So What are the expectations of the Iowa Program?

L

longtimer

Well-Known Member
On the positive side Fran has interjected some excitement with the style of play. "Of course he is following one of the all time great stinkers" He did recruit the Iowa players he needed to recruit in Gessel and Woodbury even if they turned out to not be top players. He came close to really turning the corner until Kentucky needed a fallback point guard

On the negative. In his 6th year he has won one tournament game and that likely will not increase next week. 3 one and outs at the Big Ten Tournament against much 12,13 and 14 seeds is hard to understand and inexcusable! Total collapse of a senior laden team worse than the one we experienced a couple of years ago. Coach who doesnt take losses with a lot of class or maybe "that's none of my business"

Nest year a team that will likely be picked 9th or 10th and not a tournament team. Eighth year?

Tough place to turn it around but so was Wisconsin and they did it
 
There are too many people who aren't figuring this out. It's clear, at least, that Fran is not a program-changing coach. He isn't Roy Williams or Bill Self or Coach K. So if that's true, there should be someone in the AD who has their ears open, listening for which good coaches might be looking for a new gig...not actively firing someone, but willing to pull the trigger if the perfect guy for you wants the job....a "my people talk to your people and we can BE people" thing. It's better to change coaches because you found someone better rather than your current guy is so bad that you have to fire him and THEN look. But Iowa is so reactionary that I fear that we'll wait a year, next year will stink, and THEN we'll be discussing coaching possibilities.
 
Iowa is currently in the one of the best 3 year stretches in program history. 3 straight 1st team All B1G players who weren't really considered that caliber of player when they arrived in Iowa City. Chances are that continues next year with Peter. 3 straight dances, 4 straight 20 win seasons and has some great recruits already committed for the future. I'm pumped for next season and the future....as much as I love this senior class and what they have done to get the program back, I think looking back these aren't anywhere near Fran's best teams.
 
My expectations are to not lose 5 of 6, 6 of 8, etc. to close the season in years when you're in the Top 10 in January..

To not lose in the BTT to a low seed when you're a heavy favorite, much less 3 straight years.

To be closer to 50/50 in "close" games, rather than losing nearly every one of them.

Effectively recruit a good big man and Big 10 calibur PG.

These are the areas where I think Fran has fallen severely short.

From a perspective that's non-specific to Fran: Make the NCAA Tournament more often than not, and finish the season as a ranked team a few times per decade. First round losses can and do happen to pretty much any program, but would like to see them win a game in most appearances, with occasional Sweet 16 or beyond, at least a couple times per decade. I have no delusions about winning national titles and all, but otherwise, I think Iowa hoops is capable of accomplishing what I just mentioned.

Iowa's last Sweet 16 appearance was 1999, which is the only one since 1988. I find that unacceptable.
 
phdsvp said:
There are too many people who aren't figuring this out. It's clear, at least, that Fran is not a program-changing coach. He isn't Roy Williams or Bill Self or Coach K. So if that's true, there should be someone in the AD who has their ears open, listening for which good coaches might be looking for a new gig...not actively firing someone, but willing to pull the trigger if the perfect guy for you wants the job....a "my people talk to your people and we can BE people" thing. It's better to change coaches because you found someone better rather than your current guy is so bad that you have to fire him and THEN look. But Iowa is so reactionary that I fear that we'll wait a year, next year will stink, and THEN we'll be discussing coaching possibilities.
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You're absolutely right, he isn't Duke, North Carolina, or Kansas's head coach, excellent point, but then again Iowa basketball isn't Duke, NC, or Kansas basketball is it?

I appreciate the turn around that Fran has manufactured. Now expectations have risen and he needs to continue to build on his success, I think he can.

As the OP stated, we were very close to landing a program changing recruit in Ulis, and a series of unfortunate events led to him choosing elsewhere. Could you imagine our team this year with Ulis? Two potential AA's and Jok.
 
My minimum expectations is to always be a little better than we happened to be that year. Anything less than that is unexceptable.
 
Bo Ryan!
Those are my expectations. Hire the next Bo Ryan (preferably without the crying, lying and womanizing). Or keep looking until you do.
It's that simple.
 
tweeterhawk said:
For starters, don't choke in the last half of the season.
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The won 6 conference games in a row to close out last season. What I have noticed the past 3 seasons is that this group of players (core players being the seniors) are capable of playing high caliber ball for half a conference season. Two years ago, they faded in the 2nd half, but there was also Patrick McCaffrey's cancer situation that we don't know how much that affected the players and staff. Then last season, they were on fire the last half of the conference season. This year, they struggled the last half of the season.

I don't know if this is a coaching issue or a personnel issue, but it is probably a combination. The real on court issue I've seen the past 3 seasons is not having a pg that can get to the rim on his own and is above average with his jumper and 75% or higher from the line. That is a recruiting miss but we have all seen Fran busting his but to try and get a high caliber pg who is also a good kid. That just hasn't worked out, yet.
 
NikeHawk21 said:
You're absolutely right, he isn't Duke, North Carolina, or Kansas's head coach, excellent point, but then again Iowa basketball isn't Duke, NC, or Kansas basketball is it?

I appreciate the turn around that Fran has manufactured. Now expectations have risen and he needs to continue to build on his success, I think he can.

As the OP stated, we were very close to landing a program changing recruit in Ulis, and a series of unfortunate events led to him choosing elsewhere. Could you imagine our team this year with Ulis? Two potential AA's and Jok.
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Don't forget Charlie Moore who, as I recall things, we leaning Iowa, then all of a sudden both sides parted ways. The "rumor" was about apparent demands made by the Moore camp and it wasn't something Iowa felt comfortable with.

PG recruiting has been an issue for Fran, but he still is a very good coach and he is very good for Iowa, in my opinion. Including the 11-20 record in 2010-11, Iowa has an average record of 19.5 and 14 (including this season to day.) Iowa has also been (including this season) in 5 straight NIT/NCAA tournaments, with a NIT championship game in 2012-13.
 
lightning1 said:
Bo Ryan!
Those are my expectations. Hire the next Bo Ryan (preferably without the crying, lying and womanizing). Or keep looking until you do.
It's that simple.
Click to expand...

But I'm fine keeping Fran. My desire for BIG titles obviously doesn't match the ADs. I've come to grips with that. My financial commitment to Iowa athletics now reflect that, so it's much easier to stomach.
I'd like to meet the people that contribute 6 figures and ask them how they stomach it.
 
I'm not expecting anything except show my appreciation for the basketball, and appreciated the privileges to be member of Hawkeye Nation. Thanks Jon for that. Don't forget that the players who played for Iowa earned the right to be the Hawks because they worked hard . This privileges are not just handed to you, you have to work for it . The players who earned the right to be the Hawks doesn't deserved to be criticized for their style of plays and same goes for the coaches.
 
1977Hawkeye said:
My expectations are to not lose 5 of 6, 6 of 8, etc. to close the season in years when you're in the Top 10 in January..

To not lose in the BTT to a low seed when you're a heavy favorite, much less 3 straight years.

To be closer to 50/50 in "close" games, rather than losing nearly every one of them.

Effectively recruit a good big man and Big 10 calibur PG.

These are the areas where I think Fran has fallen severely short.

From a perspective that's non-specific to Fran: Make the NCAA Tournament more often than not, and finish the season as a ranked team a few times per decade. First round losses can and do happen to pretty much any program, but would like to see them win a game in most appearances, with occasional Sweet 16 or beyond, at least a couple times per decade. I have no delusions about winning national titles and all, but otherwise, I think Iowa hoops is capable of accomplishing what I just mentioned.

Iowa's last Sweet 16 appearance was 1999, which is the only one since 1988. I find that unacceptable.
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I don't see how anyone could argue that coaching teams into the top 10 with the talent level of this year and 2 years ago doesn't take great coaching. So what I don't understand is how someone can think a coach can be great 2/3 of the year then be terrible for 1/3 of it. That makes no sense. Coaching doesn't change when the pressure is on. Unless you think being in the top 10 was too much pressure for him to think strait.

What does change is trying to play with the pressure on. Everyone who has ever spent any time around sports knows that some people play great with pressure and some players crumble. Knowing that, why do so many people want to look past the obvious answer and look for other reasons. Sometimes the obvious answer is the correct one. When the game is close in the last 2 minutes, that's pressure. Playing as a top 10 team is pressure. Playing in advance or go home tournaments is pressure.

Fran has shown all throughout his career that he doesn't have a problem winning close games until 4 years ago. Nothing has changed since then except the players on the floor.
 
atomicblue224 said:
I'm not expecting anything except show my appreciation for the basketball, and appreciated the privileges to be member of Hawkeye Nation. Thanks Jon for that. Don't forget that the players who played for Iowa earned the right to be the Hawks because they worked hard . This privileges are not just handed to you, you have to work for it . The players who earned the right to be the Hawks doesn't deserved to be criticized for their style of plays and same goes for the coaches.
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These guys know their mistakes and honestly you don't need to harp on them for that.
 
PC, I totally agree....for me personally, I think it's adaptation and mental toughness, and I include players and coaches, when I say that. As a player, you have to make your own changes, and your coach better recognize the same thing. I have no idea why players and coaches go on endured slides and lose 5 of 7, or 6 of 8.....Fran and Co. let Peter Jok's performance down big time. The only thing that Fran did was the 1-2-2 zone press to get'em back in the game, and really should've come back, and walked away w/the "W"....I have no answer.....and now we have the true blue faithful Iowa fans say, "it's going to be alright, we're heading to the NCAA's, that's where we'll make our run" Seriously? What's changing? The fact that our seniors will end their careers by a 10 seed? Probably, and it should be no surprise to anyone......Fran has missed out on some great talents, and he's gotten what he's gotten....great kids that wanna be Hawkeyes, but we need that kid w/the killer instinct, that kid that will knock down shots, help get the 5th foul on someone, or steal a lazy pass, in other words, a gamer from the tip to the sound of the horn....haven't seen anyone around like in a while, and we may never again
 
ArvadaHawk said:
The won 6 conference games in a row to close out last season. What I have noticed the past 3 seasons is that this group of players (core players being the seniors) are capable of playing high caliber ball for half a conference season. Two years ago, they faded in the 2nd half, but there was also Patrick McCaffrey's cancer situation that we don't know how much that affected the players and staff. Then last season, they were on fire the last half of the conference season. This year, they struggled the last half of the season.

I don't know if this is a coaching issue or a personnel issue, but it is probably a combination. The real on court issue I've seen the past 3 seasons is not having a pg that can get to the rim on his own and is above average with his jumper and 75% or higher from the line. That is a recruiting miss but we have all seen Fran busting his but to try and get a high caliber pg who is also a good kid. That just hasn't worked out, yet.
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The 4 years where we weren't a great team, there was no pressure and we finished the year playing our best ball. The 2 years where we were really good, there was pressure and we wilted. Like I just said, we all know that some players wilt under pressure. It sure looks like they wilt under pressure when you watch the games. How the hell does a coach wilt under pressure? The difference between beating a team by 10 and losing by 2 is making 2 or 3 more open shots (or frickin layups) and forcing 2 or 3 more contested shots. Early in the year we were closing on 3 point shooters way better than we have been late. That is the only difference on defense. The players aren't giving quite as much effort on close outs. On offense, we are getting the same shots which is the coaches job. We are just making a few less.
 
Just an FYI. Ty Ulis was never coming here. He has already said that it came down to Kentucky and Michigan St. I keep seeing a lot of posts brought up about how Fran almost landed him. No, he actually wasn't even close.
 
NEIChawk said:
PC, I totally agree....for me personally, I think it's adaptation and mental toughness, and I include players and coaches, when I say that. As a player, you have to make your own changes, and your coach better recognize the same thing. I have no idea why players and coaches go on endured slides and lose 5 of 7, or 6 of 8.....Fran and Co. let Peter Jok's performance down big time. The only thing that Fran did was the 1-2-2 zone press to get'em back in the game, and really should've come back, and walked away w/the "W"....I have no answer.....and now we have the true blue faithful Iowa fans say, "it's going to be alright, we're heading to the NCAA's, that's where we'll make our run" Seriously? What's changing? The fact that our seniors will end their careers by a 10 seed? Probably, and it should be no surprise to anyone......Fran has missed out on some great talents, and he's gotten what he's gotten....great kids that wanna be Hawkeyes, but we need that kid w/the killer instinct, that kid that will knock down shots, help get the 5th foul on someone, or steal a lazy pass, in other words, a gamer from the tip to the sound of the horn....haven't seen anyone around like in a while, and we may never again
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Think about the mistakes late in games. Who's missing the free throws? Who's falling asleep on defense? Who's not grabbing easy rebounds? Who's avoiding the ball like the plague? Who is making horrible unforced turnovers? You can't win when you play like that the last 2 minutes of every game. The only thing a coach can do is bring in other players. The way our roster sets up this year we don't have anyone that Fran trusts more than our seniors. At this point I think he should try someone else. But I understand why he's so hesitant to do it.

Fran might be a problem. But the players are definitely a problem. It might be both. But it's definitely one. Fran being a problem is speculation. Maybe he should have used a timeout. Maybe he should have called a different defense. The players being a problem is fact. They have proved it 10 times this year alone. Look at Fran's whole career for proof.
 
Coaches have some impact on close games but not a whole lot. Any coach will tell you that. A coach can't coach bad enough to have the record Fran has in close games. It's not possible. Players will accidentally win a few close games for a horrible coach.
 
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