The Truth is Fran.....

[IllQChawk]

Just is not comfortable coaching a team that is highly ranked.
The proof is the collapse of every Iowa team that has started strong and has inexplicably collapsed, leaving Iowa fans frustrated and bewildered.
The sad thing about this collapse is it likely caused Luka the National Player of the Year Award. It will probably go to a player that is on either Gonzaga or Baylor as we found out last year team records matter.

 

[Bearhawk0505]

It boils down to defense. The big ten season is a grind. The struggles occur during the conference play as we are just not consistent on the defensive end. Fran is clearly an offensive minded coach.

 

[Bank of Hawk]

his in game coaching is more useless than tits on a boar

 

[Ihawkhoops]

You have to establish a baseline for athleticism required to compete at this level. If you drop below that and take a bet on a project player, they need to do something really well (Bohannon 3 point shooting) or be worth the development bet (Dev Marble, Aaron White). You do not have the luxury to burn a scholarship on a kid who at best will be a 2 minute per half 3 point specialist who can't defend (Ellingson). He had a hell of a year at Drake because that is the level he should have been playing at in the first place.

If you miss on some kids look at transfers to plug a hole until the next class. It works for crappy teams like Michigan, Gonzaga, Duke, UNC, Kansas and everyone else at the P5 level but Fran is smarter than all of them. Look at Michigan's PG and tell me he wouldn't be BJ Armstrong 2.0 relative to what has passed for PG play under Fran.

Fran is a Greek tragedy waiting for the final act to play out. It will be a story of a coach with a giant ego and an inability to learn from past mistakes who thinks he is smarter than all of college basketball. He can win playing positionless basketball. He can win without a true PG. Fran can win playing fast and shooting 3's with a roster better suited for the pre-shot clock era of college basketball. Fran has reimagined basketball without defense.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

I don’t know why everyone expected more from Fran as a coach when he doesn’t focus on defense as being as important as offense, boxing out, recruiting and playing players that are limited athletically so they can’t do these things better than other teams in the B1G.

I hoped Iowa had a chance to compete for a B1G title and things bounce their way like last season but they haven’t. B1G is a meat grinder of a league, night in and night out. Just hope the Hawks can find a way to win in the remaining games on the schedule then catch lightning in a bottle post season tourneys.

 

[Ihawkhoops]

With every Fran fade my respect for Painter grows. He doesn't get blue chip recruits, utilizes transfers, if guys don't play D they don't play. He seems to get the most out of the talent he has year after year vs. Fran getting the least.

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[retrodent]

Whine whine whine

 

[goodbyebobby]

Whine whine whine

Truth, truth, truth.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

The February Fran Fade has been overplayed.

In 2019, the Hawks were 5-2 in Feb
In 2020, they were 5-3

We all know Fran is not a great coach. His teams lose to teams that have better coaches and better players.

February is the meat of the B1G schedule. The best teams rise to the occasion and beat the teams that don't.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Maybe Fran should praised for getting this roster ranked so high.

 

[hawkedoff]

If there is a criticism here to be had he replies too much on his starters. They get way too many minutes which translates to tired legs this time of year. They don't have the energy. You saw izzo refer to his own mistake with his top player that he has been giving him too many minutes which means he can't play as hard by the end of the game. This is why luka is leaving his free throws short for example.

 

[TampaHawkfan]

Maybe Fran should praised for getting this roster ranked so high.

Problem is, they never stay there. I couldn't care less where you're ranked in January. It's where you finish that counts.

 

[Scott559]

For me the bottom line most years is the quality of guards at Iowa, Guards control the game, When is the last time Iowa had a couple of really good guards, As in amongst the best in the conference?

 

[unoHawkeye]

For me the bottom line most years is the quality of guards at Iowa, Guards control the game, When is the last time Iowa had a couple of really good guards, As in amongst the best in the conference?

It’s incredible how good Fran is at identifying and recruiting positions other than the one he played

 

[HawkInArk]

The February Fran Fade has been overplayed.

In 2019, the Hawks were 5-2 in Feb
In 2020, they were 5-3

We all know Fran is not a great coach. His teams lose to teams that have better coaches and better players.

February is the meat of the B1G schedule. The best teams rise to the occasion and beat the teams that don't.

Yeah, the "February" part of the comment is a stretch but at the same time if you just change the wording a bit you'll see....

2020: 1-3 finish before BT tourney
1-4 in final five away games

2019: 0-4 in last four prior to BT tourney

2018: 1-6 in last seven before tourney

It's an "end of regular season" fade.

 

[Scott559]

It’s incredible how good Fran is at identifying and recruiting positions other than the one he played

He has identified many, Landing them has been the problem.

 

[innercircle287]

For me the bottom line most years is the quality of guards at Iowa, Guards control the game, When is the last time Iowa had a couple of really good guards, As in amongst the best in the conference?

We have guards that every coach in the conference would gladly have on their team. CJ, JBO, and JW would all be grabbed. Our defense is also serviceable when they put the effort in before worrying about getting a 2nd or 3rd foul and sitting.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Problem is, they never stay there. I couldn't care less where you're ranked in January. It's where you finish that counts.

that’s really stupid.

 

[Ihawkhoops]

Maybe Fran should praised for getting this roster ranked so high.

Ah the "experts" picked Iowa this high assuming Fran could do something with his entire starting 5 returning including a NPOY candidate. Fran has managed to blow this up and put Iowa in a position to go from pre-season # 3 to out of top 20. Had he lost Garza or Joe W, for a stretch this would be understandable, but he didn't. A veteran coach and veteran team shouldn't look so discombobulated in late game situations.

 

[unoHawkeye]

He has identified many, Landing them has been the problem.

Fair

 

[goodbyebobby]

We have guards that every coach in the conference would gladly have on their team. CJ, JBO, and JW would all be grabbed. Our defense is also serviceable when they put the effort in before worrying about getting a 2nd or 3rd foul and sitting.

They would not take Bohannon without completely overhauling his game. He is doing nothing but running around looking for open jumpers or passing it on.

 

[innercircle287]

They would not take Bohannon without completely overhauling his game. He is doing nothing but running around looking for open jumpers or passing it on.

JBO would be grabbed by every coach in the conference. He draws a defender to half court which gives every player more space. He's a damn good player when used correctly and played with other scorers. We have been going too many games where JBO and JW aren't getting set plays which takes them out of the game.

 

[HawkInArk]

JBO would be grabbed by every coach in the conference. He draws a defender to half court which gives every player more space. He's a damn good player when used correctly and played with other scorers. We have been going too many games where JBO and JW aren't getting set plays which takes them out of the game.

When Bohannon is in the game he should NEVER bring the ball up the court as PG.
He is never able to do anything but dribble around, eventually picking it up 30ft out more often than not.

Jordan, at best, should occasionally play and be in the #2 role as the catch-and-shoot player - that is where his value to this team shows.

 

[83Hawk]

For me the bottom line most years is the quality of guards at Iowa, Guards control the game, When is the last time Iowa had a couple of really good guards, As in amongst the best in the conference?

I don’t understand how many mid-majors have more athletic guards than Iowa. Why can’t Fran get some of these?

 

[Legs94]

Yeah, the "February" part of the comment is a stretch but at the same time if you just change the wording a bit you'll see....

2020: 1-3 finish before BT tourney
1-4 in final five away games

2019: 0-4 in last four prior to BT tourney

2018: 1-6 in last seven before tourney

It's an "end of regular season" fade.

It's very disturbing. It's either
A: Coaches adjust throughout the season and Fran just can't adjust to the adjustments. For example, as younger players grow and give you a better chance to win, they play them more.
B: The team takes on the personality of the coach. He whines and complains and kicks and screams, and when we face adversity, we make excuses like he does instead of buckling down and getting better.
C: All of the above.

 

[TRHawkeye145]

that’s really stupid.

Why do you say that?

 

[HawkInArk]

It's very disturbing. It's either
A: Coaches adjust throughout the season and Fran just can't adjust to the adjustments. For example, as younger players grow and give you a better chance to win, they play them more.
B: The team takes on the personality of the coach. He whines and complains and kicks and screams, and when we face adversity, we make excuses like he does instead of buckling down and getting better.
C: All of the above.

With the incredible amount of experience he's been able to put on the floor these past two/three seasons and then fall apart on or nearing the 'homestretch'?? It's hard to understand yet at the same time it's not.

Too many years have gone by now. I think Fran McCaffery needs to be shown the door because he's not going to change.