Kirk Ferentz Named National Coach of the Year

Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz has been named the winner of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award, by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). It's the first time during his 17-year Iowa career that he's won the award.

The award has been given to a coach every year since 1957 and Ferentz was a finalist for the award two other times, in 2002 and 2004. He becomes the first Iowa coach to ever win the award.

Ferentz released this statement through the University of Iowa's Sports Information Department about the award: "It is rewarding to see the hard work of our entire coaching staff and every member of our football program being recognized on the national level. I appreciate the acknowledgement of our accomplishments. I am honored to share this recognition with our staff, our players, and our great fans, and I am grateful to the University of Iowa for providing the necessary support for our success.”

Iowa's head coach is seventh all-time with 76 Big Ten victories and eighth in total victories, with 127. Iowa's appearance at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena will mark the eighth time the Hawkeyes have played in January during Ferentz' tenure. It will be Iowa's 13th bowl game in the last 15 seasons.

The other finalists for this year's award were: