Is Fran And Iowa Basketball At A Tipping Point?

[mopkins]

Well, Ogelsby and Utoff were best friends. literally. Fran had a clue. remember, Fran recruited JU like hell but JU didn't want to decommit from WUs.

yeah but Fran didn't know Uthoff was coming to Iowa when he brought in those other guys (woody, Gesell, Clemmons, etc). he also didn't know Hutton and Flemming would redshirt. It just happened to work out that way to where he had 6 open scholarships to add to Moss's redshirt class all at once.

 

[PCHawk]

There are a few exceptions, but most people are wondering if Fran's seat should be warming up. That's it. Do you agree that there are some issues with Fran's coaching? For example, I looked at the huddles for the ISU vs Iowa game. All the ISU players were engaged, looking at the coach in the huddle. When Fran wasn't yelling at the refs, the players seemed totally disinterested. It's things like this and many other things that have been pointed out that make me question how good of a coach he really is.
Yes he's way better than Lick, but is that a reason to settle for mediocre? I want him to turn it around, but if we are NIT or worse next year, I think it's time take a hard look at the future. You can disagree, but I don't think that's irrational.

I completely agree that if next year tanks, it's time to take a hard look. I completely disagree with going crazy after 10 games, and I disagree with using his first 2 years against him.

 

[PCHawk]

If Wagner left he wouldn't be coming off the bench and putting up bad numbers for a terrible Southland Conference team.

There is no way to know how much quitting a team because you aren't good enough to play affects your career mentally.

 

[mopkins]

I completely agree that if next year tanks, it's time to take a hard look. I completely disagree with going crazy after 10 games, and I disagree with using his first 2 years against him.

People forget Fran made the NIT (and actually won a game) his second year at Iowa. Not that its a huge accomplishment, but coming off the Lickliter era its noteworthy. I remember it because they played Dayton in Carver and won even though Dayton was the higher seed...because Dayton hosts the play-in games for the NCAA tournament.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

folks, fran's recruiting philosophy is have 2 classes back to back with 7-9 recruits so that they can grow for a season or two and then have a team loaded with JR's and SR's. then he starts over. you can agree or disagree with that, but that is how he has been operating.

As for recruiting "misses" sure he's had his share. but almost all coaches do. finally we're seeing kirk politely ask players to consider moving on; Fran does it and all coaches should do it. there is nothing wrong with having a miss on a recruit, unless you keep that kid on the team and he becomes an un-utilized scholarship.

The recruiting misses comment is just plain stupid.

Fran has hit on more than he's missed. That is why this team is so loaded and all are deserving of PT. He's maybe missed on a true PG, but that happens as other coaches may have difficulty recruiting a position for 1 or 2 years. But, I don't think Fran ever thought he'd get both Garza and Nunge. That is not a miss. There is only so much room on a roster.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Is that really his philosophy or has it just randomly worked out that way? Its not like Fran planned for Uthoff to transfer in from Wisconsin and join the class of seniors like Clemmons, Gesell, and Woodbury. It just happened to work out that way.

The glut of Sophs right now comes from those 4 seniors graduating, plus Moss red-shirting and Flemming/Hutton transferring. Fran had massive amount of scholarships to give out, so he gave them out. I don't think it was planned, I think it just happened to work out that way.

Its probably one reason why Fran preferred to redshirt Connor. To help spread the classes out more. He didn't know CW would then transfer and force Connor to play.

Agree with ^^!

 

[PCHawk]

The recruiting misses comment is just plain stupid.

Fran has hit on more than he's missed. That is why this team is so loaded and all are deserving of PT. He's maybe missed on a true PG, but that happens as other coaches may have difficulty recruiting a position for 1 or 2 years. But, I don't think Fran ever thought he'd get both Garza and Nunge. That is not a miss. There is only so much room on a roster.

This team is one 1st team conference guard from being in position to win the conference and be a top 2 seed in the dance. It's hard to say he's hit his ceiling when the entire roster is ready for that success except one piece. He has 2 years to find that piece or develop it.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

This team is one 1st team conference guard from being in position to win the conference and be a top 2 seed in the dance. It's hard to say he's hit his ceiling when the entire roster is ready for that success except one piece. He has 2 years to find that piece or develop it.

YES.

 

[NikeHawk21]

I completely agree that if next year tanks, it's time to take a hard look. I completely disagree with going crazy after 10 games, and I disagree with using his first 2 years against him.

The going crazy after 10 games thing, is well... crazy. College basketball is a very long season and crazier turnarounds have happened.

I’ve already mentioned the 2015 UW team. Had a non-conference record of 8-5 with home losses to Western Illinois and Milwaukee. Started B1G play 1-4. That team went on to the sweet 16.

I’m not saying that type of turnaround will happen for this particular team, as our flaws may be too much to overcome and it just doesn’t appear there is any cohesion. With that said 9-4 non-conference and 10-8 conference isn’t as crazy as it might sound. Win a game in te BTT and that’s 20 wins.

 

[PCHawk]

The going crazy after 10 games thing, is well... crazy. College basketball is a very long season and crazier turnarounds have happened.

I’ve already mentioned the 2015 UW team. Had a non-conference record of 8-5 with home losses to Western Illinois and Milwaukee. Started B1G play 1-4. That team went on to the sweet 16.

I’m not saying that type of turnaround will happen for this particular team, as our flaws may be too much to overcome and it just doesn’t appear there is any cohesion. With that said 9-4 non-conference and 10-8 conference isn’t as crazy as it might sound. Win a game in te BTT and that’s 20 wins.

The kind of turn around you just laid out isn't even that big of deal. We just did it last year in fact. We have already shown signs of that turn around too. I think we are already halfway there from where we started to where we need to be to accomplish that record. We just HAVE to win out the non conference. From there, 10 wins in conference is doable if we keep improving. It won't get us into the dance, but it won't slow down the momentum Fran has built recruiting wise either.

 

[mopkins]

The going crazy after 10 games thing, is well... crazy. College basketball is a very long season and crazier turnarounds have happened.

I’ve already mentioned the 2015 UW team. Had a non-conference record of 8-5 with home losses to Western Illinois and Milwaukee. Started B1G play 1-4. That team went on to the sweet 16.

I’m not saying that type of turnaround will happen for this particular team, as our flaws may be too much to overcome and it just doesn’t appear there is any cohesion. With that said 9-4 non-conference and 10-8 conference isn’t as crazy as it might sound. Win a game in te BTT and that’s 20 wins.

Hopefully Pemsl comes back this weekend and the team will finally be at full strength.

Iowa plays Colorado next week and Colorado only beat Drake by 5 but they led the entire game. If Iowa can take care of Drake they could go into Michigan on a 5 game winning streak.

 

[mopkins]

The kind of turn around you just laid out isn't even that big of deal. We just did it last year in fact. We have already shown signs of that turn around too. I think we are already halfway there from where we started to where we need to be to accomplish that record. We just HAVE to win out the non conference. From there, 10 wins in conference is doable if we keep improving. It won't get us into the dance, but it won't slow down the momentum Fran has built recruiting wise either.

Right now the only ranked teams in the Big Ten are Michigan State and Purdue. Iowa plays them both at home. With Iowa's current resume they'll have to win both of those. Not likely, but not impossible I guess.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

The recruiting misses comment is just plain stupid.

Fran has hit on more than he's missed. That is why this team is so loaded and all are deserving of PT. He's maybe missed on a true PG, but that happens as other coaches may have difficulty recruiting a position for 1 or 2 years. But, I don't think Fran ever thought he'd get both Garza and Nunge. That is not a miss. There is only so much room on a roster.

i agree with you. frans misses are not at an abnormal pace. pg is the only position he's missed on recently. we had Cartwright and MG and Sapp as points for a 5 year stretch. missed on ulis and walked away from moore.

 

[PCHawk]

Right now the only ranked teams in the Big Ten are Michigan State and Purdue. Iowa plays them both at home. With Iowa's current resume they'll have to win both of those. Not likely, but not impossible I guess.

At this point I have conceded the tournament so I just want to rack up as many wins as possible to build momentum. I would rather go 11-7 in conference and barely miss the tourney because our SOS than go 8-10 in conference against a good conference schedule and miss the tourney because we dont have enough wins. So I guess I'm glad the conference is really weak this year.

 

[NikeHawk21]

This team is one 1st team conference guard from being in position to win the conference and be a top 2 seed in the dance. It's hard to say he's hit his ceiling when the entire roster is ready for that success except one piece. He has 2 years to find that piece or develop it.

I think that’s a little aggressive. A 1st team guard certainly makes us an NCAA team. It doesn’t suddenly turn us into a top 50 defensive team, it doesn’t suddenly make our big guys better FT shooters.

Let’s say for instance you cloned Nate Mason and put him on the Hawks. I’d still say Purdue has a better team and we aren’t even close to the level of MSU. With Mason we are probably about Minny level.

 

[Hawk5656]

This team is one 1st team conference guard from being in position to win the conference and be a top 2 seed in the dance. It's hard to say he's hit his ceiling when the entire roster is ready for that success except one piece. He has 2 years to find that piece or develop it.

I'll have what you're having!

 

[mopkins]

I think that’s a little aggressive. A 1st team guard certainly makes us an NCAA team. It doesn’t suddenly turn us into a top 50 defensive team, it doesn’t suddenly make our big guys better FT shooters.

Let’s say for instance you cloned Nate Mason and put him on the Hawks. I’d still say Purdue has a better team and we aren’t even close to the level of MSU. With Mason we are probably about Minny level.

What sucks is Nate Mason was a 3-star with average offers (MN, Virginia, Creighton, Clemson). You just never know with some of these kids.

 

[Hawknigh]

Who can predict what will happen in the Big 10 season? Optimism has been dashed many times. Perhaps pessimism will be dashed this year.

 

[PCHawk]

I think that’s a little aggressive. A 1st team guard certainly makes us an NCAA team. It doesn’t suddenly turn us into a top 50 defensive team, it doesn’t suddenly make our big guys better FT shooters.

Let’s say for instance you cloned Nate Mason and put him on the Hawks. I’d still say Purdue has a better team and we aren’t even close to the level of MSU. With Mason we are probably about Minny level.

My bad. I meant after this year. This exact roster with Nate Mason next year would contend for a conference championship imo. They would be huge favorites the year after.

 

[HawkGold]

There is no way to know how much quitting a team because you aren't good enough to play affects your career mentally.

There is no way to completely assess a player's ability based on how they did in their role with a particular coach.