ForeverHawk
Well-Known Member
Yes, I am very happy with Basabe. I am also happy Fran kept Marble and McCabe. Can't really comment on the two that are not even on campus. If Fran thinks they can contribute, I have to trust him.
Is 1-17 in conference record considered progress?
- Thread starter HawkeyeRyno
- Start date
Yes, I am very happy with Basabe. I am also happy Fran kept Marble and McCabe. Can't really comment on the two that are not even on campus. If Fran thinks they can contribute, I have to trust him.
I don't see Fran getting fired after next season, even if the team is not winning yet. However, his fate as Hawkeye coach could be sealed by then.
If he doesn't see a dramatic uptick in recruiting by that point, that means he has missed out on his Spring 2011 targets and Fall 2012. That means he will be looking at at least 2 more subpar years. No way he can survive that many down years.
hwkwyld
Well-Known Member
So are you already calling for Fran to be fired?
Do you actually watch basketball or do you just look at the box score and form you opinion from there?
Did you really expect The Hawks to come out and go .500 or better in the B10 this year?
There is no question that the cupboard was bare when Lick left, but Fran has shown twice that he can rebuild a basketball program. And if you actually watch a game you'll see that this team is so much better than last year's on nearly every level.
The Hawks have two major things going against them this year and that's a VERY strong B10 and lack of athleticism. Time will shift both of these back to more of a balance in the coming seasons. They are doing the best with what they have and being competitive nearly every game. At this point what more do you want? It takes time to turn any program around. How about we give them some?
They will upset someone this season!
tweeterhawk
Well-Known Member
Ryno seems far too obsessed with the Ws and Ls. Fran has returned to CHA a much better style of basketball, has the team competing, has a couple athletes at least who can help him and seems to have boosted at least one player's (Brommer's) confidence and abilities. Recruiting is key and so far we haven't seen tremendous progress there. But give him time to either succeed or fail.
blkngldFRO
Well-Known Member
Yes it would be nice to see more wins, but I see progress over last year. Some other post point out no academic problems, new practice facility, and new style of play. Here are a few more to add to the list.
1) Cole and Brommer are at least 10 times better then last year. Could be that they matured but I think a lot has to do with coaching.
2) We are playing 3 true freshmen on a regular basis. They have skills, but not Barnes level skills. It will take some time to develop.
3) We lost one of our starting point guards. This was a huge hit on a team that could not afford it.
4) Love the energy in the program, and the way Fran shows his passion.
5) No matter how good of a coach you are the is nothing that he can do about starting out HOT for 10 min and then going cold for the rest of the game. These kids go in shooting slumps, and I am not really sure how Fran can coach around it.
The last point is why the Hawks do not have more wins. They have been streaky in there shooting. I think Fran has done a great job with the talent he has, but he cant make shots for them. All said and done I am happy where this program is heading.
I just hope the wins come faster and more often for the nay sayers and the band wagon fans. Lets face it the program needs their money.
1) Cole and Brommer are at least 10 times better then last year. Could be that they matured but I think a lot has to do with coaching.
2) We are playing 3 true freshmen on a regular basis. They have skills, but not Barnes level skills. It will take some time to develop.
3) We lost one of our starting point guards. This was a huge hit on a team that could not afford it.
4) Love the energy in the program, and the way Fran shows his passion.
5) No matter how good of a coach you are the is nothing that he can do about starting out HOT for 10 min and then going cold for the rest of the game. These kids go in shooting slumps, and I am not really sure how Fran can coach around it.
The last point is why the Hawks do not have more wins. They have been streaky in there shooting. I think Fran has done a great job with the talent he has, but he cant make shots for them. All said and done I am happy where this program is heading.
I just hope the wins come faster and more often for the nay sayers and the band wagon fans. Lets face it the program needs their money.
smhawk
Well-Known Member
MisterLucky
Well-Known Member
It's all about talent. Coach McCaffery had better be able to recruit to this program, as tough as it is being so down. If he can, progress will be made. If he can't, then we will go through this same cycle in three or four years. I like Coach McCaffery, and I know in my heart it is early in his tenure here, but so far I have seen little to convince me that he can bring in the type of talent it is going to take to make headway in one of the toughest conferences in the country. Hopefully he has some basketball talent lined up for the spring signing. If not, it will just add another year of misery onto what we refer to as Iowa Basketball.
I'm going to take exception to that, although it is difficult since we don't know who any of the players will be!
So you are saying that Iowa will not fire Fran after two seasons???
You are really going out on the limb there.
Barta got his one mulligan. Fran is not going anywhere for a minimum of 5 years.
How far into Lute's run was it before he got a single highly rated player?
Sky King was not highly rated,neither was Ronnie Lester.
Coaching does count in this equation.
The illini have 10 top 150 players on their roster and sit at 4-4,same as MSU,who also have at least 5 top40 players.
I just think you have to back off the declarative statements on Fran's fate. If he hits on a kyle korver,who nobody wanted, and he turns into a 1st team All American...well, he could prosper.
Talent evaluation is still not an exact science.
If Woodbury and Gesell sign by next November,it will be a good thing,but it does not guarantee success either.
Jacob Pullen was nobodys HS all american but is big 12 preseason POY and a preseason 1st team AA...hopefully Fran can find a guy like that.
hawkIhoops
Well-Known Member
I had major concerns about our talent heading into the season, but hoped the coaching / style change and addition of Basabe and Cartwright would allow us to inch closer to respectability. Unfortunately I think McCaffrey will need 3 years to recruit enough athletes here for there to be any marked improvement. I hope I am wrong, but Gatens, May, Brommer, Archie and Cartwright returning as our upperclassmen don't instill a lot of confidence in me that we will be much better next year.
In my understanding, Archie graduates in spring. If he is a serious student he would be better off going D2 for his final year of eligibility and getting a year of grad school under his belt. If he is not a serious student, he should get out in the world and start making some money.
Fran needs a banger to throw in there down low. If he could get that and a tough physical guard it would help.
Fran needs a banger to throw in there down low. If he could get that and a tough physical guard it would help.
FromFry2Ferentz
Well-Known Member
Patience is a virtue, losing 2 of the best player off of last years team that wasnt very good by the way, and losing cully payne to injury. And inconsistent play by our only really experienced players has hurt. It will get better though we all have seen how ****** off Fran is he wants to succeed here probably even more than we want him to. Its just the first season after all.
glidinghawk
Well-Known Member
3-15. One huge upset.
homes
Well-Known Member
The won-loss record is discouraging, but I think they're getting better, if that makes sense. There are individual game performances from each of these guys, that if put together, can lead to a lot better results. It's the inconsistency of play that is killing them right now. Not knowing whose game will be on or off before each tip doesn't help. Hopefully the second run through the BT, they'll start to ALL perform each night, which can lead to more wins.
glidinghawk
Well-Known Member
Good point. Under Lick, the team got worse with each passing game. Under McCaffery, they are making steady improvement, and they are having a lot more fun as they make improvements. A couple years from now, the team will be competing. No question.
MisterLucky
Well-Known Member
Two steps forward, one (or two) steps back. Not sure I would call that making a lot of progress. Coach McCaffery is obviously handicapped by the quality of basketball players he was dealt. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, or at least that is what I've been told. The big question remains. Will he be able to draw enough talented players here to make up the very large chasm that exists between us and the better teams in the league. And if he can't do much this year insofar as recruiting difference makers, will the patience of the fans continue while we lose game after game again next year? Right now, rebuilding a team in the BT is a massive undertaking. Hope Coach McCaffery, and to some extent, the Iowa fans can weather this process or we will be going through another cycle similar to this in 2-3 years.
What has happened to this point that shows Fran cannot recruit?
hawkeyecub
Well-Known Member
Because knee-jerk reactionaries like Ryno are incapable of doing that.
