Press Release
To: Local sports journalists
Subject: News Release- Kirk Ferentz clinches all-time Big Ten win record
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- SEPT. 13
Kirk Ferentz named Winningnest Coach in Big Ten History
IOWA CITY, IA – Iowa Football Head Coach Kirk Ferentz became the winningest coach in Big Ten History following a 47-17 win against the University of Massachusetts on Sept. 13. Ferentz has totaled 206 wins in his 27 seasons with the Hawkeyes, breaking the record of 205 previously held by former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes.
“ I want to start by saying it's a real testament to the university and to the program here. I can't help but go back to when I got here in 1981,” said Ferentz in a Saturday press conference. “Nobody would have ever dreamt any of this was possible. We hadn't had a winning season in 19 years at that point,”
“When [an NFL team] drafts an Iowa player, we know they are going to meet the standards because of the way he coaches,” said Joel Glazer, owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ferentz has led Iowa to 23 bowl game appearances in his 27-year tenure with the Hawkeyes. In his tenure, he has also produced over 220 NFL draft picks and signees.
“Not to minimize this, but you don’t want to take away from this team, and this year,” Ferentz said. As he looks ahead to Iowa’s road game against Rutgers on Friday, he says his mind is set on improvement, and the celebrations will come.
Following a 13-16 road loss to Iowa State, Ferentz looks to begin Big Ten play strongly with a road win against Rutgers. Kaden Wetjen was named Special Teams player of the week by the Big Ten leading up to the Sept. 13 win.
The University of Iowa is among the top public research institutions in the nation — offering a world-class education in over 200 areas of study to more than 32,000 students. From the most prestigious creative writing program in the United States to a nationally recognized academic medical center, our balanced excellence in the arts and sciences encourages innovation and exploration across the disciplines. Iowa Athletics provides the administrative and coaching support, facilities, resources, and equipment necessary for student-athletes to graduate from the University of Iowa while competing successfully in broad-based championship-caliber athletic competition. For more information, visit https://hawkeyesports.com/about-ui-athletics.
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Contact information:
Isabella Tisdale
444-444-4444
Multimedia components: Some strong multimedia components could be a graphic with different photos throughout Ferentz’s tenure or a video like the one shown in class.
Media Pitch: A good media pitch would focus on players who played for Ferentz who went on to become doctors or other professionals outside of football. This would show Iowa fans how he has impacted players' lives in ways beyond a coaching or NFL career.
