The Iowa Hawkeyes have gave their head football coach Kirk Ferentz a new 7-year contract that will run through the 2015 season.

“Kirk Ferentz has shown over a 20-year period he loves the university and the state of Iowa,” athletic director Gary Barta said in a statement. “He is a great fit for the Hawkeye program. As our head coach the past 10 years, he’s proven himself to be a winner and a strong leader of the Hawkeye program. I’m thrilled to have him as Iowa’s head football coach.

In 10 seasons as Iowa’s head coach Ferentz has an overall record of 70 wins and 53 losses. That’s not to shabby considering it’s much harder to convince young 18-year athletes to spend their college years in Iowa rather than Florida.

Ferentz is has also been considered for a number of NFL head coaching jobs in recent years. Iowa will be happy if he just stays around for just half of the length on his new contract.