Legendary former Iowa football coach Hayden Fry has died at the age of 90.

Fry’s family released a statement saying that Fry died with his family at his side following a lengthy battle with cancer.

The statement from the family says “We are proud to know that our father’s life had a positive influence on so many people, the players, the coaches, and the fans who played for, worked with, and supported his long and successful coaching career.

His legend will live forever with the people he touched and inspired, and the programs he led to greater heights. Though Hayden was born in Texas and moved there more recently to be closer to our family, his love for the University of Iowa, his players and coaches, the people of Iowa, and the state of Iowa, is well known.  Hayden often shared, “I’ll Always Be a Hawkeye”.

Fry was announced as Iowa’s new coach in December of 1978 and took over a team that had not had a winning season in 17 years. He turned the Hawkeye program around and made them into a Big Ten Conference and national contender. Fry won 143 football games in 20 seasons, retiring in 1998 while fighting cancer.