Fran McCaffery Excited By '21-22 Roster's Potential

I can't wait to see the growth the young players make during the off season. This is going to be a fun team to watch and easy to get behind. Style of play will be night and day difference imo.
Possibilities. I wouldn't expect FM to say "We Might Suck".
How much will JBo play point (meaning how much will JT play,) who else will step up, and who will take pressure off Murray are legit questions.
 
There are too many questions mark. We should be a better defense team but who is the leader of the team. Maybe Joe t I would have to saw nit bound at best
 
Nice that Fran is excited but then again what would you expect him to say? Can't say I share his excitement. I expect next years team to finish between 6th and 11th in Big Ten and not qualify for the Tournament. If that is exciting then OK. The NIT is a joke and needs to be eliminated.
Any better outcome would be dependent on a couple of players surprising in a significant way.
 
I am actually excited about this team even if it doesn't make the tourney. Expecially if Joe W. comes back. JBo's return is clouding the potential of what I would like to see from this team. Pressure D and transition, not his strength, is what I was looking forward to seeing. If JBo plays point this is a team that will never reach it's full potential. For me it has to be Ulis and Joe T. They need the keys to the car and pay their dues early in the season to pay off later. If JBo is a 2 guard and plays limited minutes this will be a better team. I can't see that happening with Fran. Joe T. or Ulis will never be the "man" with JBo around.
 
I am grateful that I will be sitting in my season ticket seat in CHA this winter. To miss another year would have been unbearable. I think the transfer rule has created a show fit for Sat. Night Live or in print via the onion. I am not going to get serious about forecasting our success in 21-22. Instead, I will thoroughly enjoy the mystery of the Hawk BB program. One prediction: I believe Fran and his staff will get more than expected out of this sort of motley crew. He has some damn good basketball players to work with.
 
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Well, I guess it is better to be cautiously optimistic then completely throw in the towel. For what is it worth. A Joe W return and I would feel a bit better.
 
I would imagine that JBo will be mostly used at the Number 2 position

He will be needed to play the point at times to advance the ball

I do believe this team will be one of the highest-scoring teams in America

Perhaps scoring more points per game than last season

This is really going to be an exciting team to watch, tons of speed and fluid in
transition

Hold on to your hats

Flower Wind Breeze Gentle GIF | Gfycat
 
I would imagine that JBo will be mostly used at the Number 2 position

He will be needed to play the point at times to advance the ball

I do believe this team will be one of the highest-scoring teams in America

Perhaps scoring more points per game than last season

This is really going to be an exciting team to watch, tons of speed and fluid in
transition

Hold on to your hats

Flower Wind Breeze Gentle GIF | Gfycat
Huh? By most everyone's account, this should be an improved defensive squad. If we somehow are a better offensive team than last year, we will contend for the conference title. I do not see that happening. We are replacing our three top scorers and not a lot of proven scorers behind them. Hell, replacing the best offensive player in the country alone will be beyond daunting.

I am more optimistic than most, but this is a bridge too far.
 
I do think it would be hilarious if a coach did say, "well, we will try really hard, but this team won't be very good."

But, for Fran, how he worded things can be translated into "we won't be as good as last year unless a couple guys take greater than expected leaps in performance." He is not crowing about competing for championships like he was last year, and that is appropriate.

I have said it before and will say it again, I so much prefer the way that Fran speaks compared to KF. KF focuses almost exclusively on "getting better." His media talks do not change from year to year. Fran gives a bit less coach talk and more candor, if you are willing to read between the lines.
 
I love the optimism that some of you have. Hell it’s our favorite team and who wants them to do bad? If you wish bad for them you can kindly leave and never come back................... no one will miss you.

Now I have been up front and honest about how I feel we will fair. I hope I am wrong as the winters are more tolerable if the basketball team is doing well and fun to watch.

Even if we struggle this next season it will be interesting to watch some of the younger guys develop.

If Joe W returns then I could see us finishing into sixth place and squeezing into the NCAA tournament.

If Joe W doesn’t return then I think we will truly struggle unless someone really steps up.
 
Huh? By most everyone's account, this should be an improved defensive squad. If we somehow are a better offensive team than last year, we will contend for the conference title. I do not see that happening. We are replacing our three top scorers and not a lot of proven scorers behind them. Hell, replacing the best offensive player in the country alone will be beyond daunting.

I am more optimistic than most, but this is a bridge too far.
“A Bridge Too Far” That was a great movie!
 
I am grateful that I will be sitting in my season ticket seat in CHA this winter. To miss another year would have been unbearable. I think the transfer rule has created a show fit for Sat. Night Live or in print via the onion. I am not going to get serious about forecasting our success in 21-22. Instead, I will thoroughly enjoy the mystery of the Hawk BB program. One prediction: I believe Fran and his staff will get more than expected out of this sort of motley crew. He has some damn good basketball players to work with.
“Motley Crew” Great band!!!

Great Band, great movie, hell why not a great team to top it all off!

Maybe both Murray’s will be outstanding and Fran just sat one out last year because someone had to sit out.

Maybe Joe T finally settles down and disciplines his speed with less turnovers.

Maybe older Mac blossoms offensively and his younger brother explodes and shows what four stars is all about.

Maybe the transfers center will do well and actually score more than Nunge would have.

Maybe Fran will leave some of the quicker guards in to greatly improve the defense, and JBo will bring daggers to the hearts of opponents with timely three point shots!

Is that all possible? Yes. Is I t likely to happen? Hell I don’t know but I would LOVE to see it happen!!! It would be the beginnings of a great Hawkeye era picking up from the house that Garza built.
 
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Fran's only finished under .500 in the B1G 3 times in his tenure at Iowa and only once in the last 9 years. Finishing .500 or above in the B1G typically means bubble or in the dance. I expect Fran to have us in a good position to play post season basketball.
 
Fran does have a pretty good regular season conference track record.

I don't get how some can be so dismissive of our chances next year (and I assume JW is gone). We will likely start 5 guys who have started DI basketball games in their career, and three of those will be multiyear starters. The conference looks pretty wide open to me. I see Iowa able to compete with pretty much every team in the conference, which means we will get our share of Ws, especially with Carver having fans again.

I don't see us competing for the conference title (because we never do that), but I also do not see Iowa in the bottom quarter. Middle of the conference usually gets you dancing. That is where I see us landing.
 
Huh? By most everyone's account, this should be an improved defensive squad. If we somehow are a better offensive team than last year, we will contend for the conference title. I do not see that happening. We are replacing our three top scorers and not a lot of proven scorers behind them. Hell, replacing the best offensive player in the country alone will be beyond daunting.

I am more optimistic than most, but this is a bridge too far.

Mere idle speculation

Relax
 
Huh? By most everyone's account, this should be an improved defensive squad. If we somehow are a better offensive team than last year, we will contend for the conference title. I do not see that happening. We are replacing our three top scorers and not a lot of proven scorers behind them. Hell, replacing the best offensive player in the country alone will be beyond daunting.

I am more optimistic than most, but this is a bridge too far.

Duke is actually General Monty?
 
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