Corridor of Years: Hayden Fry

Marty · February 4, 2020

FirefightnRick · February 5, 2020

Thank you for posting. Coach Fry will be missed.

Rick

greenb.o.g. · February 5, 2020

Awesome. Just awesome.

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · February 5, 2020

I absolutely love this series!

untjim1995 · February 5, 2020

The what ifs here are both maddening and sad. Hayden Fry would've stayed here if we had any kind of decent support, administratively or attendance-wise.

What if he had stayed? What if we got into the SWC or Big Eight? What if we had upgraded the facilities and gave him the financial support the program deserved back then? Even harder to imagine, where would we be today because of being proactive and supportive to the football program instead of turtling under after he left and basically giving up for 12 years by dropping down and staying at 1-aa?

I've always figured, had any of these occurred, at worst, we'd be like UH today, being higher up the food chain, better support and better reputation with recruits. And, at best, we'd be a Tech-type of program, bringing in lots of money, having big crowds for almost every game, and enjoying great teams to play week-in and week-out in conference play. But who knows? Maybe the SWC private school contingent really was too difficult to overcome and the Big Eight really would've had no interest in us. But, if we had stayed above I-aa, we could've been a Louisiana Tech or Tulsa, programs who made their way as independents until the right conference setup finally happened.

I know this much--the issues we still deal with today all stem from him realizing this place wasn't ever going to be what he dreamed it could be. He wanted it more than the administration and local citizens wanted it. And I imagine that being at Iowa and being able to have that support made him realize just how much he made the right decision for his career.

UNTLifer · February 5, 2020

Ah, somebody would have been calling for his head after his second year record of 2-7-2.

Great series.

letsgiveacheer · February 5, 2020

Really first class. I am so glad I was around to see his first two years here. Given with what he had to work with, he did about the impossible.

GrandGreen · February 7, 2020

Fry had great success at NT based on what he had to work with and was rewarded by the administration with a budget cut.

One of countless examples of how the NT of the past failed to support athletics above the minimum level.

18 years of President Hurley, who did next to nothing to elevate athletics at a critical time; is the biggest reason that NT is far behind similar institutions like Texas Tech and UH.