Overheard his response to an Iowa fan who called in to ask about the current Hawkeyes. Was very complimentary of the program and seemed quite knowledgeable of the staff, players, injuries, etc. Talked about NDSU game a bit and how poor the running was in that game, and how important it is to Iowa's success that Iowa be able to run the ball, and to stop the run. Complimented Phil Parker and Beathard too, among possible others. Expects a win over Rutgers this weekend.
The funny story: Back when Iowa was a young coach just out of Kent State (where he was an Army Reserve officer), he was in line for a high school coaching job. Unbeknownst to him, a mentor had given his name to then-Iowa coach Forest Evachevski, and as a result, he ended up as a graduate assistant at Iowa, where he earned a master's degree. "We finished second in the nation," he noted of the Hawkeyes under Evy. When Evy left, Jerry Burns took over and Holtz was interested in an assistant coaching position here. Burns liked him for the job but not--as Holtz was planning to do--if he got married. Holtz insisted that wasn't the case, that being married would not be a hindrance. Holtz's fiance was unhappy about all this and backed out of the wedding. Holtz then went on to become the head coach and William and Mary, where he had great success. By then he had also reconciled with with fiance and they got married. Given all the success Holtz now enjoyed at W and M, Burns decided he really wanted Holtz on his staff after all. Holtz was interested but his fiance blamed Burns for poisoning their relationship and said "no way" was he going to join the Iowa staff!
The funny story: Back when Iowa was a young coach just out of Kent State (where he was an Army Reserve officer), he was in line for a high school coaching job. Unbeknownst to him, a mentor had given his name to then-Iowa coach Forest Evachevski, and as a result, he ended up as a graduate assistant at Iowa, where he earned a master's degree. "We finished second in the nation," he noted of the Hawkeyes under Evy. When Evy left, Jerry Burns took over and Holtz was interested in an assistant coaching position here. Burns liked him for the job but not--as Holtz was planning to do--if he got married. Holtz insisted that wasn't the case, that being married would not be a hindrance. Holtz's fiance was unhappy about all this and backed out of the wedding. Holtz then went on to become the head coach and William and Mary, where he had great success. By then he had also reconciled with with fiance and they got married. Given all the success Holtz now enjoyed at W and M, Burns decided he really wanted Holtz on his staff after all. Holtz was interested but his fiance blamed Burns for poisoning their relationship and said "no way" was he going to join the Iowa staff!
