*Longtime Iowa football coach Hayden Fry retires*

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (Ticker) -- With a teary speech, Hayden Fry of
Iowa, the winningest football coach in school history, announced
his retirement today. 

Needing extra time to unsuccessfully hold back his tears and
then wipe them away, Fry announced his retirement after a
20-year career as coach of the Hawkeyes.  He was a coach for 37
seasons, starting at Southern Methodist in 1962, moving to North
Texas in 1973 and jumping to Iowa for the 1979 campaign. 

"It's kind of hard to do," Fry said between attempt to control
his emotions. "All the people that gave me an opportunity to
spend 20 years as a member of the Hawkeye family, I could never
repay them.  Man, 47 years, I never had to do this." 

Fry was 143-89-6 for a .601 winning percentage, including a
6-7-1 mark in bowls.  He was 49-66-1 at SMU and 40-23-3 at North
Texas for a career mark of 232-178-10. 

"All of the coaches in the athletic department, a finer group
does not exist," said Fry, whose young team struggled to a 3-8
mark this season.  "As you can see, this is very difficult for
me." 

The 70-year-old Fry had debated leaving in the past, but could
not move himself to quit because of promises he made to the
class of 1997. 

"That was the last class I told I would be with them for the
duration of their stay," Fry revealed.  "It's hard to look at
Tim Dwight and Tavian Banks and say you're leaving.  We went to
a bowl game and the timing was just bad, so I stayed. 

"I really thought we could have had a good season.  I'm an
optimist.  I think we have a lot of talent, and I don't want to
put pressure on the next coach. But most of the guys are coming
back for the next two or three years." 

Fry won a season-high 10 games on four occasions, including
three times at Iowa.  He was 10-2 in 1985, 10-3 in 1987 and
10-1-1 in 1991.  The Hawkeyes lost the 1986 Rose Bowl to UCLA,
beat Wyoming in the 1987 Holiday Bowl and tied Brigham Young in
the 1990 Holiday Bowl. 

"Thanks to all of the wonderful players," he said. "Through the
years, it's been super, the reputation of Iowa on the field and
in the classroom.  I couldn't put into words my appreciaction
for what these kids have done.  And that goes back to SMU, North
Texas and all the places I have been an assistant coach. 

"It seems appropriate that it's the week of Thanksgiving, and I
do.  Thanks to the University of Iowa."