The Search: Looking Westward & Discontentment

[tystan03]

I think it is time that Iowa basketball goes in a completely new direction. I think we need to look at a young coach. Maybe someone who hasn't even been a head coach yet. Someone who is known on the national stage, can recruit any player from any part of the country, and has a history of winning wherever he was at.

I think we need to hire Rodney Terry. Top assistant coach from the University of Texas. He was influential in the recruitment of Kevin Durant, DJ Augustin, Damion James, Dexter Pittman, Avery Bradley, LaMarcus Aldridge, etc. He has been there for 8 years and has had unbelievable success.

If we want to make a change to exciting basketball and be a player on a national stage we would go after Rodney Terry and we would give him whatever he needs to be successful.

 

[Tmoney12]

Here is the latest from ESPN this morning
Iowa may look at Stew Morrill
10:55AM ET
Iowa Hawkeyes
Top Email
Fresh blood needed in Iowa City

* Ben Jacobson - Victory over Kansas should shoot him to the top of the list, if he wasn't there already.
* Joe Dooley - Currently available for interviews, thanks to Jacobson.
* Bruce Pearl - Also in the Sweet 16, not likely to bolt Tennessee.
* Keno Davis - "I'm not interested in that [Iowa] job and I've let everybody know it."
* Brad Stevens - Does Stevens become the next Butler coach to take his gig to the Big Ten?
* Lon Kruger - UNLV coach was considered the last go-around; is he again in the mix?
* Stew Morrill - Underrated Utah State coach would create a winner in Iowa City.
* Brian Gregory - The Dayton head coach has built a contender in the A-10, but could do more with Iowa's resources.
* Paul Lusk - Purdue asst. is little-known, but could be the right fit.
* Chris Mooney - Nabbed a high seed for Richmond this season. A hot name for sure.
* Seth Greenberg - Virginia Tech head coach may grow tired of being ACC stepchild.
* Steve Forbes - If Pearl flatly denies interest, maybe Barta targets his assistant?

Ben Jacobson made the strongest statement possible Saturday evening, but he didn't use any words. The Northern Iowa head coach was already a top candidate for the in-state job at Iowa, but his team's victory over the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks means he should be on the hot list for every open job in the country.

Jacobson has shown an ability to recruit the right players, put them in the right schemes, and motivate them to play hard. It's tough to ask more of a head coach at any level.

Since Jacobson is busy preparing for the Sweet 16, Iowa may want to at least take a look at KU assistant Joe Dooley, who became suddenly and shockingly available after Saturday's NCAA loss to the Panthers.

Iowa fans seem to still be interested in big names like Keno Davis, who has denied interest in the job, or Bruce Pearl, who has the Tennessee Volunteers in the Sweet 16 right now.

No doubt Iowa would love to move fast to fill their opening and get on the recruiting trail. Thinking long-term, however, Jacobson would certainly appear to be worth the wait.

NAME

Stew Morrill at Utah State hasn't been mentioned yet.

"The Hawkeyes formed a search committee on campus. This isn't a search for a new professor. The basketball coach must be a fantastic recruiter and energize a sleeping fan base at this moment. But they also need a proven coach. That's why the Hawkeyes could do no wrong with Utah State's Stew Morrill or Dayton's Brian Gregory. According to sources, both would listen if called. Morrill has been one of the most underrated coaches in the country for over a decade. Gregory has Dayton as an A-10 contender. Gregory was once in the Big Ten as an assistant under Tom Izzo."

College Basketball Rumors - Rumor Central -NCAA - ESPN

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

If Washington was basketball royalty, they'd pay a coach who is in the sweet 16 once again and brought home the first conference title in 50+ years more than a million. Isn't that about what Creighton pays?

If Barta and Romar are buddies, they should at least go through the interview process to get him Romar a fat raise.

I'll only grant you that Iowa is a worse job if they don't offer much more than what they were paying Lick. But by some accounts, for someone of Romar's stature, they may be willing to pay $2.5 million a year. Double your salary and play in front of twice as many fans? Not exactly armpit at that point.

 

[HawkAttack]

So what you're saying is... we have a chance!

LOL...I knew someone was going to reply with this when I hit 'post'

 

[WestCoastHawk]

If Washington was basketball royalty, they'd pay a coach who is in the sweet 16 once again and brought home the first conference title in 50+ years more than a million. Isn't that about what Creighton pays?

If Barta and Romar are buddies, they should at least go through the interview process to get him Romar a fat raise.

I'll only grant you that Iowa is a worse job if they don't offer much more than what they were paying Lick. But by some accounts, for someone of Romar's stature, they may be willing to pay $2.5 million a year. Double your salary and play in front of twice as many fans? Not exactly armpit at that point.

That's the thing.

UW is such a basketball school that they don't have to pay someone bank to want to coach there.

It's a privilege to have the UW job even if you are making "only" 1 million a year.

 

[joemc1]

God; guess I overlokked Washington when I think of Duke, N Carolina, Kentucky, Mich St, Villanova, Syracuse and about 10-15 more that I waould associate BB success more than U of W- in fact how about U of Wisconsin as a better program.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

That's the thing.

UW is such a basketball school that they don't have to pay someone bank to want to coach there.

It's a privilege to have the UW job even if you are making "only" 1 million a year.

Maybe - but I also think that's a good way to lose a great coach. And precisely the type of attitude (in addition to several million more dollars in guaranteed money) that could make Romar restless.

 

[cibula11]

I'm getting sick of hearing about "up and coming" coaches. The main problem with that is that they haven't arrived YET. You don't guarantee anything with these coaches. We can look at what would be a good fit, but I cannot stand hearing about Jacobsen to Iowa and every other mid level coach who has done a good job where they are at. It's an ENTIRELY different field in the Big 10, especially at Iowa. We CANNOT afford to do anything expect hire a CURRENT coach with BIG BANG potential.....bottom line.

 

[Billso]

I live in Seattle.

Although their attendance isn't Big 10 level, Seattle loves UW basketball.

I've lived here 20 years... and no. Not_even_close to the interest in Seahawks, Mariners and Husky football. BofA/Hec-Edmundson arena holds just 10,000, and they averaged 8,875 last year. A little higher this year, but still had 10 non-sellouts.

In this metro area of 3.3 million, most couldn't tell you a single player on the Husky bball team. But most know of Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker, and 99% know Ichiro.

Still, I can't imagine Romar going to Iowa, we agree there.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

I'm getting sick of hearing about "up and coming" coaches. The main problem with that is that they haven't arrived YET. You don't guarantee anything with these coaches. We can look at what would be a good fit, but I cannot stand hearing about Jacobsen to Iowa and every other mid level coach who has done a good job where they are at. It's an ENTIRELY different field in the Big 10, especially at Iowa. We CANNOT afford to do anything expect hire a CURRENT coach with BIG BANG potential.....bottom line.

How many coaches are guaranteed to be successful at Iowa? Maybe five, ten in the whole country? And guys like those, Self, Izzo, Calipari, aren't coming to Iowa. We're not going to get a proven winner at a big time school to leave for Iowa, it just doesn't happen. Only the elite college basketball schools hire coaches that way. Iowa will go after a big time assistant or a mid major like almost every other major conference school.

 

[splash]

As a Seattle resident, I've watched Romar operate and he is terrific. Class act, personable but humble, great coach and recruiter and teacher of young men. When our job opened up and I got to thinking "who is the Kirk Ferentz of b-ball", Lorenzo Romar came immediately to mind.

Hard to imagine him leaving his alma mater, but... The facilities are just ok, the newly-remodeled arena is still smallish and pales in comparison to most Big Ten arenas including Carver, the fan intensity isn't really there and never will be compared to UW football, Seahawks and Mariners... and he only makes $1mm.

But he's a native Californian, UW alum, and apart from those 3 yrs at St. Louis has spent his entire career on the west coast.

I'm a Washington alum living in Seattle, and I thought I should speak up now to save everybody from a letdown if they think Iowa has a legitimate shot at Romar. While I wouldn't say it is zero, it is probably a less than 1% chance, and here's why:

Compensation: Romar's guaranteed $1.1 million package may be a bit on the low end for elite national coaches, but it is loaded with incentives: There is another $200,000 in bonuses and incentives for on-court and classroom success, and $200,000 in deferred compensation, meaning the total potential value is $1.505 million per year.

Security: His contract is guaranteed through 2016 at the moment. His buyout clause is $700k for each year remaining on his contract, so he would currently be owed $4.2 million if he were to be fired. He would only owe the school $1 million if he left for another Pac-10 job.

Expectations: He can stay at UW as long as he wants. He has proven himself as a coach and as a person, and I doubt there is a single person close to the UW athletic department who would suggest he wasn't the perfect fit for the program. Most fans are thrilled just to be in the NCAA tournament conversation every year. He is already the 2nd winningest coach in the program's history, and has more postseason appearances than any other.

Location: Romar grew up in Compton, CA and he regularly takes the relatively short (2.5 hour) flight from Seattle to visit his mother as well as recruit the LA hoops scene.

Facilities: Under his tenure at UW, the administration has proven their loyalty to Romar by remodeling the arena, building new practice facilities, and renovated the basketball locker rooms. This is in addition to the other athletics-wide improvements like dining/study facilities. In the Pac-10 the facilities are currently top-tier. Only USC's and perhaps Arizona's are nicer at the moment.

Fans: Washington has the loudest basketball fans in the Pac-10. They're probably on par with BigTen fans. The arena seats a cozy 10,000 and is the only big-time basketball in town now that the Sonics have left.

Loyalty: Romar is coaching at his alma mater. His daughter is a cheerleader. Romar was on the hiring committee when the athletic director was hired. In short, he is the dean of coaches in the Pac-10, coaching at his alma mater with 100% administrative backing. Could he leave? Sure, anything's possible, but I suspect the only job he would seriously give any hard thought to would be the one at UCLA.

 

[splash]

Maybe - but I also think that's a good way to lose a great coach. And precisely the type of attitude (in addition to several million more dollars in guaranteed money) that could make Romar restless.

Ben Howland only makes 1.3 million a year at UCLA. You think he's getting restless?

 

[GravyJones]

Ben Howland only makes 1.3 million a year at UCLA. You think he's getting restless?

Actually, yes.

 

[splash]

Actually, yes.

Why? And don't say it's because he had an awful season this year and the fans hate him. They'd be willing to follow Howland off of a cliff after three back-to-back final fours. Granted, if he can't sustain that knd of success there will be some grumbling, but he's got at least a year or two to turn things around, plus a renovation to Pauly Pavillion that's starting this summer.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

Splash, good insight on Romar. I agree, it is a stretch and all speculation that he might be restless. But still, even with the incentives that bring his package to $1.5 million, it's not out of the realm of possibility that with incentives, Iowa could offer $3 million a year. Don't underestimate the appeal of doubling one's salary and becoming the second or third most recognizable figure in the state. In comparison, does anyone even recognize Romar when he goes into a grocery store in Seattle more than a few blocks from campus? Probably not. Maybe he likes that.

All said, I agree, total long shot. But I never saw Tubby going to Minnesota, either. I know, very different reasons, but my point is we don't know which big-time coaches may have had their agents reach out to search firms in recent months because of some discontentment or interest in a change of scenery.

 

[superdeluxe]

A poster mentioned that Romar and Barta might help each other out. Barta getting a Big name coach like Romar to interview, and Romar being able to leverage that into a Pay Raise. Win/Win for everyone. Romar can get a few more dollars from UW, and Barta has a 'name' coach interviewing for the job.

But Romar I don't think would leave for Iowa.

 

[homes]

Actually, yes.

Howland is an L.A. guy. He's not going anywhere unless he's asked to by UCLA.

 

[HuskyAlum]

Hey folks, greetings from Seattle. You may be interested to know that a link to this conversation was included in a Seattle Times blog today, and I followed it here.

Splash has already said most of what I was going to say (well done, Splash). I guess I would add that, while I wouldn't say I "know" coach Romar, I have met him and spoke with him on several occasions and I don't believe that a cash incentive, in and of itself, would be enough to get him out to Iowa. He's simply not that kind of a guy...which is just one of the reasons why he's such a great coach/person.

Iowa basketball right now is very much comparable to Washington Football the year before last. A nice tradition of winning that has, quite frankly, gone very much into the crapper, currently. Washington's football tradition is, forgive me for this, probably slightly more distinguished than Iowa basketball, but the comparison holds. When Washington was looking for its new head football coach, we alums were throwing out a number of names which were, quite frankly, not realistic given the situation and I think that may be the case here as well. In our case, Washington went with a young, hungry, talented individual in Steve Sarkisian, and is already reaping some benefits there.

If Iowa can pull a true A-Lister like Dixon, more power to you! I wish you luck. If not, I hope that Iowa will look for an up and comer as opposed to recycling one of the standard names (i.e. Tim Floyd).

As for Romar, his salary may not be ginormous, currently, and BOA Arena may not hold 30,000, but he has the benefit of potentially staying at Washington for his entire coaching career if he wishes...he has built, in this short amount of time, that much goodwill in Seattle. The one thing that worries me is that UW has always been, and will always be, a football school first and foremost, and someday Romar may grow tired of being second fiddle. That said, while UW Basketball may not be as visible in Washington State as, say, the Seahawks are, among UW alums Romar is now absolutely revered. No way does Washington let him go without countering any offer.

The only potential jobs I could ever see Romar leaving for would be UCLA or, perhaps, USC, having grown up there. USC is unlikely as he would have the same second-fiddle issues there.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts as an alum with some knowledge of the Program here at UW. I wish you guys the best in your coaching search.