Two coaches who should have been fired...

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

Cronin wasn’t fired at Cincinnati. He left for UCLA.

Okay my fault. I thought I read somewhere he had been forced out.

 

[littlez]

It actually seems the longer rope for coaches for some coaches seems to be working. Chambers has /had a very tough job at Penn St. We complain about Carver but they have zero home court advantage. Almost no history with the program at all. He might take a step back but who are they going to get? Indiana keeps firing guys every 4-5 years and it takes them nowhere. Iowa looks really good with the patience they have shown with all of their coaches. And now it seems to be working. Again, next year if , and I have no idea if he’s coming back, Luka comes back we are probably a top 10 team. I’m happy for Fran.

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

It actually seems the longer rope for coaches for some coaches seems to be working. Chambers has /had a very tough job at Penn St. We complain about Carver but they have zero home court advantage. Almost no history with the program at all. He might take a step back but who are they going to get? Indiana keeps firing guys every 4-5 years and it takes them nowhere. Iowa looks really good with the patience they have shown with all of their coaches. And now it seems to be working. Again, next year if , and I have no idea if he’s coming back, Luka comes back we are probably a top 10 team. I’m happy for Fran.

Yes, Penn State is ranked #14 as far as most attractive head coaching basketball jobs in the B1G. Iowa is probably not as attractive as some of our fans think at #11. This is from a study and survey of B1G coaches done a few years ago. It considered history, media exposure, facilities, selling pros, game atmosphere, recruiting base, recruiting budget, and admissions.

 

[Run&Blade]

It’s taken a long time, but it appears that Fran has built the program to the point where we should have the ability to sustain relative success on a year in, year out basis.

Fran took a lot of heat for much of the early portion of his tenure for uneven recruiting classes - bringing in five or six players in one class. It resulted in a couple unsatisfactory years like 2017-2018, when the Hawks had one of the youngest teams in the entire country. However, on the flip side of this developmental program approach, are years like 2014-15 and 2015-2016, when Iowa is stocked full of vets who are capable of going on a run. These years gave Fran, and Iowa, a lot of credibility in the eyes of young players within the state of Iowa, and with other recruits nationally... even if we haven’t gotten as far into the tourney as we’d like

Because of what, specifically, the 2012 and 2016 classes have accomplished as upperclassmen, Iowa is reaching the point where they can bring in guys who can actually contribute as underclassmen. Guys like Fredrick supplanting an upperclassman in Moss. A guy like Toussaint who can step in and start at the most difficult position to play well in basketball... and actually do it well. Wieskamp, Cook, Garza, etc. the list goes on.

I have a feeling that multiple players in the 2020 class will be able to contribute as underclassmen as well, to the point that, when Garza and Bohannon (two Iowa legends) move on after next year, the Hawks won’t miss a beat. And when Weezy, Nunge, and Connor move on the year after, the same. All this to say, I agree with OP, and commend the athletic department (an extremely difficult thing for me to do) for wisely sticking with Fran, even when we as fans haven’t been so patient

time will tell on that. Iowa is currently the Garza show. We will see in a couple years if Fran can build on that or if it was the high point.

 

[unoHawkeye]

time will tell on that. Iowa is currently the Garza show. We will see in a couple years if Fran can build on that or if it was the high point.

Time will tell... It wouldn’t be the first or last time I’ve been wrong, but, at a minimum, it’s tough to see the Hawks having to hit the reset button like they did in 17-18 and should at least be very competitive within the conference for years to come

 

[destewart]

A lot of coaches get canned. Avery Johnson got fired after 4 years at Alabama. Mick Cronin got the boot after taking Cincinnati to the tourney last year. So, it wasn't inconceivable that Fran could have been fired after eight years.

Read my response to Owen.

Cronin left UC to take the UCLA job.

 

[littlez]

Not trying to be a negative Nancy here, but Garza has transformed himself from a guy who most of us thought we would be lucky to be a 12-8 guy by his Sr year to possibly being the Most Valuable player in college basketball. That is a historical transformation, especially at Iowa. I don't think you can underestimate how much he has elevated the program. Weiskamp and Frederick are nice players, but when you have a star like Luka it just changes everything. Having 1 guy be the man makes it easier for everyone else to just play free within themselves. I like where we sit as a program moving forward. especially w/the look of what looks to be a very undervalued recruiting class next year. Just not easy to replace a superstar, and he certainly is one.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

Do you think Roy Boy is going to get fired at North Carolina after this year? I realize he has won more than Fran has but he is also at a blue blood with extremely high expectations and a built-in advantage in the recruiting world. And he has been there for years. He is going to finish with a worse record than Iowa in 17-18.

Nah, the N.C. AD realizes that RW is in a tough spot, with his players having to take real classes for only the 1st or 2nd year. They'll give him a few years to figure out another loophole so the Tar Heels can reign again.