Fry steps down after 20 years

Fry said that as difficult as the decision was, the timing was right for him to retire. He ended a 37-year head coaching career that encompassed 420 games at three schools and produced 232 victories and 17 bowl appearances.

"It's kind of hard to do," said an emotional Fry, 69. "All the people that gave me an opportunity to spend 20 years as a member of the Hawkeye family, I could never repay them."

Fry was the winningest coach in Iowa history, but his teams had trouble staying with the Big Ten powers in the 1990s after winning three conference championships from 1981 to 1990.

This season's 3-8 finish was the worst in his 20 years at Iowa. But Fry said it gave him the opportunity to step down because the season won't extend through a December bowl trip.

AP PHOTO Iowa coach Hayden Fry weeps as he announces his retirement after 37 years of head-coaching, including 20 with the Hawkeyes.

"Selfishly, it's not the right time for me," Fry said. "I'd rather have gone out with a real good season and all that good stuff coaches like to talk about. But I truly love the University of Iowa, I truly love the state of Iowa. I'll always be a Hawk."

Fry said he had considered quitting two years ago, but stayed out of concern for the futures of his assistants and the effect it would have had on recruiting. A bowl game at the end of the 1997 season discouraged him from quitting then for similar reasons.

"I really felt like we could have a good year," said Fry, his voice faltering at times as he wiped tears away with a handkerchief. "I've always been an optimist, but I never dreamed that we would experience all the problems we had ... but I'm very proud of this team this year, even in defeat."

Fry, who inherited a program that had gone 17 years without a winning season when he came to Iowa City in 1979, took the Hawkeyes to 14 bowl games and built a 143-89-6 record while becoming one of the most popular figures in the state.

Fry's Texas drawl and homespun humor made him an immediate hit with players and fans as he promised to bring excitement and a wide open offensive style to the program.

"This is a place many of you will recall nobody ever thought a football coach would win again," Bowlsby said.

Bowlsby said Fry could have coached as long as he wanted and there was never a suggestion from the administration that he step down.

"This was 100 percent Hayden Fry's decision," Bowlsby said.

Fry said he made the decision to leave on Sunday. But the word "retirement" was hard to come by, and he spent several minutes at his news conference thanking people, at times pausing to compose himself, before he made the announcement.

"Man, 47 years - I've never had to do this," he said.

11-24-98