I wonder if Fran thought it would be this difficult

DesMoinesHawki

DesMoinesHawki

Well-Known Member
I know how optimistic Fran was when he came to the program. He made the circuits and told everyone how excited he was to be here and how he knows what it takes to turn a program around, etc. I wonder, at the end of the day, if he asks himself "What did I get myself into?" ...

This is a little harder than turning around a Sienna or UNC-Charlotte, etc. He needs top-notch recruits and right now, those recruits don't seem too high on Iowa. Of course, we realize that in the day of the Internet kids nowadays have a tendency to go to the "hot programs" at that time. And as we know ... Iowa is not on that list.

Kudos to Fran for the energy he appeared to bring with him. I really just wonder if he even imagined it would be this hard.
 
Well I certainly hope that there is something going on with recruiting that we don't know about. As expected we knew it wasn't going to be easy. I for one however was hoping to hear something by now about a recruit or two that have chosen to come play for Iowa. Each day I check out the basketball forums hoping to hear of a new recruit choosing Iowa but so far it has been dry bones. Maybe when it happens it will happen quickly and we will land a couple of good recruits unexpectedly which hopefully will cause a domino affect. The longer the wait the higher the risk of fans losing their initial enthusiasm.
 
Fran has been in the game along time and I would like to think he had a good understanding of the challenges that were ahead. I can't imagine he thought that top notch recruits would suddenly flock to Iowa.

We should let him have a season to build a foundation on and remember that this project is a marathon, not a sprint. The Iowa program did not sink this low overnight and it won't become relevant again overnight as much as we all would like that to happen.

I remain optimistic that we have the right coach.
 
I think he knew what he was getting into. Lickliter was a good coach, but he had no experience building a program. I know McCaffrey is a program builder and we will see how he coachs (all signs point to him knowing that pretty good too).
 
DesMoinesHawki said:
I know how optimistic Fran was when he came to the program. He made the circuits and told everyone how excited he was to be here and how he knows what it takes to turn a program around, etc. I wonder, at the end of the day, if he asks himself "What did I get myself into?" ...

This is a little harder than turning around a Sienna or UNC-Charlotte, etc. He needs top-notch recruits and right now, those recruits don't seem too high on Iowa. Of course, we realize that in the day of the Internet kids nowadays have a tendency to go to the "hot programs" at that time. And as we know ... Iowa is not on that list.

Kudos to Fran for the energy he appeared to bring with him. I really just wonder if he even imagined it would be this hard.
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This thread is out in left field, and I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean. It's almost as if you've flushed the season away without it even being played.

"This is a little harder than turning around a Sienna or UNC-Charlotte..." - No it's not because the foundation of how to turn a basketball team around is the same whether your Sienna, Iowa, or St. Mary's school for the blind. Fran knows how to lay that foundation and has proven that he can.

"He needs top-notch recruits and right now..." - No and No. He needs recruits who will execute his brand of basketball and execute it well. Once his teams start putting up more Ws than Ls and making tournament appearances the better recruits will start filtering in. However for reasons you already stated Iowa is not going to see your "top-notch recruits"

"Of course, we realize that in the day of the Internet kids nowadays have a tendency to go to the "hot programs" at that time. And as we know ... Iowa is not on that list." - And why would they be? Terrible seasons at the end of the Alford era, and even worse seasons at the hand of Lick. Iowa has a long way to go, which is why FM was hired. He knows how to rebuild programs.

"...even imagined it would be this hard" - Hard compared to what? If you're comparing the off season of Iowa and ISU, STOP. Hoiberg can offer a recruit something right now that FM cannot and that's the NBA. Of course that's all Hoiberg can offer because he's never coached a game, but according to you that's what you "Internet Kids" want anyway. Are you comparing Iowa Basketball to Iowa Football? If your are, STOP. KF has had 11 years to build his program and done so without "top-notch recruits" that are so important. Please clarify "...even imagined it would be this hard"

I realize that I'm probably coming across as a D*** here but come on. How about we play some basketball before we start talking about Fran not knowing how hard this job was going to be. And for the record, I would be the farm that he Knows/Knew exactly what he is/was taking on.

It Iowa wins one more game than they did last season I'll be happy!
 
DesMoinesHawki said:
I know how optimistic Fran was when he came to the program. He made the circuits and told everyone how excited he was to be here and how he knows what it takes to turn a program around, etc. I wonder, at the end of the day, if he asks himself "What did I get myself into?" ...

This is a little harder than turning around a Sienna or UNC-Charlotte, etc. He needs top-notch recruits and right now, those recruits don't seem too high on Iowa. Of course, we realize that in the day of the Internet kids nowadays have a tendency to go to the "hot programs" at that time. And as we know ... Iowa is not on that list.

Kudos to Fran for the energy he appeared to bring with him. I really just wonder if he even imagined it would be this hard.
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I don't think Fran has said or thought that at all. He seems like a guy that would thrive on the challenge. Fran has done a great job so far! He has picked up some great recruits. Picked them out of thin air really, considering what was left. As for next year he only has a couple scholarships to give and he has plenty of time to deal with that.
Coach Mac's has one of the best staffs ever assembled at the University of Iowa. They will move us ahead for certain. They constantly out scouting around the country and preparing for recruiting classes this next season and for the years ahead.

With all that is happening in football, the light is shining in a different direction. That gives coach time to settle into the position and do what needs to be done to prepare for the upcoming season. I am sure he is also using the popularity shown towards the U of I because of the football team, to his advantage. It's a great recruiting tool.

Fran is no spring chicken, he knew what he was getting into, and he knows that the potential for Iowa basketball is a top 25 propram, or better. We are in good hands with Coach Mac at the helm...
 
Fran is a pretty smart dude and this isn't his first go-around with program building.....so I'm pretty sure he came into this with eyes-wide-open and am fairly certain there's nothing so far that has surprised him.

Keep something in mind as we begin this season......a good basketball coach can make a team play way above it's individual capabilities. I know it's been awhile since we've had a good basketball coach, so some of you may have forgotten that. I really think, barring any major injuries, that we'll be just fine this year.
 
Fran at least has three things going for him.

1) An exciting playing style.

2) He at least has new facilities to sell to future recruits.

3) Something that also helps is the success of the Iowa football team taking attention away the b-ball program in the off-season. He may not have to answer difficult questions as much as he would if so much attention wasn't aimed to the f-ball program. He's has been kind of working his butt off behind the curtain if you will. That can't hurt at this time.
 
Just like Barta/Iowa vetted their candidates for the job ahead of time, I have no doubt Fran similarly vetted his job possibilities. He wouldn't even have applied had he thought it was an impossible task. We will need to remember to be patient though.
 
storminspank said:
He knows it will be difficult, he saw what Lickliter went through.
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What did Lick go through? Most everything he went through be brought upon himself. The only thing he went through was the ignominy of being fired after *leading* his charges to progressively worse seasons. However, once again, he brought that upon himself.
 
hwkwyld said:
"This is a little harder than turning around a Sienna or UNC-Charlotte..." - No it's not because the foundation of how to turn a basketball team around is the same whether your Sienna, Iowa, or St. Mary's school for the blind. Fran knows how to lay that foundation and has proven that he can.
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I have to disagree with you here - there are numerous examples of program builders who struggle once they hit the BCS level. If the foundation worked at every level Greg McDermott would be continuing to build a good program at Iowa State. Instead he was the worst coach in the last 30 years at ISU and he went back to the MVC to get away from the big boys.
 
BryceC said:
I have to disagree with you here - there are numerous examples of program builders who struggle once they hit the BCS level. If the foundation worked at every level Greg McDermott would be continuing to build a good program at Iowa State. Instead he was the worst coach in the last 30 years at ISU and he went back to the MVC to get away from the big boys.
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I think McDermott's problem was poor execution. He had the talent but failed to get the most of them. From what I've read FM is the opposite in that he gets the most out of each player even if they're middle of the road talent wise. (Kinda like KF)

I'll concede that foundation and execution go hand in hand. At this point I have no reason to believe that FM won't accomplish both.
 
BryceC said:
I have to disagree with you here - there are numerous examples of program builders who struggle once they hit the BCS level. If the foundation worked at every level Greg McDermott would be continuing to build a good program at Iowa State. Instead he was the worst coach in the last 30 years at ISU and he went back to the MVC to get away from the big boys.
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I think McD proved that you have to relate to the kids at this level, which he did not. If he would have related to his players, and kept them at Iowa St., you would not be saying he is a terrible coach, as he would have been winning big time.

Actually McD set up an excellent foundation at Iowa St., he just didn't know how to build on it, or keep those building blocks (players) in place. I kind of think you are off the mark on this one.
 
Yes he knew it would be "this" difficult. If anything he has been surprised at the outpuring and amount of support. And that comes straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.
 
hwkwyld said:
I think McDermott's problem was poor execution. He had the talent but failed to get the most of them. From what I've read FM is the opposite in that he gets the most out of each player even if they're middle of the road talent wise. (Kinda like KF)

I'll concede that foundation and execution go hand in hand. At this point I have no reason to believe that FM won't accomplish both.
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Mac will win again in the mvc but couldnt recruit enough talent to win in the Big 12. If Lick finds the right smaller college job he will will win again. Sorry but Fran has proven he can coach and rebuild but he will not win the kentucky derby with a field horse. Fran has put together a much better staff than both alford and lick so we need to be patient and cross our fingers that he can convince some talent to start coming to Carver!!!! Good luck hawks NIT in 2011
 
hwkwyld said:
I think McDermott's problem was poor execution. He had the talent but failed to get the most of them. From what I've read FM is the opposite in that he gets the most out of each player even if they're middle of the road talent wise. (Kinda like KF)

.
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You have heard incorrectly. FM has succeeded because he has had the best players. He had freshmen of the year three years running at Sienna and picked up future NBA'r Kenny Hasbrouk in his first season at Sienna. Look at Painter's comments when Sienna was getting ready to play Purdue in the tournament. Painter said you can play the way Sienna does when you have better players than everyone else in your league.

Translation: FM better get some really good athletes if he expects to run his type of system in the Big Ten.

Add to this that NO new hire BCS coach in NOW the past six years who hasn't put together a ranked recruiting class in his first twoyears (with the exception of Montgomery at Cal and Horn at SC, who did it in year three) has been able to sign such a class over his entire tenure.

Adding this all together, provides some credence to the OP. Of course there is still time. But it would be hard to believe that FM could really survive missing on the in-state recruiting haul over the next two seasons. There is more than enough talent in Iowa in 2011, 2012, and 2013. If FM can't sell these players on coming to Iowa, he better sign a group of out of state kids that can get the team in the top half of the Big Ten, or it will be tough to hold off the wolves.

If it doesn't work with FM, I would expect Barta to go in a different direction and throw the bank, and the new facility at a name who might be able to make a more immediate recruiting splash. Both Lick and FM are good coaches. It would just mean that you would need more than a good coach to make it work in Carver.
 
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DeputyHawk said:
Iowa will be fine with Coach Fran. Just wait........
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I appreciate optimism, but do you have anything specific to base that on? That is beyond his experience in a couple of one bid leagues? While it might transfer, there are far more examples of such success not transferring.

At this point it would look more appropriate to hope for the best instead of expecting it. If FM gets the team winning games or he starts signing ranked BCS classes, we can move beyond hope.

That is, unless you know something I don't.
 
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