Hayden Fry

Bio

For 37-years one of the most recognizable faces in college football was that of Hayden Fry. But Fry is remembered for more than his dark glasses and square jaw. When he retired, his 232 wins placed him tenth on the all-time list. After coaching on the high school level, and for two years as a college assistant, he received his first collegiate head coaching job at Southern Methodist. His wide-open style fit the Southwest Conference as he led the 1966 Mustangs to their first SWC title since 1948. Among his achievements at SMU was recruiting Jerry LeVias, the first African-American player in the SWC. In six seasons at North Texas, Fry won 40 games including 19 in his last two seasons. Before his arrival, the school had won seven games in the previous four seasons. Fry is best known for sparking a resurgence at Iowa, where his teams were 143-89-6 over 20 seasons. In 1981, he coached the Hawkeyes to their first winning season in 19 years with a Big-Ten co-championship and a birth in the Rose Bowl, the school's first bowl appearance in 23 years. Fry won two other Big Ten titles sending the Hawkeyes to Pasadena. At Iowa, he had ten ranked teams and made 14 bowl appearances.