Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On November 23, 1994, Dan McCarney was announced as the new head coach at Iowa State University. A standout lineman for the Iowa Hawkeyes, McCarney went on to find success as an assistant coach for the Hawkeyes and as the head football coach at Iowa State.
Growing up in Johnson County, McCarney stood out on the offensive line for Iowa City High School. Heading to the University of Iowa, McCarney contributed on the offensive line while serving as a team captain in 1974. McCarney stuck around to serve as a graduate assistant under Bob Commings. When Hayden Fry arrived at Iowa in 1979, McCarney took a job as a defensive line coach. Helping the Hawkeyes to two Rose Bowl appearances, McCarney held the job for ten years.
Named the defensive coordinator under former Mason City High School coach Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin in 1990, McCarney headed across the border. In 1995, McCarney returned to the Hawkeye State to serve as the head coach at Iowa State. Holding the role from 1995 to 2006, McCarney led the program to stable success. During his tenure, Iowa State appeared in five bowl games.
The Cyclones' win in the 2000 Insight.com Bowl, the first in program history, represented a significant achievement during the McCarney era of Iowa State football. At the time of his resignation in 2006, McCarney was the longest-tenured head coach in the Big 12. He left a legacy as a thoughtful and caring leader during his time in Ames. #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar #IowaOTD
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