Orange Bowl lets Ferentz escape cold

STEVEN WINE

AP Sports Writer

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) - Coaches Kirk Ferentz and Paul Johnson sat in the shade of a resort hotel, their backs to the pool as a waterfall provided background noise for their Orange Bowl news conference.

"It's really a pleasure to be here today," Ferentz said. "If we were in Iowa right now, we would not be outdoors, I can assure you."

That's one reward for a successful season. Rather than endure Wednesday's blizzard back home, Ferentz was in South Florida to promote his Hawkeyes' Jan. 5 game against Johnson and Georgia Tech.

The schools will play for the first time, and the two coaches first met less than a year ago while pursuing the same recruit - offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan.

"We bumped into each other at a high school in New Jersey in January," Ferentz said. "That was the first time I met Paul."

MacMillan chose Iowa.

"I cheated," Ferentz said. "His dad went to high school with me."

"I owe him one," Johnson said with a smile.

The chance for payback will come next month in Miami. Ninth-ranked Georgia Tech (11-2) earned the Orange Bowl berth by beating Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game Saturday. No. 10 Iowa (10-2) received an invitation after a storybook season that included seven games decided in the final minute, including two wins that swung on the last play.

The high-scoring Yellow Jackets had their share of thrills too, with five wins by a total of 21 points.

"You have believe that you're going to win," Johnson said. "Certainly we didn't get it done every week, but for the most part, our guys have found ways to make plays. In big games, good players find ways to make plays. That's what we've had."

Ferentz said winning close games involved a learning process for his Hawkeyes, whose four losses in 2008 were by a total of 12 points.

"There's a little bit of development that has gone on," he said. "One of the neat things for us this year is it was a different player finding a way to ignite us every time. That's how we're built. We don't have a marquee player, but we have a lot of good players."

With the bowl game nearly four weeks away, both coaches said they welcomed the break so injuries can heal. Among those sidelined has been Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who missed the final two regular-season games and underwent surgery to repair a severely sprained right ankle.

"He is doing absolutely fantastic," Ferentz said. "We expect him to be practicing full this weekend."

Ferentz said standout guard Dace Richardson, who missed the final four games with a broken leg, is expected to return in a couple of weeks. Johnson said he's not sure how many of his injured players will be healthy for the Orange Bowl.

Ferentz said he's still trying to figure out how to simulate the Yellow Jackets' triple option in practice. It's a scheme the Hawkeyes haven't faced, and it helped Georgia Tech average 307 yards rushing and 35.5 points per game to Iowa's 109 and 23.1.

The Hawkeyes will fly to South Florida on Dec. 27, and the Yellow Jackets are scheduled to arrive Dec. 30. Both coaches said they want to balance work and fun, rewarding players for successful seasons while also giving them the best possible chance to win.

Ferentz is mindful of the Hawkeyes' only other Orange Bowl appearance seven years ago, when they endured a 38-17 drubbing against Southern California.

"The one thing all of us learned at an early age is it's a lot more fun if you play well and look representative," Ferentz said. "You want to look like you did during the season. Unfortunately we didn't do that the last time we were in Miami, and it's a bitter pill to swallow."

The Yellow Jackets last played in the Orange Bowl in 1967, losing to Florida.

"We had a little dry spell," Johnson said with a smile.

They're not exactly bowl novices, though - Georgia Tech earned an invitation for the 13th year in a row.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.