Schwartz: Hawkeye coach Fran McCaffery Still a Mystery
- Thread starter RobHowe
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WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
Intense, Direct and Honest
"He represents the university, his players, and fans with honor and respect." Really? Does that include when he throws things on the sidelines, has to be physically held back from attacking referees, screams in his player's faces in public? A balanced view of him -- which I think was the intent of the article -- probably would have been more accurate without this broad, very unbalanced assertion. I actually like the intent of the article, which is to say he defies easy characterization, which makes him, well...human. And I actually think he's done a noticeably better job of controlling his emotions during games this year than past years. Unfortunately, altho I thought he started out showing a lot of respect toward the media at the start of his tenure, that seems to have faded and he's become more controlling and less patient in that regard. My 3 words?
Offensive. (in basketball style)
Thin-skinned.
Offensive. (in basketball style)
Thin-skinned.
I've never had a problem with him or how he does things. Just wish he'd have won a little more. We've had some good teams under achieve. I think the guy recruits clean. Coaches the players hard. They've all seemed to love him over the years. He's an offensive coach his style is fun to watch. Just wish he'd have won more and that last yr never happened...
mopkins
King Kong
A) I don't think Fran would ever physically assault a ref. I think people are holding him back to prevent him from getting a technical or ejected
B) Yelling at players is a part of sports. Izzo does it, Nick Saban might be the worst at it....nobody complains about them doing it.
Fran didn't handle the Gary Dolphin thing well. No doubt about it. There's other things he does that I don't necessarily care for. At the end of the day winning is all that matters though. If he wins the other stuff doesnt matter
Yup yup the rest is picking nits. He isn't on the Bobby Knight side of things. Not even close. He's a good guy. He's a good fit. I mean coming off of the Licklighter and Alford eras I'd say we can't complain too much about the ancillary stuff too much. If you were to scrub last season from the books he's not been terrible in the W/L department. Unless you want to bring up the post season. Then yeah that's left a lot to be desired.
SpiderRico
Well-Known Member
I agree with David that Fran has remained a mystery after almost a decade at the school. And I think his teams and his program have also reflected that mystery....
Some teams have been pretty good defensive teams....when we had Sapp, Woodbury, Gesell, and Uthoff, we were Top 30 in defensive efficiency. Some teams have been good offensive teams....the 2013-2014 team was #5 in offensive efficiency and the last 2 years have been Top 10 in offensive efficiency. Some teams were pretty tough-minded....I'd take Aaron White, Adam Woodbury, and Eric May with me into a dark alley anytime. Some teams were soft as a pillow. Some teams have peaked at the end of the year....the Aaron White senior year team won 6 in a row at the end of the season. Some teams peaked way too early....think 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.
So I think the enigma that is Fran the man/coach is reflected in his team....you just never know from one game to the next, one month to the next, or one season to the next what this team is going to be.
With Lute and Mr. Davis (and even Alford, to a certain extent), you knew exactly what you were going to get each and every year....both good and bad. Same with Hayden and Kirk.
Ultimately, I think that's why Fran has really struggled, overall, to put a consistent product out on the court year in and year out....because this program just really lacks an identity....no different than it's coach....
Some teams have been pretty good defensive teams....when we had Sapp, Woodbury, Gesell, and Uthoff, we were Top 30 in defensive efficiency. Some teams have been good offensive teams....the 2013-2014 team was #5 in offensive efficiency and the last 2 years have been Top 10 in offensive efficiency. Some teams were pretty tough-minded....I'd take Aaron White, Adam Woodbury, and Eric May with me into a dark alley anytime. Some teams were soft as a pillow. Some teams have peaked at the end of the year....the Aaron White senior year team won 6 in a row at the end of the season. Some teams peaked way too early....think 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.
So I think the enigma that is Fran the man/coach is reflected in his team....you just never know from one game to the next, one month to the next, or one season to the next what this team is going to be.
With Lute and Mr. Davis (and even Alford, to a certain extent), you knew exactly what you were going to get each and every year....both good and bad. Same with Hayden and Kirk.
Ultimately, I think that's why Fran has really struggled, overall, to put a consistent product out on the court year in and year out....because this program just really lacks an identity....no different than it's coach....
mopkins
King Kong
Fran seemed like he was building something with purpose year after year....and it all culminated in that Uthoff Senior season and then it all fell apart and still trying to recover. For whatever reason even his good teams have collapsed later in the season, and they haven't had any real success in the BTT or the NCAA tournament.
Recruiting-wise Fran has had his share of misses as well. The DJ Carton one is especially painful.
SteveGarvey1
Well-Known Member
Dedicated, loyal, petulant.
It's just a good thing we got JW. He seemed like a Matt Gatens, Horner, Dean Oliver (in more than just this way too but) in that he was going to be a Hawk regardless of the coach or shape of the program. So how much credit can he get for landing him? Doesn't change the fact that we have him and he's coaching him up. But yeah to pair him with Carton next yr and PM (who I hope can redshirt) and then we'll see how Fosters recruiting plays out could be huge going forward. Then how good and how soon will Toussant be in the mix? Fran is always walking on the edge it seems like of going to either the basement or the ceiling never quite going all the way to either. (although last yr was pretty bad)
I'd keep your first and last one and add "defensive"
And no I'm not trying to be a smart ass. He just seems to pay too much attention to outside noise and I think that rubs off on his players and they do the same.
JG10Hawk
Well-Known Member
Yep. That left Peter Jok with a bunch of freshmen. Jok graduates and last year happened. Finally some experienced upperclassmen back and contributing consistent minutes and we are witnessing the turnaround.
Motigerhawk
Well-Known Member
He does the one thing that a coach has to do; he recruits his state. Fran has done a very good job of getting the best guys in Iowa to the U.
Now we need to start pulling some elite talent out of Chicago or Philly.
Now we need to start pulling some elite talent out of Chicago or Philly.
RobHowe
Administrator
I wish Iowa would have had an extra scholarship in that '13 class to take Jeremy Morgan.
JG10Hawk
Well-Known Member
Definitely would have been nice to have Morgan running on the wing with Pete. It's too bad Fran didn't bank a scholarship or two with the '12 class (Meyer and/or Ingram).
mopkins
King Kong
Yep, I've been saying that for awhile now. Those two black hole classes really crushed any and all progress the team had made.
A private person, shy by nature, thrown into the public eye. Doesn't relish the limelight, becomes defensive.
Seems to have settled down a bit and I think having both of his sons on the team will be good for him, emotionally. His boys are well coached, seasoned competitors, and will be able to be a buffer for the other players who aren't part of the family. "Ah, that's just dad, forget about it, he goes psycho sometimes."
A coach who has his players backs, most of the time. However, at times he tends to make sure all the players get their "fair share" of playing time, which doesn't work. It is difficult for him, by nature, to shorten the bench, but he seems to be learning the need to do so at times, for the good of the team.
I would guess he is kind of fun to be around in a more private setting.
I think the next few years will be good for him, his family, and the University of Iowa.
Seems to have settled down a bit and I think having both of his sons on the team will be good for him, emotionally. His boys are well coached, seasoned competitors, and will be able to be a buffer for the other players who aren't part of the family. "Ah, that's just dad, forget about it, he goes psycho sometimes."
A coach who has his players backs, most of the time. However, at times he tends to make sure all the players get their "fair share" of playing time, which doesn't work. It is difficult for him, by nature, to shorten the bench, but he seems to be learning the need to do so at times, for the good of the team.
I would guess he is kind of fun to be around in a more private setting.
I think the next few years will be good for him, his family, and the University of Iowa.
