Hayden Fry - Legacy and Honors

Legacy and Honors

It is difficult to overstate Fry's positive impact on Iowa football. Fry coached two decades at Iowa, more than twice as long as any coach before him. Hayden had a 143–89–6 record at Iowa, easily the most in school history. He led the Hawkeyes to 14 bowl games; before his arrival they had only been to two bowl games in 90 years. He also led the Hawkeyes to three Big Ten titles and three Rose Bowl appearances. But more than that, Fry established a winning tradition at Iowa, on and off the field. Iowa was no longer considered a coaching graveyard but rather, a place where a great coach could excel. Several of Fry’s former assistants followed Fry’s example in resurrecting other struggling football programs.

Former Fry assistants or players who have taken over as head coach at a Division I-A college football programs include:

• Kirk Ferentz, Iowa, 1999–present
• Bob Stoops, Oklahoma, 1999–present
• Mike Stoops, Arizona, 2004-2011
• Bill Snyder, Kansas State, 1989–2005, 2009–present
• Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin, 1990–2005
• Bret Bielema, Wisconsin, 2006–present
• Dan McCarney, Iowa State, 1995–2006, North Texas 2011–present
• Chuck Long, San Diego State, 2006–2008
• Jim Leavitt, South Florida, 1996–2009
• Bo Pelini, Nebraska, 2008–present
• Mark Stoops, Kentucky, starting 2013

After undergoing successful treatment for prostate cancer, Fry moved to Nevada to live in retirement. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003, alongside former SMU star Jerry LeVias. He received the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award, presented by the American Football Coaches Association, in 2005.

In 2009, prior to the first football game of the Hawkeye's season, First Avenue in adjoining Coralville was co-named Hayden Fry Way in his honor. This road is one of the main routes that can be taken to Kinnick Stadium from Interstate 80.

On December 30, 2010, Fry was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Pasadena Convention Center. As part of being honored, Fry participated in the 122nd Annual Tournament of Roses Parade and was recognized for his induction at the 2011 Rose Bowl following the 3rd quarter. In the Rose Bowl game during which Fry was honored, his former player Bret Bielema's Wisconsin Badgers lost to the TCU Horned Frogs.