The 2015, 2016 and 2019 teams at least COMPETED on defense. KenPom backs this up......Fran's style is run and gun but at least those teams had guys like White, Cook, Woodbury, Garza, that balled out.....However, Fran has NEVER had that at the guard position. And I don't see how it will change.
Fire Fran if You Expect More
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Unfortunately we have Barta. He's too busy setting up his next lawsuit to think about trying to improve a team with a coaching change before it's a complete dumpster fire
Year 31 is going to be a breakthrough.
U of I president needs to grow a pair and fire GB.
Fran recruits guards about as well as Ferentz recruits WRs
While I get what you are saying, everyone was baited on Lick. We didn't know Brad Stevens was the brains behind the whole thing. Lick had success more than just one year.
That said, you can't be afraid to make a move from what could go wrong. The roster we have is probably going to be turned over a bit but also pretty weak. Most likely Kris gone to the NBA, Rebraca and Connor gone. Transfers probably in Ogundele and Mulvey. I think Perkins (wanting to be a piece on a better team), Patrick (to get a fresh start for mental health) and Bowen (playing time) all COULD leave, not that they will.
I'm typically positive, and don't criticize the Hawks or coaches. I would never boo my own team and can't understand those that do. I know everyone is understandably frustrated, upset & angry. I'm traveling, and went out for dinner. The game was on, so I watched it, but I anticipated the outcome. As the game ended, it came to me in 3 words.
Iowa Men in NCAA:
- Out-coached
- Outplayed
- Again
It's that simple. If you don't coach/emphasize defense, and lack outstanding guard play, your fate is sealed in the NCAA. That's it, it's that simple... I don't know the nuances of basketball. But I know what I read, the soft defense and poor guard play is a death wish in the NCAA Tournament. And this Ground Hogs Day performance in the NCAA is getting old, but unfortunately is deserved.
Iowa Men in NCAA:
- Out-coached
- Outplayed
- Again
It's that simple. If you don't coach/emphasize defense, and lack outstanding guard play, your fate is sealed in the NCAA. That's it, it's that simple... I don't know the nuances of basketball. But I know what I read, the soft defense and poor guard play is a death wish in the NCAA Tournament. And this Ground Hogs Day performance in the NCAA is getting old, but unfortunately is deserved.
Fran is a mid-major level coach, nothing more. He builds a roster of mid-major players and tries to compete in a P5 league. Does enough to routinely make the tournament, but flames out.....because he is a mid-major coach with mid-major players (except most mid major schools have better guards and play defense).
We’ve got all we are going to get out of Fran. Things are not going to miracoulously change. Same type of recruits (long, can run the court, and soft (no physicality. Same defense meaning virtually no defense. The only way I see Fran leaving is if Jack decides not to come to Iowa. (there has been some talk about that….probably just talk though).
You are part of the problem buddy. We have had great defensive coaches in Ralph Miller and great offensive teams under Olson. Raveling recruited strong athletic players as well. This recruiting of soft players is what McCaffery does and it won't change. Frustrating apathy has set in.
When you make comments like "Who should we hire?" you are implying Iowa can't get anyone better than Fran. That is trashing the University and the basketball program in my opinion.
No. I'm literally asking what coach Iowa should hire to replace Fran in a thread where people are saying we should hire a coach to replace Fran.
I've heard DeVries mentioned. What other candidates are there that would take the job and have more success than we have had recently?
You started off fine in your reply, then went and asked who can Iowa sign that would be better. Again....you are implying Fran is the best the Hawks can get and the program can't be any better. That is trashing the University IMO.
Im sure there are dozens of mid major and assistants that would come to Iowa for a few million a year and a decent nil budget to play with.
We don't know the names of probably 70 percent of the coaches in college basketball so you're not going to get an informed answer.
For instance. Did anyone know who Micah Shrewsbury was a year ago?
You can get an informed answer on Fran though.
I have a question for those of you who don’t think Iowa can attract a better coach than Fading Fran: what do Marquette, Butler, Xavier, and Creighton have to offer that makes them consistently more successful than Iowa? Better weather, more resources, more fertile recruiting grounds?
No. You are reading into my response your own biases.
The question is "what candidates are available that would come to Iowa that will have more success than the current coach." That's assuming we are hiring a new coach to have more wins/success which seems to be the reason. (No scandals or personal reasons for a Fran removal)
So instead of misrepresenting my question, how about you answer it.
Who should Iowa hire to replace Fran to have better success?
Creighton has been very successful under McDermott especially in the NCAAs but overall record isn't that superior to Iowa when you consider the easier conference.
Marquette? Not really. Great this year but in Wojo's years mainly missed the tourney or a bubble team. One year as a 5 seed. We'll see with Shaka there.
Butler had good years under Stevens and Holtmann but have been not good since.
Xavier missed 4 tourneys in a row until this year.
So I don't think those programs have been consistently more successful than Iowa.
Having said that, I absolutely do believe there is a better coach than Fran that would come to Iowa. Do I think Gary Barta will find and hire that guy? No, I don't.
Iowa has hired 3 coaches since Davis' contract wasn't renewed. One below average, one awful, and one above average (Similar to Davis.)
Their track record of getting to the next level sucks and you think you're frustrated with Fran...do you remember the frustration of watching Alford and Lickliter ball?
Butler and Xavier and Marquette have all achieved much better tournament success than Iowa in the 21st century.
True. Some of that luck and some of it seemingly unprepared Iowa teams. Also Fran hasn't been here for the whole 21st century.
Do you think those coaches would have that same level of success at Iowa? I think some would and some would not.
The years that those three now Big East schools made tourney runs, they all had quick and tough guards, plus a difference maker (Wade for Marquette, Hayward for Butler).
Brad Stevens would have been successful at Iowa (but never an option including because of the Lickliter situation). Not sure about Tom Crean. Sean Miller might have cheated, but he would have done well at Iowa).
I don't think Crean succeeds at Iowa if he couldn't win at Indiana.
Stevens is clearly a hell of a coach someone like that you have to get on the way up. Unfortunate he seems to have been the brains behind the Lickliter success. We got the wrong guy.
Miller is the type of coach I wouldn't want even if it means a Final Four.
Should never make a change then, it might be better it might not. Better to just be how it is now, too risky otherwise
It's a risk. That's my contention. With each passing year that Iowa doesn't win a Big Ten title or get a high NCAA seed and win some games, the risk becomes more worth it.
Some people are ready now. I'm willing to wait a couple years.
Ralph was a pretty good offensive coach as well. They averaged 98 ppg his final season and routinely averaged over 80 ppg and this was before the 3 pt line and shot clock.
My big thing with Barta is he needs to quit extending Fran's contract. Barta/Iowa loses all leverage over Fran.
Fran himself should want to improve. I don't see that desire...I mean I know he wants to win but I also feel he believes strongly in every aspect of his system...My impression is his assistants don't really have much say in how the program is run and that is why dead end guys like Speraw and Dillard have been around for 12 and 13 years.. Fran loves his offense, but being last in B1G in defense is too much of a tradeoff. There has to be a happier medium. Portal matters. NIL matters.
there is Zero chance Fran gets fired in next 2 years. He's fairly high character guy, and he's not going to bonk a coed or anything stupid. I don't see any other programs wanting him enough to match his Iowa salary. He's at an age where he is not a hot commodity, and his lack of NCAA success hangs over him.
Kansas State can make a Sweet 16, but any Iowa fan expecting to get there once this century has expectations that are WAY too high. We are just little ole Iowa after all.
Thank God we have women’s basketball to cheer for.
Thank God we have women’s basketball to cheer for.
