Is Fran McCaffery Building A PowerHouse at Iowa?

[NorthKCHawk]

The past couple years Iowa has been heavy on or relied on one standout player, which is fine. Maybe this team will be a better team as a whole. Ya got a good mixture of experience on the team and it's great a couple those you pointed out have a year under them now. Also, as you point out, Connor is a heady veteran, coach on the court as you stated. They should be a solid "team".

Both teams the last two years deserved a better fate than they got in the tournament. Its hard to say why because both teams were very very different. Yes, each had a huge star, but both teams had really good role players too. The 2020 team was especially deep and talented across the board. They just got beat and that is frustrating because both were better than who they were playing, just not that day.

I follow Creighton as well here in Omaha, and McDermott had the same criticism laid on him that he could not get out of the first weekend. Then he did. It is really hard to get to the Sweet 16. You got probably half that number spoken for by blue bloods.

Fran's time is coming. I believe that.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

I asked if he is "building a powerhouse". I did not state that he "built a powerhouse". Two very different things.

Yes.

But 12 years in I'd say he's been "building" for awhile. Looks like he's getting some great players for sure, but you still have to do it on the court. National POTY candidates 2 years in a row didn't get us very far.

NorthKCHawk put it well, above.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

And I respectfully disagree with you considering it's been 24 years since we made it past the 1st weekend, we've only made it past the first weekend 5 times in 53 seasons. Think about that. It's been 44 years since a conference championship. Maybe it does take 12 years at Iowa? Probably longer based on those numbers.

There's no artificial ceiling "at IOWA" that makes it undoable. Lute got there in his 6th year, Mr. Davis in his first (twice in his 13 year tenure). ISU's coach did it in his first year. (ouch)

Without going too deep, teams like Wisconsin, Loyola, Marquette, Purdue, Butler, WVa, San Diego St, St Marys, Ohio, Richmond, etc have been to a Sweet 16 in the last 10 years. No reason Iowa can't be there too.

 

[InGoodCo]

There's no artificial ceiling "at IOWA" that makes it undoable. Lute got there in his 6th year, Mr. Davis in his first (twice in his 13 year tenure). ISU's coach did it in his first year. (ouch)

Without going too deep, teams like Wisconsin, Loyola, Marquette, Purdue, Butler, WVa, San Diego St, St Marys, Ohio, Richmond, etc have been to a Sweet 16 in the last 10 years. No reason Iowa can't be there too.

No cieling at all, it’s just a crap shoot in a one off game where the loser goes home. That’s why I said things will take care of themselves - ya can’t tell me that all of those coaches are better than Fran. Iowa has had teams capable of making runs, they just haven’t. Historically Iowa has never been successful in March and IMO the only way to change that is continue to give yourself at bats. As long as Iowa is doing that, I’m gonna enjoy the ride

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Powerhouse? Let's get to a Sweet 16 first.

Still have to get over that wall Fran.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

No cieling at all, it’s just a crap shoot in a one off game where the loser goes home. That’s why I said things will take care of themselves - ya can’t tell me that all of those coaches are better than Fran. Iowa has had teams capable of making runs, they just haven’t. Historically Iowa has never been successful in March and IMO the only way to change that is continue to give yourself at bats. As long as Iowa is doing that, I’m gonna enjoy the ride

Mr. Davis, Bo Ryan>Fran. I would even put Painter over Fran. Just off the top of my head there looking at that list.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Yes.

But 12 years in I'd say he's been "building" for awhile. Looks like he's getting some great players for sure, but you still have to do it on the court. National POTY candidates 2 years in a row didn't get us very far.

NorthKCHawk put it well, above.

Agree. But, I think he kind of misstepped during a period with recruiting and didn't quite fill some positions and depth very well, in particular PG. That happens in college sports. Also, sometimes some guys don't pan out like you thought they would. He also had some players leaving over the years which made some positions pretty thin. We can't forget that as well.

But, he seems to be building now. We will find out how much of a powerhouse is being built in a couple years!

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Agree. But, I think he kind of misstepped during a period with recruiting and didn't quite fill some positions and depth very well, in particular PG. That happens in college sports. Also, sometimes some guys don't pan out like you thought they would. He also had some players leaving over the years which made some positions pretty thin. We can't forget that as well.

But, he seems to be building now. We will find out how much of a powerhouse is being built in a couple years!

Yeah our PGs always seemed to be lacking something noticeable. MG couldn't shoot outside very well. JBo couldn't play D very well. We dabbled with Marble at Pg for part of a season. But having a guy that could do anything and everything asked of him and be an all-around player and floor leader has been Frans unicorn. Some say this new Bowen kid might be just what the doctor ordered. Time will tell..

 

[InGoodCo]

Mr. Davis, Bo Ryan>Fran. I would even put Painter over Fran. Just off the top of my head there looking at that list.

Right, like I said, not all of them. I would say the jury is still out on Mr. Davis. I think Fran's best years are still ahead of him and Mr. Davis didn't have to build shit, in fact, besides his last season when he was a lame duck you could argue that he took the program a step back as far as trajectory.

no argument on Bo Ryan, he's a HOF coach.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Yeah our PGs always seemed to be lacking something noticeable. MG couldn't shoot outside very well. JBo couldn't play D very well. We dabbled with Marble at Pg for part of a season. But having a guy that could do anything and everything asked of him and be an all-around player and floor leader has been Frans unicorn. Some say this new Bowen kid might be just what the doctor ordered. Time will tell..

That is the one position that has probably held back his previous teams for the reasons you mention, and it's a big deal in college b-ball.

Having a PG that can take it to the rim when needed is huge and one that can also be a lock down defender to neutralize the opposing team's quickest or one of their best shooters is huge.

That was an area of concern 2-4 years ago.

Perkins and Uhlis have seemed to bridge that issue well and now they bring in Dasonte Bowen who looks to be pretty good.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Right, like I said, not all of them. I would say the jury is still out on Mr. Davis. I think Fran's best years are still ahead of him and Mr. Davis didn't have to build shit, in fact, besides his last season when he was a lame duck you could argue that he took the program a step back as far as trajectory.

no argument on Bo Ryan, he's a HOF coach.

No shit. I'm not taking anything away from Mr. Davis as he had the perfect system for the players he inherited.

He inherited literally one of the best recruiting classes in Iowa's history from Raveling. Talk about coaches getting to a team with cupboard bare. Davis got to Iowa and had a full cupboard with athletic talent.

Again, Mr. Davis did well with that talent but a decision had to be made with the hot up and coming Steve Alfraud becoming available after his historic run with SW Missouri St.

 

[BigD]

Too early to tell but Iowa is going to be good at basketball for the foreseeable future and frankly, has been solid since Fran got here. They need to take another step this year and personally I think this years team is better than last. I've seen some people picking Iowa 9th and 10th in early pre-season stuff - it's like they don't even look or research at this point. Fran's only finished above 7th once in the last decade - I'll eat my shoe live on Youtube this March if Iowa isn't in the top half of the conference.

Oh you like soul food? “tongue in cheek”

 

[BigD]

Heading in the right direction? 1000%. Building a powerhouse where you are a legit threat for a national title for the next 5 years...I ain't going there.

Still have to get over that wall Fran.

View attachment 9145

When Fran figures out how to instill defense that will match his offense and recruit point guards that are All BIG TEN Conference First Teamers THEN we will be talking sweet sixteens on a regular basis…………. A final four here and there, but at this point that’s a B1G WHEN.

 

[BigD]

I respectfully disagree. No better example than Fran's program. He's done very well in the regular season and "gotten there" but things in the post season have yet to "take care of themselves". It doesn't take 12 years to do that.

That said, recruiting is definitely looking great. Let's see what he can do with 'em.

Well said

 

[BigD]

People (idiots) get so focused on wanting unreasonable nattys and final fours and winning the B1G that they don’t even think about how awesome we have it compared to 99% of the universities out there. Our football, MBB, WBB, wrestling, and baseball programs are all in the top 4 in the big ten, and all but baseball are perennially in the top 25 nationally. Half a million football tickets sold before the start of the season. 106,000 wrestling tickets sold before the start of last years wrestling season (highest in college wrestling g history and every seat sold to season ticket holders). That’s 14 sold out events in two P5 sports before the first whistle.

The number of schools that can claim similar success is very, very small. Being a fan of almost any other school would suck shit in comparison.

Alabama, Duke, Georgia, etc can’t claim any of that.

Will agree and disagree. It would be unrealistic to expect the Iowa football program and basketball program to win divisions, and conference titles every year.

At the same time it is not unrealistic to believe that Iowa can make a deep run in the NCAA tournament every few years or to make it to the football final four playoff at least once.

I’d rather see a program reach total greatness a few times at the cost of struggling a few years here and there.

Before Hayden arrived getting to a Rose Bowl seemed like a pipe dream. What was that year three when it happened.

Hayden himself said Iowa fans had a losers mindset when he got here. He said we needed to believe WE CAN win at Iowa.

I think we can win big one day. It’s good that we are solid at number four on the average. Like Fry pointed out in his post. That improves our chances for winning big one day.

Every year I am sure it’s the goal of both programs players and coaches to win the conference. I don’t think their idiots.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Right, like I said, not all of them. I would say the jury is still out on Mr. Davis. I think Fran's best years are still ahead of him and Mr. Davis didn't have to build shit, in fact, besides his last season when he was a lame duck you could argue that he took the program a step back as far as trajectory.

no argument on Bo Ryan, he's a HOF coach.

Mr. Davis also had a Sweet 16 and an Elite 8 run at Boston College. 2 Elite 8s and 3 Sweet 16s in his career and 11 NCAA tournament appearances.

Fran has had 10 decisive NCAA tournament appearances in all of his stops, he would have had another to make it 11 in the Covid year, and he also has had 1 First Four appearance....which technically is the NCAA tournament....but I'm in the camp that thinks that is a play-in game more then anything else.

Mr. Davis>Fran

But, I do agree the book is still being wrote on Fran's legacy. It would seem the renewed hope is through the recent recruiting he and his staff has done. If they can put it all together and see if it gets passed the 1st weekend in the Big Dance we will continue to see. The first time for Fran will be his first.

 

[Fryowa]

Mr. Davis also had a Sweet 16 and an Elite 8 run at Boston College. 2 Elite 8s and 3 Sweet 16s in his career and 11 NCAA tournament appearances.

Fran has had 10 decisive NCAA tournament appearances in all of his stops, he would have had another to make it 11 in the Covid year, and he also has had 1 First Four appearance....which technically is the NCAA tournament....but I'm in the camp that thinks that is a play-in game more then anything else.

Mr. Davis>Fran

But, I do agree the book is still being wrote on Fran's legacy. It would seem the renewed hope is through the recent recruiting he and his staff has done. If they can put it all together and see if it gets passed the 1st weekend in the Big Dance we will continue to see. The first time for Fran will be his first.

Mr. Tom existed in a time when the deck wasn’t stacked against him even a tenth of what it is now for non blue bloods.

 

[BigD]

Got to give Fran A LOT of credit after what Lickliter did to the program.

At face value (star ratings) it appears that recruiting is gradually improving. However as Fry points out, that doesn’t always equate to high success. It does give reason for hope.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Mr. Tom existed in a time when the deck wasn’t stacked against him even a tenth of what it is now for non blue bloods.

The Big Ten was loaded in the 80s and 90s....not exactly a cake-walk. That said it is always a phone-booth.

 

[dahlhawk]

Well I had a friend in college that asked every girl at the bar if she wanted to sleep with him, he didn't usually get quality woman to agree and usually ended up with less than desirable company. When Fran starts signing the blue chip 4,5 stars than we'll see. Fran has been doing very well in spotting talent and getting players with upside. If Fran ever gets to the point where he gets already talented players I see a very Tom Davis situation like when he inherited Raveling's talent.