Seen the Lickliter era before in Iowa City

[hawkincal]

As those of us who still care about Iowa basketball watch how the program has regressed to an all time low during the three years that Todd Lickliter has been head coach, it actually reminds me of the Frank Lauterbur football era at Iowa in the early 1970s (when I was a kid growing up in Iowa City).

There are actually quite a few similiarities...
1) Frank Lauterbur was the first hire of Iowa's new AD, Bump Elliot, just as Lickliter was Gary Barta's first hire.
2) Both hires came after there had been controversy in the respective programs - the Evy vs Ray Nagel feud in 1970, the polarizing Steve Alford basketball era of the 2000s.
3) Both TL and FXL came were successful head coaches at mid-major conferences in the midwest - TL at Butler and Lauterbur at Toledo.
Actually, Lauterbur came to Iowa as a "hot" coach. In his final four seasons at Toledo, they were 37-5-1 (.872 winning percentage), with three conference titles, and they were riding a 23 game win streak when FXL was hired.
4) Both had poor first seasons (1971 football Hawks went 1-10, TL's first team lost 19 games)
5) The third season for both coaches was the worst in school history (I'm going to make the dramatic assumption that Lick's team loses at least 5 more games to break the school record he set in year one)
6) There were major complaints about each coach's staff

Unfortunately, this is where the similarities end. Bump Elliot (who I would categorize as a very reasonable, professional and patient man) could see the train wreck that Iowa football under Frank Lauterbur had become. Bump didn't give FXL a seven year contract, as Gary Barta somehow gave TL, so he didn't have to worry about a huge buyout.

When Frank Lauterbur refused Bump's order to fire defensive coordinator Ducky Lewis before the final football game of 1973 (Hawks were 0-10 at the time), Bump fired him effective after the Michigan State finale (which the Hawks lost to complete the 0-11 season).

Bump Elliot was at least able to admit that his first coaching hire was a mistake, and did something about it.

When I continually read on Hawkeye message boards that University of Iowa doesn't fire coaches after three years, I just shake my head. Nice guy Bump Elliot fired a coach after three years. He ended up having to hire a high school coach (Bob Commings), but knew that firing Frank Lauterbur had to be done.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as if Gary Barta is ready to admit a mistake in his first coaching hire, so we'll be seeing Todd Lickliter coach for at least several more years.

For us long time Hawkeye sports followers, I guess we get to see another generation's Frank Lauterbur get more time.

 

[tweeterhawk]

Great historical perspective. Thanks for posting.

 

[koolhandlick]

There were some small signs of improvement in the football program under Bob Cummings but it wasn't enough to save his job. Hayden came in and the rest is history. I do not see any improvement in the basketball program and a change needs to be made as well. I believe there is a basketball coach out there who can turn things around the same way that Hayden did with football. Mr. Barta scratch where it itches!

 

[boneshq]

it is always darkest before the dawn, hold on, it is coming

 

[boneshq]

for the duller bulbs, im behind lick

 

[HawkI101]

That was a good post. This is the time if it is gonna be done. I think that TL can probably bring Iowa to .500 records at some point but not beyond that, so do you wait until 2015 when we have had back to back .500 records. That is not going to be good enough is it????? So might as well cut ties now. If you really think that TL is going to take us to the tourney on a consistant basis then you keep him around, I for one don't foresee that.

 

[boneshq]

if u think he can bring back .500, obviously thats a team getting better, y don't u think he can get over that hump to a winning percentage and into the tourney?

 

[koolhandlick]

From what I have seen so far I don't believe this staff is ever going to be able to put a team together that will finish higher than 7th place in the Big Ten. When trying to bring the fans back to the arena and increase ticket sales a 7th place finish isn't going to cut it.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

if u think he can bring back .500, obviously thats a team getting better, y don't u think he can get over that hump to a winning percentage and into the tourney?

Going .500 and getting to the NCAA Tournament are pretty far apart. Last year's team was only 1 regular-season win away from finishing .500 (15-17). 16-16 doesn't get you anywhere.

I would also ask this - Is it .500 with a bunch of seniors? Or .500 with a young team, like this year's? If it's the latter, the team could develop into a very good team in a couple years. Otherwise, you're starting over again once all the upper-classmen leave, and I don't know where that leaves you.

 

[kadoering]

I am also behind lick at this time. I would like to see some adjustments to the offense, but we flat out need more players. Part of this is Lick's fault, but he came into the program with nothing. We saw some improvement in year 2, but Kelly leaving really set the program back. Losing Peterson also hurt, but losing palmer and davis will benefit the hawks in my opinon with better talent coming in next year. We have a nice core of young players, but no depth. I am excited to see what this recruiting class brings to the team next year. I haven't lost faith, but it is hard to stomach all this negativity.

 

[HawkI101]

I am not totally against TL. If he stays I hope he does well. I am just saying now is the time to change if we need to. I am saying that getting us to .500 would be with 10 non-conference wins which means we would be below .500 in the Big 10. I don't believe he will ever have us at .500 in the Big Ten. An overall record of .500 is not very good in college basketball since most teams get 10-12 non-conference wins against bad teams (ISU this year with 11?). Thats not what I want out of Iowa Basketball. My whole point is the TL won't be able to recruit the players he needs. People talk about next years class, while they will provide depth they are rated 7th as a class in the Big Ten.

 

[Hawk123456]

As those of us who still care about Iowa basketball watch how the program has regressed to an all time low during the three years that Todd Lickliter has been head coach, it actually reminds me of the Frank Lauterbur football era at Iowa in the early 1970s (when I was a kid growing up in Iowa City).

There are actually quite a few similiarities...
1) Frank Lauterbur was the first hire of Iowa's new AD, Bump Elliot, just as Lickliter was Gary Barta's first hire.
2) Both hires came after there had been controversy in the respective programs - the Evy vs Ray Nagel feud in 1970, the polarizing Steve Alford basketball era of the 2000s.
3) Both TL and FXL came were successful head coaches at mid-major conferences in the midwest - TL at Butler and Lauterbur at Toledo.
Actually, Lauterbur came to Iowa as a "hot" coach. In his final four seasons at Toledo, they were 37-5-1 (.872 winning percentage), with three conference titles, and they were riding a 23 game win streak when FXL was hired.
4) Both had poor first seasons (1971 football Hawks went 1-10, TL's first team lost 19 games)
5) The third season for both coaches was the worst in school history (I'm going to make the dramatic assumption that Lick's team loses at least 5 more games to break the school record he set in year one)
6) There were major complaints about each coach's staff

Unfortunately, this is where the similarities end. Bump Elliot (who I would categorize as a very reasonable, professional and patient man) could see the train wreck that Iowa football under Frank Lauterbur had become. Bump didn't give FXL a seven year contract, as Gary Barta somehow gave TL, so he didn't have to worry about a huge buyout.

When Frank Lauterbur refused Bump's order to fire defensive coordinator Ducky Lewis before the final football game of 1973 (Hawks were 0-10 at the time), Bump fired him effective after the Michigan State finale (which the Hawks lost to complete the 0-11 season).

Bump Elliot was at least able to admit that his first coaching hire was a mistake, and did something about it.

When I continually read on Hawkeye message boards that University of Iowa doesn't fire coaches after three years, I just shake my head. Nice guy Bump Elliot fired a coach after three years. He ended up having to hire a high school coach (Bob Commings), but knew that firing Frank Lauterbur had to be done.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as if Gary Barta is ready to admit a mistake in his first coaching hire, so we'll be seeing Todd Lickliter coach for at least several more years.

For us long time Hawkeye sports followers, I guess we get to see another generation's Frank Lauterbur get more time.

I am not here to defend Lick, just to state the my views. Lauterbur was fired because there was no reason to think the the following season (1974) would be any better than 1973. I agree that nothing has gone right during Lick's first three year's at Iowa, but there is every reason to think that next year's Iowa basketball team will be significantly better than this year's team (more talent, more experience, more depth).

If we aren't close to or better than .500 next year then Lick needs to be let go. I just don't think you let a coach go, however, when it looks like there will be real improvement in the program during the next 12 months. Thus, I think Lick gets one more year to show that he can get us moving in the right direction.

 

[vbeachawk]

I hope Lick and Tucker leave together and Gillespie is brought on board to right this sinking ship called Iowa basketball.

 

[joemc1]

i think the Lauterbur/ Lick analsis is right on. Not sure whhich one could put me to sleep faster. Big difference though between Bump and Barta in experience and balls.

 

[Herkyalert]

I think Barta has the guts to fire Lick IF he thinks it is time. Barta did let Steve McClain go at Wyoming, a coach that was 139-99 in eight seasons.

Barta also told Alford what he expected out of the team which made Alford leave. I think that was actually a semi-firing by Barta.

 

[tweeterhawk]

From what I have seen so far I don't believe this staff is ever going to be able to put a team together that will finish higher than 7th place in the Big Ten. When trying to bring the fans back to the arena and increase ticket sales a 7th place finish isn't going to cut it.

+1

There's no evidence in four years this staff can attract the kind of talent to compete in the Big 10. So I don't see how we get higher than 9th or 10th.

Even the incoming class is a bit suspect. We're not challenging with other conference schools or even BCS programs in general for medium-level players. Most of Lick's recruits should be going to mid-major programs.

 

[joemc1]

I am not high on Lick's ability to turn this around; but I don't think next year's class is suspect, it's pretty good. Problem is that other than Michigan; everyone else in the league has virtually all their top players back and/or great classes coming in. We could be a lot better next year, and still finish 9th or 10th. Will any program accept a 9th or 10th place finish 4 years in?

 

[83Hawk]

It really comes down to what Barta's expectations are for Iowa BB. Is the hope to be middle of the pack in the Big 10 and reach the NIT or NCAA tourney once in a blue moon? Right now that is the highest expectation I have with Lick (and for the record, I like Lick).

 

[NewMexHawk]

Are you talking about .500 in Big 10 play or .500 overall. In the preseason, by watering down the schedule a little you can get more wins.

I think it should be at least .500 in Big 10 play... but of course that would too high of expectations for most big lick supporters. In reality, by his 4th year he should be going to the NCAA tournament ...MINIMUM. But hey, Iowa fans expectations for big lick are not too high these days because he is doing it the right way.