If Iowa gets into a position again in the near future where it's looking for a coach Pearl would be my #1 choice
Absolutely. No question in my mind that it would be the right choice for Iowa, and my guess is that Pearl would be receptive.
Some positive factors:
Why would he leave Tennessee for Iowa. Because he isn't ever going to be even second banana to King football in Knoxville, not as long as the Queen of college basketball continues her long reign. Because Tennessee is in the SEC, a football conference...except for Kentucky. And because Iowa is in the Big Ten is rivaled only by the ACC in depth, tradition, money, attendance, status, academic stature. Because Pearl AND his wife loved living in Iowa City.
The money factor. True that UT has the financial resources to match any offer from Iowa or anyone else. So do probably a dozen other major university programs--when you are talking about annual budgets between $70 & $!00+ million the difference between $2 million & $4 million for a coach's salary is not a major financial concern (though it certainly may be in terms of public opinion where state universities are involved).
Iowa could easily offer Pearl four million bucks--and weather the storm of criticism from Iowans across the state. Just be careful to match the money when it comes to Ferentz' salary...only slightly more. Five million more in caoching salaries would be economically feasible given that the budgets have been twice that much in the black the past three years.
But while IMO it would be a reasonable course of action for the Iowa AD to pursue Pearl and he very well might accept an offer, my strong impression is that there is little chance that the circumstances will arise anytime soon that will have Iowa looking for a new coach in any of the principal programs--not in football, not in wrestling, not in baseball or softball, not in field hockey, not in volleyball, not in either women's or men's basketball.
The U is very happy with the incumbents, and Barta shares in the esteem & is regarded as doing a first-rate job (including his hires).
My guess is that Barta is more likely to extend Lickliter a year from now than pressure him to leave. That is based on the assumption that Hawkeye hoops is going to have much more success next year (5th or 6th or so in the BT--Ohio State & Michigan State will dominate again, Purdue's seniors keep them in the race for one more year, NW finally will compete for the BT title, Illinois will have four senior starters, but Wisky, Minnie & Mich all lose alot more than they have coming in while Iowa loses nothing & adds six guys with size and talent for desperately needed depth).
Iowa lost this season because it was too small, too inexperienced, but most of all, too few. Too frequently Iowa had Bawinkel and/or young Lick and/or Brommer on the floor...like playing 4 against 5, or even on occasion 3 against 5. There were four to six games this year that the Hawkeyes could have won with enough depth to keep five guys on the court who were not too tired to be effective on defense. The depth alone could be the needed four or five game improvement in our record in BT play.
