Iowa Football - Rivals.com

Coach Kirk Ferentz
The 2002 Associated Press Coach
of the Year, Walter Camp Coach of
the Year, AFCA Regional Coach
of the Year and Big Ten Coach of
the Year, Kirk Ferentz (pronounced
FAIR-rintz, rhymes with parents),
is in his sixth season as Iowa’s head
football coach. He resurrected the
Iowa program and led the 2003
Hawkeyes to a 10-3 record and a
37-17 Outback Bowl victory No.
17 Florida. Iowa has posted a 24-7
(.774) overall mark and 14-4 (.778) Big Ten record the last
three seasons under Ferentz.
Ferentz, at Iowa, holds an overall record of 35-31 (.530)
and a 21-21 (.500) mark in Big Ten games. In eight seasons
as a college head coach his career mark is 47-52 (.475).
Twenty-two of Iowa’s 66 games over the last six seasons
have been decided by seven points or less and 24 were played
against opponents who were ranked in the top 25 at the
time.
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 part of the Baltimore
(Cleveland Browns prior to the move) staff for six years.
Ferentz was named head coach of the Maine Bears in 1990
and held that position for three years. Ferentz was a member
of Hayden Fry’s Iowa staff for nine years as offensive line
coach (1981-89). He coordinated Iowa’s running game during
his fi rst coaching stint with the Hawkeyes. Iowa appeared
in eight bowl games during the time Ferentz was an Iowa
assistant, posting a 4-4 record. A pair of Rose Bowls (1982
& 1986), two Holiday Bowl appearances (1986 & 1987)
and a pair of Peach Bowl visits (1982 & 1988), along with
appearances in the Gator (1983) and Freedom Bowls (1984)
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.
Ferentz was born in Royal Oak, MI, and attended high
school in Pittsburgh, PA. Kirk earned his bachelor’s degree
in English Education from the University of Connecticut in
1978, where he was a football captain.
Ferentz is 0-3 against Ohio State and 0-2 vs. Buckeye Coach
Jim Tressel (0-1 Iowa vs. OSU and 0-1 Maine vs. YSU).
FAMILY AFFAIR
Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz and his son, Brian, Ferentz
are believed to be one of only four father-son duos in Division
I this year. They join Art Briles and his son Kendal from
Houston, Tony Samuel and his son Travis from New Mexico
State and Mike Bellotti and his son Luke from Oregon.
OHIO STATE COACH JIM TRESSEL
Jim Tressel is in his fourth year as the head coach at Ohio
State and his 19 th season overall as a head coach. Tressel’s
overall record stands at 171-65-2 (.723) and 36-8 (.818) with
the Buckeyes. He has guided the Buckeyes to back-to-back
Fiesta Bowl victories, including its thrilling 31-24 overtime win
over Miami for the 2003 national championship. Last season,
Ohio State went 11-2 and defeated Kansas State (35-28) in the
2004 Fiesta Bowl. The Buckeyes fi nished with a 7-5 mark in
his fi rst season as mentor, including a third place conference
fi nish and an invitation to the 2002 Outback Bowl.
Prior to coaching the Buckeyes, Tressel coached 15 seasons at
Youngstown State. Tressel guided the Penguins to four national
titles and also appeared in two other championship games. He
was named National Coach of the Year four times (1991, ’93,
’94 and ’97).
Tressel was a four-year letterwinner at quarterback (1971-
74) and earned all-Conference honors as a senior at Baldwin
Wallace College.
Tressel is 1-0 vs. Iowa and 2-0 against Hawkeye Coach Kirk
Ferentz (1-0 OSU vs. Iowa and 1-0 YSU vs. Maine).
OSU’S HOME WIN STREAK SNAPPED
Wisconsin snapped an 18-game Ohio State home winning
streak with a 24-13 victory in Ohio Stadium last Saturday.
Leading 14-13 at the half, the Badgers came out of the locker
room and marched 72 yards and converted a fi eld goal to
stretch their lead to 17-13. Wisconsin added a touchdown in
the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach at 24-13. Ted
Ginn Jr. scored Ohio State’s only touchdown on a 65-yard punt
return in the fi rst quarter to give the Buckeyes the early lead.
PK Mike Nugent connected on fi eld goals of 42 and 55 yards
(tied career best) in the second quarter. The two fi eld goals
made gave Nugent the school career record (60).
IOWA, OHIO STATE NOTES
• Neither team scored an offensive touchdown in last year’s
game in Columbus. The Hawkeyes’ touchdown was scored on
a fake fi eld goal, while Ohio State’s touchdowns were scored
on a punt return and a recovery of a blocked punt in the end
zone.
• Both team’s rushing defenses were solid in last year’s meeting
as Iowa allowed only 56 yards on 42 rushes, while Ohio
State yielded 66 yards on 40 carries.
• The Ohio State game will be Kirk Ferentz’s 100 th game as
a collegiate head coach.
• Iowa is 2-2 under Ferentz coming off a bye week.
• Ohio State PK Mike Nugent was named co-Big Ten Special
Teams Player of the Week, marking the third time this season
the senior has earned the honor.
• Ohio State has not lost three consecutive games since the
1999 season when it lost its fi nal three regular season games
(at Michigan State, vs. Illinois and at Michigan).