Most Realistic Name Being Mentioned.....

ForeverHawk

Well-Known Member
as the next Iowa coach in my opinion is Tony Barbee from UTEP. Since taking over for UTEP in the 06-07 season he has had more wins each year:

06-07 14-17
07-08 19-14
08-09 23-14
09-10 26-6 15-1 Conference USA

So, he has four solid years of head coaching experience. He had been an assistant since 1998 at Wyoming, UMASS and Memphis before becoming the head coach at UTEP. He was a former player at UMASS, so I do not see that as a school he would be looking to get back to eventually as his destination job.

Obviously Pearl would be the first choice of many, but I just don't see it. Not necessarily because of the money, but because of his family situation in and around Knoxville. Other names that have been mentioned, Jay Wright, Villanova, Buzz Williams, Marquette, Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt, Scott Drew, Baylor, Josh Pastner, Memphis, Keno Davis, Providence, etc....I think there are distinct reasons as to why each of those would not consider Iowa, or maybe Iowa would take a pass on.

Barbee seems to fit the mold of what we are looking for in a coach....young 38 or 39, solid recruiter, charismatic and he has some good head coach experience. If Pearl is not an option, I want Barbee!
 
"As a high school basketball player at North Central, Tony Barbee was a big Butler basketball fan."


No thanks

I am shocked that a kid growing up in Indiana could possibly be a Butler fan. And because of that he shouldn't be considered as a coach for Iowa? That is what bothers me, the short sightedness of some in the fanbase. It is for this reason why we will never be satisfied with a hire other than Pearl, which is highly unlikely.
 
I am shocked that a kid growing up in Indiana could possibly be a Butler fan. And because of that he shouldn't be considered as a coach for Iowa? That is what bothers me, the short sightedness of some in the fanbase. It is for this reason why we will never be satisfied with a hire other than Pearl, which is highly unlikely.
That's why I mentioned in another thread that Scott Drew graduated from Butler. :)
 
Barbee would make a great hire, I could certainly support him. However I think he is kind of going to be "the flavor of the month" and will have everyone who is looking for a new coach in his ear. It seems our last two hires were "that guy" and that kind of makes me nervous. Alford was the red hot name when we got him and Lick was coming off his coach of the year season. Both were considered by many to be "slam dunk hires".
 
Interesting that Barbee was an assistant at Wyoming. Would he have been on Steve McClain's staff at Wyoming and if so was this while Barta was the AD at Wyoming????
 
I agree that Barbee will be "flavor of the month" on everyone's list. The good thing is that everyone is not that tough this year. Right now Auburn and Oregon are probably the only programs comparable to Iowa looking for a coach. I don't know about Auburn, but Oregon looks to have a whole different list of candidates than us.
 
DePaul might make a run at Barbee and money isn't supposed to be an issue with them either.

Barbee's name I've seen and heard by several publications mentioned with the Iowa job. I think he's got to be in the mix.
 
Well, DePaul was 1-15 in the conference, so maybe their rebuilding program would be bigger than Iowa's. Who knows, but I think he would be a good fit.
 
He is definitely on my short list,which is comprised of guys that we might actually be able to get.
 
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