Hayden Fry

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John Hayden Fry (born February 28, 1929) is a retired American football player and mentor.

He served as the head football coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU) from 1962 to 1972, and the University of Iowa from 1973 to 1998, compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10.

At Baylor University, Fry played college football.

In 2003, he was inducted as a mentor into the College Football Hall of Fame.

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Iowa coaching career

Hayden Fry was hired as Iowa's 25th head football coach and fourth in eight seasons after the 1978 season. By this time, Fry had never been to Iowa, but he knew and loved Bump Elliott. Iowa had had 17 consecutive non-winning seasons, but Fry was struck by the fan support for a program that had struggled for so long.

At Iowa, Fry concentrated on transforming an unhappy mood and starting new traditions. Hayden would not celebrate close losses or moral victories, once more threatening to "punch any player in the mouth if he was smiling" after a 21-6 loss to highly ranked Oklahoma in his first season, a game in which Iowa trailed only 7-6 well into the 4th quarter. He retained a marketing company to design the Tigerhawk, a symbol of the University of Iowa's athletic programs. Since both shared the black and gold colors, Fry was given permission by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the time's most popular NFL scheme, to recolor Iowa's uniforms in the Steelers' logo. When they left the locker room, Fry brought the team "swarm" onto the field together, waving hands in a show of solidarity. The visitors' locker room was also painted pink. Fry, a psychology major at Baylor, knew that pink is often used in jails and mental institutions to relax and pacify the prisoners, and that visiting team could have the same effect. However, Fry was hoping that the unexpected color would distract and fluster the opposition players and coaches. Visiting head coaches, particularly Bo Schembechler of Michigan, will occasionally cover the pink walls with paper to discourage their players from the color.

On the field, Fry brought the majority of his assistant coaches from North Texas, including Bill Brashier, his defensive coordinator and a childhood friend from Eastland, Texas, and Bill Snyder, his offensive coordinator. Dan McCarney and Bernie Wyatt, two former Iowa coaches from the previous staff, were retained by Fry. Barry Alvarez, Fry's head coach at Mason City High School, has been hired. Kirk Ferentz will eventually serve as his offensive line coach, and he will recruit Bob Stoops, Mike Stoops, Chuck Long, and Bret Bielema as assistant coaches. Jim Leavitt, the future head coach of South Florida, got one of his first opportunities in college football, making him a graduate assistant coach at Iowa in 1989.

For the first time, Fry brought a wide-open passing game to the Big Ten. At the snap, he had his tight ends at the line of scrimmage, resulting in a strange looking offensive unit. To keep the opposition on its toes, he tried a variety of trick plays, or "exotics." All this did not turn into victories straight away. Some people began to wonder if Fry would face the same fate as the four coaches before him, who had left Iowa after struggling to produce a winning season.

However, the Hawkeyes made history by 1981, during a magical season for Hawkeye fans. Iowa started the year off by defeating Nebraska, ranked sixth in the previous year, defeating Iowa 52-0. Iowa defeated sixth-ranked UCLA, giving Fry his 100th career victory. Iowa defeated Michigan in Ann Arbor for the first time in 19 years over the Wolverines. The Boilermakers' first losing streak in 19 years, as well as its first bowl appearance in 23 years, ended a 20-game losing streak to the Boilermakers. If he didn't take Iowa to a bowl game in four years, Fry had promised to resign; he had done so in three previous seasons.

Iowa defeated Michigan State in Ann Arbor's last game of the 1981 Big Ten title, as well as an Ohio State upset of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Hawkeyes made the conference's first appearance in the 1982 Rose Bowl since Iowa last attended the Rose Bowl in 1959. In each of the previous 13 seasons, either Michigan or Ohio State had qualified to the Rose Bowl, prompting critics to rename the Big Ten "Big Two and Little Eight." Although the Hawks lost to Washington, they had nevertheless changed the balance of the Big Ten.

Iowa entered 1982 with a 0-2 record but later set a 6–2 record in the Big Ten to win a spot in the 1982 Peach Bowl. The Hawkeyes defeated Tennessee in Iowa's first bowl victory since 1959.

When the Hawks were granted an invitation to the Gator Bowl in 1983, they had a 9-2 record overall and a 7-2 record in the Big Ten. Iowa's seven Big Ten wins tied for the first time in 1903, while Iowa's nine victories overall tied the school record for victories in a single season dating back to 1903. Before losing in the Gator Bowl to Florida, Iowa was ranked in the top ten in the country.

In 1984, a five-game conference winning streak put Fry and Iowa in contention for the league championship, but injuries did play a part in Iowa's 0–2–1 finish to the conference record. Iowa held a 7–4-1 record in the 1984 Freedom Bowl against Texas. It was Fry's first game against a Texas school after leaving the state in 1978. The 1985 Hawkeyes set the tone for the 1985 season by defeating Texas, 55–17. It was the most points scored against Texas in eighty years and the second most points allowed by the Longhorns.

1985 was perhaps Fry's finest season at Iowa. For the first time in 24 years, Iowa was ranked #1 in the AP poll and stayed there for five weeks. The Hawkeyes won two thrilling, last-minute victories as America's top team during that time. To win by 35–31 over Michigan State, Iowa quarterback Chuck Long scored a last minute touchdown on a bootleg run to clinch a 35–31 victory over Michigan State. Two weeks later, one of Iowa's most popular games was set to be played.

The Michigan Wolverines came into Iowa City with a flawless 5–0 record and the coveted spot in the AP poll. It was the 12th time in college football that the top and #2 ranked teams in the AP poll would meet in a regular season game. It was the first time the victor had scored the winning points on the game's final play. Kicker Rob Houghtlin booted his fourth field goal of the day, this one from 29 yards out, as time expired to give Iowa a dramatic 12–10 victory over Michigan at Kinnick Stadium with two seconds remaining in the game and Iowa trailing 10–9.

Iowa will finish the season with a 10-1 record, losing only in Columbus to Ohio State. Despite this, Iowa will win its first outright Big Ten title in 27 years, while Fry's second Rose Bowl berth and a top-ten final ranking. In 1985, the Hawkeyes set a new school record for wins, and Long finished second second to Bo Jackson for the Heisman Trophy by the slimest margin in the tournament's history.

Fry's 53rd at Iowa beat Iowa State in 1986, propelling him to become the winningest coach in Hawkeye history. In 1986, Iowa had an 8–3 record and was given a ticket to the Holiday Bowl. The Hawkeyes captured the 1986 Holiday Bowl, 39–38, on a kick by Houghtlin as time expired.

The Hawkeyes had a 9–3 record in 1987 and then returned to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl. Iowa won a second straight Holiday Bowl victory, giving the state another ten-win season. Iowa's 62 victories from 1981 to 1987 were the most successful on any Big Ten team in that period, more than Michigan or Ohio State. Fry had a 19-consecutive seasons as a team and developed them into one of the best teams in the Big Ten conference.

The 1988 season marked Iowa football's 100th season. It was also Fry's tenth season at the university, making him the first Iowa football coach to head the Hawkeyes for a decade. Iowa earned its eighth straight invitation to a bowl game by playing in the 1988 Peach Bowl, leading to a 6–3-3 record.

Craig T. Nelson was the first to appear on "Hayden Fox" in 1989. The title character, which was created by Iowa alumnus Barry Kemp, was loosely based on Hayden Fry (Fry later appeared in NCAA commercials with Shelley Fabares), and exterior scenes for the film were shot on campus, mainly around Hillcrest Dormitory. Iowa had a rough season as a result of Minnesota's season-opening loss to Minnesota cost Iowa their ninth straight bowl game and a Copper Bowl berth as the Hawkeyes ended the year 5–6.

The Hawks bounced right back in 1990, when Iowa set a 7-0 record to start the season. Iowa's last regular season game against Minnesota was in 1990, and Iowa was ranked 8–2 overall and 6–1. Early in the game, Fry earned his third conference championship and third Rose Bowl berth in ten years more than any other Big Ten Conference team. The Hawkeyes lost outright conference championship to Minnesota, but the Hawks finished tied for first place in Big Ten Conference standings with Illinois, Michigan, and Michigan State, with Iowa also posting 6–2 league records. Since the Hawks had defeated all three clubs during the regular season, all three teams had to be able to travel to Pasadena, and all three teams had to be defeated on the road. Despite losing in Pasadena for the third time under Fry, many fans predicted 1991 to be even better.

The Hawks had a better record in 1991 than at 10–1 records, but they lost by lone to Michigan in a Big Ten title and a first-time Rose Bowl appearance. Iowa's win over Minnesota in 1991 was the first game to win on a season, tying the school record for wins in a season. The victory over Minnesota was also Fry's 100th victory at Iowa. The Hawkeyes accepted a third invitation to the Holiday Bowl, as well as a 13-13 tie with BYU that culminated in a top-ten finish in the final AP rankings.

Iowa's winning percentage from 1981 to 1991 ranked second in the Big Ten, behind Michigan and Ohio State. In ten years, the Hawkeyes have competed in ten bowl games and three Big Ten titles during this time.

Iowa experienced a decline in 1992-1994. As Fry got older and some assistant coaches departed for other coaching positions, many assistant coaches were able to work elsewhere. Fry's second losing season in 12 years was his second in less than two years, as Iowa finished 5–7 last year. The Hawkeyes returned to Alamo Bowl berth after starting the 1993 season at 2-5. Fry's 200th victory of his coaching career came as a result of Iowa's last victory of the 1993 season over Minnesota.

However, Iowa lost the inaugural Alamo Bowl to California, 37–3. The Hawkeyes then fell to a 5–1 record the following year, and several commentators wondered if Fry's coaching career was coming to an end.

However, Fry had one of those seasons that were unbeaten. The Hawkeyes had a 7-4 record in 1995 and were co-champion in the Sun Bowl in the Pacific-10 Conference. Fry gained a measure of revenge against Washington, who had defeated Iowa in two of their three trips to the Rose Bowl under Fry, by defeating the heavily favored Huskies, 38–18. With a 27–0 victory over Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl in 1996, the Hawks tied their first bowl shutout in school history.

The Hawkeyes were expected to face the Big Ten title in 1997. Rather, Wisconsin defeated Iowa for the first time in 20 years. Iowa also led Michigan to the eventual co-national champion at halftime, 21–7, before collapsing in Ann Arbor, 28–24. The Hawkeyes closed the disappointing season by losing in the Sun Bowl to Arizona State.

Fry's 20th and last season at the University of Iowa marked his 20th and final season. As the Hawks finished with a 3–8 record, it was his worst season at Iowa. That season featured a 27-9 home loss to Iowa State, the state's first defeat in 15 years) and Foster's first loss to Iowa State in 15 years. Fry, a prostate cancer sufferer who had been secretly receiving radiation therapy all year, announced his retirement on November 22, 1998.

Fry reportedly expressed an interest in the open head coaching position at his alma mater, Baylor University, which eventually went to Guy Morriss.

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