It’s Fran’s 9th year....

[Hawkeyegrad2006]

Positives:
1) He’s a far far better person than Alford and a far better coach than Todd L.
2) Quickly got us out of the bottom of the league—pretty impressive considering how low we were and dark it seemed.
3) More NCAA tourney’s than Alford and 1 more tourney win than him; and Alford inherited a program that was a top 20 program in the country.
Negatives:
1) Has any program ever taken off after 9 years of being mediocre to slightly above average (both in the context of being in power conference) ??
2) No athleticism, esp at guard
3) No commitment to defense.
4) Except in years where we start out slowly, we seem to collapse in Feb/March (twice recovered to win a tourney game)
Conclusion: I think it makes sense to fire Fran after the 2020-2021 season or even after next year if there isn’t a sweet 16 AND a clear recruitment surge by then.

 

[HaydenHawk8]

Frans biggest issue is his recruiting. Can’t seem to land the big fish. He gets his worm in the water, but no bites.

Until he upgrades his Guards, he will struggle. He thinks this is still the MAAC and that you can play with bigs; but it’s not the case.

 

[Hawkeyegrad2006]

Positives:
1) He’s a far far better person than Alford and a far better coach than Todd L.
2) Quickly got us out of the bottom of the league—pretty impressive considering how low we were and dark it seemed.
3) More NCAA tourney’s than Alford and 1 more tourney win than him; and Alford inherited a program that was a top 20 program in the country.
Negatives:
1) Has any program ever taken off after 9 years of being mediocre to slightly above average (both in the context of being in power conference) ??
2) No athleticism, esp at guard
3) No commitment to defense.
4) Except in years where we start out slowly, we seem to collapse in Feb/March (twice recovered to win a tourney game)
Conclusion: I think it makes sense to fire Fran after the 2020-2021 season or even after next year if there isn’t a sweet 16 AND a clear recruitment surge by then.

1 more thing: if you’re asking why not now based on the rest of my argument? 2 reasons: 1) buyout is still too big and that’s main reason. 2) I’m not totally convinced this is a good argument because the opposite argument also makes sense—-but you can argue it makes sense to let the sophs—seniors finish up with Fran (opposing argument is new coach would at least be left with some left over talent if he started this Spring)

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

Frans biggest issue is his recruiting. Can’t seem to land the big fish. He gets his worm in the water, but no bites.

Until he upgrades his Guards, he will struggle. He thinks this is still the MAAC and that you can play with bigs; but it’s not the case.

Fran’s best teams at Siena had excellent guard play.

 

[HaydenHawk8]

Fran’s best teams at Siena had excellent guard play.

Well why can’t he get them to IC?? Is Iowa city not guard friendly? Fran always had that 6-9 guy on the point of his press at Sienna, but let’s face it. He’s a good mid major coach. He’s not a power 5 coach.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

Well why can’t he get them to IC?? Is Iowa city not guard friendly? Fran always had that 6-9 guy on the point of his press at Sienna, but let’s face it. He’s a good mid major coach. He’s not a power 5 coach.

You’ll have to ask Fran why he can’t close the deal with really good guards. Joe T committing is step in the right direction.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

after next year if there isn’t a sweet 16 AND a clear recruitment surge by then.

^^agreed​

 

[MarkRules]

after next year if there isn’t a sweet 16 AND a clear recruitment surge by then.

^^agreed​

And this is a decision the athletic director hired this summer should make.

 

[K OKeefe]

Fran’s best teams at Siena had excellent guard play.

Could Fran's Siena guards play any better than Fran's Iowa guards in the B1G?

 

[hawkeye_1997]

Barta needs to be canned and the new guy can evaluate the state of the program with a clear mind.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

Could Fran's Siena guards play any better than Fran's Iowa guards in the B1G?

Kenny Hasbrouck would have run circles around Iowa’s guards.

 

[Hawkamania81]

Sick of this shit.

 

[Irvin 88]

Remind me again where he was going to escape to had Barta not secretly extended him in late 2017?

 

[larrygreenwallswildride]

He just needs nine more years.
It’s all gonna click. Hang in there y’all.

 

[Harbinger273]

Remind me again where he was going to escape to had Barta not secretly extended him in late 2017?

That extension BS was total good ole boy chit. There is some cronyism going on and it is to the detriment of the improvement of the team. This has become more about money than playing the game and winning. Fran has taken a page from KF's book and is finagling unwarranted contracted extensions and bloated buyouts for lackluster performance. I wonder who really signed off on Bartas hire originally?

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

And this is a decision the athletic director hired this summer should make.

Preferably, yes, but if necessary, the one hired next spring could also pull the trigger on him without much blow-back.

 

[Scott559]

I really do understand the frustration that comes with being an Iowa fan, I understand the frustration with Fran struggling to get Iowa over the hump in regard to becoming a really strong program.
I have asked this before and I will ask again, Please try to remove emotion from the answer, Last report I saw stated Iowa was rated 11th in the Big in regard to investing $$$ in the basketball program, Given Iowa’s population and demographics what is your fair expectation in where Iowa’s basketball program should be compared to the rest of the conference given the University’s level of commitment to the program?
I strongly believe that more than lip service needs to be committed to the program, If Iowa really wants a strong basketball program they need to invest the capital on the level of the top programs, It is sad that Iowa is very close to the bottom of the conference in their commitment to the program.

 

[PlazaHawkeye]

Lack of recruiting is big, but team chemistry seems a problem as well. All these late season fades. I thought it might be players causing problems, but if you keep having the same issue with different players, it points to the coach. I wonder if Fran is too intense for college players. I don't know but I think he should do some soul searching and change up some assistant coaches at least. As a fan it is frustrating, I am sure it is worse as a player and coach. I hope they figure it out. That said, please no new coach with out a new AD making the decision...

 

[papabeef]

Frans biggest issue is his recruiting. Can’t seem to land the big fish. He gets his worm in the water, but no bites.

Until he upgrades his Guards, he will struggle. He thinks this is still the MAAC and that you can play with bigs; but it’s not the case.

i dont know that he needs to land the big fish because in my mind the big fish is one and done but we need to recruit more athletic players . outside of cook rutgers had probably 4 athletes that we cant match .

 

[L. Wade Childress]

That extension BS was total good ole boy chit. There is some cronyism going on and it is to the detriment of the improvement of the team. This has become more about money than playing the game and winning. Fran has taken a page from KF's book and is finagling unwarranted contracted extensions and bloated buyouts for lackluster performance. I wonder who really signed off on Bartas hire originally?

Nobody wanted the Iowa AD job and we actually had to start the search over at one point. This is because we had no president at the time. This is because iowa fans are, in general, assholes to every leader we’ve ever had at the school. Lots of complaining with no solutions, including the smallest endowment in the conference.

 

[hawkeye_1997]

Nobody wanted the Iowa AD job and we actually had to start the search over at one point. This is because we had no president at the time. This is because iowa fans are, in general, assholes to every leader we’ve ever had at the school. Lots of complaining with no solutions, including the smallest endowment in the conference.

For being a bunch of assholes Barta has been well paided for about 15 years, Kirk for 20 years, and Fran for 9 years. Game was sold out today as Kinnick is consistently near sellout. But yes, it’s us, the fans fault for not doing better.

We’re lucky people will even take our money to come here, we’re so awful.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

For being a bunch of assholes Barta has been well paided for about 15 years, Kirk for 20 years, and Fran for 9 years. Game was sold out today as Kinnick is consistently near sellouts. But yes, it’s us, the fans fault for not doing better.

We’re lucky people will even take our money to come hear, we’re so awful.

Come hear what?

 

[Rustys Dad]

But.... but... ‘wait ‘til next year .... The Iowa basketball mantra... I’m done with this staff... No more excuses.. Fran has reached his peak at Iowa. This is the worst defensive-coached Iowa team/period I’ve witnessed in 40 years of following Iowa b-ball...

 

[hawkeye_1997]

Come hear what?

Sorry, my spelling is as bad as my math.

The Outback Bowl clearly doesn’t think we are such a bad group.

 

[Scott559]

But.... but... ‘wait ‘til next year .... The Iowa basketball mantra... I’m done with this staff... No more excuses.. Fran has reached his peak at Iowa. This is the worst defensive-coached Iowa team I’ve witnessed in 40 years of following Iowa b-ball...

I believe last years defense was actually worse all though I fully admit Iowa seems to be morphing fully into last years defense as the season progresses.

 

[kcgolfer]

Nobody wanted the Iowa AD job and we actually had to start the search over at one point. This is because we had no president at the time. This is because iowa fans are, in general, assholes to every leader we’ve ever had at the school. Lots of complaining with no solutions, including the smallest endowment in the conference.

This is inept BS.

 

[IllQChawk]

You’ll have to ask Fran why he can’t close the deal with really good guards. Joe T committing is step in the right direction.

If Fran recruited him, I'm not counting on him providing much if anything to help going forward.
Of Fran's 31 recruits that he recruited to play at Iowa, only Aaron White, a 3 star, was his best.
There were others but none that could keep Iowa from crapping the floor at the end of the seasons.
Somethings never change.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

If that Rutgers game, in conjunction with the '14 and '16 collapses, doesn't scream "Time to Clean House," I seriously don't know what does.

 

[83Hawk]

Nobody wanted the Iowa AD job and we actually had to start the search over at one point. This is because we had no president at the time. This is because iowa fans are, in general, assholes to every leader we’ve ever had at the school. Lots of complaining with no solutions, including the smallest endowment in the conference.

I’m glad you are satisfied with things as they are.

 

[HawkLogic]

i dont know that he needs to land the big fish because in my mind the big fish is one and done but we need to recruit more athletic players . outside of cook rutgers had probably 4 athletes that we cant match .

Agreed---soph Gino Baker....long/defensive minded PG. Freshman guard Mathis---6'4'ish and can finish at rack. Oyura is load as 6'7 Freshman forward rebounder. I thought the Freshman Big 6'10 has pretty good future. These guys are not 4-star or 5-Star.

 

[BirdistheWord]

Frans biggest issue is his recruiting. Can’t seem to land the big fish. He gets his worm in the water, but no bites.

Until he upgrades his Guards, he will struggle. He thinks this is still the MAAC and that you can play with bigs; but it’s not the case.

This is definitely part of the problem, but i also think it is his recruiting strategy. He does not appear to like shorter players, which generally is going to eliminate/minimize elite quickness. Yes, he has probably missed on some high caliber shorter players (e.g. Ulis), but I challenge anyone to watch some mid major games as there is still elite quickness down at that level, so have to assume we could steal from the likes of Wisconsin Green Bay, Dayton, FGCU, San Diego State, etc (those are just examples).

For context, here are the players that Fran has brought in that are 6'2" and under:

JoBo
Sapp
Gessell
Cartwright
Dickerson

 

[L. Wade Childress]

I’m glad you are satisfied with things as they are.

I’m not. I was answering a question.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

A little perspective for those who yearn for those good ol days of Dr. Tom Davis. Year 8 he was 4-14 9th place and year 9 9-9 for 7th place.

 

[IllQChawk]

Yep, took only 9 years as head coach, but Fran's actions after the Ohio State game will forever keep Iowa from ever competing for a Big Ten title.
By berating the game official by calling him a "MFing Cheater" Fran has unleashed the wrath of every referee that is assigned to work an Iowa game from here on out, until Fran retires or is let go.
Referee's are human and as with any thankless job, I didn't say worthless, they are a fraternity of brothers and I'm sure it didn't or won't go unnoticed by the majority of them.
Whether it becomes an issue or not with every referee, games are decided by what calls are made or not made and every player that puts on an Iowa uniform with have to overcome the consequences from that unnecessary verbal outburst, real or imaginary.
It wasn't enough that Iowa struggles mightily at the end of every season on its own, now Fran has added the additional distraction of whether a game was determined by a referee that has a vendetta against our head coach.
It was more then burning a few bridges, it was more like blowing up a partnership. It could get real ugly.

 

[Loyal_2RU]

Agreed---soph Gino Baker....long/defensive minded PG. Freshman guard Mathis---6'4'ish and can finish at rack. Oyura is load as 6'7 Freshman forward rebounder. I thought the Freshman Big 6'10 has pretty good future. These guys are not 4-star or 5-Star.

For the record, Mathis was a 4 *

Omaruyi is a junior.

 

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

He doesn't need to land 5 stars.

He needs to stop shooting the moon and then relying on so many fallback recruits when he whiffs.

Best thing that can happen now is Fran Creans a couple players, including his eldest son, and hits the JUCO/transfer market and upgrades athleticism on the team.

 

[Irvin 88]

------He just needs nine more years. It’s all gonna click. Hang in there y’all.

Jason Garrett's name could be inserted....same blind faith, but with zero hope for the future.

Still cannot believe that the secret Fran extension did not get more backlash, then it did. Another late season collapse, and it should result in a firing. But it won't....whats new.

 

[83Hawk]

I’m not. I was answering a question.

You always say that....yet whenever someone criticizes Fran (or Kirk), you jump in defending the coach.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

A little perspective for those who yearn for those good ol days of Dr. Tom Davis. Year 8 he was 4-14 9th place and year 9 9-9 for 7th place.

Yes and Iowa was 5 - 9 before and 4 - 10 the year after Ralph Miller's 14 - 0 six pack Big 10 champs. Most talented team in my memory.

Of, course we are now playing twenty conference games plus a conference tourney.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

Nobody wanted the Iowa AD job and we actually had to start the search over at one point. This is because we had no president at the time. This is because iowa fans are, in general, assholes to every leader we’ve ever had at the school. Lots of complaining with no solutions, including the smallest endowment in the conference.

Sorry, not buying that line of no one wanting the job. You can’t tell me an assistant AD person at a big school out there can’t see the patience at Iowa to build programs into what they want, isn’t going to want that job?

If I’m the new AD, I go to the leadership at the University and tell them we have to get everyone onboard with playing for championships first and foremost which will lead to better incoming students that want to go to Iowa and attend sporting events.

If I was AD, I would start by cleaning house w/ the marketing department and come up with a new advertising promotion to get fans involved - students and youth w/ reseating CHA and Kinnick. Happy Hawkeye Hour - allow craft beer sales and food restaurants to be the main suppliers as concessions in both stadiums before games. Aramark or whoever has crap ass selections, need to be shown the door. Create an environment where people want to be there, entertain them. Concerts w/ better acts would help too. Hell, if the state fair can get good acts on their free stages, why can’t Iowa? I’d even have the NADA’s on, they are good or good local bands from Chicago area like 7th Heaven - great shows they put on, all of them.

Build faculties for wrestling and volleyball now to keep up with PSU and tOSU in wrestling and all the successful team in the B1G w/ volleyball - NE, IL, PSU, Minn, MSU, WI, etc.

Long term project - replace CHA w/ a stadium close to the downtown area so people and walk a few minutes from the Ped mall and dorms to a hostile environment arena.

Find those coaches that want to recruit and win championships in three to five years. Can’t do that, then look to upgrade coaching, when and where possible but have to have the facilities to create winning and Barta just doesn’t have it. He’d rather spend $4 mil on a boat house instead of volleyball or wrestling due to the number of scholarships they can give out. Crazy idea, add hockey and lacross for both women and men.

It’s not that hard but Iowa has a reactionary AD instead of a visionary AD and needs to be shown the door immediately after the continuous mistakes he’s made and continues to make. Add in the number of fans he has run off, including this one that once always had a sold out Kinnick everygame then tried to get us back w/ free concessions. Wtf?!