Iowa Basketball Announces 5-Man, '20 Recruiting Class

[HuckFinn]

I certainly wish Fran and his staff were better in the recruiting game. Don’t we all. But, when you lose out on a top recruit, you have a lot of company. Where do the guys Fran chases end up? That would be very interesting.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I just think there are two things that make a good recruiter. One is finding talent. The other is convincing them to pick you. Fran didn't do either of those with the twins. Does he deserve credit for letting them come here if they turn out good? Absolutely. I just don't think it's the kind of credit that earns good will in the "good recruiter" category. (As far as fan discussion goes).

Well again agree to disagree. When the Murray’s graduated from Iowa high school with no big time offers, Fran didn’t have to continue to follow their development. He could have allocated his time elsewhere. Nobody would have said a word that he wasn’t going after those two. So if they end up as good B1G players he recognized their talent and potential before others did and should be commended for that.

 

[InGoodCo]

Making the dance is hard. You have to finish in the top half of the conference to have a chance basically. Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Indiana make 7 damn good programs. We have to finish above at least one to make it. That's far from easy, and 7th place probably misses at least half the time.

I mean if we're just being honest here... just in the last 2 seasons with very little research I can tell you that 2 years ago Texas was in with an 8-10 conference record. Last season Oklahoma was 7-11 in the Big 12, St. John's was 8-10 in the Big East and Ohio State was 8-12 in the B1G.

How hard is to make the dance anymore? It's not. Especially if you are in the P5.

 

[PCHawk]

You hung on that in all of what I said so I'll oblige. It definitely doesn't seem that hard lately for a P5 school to make it. The past several years the committee has leaned towards P5 schools more times then not for the last few at larges. Every year as of late we hear about how soft the bubble is. Be above .500 in league play and odds are good you're in the dance. So that means win half your games. That shouldn't be hard. That doesn't seem hard. That seems like a low bar to make the NCAA to me.

Now, if you wanna say "it's hard for Iowa to make the NCAA because of several reasons" ....I'd entertain that. But to me, it seems like if a school wants to dedicate themselves to making it by investing in coaching and facility .... it shouldn't be that hard. That bar is not that high.

The only reason I hung on that was it was the only thing I had a rebuttal too. Everything else was spot on for me.

Now my rebuttal is every conference is different. The Big 10 is really deep with great programs. More than there are room for in most tournaments. It also only has 4 really bad programs. You pretty much HAVE to finish in the top 7 to make it and I'd say that's not easy to do when there are 7 programs that are historically better. It's really only 6, but I'm counting Wisconsin. Hell Illinois and Minnesota are pretty decent too.

 

[InGoodCo]

The only reason I hung on that was it was the only thing I had a rebuttal too. Everything else was spot on for me.

Now my rebuttal is every conference is different. The Big 10 is really deep with great programs. More than there are room for in most tournaments. It also only has 4 really bad programs. You pretty much HAVE to finish in the top 7 to make it and I'd say that's not easy to do when there are 7 programs that are historically better. It's really only 6, but I'm counting Wisconsin. Hell Illinois and Minnesota are pretty decent too.

I agree with that... IMO, it's harder for Iowa ...but in some cases, playing in this conference, because of how good it is or perceived actually plays in favor for them. Go .500 in your conference and you're likely dancing. It's not that ELITE of a club anymore.... again, just IMO. The committee seems forced to put in like 4 or 5 teams every season that really just aren't that good....but they gotta have someone fill the spots.

 

[PCHawk]

I mean if we're just being honest here... just in the last 2 seasons with very little research I can tell you that 2 years ago Texas was in with an 8-10 conference record. Last season Oklahoma was 7-11 in the Big 12, St. John's was 8-10 in the Big East and Ohio State was 8-12 in the B1G.

How hard is to make the dance anymore? It's not. Especially if you are in the P5.

Now do that with Big 10 schools. I remember like 7 years ago, two 8-10 schools made it. Other than that, you have to finish at least .500 with some pretty good non conference wins. That's not easy to do for a program like Iowa in a conference like the Big 10. You say you should be able to easily make it if you put money towards it. Well then answer this. Which Big 10 school isn't putting money towards it? Rutgers. That's the list. Penn State, Nebraska, and Northwestern are all trying like crazy to win.

 

[InGoodCo]

Now do that with Big 10 schools. I remember like 7 years ago, two 8-10 schools made it. Other than that, you have to finish at least .500 with some pretty good non conference wins. That's not easy to do for a program like Iowa in a conference like the Big 10. You say you should be able to easily make it if you put money towards it. Well then answer this. Which Big 10 school isn't putting money towards it? Rutgers. That's the list. Penn State, Nebraska, and Northwestern are all trying like crazy to win.

I agree with that, maybe "hard" was the wrong word. It's pretty hard when every team is committed to winning. The B1G is incredibly competitive....it's just hard to look at the last at large teams that make it every year and say ... man that's an elite club.

 

[PCHawk]

Well again agree to disagree. When the Murray’s graduated from Iowa high school with no big time offers, Fran didn’t have to continue to follow their development. He could have allocated his time elsewhere. Nobody would have said a word that he wasn’t going after those two. So if they end up as good B1G players he recognized their talent and potential before others did and should be commended for that.

I guess I just don't see how following local kids who are legacies makes you a good recruiter. Whatever tho. I've already taken this farther than I wanted too.

 

[PCHawk]

I agree with that, maybe "hard" was the wrong word. It's pretty hard when every team is committed to winning. The B1G is incredibly competitive....it's just hard to look at the last at large teams that make it every year and say ... man that's an elite club.

Oh no, they definitely don't just take the elite. If they did it would be a pretty small tournament. I think we are arguing two different things here. You are saying it's pretty easy to make the tournament, so Iowa should make it. I'm saying its specifically hard for Iowa to make it because they play in a conference with so many really good programs. Obviously the farther down the pecking order you are, the harder it is to make it. A team like Purdue has it a little easier than Iowa because there are only 4 programs or so that are better than them. A team like Nebraska or Penn State have it really hard because there are 10 or so better than them. If Iowa wants to break into a top 7 program in the conference, they have to drop a pretty damn good program down a peg to do it. That's not easy. You think Indiana, Ohio State, or Wisconsin are ok with dropping down a peg? I say Iowa needs a Hall of Fame lever coach to break into the top 7 of the Big 10. That's far from easy. I think it takes a pretty darn good coach to get Iowa to the tournament 2 out of every 3 years, which is what Fran has done lately.

 

[PCHawk]

And yes, I'm arguing how good Fran is and how bad Fran is in the same thread lol.

 

[Robowe]

And yes, I'm arguing how good Fran is and how bad Fran is in the same thread lol.

 

[WindsorHawk]

I mean if we're just being honest here... just in the last 2 seasons with very little research I can tell you that 2 years ago Texas was in with an 8-10 conference record. Last season Oklahoma was 7-11 in the Big 12, St. John's was 8-10 in the Big East and Ohio State was 8-12 in the B1G.

How hard is to make the dance anymore? It's not. Especially if you are in the P5.

Yeah but you have to play some good teams in the non conference with those records. Oh wait...

 

[tweeterhawk]

I don’t know how old most of you are but there was a time when competing for a conference championship was EXPECTED at Iowa as was making the NCAA tournament when it took fewer teams. Previous Iowa coaches were able to recruit the players from around the country to accomplish that. Their teams could compete with the Bob Knight Indiana squads and other top Big Ten programs back when it was 10 teams. Beating Iowa State was a given.

When I see posters here whining how hard it is just to finish as the seventh or eighth best B1G team and make the Dance it makes me realize how far this fan base has slipped.

This recruiting class pretty much locks in Iowa’s spot near the bottom of the league, IMHO. Enjoy it...

 

[PCHawk]

I don’t know how old most of you are but there was a time when competing for a conference championship was EXPECTED at Iowa as was making the NCAA tournament when it took fewer teams. Previous Iowa coaches were able to recruit the players from around the country to accomplish that. Their teams could compete with the Bob Knight Indiana squads and other top Big Ten programs back when it was 10 teams. Beating Iowa State was a given.

When I see posters here whining how hard it is just to finish as the seventh or eighth best B1G team and make the Dance it makes me realize how far this fan base has slipped.

This recruiting class pretty much locks in Iowa’s spot near the bottom of the league, IMHO. Enjoy it...

I don't believe you that you needed to read posts here to realize how far Iowa has slipped since those days.