Second Four Star Recruit Badara Diakite Decommits

[Zstatman]

Wasn't it just last summer that the team, led by Brock Harding I think, went to Fran and said they wanted to be really good this past year and wanted to have a new focus on defense. Supposedly they spent the summer working on that new focus but somewhere along the way it fell by the wayside.

 

[CP87]

3) Fran isn't the type of guy who's going to capitulate to fans complaining about defense and bring someone in to run that side of things. To do so would be to admit defeat and incompetence in that phase of the game and that's not Fran's MO. He'd never do it himself, so it would be a deal where Goetz would have to force it and do you really think Fran would be cool with that?

That was Dochterman's and Leistikow's take when they were discussing Fran toward the end of the year. There are things that could improve the situation (D assistant he did not have responsibility to hire; forcing him to make nice with reporters and attend more PR events across the state), but Fran is not going to go for them.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

That was Dochterman's and Leistikow's take when they were discussing Fran toward the end of the year. There are things that could improve the situation (D assistant he did not have responsibility to hire; forcing him to make nice with reporters and attend more PR events across the state), but Fran is not going to go for them.

Yeah over the last couple yrs since Beth has been on the job I'd say she got the feel for what Fran was all about and he made himself as a take me as I am or fire me kinda guy. He definitely isn't the type to be micromanaged about his staff.

That's where he and KF were in similar yet such different situations. Fran was easily fireable. Coulda been after last yr albeit woulda been costlier. KF wasn't/isn't. KF wasn't ready to tell her to take the job and shove it either. So when she said Brian has to go she got what she wanted.

What surprised me about that was how stubborn the Ferentzs are. I woulda thought they coulda had Brian leave for another job on his terms so the embarrassment of firing him wouldn't have had to happen. It coulda been a 'we all know what happened' sort of thing. So they tried to flex on her and she didn't blink and pulled the trigger. To have been a fly on the wall for how that went down behind the scenes woulda been really interesting to know.

 

[HawkeyeHypnosis]

Fran's teams could often play good d for stretches though, which makes me thinks it was a "want to" issue.

When given the “green light” sometimes this happens. I think having someone with a defensive mind would have helped. It wasn’t the best but defense was better with Speraw around.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

Yeah over the last couple yrs since Beth has been on the job I'd say she got the feel for what Fran was all about and he made himself as a take me as I am or fire me kinda guy. He definitely isn't the type to be micromanaged about his staff.

That's where he and KF were in similar yet such different situations. Fran was easily fireable. Coulda been after last yr albeit woulda been costlier. KF wasn't/isn't. KF wasn't ready to tell her to take the job and shove it either. So when she said Brian has to go she got what she wanted.

What surprised me about that was how stubborn the Ferentzs are. I woulda thought they coulda had Brian leave for another job on his terms so the embarrassment of firing him wouldn't have had to happen. It coulda been a 'we all know what happened' sort of thing. So they tried to flex on her and she didn't blink and pulled the trigger. To have been a fly on the wall for how that went down behind the scenes woulda been really interesting to know.

Kirk came to his crossroads after 2014 and decided to take in the feedback from fans and Mary, and even hired a PR firm to get additional perspective.

Beth collected all kinds of fan feedback from focus groups around the state this past year.

I'm guessing when presented with fans' sentiments about ways to improve the program/fan experience that Fran wasn't super receptive. Or at least not interested in implementing any changes himself.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

And to be fair, maybe most of the feedback was that a coaching change was needed. And/or changes to Carver. So beyond his control at that point (with the changes requiring more funds that wouldn't be donated until he was gone).

 

[kicker22]

Fran's teams could often play good d for stretches though, which makes me thinks it was a "want to" issue.

For stretches, maybe but not on a consistent basis game in and game out. That's like saying our offense was built on attacking the basket. We could do it, but the make up of the team was built around perimeter shooters.

I agree that part of it is a "want to" issue, but based simply on players builds that we were bringing in we had guys that were skinny, tall, and lengthy but not guys built to bang in the post and dominate the glass or get stops when we needed to.

 

[longtimer]

I got that same thing from an Iowa player's family member. I was told Freeman didn't get along with anyone and it got a lot worse when he no-showed on Garza who had come to IC to work out with him over the summer. One of those locker room cancer types who's better not being in the program anyways.

And before anyone @'s me about ragging on a "college kid," these guys are getting paid millions. Sorry, they're fair game. Big boy money brings big boy expectations/criticism.

Hey i ain’t going to rag on you. Agree