Oregon.........

[pocha444444]

Garza really improved his D since he was a freshmen. Was he a great defender? No, but he was serviceable, especially in comparison to Connor and Jbo. There aren't too many big men that can play on the perimeter against 6'6" players.

"Serviceable" is being kind. All three were bad, and all three were starters. That's a lot working against a team from the jump. Garza did get better as his career went on, but his physical limitations only allow for so much improvement. His last three games were all pretty poor defensively. I don't want to sh*t on him though because his offense usually makes up for his defense. Can't say the same for Connor and Bohannon (sometimes Bohannon).

 

[Ihawkhoops]

Fran's been highly rewarded for what he's done to date, with repeated extensions. Add in that the AD is incompetent, what's Fran's incentive for doing things differently?

If I kept getting raises and years added to my contract AND my boss gave every indication that the work I've done to date is just fine and to stay the course then why would I change things?

And this is in no way implying that Fran wants to keep falling short in the NCAA tourney. Of course he doesn't; just like almost every other coach out there he wants to win. I just think that he is in a position where he has no incentive to go outside of his comfort zone to try to do that.

Good post. I will never advocate for Iowa being like ISU, Nebraska and others who turn over rosters like seasonal decor. With that being said, Fran has had 11 years to "fix" the issues that have plagued his teams since he was hired and he hasn't. He did a great job finding Garza (similar to other under-recruited guys in his tenure) but failed to upgrade the talent around him. IMO it's difficult / impossible to defend Fran's decision making given the result is always the same.

Had Fran gotten into the Sweet 16 doing it his way even once to this point, I would say 'well it worked back in 2017, maybe it will work again.' Unfortunately it hasn't and won't unless he embraces what programs like Duke, UNC, UCLA, Gonzaga, etc., have which is augmenting talent with transfers as needed to get to the next level.

Yes it's better than the Lickliter days but that can't be the forever bar for Fran.

 

[BBHawk]

Fran's been highly rewarded for what he's done to date, with repeated extensions. Add in that the AD is incompetent, what's Fran's incentive for doing things differently?

If I kept getting raises and years added to my contract AND my boss gave every indication that the work I've done to date is just fine and to stay the course then why would I change things?

And this is in no way implying that Fran wants to keep falling short in the NCAA tourney. Of course he doesn't; just like almost every other coach out there he wants to win. I just think that he is in a position where he has no incentive to go outside of his comfort zone to try to do that.

McC is the 9th highest-paid coach in the Big 10.

 

[silasstarr]

"Serviceable" is being kind. All three were bad, and all three were starters. That's a lot working against a team from the jump. Garza did get better as his career went on, but his physical limitations only allow for so much improvement. His last three games were all pretty poor defensively. I don't want to sh*t on him though because his offense usually makes up for his defense. Can't say the same for Connor and Bohannon (sometimes Bohannon).

Once Nunge went down, Garza had to ease up on the physicality to avoid fouls which obviously didn't help his defensive play.

 

[silasstarr]

McC is the 9th highest-paid coach in the Big 10.

I have no issue with Fran. I think he's a good to great coach and I'm happy he's Iowa's coach. People forget how boring Iowa BB was under Lick, not to mention pathetic. Fran has Iowa in the top half of the conference almost every year and that is a feat considering the mess he inherited.

 

[BBHawk]

I have no issue with Fran. I think he's a good to great coach and I'm happy he's Iowa's coach. People forget how boring Iowa BB was under Lick, not to mention pathetic. Fran has Iowa in the top half of the conference almost every year and that is a feat considering the mess he inherited.

I was replying to another poster who implied that McC was so highly paid that he wondered what McC's incentive was to change what he was doing. I just was pointing out that his compensation is below what one would expect, especially for a coach that has improved Iowa's standing in the league over his years and done so without scandals.