KIRK FERENTZ OPENING STATEMENT
Good afternoon. Appreciate everyone being here.
First and foremost, if I was here last Sunday, first thing I would have said is just how thrilled we are to get invited to the Holiday Bowl. It's a great opportunity for our whole football team, one we're very excited about. A first-class bowl experience. I know that personally from a hundred years ago. Heard that from other Big Ten counterparts that have participated. Really excited about that.
Before we talk about that and the game itself, just want to take one minute and look backwards. Had a chance to have our banquet yesterday. Just had a great opportunity to honor the entire team, all the accomplishments, a lot of individuals that did a really nice job this past year.
Certainly our guys have a lot to be proud of, the fact that they won nine games this year with an opportunity to win a 10th, big challenge to win a 10th. Eighteen in two years, which is certainly significant. I'm not sure where that ranks us, but that's significant. Not an easy accomplishment.
I think right along with that the fact that any loss that we've been involved with over the last two years basically went down to the last minute of play, whatever that is, eight games, seven, whatever it may be.
Our guys can be really proud of the way they've competed, the way they've prepared, gone out and done that on a regular basis which is easy to say but a little tougher to do. Our guys have done a great job of meeting that challenge. We have a big one coming up.
Forty-six wins over the last five years which puts us in good standing historically with this program. It's equal to the best over any five-year period there is. Our guys can be really proud of that.
Beyond that, I think they've done a great job in the classroom; 38 Academic All-Big Ten players, 16 total Academic All-Americans, 358 Academic All-Big Ten players now since we've been here. Very, very proud of that. Ultimately that's what it's all about. I want our guys to achieve the goal of earning their degree. Not easy to do. Something our guys have done a really good job of. We're proud of that.
Fight for Iowa
Good afternoon. Appreciate everyone being here.
First and foremost, if I was here last Sunday, first thing I would have said is just how thrilled we are to get invited to the Holiday Bowl. It's a great opportunity for our whole football team, one we're very excited about. A first-class bowl experience. I know that personally from a hundred years ago. Heard that from other Big Ten counterparts that have participated. Really excited about that.
Before we talk about that and the game itself, just want to take one minute and look backwards. Had a chance to have our banquet yesterday. Just had a great opportunity to honor the entire team, all the accomplishments, a lot of individuals that did a really nice job this past year.
Certainly our guys have a lot to be proud of, the fact that they won nine games this year with an opportunity to win a 10th, big challenge to win a 10th. Eighteen in two years, which is certainly significant. I'm not sure where that ranks us, but that's significant. Not an easy accomplishment.
I think right along with that the fact that any loss that we've been involved with over the last two years basically went down to the last minute of play, whatever that is, eight games, seven, whatever it may be.
Our guys can be really proud of the way they've competed, the way they've prepared, gone out and done that on a regular basis which is easy to say but a little tougher to do. Our guys have done a great job of meeting that challenge. We have a big one coming up.
Forty-six wins over the last five years which puts us in good standing historically with this program. It's equal to the best over any five-year period there is. Our guys can be really proud of that.
Beyond that, I think they've done a great job in the classroom; 38 Academic All-Big Ten players, 16 total Academic All-Americans, 358 Academic All-Big Ten players now since we've been here. Very, very proud of that. Ultimately that's what it's all about. I want our guys to achieve the goal of earning their degree. Not easy to do. Something our guys have done a really good job of. We're proud of that.
- Beat USC
- 10th win
- Uptick in recruiting
- 22nd season ahead under KF
Fight for Iowa
