Iowa Extends Contract of Fran McCaffery

The head coach will always generate the headlines and is top of the pyramid. I'm always interested in who their asst coaches are, will be when hired.

Assistants are as important to D-1 success as head coaching. Could name numerous coaches that can track long-term success/failure to asst coach retention/turnover.

Recruiting obvious. Player development (my 2¢) is undervalued. No one had Luka, Jok, Uthoff, AWhite, Marble as 1st team All-Big 10 when recruited. That's where Speraw, Dillard, etc. make a head coach successful. Also continuity there. Gary Close was shooting coach with Mr. Davis - they could shoot.

Lots of coaches can recruit, but don't develop. Big reason Ames looking for a coach.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
OK, we clearly see this differently, no reason we can't stay civil. Here's why I said your post was built on false assumptions. In short, there is no sense of urgency.

"... he was getting the extension either way. Iowa was literally in a better or at worst same position by doing it now rather than waiting until after the tournament."

How so? If IOWA doesn't go deep Barta has played his cards too soon (and possibly given Fran more than his performance warrants). Therefore it's possible to be in a better negotiating position if the team doesn't do well and Fran has another early out. (Which I hope to hell doesn't happen and don't expect).

To say IOWA would be in a worse position later likely assumes one or more of the following;

-Fran is interested in leaving IC. Highly unlikely, he has 2 boys in the program and is pretty entrenched. That can always change but there's zero indication that he's thinking that.
-Other schools are going to come knocking on the door offering big money. Again, no sign of that. If it did happen, you're assuming it would be a big enough program to drive up the price. Those are few and far between...and many probably not interested in Fran.
-If IOWA makes a big run, say a Final Four or even better, Fran would demand bigger money than he just got, so Barta just got a "good deal". Much as I'd love that to happen, it's against the odds. If it does, what's to keep Fran (or his agent) from coming back to Barta asking for more anyway. Nothing, it's been done before.

In addition, consider this. Terms of the extension haven't been released, but the current contract had a "departure penalty" of $2M to start out, reduced by $250,000 each year. If the extension terms are similar (we haven't seen them yet) that means if a blue blood really did come for Fran...the financial roadblock to stop it is small. (Hoiberg's contract, for example requires him to pay $10M+ if he leaves now). So unless there's a surprise in the new contract it doesn't guarantee Fran stays.

Fran has had a great year, he's deserving. You want incoming recruits to see their coach signed for the full four years so this is the year for an extension. But there's no sense of urgency so I (and apparently many others) think Barta should have waited. If the team crushes it in the tourney, it's a reward extension. If they stumble it's a vote of confidence in Fran.

But, now they have to perform well, or it will look bad. Gary may be good at fund raising and admin, but he's lousy at PR and timing.
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I'm being civil. I truly was trying to understand what you are saying because you said you weren't saying what I thought you were saying. But your post now still says what I thought you were saying. You think we could have offered him less if we flame out early. It seems you want Iowa to give him the bare minimum he's worth and we won't know what that bare minimum is until the tournament plays out. The people arguing against you want both sides to be happy when the contract is signed. If the tournament ends and it looks like they are paying him a half a mil too much, I don't care because I'm not writing the checks.
 
I'm being civil as well. 56 literally asked me if I thought Fran would leave before the tournament. That my friends, deserves a good roasting cause it's a absolutely insane notion lol.

Also, Iowa has gotten a great ROI on both Kirk Ferentz and Fran McCaffery, both have performed above their salaries comparative to their peers. The days of thinking Gary is some baboon that can't make good deals with coaches should now be looked at in a completely different light FWIW.
 
InGoodCo said:
I'm being civil as well. 56 literally asked me if I thought Fran would leave before the tournament. That my friends, deserves a good roasting cause it's a absolutely insane notion lol.

Also, Iowa has gotten a great ROI on both Kirk Ferentz and Fran McCaffery, both have performed above their salaries comparative to their peers. The days of thinking Gary is some baboon that can't make good deals with coaches should now be looked at in a completely different light FWIW.
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Ehhh I don't know if I'd go that far about Barta. I still have a lot of reservations about him. It may be unfair but I still don't trust Barta to make good decisions. Maybe if it wasn't for all of the PR blunders we've had under him I'd have more faith.
 
Stanzi said:
Ehhh I don't know if I'd go that far about Barta. I still have a lot of reservations about him. It may be unfair but I still don't trust Barta to make good decisions. Maybe if it wasn't for all of the PR blunders we've had under him I'd have more faith.
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Yeah, no doubt on the PR blunders, rhabdo, title 9 lawsuit, there's a long list of what Gary is bad at. I don't think he's a great AD. I think he should have been fired at least half a dozen times.

When he signed both Kirk and Fran's deals, people lost their collective shit.

All I am saying is, now that we have time to use for perspective, those deals very much favored Iowa athletics and it's hard to argue otherwise. Not to mention that Iowa in general is killing it in almost every sport that matters.

I'll agree that Gary sucks in general, but his contracts, with hindsight as a tool, were good for the U of I.
 
PCHawk said:
I'm being civil. I truly was trying to understand what you are saying because you said you weren't saying what I thought you were saying. But your post now still says what I thought you were saying. You think we could have offered him less if we flame out early. It seems you want Iowa to give him the bare minimum he's worth and we won't know what that bare minimum is until the tournament plays out. The people arguing against you want both sides to be happy when the contract is signed. If the tournament ends and it looks like they are paying him a half a mil too much, I don't care because I'm not writing the checks.
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All good. We just see it differently. Let's hope the Hawks make a nice run and it's a moot point.
Next year...now that's another topic. We are going to thin...in more ways than one. It could be rough...especially on the back of a recent contract extension.
 
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Not in total agreement. New facilities all around. What is it now, going on 17 years IN A ROW without a big ten title? Kirk is way, way, way over due.

Do fans think so lowly of their school’s football program that they think this is acceptable.m? For many years Kirk was in the top ten for college football coach salaries. Other coaches finally caught up with him. Now his salary is among average salaries. Should have been there all along.

He is a good coach but 17 years in a row? It seems it’s asking too much for him to even win the West division where the mighty Purdue,Northwestern, and HAS BEEN Nebraska. reside. Seriously?

He has put it on auto pilot and checked out. Solid program? Yes. However always finding it acceptable to finish out of first place in the West year after year, after year, doesn’t speak well of fan expectations or the administration . I wish he would saddle up and ride into the sunset. I will applaud his efforts when his does but each year he stays around means I am going to be clapping a little less energetic when it finally happens. Six years since 2015, with the facilities, fan support, and wealth of the University it would not have been unheard of for him to at the least to have finished first in the West two out of those six years.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
All good. We just see it differently. Let's hope the Hawks make a nice run and it's a moot point.
Next year...now that's another topic. We are going to thin...in more ways than one. It could be rough...especially on the back of a recent contract extension.
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If Wieskamp comes back I think our 1 and 5 will be average and our 2 3 and 4 will be good. Hopefully the conference will be down some too and we can compete for a double bye again.
 
PCHawk said:
If Wieskamp comes back I think our 1 and 5 will be average and our 2 3 and 4 will be good. Hopefully the conference will be down some too and we can compete for a double bye again.
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We could really use the BIG from Minnesota, Liam Robbins. He's got 2 years left.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
We could really use the BIG from Minnesota, Liam Robbins. He's got 2 years left.
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That would be an ideal fit. Our size for big guys wouldn't take a hit at least with Garza gone. We would be a Jot T and Ulis surprise jump from being really good next year. Hell we might be that already.
 
BigD said:
Not in total agreement. New facilities all around. What is it now, going on 17 years IN A ROW without a big ten title? Kirk is way, way, way over due.

Do fans think so lowly of their school’s football program that they think this is acceptable.m? For many years Kirk was in the top ten for college football coach salaries. Other coaches finally caught up with him. Now his salary is among average salaries. Should have been there all along.

He is a good coach but 17 years in a row? It seems it’s asking too much for him to even win the West division where the mighty Purdue,Northwestern, and HAS BEEN Nebraska. reside. Seriously?

He has put it on auto pilot and checked out. Solid program? Yes. However always finding it acceptable to finish out of first place in the West year after year, after year, doesn’t speak well of fan expectations or the administration . I wish he would saddle up and ride into the sunset. I will applaud his efforts when his does but each year he stays around means I am going to be clapping a little less energetic when it finally happens. Six years since 2015, with the facilities, fan support, and wealth of the University it would not have been unheard of for him to at the least to have finished first in the West two out of those six years.
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Iowa has finished the last 3 football seasons ranked 25th, 15th and 16th, that's always going to be considered a good season at Iowa. 30 years ago, 30 years from now, top 25 is an excellent season. If this isn't good enough for you, maybe give football a break for a while.
 
I think Iowa is gonna be a borderline tournament team next season without JW, I think they are an automatic with him. People that keep pushing doom and gloom for next season are the same peeps who said they weren't gonna be any good after the 17/18 season. Luka is a huge loss but I am personally pretty excited about what Iowa has on that bench.
 
I have no problem with Fran getting an extension. In his tenure his winning percentage is .58%. In the context of the B1G he is at .500. In the last 10 seasons Iowa has had 1 sub .500 season. He took on major problems created by the two previous coaches. He has had only 2 losing seasons in his 11 years. I believe he is a good recruiter, has a system that is fun to watch and doesn't take short cuts like Kansas, Arizona, LSU, Oklahoma St, etc. . I'm older than most of you and the college basketball of my youth is much different than today's college basketball.

The use of a shot clock, the three point line, the distance of the 3 point line, dunking permitted, goal tending not permitted, scholarship limits, and some I have forgotten have been added to the rules that were not part of the rules. The way games are officiated has evolved with with more physical contact permitted and only egregious palming the ball called. If players were permitted 3 fouls to begin the game and only given an additional foul after sitting for 10 clock time minutes it would take the dependence on physical play to win out of the game. I only bring this up because judging today's coaches against previous coaches is fraught with the lack of context.
 
TimmyOnMelrose said:
This is where Fran started...I had season tickets as a student but could almost sit courtside. I watched Evan turner laugh as he was being maned up with Little Lick. This clip was of the game at OSU but it does the job.

Give the man his $$

youtu.be

Turner, OSU School Iowa

Jerod Smalley talks about Evan Turner's 32-point Sunday vs. Iowa.
youtu.be youtu.be
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Yeah. I had season ticks during the Alford/Lick seasons. I bought one ticket. I am still there. Cross court from the Iowa bench, aisle seat, 24 rows up, dead center court. BTW, I drive 600 miles round trip for the games. Also season tickets for Iowa football. And, have been in every BT football stadium in recent years. Although I live 90 minutes from Madison and get tickets on the 45 yard line every year from my fishing/pheasant hunting buddy, in 2021 I maybturn him down so I don’t have to go to that shit hole stadium and be harassed by mouth breathing badger fans. So there!
 
InGoodCo said:
I think Iowa is gonna be a borderline tournament team next season without JW, I think they are an automatic with him. People that keep pushing doom and gloom for next season are the same peeps who said they weren't gonna be any good after the 17/18 season. Luka is a huge loss but I am personally pretty excited about what Iowa has on that bench.
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We will, with JW, and I think he stays at Iowa, be in the NCAA’s next season, top half of the BT, where we will win two games in the BT tournament and end the season as a 4-5 seed in the big dance.
 
teachercoach said:
The head coach will always generate the headlines and is top of the pyramid. I'm always interested in who their asst coaches are, will be when hired.

Assistants are as important to D-1 success as head coaching. Could name numerous coaches that can track long-term success/failure to asst coach retention/turnover.

Recruiting obvious. Player development (my 2¢) is undervalued. No one had Luka, Jok, Uthoff, AWhite, Marble as 1st team All-Big 10 when recruited. That's where Speraw, Dillard, etc. make a head coach successful. Also continuity there. Gary Close was shooting coach with Mr. Davis - they could shoot.

Lots of coaches can recruit, but don't develop. Big reason Ames looking for a coach.
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You will receive little credit for posting logical, accurate positions.But, thanks anyway...
 
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