Lisa proved again that she was, pretty clearly, the best coach on campus. Her approach to her players as individual people, her focus on fitting diverse pieces into one grand whole, and "I don't want robots out there." Yes, Lisa intentionally taught the nuances of the game, adjusted for individual stars like Megan G and CC, and then encouraged the players to have fun and just play the game. She didn't micromanage. She didn't call a lot of plays. She just taught her players how to get open, how to spot passing lanes, when they could drive, when they could dish. She taught basketball and then let the kids play the game.
Her attitude and approach is pretty much the opposite of what we've seen from Fort Kinnick for a quarter century. KF, on offense, is a micromanager. He approaches the game from the negative: don't do this, don't do that. He puts handcuffs on potential stars and benches players who dare stray from the straight and narrow.
I would suggest that, had CC played for KF, she would have either transferred after one season or she would have been so restricted that nobody would have ever heard of her outside Iowa City. She'd have just been another player. No recognition. No awards. No nothing. And she'd probably have been benched several times for too many turnovers (ignoring her brilliant passing), being bold enough to shoot logo threes, and for acting like she was having fun.
And that is why Iowa hasn't been able to recruit QBs and WRs the way "powerhouses" like NW and Minnesota have.
Lisa Bluder was taken for granted most of her career. But maybe now, in retrospect, she will receive the accolades she has earned. She's clearly an outstanding person and an amazing coach.
