On Thursday, Liberty Mutual Insurance selected Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz as one of 10 finalists for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. The accolade goes to a Football Bowl Subdivision coach who displays sportsmanship, integrity, and responsibility on and away from the gridiron.
Fans can vote for Ferentz at www.CoachoftheYear.com. If the 11-year Iowa coach wins, $50,000 will be donated to a charity of Ferentz’s choice and a $20,000 grant will be donated to the UI Alumni Association for scholarships and activities. Voting begins on Dec. 15 and runs until Dec. 29.
Also on Thursday, the NCAA released its Graduation Success Rates among the 10 college football teams playing in BCS bowl games this winter. Of the 10 schools, Iowa finished second overall with a 74 percent rate. The only institution with a higher percentage was Cincinnati, with 75 percent.
In contrast, Iowa’s opponent in the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl — Georgia Tech — ranked eighth out of 10 schools with a 49 percent rate. The Hawkeyes and Yellow Jackets will meet at Land Shark Stadium in Miami on Jan. 5.
— by Brendan Stiles
