Thanks Coach Mac,
Dan Mcarney's contributions to
Iowa State University have been amazing based around what he has
done for the credibility of the program and his contributions to developing
great football players at Iowa State. He has excelled in graduation
rates, winning percentage, bowl victories, preparing players for the NFL and
fostering a real Iowa State football family. He will be
missed dearly and will be successful in whatever his next venture happens to
be.
Surprisingly enough, the most meaningful personal memory I have of Coach Mac is
not the discipline and accountability that he demanded from me as a player,
which has ultimately shaped me into the man that I am today. Rather, Coach
Mac was able to connect with me on a personal level after my ISU football
career. As a 1997 graduate of ISU and 5 years removed from the program, I
was unfortunately diagnosed with Cancer in 2001. In a genuine show of
concern and support, Coach Mac took the time to track down my cell phone number
and gave me a call when maybe a card would have been sufficient. He found
my number and while I was in the hospital and called with encouragement and
support. We kept in contact and when I finished chemotherapy and he opened
his own office for me to come and watch a game. This meant to me that I
was more than just a four year player, but that I was part of the cyclone
family. It meant a lot to hear his voice on the other end of the
line. Coach Mac is a role model for doing things the right way and putting
his heart and soul into whatever it is that he does. The Cyclone Football
family will miss him dearly in so many ways… not only as a coach but as a role
model as well.
Doug Easley
Class of 97
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Over six years ago, I had the
opportunity to attend a football camp in Ames, IA. I attended this camp not knowing much
about Iowa
State University or Iowa State Football. Then I arrived and got my first chance
to meet Coach Mac. During the camp
he was everywhere, coaching the athletes as if they were his own football team,
watching players do drills, and encouraging players to give it their all. After seeing his passion for the game of
football, and the passion that he had for ISU, I knew I wanted to be a
Cyclone.
I got to spend five great years in
Ames, going to
school and playing football, and I owe Coach Mac for that opportunity. The knowledge I have received from Coach
Mac goes way beyond the football field.
I have learned from watching Coach Mac, his ability to motivate, coach,
and believe in his players. He
demonstrates class and conducts himself as a professional at all
times.
He shows he cared by inviting
former players back to Ames to help coach the new wave of future
Cyclones during his summer camps. Even after my playing career end in 2004,
Coach Mac was willing to write a letter of recommendation for me, which helped
me get to where I am at today. He
is truly a person of Character, Integrity, Class, Compassion, and the list can
on and on. Like so many other
people, I respect and owe Coach Mac so much, I really don’t know where to start
or finish. He is a great coach,
teacher, leader, speaker, and motivator.
Thank you, Coach Mac for your time and commitment to Iowa State
Football.
Tim TeBrink
‘04
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Coach McCarney knows what he means
to all of us, so for those people out there that aren't involved on a daily
basis with the program, here is what he means to me:
Mac took a chance on me and
brought me into the program. I was pretty wet behind the ears when I got to ISU
and had a lot to learn about a lot of things. Mac and his coaches (particularly
Matt McGettigan, Steve
Loney and Pete Hoener) pushed me
to grow up, to be accountable, to learn the difference between pain and injury,
to handle pressure. It wasn't always fun..in fact, a lot of the time it pretty
much sucked. We didn't have much success on the field in those early years, and
we had to continue to work without seeing any rewards. Guys that I looked up to
and respected graduated and moved on without experiencing the success they had
worked so hard for. Coach was a constant example that we could hold our heads up
and be proud even if the wins didn't outnumber the losses because we were doing
things the right way. When we finally got that first win over Iowa, that first Big XII
road win, that first winning season in 11 years and that first bowl championship
in school history they were tremendous accomplishments; but the bigger
accomplishment was never losing hope, never giving in and always working like
champions.
I'm convinced that the people that
played football for Coach McCarney are going to be successful in life. There are
a lot of different guys, with a lot of different stories, but the constant is
ISU football under Dan McCarney. We built something great...not just on the
scoreboard or at the end of the year, but with each other. I'm proud to be a
Cyclone and I'm even more proud to have Mac's respect - it means more than most
people could ever imagine to a small town kid from Denver, Iowa.
Ben Bruns
'00
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In the summer of 1995 when I
stepped onto the ISU campus I was given the gift of a second family. A brother to fight with in practice and
fight along side with in games, a terrific education, and memories that will
last a lifetime. But the greatest thing that I received at ISU was the
opportunity to play for Dan
McCarney. Coach Mac’s teachings have helped shape me into the man that I
have become today. He taught me to fight through adversity, never quit, to work
hard and great things will happen.
I had the pleasure of being part of Coach Mac’s first recruiting class in
1995 and being part his first game against Ohio U.
I will be there to as he steps on the field for the last time, to tell
him thank you for always believing, and instilling in all your players hearts
that no matter what, we can always find a way to win!
Thank You Coach
Mac,
Tezzy
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Coach Mac has more energy and
passion than anyone I know. That is why I went to Iowa State. I decided to go to Iowa State based on Coach Mac and his staff.
Coach Mac has always surrounded himself with a great staff. Some of the closest
people in my life have come from his staff.
November 8th was a hard thing to
swallow for me. I didn’t agree with what happened, but it reminded me of
memories that I had of Mac. I remember showing up to his 1st football camp when
I was in 8th grade. I walked in wearing my Iowa Hawkeye shirt proudly. It didn’t
take long before I spent all of my money buying Iowa State shorts and shirts. I was no longer a
Hawkeye after that camp, I became a proud Cyclone and that was because of the
energy that Mac had. I remember the wins against Iowa, Nebraska, Texas
ANM, and a bowl victory in Shreveport. Things that haven’t happened at
Iowa
State, EVER. I am proud
that I had the opportunity to experience it all. The Good and the
Bad.
The Cyclones will never be the
same without Dan McCarney and his coaching staff.
Mac I want to thank you for the 12
great years that you gave to Iowa State and the five years you gave me. You
are Iowa
State!
Nik Moser
ISU Safety
2001-05
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It is tough for guys that played
for Mac to simply put in words what he means to them. The public sees a
guy with nothing but class, character, integrity, loyalty, and passion. We
see and experience all of these traits and more. What a lot of people
don’t understand is what an ass kicker Coach Mac truly is. People often
use the term “dark alley”…well Mac is a guy I know any of us would want in that
dark alley with them. Because of the fact that he always is so disciplined
in staying politically correct with the media, not a lot of people have
witnessed this side of him. Mac also personifies “Cyclone Family” and has
a great wife in Margy. A few months ago, my wife and I had our first
child, Erik Jr. Despite the rigors of the season and countless people he
deals with on a daily basis, I still get e-mails regularly from Coach Mac asking
how my little boy is. We also received an infant Cyclone Jersey care
package in the mail a few weeks ago from Mac and Margy. How many head
coaches in America keep in touch with former
players to that extent? Wherever Mac lands his next head coaching job,
this will instantly become my new favorite team. I think I could summarize
my love and respect for Coach Mac in one simple sentence: If my son
is blessed with any opportunity and desire to play football beyond High School,
I want him to play for Dan McCarney.
Erik Anderson, Linebacker,
Starter, 4 year letter winner, Sr. Captain
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Coach Mac-
Where do I start…First off I have
to thank you for all that you have done for me as a player and a person. You were there for me through all my
battles with injuries. You
encouraged me to keep fighting off the adversity. You were the rock and foundation of my
life for my five years at ISU, and you will always be in my path in life. You demonstrated so many qualities that
people dream of, and I can say that I am a better man because of that. You instilled character, enthusiasm,
discipline, hard work, resilience, the power of attitude, how to deal with
adversity, teamwork, and the will to win in me…And these attributes I carry with
me in my game of life. You are a
man of integrity, fight, enthusiasm, and a proven winner. He has instilled what family means
outside of your own personal family.
I will follow you wherever your next stop in coaching is, and I will
label it as my new favorite team.
You have taken a salvage yard in Iowa State and turned it to a gold mine. A gold mine of respectability, a place
with a tremendously strong foundation built on blood, sweat, and tears, and a
gold mine of bowl championships, a share of the north conference
championship. You will always be
the face of not just Iowa State Football, rather Iowa State University. I support you, I honor you, and I love
you. You are the pulse of Iowa
State Athletics.
Luke Vander Sanden, Offensive
Lineman and Team Captain 2004