So Does The Bandwagon get Going

L

longtimer

Well-Known Member
I have on a number of occasions posted that I thought it was time for a coaching change at Iowa. Of course Fran has been better than Lick but that was a bar touching the ground. He has had some exciting teams at least offensively and has been very very lucky to find a player like Garza and have the Murray twins decide to play for their fathers team. Even with that the best he could do is a Big Ten tournament championship

He has never been a good recruiter and I think just about everyone can agree consistently has one of the worst defensive teams in the Big Ten. He is 6-11 career in the NCAA and i think maybe has won 5 at Iowa. Never reaching even the sweet 16.

This year's team just plain lacks talent. Iowa State really showed how slow and unathletic we are. It looks like a long winter and there is no help on the way next year

I hope Fran decides to hang it up. Iowa has been very good to him and it would be a good time to say thanx by moving on.

I like Devries at Drake and maybe some other choices out there. Could we end up being worse? Sure but I'm not sure how much we would drop from what it looks like if we stay the course. Can we have a breakout year down the road? Sure We aren't going to be the next Duke but we have done it in the past. If you think it can't be done check in with Baylor or Florida Atlantic

I have always wanted my kids to strive to be the best they can be and not just accept mediocrity. I hope the new AD shares that philosophy
 
Well if this season spirals I could see the pressure putting things over the top for him to step down. I could see him taking a break from coaching to follow his youngest kid as he goes to play ball somewhere else. Wouldn't surprise me at all. I'm not sure I'd predict that yet but we'll see.
 
When I was listening to a local sports talk radio show yesterday afternoon and they were discussing the game and one of them said the key for Iowa St. was to key on and lock down on Payton Sandfort that rang a bell and put it into perspective.

Now, I know he is a really good player but he is looked to as a complimentary shooting guard on most teams. He shouldn't be the player the opposing D's first have to scheme against when game planning for Iowa. This tells me they don't have a PG that really scares a team or a big that really scares a team they have to deal with.

I about laughed to myself in the car when I heard it and it really put things into perspective.

Fran definitely has a system that can score pts but they struggle against more athletic teams like last night and teams that have speed to defend.

I mean I am going to put it bluntly, Iowa has a bunch of slow white guys and it is evident watching when they go up against athletic teams. The athletic players can guard Iowa's "great" outside shooters.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
When I was listening to a local sports talk radio show yesterday afternoon and they were discussing the game and one of them said the key for Iowa St. was to key on and lock down on Payton Sandfort that rang a bell and put it into perspective.

Now, I know he is a really good player but he is looked to as a complimentary shooting guard on most teams. He shouldn't be the player the opposing D's first have to scheme against when game planning for Iowa. This tells me they don't have a PG that really scares a team or a big that really scares a team they have to deal with.

I about laughed to myself in the car when I heard it and it really put things into perspective.

Fran definitely has a system that can score pts but they struggle against more athletic teams like last night and teams that have speed to defend.

I mean I am going to put it bluntly, Iowa has a bunch of slow white guys and it is evident watching when they go up against athletic teams. The athletic players can guard Iowa's "great" outside shooters.
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And to just go a step further the other teams faster athletic guys rebound. Iowa gives up way too many offensive rebounds that's been a thing for awhile now. I think we gave up 10 offensive ones last night and they've had worse games then that. Sandfort can't hang with other 6'7 plus athletic forwards inside. He can't guard em and he can't box em out.

Only guy on team that has quickness at both ends is Bowen and he's just green and raw around the edges still and Fran is reluctant to totally turn him loose. He's not a great finisher yet and doesn't seem confident in his jumper. But he can create for himself and others. That skill separates him from the other two. That and he's like 3 inches taller then Harding and 30 lbs more which allows him to guard a little better. To me Dix is a 2 guard he can back up TP. Let Harding and Bowen split the PG mins with the hot hand getting more time.
 
longtimer said:
I have on a number of occasions posted that I thought it was time for a coaching change at Iowa. Of course Fran has been better than Lick but that was a bar touching the ground. He has had some exciting teams at least offensively and has been very very lucky to find a player like Garza and have the Murray twins decide to play for their fathers team. Even with that the best he could do is a Big Ten tournament championship

He has never been a good recruiter and I think just about everyone can agree consistently has one of the worst defensive teams in the Big Ten. He is 6-11 career in the NCAA and i think maybe has won 5 at Iowa. Never reaching even the sweet 16.

This year's team just plain lacks talent. Iowa State really showed how slow and unathletic we are. It looks like a long winter and there is no help on the way next year

I hope Fran decides to hang it up. Iowa has been very good to him and it would be a good time to say thanx by moving on.

I like Devries at Drake and maybe some other choices out there. Could we end up being worse? Sure but I'm not sure how much we would drop from what it looks like if we stay the course. Can we have a breakout year down the road? Sure We aren't going to be the next Duke but we have done it in the past. If you think it can't be done check in with Baylor or Florida Atlantic

I have always wanted my kids to strive to be the best they can be and not just accept mediocrity. I hope the new AD shares that philosophy
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Yawn.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
. And to just go a step further the other teams faster athletic guys rebound. Iowa gives up way too many offensive rebounds that's been a thing for awhile now. I think we gave up 10 offensive ones last night and they've had worse games then that. Sandfort can't hang with other 6'7 plus athletic forwards inside. He can't guard em and he can't box em out.

Only guy on team that has quickness at both ends is Bowen and he's just green and raw around the edges still and Fran is reluctant to totally turn him loose. He's not a great finisher yet and doesn't seem confident in his jumper. But he can create for himself and others. That skill separates him from the other two. That and he's like 3 inches taller then Harding and 30 lbs more which allows him to guard a little better. To me Dix is a 2 guard he can back up TP. Let Harding and Bowen split the PG mins with the hot hand getting more time.
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Thats Highly Offensive 30rock GIF - Thats Highly Offensive 30Rock Thats So Mean - Discover & Share GIFs
 
MelroseHawkins said:
When I was listening to a local sports talk radio show yesterday afternoon and they were discussing the game and one of them said the key for Iowa St. was to key on and lock down on Payton Sandfort that rang a bell and put it into perspective.

Now, I know he is a really good player but he is looked to as a complimentary shooting guard on most teams. He shouldn't be the player the opposing D's first have to scheme against when game planning for Iowa. This tells me they don't have a PG that really scares a team or a big that really scares a team they have to deal with.

I about laughed to myself in the car when I heard it and it really put things into perspective.

Fran definitely has a system that can score pts but they struggle against more athletic teams like last night and teams that have speed to defend.

I mean I am going to put it bluntly, Iowa has a bunch of slow white guys and it is evident watching when they go up against athletic teams. The athletic players can guard Iowa's "great" outside shooters.
Click to expand...
It's a lot easier for athletic players to guard our shooters when they have to reach up, down, or across their body for the pass. By the time they're geared back up to shoot, they're covered.

It was a natural progression for Peyton to garner prime attention after the players we lost. None of this is a military secret. Now the team is at a crossroads where they can fight back like they did in 2020 and 2021 or quit like they did in 2018.

We know who our three key upperclass players are. Now the onus is on them to find a way out of this. I don't care who we played or what arenas we played them in. The scoring margins tell the true tale. I'd like to see the fight we showed vs Creighton. At least we gave ourselves somewhat of a chance rhat night.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
Well if this season spirals I could see the pressure putting things over the top for him to step down. I could see him taking a break from coaching to follow his youngest kid as he goes to play ball somewhere else. Wouldn't surprise me at all. I'm not sure I'd predict that yet but we'll see.
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No. This is not going to happen. And, it should not.
 
Well Huck, after reading so many of your post, it seems to be you are perfectly happy with a 500 record in BB and FB. You either attack other posters who want better or give them a "yawn". You are very happy with a good season, but Kirk and Fran have to be the head coaches. Kirk has done a great job while he has been here, and Fran sure was an upgrade from Lick. I'm not sure about Kirk but I feel at the end is nearing for Fran. Just my opinion of course.
 
BILLYBOBSTEXAS said:
Well Huck, after reading so many of your post, it seems to be you are perfectly happy with a 500 record in BB and FB. You either attack other posters who want better or give them a "yawn". You are very happy with a good season, but Kirk and Fran have to be the head coaches. Kirk has done a great job while he has been here, and Fran sure was an upgrade from Lick. I'm not sure about Kirk but I feel at the end is nearing for Fran. Just my opinion of course.
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Nope. Not happy with 500 records. I have made myself clear that the football staff needs desperately to implement changes in the O. I was happy to see Brian leave, we need good QB play, as well as receivers. That is ultimately KF’s responsibility.
Fran has kept Iowa in the top 4 or 5 in a brutal conference. His teams are fun to watch. I have complained along with everyone else that our D and even more so, rebounding are glaring weaknesses. I had a season ticket through Alford and Lackluster. Yuk. Perspective from experience is a good teacher.
The posters I argue with are those who have only one thing to say: Fire the coaches. If you think it is that simple, you need to grow up.
KF will retire here pretty much on his terms . I am good with that, but his legacy needs badly to improve the O.
If Fran leaves, it will likely be of his own accord. Good luck with that hire. His players love him, he cares about them, and he has had some damn good ones.
Me, attack? No, just blunt to save time. Yawn? That is my ongoing response to those who are black and white in their views and masters of hyperbole.
 
HuckFinn said:
No. This is not going to happen. And, it should not.
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I don't think it's a matter of should or not. I don't think Iowa would force him out he's got time left on his contract and things aren't so dire that they'd fire him. My hypothetical is about him making a choice for himself at this point in his career and life. I'm not predicting he'll do it yet but at his age and everything that's going on it'd make sense.
 
Fran has done well enough, to not get a bunch of heat this year. We however can still be disappointed in the overall quality of the roster. I do like Freeman, Harding, Krikke. Dembele, Bowen and Dix will get better. All of them need to add 30 lbs of muscle though, lol.
 
rschneider said:
Fran has done well enough, to not get a bunch of heat this year. We however can still be disappointed in the overall quality of the roster. I do like Freeman, Harding, Krikke. Dembele, Bowen and Dix will get better. All of them need to add 30 lbs of muscle though, lol.
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I agree with this in terms of the quality of the roster. Where Fran will get heat, and deservedly so, is the fact that defense has been and continues to be a struggle and you simply can't outscore everyone. The recruiting is going to be an issue because while young and loaded with some potential, defensive needs are still not being addressed. I'm not saying Fran needs to go, but I see a great deal of similarities between the basketball and football team in terms of glaring issues being ignored on one side of the ball. I'm sorry but I don't see why in Iowa athletics we struggle with the mentality that both offense and defense are important with respect to the success of a program.
 
I don't think Fran has earned the right to be fired, but I do think there is a chance he would leave for another program if given the chance.

-The Roster is terrible this year. Or you could say young in spots.
-They still can't play defense
-Offense is contained against good teams.
-Still no Sweet 16s or better (even with his best team at Iowa).
-Attendance is bad at Carver
-Momma Fran does not like her boys being picked on.

Personally, I think he has maxed out on what he can do here. But, his body of work does not warrent a firing at this moment. This season would have to tank and probably another 1 or 2 for serious talk to happen.

I also wonder how much NIL is being spent on the basketball team? I'm guessing not a lot compared to the football team.
 
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Franny boy needs to put his feet up, in his senior years and go back to a mid-major, win the below the belt conference, make the NC two double AA's maybe upset a 4 seed once and awhile. Just like the ole days.
 
Oh, forgot to mention, his new package at the new school, should have some bucks in there for anger management classes, ay yi yi, Franny boy!
 
Agreed, that act is getting way too old, Beth is embarrassed by it on behalf of the U, fans are getting tired of it, if I were a player, I would be tired of it, not that it would have made a difference, cost the team 4 points on Sunday.
 
HaydenHawk56 said:
I don't think Fran has earned the right to be fired, but I do think there is a chance he would leave for another program if given the chance.

-The Roster is terrible this year. Or you could say young in spots.
-They still can't play defense
-Offense is contained against good teams.
-Still no Sweet 16s or better (even with his best team at Iowa).
-Attendance is bad at Carver
-Momma Fran does not like her boys being picked on.

Personally, I think he has maxed out on what he can do here. But, his body of work does not warrent a firing at this moment. This season would have to tank and probably another 1 or 2 for serious talk to happen.

I also wonder how much NIL is being spent on the basketball team? I'm guessing not a lot compared to the football team.
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Not deserving of being fired is true but there is always a time for a change situation. When a Barta extends him through 2027 you have to evaluate what you think is best to do. What would it be like by 2027. he certainly won't be coming back then and would be a lame duck as far as recruiting 2 years before. When is it best to start reworking. Unless you get lucky with a hot young coach might take a while to rebuild and add 2-3 years to that or get the process going sooner than later. Might not deserve to be gotten rid of but that is just his half of the story. What is best for the basketball program is more important. You have to stick with him till 2027 with the AD that gave that deal is gone and how the conference will be changing is not something I feel they are obligated to do esp. if it pushes us back.
 
Northside Hawk said:
Don't be surprised if the next time he gets tossed from a game is his last.
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I feel like against Michigan, he knew we were going to lose that game. In a last ditch effort he decided to make an impact by getting tossed. Coach knows it's going to be sub par year.

Don't know if he actually tried coaching throughout the game or just gave up and do what he knows how to do.
 
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