Don't Overlook Fran & Recruiting

[homes]

I like the aspect that now Iowa may have somewhat of a pipeline to the E coast & New York area. This should not be overlooked as could have a significant impact on the quality of recruits in the future. He should have the contacts. Selling the midwest to recruits is another challenge.

What a benefit if he could lock down a top AAU guru from the E coast & have on staff. Possibilities!!!

Think Wilt Chamberlin to Kansas.

Think Connie Hawkins to Iowa - for those of you too young to know, probably the greatest player ever to enroll at Iowa.

And I hate to say it, but think Jamal Tinsley to Iowa State.

It doesn't hurt to have connections back there, and it does happen.

 

[JHHawk]

About the only coach who has really been successful lately in bringing east coast talent west is Frank Martin,with K State full of DC and NYC players.
Otherwise, of late the trend has been midwest recruits going to the hotter conferences...Big East and ACC...can Fran reverse that trend and get east coast players to come west? Connie Hawkins and Wilt coming west was over 50 years ago!

Bottom line, the Fran era will sink or swim based on recruiting...just like all Iowa bb coaches.

 

[PlanoHawk]

Lots of talk that Buonaguro said he hopes to be considered for the vacant opening from what I've seen written. I would bet he comes along though if he doesn't get the Siena opening.

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[homes]

I like the aspect that now Iowa may have somewhat of a pipeline to the E coast & New York area. This should not be overlooked as could have a significant impact on the quality of recruits in the future. He should have the contacts. Selling the midwest to recruits is another challenge.

What a benefit if he could lock down a top AAU guru from the E coast & have on staff. Possibilities!!!

Think Wilt Chamberlin to Kansas.

Think Connie Hawkins to Iowa - for those of you too young to know, probably the greatest player ever to enroll at Iowa.

And I hate to say it, but think Jamal Tinsley to Iowa State.

It doesn't hurt to have connections back there, and it does happen.

 

[Sweetriver]

My guess is we won't be able to pull anyone in from NY, but maybe PA, where Fran is from. With PSU being a perennial loser in Big Ten country, we may have a shot at some of Pittsburgh's rejects.

 

[clicheusername3]

Iowa kids alone won't cut it but you can build a pretty solid 4-5 player nucleous around Iowa kids in each four year cycle. Don't overlook Iowa kids. They will work hard and stick it out for years. Then you just add some pieces around. See UNI for a model.

Way to stay true to your state but please Iowa kids will sink you more often than save you in major conference college basketball.

 

[NightmanCometh]

Way to stay true to your state but please Iowa kids will sink you more often than save you in major conference college basketball.

There is A LOT of talent coming from this state in the next 3- 4 years, and we would be lucky to pull in half of those kids. Where are you gathering this opinion from? Iowa kids are not going to sink this program, and they certainly didn't sink Lickliter. He did that to himself.

 

[FreddyBrown]

I think his east coast relationships will help. But he will be buttering his bread in the midwest, IMO...and he'll have to establish those relationships...or have people on his staff that have those.

I eagerly await to see whom he hires as his assistants...nearly as important as his being hired, IMO

I agree both with what you said, and that it was important enough to say twice!

 

[FreddyBrown]

Think Wilt Chamberlin to Kansas.

Think Connie Hawkins to Iowa - for those of you too young to know, probably the greatest player ever to enroll at Iowa.

And I hate to say it, but think Jamal Tinsley to Iowa State.

It doesn't hurt to have connections back there, and it does happen.

Agreed, and here's the thing: We're talking about an immense talent pool out there. I've been saying for years that I see guards on all kinds of mid-major teams that could have helped Iowa, and there are boatloads of them out East. There's a reason they call it "the city game." If we can just pull a player or two every couple of years, it could be a great help to our program. They don't have to be McDonald's A-A's...at least not until after we win our first NC.

 

[storminspank]

Stormin' - Any thoughts on this?

Sorry, missed this thread earlier.
This was answered by Coach in his PC. He will go to the AAU route if it makes sense, but only to those programs that are in it for the right reasons. Basically, he's going to stay out of the shady AAU programs. He's going to do it the right way when it comes to that side of things.

 

[urohawk]

Sorry, missed this thread earlier.
This was answered by Coach in his PC. He will go to the AAU route if it makes sense, but only to those programs that are in it for the right reasons. Basically, he's going to stay out of the shady AAU programs. He's going to do it the right way when it comes to that side of things.

This will make it harder to win quickly but speaking for myself this is 100% positive answer. The only way Iowa is a great team in the next two years is if McCaffery ran 3 players off and then hired an assistant coach who was an AAU coach to some top players (see Huggins and Calapari). You would score quick and big this way but much like the bar scene end up feeling pretty guilty and peeing fire.

Just recruit solid players with a good core group and keep them there for 4 years. The winning will come.

 

[Hawkize1]

Don't you all think that the up-tempo style of play is what kids want to play so that they can show case their talent? That in itself will help with recruiting.
When McDonalds All-Americans look at schools they look at coaches, style of play, and reputation of the school putting out the most NBA players.
Wouldn't you want to play a quick back and forth style to get the opportunity to dunk and run fast breaks. I saw more dunks in the Baylor-Duke game yesterday than I saw out of Iowa in 3 years.
Recruiting Chicago-Minneapolis-Kansas City and St.Louis will be easier because the regional press and TV coverage (Big Ten Network not withstanding) showing kids the up-tempo run and gun style they can play at Iowa. These 3 and 4 star diamonds in the rough, will look much harder at Iowa just because of style.
Plus Fran McCaffery is a proven winner.

 

[JHHawk]

This will make it harder to win quickly but speaking for myself this is 100% positive answer. The only way Iowa is a great team in the next two years is if McCaffery ran 3 players off and then hired an assistant coach who was an AAU coach to some top players (see Huggins and Calapari). You would score quick and big this way but much like the bar scene end up feeling pretty guilty and peeing fire.

Just recruit solid players with a good core group and keep them there for 4 years. The winning will come.

I think that is the wrong attitude. Coaches like Matta and Painter deal with all AAU coaches...but do not cheat. That is part of the challenge, building relationships with guys like Mac Irvin of the Illinois Fire...does he have his hand out? Maybe, but you work around that with integrity,but show up anyway. Guys like lick and Gary williams just turn around and shut them out,and it hurts them. Bill Self dealt with them, and even called illini boosters to donate to AAU programs...not exactly clean stuff,I agree,and Fran will need to know where to draw the line,but just dismissing all AAU programs that do not meet a pristine standard leaves you playing a fast balls style with slow players...a disaster.

Fran needs to get into the Illinois Warriors and Illinois Fire-type programs along with the Rising Stars...or he will not flourish in the Big Ten,I fear. Ryan,Izzo,Tubby,matta,Painter and Weber are all in there...

 

[urohawk]

I think that is the wrong attitude. Coaches like Matta and Painter deal with all AAU coaches...but do not cheat. That is part of the challenge, building relationships with guys like Mac Irvin of the Illinois Fire...does he have his hand out? Maybe, but you work around that with integrity,but show up anyway. Guys like lick and Gary williams just turn around and shut them out,and it hurts them. Bill Self dealt with them, and even called illini boosters to donate to AAU programs...not exactly clean stuff,I agree,and Fran will need to know where to draw the line,but just dismissing all AAU programs that do not meet a pristine standard leaves you playing a fast balls style with slow players...a disaster.

Fran needs to get into the Illinois Warriors and Illinois Fire-type programs along with the Rising Stars...or he will not flourish in the Big Ten,I fear. Ryan,Izzo,Tubby,matta,Painter and Weber are all in there...

I didn't say dismiss all AAU programs. I agree with coaches quote. Deal with the programs in the right way. I don't know if the Bill Self story you mentioned is true but if it is, it makes me hate Illinois even more.

I am just saying that the programs that have been down and then had a quick turnaround because of a sudden talent infusion did it by if not completely breaking the rules at least extremely bending them. We want a coach that will work to build relationships. That takes time.

 

[JHHawk]

The Bill Self story is absolutely true...it was the Ft Sauk AAU club out of Peoria, while Self was recruiting Shaun Livingston to the Illini...in the end Livingston committed to Duke anyway,and then opted to go to the NBA instead of college ball..

I remember when Self was back recruiting Julian Wright to KU...still had the strong AAU ties.
The day after Matta was hired at OSU,he was lifting weights at Odens and Conleys HS with those recruits, and had commitments from Oden,Conley,Lighty and Cook,all from that same AAU team out of Indy.
Someone suggested that Fran should look to hiring Drew Adams, whose dad,mark,runs the Indiana Elite program....if it is legal, I say do it.
I do not want any cheating,but pushing the envelope,within the rules is fine by me.
I never hear anyone hammer KU or OSU or other top programs for doing it,but Iowa should recruit by different standards? Bo Ryans son runs an AAU program that feeds the Badgers program...Bo never gets criticized.