Dec. 7, 2015
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz has been named a finalist for two coach of the year awards. Ferentz is one of eight finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award (Football Writers Association of America), and one of three finalists for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award (Maxwell Football Club). The announcements were made Monday.
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Joining Ferentz as finalists for the 2015 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award are Mark Dantonio of Michigan State, Houston’s Tom Herman, Brian Kelly of Notre Dame, Temple’s Matt Ruhle, David Shaw of Stanford, Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops, and Dabo Swinney of Clemson.
The finalists were placed on a ballot sent out to the entire FWAA membership Monday. The winner will be revealed on Wednesday, Dec. 16. The official presentation reception will be held Jan. 9, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona, during a reception at the media hotel at the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The FWAA has presented a coaching award since 1957. In 1997, the national coach of the year award was named in honor of the late Eddie Robinson, a coaching legend at Grambling State University for 55 seasons. This is the third time Ferentz has been a finalist for the award (2002 and 2004).
Ferentz joins Dantonio and Swinney as finalists for the 2015 George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on Dec. 21, and a formal prestantion will take place at the 79th Maxwell Awards Gala on March 11, 2016, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Eligible voters include, NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and football sports information directors, Maxwell Football Club members, and selected national media.
The George Munger Coach of the Year award is named after former University of Pennsylvania coach George Munger for his devotion to ethics in athletics and his commitment to education. This is the first time Ferentz has been named a finalist for the award.
Ferentz was recognized as the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Region 3 Coach of the Year earlier Monday, and named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career on Dec. 1.
Ferentz is in his 17th season as Iowa’s head coach. He guided the Hawkeyes to a perfect 12-0 regular season mark, the most wins ever for a Hawkeye football team. Iowa, ranked fifth in the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, has earned a spot in the 2016 Rose Bowl against Stanford. The Hawkeyes lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game, 16-13.
The Hawkeyes began the season unranked, before moving into the top 25 following a 10-6 win at Wisconsin. Iowa steadily climbed in the rankings and was ranked as high as fourth in the CFP rankings.
Ferentz ranks seventh in the Big Ten Conference in conference wins (76) and eighth in total wins (127). He has led Iowa to 13 bowl games in the last 15 seasons, including eight January bowl events. Ferentz has led Iowa to nine first-division finishes in the Big Ten, including winning the conference in both 2002 and 2004.
Iowa has won seven or more games in seven of the last eight seasons, including eight wins in 2010 and 2013, nine wins in 2008, 11 wins in 2009, and a school-record 12 wins in 2015.
The Eddie Robinson Award and the George Munger Award are both members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast more than 700 years of tradidtion-selection excellence.
