The Fran Conundrum

[NikeHawk21]

That's kind of a ridiculous expectation. I would bet a lot of top 30 recruits don't lead their state in at least one category unless their name is Shaquille O'Neal. Plus, Patrick isn't a top 30 recruit, so I don't know why this is even a discussion.

He’s 30 on rivals, 38 on 247 composite, and 30 on ESPN.

 

[tksirius]

That's kind of a ridiculous expectation. I would bet a lot of top 30 recruits don't lead their state in at least one category unless their name is Shaquille O'Neal. Plus, Patrick isn't a top 30 recruit, so I don't know why this is even a discussion.

Here is where PMac stands in 4A Iowa for juniors:

PPG: 5th place
Steals per game: 8th place
Rbds per game: 11th place
Blocks per game: 15th place
Assists per game: 23rd place

That's only in the state of Iowa folks. Not a Top 30 recruit. Sorry.

 

[InGoodCo]

Here is where PMac stands in 4A Iowa for juniors:

PPG: 5th place
Steals per game: 8th place
Rbds per game: 11th place
Blocks per game: 15th place
Assists per game: 23rd place

That's only in the state of Iowa folks. Not a Top 30 recruit. Sorry.

So why is he ranked that high? All the major services are wrong? Who has him ranked the lowest? It would seem that several places are whiffing on him

 

[InGoodCo]

and also - would you be able to come on here and shed this light without the current state of team?

 

[Joshbrown]

This is off the deep end. I think this the Freshman and Sophomore class, along with more guards can compete for the NCAA tournament next year. How can you say that these guys are peaking at age 20? Had Uthoff peaked after his Sophomore year when he was flat out not good? Jok ? White? None of those guys were playing any better then the guys you listed that have peaked at this point in their careers. They played on better teams, with better upperclassman. How are the McCaffery boys already over rated? Connor hasn't played but for a few minutes this season while being injured and sick. Where in the world would that even be something that can be gleaned at this point? Patrick is ranked as a borderline 5 star before his junior year of HS.

Weiskamp may have committed to the school, but firing the HC right before he arrives would definitely open his mind I imagine.

Fran deserves all the heat he's getting, I am all about dishing it out. Disgusted...but, ya can't let it swing that far to the side imo

This is an argument for the Ferentz model.
Once every 5 years something special will happen.
But Fran hasn't shown he can even do that.
The longer Fran stays the more likely it is Barta gives him an unbreakable contract.
Then the two revenue sports would both be controlled by under-achievers with no solution in sight.

 

[theboat]

An Andre Woolridge type player would help this team set up the offense and defense.

So all Iowa needs is a point guard that leads the league in scoring and assists? Has anyone checked the local rec?

I get your point, but woolridge isn’t the example. I’d take Pierre pierce, without all the rapiness.

 

[Knight78]

I meant CM. And Joe looks great against shitty Eastern Iowa competition. Hopefully that translates to B1G play, but you're crazy if you think he'll be in impact player immediately (which is what this team needs).

On the 247 site, they have an article about the NBA Top 100 camp that Wieskamp attended last summer here's a line that may surprise you "Another committed player, Joe Wieskamp is going to score a whole lot of points for Iowa during his career there. A smooth athlete with savvy at 6-5, Wieskamp is a lethal shooter. He is averaging 12. 7 points per game on 67 percent shooting from the field including 46 percent from three."

So at the NBA Top 100 camp, he's averaging 13 points and shooting very well against the best in the country. It may take him a bit to find himself at Iowa, but I believe Joe will make an immediate impact. And yes, he plays defense.

 

[InGoodCo]

my whole point is it's easy to pile on, I get the feeling it's happening a lil here. Maybe I am wrong. But everything is bad now for Iowa hoops. The players, the coaches, the incoming recruits, the Gatorade they drink in breaks is actually Crystal Lite.

 

[tksirius]

and also - would you be able to come on here and shed this light without the current state of team?

I was saying PMac was overrated before this season even started, bud.

 

[dwghawk]

What? Are all those people who rank these players drunk?

 

[tksirius]

my whole point is it's easy to pile on, I get the feeling it's happening a lil here. Maybe I am wrong. But everything is bad now for Iowa hoops. The players, the coaches, the incoming recruits, the Gatorade they drink in breaks is actually Crystal Lite.

Nope. Wieskamp is a stud. PMac is more of what we already have too much of on this team and Fredrick looks to be another Ellingson clone.

 

[NikeHawk21]

So why is he ranked that high? All the major services are wrong? Who has him ranked the lowest? It would seem that several places are whiffing on him

Did you see my above post about Connor? At one point he was ranked very high. Did he regress, did other players pass him by, or was he slightly overrated? Probably a combination.

My guess is Pat will end up ranked in the 75-150 level when all is said and done.

 

[Knight78]

My own two eyes. Have you watched him play? No way in hell is he top 30 in the country. That's ridiculous.

I don't know about his rating, but I did watch the IC West / Muscatine substate game last year. No one on the IC West squad could guard Joe. But Patrick played quite well, better than Connor in that game IMO. Patrick was the second best player on the floor that game.

I also caught the Muscatine / Bettendorf game last year. No one could guard Joe then either. He went by and over Carton like Carton was an 8th grader.

 

[InGoodCo]

I was saying PMac was overrated before this season even started, bud.

Cool, and I believe that you were... it's just easier now I suppose to question everything. FWIW - Patrick has played well in AAU ball against tougher competition and that's how he's been ranked that highly.

 

[tksirius]

I don't know about his rating, but I did watch the IC West / Muscatine substate game last year. No one on the IC West squad could guard Joe. But Patrick played quite well, better than Connor in that game IMO. Patrick was the second best player on the floor that game.

I also caught the Muscatine / Bettendorf game last year. No one could guard Joe then either. He went by and over Carton like Carton was an 8th grader.

Yeah, I'm not claiming that Joe is overrated.

 

[InGoodCo]

Did you see my above post about Connor? At one point he was ranked very high. Did he regress, did other players pass him by, or was he slightly overrated? Probably a combination.

My guess is Pat will end up ranked in the 75-150 level when all is said and done.

He started out on ESPN's top 25 at 25 and ended up 99. That still makes him in the top 10 recruits to come to Iowa in the last 20 years right?

Edit* this is with the disclaimer that it was ESPN that ranked him that highly and got the train started.

 

[InGoodCo]

and it's cool that you guys are of the opinion that they are over rated. That's fine. I am not saying your wrong or right cause I don't feel that I am qualified to say at this point but you guys feel you are so cool

 

[Knight78]

See above^^

I'll add that one would expect a "Top 30" recruit to lead his state & class in at least one category, which he does not. Patrick McCaffery is most definitely not a Top 30 recruit. He is the most overrated recruit in the country.

You do realize that the top recruit in the nation is averaging 21 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3 assists per game, right? Not enough to lead any state in any category. Yet he is the 247 #1 overall recruit.

 

[Robowe]

Here's an article from June about Patrick. There's an assessment from a Rivals analyst as part of the article. I have no idea if this is accurate or not ... just putting it out there.

http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sp...tball-recruiting-nbpa-top-100-camp/409907001/

Eric Bossi, a national basketball analyst for Rivals, was on hand at the Top 100 Camp. He said McCaffery proved he belonged.

"Athletically and skill-wise and just overall ability, he looked more than at home and in his element," Bossi said. "Traditionally, the rising juniors at that camp struggle a little bit just because they’re younger and not as experienced at these things. But he did a good job. He ran the floor, he filled lanes, had a few really nice dunks, weaving through traffic. Certainly proved he’s a guy that if you leave him alone outside, he can make you pay for that.

"He looks like a legitimate top-25 player in the country at this point.”

 

[longtimer]

So I found myself agreeing with this position “if Iowa doesn’t make the NCAA tournament next year we should fire Fran.” However when you think about it more does that really make sense?

Look at the team we are watching this year, does anyone think they have any chance of making the tournament next year? By all accounts Weiskamp is a big time player, but as a freshman is he really going to come in and all the sudden solidify our perimeter defense? Unlikely. Cmac won’t help there either. Is Garza going to turn into the rim protector we hoped he could be? Cook hasn’t improved much on defense this year, and it’s unlikely Garza gets much more fleet of foot, a guy who struggles with positioning and is slow of foot is going to continue to have issues in my estimation. Moss is in his 3rd year on campus now, and he still doesn’t know how to use a screen to get himself open, I don’t see that changing. Pemsl and JBo are basically at their basketball ceilings.

I think the only realistic route to the tournament next year would be if Ellingson grad transfers and Fran can land a legit grad transfer or JUCO guard. The chances of that happening are unfortunately very very slim.

Maybe the argument is Fran has earned one more year because he pulled us from the depths. But other than that I don’t see any reason to wait until after next year to move on. If we do that our 2019 recruiting class would likely completely fall apart. Btw the MCaf boys are not program changers. Connor was extremely overrated at every level, and likely a mid major type player, and Pat might be a P5 player when he develops, but he is in no way a blue chipper. As far as Weiskamp goes I think he committed to the school, and I think a potential new coach could keep him on board.

We know nothing will happen with Barta at the helm, so this is a hypothetical, but this is about being proactive, as much as it pains me to say it, I think it’s time to move on.

I agree totally with your post but I'm not sure I would call it a conundrum. I don't think there should be any question at this point. We will end up at the bottom of the Big Ten and really don't have a realistic chance at the tournament next year, and I fear we will be talking about this same thing next time next year.