Iowa Extends Contract of Fran McCaffery

HaydenHawk56 said:
I will just say this, let's get some top end success with him first before extending. Then, I think it would be reasonable. If not, the next coach will be waiting in the wings that we can get behind. Not every situation will end in a Lickliter or Alford. Mr. Davis did wonderful things with Ravelings recruits for example.
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I don't think Iowa could afford to do that. I really don't. Fran holds the cards here. He was only signed until 24 as is. That's not even a full recruiting cycle at this point. I really don't think Iowa could wait. He was vulnerable to poaching. Which, no matter what, Iowa doesn't want that. Iowa doesn't want the optic of a coach taking them to this height and then bolting for another spot. That's not a great look. These next 3 to 4 weeks in Indianapolis, even with Covid, is going to be a breading ground for so many back room meetings between coaches and AD's. Uncertainty in Ames, uncertainty in Minneapolis, Notre Dame in the market...Iowa needed to lock up Fran. Not because he was going to those places, but from a recruiting stand point as well. You don't have to like it or agree, but Fran is very good for Iowa basketball. Iowa doesn't want to look for a coach not when they have a really good one. That's proven he can develop players at the level Fran has. They want NPOY candidates, 1st and 2nd team All Americans. They want the coach they've invested so much into and that just coached Iowa to it's highest seed in school history and highest it's been since 1986. This was a no brainer for Iowa.
 
Well...I can kind of stomach the "body of work" comments more so now, you know the ones that Fran uttered a few years ago after a meltdown down the stretch again. Iowa is clearly on an upward trajectory...with the players Fran has brought in and the development of the players he already had in the program. Even losing Garza, Weiskamp, and Bohannon...this team still has a shot to be really good, especially if Nunge comes back healthy. We do have a solid foundation.

I have no problem with the extension or timing. There is already enough pressure on Fran to do something in the tournament...the extension means nothing...it was earned by being ranked in the top 5, competing night in and night out, signing recruits you know are going to be good contributors next year (Ulis, Perkins, PMac, & the Murrays), running a clean program, and his players love him.
 
He was the 11th highest paid coach from the last time I can find it published. Even if Fran loved Iowa SOOO MUCH that he wanted to be here SOOOO MUCH, that's a problem.
 
This was a no brainer. The guy had a career year. He gets an extension. I don't think there is anything Fran can do to appease some on this board. Same is true for Barta. Gary smartly locked up his coach. Fran smartly grabbed the money while he had leverage. Its how this works.
 
I agree with everyone besides @InGoodCo (and I respectfully disagree with him).

This definitely seems premature. Let's at least get past the round of 32 before extending him through 2028.

It's not like other programs are going to be interviewing Fran during the tournament. Barta could have easily negotiated this extension with Fran after the tournament.

Indiana damn sure isn't going to go after Fran. Notre Dame might but I highly doubt Brey gets shown the door.
 
HaydenHawk56 said:
Not every situation will end in a Lickliter or Alford.
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The chances of Lick or Alfraud are astronomically higher than a Mr. Tom or even Fran and you know it.

Shit coaches are a dime a dozen and you literally have to luck into a good one.

Again, attitudes like that on are exactly why nebraska sucks at sports now and will never recover in our lifetimes.

You seriously want to consider not extending a guy who recruited the only POY in school history, has never had a scandal bigger than being snarky with reporters, kept his team in the top 5 for an entire season and got a 2 seed in the dance? Are you fucking mental?

Iowa recruits on average 70-80th best in the nation because we aren't a blueblood, and this team is #5 right now. It has been for an entire season and you want a different coach. Jesus Henry Christ.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
This was a no brainer. The guy had a career year. He gets an extension. I don't think there is anything Fran can do to appease some on this board. Same is true for Barta. Gary smartly locked up his coach. Fran smartly grabbed the money while he had leverage. Its how this works.
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It's not a career year until he gets us past the round of 32. We've been ranked in the top 10 in several different seasons under Fran. I suppose it's a career year in the sense that we made the semifinals of the BTT.

For the record I like Fran and I have no problem with him being extended it just seems premature to do it right now before we've played a game in the tourney.
 
Fryowa said:
The chances of Lick or Alfraud are astronomically higher than a Mr. Tom or even Fran and you know it.

Shit coaches are a dime a dozen and you literally have to luck into a good one.

Again, attitudes like that on are exactly why nebraska sucks at sports now and will never recover in our lifetimes.

You seriously want to consider not extending a guy who recruited the only POY in school history, has never had a scandal bigger than being snarky with reporters, kept his team in the top 5 for an entire season and got a 2 seed in the dance? Are you fucking mental?

If I wasn't such a Hawkeye fan a tiny part of me would actually like to watch that happen so you could see what a supremely stupid fucking decision it would be to send Fran that kind of message.
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I don't think the Nebraska comparison is a good one. Their fans and school still delusionally think this is the 90's and that they should be dominating the sport. Iowa fans are pretty realistic and reasonable with our expectations when it comes to basketball. Give us a fun team to watch and at least get to the sweet 16 occasionally.
 
Fryowa said:
The chances of Lick or Alfraud are astronomically higher than a Mr. Tom or even Fran and you know it.

Shit coaches are a dime a dozen and you literally have to luck into a good one.

Again, attitudes like that on are exactly why nebraska sucks at sports now and will never recover in our lifetimes.

You seriously want to consider not extending a guy who recruited the only POY in school history, has never had a scandal bigger than being snarky with reporters, kept his team in the top 5 for an entire season and got a 2 seed in the dance? Are you fucking mental?

Iowa recruits on average 70-80th best in the nation because we aren't a blueblood, and this team is #5 right now. It has been for an entire season and you want a different coach. Jesus Henry Christ.
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Regarding the bolded part clearly you don't read Cyclown Fanatic. Fran slammed a chair once and called a ref a cheater. He's like Bobby Knight on steroids!! (obviously I kid)
 
Fryowa said:
The chances of Lick or Alfraud are astronomically higher than a Mr. Tom or even Fran and you know it.

Shit coaches are a dime a dozen and you literally have to luck into a good one.

Again, attitudes like that on are exactly why nebraska sucks at sports now and will never recover in our lifetimes.

You seriously want to consider not extending a guy who recruited the only POY in school history, has never had a scandal bigger than being snarky with reporters, kept his team in the top 5 for an entire season and got a 2 seed in the dance? Are you fucking mental?

Iowa recruits on average 70-80th best in the nation because we aren't a blueblood, and this team is #5 right now. It has been for an entire season and you want a different coach. Jesus Henry Christ.
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Never said I want a different coach. I'm not really harping on Fran....this is more about Barta and timing. It could have waited for an extension. But, I will agree to disagree here.

I don't think we should be afraid to lose him either if he wants to walk....unless he actually finishes this year with a great accomplishment...a long tourney run. BTW, I don't think Fran would have walked without being extended now. He was going nowhere with his sons going through the program.
 
Stanzi said:
I don't think the Nebraska comparison is a good one. Their fans and school still delusionally think this is the 90's and that they should be dominating the sport. Iowa fans are pretty realistic and reasonable with our expectations when it comes to basketball. Give us a fun team to watch and at least get to the sweet 16 occasionally.
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That's not pretty realistic for Iowa. It just isn't.

Your response about nebraska fans being delusional is actually proving your own delusion.

We don't get players here to make it to a S16. This isn't the 1980s anymore. This is the era of one and two and dones. Iowa getting players good enough for something like an occasional S16 ain't gonna happen. Look at our average recruiting rankings.
 
Fryowa said:
But you've sorta implied that if he loses 2nd round you do want a different coach. That's ludicrous.
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No, again misunderstood. Because Fran has made the tourney 3 out of 4 years and his body of work, I believe he has earned the right to stay here. Fran does not, should not, even be considered for firing.

But, if Fran were to walk away to another program (and especially if they don't make a long run) I would be like whatever on to the next coach.

I think Fran got really lucky with Garza, but Fran gets credit for it.

However, if there is not a tangible accomplishment (Sweet 16, but I think really an Elite 8) I think that is problematic for long term success. That would be a red flag. Again, not fireable, not even close, but at the same time Fran's upside would be short beyond tourney appearances and first weekend exits. The time to strike is now when you have Garza. If he does not get it done now, when will he ever?
 
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NorthKCHawk said:
This was a no brainer. The guy had a career year. He gets an extension. I don't think there is anything Fran can do to appease some on this board. Same is true for Barta. Gary smartly locked up his coach. Fran smartly grabbed the money while he had leverage. Its how this works.
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exactly LOL, it's mind blowing that any one wants Fran bolting for a better gig after this season. Or that Iowa wasn't going to re-up his contract REGARDLESS after the season whether he made the round of 32 or not. If they don't make it, do you think Iowa is going to fire him? After this season? No. Do you think he could keep coaching with a contract that was less than 3 years? I can't even imagine those optics. Everyone's like "well he wouldn't leave because of his kids" and let me tell ya, that is not a fucking problem anymore with Transfer rules.

Iowa needs Fran. We've grown accustomed to good basketball.
 
Fryowa said:
That's not pretty realistic for Iowa. It just isn't.

Your response about nebraska fans being delusional is actually proving your own delusion.

We don't get players here to make it to a S16. This isn't the 1980s anymore. This is the era of one and two and dones. Iowa getting players good enough for something like an occasional S16 ain't gonna happen. Look at our average recruiting rankings.
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I guess I completely disagree with this mentality. Getting to an occasional sweet 16 isn't delusional in the slightest. There's zero reason we can't get to a couple of sweet 16's each decade. There are smaller schools with smaller budgets that do it. Making the NCAA tournament on a regular basis should be the baseline expectation. This doesn't need to be the 1980's. If Iowa is getting to the NCAA tournament on a regular basis, which they should, there's no reason that we can't have a couple nice years a decade where we make the sweet 16. If I was asking for final 4 berths that would be delusional.
 
Fryowa said:
But you've sorta implied that if he loses 2nd round you do want a different coach. That's ludicrous.
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exactly. If Fran doesn't make the round of 32, Iowa is going to fire him? No, of course not. So, you want him to try and recruit with only 3 years on his deal? That's no good either. So, you want other schools to take him? So not a good look for Iowa as a program. This was when this deal needed to be done.
 
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InGoodCo said:
exactly LOL, it's mind blowing that any one wants Fran bolting for a better gig after this season. Or that Iowa wasn't going to re-up his contract REGARDLESS after the season whether he made the round of 32 or not. If they don't make it, do you think Iowa is going to fire him? After this season? No. Do you think he could keep coaching with a contract that was less than 3 years? I can't even imagine those optics. Everyone's like "well he wouldn't leave because of his kids" and let me tell ya, that is not a fucking problem anymore with Transfer rules.

Iowa needs Fran. We've grown accustomed to good basketball.
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You seem to be taking people's comments about the extension seeming premature and jumping like 3 spaces to believing that means they don't want Fran here. I don't think anyone is saying they want Fran gone, nor would we want him gone regardless of how the tournament plays out. I just don't love extending a guy for 7 more years before we've broken through the round of 32 barrier. I think Fran is too competitive to get complacent like I believe Kirk did for a while, but giving him 7 years is a hell of a lot of rope.
 
Stanzi said:
It's not a career year until he gets us past the round of 32. We've been ranked in the top 10 in several different seasons under Fran. I suppose it's a career year in the sense that we made the semifinals of the BTT.

For the record I like Fran and I have no problem with him being extended it just seems premature to do it right now before we've played a game in the tourney.
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This, that is where I'm at as well. Just get passed the round of 32 and we talk extensions.
 
InGoodCo said:
exactly. If Fran doesn't make the round of 32, Iowa is going to fire him. No, of course not. So, you want him to try and recruit with only 3 years on his deal? That's no good either. So, you want other schools to take him? So not a good look for Iowa as a program. This was when this deal needed to be done.
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3 years left on his deal isn't like it expires tomorrow lol. A hell of a lot can change in 3 years. Do you really think a recruit is going to look at that and think "hmm, he's only signed for 3 years, that means he's guaranteed to be gone by the time I'm a senior." No recruit is going to think that or be concerned that Fran "only" has 3 years left.
 
Stanzi said:
It's not a career year until he gets us past the round of 32. We've been ranked in the top 10 in several different seasons under Fran. I suppose it's a career year in the sense that we made the semifinals of the BTT.

For the record I like Fran and I have no problem with him being extended it just seems premature to do it right now before we've played a game in the tourney.
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But do you think he'd be fired for an early out? I don't, and 3 years on a contract isn't enough. So the extension was coming regardless of what happens next week. Do you want Fran to think Iowa doesn't want him if he flames out? So he does listen to suiters? Guys, I don't know if any of you understand how this works. Fran is in line for any job he wants right now and that's no joke, what he's done at Iowa is considered pretty good in circles around college basketball. He's a wanted commodity right now and guess what, he still will be after his team is done playing in the tournament regardless of how they finish.
 
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