Ferentz letter inspires McCaffery

IOWA CITY — At his team's most difficult moment this season, Iowa men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery received a letter from an unlikely source. But to most who know football coach Kirk Ferentz, it's all too likely.

Ferentz penned a one-page letter to McCaffery after the basketball program suffered a tough 83-82 defeat at Iowa State. The contents, which remain private, were 'pretty impressive' McCaffery said on Tuesday. After all, the letter came just days after the football team lost 16-13 to Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game.

'They're getting ready to play in the Rose Bowl, and he wrote me a full-page, handwritten letter,' McCaffery said. 'So it was a lot of interesting information in there that was very applicable to what we were going through. There is nothing he hasn't seen.'

Ferentz is known for supporting other campus programs and attending sporting events. He has written letters to players from different sports teams on campus — like Iowa basketball center Adam Woodbury — and routinely meets with other recruits while on campus.

McCaffery said he receives notes from Ferentz after wins and losses, and he reciprocates. It's just part of the special bond among most coaches on campus from McCaffery and Ferentz to women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder and wrestling coach Tom Brands.

'There is a closeness that exists that I think makes us all feel good,' McCaffery said. 'You don't want to feel awkward about approaching someone for help. You want to know that you're going to be embraced, and we all, I think, we're all friendly with Bond Shymansky, we try to help him. It's the same for us. It's not just the four coaches I've named. It's everybody.'

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com