Ben Jacobsen and the Iowa job

It's not Ben's fault. He could be the best coach Iowa has ever had, but we just can't take that risk at this point. Blame Lickliter, Alford, and (to some degree) McDermott. This time we have to take a guy who is an established, consistent winner at a higher level. Maybe once the program is back on its feet we could take a risk on an up and comer.
 
KnightHawk9 said:
It's not Ben's fault. He could be the best coach Iowa has ever had, but we just can't take that risk at this point. Blame Lickliter, Alford, and (to some degree) McDermott. This time we have to take a guy who is an established, consistent winner at a higher level. Maybe once the program is back on its feet we could take a risk on an up and comer.
Click to expand...

And that would be?? WHO!?
 
ShadasRevenge said:
Nobody knows. But it isn't Ben Jacobsen.
Click to expand...

I've seen a lot better days for beloved Hawks. I just can't believe we are in a position now to think we are too good for coaches that can FLAT OUT COACH.

In fact, people around the country would probably say Jake's too good for Iowa. I know that's tough for us to hear sometimes.
 
Jacobsen is probably a very good coach, but I agree on the style of play - I am ready for more uptempo basketball. I've had my fill of the deliberate, half-court style. Lickliter, and then let's face it, we didn't exactly run-n-gun under Alford, either.

Then there is an issue of recruiting. We NEED a proven recruiter, and I don't think Jacobsen is proven yet in that regard. Not that Jacobsen couldn't recruit in the Big 10 if he gets a couple of good recruiters as asssistants, but that's a huge question mark, IMO.

Bottom line is that I wouldn't be overly excited about that hire.
 
I would rather take a shot with someone like Forbes, who has proven he can recruit and spent many seasons as an assistant. There is nothing wrong with hiring an assistant coach guys. Memphis did it last season.

Everyone needs to stop worrying about the "big splash hire".
 
Jon, yesterday you teased about a post with who you felt were the three most realistic choices for Barta... still planning on that?
 
Defined style of play? Sorry fellas we are in the Big Ten Conference. Big Ten is a grind you out conference. The scores will tell you that. You have to be able to defend. I like how some of you would rather take Keno Davis so we can score 100 points and lose. I myself would like a coach that gets us wins.

I'm not saying we have to hire Ben Jacobsen but I think all Hawk Fans need to welcome the new coach with open arms. Kenyon Murray stated we needed a coach that could adapt, play up-tempo if we need to or grind it out if we need to.

AZ Mess is correct. We need to look in the mirror. We haven't won the Big 10 in 30 years. You people talk like we are Kansas and any coach would drop what he has to come to Iowa.
 
1977Hawkeye said:
Jacobsen is probably a very good coach, but I agree on the style of play - I am ready for more uptempo basketball. I've had my fill of the deliberate, half-court style. Lickliter, and then let's face it, we didn't exactly run-n-gun under Alford, either.

Then there is an issue of recruiting. We NEED a proven recruiter, and I don't think Jacobsen is proven yet in that regard. Not that Jacobsen couldn't recruit in the Big 10 if he gets a couple of good recruiters as asssistants, but that's a huge question mark, IMO.

Bottom line is that I wouldn't be overly excited about that hire.
Click to expand...

I think style of play is way too high up on a lot of people's wish lists. I don't care what style of play it is, as long as Iowa is winning. How many teams in the big ten play up tempo basketball? A lot of people think if we get Pearl or Davis or someone who plays that style we'll be able to score 80 a game. Well most of the Big Ten teams, especially the good ones are very good at imposing their tempo on other teams. No matter what style of play we have, we're still going to have to win a lot of grind it out, low scoring Big Ten games.
 
I don't agree with this.... It's one thing to defend but you don't have to hold the ball on offense too. Play D... and RUN... It was fun to watch some of the games yesterday with teams getting out on the break. Up and down BB is so much more fun than GRIND GRIND GRIND....

TWR96 said:
Defined style of play? Sorry fellas we are in the Big Ten Conference. Big Ten is a grind you out conference. The scores will tell you that. You have to be able to defend. I like how some of you would rather take Keno Davis so we can score 100 points and lose. I myself would like a coach that gets us wins. ....
Click to expand...
 
burky247 said:
I would rather take a shot with someone like Forbes, who has proven he can recruit and spent many seasons as an assistant. There is nothing wrong with hiring an assistant coach guys. Memphis did it last season.

Everyone needs to stop worrying about the "big splash hire".
Click to expand...

The difference between Memphis hiring JP and us hiring SR is that JP is an up and coming young coach that everyone expected would be a head coach soon.

SR is a career assistant, who has bounced around programs and has never got a shot at being a head coach at a four-year-institution.

This means something. It is the difference between a good basketball coach and a leader type.

PLEASE, someone name me one head coach who got his first shot at being a head coach (at a four year college) before his mid-forties who ended up being successful at the major conference level. Just one.
 
I heard part of the show and wanted to call the show and ask Steve what the chances were, percentage wise, that UNI would beat KU.

After the McDermott debacle at ISU, how can IU go that route? It seems to be the same deja vu all over again. A good coach taking a midas touch school to the dance.
 
Why would a person risk taking a job like UNI for less money than they currently make?

Forbes has had alot of opportunities to put his hat in the ring for jobs. Iowa is the job he wants. Why less money for a job you don't want?
 
Last edited:
I listened to the show this morning Jon, and I have two comments about Matt. The first is that he is a total Iowa hater, which shows on his program everyday. They constantly bashed Iowa's season, and was hardly critical about the ISU program. The second comment is that Matt is on crack.
 
CAARHawk said:
The difference between Memphis hiring JP and us hiring SR is that JP is an up and coming young coach that everyone expected would be a head coach soon.

SR is a career assistant, who has bounced around programs and has never got a shot at being a head coach at a four-year-institution.

This means something. It is the difference between a good basketball coach and a leader type.

PLEASE, someone name me one head coach who got his first shot at being a head coach (at a four year college) before his mid-forties who ended up being successful at the major conference level. Just one.
Click to expand...

My guess is that Forbes could have already had a coaching gig at a smaller institution if he had wanted. The fact that he has been an assistant for many years is a plus to me. Not a minus. I think if Alford had more experience as an assistant things would have worked out better for him here.

Regardless, I didn't mean to imply that it necessarily had to be Forbes. Just stating that there are some quality assistant coaches out there who could fit in well at Iowa.
 
JonDMiller said:
I have written and spoken about this, about how I would rather not see him as Iowa's next coach.

I like Ben, he is a good guy, and he clearly can coach. I haven't said differently.

However, i would rather see Iowa go in a direction that is more palatable with regards to style. In the end, wins are more important than anything, and if I knew we'd be guaranteed a winner, I'd welcome any style.

But there are no guarantees...Jacobsen has never recruited in the waters he will have to recruit in to be successful at Iowa...same for Lickliter, same for Alford. So yes, some past sins of others are being visited on Jacobsen in my mind, fair or not.

Whomever Iowa hires better be a really good recruiter, or hire a couple of them. Jacobsen would have to go out and do just that because he's not had to do that at UNI.

I guess he could, but I just woudn't be too excited about it...but I'd root for him to be successful.

How about you? Am I in the minority here? If UNI somehow pulls the upset over Kansas, does that change your opinion? Does the fact that there is already someone working that side of the street in the Big Ten (Wisconsin) make a difference on how successful that style can or cannot be?
Click to expand...

His players are from Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Chicago. He just landed a top 15 player in his position (McDermott). He has a pipeline to each city, plus he finds the blue collar players out of Iowa. His system is similar to McDermotts, but Jacobsen likes to run a little more than Mac. Also if you notice Jacobsen stresses defense first, he is a defensive guy with a good offense of playbook.

I don't think he is the right fit for Iowa, but he will get a call to go somewhere maybe not this year, but in future years. He is very good at developing players and getting them in the game early on. I have never seen a coach bring in 5 players at a time and no matter what the score is. His teams are very good defensively and they also very good at distributing the ball.

I think Benny J will get a new job sometime with-in the next 3 years, he has a great group of kids up there. i know they lose 3 seniors this year, but I really don't see a HUGE drop off coming, they have enough players back next year, they could make another run in the MVC.
 
I agree 82 with what you said about recruiting. Jake has recruited Minneapolis and Chicago VERY well. He's been recruiting that area since he was at North Dakota. He was VERY good connections and is well respected. NOW he just might be able to lure some guys that he never had a shot with because of being in the MVC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top