Are Iowa's Assistant Coaches Holding Us Back?

IowaLawWasRight

IowaLawWasRight

Well-Known Member
Iowa hired Fran 8 years ago. He has had good years, great years, and bad years. One thing has remained consistent...the assistant coaches. Even eight years ago, the media noted that Fran had one of the most experienced assistant coaching staffs in the nation, with multiple former head coaches on staff. They are all still there today.

Dozens of NCAA coaches are fired or take new jobs every year. Yet at Iowa, even after some of our really good seasons, no one has come calling for our assistants. To me, that's pretty telling.

Andrew Francis was supposed to be a young up and comer who followed Fran from Sienna and was destined for great things. Eight years later, he's a middle aged assistant who hasn't been credited for reeling in any top recruits and doesn't appear to be going anywhere. Dillard and Speraw were head coaches long before they ever landed at Iowa. I'm sure their plan was to get back on their feet at Iowa, then quadruple their pay when the next head coaching job came along.

If any of our assistants had a reputation for being a top recruiter or a top Xs and Os guy, don't you think other schools would have taken notice and tried to poach him by now? Perhaps we would be better suited to bring in some new blood...a defensive guru, an inner city recruiter, or a fundamentals guy. Iowa basketball is stagnant and Fran's not going anywhere.
 
IowaLawWasRight said:
Iowa hired Fran 8 years ago. He has had good years, great years, and bad years. One thing has remained consistent...the assistant coaches. Even eight years ago, the media noted that Fran had one of the most experienced assistant coaching staffs in the nation, with multiple former head coaches on staff. They are all still there today.

Dozens of NCAA coaches are fired or take new jobs every year. Yet at Iowa, even after some of our really good seasons, no one has come calling for our assistants. To me, that's pretty telling.

Andrew Francis was supposed to be a young up and comer who followed Fran from Sienna and was destined for great things. Eight years later, he's a middle aged assistant who hasn't been credited for reeling in any top recruits and doesn't appear to be going anywhere. Dillard and Speraw were head coaches long before they ever landed at Iowa. I'm sure their plan was to get back on their feet at Iowa, then quadruple their pay when the next head coaching job came along.

If any of our assistants had a reputation for being a top recruiter or a top Xs and Os guy, don't you think other schools would have taken notice and tried to poach him by now? Perhaps we would be better suited to bring in some new blood...a defensive guru, an inner city recruiter, or a fundamentals guy. Iowa basketball is stagnant and Fran's not going anywhere.
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I'm sorry, can you please tell us which years were great years?
 
Not really sure what the problem is. Losses in Fran's tenure: 20, 17, 13, 13, 12, 11, 15, 19. The first 6 years were improvements over the previous season, so I don't know what the problem is. Recruiting? Recruiting misses (guy was good recruit, but flopped)? Cohesiveness? Competition? Lots of things it could be. I've often wondered how good our ass't coaches are. I really have no answer, because I'm not there and have no inside info, but it is a very good question.
 
Yeah maybe having 1 loyal assistant by your side awhile is a good thing but having 3 of em like they have had can make one think about it anyway... It's in interesting thing to think about but I'm not sure I take away the same things the OP does. But I see his angle on it
 
Hawkfnntn said:
Yeah maybe having 1 loyal assistant by your side awhile is a good thing but having 3 of em like they have had can make one think about it anyway... It's in interesting thing to think about but I'm not sure I take away the same things the OP does. But I see his angle on it
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So, like Hayden used to do, only hire ass'ts that had a desire to be head coaches. There's something to that.
 
To be frank in BB assistants are there to fill in in absence of the HC snd to keep the HC from being stupid and out of trouble with the refs. They did a better job of the latter this past year.

They also are there to give advice.
In a nutshrll. Fran is responsible for Frsn
 
IowaLawWasRight said:
Iowa hired Fran 8 years ago. He has had good years, great years, and bad years. One thing has remained consistent...the assistant coaches. Even eight years ago, the media noted that Fran had one of the most experienced assistant coaching staffs in the nation, with multiple former head coaches on staff. They are all still there today.

Dozens of NCAA coaches are fired or take new jobs every year. Yet at Iowa, even after some of our really good seasons, no one has come calling for our assistants. To me, that's pretty telling.

Andrew Francis was supposed to be a young up and comer who followed Fran from Sienna and was destined for great things. Eight years later, he's a middle aged assistant who hasn't been credited for reeling in any top recruits and doesn't appear to be going anywhere. Dillard and Speraw were head coaches long before they ever landed at Iowa. I'm sure their plan was to get back on their feet at Iowa, then quadruple their pay when the next head coaching job came along.

If any of our assistants had a reputation for being a top recruiter or a top Xs and Os guy, don't you think other schools would have taken notice and tried to poach him by now? Perhaps we would be better suited to bring in some new blood...a defensive guru, an inner city recruiter, or a fundamentals guy. Iowa basketball is stagnant and Fran's not going anywhere.
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You really can't argue any of these points. It's all on the money. I guess the issue is that as long as Fran has highly rated kids coming in...he's got a job. Isn't there another Fran Jr. behind Patrick? I think this is really a big year for Fran. Another grossly subpar season, and there may be a re-thinking of Franball.

That being said...I think it gets turned around this year. I think this may be Fran's best offensive team...I really do. You have four double digit scorers returning and 3 or 4 on the bench that can hit double figures on any given night. They are also still underclassmen...after this year. So this team averages 80 again...if they can figure it out defensively...it puts you in the tourney...and Fran has a golden ticket until his youngest graduates. A year of maturity and the humbling they took over the course of last year is a good thing. They aren't coming into the year with their heads in the clouds...they are coming in with a much different perspective. That's a good thing.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
If Fran doesn't make the tourney in 2019 or 2020 and he is allowed to stay...I'll personally drive the lynch mob to Barta's house, and light the torches.
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It's gonna take missing the tourney 7 out of 10 years for that? Missing it 6 out of 9 years isn't bad enough? o_O
 
tksirius said:
It's gonna take missing the tourney 7 out of 10 years for that? Missing it 6 out of 9 years isn't bad enough? o_O
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He'll get a "we're trending up" free pass from Barta if the go .500 in the B1G and make the NIT. I'm not sure they'd can him even with another 3-15 campaign thanks to the silent extension of 2017
 
Don't know why, but I've never been sold on Sherm. I don't know the guy so is probably unfair but just doesn't look like he has a lot of passion. He's just so unassuming I wonder if recruits take him seriously or if the players really respond to him. Probably a nice enough guy, but is he just too nice and quiet?
 
Well, here is Sherm Dillard's head coaching resume. You be the judge.

Head coaching record
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Indiana State Sycamores (Missouri Valley Conference) (1994–1997)
1994–95 Indiana State 7–19 3–15 10th
1995–96 Indiana State 10–16 6–12 9th
1996–97 Indiana State 12–16 6–12 T-8th
Indiana State: 29–51 (.363) 15–39 (.278)
James Madison Dukes (Colonial Athletic Association) (1997–2004)
1997–98 James Madison 11–16 6–10 T–5th
1998–99 James Madison 16–11 9–7 T–4th
1999–00 James Madison 20–9 12–4 T–1st
2000–01 James Madison 12–17 6–10 T–7th
2001–02 James Madison 14–15 6–12 9th
2002–03 James Madison 13–17 8–10 7th
2003–04 James Madison 7–21 3–15 10th
James Madison: 93–106 (.467) 56–68 (.452)
Total: 122–157 (.437)
 
MelroseHawkins said:
Well, here is Sherm Dillard's head coaching resume. You be the judge.

Head coaching record
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Indiana State Sycamores (Missouri Valley Conference) (1994–1997)
1994–95 Indiana State 7–19 3–15 10th
1995–96 Indiana State 10–16 6–12 9th
1996–97 Indiana State 12–16 6–12 T-8th
Indiana State: 29–51 (.363) 15–39 (.278)
James Madison Dukes (Colonial Athletic Association) (1997–2004)
1997–98 James Madison 11–16 6–10 T–5th
1998–99 James Madison 16–11 9–7 T–4th
1999–00 James Madison 20–9 12–4 T–1st
2000–01 James Madison 12–17 6–10 T–7th
2001–02 James Madison 14–15 6–12 9th
2002–03 James Madison 13–17 8–10 7th
2003–04 James Madison 7–21 3–15 10th
James Madison: 93–106 (.467) 56–68 (.452)
Total: 122–157 (.437)
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Yeah, but he's a really nice guy and a sharp dresser.
 
tksirius said:
Yeah, but he's a really nice guy and a sharp dresser.
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Gene Keady was a nice guy away from the court, could be a jerk on it. Mostly, he showed up for games looking like he dressed in the dark that morning (and if you saw his wife you wouldn't want the lights on any more than necessary either). But was a hall of fame caliber coach who knew what he was doing on the sideline. Just needed a better postseason record and a couple final four runs.
 
Which coaches teach defensive fundamentals...fire them.

Which coaches are in charge of PG recruitment...fire them.

Thank you
 
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