The annual Fry Fest took place in Coralville on Aug. 31, leading up to the home-opener on Sept. 1.

During the event, the 1983 Iowa coaching staff gathered to reminisce about the old Hawkeyes.

Among the former coaches were Bob Stoops, Bernie Wyatt, Don Patterson, Carl Jackson, Dan McCarney, Del Miller, Bill Brashier, and Bill Dirvich.

Here are some of the best quotes from the panel.

Bernie Wyatt, defensive ends coach: [Fry] did me the biggest favor of my life; he got me here. I know it didn’t make my dad very happy. Then we went to the Rose Bowl and won, and he said, “You’re smarter than I thought you were.” Going to the Rose Bowl was probably the best moment of my life.

Dan McCarney defensive-line coach: One thing that’s always been constant, [Iowa City] is one of the great places in America. If you’ve never spent any time in Iowa City, you don’t get it, but when you’ve been here like we all have … it doesn’t get any better.

We were all challenged by Hayden Fry and the loyalty that Kirk [Ferentz] gave under Hayden Fry’s leadership — you see that under Ferentz’s leadership as the head coach of Iowa. It’s uncommon, it’s uncompromising, and it’s unconventional, but it’s the best.

Bob Stoops: I owe all my success to these [coaches] and this experience [coaching with them], my wife is an Iowa girl to this day. We might live in Texas, but she wakes up every Saturday and says, Go Hawks.

My fondest moment here is beating Michigan State when we knew midway through that if we won, we’re going to the Rose Bowl. We won the game handily and the mob of people on the field the roses in the locker room. It had been 20 years since we had gone to a bowl game and of all places, we’re going to Pasadena.