The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Iowa: a football coaching history

Power Program III#24 of 138–
See Iowa’s full 91-year Zeitgeist History →
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Program GOAT
Forest Evashevski
Peaked at Power Program I
Built by
Forest Evashevski
Regional Program II → Power Program I (+39.7)
The fall
Ray Nagel
Power Program III → Regional Program I (−15.9)
Right now
Kirk Ferentz
the 3rd-best of Iowa's 8 coaches so far

Stature & coaches, 1936–2026

The program’s standing over time, with every coach’s tenure beneath it — read down to see who was there for each rise and fall.

program stature (★ = Dynasty-tier season)AndersonEvashevskiBurnsNagelCommingsFryFerentz19401960198020002020

Every coach

1999–now
Kirk Ferentzbuilder
Kirk Ferentz raised Iowa from National Program I to Power Program II.
+12.0
213–128
1979–1998
Hayden Frybuilder
Hayden Fry raised Iowa from Regional Program III to Power Program III.
+30.9
143–89
1974–1978
Bob Commingscaretaker
Bob Commings held Iowa at Regional Program III for 5 seasons.
Regional Program III
17–38
1971–1973
Frank Lauterburcaretaker
Frank Lauterbur slid Iowa from Regional Program I to Regional Program II in 3 seasons.
−8.6
4–28
1966–1970
Ray Nageldecliner
Iowa fell from Power Program III to Regional Program I under Ray Nagel.
−15.9
16–32
1961–1965
Jerry Burnsinheritor
Jerry Burns inherited a Power Program I Iowa and won with it.
−11.7
16–27
1952–1960
Forest Evashevskitransformer
Forest Evashevski took Iowa from Regional Program II to Power Program I.
+39.7
52–27
1950–1951
Leonard Raffenspergershort tenure
5–10
1945–1945
Clem Croweshort tenure
2–7
1943–1944
Slip Madiganshort tenure
2–13
1939–1949
Edward Andersoncaretaker
Edward Anderson held Iowa at Regional Program I for 8 seasons.
Regional Program I
35–33
1937–1938
Irl Tubbsshort tenure
2–13
1936–1936
Ossie Solemshort tenure
3–4