Biggest Successes of the Fran Era

[DanL53]

We had/have the glass half empty "Biggest Failures" thread. Thought maybe it might be fun to point out the biggest successes.

I'll start out with only one, the biggest success in my opinion.

In five years the Iowa program has improved at a steady pace with only one eight game stretch marring an otherwise clear upward trajectory. By comparison, McCaffery has a win/loss record in the Big Ten regular season of 42-48, John Beilein in his first five seasons? 43-47.

 

[Hawkfan_08]

It's exciting and fun to watch this team. Lick ball sucked all the fun out of Iowa basketball.
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[QChawks]

We're relevant
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[GunnerHawk]

Dan,

I agree, we needed a post about the Hawk's turnaround.

Another measure was an NIT invite in year 2 and one win, year 3 finished as the runner up in the NIT, year 4 NCAA invite but loss to Tennessee, year 5 a comfortable seeding, who knows what the future will bring.

Fran has brought Iowa a long ways back but I'm sure his goals are much higher still!

 

[Scott559]

1. The fact that Fran has brought back some respect to the program again. As has been mentioned, A steady increase in regard to the rebuilding of the program. Kinda nice to be fretting over our seeding in the NCAA vs just hoping we make it.
2. We have our foot in the door in the Chicago recruiting scene again. If the program is going to continue to grow this one is huge IMO.

 

[StormHawk42]

Actually getting to enjoy Selection Sunday knowing my team's name will be called

 

[icparkerhawk]

I think finally keeping one of our Iowa products out of Roy Williams open hands was a big success early on. Getting back into Chicago (and Simeon at that) is another success to help build on the on court success we are seeing. People want to compare Fran's job to Hoibergs but I don't think the comp is fair given what Lick did to Iowa. Steady progression is fine by me. As others have said, it's fun to watch again (most of the time) and we're at least relevant on the national level. Just have to keep the progression moving forward.
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[EpenesaEpenesa]

^+11111111. Everyone needs to take a step back and enjoy the selection show. Iowa's name will be on that bracket and it feels damn good. This team earned this.
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[LaoHawk]

Solid foundation from the ashes.... Best has yet to come, the dance will be ever so fun, just like getting a date with a beautiful cheerleader and she's not your sister, lol...

 

[ThatsFootball]

Mine have already been said.

1) Iowa basketball is now fun to watch once again (yes, even in our turd games like PSU)

2) Continuous improvement every year he has been here. I didn't think we would be bad this year, but didn't expect to improve somehow after the loss of RDM and MB.

And lastly, I think we all agree this needn't be said, but....

3) He is not Alford or Lick.

 

[hawk-i bob]

in the last 103 games..Fran's teams' have won a little over 64% (66-37)...that around 2% less winning percentage than the likes of Ralph Miller, Lute Olson & Tom Davis...

..when you have a program that has been so irrelevant for so long...you look for factual (that's factual not opinion) positives that the program has progressed for an extended period (more than a single season)...

the hope is the last 103 games is an indicator that "even" better years are in the future..

*****************

side note...my Gosh MUG BALL and flop acting has taken over college basketball...MichSt & IowaSt were at their finest yesterday...and it worked.

 

[kzoohawk80]

Originally posted by StormHawk42:
Actually getting to enjoy Selection Sunday knowing my team's name will be called

This!!!!!
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[Hawkeye2222]

lets not Forget developing Marble into a NBA player who was starting till the injury. that was a big deal and it looks like White might end up in the NBA, 2nd straight year with producing a NBA player. that alone will make IA more attractive to higher rated players,

 

[hawkcub]

Every year we have had more success.
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[MTHawkeyes43]

Back to back NCAA tournament invites.

 

[ynglbc]

We're already in the success stage now to just keep building momentum and get to Sweet 16's and beyond.

 

[Hawkeye2222]

going from this to this is a big step

4-14 11th place
8-10 T-7th
9-9 6th alone NIT Champion ship game
9-9 6th alone 1st NCAA appearance since the 05-06 season
12-6 T-3rd 2nd NCAA appearance

SA went 11-5 and finished in a T-2nd in that 05-06 season.

 

[Wordel]

On an individual note, I would say the development of Olaseni has been the biggest individual success of Fran. He has improved leaps and bounds on a year by year basis.

 

[Dr. Fran Olson]

Recruiting upstanding kids, and most of all, hiring a staff of experienced coaches that appear to want to be here. Is there a program in college bb that have as many D1 head coaches on the bench as us? I think that says a lot about our man.

 

[HawkVic]

Aaron White and Dev Marble really grew as players under Fran.

Bringing Iowa basketball back from the Lick years.

 

[MTHawkeyes43]

Originally posted by Hawkeye2222:

lets not Forget developing Marble into a NBA player who was starting till the injury. that was a big deal and it looks like White might end up in the NBA, 2nd straight year with producing a NBA player. that alone will make IA more attractive to higher rated players,

Not a chance White gets drafted. He will have to go over seas to make his mark in the pro game.

 

[2432Hawk]

Senior day

There will be some attrition but Fran has kept our best players unlike what was happening with Lickliter.
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[Hawkeye2222]

MTH you were probably saying the same thing about Devyn.

 

[IACentralHawk73]

Back to Back NCAA Tourney BidsThe excitement of play brought by Aaron White, Devyn Marble and othersMajor upsets early on in his tenure such as Purdue in 2011 and Wisconsin in 2012The rivalry between him and Fred has turn the in-state rivalry into must-watch TVBrought our program back from the depths of hell to national relevance again.

 

[CuttyDoesIt]

Stealing Woodbury from UNC

Stealing Gessel from Stanford

 

[Section8]

Not in any way trying to slam FM, but I think a transient on the ped mall could have matched Lick's coaching.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Beating Illini in Champaign first time since '99

Beating U of Virginia at their place when they had 19 game home winning streak going that included beating Duke & UNC.

Winning 25 games in 12-13, the 2nd most all time in Iowa basketball history.

Winning 12 B1G games for first time since 86-87.

Winning 6 straight B1G games for first time since 86-87.

Not to knock any players past or present but imagine what he could do with some high level talent..

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Beating #6 Purdue and their lottery pick with a 4-14 B1G team that he had that year.

That game was incredible, Purdue was still in the regular season B1G championship race. That loss knocked them out of contention. They had everything to play for there. Jarryd Cole was magnificent that day.

 

[hawk-i bob]

Originally posted by Phenomenally Frantastic:
Beating #6 Purdue and their lottery pick with a 4-14 B1G team that he had that year.

That game was incredible, Purdue was still in the regular season B1G championship race. That loss knocked them out of contention. They had everything to play for there. Jarryd Cole was magnificent that day.

that was indeed a great day to be a Hawkeye

 

[The Sleeping Dog]

Won 12 in 97, but that's still 18 years ago.

Have to give the coaches all the credit they deserve for turning it around this year when the team was teetering....on more than one occasion during the current season. Looking back on it now with the benefit of hindsight these guys stayed scrappy after some bursts of awful play..

 

[BeepBeepInMyJeep]

White is the obvious one. However, I think we can say this has been the best two year stretch for Iowa since the 90's.