Florida hires former Iowa State coach McCarney on defensive staff

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida added former Iowa State coach Dan McCarney to its defensive coaching staff Friday.

The 54-year-old was at the helm at Iowa State for 12 seasons before spending 2007 at the South Florida as an assistant head coach. He now takes that position in Gainesville.

Florida coach Urban Meyer called McCarney a "great addition."

"His experience as a head coach will be invaluable. He has a proven record as a recruiter and a development of talent and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a coach and a person," Meyer said in a statement Friday.

The 30-year collegiate coaching veteran led Iowa State to five bowl games and was the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2004.

The Iowa native is the winningest coach in Iowa State history. At USF, McCarney mentored defensive end George Selvie, who was an All-American as a sophomore and a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski and Ted Hendricks Awards. During his tenure in Wisconsin, the school claimed its first Big 10 title in 31 years.