This is beginning to look a lot like the team two years ago that finished in much the same way. There appears to be a tradition being established here and it is not a winning one. Something in the locker room seems to raise it's ugly head and fester there. This staff has a problem recognizing what it is and then doing what is necessary to correct it. That year it was said to have been the lack of team unity, to much individualism. This year that shouldn't have been an issue. This team was rolling along rather nicely right up until the Maryland game. Then, Uthoff gets handled by Leyman and does poorly and never really recovers. Red flag....The staff needs to do something, not just maintain status quo. When teams get physical with Uthoff, his production declines. Other coaches recognize that. Our coaches need to devise something to counteract that and protect him. They haven't and Uthoff has lost confidence in his game and thereby the team has suffered. I don't get paid the big bucks to figure it out, they do. Having said that, I think they need to tweak their system in some way that will free up Uthoff and get him and the rest of the team back on track. Running the same schemes as they did before Maryland isn't getting it done. I realize it may not be that simple, but do something. If they don't, their time spent in the two tournaments coming up will be very short, just as it was two years ago. Just my opinion and I could be wrong. Go Hawks!!
Has Fran Lost His Team?.....Again?
- Thread starter putt4doe
- Start date
Why would you.expect things to change at this point. It's called Indanity. Doing the same things and expecting different results.
Yes, Fran must do something. Must. do. something. Do it now, before it is too late. Stop doing whatever it is he is doing and do something else. Now.
Of course, just like when you see something the team does on the floor and assume it is exactly what Fran wanted them to do. But, something get lost in the translation.
I don't want them lying kicking and screaming on the floor, but it bothers me there isn't a little more dejection. It's like they feel they accomplished something by being in first place and rated #3 in the country -- in January.
Last night they lost the chance to be the first team to win a B1G Championship in 38 years. In post-game interviews they're like, 'Oh well. We know we're good. We won all those games in January." Well they've been saying that for a couple weeks now.
Last night they lost the chance to be the first team to win a B1G Championship in 38 years. In post-game interviews they're like, 'Oh well. We know we're good. We won all those games in January." Well they've been saying that for a couple weeks now.
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I was on websters looking that bad boy up. Thought I'd just learned a new word.
How to do you take a team with 4 seniors, 1 being a great big man and 4 year starter, another being an potential all-american, while also having a potential superstar (jok), and then completely go in the tank the last part of the season.
Fran blew it. He keeps blowing it. Just when you start thinking he is the greatest thing to ever happen to Iowa, he destroys it.
I give the guy credit for bringing the excitement back to the program, but why does he seem to have no clue as to how to successfully finish a season?
Fran blew it. He keeps blowing it. Just when you start thinking he is the greatest thing to ever happen to Iowa, he destroys it.
I give the guy credit for bringing the excitement back to the program, but why does he seem to have no clue as to how to successfully finish a season?
Not counting the 6 B1G wins in a row to end last season, of course.
or the run to the finals of the NIT 2 years before that, of course.
Edit to add or the run to make the NIT behind Gatens' brilliance the year before that.
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There's a lot of different looks to this team then the 2014. This team is right there. At crunch time this team just fill in the blank. That 2014 team to me didn't have the talent of this team. I think the scouting has really caught up to Iowa in the Big Ten. Fran's had no answer. He keeps putting out the same lineup that at the end of games that can't close. I think this team will really be helped by playing non Big Ten teams in the tournament.
I'm thinking that one thing that might be contributing is Fran needs to find a new person to put in charge of player conditioning. The system needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Starting with offseason training and going on during the season to maintain conditioning (but not too much). It seems to me that a big part of the problem is Iowa's teams are always a bit slower when February comes around. Their defense seems a step slower and there is far less movement on offense. Distance shooting seems to get worse and free throws seem to get worse as well. Maybe it's just a perspective because I have no actual stats to back that up, but if that stuff is true it means that the players are just getting tired. Every year.
I don't sense Fran has lost the team at all, I see effort, I do think the teams confidence is obviously shaken in regard to shooting the ball, As I have said before, You can nitpick a team apart when they lose games but the bottom line at least for me is quite simple, If you don't shoot well you struggle, Iowa has had good shots, They missed bunnies inside, They missed free throws, Look at the shooting percentage when they were rolling vs now, You can obviously credit other teams adapting and game planning but the reality is the Hawks are getting some good looks at the basket and they simply are not knocking them down. Hopefully they can get their Mojo back and start hitting shots, Then maybe Fran will suddenly be a good coach again like many felt he was earlier in the year.
This just goes to show you how competitive some of the leagues are and how tender some of the psyches are. Iowa has not gotten blow out -- maybe if they had in one of the earlier games they could have shook this funk easier. When games come down to one or two possessions and you come up short, it wears on you. Your confidence slips a bit. Coaches have struggled with this for eternity. Fran is a good coach but what he has tried hasn't worked yet. The players play the game -- he knows his team and I will assume he is doing all he can to right the ship. If you have ever coached for any length of time, you have experienced it.
These guys played hard last night - they wanted to win in the worst way. Indiana hit a shot or two and their confidence rose. Iowa missed a shot or two and their confidence sunk. We got two good looks at the end of that game and Woody calling TO is a definite sign of a well coached team that knew the time and situation. Will they right the ship? I don't know, but I will watch and support them and cross my fingers and hope they do.
These guys played hard last night - they wanted to win in the worst way. Indiana hit a shot or two and their confidence rose. Iowa missed a shot or two and their confidence sunk. We got two good looks at the end of that game and Woody calling TO is a definite sign of a well coached team that knew the time and situation. Will they right the ship? I don't know, but I will watch and support them and cross my fingers and hope they do.
Gaten's senior year we had good record to close year.
Last year with Whitey we had good record to close year.
Tough schedule and Senior's in shooting slumps will get you losing streak. I do think teams have figured out how to guard Iowa, and Fran didn't recruit/develop a bench/lineup that could counter.
Last year with Whitey we had good record to close year.
Tough schedule and Senior's in shooting slumps will get you losing streak. I do think teams have figured out how to guard Iowa, and Fran didn't recruit/develop a bench/lineup that could counter.
I am not sure I can agree that Fran still has this team together. His response after the two previous losses when he said they were tentative and to ask Uthoff why he didn't shoot tell me a lot about where Fran is with the team. Body language is also indicating a team tha is just trying to get out of its own way.
The last two minutes last night tell you exactly where this team is. Uthoff is passing up shots or when he does do something it is a crappy fall away shot or some move to the basket in which is almost moving away from the rim to avoid contact or having to shoot free throws. Did you ever see AW do that last year when he took this team on his back? absolutely not!!!! Uthoff had no fouls until the last minute last night, that is pretty hard to do in Big Ten games unless you are backing away from everything. Go down the lane hard with the intention of slamming it home and if you get an offensive foul, at least the defender will be aware of your presence.
Woody made have had a great play to call the timeout, but if he truly wanted the game like any kid should on your last game on your home court, you would grab the ball on rebounds or when you have the ball in point blank range you go up strong and get two or at least get fouled. I don't ever recall a 7' player turn down one shot like that let alone multiple times. If Woody executes those offensive rebounds, the Hawks are the team that Yogi and company are trying to beat.
Good teams, no matter how good the other team do not go 6 minutes or however long it was without a field goal let alone do it multiple games in a row. Fran has turned this team in a bunch of kids scared to play in my opinion.
I know these are good kids, excellent students and most likely to have good futures and families, but right now they are not playing Big Ten caliber basketball. No matter how black and gold colored your glasses are, nobody can ignore the obvious and believe it starts with the head coach
The last two minutes last night tell you exactly where this team is. Uthoff is passing up shots or when he does do something it is a crappy fall away shot or some move to the basket in which is almost moving away from the rim to avoid contact or having to shoot free throws. Did you ever see AW do that last year when he took this team on his back? absolutely not!!!! Uthoff had no fouls until the last minute last night, that is pretty hard to do in Big Ten games unless you are backing away from everything. Go down the lane hard with the intention of slamming it home and if you get an offensive foul, at least the defender will be aware of your presence.
Woody made have had a great play to call the timeout, but if he truly wanted the game like any kid should on your last game on your home court, you would grab the ball on rebounds or when you have the ball in point blank range you go up strong and get two or at least get fouled. I don't ever recall a 7' player turn down one shot like that let alone multiple times. If Woody executes those offensive rebounds, the Hawks are the team that Yogi and company are trying to beat.
Good teams, no matter how good the other team do not go 6 minutes or however long it was without a field goal let alone do it multiple games in a row. Fran has turned this team in a bunch of kids scared to play in my opinion.
I know these are good kids, excellent students and most likely to have good futures and families, but right now they are not playing Big Ten caliber basketball. No matter how black and gold colored your glasses are, nobody can ignore the obvious and believe it starts with the head coach
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