Iowa Tops San Diego State at Gun, 39-38; USC Next for Fry?

Iowa Coach Hayden Fry, saying he might be able to win a national championship quicker at USC than at Iowa, admitted Tuesday night that he is interested in becoming the Trojans’ coach.

Questioned after Iowa’s 39-38 Holiday Bowl victory over San Diego State, Fry admitted that he has spoken with USC Athletic Director Mike McGee but said no further talks have been set. Fry added that Iowa Athletic Director Bump Elliot has given him permission to talk with USC.

“I’ve had a lot of opportunities for other jobs since I’ve been at the University of Iowa, but I’ve never brought up a job before until this USC job came along,” Fry said. “I’ve never made a move without asking my coaching staff what they wanted to do. And my coaching staff voted (after Tuesday’s game) to look into the USC job.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they (USC) announced tonight or tomorrow that they have given someone else the job. But we (the Iowa coaches) have voted earlier that if we were contacted we would listen, because of the great tradition, the 24 Rose Bowl appearances, the Heisman trophies, the pro players, the great recruiting base--probably 85% to 90% of the recruits come from (within) a 100-mile radius.

“The whole motivation for us to be interested is because maybe, just maybe, we can win a national championship quicker at USC than Iowa. If USC does contact us in the next few days, we’ll listen. That doesn’t say I’ll be offered the job or that I’ll leave Iowa. But we will listen.”

Fry’s comments upstaged an amazing comeback by his Hawkeyes, who rallied to beat the Aztecs before a San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium crowd of 59,473.

The Aztecs, Fry had said before the game, were the most experienced and most balanced team Iowa had faced this season. They were also said to be just as big and maybe faster than their Big Ten rivals.

Turns out Fry was right on just about every count--but his team was one point better.

Rob Houghtlin’s 41-yard field goal as time expired gave the Hawkeyes the win that had seemed out of reach earlier.

The Aztecs, seven-point underdogs despite Fry’s build-up, enjoyed a two-touchdown, fourth-quarter lead before Iowa rallied to go ahead by a point late in the game.

But Aztec receiver Alfred Jackson split two defenders to grab a 45-yard pass from quarterback Todd Santos, setting up a 21-yard Kevin Rahill field goal with 47 seconds left that gave San Diego State a 38-36 lead.

Kevin Harmon returned Rahill’s kickoff 48 yards to the Aztec 37. After an incomplete pass by quarterback Mark Vlasic and runs of six yards by David Hudson and seven yards by Rick Bayless, Iowa reached the Aztec 24.

After a timeout, Houghtlin, who had earlier missed two kicks, delivered the victory margin.

“San Diego State called timeout to try to ice me,” Houghtlin said.

During the timeout, he said a prayer. His thoughts, he said, turned to his grandfather, who had died Dec. 22.

Holder Chuck Hartlieb pulled down a high snap, and Houghtlin’s kick went through the uprights as time ran out.

“I doubt seriously you’ll see another bowl game that exciting this year,” Fry said. “San Diego had us so confused we couldn’t move in the first half, but we regrouped in the second half.”

For his counterpart, Aztec Coach Denny Stolz, it was a bitter setback.

“It was a great game, but a horrible, horrible loss,” he said. “It was great for the spectators, but awfully hard on our young men.

“I don’t think anyone back in Iowa is laughing at us now. we played well and we deserved to be in a major bowl.”

The Aztecs forged a surprising 21-13 halftime lead after Santos regained his equilibrium after a harsh introduction to the Iowa defense.

On his first pass attempt, he was sacked by Jeff Drost for a nine-yard loss.

His second throw was incomplete, and his third was intercepted and returned 25 yards to the Aztec 5 by Hawkeye cornerback Keaton Smiley. Rick Bayless then ran five yards to give Iowa a 7-0 lead.

The Aztec defense got even when Duane Pettitt sacked Vlasic, causing a fumble recovered at the Iowa 8 by Milt Wilson.

The Aztecs scored as Santos delivered a six-yard scoring pass to Chris Hardy, but Rahill’s point-after attempt struck the upright, leaving the Aztecs a point behind, 7-6, with 4:52 left in the first quarter.

It was to prove a point they would sorely miss at the end.

Holiday Bowl Notes

The further thoughts of Hayden Fry on why he’d like to come to Southern California: “The sunshine, the weather, the Coliseum and all those other good things. . . . It’s attractive, particularly to my coaching staff. I didn’t make that decision. My coaches did. We went around the table and had a vote. I won’t tell you how it was, but only one guy out of 10 coaches said no. It really surprised me. So that’s where we stand right now. . . . I won’t dare make a move unless the nucleus of the coaching staff came with me.

“I can stay at Iowa. I have seven, eight years left on my contract. I’ve got a great salary, a great environment, etc. (But) I’m not aware that they have as near as many problems at USC as we had when we went to SMU (where Fry coached for 11 years) or North Texas (where he coached for six years) or Iowa. I’ve never been to a school that won more than two ballgames when I became the head coach for the first time. So, if we can overcome those problems, it’s obvious we feel confident we can overcome the problems at USC.”