Des Moines Register
11-09-06
McCarney steps down at ISU
Outgoing coach calls his move 'best thing'
By RANDY PETERSON
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Ames, Ia. - Dan McCarney resigned as Iowa State's football coach
Wednesday night, then kicked back, put his feet on his desk and popped a cold
one.
Miller Genuine Draft Lite, to be precise, in the solitude of his office inside the
Jacobson Building.
The dean of coaches in the Big 12 Conference announced his resignation before
an audience that included players current and past, assistant coaches and family
members.
"I understand this is an institution that's definitely bigger than me," McCarney
said during his resignation speech. "Sometimes you have to put the organization
ahead of yourself.
"I think the best thing for this program right now is for me to step down as the
head football coach at Iowa State."
McCarney owns a 55-84 record since arriving in Ames in 1995. His conference
record is 26-67. McCarney said he will coach the remaining two games this
season - Saturday at Colorado and Nov. 18 against Missouri in Ames.
"It's really upsetting for me," senior center Scott Stephenson said. "When coach
McCarney told us he was resigning before practice - you could hear a pin drop. I
had tears in my eyes."
Iowa State (3-7, 0-6 Big 12) has lost its past four games by an average of 23.3
points. The seven losses have been by an average of 20 points. Over the past 20
years, the Cyclones have finished a season without a conference win only twice in 1994 and 2003.
"Unfortunately, we've had somewhat of a divided Iowa State community,"
McCarney said. "At the bottom of that is that we've really struggled this year and
I'm sorry for that.
"We have to have an athletic department that moves forward. Believe me, I want
the best for this place, because I love Iowa State. It's time to re-energize the
future of Iowa State football and yet build on the tremendous foundation that's
been built the past 12 years."
McCarney's $1.1 million-a-year contract is through June 2010. The contract calls
for McCarney to receive $225,000 for each remaining season.
Athletic director Jamie Pollard said a search for a new coach will start soon. A
search committee will consist of Pollard, university President Gregory Geoffroy
and David Harris, a senior associate athletic director.
McCarney met with Pollard at McCarney's house for two hours Tuesday night.
He submitted his resignation Wednesday morning.
"It became apparent to both of us the last several weeks that the momentum has
been lost, and there wasn't much (McCarney) or I could do to get that momentum
back," Pollard said.
"As each week went by, more and more Cyclone fans became divided about
what was in the interest of the program. Unfortunately, when our fan base
becomes so divided, it makes it impossible to move forward."
Iowa State played in bowl games five of the past six seasons. The Cyclones, with
10 offensive starters returning, were picked to battle Nebraska for the Big 12
North Division title this season.
"What we've done is unbelievable, it's awesome," Pollard said of the bowl games.
"On the other side of it, we work in a profession where it's 'What have you done
for me lately,' and football is the engine that drives this place.
"At a program like Iowa State, if we can't make hay on football, we can't hire
other coaches and we can't build practice facilities."
McCarney said he received many calls of support from coaches, including
Florida's Urban Meyer.
"He just wished me luck and told me that I'll for sure have a job out there again
someplace," McCarney said.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, at Iowa when McCarney was an assistant there,
said the conference lost more than its dean of coaches.
"Dan's one of the greatest friends that I have," Stoops said. "I'm sad that it ended
like this, but he can look back with the satisfaction of knowing that he did a great
job."
McCarney said he hopes to remain in the coaching business.
"I really believe there's another challenge out there for me and my assistant
coaches," McCarney said.
For now, though, he preferred to discuss Iowa State.
"It's been the best 12 years of my life," McCarney said. "I will never forget it."
McCARNEY’S COACHING CAREER
1977-78: Offensive line coach for Iowa head coach Bob Commings
1979-89: Defensive line coach for Iowa head coach Hayden Fry
1990-94: Defensive coordinator for Wisconsin head coach Barry Alvarez
1995-2006: Head coach at Iowa State
NOV. 23, 1994: Dan McCarney is introduced as Iowa State’s new football coach,
replacing Jim Walden.
1995 SEASON:
Records: 3-8, 1-6.
Highlights: First-team all-American running back Troy Davis rushed for 2,010
yards and was fifth in Heisman Trophy voting. Victories were against Ohio,
Nevada-Las Vegas and Oklahoma State.
Key quote: “It’s important for us to finish the season on an upbeat note,”
McCarney said before the season finale, a loss at Missouri. “You always
remember the last game of a season throughout the winter.”
1996 SEASON:
Records: 2-9, 1-7.
Highlights: Davis finished as the runner-up in Heisman Trophy balloting after
rushing for 2,185 yards. Victories were against Northern Iowa and Missouri.
Key quote: “I sure hope he comes back next season,” McCarney said of the
junior who wound up entering the 1997 NFL draft. “We’ll learn in time what he’ll
decide. I’m sure he’ll do what’s best for Troy Davis.”
1997 SEASON:
Records: 1-10, 1-7.
Highlights: Lone victory was a 24-17 decision at home against Baylor. Todd
Bandhauer passed for 2,514 yards while Darren Davis rushed for 1,005.
Key quote: “There has not been a number placed on the 1998 season as far as
minimum victories and here comes the next guy,” McCarney said. “That hasn’t
happened. But for our well-being, the well-being for the program and the people
that have committed so much to this program, we will want to see progress.”
1998 SEASON:
Records: 3-8, 1-7.
Highlights: The Cyclones ended a 15-game losing streak against Iowa and
Hayden Fry with a 27-9 victory at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa State also beat Ball
State and Kansas. Davis and Bandhauer were again the offensive leaders.
Key quote: “I don’t know that in 100 years I could have envisioned that score,
over here, against a tremendous traditional program like theirs,” McCarney said
of the Hawkeyes.
1999 SEASON:
Records: 4-7, 1-7.
Highlights: Iowa State made it two years in a row with a 17-10 victory against
Iowa in Ames. Victories against Indiana State and Nevada-Las Vegas gave the
Cyclones a 3-0 record, with the final victory at Missouri.
Key quote: “Dan got an extension last season and that was representative of the
progress we had made prior to that,” Iowa State athletic director Gene Smith said
after the season. “I still believe that next year presents us with a great opportunity
when you look at all the things we have in place.”
2000 SEASON:
Records: 9-3, 6-3.
Highlights: Iowa State posted its first bowl victory in five attempts, beating
Pittsburgh 37-29 in the Insight.com Bowl at Phoenix, Ariz. Standout players
included running back Ennis Haywood, receiver J.J. Moses and offensive
lineman Ben Bruns.
Key quote: “You look around the country and there are some teams that show up
once in a while, then they disappear for a while, and once in a while they come
back on the national map again,” McCarney said. “We’ll do everything we can to
sustain this, improve on this and build on this.”
2001 SEASON:
Records: 7-5, 4-4.
Highlights: The Cyclones played in a bowl game for the second consecutive
season, but lost to Alabama 14-13 in the Independence Bowl at Shreveport, La.,
after officials ruled Tony Yelk missed a field goal. Quarterback Seneca Wallace
helped Iowa State post a fourth straight win against Iowa.
Key quote: “I thought it was good, but I didn’t have a real good seat,” McCarney
said of Yelk’s controversial kick. “I was on the sidelines but from where I was
standing it was OK. The guy with the best seat standing right underneath it said it
was no good.”
2002 SEASON
Records: 7-7, 4-4.
Highlights: Iowa State lost to Florida State in a season-opening thriller, the reeled
off six consecutive wins — including a victory against Nebraksa — behind
Wallace and defensive tackled Jordan Carstens. The Cyclones lost six of their
last seven games, including a 34-16 setback against host Boise State in the
Humanitarian Bowl.
Key quote: “We’ve built something special at Iowa State and a lot of people
recognize that,” McCarney said after receiving a $300,000 raise. “We’re looking
to build on the success of the last three seasons.”
2003 SEASON
Records: 2-10, 0-8.
Highlights: Iowa State beat Northern Iowa and Ohio in the first two weeks of the
season. Defensive lineman Jason Berryman was named Big 12 defensive
newcome of the year.
Key quote: “Steve (Bricky) and Marty (Fine) both gave everything they had for
this football program, our student athletes and our fans,” McCarney said in a
statement of the firings of Bricky as offensive coordinator and Fine as special
teams and offensive line coach. “Both went to bowl games as members of this
coaching staff. This was a very difficult decision.”
2004 SEASON:
Records: 7-5, 4-4 (North co-champ).
Highlights: The Cyclones edged Miami of Ohio 17-13 in the Independence Bowl
in Shreveport, La. Receiver Todd Blythe was named second team freshman allAmerica, and quarterback Bret Meyer was named to the third team.
Key quote: “We talked about it all year, since August, our season’s goal was to
be one of the most improved teams in America,” McCarney said. “Look at the
wins. Iowa State was clearly one of the most improved teams in college football.”
2005 SEASON:
Records: 7-5, 4-4.
Highlights: Iowa State denied Iowa a third consecutive victory in the intrastate
rivalry with a 23-3 win at Jack Trice Stadium. A four-game conference winning
streak in league play led to an invitation to the Houston Bowl, where Texas
Christian handed the Cyclones a 27-24 loss.
Key quote: “Losing in overtime two years in a row -with a chance to go to the
championship game - it sucks,” senior safety Nik Moser said of the 24-21
overtime loss at Kansas that knocked Iowa State out of playing in the Big 12
championship.
2006 SEASON:
Records: 3-7, 0-6 with two games remaining.
Highlights: The Cyclones have home victories against Toledo in triple overtime,
Nevada-Las Vegas and Northern Iowa. The latter two games went down to the
final play. Iowa State held a 14-10 halftime lead against host Iowa before falling.
Key quote: “It’s not like I haven’t been through adversity before,” McCarney said
after last weekend’s home loss against Kansas. “I’ve got plenty of practice at it.”