A Different What would be different question.

[IATrainMaster101]

Obviously there is much dissatisfaction with the state of the Iowa MBB program at Iowa. Many fans are calling for change now, others are sitting on the fence waiting to see what happens next season or two years down the road.

My questions simply begin with what would change with a new staff at the end of this season vs waiting to see how next year turns out?

The premise of that question is based off of the lack of support Lickliter got right out of the gate here at Iowa. If Iowa hired a new coach like we did a few years ago, would this coach gain immediate support? Why or Why not?

If the answer is no, the new coach would not get immediate support, would he be able to recruit in year one any better than the current staff?

I guess what I am trying to get at is this. We have what we have right now no matter where you sit on the fence. By all accounts we have a better class coming in than we have had in a few years and the new facility is a year closer to reality.

Is there any reason right now to make a move before next season?

My answers are 1. History tells me that nothing would be different in terms of support. 2. The new staff would almost certainly have a dead year of recruiting and quickly lose even more fan support. 3. There is no reason to make a move before next year. If next year is successfull it will begin to rally some support and if it is completely unsuccesssfull, a new staff the following year would at least have the new facility right out of the gate to have a shot at a surprising first class.

Just my thoughts and I know a lot of this has been discussed over and over, but I haven't really heard this angle. Honest thoughts from all sides please.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

I think the answer is that it depends. This is just a theory of mine, but I think that Lickliter didn't get much initial support, because he just isn't the type of coach that made a big splash when hired. Despite the COY aware, he is a quiet and introverted type of guy (so it comes across to many of us) and plays a style of game that sees alot of scores in the 50's. His initial recruiting class didn't make much of a splash either (lots of 2-3 star recruits). I don't think it's personal, but rather a number of factors.

If the new coach is energetic, plays an exciting style of basketball, and especially shows that he can land fairly good recruits, I think the fans would have a much easier time getting behind him. I'm not saying he needs to recruit the Fab 5, just a decent group of good athletes who have an offer or two from other Big 10 or Big 12, etc. schools. Not just mid-major offers like we've mostly seen under Lickliter.

I agree that switching coaches after NEXT year may be better timing with the new facility being done, and possibly better personnel for the next coach to inherit because of the incoming class.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[IATrainMaster101]

Thank you that's what I'm looking for.

Considering the positive uproar Alford's departure caused, and the fact that Lick was the COTY, I found the initial lack of support (in terms of attendence) unsettling. You may be right about his personality but I don't find it that different than Ferentz, so I'm not sure.

 

[ForeverHawk]

I just think many are going to have to be patient with Lick for another one to two years. You cannot watch every game and come back in here with the same argument. We all know the Hawks are not going to win many more games. Yet, that is no differnet than what we knew before the year started. I don't like it anymore than the rest of you, but I am willing to give Lick one if not two more years. He must make the NCAA tournament in that 5th year! Again, that would mean no mass defections at the end of this year as well!

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Thank you that's what I'm looking for.

Considering the positive uproar Alford's departure caused, and the fact that Lick was the COTY, I found the initial lack of support (in terms of attendence) unsettling. You may be right about his personality but I don't find it that different than Ferentz, so I'm not sure.

When we hired Ferentz, that was before I discovered the wonderful world of message boards so I can't say for sure what the general attitude was, but wasn't there quite a bit of displeasure that we ended up with Ferentz instead of Stoops at the time of the hire? How much support did Ferentz really have early on? Ferentz quickly improved the program though, so in time, he earned his support.

Good point about Ferentz's personality too, it's not a whole lot different from Lickliter, so there is probably more to it than just that. But following the Alford era, the basketball program already had much more negativity surrounding it compared to the football program IMO, so I'm sure that helped buy Ferentz some time to get things going. We had really only had just the bad 1998 season before Ferentz took over.

Someone else recently made a point that football is more like an event. You go to the stadium on Saturday, you tailgate, etc. and you can still have fun even if the team isn't very good. Basketball is a little different story. You go to the arena, watch the game, and you go home. In other words, maybe a harder sell in basketball if the team is bad? Maybe there's something to that?

 

[rusholme]

Agreed - the three of you have exactly summed up my feelings on the situation.