Tough day for EIU hoops hopes

[cyfanatic]

EIU is not going to be able to get a more qualified coach to come there than the Drake coach. This is not football and there are few coaches with talent thinking "I always wanted to coach at EIU. Look at where everyone of the preceding coaches came from, none were D1 coaches, always successful coaches from the lower rank that tend to be in their 30's. They are hoping to catch a person that is young, will be successful and stay there for 20 years.

I don't think we know what Iowa wants...it is a new administration. Iowa is an attractive job for more than a few reasons...even though I despise the their programs. A great hire will compete in that league...might not win a title but there is no reason a great hire couldn't get that program near the top of their league (it is not the Big 10 of the 80s/90s)! If that job opens...there will be plenty of candidates wanting that position...it will be up to the new AD to decide which type of candidates will get serious consideration (young, experience as HC, long-tenured asst elsewhere, etc).

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

There's a bit of tea leaf reading.
Iowa is not having a good season, and is almost assuredly not making the tournament. Attendance is terrible. Fran's youngest has announced that he's not going to play at Iowa. A lot of the fan base is not happy with the current staff. There's a new AD in town, so it would seem like a coaching change could be coming.

BUT, Fran's contract goes out a few years still. And he's the winningest coach in the history of the program, and has made the tournament a lot recently.

I think fans and probably the AD, would like to see him step down. It certainly would be a lot cheaper for the school. But does Fran want to do that? Could/would they fire him? Can they afford not to?

In both football and BB there is a segment of their fan base that is tired of their current head coach and would like to see them retire. This group believes that both Freerents and Mad Fran will be willing to walk away from millions owed to them if they are fired because they love the university and see it as a good will gesture to EIU and the fan base from both coaches. It's a crazy idea, but they do not want to pay the buyouts if they are fired.

EIU will give Fran a couple more years at least, in my opinion, because they do not want to seem like one of the schools that rushes to fire a coach.

 

[VeloClone]

Agree, its a great job, only gig in town, 1 hell of an arena. And the Big East is a good/great conference. I am sure Greg is making nice coin as well.

And a midwest guy being able to coach at a high level just 4 1/2 hours from where he grew up is nice for him. As of last NCAA tournament his parents were still alive and being close to parents who are both about 90 is valuable.

Obviously this doesn't preclude taking the Iowa job. Iowa City is quite a bit closer to Cascade than Omaha.

 

[KennyPratt42]

Unless Fran and the AD have a falling out seems like after next season would be the soonest they would fire him. 60% of base salary remaining isn’t that prohibitive, even after this season. But after this season would seem like a pretty short leash unless the AD is just looking to put her stamp on the department.

 

[cyfanatic]

In both football and BB there is a segment of their fan base that is tired of their current head coach and would like to see them retire. This group believes that both Freerents and Mad Fran will be willing to walk away from millions owed to them if they are fired because they love the university and see it as a good will gesture to EIU and the fan base from both coaches. It's a crazy idea, but they do not want to pay the buyouts if they are fired.

EIU will give Fran a couple more years at least, in my opinion, because they do not want to seem like one of the schools that rushes to fire a coach.

I agree that Fran will be there beyond this season...but if he is not...it will because he chose to walk away.

 

[VeloClone]

Some speculation about the youngest McCaffrey not being a take for ND here. If he isn't offered a scholly do you think he would walk on there? The McCaffreys have a lot of history with ND. Marge was captain of ND's first NCAA Tourney team and Fran was an assistant there. That is actually where they met.

If he did walk on Fran would have to figure out a way to scrape together enough money to pay his way through college, but I'm sure they could figure something out.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

I agree that Fran will be there beyond this season...but if he is not...it will because he chose to walk away.

Why would he walk away? He has been there 14 seasons, and has a contract that runs through the 2027/28 season and is currently making 3.3 million a year, the last year of the deal he will be making 3.7 million. No coach is going to walk away from that much money.

Fran McCaffery signs contract extension with Iowa through 2027-28 season

McCaffery will be 68 years old when his latest contract extension expires.

www.hawkcentral.com

 

[cytor]

Fran deserves a lifetime contract. He's earned it.

 

[mwwbbfan]

Some speculation about the youngest McCaffrey not being a take for ND here. If he isn't offered a scholly do you think he would walk on there? The McCaffreys have a lot of history with ND. Marge was captain of ND's first NCAA Tourney team and Fran was an assistant there. That is actually where they met.

If he did walk on Fran would have to figure out a way to scrape together enough money to pay his way through college, but I'm sure they could figure something out.

NO IDEA what kind of student he is but getting admitted to ND is not an easy thing to do. Guessing walk-ons would not get a favorable lean from the admissions dept.

 

[cycloner29]

Will love to see the financials on the Iowa Womens team compared to the Men's team this year. The Iowa Women's team has had to have helped all the away universities they have played at financially to a small degree with all the sellout crowds.

 

[Clonefan32]

There's a bit of tea leaf reading.
Iowa is not having a good season, and is almost assuredly not making the tournament. Attendance is terrible. Fran's youngest has announced that he's not going to play at Iowa. A lot of the fan base is not happy with the current staff. There's a new AD in town, so it would seem like a coaching change could be coming.

BUT, Fran's contract goes out a few years still. And he's the winningest coach in the history of the program, and has made the tournament a lot recently.

I think fans and probably the AD, would like to see him step down. It certainly would be a lot cheaper for the school. But does Fran want to do that? Could/would they fire him? Can they afford not to?

My guess is they are hoping to get a McDermott style bailout. Fran senses job security may become an issue and starts looking for another gig, even if it's a lateral move. They get to move on from Fran without the buyout.

 

[VeloClone]

NO IDEA what kind of student he is but getting admitted to ND is not an easy thing to do. Guessing walk-ons would not get a favorable lean from the admissions dept.

Good information. I have found acceptance rates from various sources of 15.1, 15, 15, 15, 13, 12 and 11.9%. Regardless, quite selective. I wonder if there is a "preferred walk on" acceptance program in addition to their scholarship athlete one.

 

[CyCrazy]

In both football and BB there is a segment of their fan base that is tired of their current head coach and would like to see them retire. This group believes that both Freerents and Mad Fran will be willing to walk away from millions owed to them if they are fired because they love the university and see it as a good will gesture to EIU and the fan base from both coaches. It's a crazy idea, but they do not want to pay the buyouts if they are fired.

EIU will give Fran a couple more years at least, in my opinion, because they do not want to seem like one of the schools that rushes to fire a coach.

Its been 14 years, does he need 20?

 

[Cyforce]

This thread has been crashing along for a while and I admit it got lost in the shuffle for me. I have a question, though -

From the last 2-3 pages it sounds like people believe Fran will be gone in short order. Have I missed something?

Personally, if the ND offer to Jack was actually pulled i bet we get Fran for another round of nepotism.

 

[Pope]

Are people scared of him? I think if you can win at Drake over an extended time which really I haven't seen happen for anyone outside of Devries, I think he can win at higher levels.

While Devries could win at the P5 level, it's not like it's a sure thing. I'd throw out McDermott to ISU and Lickliter to Iowa as two obvious examples.

 

[Pope]

Overton and Wright were really good gets this offseason.

If Deveries was hired this offseason I think there's a good chance Tucker would come with him for his last year. That would accelerate the rebuild. If goetz looked for more qualified candidates I'd be ok with it but Deveries is a really good fallback. I don't think there's another mid major coach that makes more sense.

If Tucker had to play in the Big 12, I'm doubtful he could even make 3rd team all conference. I'm sure he'd fare better in the Big 10, though.

 

[DSMCy]

Personally, if the ND offer to Jack was actually pulled i bet we get Fran for another round of nepotism.

ND hasn’t offered. Shrewsberry was just at a game recently and left without offering.

ND wants this guy. I guess if they miss on him, then Jack could be a back up option

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Its been 14 years, does he need 20?

The longer he is at EIU the better it is for ISU, is the way I look at it. EIU does not want to pay the buyout to can him, and then have to turn around and hire a new coach that is going to cost them more millions. For as much money as they have rolling in over there, they really seem to be spending it as fast as it comes in. Remember during Covid that EIU had to borrow money from the university to pay the bills, that was after all the coaches agreed to give back 10% of their salary, and did except freerents who said he would and never did.

 

[dahliaclone]

My opinion is that they’ve gotten so bad and fans are so apathetic they can’t afford to hope an up and coming mid major coach like DeVries will be a homerun. They will need more of a splash hire. Maybe a former power five coach that had success but retired recently and can come in for 2-3 years and groom whoever the long term hire might be.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Will love to see the financials on the Iowa Womens team compared to the Men's team this year. The Iowa Women's team has had to have helped all the away universities they have played at financially to a small degree with all the sellout crowds.

I really doubt they are making a killing on the woman's game. If you look at the financial statements of both ISU and EIU WBB is a money loser. Both schools are selling a lot of tickets, but they are priced at a fraction of what MBB tickets cost. The secondary market does not count or make money for the university. Hard to make much money when tickets through the university are ten bucks a ticket, it helps, but far less than one home football game.