GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida head football coach Urban Meyer announced the hiring of Dan McCarney as a member of the defensive coaching staff Friday afternoon. McCarney comes to Gainesville after spending the 2007 season at the University of South Florida as the Assistant Head Coach-Defensive Line following 12 seasons as the head coach at Iowa State.
“Dan is a great addition to our coaching staff,” said Meyer. “His experience as a head coach will be invaluable. He has a proven record as a recruiter and a development of talent and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a coach and a person.”
McCarney has 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, half of which has been spent specifically instructing defensive lines. While with USF, he mentored defensive end George Selvie, who was a consensus All-American as a sophomore and a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski and Ted Hendricks Awards. In 2007, Selvie led the nation in tackles for loss (31.5) and was second nationally in sacks (14.5). Overall, the Bulls ranked third nationally with 8.69 tackles for loss per game.
“I’m thrilled about joining the Gator Nation, said McCarney. “I have the utmost respect for Coach Meyer and the Florida football program. It is a dream come true for me and my wife and we are looking forward to the opportunity.”
McCarney, who was the longest tenured head coach in the Big 12 at the completion of the 2006 season, led the Iowa State program from
1995-2006. He took the Cyclones to five bowl games and in the 116-year history of the ISU program McCarney led five of the 16 teams that have won seven games or more. He was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2004, when the Cyclones were the Big 12 North Co-Champions. McCarney’s
2000 squad was the first Iowa State team to win nine games in 94 years. In addition, the win over Pittsburgh in the Insight.com Bowl was ISU’s first-ever bowl victory and the Cyclones’ first bowl appearance since 1978.
McCarney remains the longest-serving (141 games) and winningest Cyclone head coach (56 victories) in school history. During his 12th season as Iowa State head coach in 2006, only eight head coaches among 119 NCAA Division I-A programs had been at their current school longer than McCarney.
Under McCarney, Iowa State had a balanced offensive attack. ISU produced a 1,000-yard rusher in McCarney’s first seven seasons in Ames. Troy Davis rushed for more than 2,000 yards in 1995 and 1996 and was a Heisman Trophy finalist both seasons. Tailback Ennis Haywood rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 2000 and 2001. Quarterback Sage Rosenfels produced the third-best passing season in school history in 2000 and quarterback Seneca Wallace was the Big 12 Conference’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2001 and finished his Iowa State career as the Cyclones’ all-time leader in total offense.
McCarney was responsible for the rebirth of the Iowa State defense as the unit ranked among the Big 12 Conference’s leaders in total defense in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. ISU’s final 2004 total defense mark of 329.4 yards allowed per game was the school’s best effort in nearly two decades. The Cyclones allowed 44.8 points per game in 1997, however, by 2005 the figure had dipped to 18.5, which ranked second in the Big 12. In 2003, true freshman Jason Berryman was named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Newcomer of the Year.
A native of Iowa City, Iowa, McCarney was instrumental in rebuilding efforts that produced Big Ten titles and Rose Bowl berths at both Iowa and Wisconsin. McCarney coached at Iowa for 13 seasons (1977-89), including 11 years under Hayden Fry, before becoming the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin under Barry Alvarez in 1990.
McCarney’s defense was the foundation for the Wisconsin rebuilding effort. In the four seasons prior to his arrival, the Badgers had a combined 9-36 record. In 1993, Wisconsin went 10-1-1, claimed its first Big 10 title in 31 years and scored a 21-16 win over UCLA in the Rose Bowl. During the Rose Bowl season, the Badgers ranked 19 nationally against the run (130.3 yards per game) and allowed just 16.3 points per game. The Badger defense intercepted an NCAA-best 23 passes and created 34 turnovers, including six against UCLA in the Rose Bowl.
A 1975 graduate of Iowa, McCarney coached the Hawkeyes in eight-consecutive bowl games, including the 1982 and 1986 Rose Bowls. The three-year letterman on the offensive line for Iowa (1972-74) was captain of the 1974 Hawkeye squad.
Dan McCarney Coaching Experience
2008 – Present Florida (Defensive staff)
2007 USF (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line)
1995-2006 Iowa State (Head Coach)
1990-94 Wisconsin (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line)
1979-89 Iowa (Defensive Line)
1977-78 Iowa (Offensive Line)
Personal Information Birthdate: July 28, 1953 Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa Education: Iowa (1975) Marital Status: Wife, Margy
Dan McCarney
Coaching Experience
2008 – Present Florida (Defensive staff)
2007 USF (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line)
1995-2006 Iowa State (Head Coach)
1990-94 Wisconsin (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive
Line)
1979-89 Iowa (Defensive Line)
1977-78 Iowa (Offensive Line)
Personal Information
Birthdate: July 28, 1953
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
Education: Iowa (1975)
Marital Status: Wife, Margy