By Pat Harty

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Big Ten Media Day was almost over on Friday when I crossed paths with Bob Stoops outside a media hospitality room at Lucas Oil Stadium.

I looked at him and said “Iowa football freshman class of 1978,” and he looked at me and smiled and said something like, yep, that’s right.

I then introduced myself and said that my older brother, Frank Harty, was in his recruiting class.

Stoops smiled and nodded and then asked how my brother was doing and where he now lives. He then wished my brother well, told me to say hello for him, and went on his way.

Our conversation probably lasted about 30 seconds, but it was cool to speak with Stoops, and not just because of what he has accomplished as a coach.

I remember meeting Stoops for the first time in the fall of 1978 while spending the weekend with my brother at Hillcrest dormitory where the freshman on the football team lived.

I was a freshman in high school at the time, but Stoops wasn’t much bigger than me. He didn’t really fit the description of a Big Ten football player, but my brother told me that in this case looks were deceiving.

My brother already had seen enough of Stoops in practice to know that he was a tough and talented defensive back who might have looked like Opie Taylor, but was fearless on the field.

Stoops was a ferocious hitter, who compensated for his lack of speed with toughness, determination and preparation.

The son of a football coach, and a native of Youngstown, Ohio, Stoops grew up around the game and it would go on to change the course of his life as he made first-team All-Big Ten at Iowa as a multi-year starter, and helped rebuild the program under Hayden Fry.

Stoops then became a volunteer graduate assistant under Fry at Iowa, and that was the start to an illustrious coaching career.

Stoops was a rising star as a defensive coordinator when Fry retired shortly after the 1998 season.

Stoops interviewed for the Iowa job, but Kirk Ferentz was eventually hired, much to the dismay of some fans who wanted Stoops to return to his alma mater.

Instead, Stoops took the Oklahoma job and led the Sooners to the 2000 national title, and to 10 Big 12 championships before announcing his retirement on June 7, 2017.

Stoops still is only 60 years old and he most recently served as head coach and general manager of the XFL’s Dallas Renegades.

However, the league was forced to shut down due to bankruptcy stemming from the global pandemic.

Stoops now works for Fox after having replaced Urban Meyer when Meyer jumped to the NFL to coach the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Stoops will be featured on Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” show, and I assume that’s the reason Stoops attended Big Ten Media Day on Thursday and Friday.

I posted on Twitter a photo of Stoops listening from behind the stage as Kirk Ferentz addressed the media on Friday.

The tweet drew immediate responses from Iowa fans, including one in which the person referred to Stoops as Iowa’s next athletic director.

Others said they hoped that Stoops would become Iowa’s next athletic director, or that he would return to his alma mater in some capacity.

The responses were a reminder that some Iowa fans still are fascinated with Stoops, and hopeful that he will return to his alma mater.

I don’t see that happening, but it’s okay to hope that it will happen.

Stoops still is young enough to coach again, and appears to be in good shape physically for someone his age.

But he also has nothing left to prove as a head coach.

Stoops and Ferentz chatted briefly after Ferentz had finished addressing the media on Friday. Stoops then left the area where the interviews were being held, and that’s when we crossed paths in a hallway.

I thought of Hayden Fry after seeing Stoops and Ferentz together because Fry helped pave the way for both of them to become coaching legends. Fry believed in both of them and gave them an opportunity to prove themselves.

And to say that Stoops and Ferentz both took advantage of the opportunity would be an understatement.

Ferentz is now Iowa’s all-time winningest head coach, and the longest tenured head coach in the country. He also has led Iowa to two Big Ten titles, and to 17 bowl appearances since 2001.

Ferentz and Stoops are part of arguably the greatest coaching tree in the history of college football, and both will forever be a part of Iowa’s rich tradition in football.

And for that, Iowa fans should be forever grateful.