been bowl eligible in each of the last eight seasons. The Hawkeyes have played in seven bowl games since 2001, including five appearances in January bowl games. Iowa concluded the 2008 season with a 31-10 win over South Carolina in the 2009 Outback Bowl in Tampa, FL, its third New Year's Day win under Ferentz. The Hawkeyes earned a share of the Big Ten title in both 2002 and 2004. Including a tie for fourth last season, Iowa has finished in the Big Ten's first division in seven of the past eight seasons.

The Hawkeyes have won 59 games over the past seven years, competing in the 2003 Orange Bowl, defeating Florida 37-17 in the 2004 Outback Bowl and LSU 30-25 in the 2005 Capital One Bowl. Iowa competed in the 2006 Outback Bowl and the 2006 Alamo Bowl prior to last season's Outback Bowl victory. Iowa has won 36 Big Ten games in the past seven seasons. The Hawkeyes appeared in six straight bowl games between 2001 and 2006, the second longest bowl streak in school history (Iowa appeared in eight straight bowl games from 1981-88).

Ferentz was named Iowa's 25th head football coach on December 2, 1998. He replaced Fry, who retired after 20 seasons with the Hawkeyes. At Iowa, Ferentz has an overall record of 70-53, including a 66-35 mark over the last eight seasons. He has posted a 43-37 record in Big Ten play. His career record is 82-74 in 13 years as a collegiate head coach. Ferentz is one of just seven Big Ten coaches ever to guide a team to 10 wins or more in three straight seasons.

The 2008 Hawkeyes caught fire in the second half of the season by winning six of their final seven games. Iowa finished the season with a 9-4 record (5-3 in the Big Ten), with the losses coming by a total of 12 points.

Iowa won its first three games a year ago before three close losses. A win over previously undefeated and third-ranked Penn State (24-23) was the biggest highlight of the successful stretch run. The Hawkeyes currently have possession of all three traveling trophies (Cy-Hawk, Heartland and Floyd of Rosedale) after closing the regular season with a 55-0 win at Minnesota. The convincing win over South Carolina in the Outback Bowl enabled the Hawkeyes to finish 20th in the final AP and USA Today Coaches polls.

Four Hawkeyes made the 2008 first all-Big Ten team, with two gaining considerable individual honors. Running back Shonn Greene was named winner of the Chicago Tribune's Silver Football, emblematic of the league's most valuable player. He was also named the league's offensive Player of the Year by both league coaches and media. Greene was also the MVP of the Outback Bowl and later earned the Doak Walker Award as the top running back in the nation and was a consensus first team all-American.

Tackle Mitch King led the Iowa defense throughout the season and earned first team all-Big Ten honors for the second straight season. King was tabbed as Defensive Lineman of the Year in the Big Ten and was named to several all-America squads.

Iowa, last season, won six of seven games in Kinnick Stadium, improving the home record to 38-8 (.826) since the start of the 2002 campaign. That make includes a school-record 22-game winning streak (2002-05). Iowa sold out 36 straight home games over the last six seasons.

Under Ferentz, the Hawkeyes have put together the greatest run in school history. The Hawkeyes won 11 games in 2002 and 10 in both 2003 and 2004. Iowa posted a 38-12 mark from 2002-05, the best in school history. And, Iowa's 25 Big Ten wins were the most ever by a Hawkeye team in a four-year span. No other Big Ten team won more league games over that four-year period.

Iowa's 6-6 record in 2007 included a 4-4 mark in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes won their final three league games of the year and four of the last five overall. Eleven true freshmen saw action in 2007, the most for the Hawkeyes under Ferentz. Overall, Iowa used 31 first year players, a figure that ranked third nationally for playing young players.

Iowa climbed as high as 12th in the 2006 polls while winning five of its first six games. Injuries and inopportune mistakes played a role as the Hawkeyes struggled for consistency during the second half of the season. Still, a 24-21 loss to 15th-ranked Wisconsin and the two-point loss to 16th-ranked Texas in the Alamo Bowl showed Iowa's toughness.

Ferentz, a two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2002 & 2004), led the Hawkeyes to a third place Big Ten finish in 2005. An overtime loss to Michigan and a last-minute, one point loss at Northwestern is all that kept the Hawkeyes from sharing a third Big Ten title in four years. Following the 2005 season Iowa was one of four teams (Southern Cal, Georgia, Florida State) in the nation to play in four consecutive January bowl games. The overtime loss to Michigan ended Iowa's 22-game home winning streak, the fourth longest in the nation at the time.

Ferentz led the 2004 Hawkeyes to their second Big Ten title in three years and earned the league's Coach of the Year honors for the second time. Iowa's 10-2 (7-1 in the Big Ten) record was expected by very few. A victory in the 2005 Capital One Bowl (30-25 over defending national champion LSU) capped off a third straight appearance in a January bowl game.

Iowa put the topping on the 2003 and 2004 seasons by beating favored SEC teams in New Year's Day bowl games. The Hawkeyes ended the 2002, 2003 and 2004 seasons with an eighth place ranking in the final polls. On a national scale, Iowa's record over that three year span ranked eighth best in the nation.

The 2003 Hawkeyes were the only Big Ten team to beat league champion Michigan (30-27). Five Iowa players were named to the 2003 first all-Big Ten team and two were named first team all-America. Hawkeye offensive lineman Robert Gallery was named winner of the 2003 Outland Trophy, which goes to the nation's top collegiate interior lineman. Iowa put the topping on the 2003 season by beating a favored Florida team (37-17) in the Outback Bowl, in Tampa, FL, on New Year's Day.

The 2002 team was probably the most decorated in Iowa football history.

Ferentz was named 2002 Associated Press and The Walter Camp Football Foundation's Coach of the Year in college football. He was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year in a season that saw his team climb as high as third in the national rankings.

Ferentz led the 2002 Hawkeyes to their first Big Ten title since 1990 and the most wins (11) in school history. Iowa posted impressive road wins at Penn State and Michigan on its way to the school's first undefeated Big Ten campaign since 1922. The win over Michigan was the most convincing by a Wolverine opponent, in Ann Arbor, since 1967. The Hawkeyes also played in the BCS's FedEx Orange Bowl for the first time, having their nine-game winning streak snapped by Southern California.

Winning three of its final four games in 2001, Ferentz led Iowa to the Sylvania Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, TX, where the Hawkeyes defeated Texas Tech 19-16.

The foundation of Kirk's program at Iowa was established in his first two seasons and began to pay dividends late in the 2000 season when the Hawkeyes won in double overtime at Penn State. Iowa returned home the following week to post a 27-17 win over Big Ten co-champion Northwestern, ranked 12th in the nation at the time. That late-season success carried over into the winning campaign of 2001.

And while Ferentz has guided the Iowa program to great success on the field, the Hawkeyes have also made their mark in the classroom. Among the top 25 teams in the national polls at the conclusion of the 2008 season, Iowa's graduation success of 75% ranked third. Among the 10 college football programs that have played in five January bowl games in the past seven years, Iowa's graduation rate from a year ago ties as the highest percentage.

In 2005, Iowa tied Southern Cal and Virginia Tech with the best football student-athlete graduation rate (58%) among all Division I teams earning a bowl invitation. Among the teams which participated in bowl games following the 2002, 2003 and 2004 seasons, only Iowa and Southern Cal ranked in the top five in graduation rates in each of the three seasons. Among the 64 schools who participated in bowl games following the 2006 season, Iowa's graduation rate (72%) ranked ninth best.

Along with Ferentz earning conference and national Coach of the Year recognition, members of his staff have also been well recognized. Norm Parker, Iowa's defensive coordinator, was a finalist for the 2004 and 2005 Frank Broyles Award, which recognizes the top Division I assistant coach in the nation. Lester Erb, who has coached running backs, wide receivers and special teams at Iowa, was named by Rivals.com as one of the top 25 recruiters in 2005. Ron Aiken, Iowa's defensive line coach through the 2006 season, was the American Football Coaches Association Division I Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002. Aiken is now on the coaching staff of the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, who participated in the most recent Super Bowl.

Under Ferentz and his staff, Hawkeye players have gathered all-Big Ten and national recognition at a record pace. Five Hawkeye players have earned national Player of the Year honors at their position. Those include offensive lineman Robert Gallery (Outland Trophy), place kicker Nate Kaeding (Lou Groza Award), quarterback Brad Banks (Davey O'Brien Award and AP Player of the Year), tight end Dallas Clark (John Mackey Award) and Shonn Greene (Doak Walker Award). Banks was also the runner-up in the 2002 Heisman Trophy voting.

Banks (2002) and Greene (2008) were both named Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and conference MVP. Guard Eric Steinbach (2002), Gallery (2003) and King (2008) were all winners of the Big Ten Lineman of the Year award. Gallery, in 2003, became the ninth Hawkeye to earn the Lineman of the Year award.

Another part of Iowa's success under Ferentz is reflected in the annual NFL draft. RB Shonn Greene (New York Jets) and DB Bradley Fletcher (St. Louis Rams) were the first two players selected, respectively, in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft. OL Seth Olsen (Denver) was a fourth round selection and TE Brandon Myers (Oakland) was selected in the sixth round. Four additional Hawkeyes, DL Mitch King, DL Matt Kroul, WR Andy Brodell and OL Rob Bruggeman, signed free agent contracts less than 24 hours after the conclusion of the draft.

In the 2008 NFL draft, DB Charles Godfrey was a third round selection of the Carolina Panthers, while DE Ken Iwebema was a fourth round selection (Arizona) and LB Mike Humpal was selected in the sixth round (Pittsburgh). Godfrey started all 16 games during his rookie season and Iwebema played in the Super Bowl to conclude his first professional season.

LB Chad Greenway was a first round pick in the 2006 draft, with fellow linebacker Abdul Hodge being selected in the third round. In the 2007 draft, OL Marshal Yanda (third round, Baltimore), TE Scott Chandler (fourth, San Diego) and OL Mike Elgin (seventh, New England) were selected.

Overall, 27 players have been drafted in the past seven years, with seven being selected among the top 50 picks. In addition, five Hawkeye players signed NFL free agent contracts the day after the 2003 and 2007 drafts, nine signed free agent contracts immediately following the 2004 draft, three in 2005 and 2008 and four following the 2006 and 2009 drafts.

Over the past nine seasons, 68 of 78 senior starters under Coach Ferentz have been selected in the NFL draft or signed to an NFL free agent contract.

Robert Gallery was the second selection in the 2004 NFL draft, while Bob Sanders was selected in the second round as the first pick of the Indianapolis Colts. Nate Kaeding, a third round selection of the San Diego Chargers, became the first kicker since 2000 (and just the sixth ever) to be selected on the first day of the draft.

Iowa ranks among Big Ten leaders in number of players (30) drafted over the past eight years. In the 2005 NFL Draft, DE Matt Roth and DT Jonathan Babineaux were second round selections and DB Sean Considine was picked in the fourth round.

Among the former Hawkeyes who have gone on to play in the NFL, Kaeding, Sanders and DL Aaron Kampman (Green Bay) have earned all-Pro recognition. Sanders was named by the Associated Press as the 2007 NFL defensive Player of the Year.

Ferentz joined the Iowa staff after serving as assistant head coach and offensive line coach of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He had been a part of the Baltimore (Cleveland Browns prior to the move) organization for six years.

Ferentz was a member of Hayden Fry's Iowa staff for nine years as offensive line coach (1981-89). Iowa appeared in eight bowl games during the time Ferentz was an Iowa assistant. A pair of Rose Bowls (1982 & 1986), two Holiday Bowl appearances (1986-87) and a pair of Peach Bowl visits (1982 & 1988), along with appearances in the Gator (1983) and Freedom (1984) bowls, highlighted his previous Iowa stay. Iowa's record in those nine years was 73-33-4 and included two 10-win and two nine-win seasons.

Offensive lines under the direction of Ferentz anchored four of Iowa's highest scoring offenses. Five of Iowa's top offensive teams, in terms of yards gained per game, were operating behind Ferentz coached offensive lines. And, seven of Iowa's top 10 passing teams of all time occurred during the Ferentz years of the 1980's.

Kirk's coaching career began as a student assistant (1977) at his alma mater, Connecticut. The next two years (1978-79) were spent at Worcester Academy, where Kirk also taught English literature. He served as a graduate assistant offensive line coach at Pittsburgh during the 1980 season. That Pittsburgh team (coached by Jackie Sherrill) finished with an 11-1 record and a number two national ranking.

He joined Fry's staff in 1981 and the Hawkeyes won their first conference title and Rose Bowl berth in over 20 years. A string of 19 straight non-winning seasons came to an end in 1981. Ferentz continued as Iowa's line coach thru the 1989 season.

Eleven Hawkeyes, coached by Ferentz (the assistant), went on to play in the National Football League. They were John Alt, Rob Baxley, Dave Croston, Scott Davis, Mike Devlin, Chris Gambol, Mike Haight, Ron Hallstrom, Joel Hilgenberg, Bob Kratch and Brett Miller. Alt, Haight and Hallstrom were first round picks in the NFL draft and five of his players were first team all-Big Ten.

He was named head coach of the Maine Bears in 1990 and held that position for three years before being hired by Bill Belichick and the Cleveland Browns.

Kirk served as the honorary chair of the University of Iowa's 1999-00 United Way campaign and he serves on the National Advisory Board of the Bethesda Family Services Foundation. Kirk and his wife, Mary, have given two major financial gifts to the University of Iowa. The most recent was a $400,000 gift to the University's College of Liberal Arts and University Children's Hospital. The Ferentz' also made a $100,000 gift to the University's College of Liberal Arts in 2003.

Ferentz was born August 1, 1955, in Royal Oak, MI. He attended Upper St. Clair High School in Pittsburgh. He graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in English Education. He was a football captain and an academic all-Yankee Conference linebacker at UConn.

Kirk received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut in May, 2009. He was inducted into the Upper St. Clair High School Hall of Fame in September, 2002 and the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in May, 2003.

Kirk and his wife, Mary, have five children. They are Brian (26), Kelly (24), Joanne (22), James (20) and Steven (16). Brian was a senior on the 2005 Iowa football team and James is in his second year with the program. Kelly is in graduate school at Iowa and Joanne is an undergrad student.

Ferentz' Coaching Career
Iowa	             HC, 1999-present
Baltimore/Cleveland   OL, 1993-98
Maine	             HC, 1990-92
Iowa	             OL, 1981-89
Pittsburgh	    GA, 1980
Worcester Academy	    OL, DC, 1978-79
Connecticut	    GA, 1977