RIP: Hayden Fry
Passed away this evening at the age of 90.
https://mobile.twitter.com/kbowlsby/status/1207113828053458944
December 17th, 2019 at 9:34 PM ^
One of the greats. Inventor of black Kinnick magic.
December 17th, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
and inventor of the pink Kinnick locker room.
December 18th, 2019 at 4:22 AM ^
I was wondering if he will have a rose colored casket. . .
December 17th, 2019 at 9:35 PM ^
Always loved him on Coach at Minnesota State.
but in all seriousness I always really respected him and his teams. They were tough as nails for several years.
December 17th, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
On the episode "Coaches Conference", the hotel mixed up Hayden Fox and Hayden Fry so Coach was left without a room and had to bunk with Luther in his basement level room.
December 17th, 2019 at 9:41 PM ^
RIP coach Fry. Class person and a great coach
December 17th, 2019 at 9:43 PM ^
Hayden and Iowa are one and the same. Like earth, wind and fire. He is Iowa football.
RIP Coach.
December 17th, 2019 at 11:13 PM ^
At this point, Ferentz has to be up there, too. The man's actually coached there longer than Fry at this point (and as long as Bo coached at Michigan).
December 17th, 2019 at 11:49 PM ^
CoachingTree(Fry) >>> CoachingTree(Ferentz)
December 17th, 2019 at 9:45 PM ^
They should bury him in a pink coffin.
December 17th, 2019 at 9:51 PM ^
Point Break was great, but you do realize "Special Agent Utah" was a QB at Ohio state...
December 17th, 2019 at 9:55 PM ^
Yeah but that’s irrelevant. I like Chris Spielman because of his NFL career despite the fact he’s a Buckeye.
Point Break is a kick ass film that overrides where Utah’s character went to school.
December 18th, 2019 at 1:05 AM ^
The avatar is a picture of Bodhi--with a Bodhi quote--so we're all over the place there.
December 18th, 2019 at 8:30 AM ^
And Warchild's comrade Tone was played by RHCP front man Anthony Kiedis so none of this is going to make us all right..
December 18th, 2019 at 12:30 PM ^
Speaking of QB's from Ohio State, am I incorrect in thinking that Shane Falco had the best pro career of any OSU QB in recent memory. I know I'll never forget how Falco replaced(pun intended) ineffective starter Martel and led the Sentinels to the playoffs with an improbable comeback win against Dallas. Sadly his playing days over after that game and it was said he went back to his career of cleaning algae off the bottom of boats and yachts(his major@OSU, per Wilkipedia haha). He did get the head cheerleader, as QB's usually do, and live happily after or until the sequel. I know this is a Michigan blog but Johnny Utah had nothing on Shane Falco when it came to football and probably life as well. Agree/disagree?
December 18th, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^
Agree! And that cheerleader/bar owner. Yes she was very attractive.
December 19th, 2019 at 7:59 PM ^
That would be Brooke Langton, most famous for her stints on Melrose Place and the USA Network magnum opus, The Net.
It's a little surprising she never made it off the C-List for more than a year or two.
December 17th, 2019 at 9:49 PM ^
Sorry to hear of this. Always respected his teams and how he tried to help farmers. And I’ll always remember him for implementing the standing TE.
December 17th, 2019 at 10:01 PM ^
Another coach gone that greatly influenced the game. May he Rest In Peace.
December 17th, 2019 at 10:05 PM ^
I have always really liked and respected Iowa football and thought Coach Fry was terrific.
RIP.
December 17th, 2019 at 10:06 PM ^
Man, Iowa lost Elliot and Fry within a week? That's really tough. RIP to both
December 18th, 2019 at 2:38 AM ^
...and i believe bump hired fry.
December 17th, 2019 at 10:10 PM ^
Iowa Football will always be a Hayden Fry to me. The stand up tight end, Chuck Long, and god damn it beating Michigan in 1985 as time expired in a #1 vs. #2 battle.
December 17th, 2019 at 10:49 PM ^
Was thinking about the same game.
IMO that loss prevented Bo from winning a national Championship in 85. That was Bo's best and most complete team, it was our only loss and a one loss Oklahoma team took home the trophy.
RIP Hayden you magnificent son of a bitch. You beat Bo at his own game and you beat his best team.
You'll be missed.
December 17th, 2019 at 11:17 PM ^
I think the 3-3 tie with Illinois actually hurt us more.
December 18th, 2019 at 2:51 AM ^
i think a few of those early 70s teams were better. but for some missed FGs.
December 18th, 2019 at 2:42 AM ^
well, i also remember michigan beating iowa at home on the last second field goal by walk on bob bergeron in the driving rain; 1983 i think.
December 18th, 2019 at 7:10 AM ^
Michigan-Iowa, #1 vs #2, that seems like it happened in a different century now.
December 18th, 2019 at 7:39 AM ^
Different millenia
December 17th, 2019 at 10:15 PM ^
Great leader, created a foundation that has benefited so many. True definition of a leader.
personal, auto correct will not allow me to spell the stadium, which now is deemed impossible to win
December 17th, 2019 at 10:37 PM ^
This sucks. RIP, Coach.
Hayden Fry is to Iowa football like Bo Schembechler is to Michigan football. Lots of other history, but the modern programs belong to them. They were pretty much the same thing, to - tough old coots that coached good teams and matriculated fine young men that had everlasting respect for them.
December 17th, 2019 at 10:58 PM ^
Excellent football coach setting the stage for an Iowa program that has national respect for being tough and competitive to the final seconds. Everybody respects Iowa. RIP coach.living to be 90 is a blessing!
December 17th, 2019 at 11:03 PM ^
kind of hated the guy -- but he was a hell of a coach, and his coaching tree is one of the best ones out there
December 18th, 2019 at 9:03 AM ^
I ask this in all seriousness. How can you have hated Hayden Fry? Class act, clean program, great coach. Yes, he got Michigan a few times. So what? I'd rather lose to Hayden Fry a hundred times than lose to pieces of shit human beings Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer and Mark Dantonio once. And not because they coach/ed our rivals.
December 18th, 2019 at 4:52 PM ^
Sure. I remember the year they beat us 9-7 (couldn't even score a TD), went to the Rose Bowl, and then got skunked by Washington. When asked about how he though UM would do against Washington, Fry said "UM couldn't hold a candle to them" or something like that.
Now, I must admit, this is my 10-year old self still raging against this injustice.
By all means, comparing Fry to Meyer, Tressel, Mork, makes it quite clear: Fry is a decent guy. You make a good point.
But I still don't forgive him for saying that :)
December 17th, 2019 at 11:04 PM ^
RIP, Coach.
December 17th, 2019 at 11:07 PM ^
American Needs Farmers. And America Needed Fry.
December 17th, 2019 at 11:42 PM ^
I think he was the only coach other than Bo and Woody who somehow won a Big Ten championship during the "Big Two, Little Eight" era. RIP.
December 17th, 2019 at 11:52 PM ^
I'll never forget the time that he blew an opportunity to score at the end the first half in a tight game against Michigan in Ann Arbor. He could have easily kicked a field goal at the end of the half. But he let the clock run out by mistake even though he had time outs left to use. He huddled up with his team on the north side of field before they went into the locker room. He stood in the middle of the team and took full responsibility for not calling the timeout right in front of everyone in attendance and told the team that they would come back and beat Michigan in the second half. And sure enough they did.
First class guy, first class coach. And as Coldwater said, Hayden Fry will always be Iowa Football to me. We will miss you Hayden.
December 18th, 2019 at 2:31 AM ^
That was my first year of having season tickets after graduating from Michigan in May of that year, when our commencement speaker was Gov. Blanchard, the year before was Cronkite. Oh well, I just remember watching the 2nd half of the Iowa game after getting off of work. I think Fry out coached Bo a bit in the 2nd half of that game. Harbaugh should have kept it on the 3rd and 2 play. RIP coach Fry!
December 18th, 2019 at 5:34 AM ^
nice post. pretty clear that iowa kid was in bounds for a TD at about the 2:30 mark but they waved him out of bounds.
i still remember the kick at the end of the game. tough, tough loss.
December 18th, 2019 at 6:40 PM ^
Yes, IA got robbed. Glad we did not have replay back then! I was thinking this was going to be a big rebound year and wanted Bo to win a NC. If you remember, Bo had his worse season in '84 going 6-6.
December 18th, 2019 at 6:47 AM ^
Never heard of her
December 18th, 2019 at 7:10 AM ^
One of my favorite opponents (except for 1985). Great coach and great guy.
December 18th, 2019 at 7:27 AM ^
Always admired him after he retired. Great coach who took on the big boys. RIP Coach
December 18th, 2019 at 9:04 AM ^
Iowa's my favorite B1G team other than U-M, Hayden Fry being a big reason for it. It's incredible in this day and age that any program has had two coaches in the last 40 years.
December 18th, 2019 at 10:16 AM ^
I will always consider him the man who made Iowa the annual hurdle they are for us. Hate that game. Dread that game. Always play us tough — always. But that’s what the sport is about.
For any “old” boxing fans out there, I always compare Iowa to “Merciless” Ray Mercer — you may beat ‘em, but you’re not going to look good doing it.
R.I.P. Coach Fry.
December 18th, 2019 at 10:25 AM ^
This, exactly. Fry's teams were well-coached and always a looming hurdle on the schedule (back when we played every B1G team every year). Dread is the perfect descriptor in anticipation of the annual Iowa grudge match.
RIP Coach Fry. I hated the pink locker room schtick, but always had respect for your program.
December 18th, 2019 at 10:22 AM ^
If you look at his coaching record before Iowa, they were very average. In this day and age, he would have been fired very quickly. He then went to Iowa and did well. RIP.