Statements from Kirk Ferentz and Gary Barta on fall football cancelation
From Iowa Sports Information
Gary Barta Statement:
With the announcement today from the Big Ten Conference, our immediate focus is on our student-athletes and continuing to provide care and support. They have overcome a number of obstacles associated with this virus and handled the uncertainties with undeniable resolve. We will continue to work together and move forward.
We have said from the very beginning, the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff is our first priority. Our athletics department is incredibly fortunate to have the expertise and guidance of our medical team and the UI Hospital and Clinics. Unfortunately, there were still too many uncertainties to move forward with our fall sports. The University of Iowa supports the extremely difficult decision made by the Big Ten Conference.
Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz:
“This is an extraordinarily disappointing day for everyone involved with Hawkeye football. While we respect the decision of the Big Ten, I want to thank University of Iowa president Bruce Harreld and Athletic Director Gary Barta for their spirited leadership as they worked to find a path for us to play this Fall. Sadly that was not the final decision. Our hope now is that our players will have the opportunity to compete in the Spring.
I want to publicly thank all the medical and support staff who worked tirelessly to keep our players and coaching staff healthy and safe during our return to campus. I also want to applaud the focus and dedication of our student-athletes as they worked out through the uncertainty of the past few months.
We will all miss waving to the kids at the end of the first quarter every Saturday this Fall, but we want them and their families to know we are supporting them from a distance.
As a program, our focus from this day forward will be to come together to find a way to play if possible this Spring. When we get the chance, we will look forward to once again swarm down the tunnel onto the Kinnick Stadium field to challenge ourselves against the best programs in the country.”