Hawkeye Hoops Needs More Help
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IOWA CITY, Iowa - A lot of changes have occurred since 1998. They include my waistline and hair color, and not for the better.
The Iowa men's basketball program has changed during the last quarter century. It just hasn't changed near enough. It was evident again during Thursday's 90-78 Big Ten Tournament loss to Ohio State
The vibe around the program feels a lot like it did back then. There's apathy affecting attendance numbers. When that happens, the first finger is pointed at the head coach.
That happened Thursday night on social media. An unquantifiable portion of the fan base called for Fran McCaffery's removal. Some of the posse didn't know any better, blaming one person and missing history.
The sentiment led to Dr. Tom Davis' dismissal back in '98. It was said change was needed to take the program to "the next level."
Essentially, current disgruntled Hawkeye followers are repeating the refrain from '98. Consistently good is nice, but it's not enough.
Maybe a coaching change would bring satisfaction. We don't know. We do know the odds of it happening aren't great.
The person replacing McCaffery will be facing similar obstacles to what he and Davis encountered. Iowa basketball lacks support from its athletic department and fan base when compared to the competition.
Labeling Carver-Hawkeye Arena as dated is being kind. Little has changed for the average fan experience since Davis walked the sideline.
For many folks, it's a hike to the bathrooms and concessions with long lines upon arrival. Accessibility is challenging with only one public elevator. The call for moving the student section stretches back to the '90s, at least.
It took way too long to build a practice facility. And the investment paled in comparison to the new wrestling facility or the indoor football facility.
The NIL contributions for men's basketball lag behind the competition. Inside its own department, other programs and the athletic department as a whole vie for a limited amount of dollars. This ain't Michigan or Ohio State.
There's only so much green to go around, which isn't a new concept. And men's basketball sits farther down the Hawkeye hierarch of importance than at most other Big Ten schools. That's likely not changing anytime soon.
McCaffery and Iowa Football coach Kirk Ferentz are fairly equal when it comes to on-field success rate. It's generally not viewed that way around here, but numbers tell a story.
Let's begin the comparison by chopping off the first two years of their respective tenures. Even though basketball was in worse shape, they both inherited programs in serious need of help. We'll also eliminate the Covid year, which cost both programs postseason appearances.
After removing those three seasons, Ferentz has guided the Hawkeyes to an impressive 21 bowl games in 23 years. It's been one of the most consistent programs in the country during that time.
Iowa reached the NCAA Tournament seven times in the 10 years under McCaffery that we didn't eliminate. That's 70 percent compared to Ferentz's 91.3.
The problem with stopping there is that it's not an even comparison. March Madness includes 68 of 362 Division I programs or 18.8 percent. There are 130 FBS football teams with 86 or 66.2 percent of them reaching bowls.
Hawkeye basketball has finished in the upper division of the Big Ten regular-season standings in 11 of the last 12 seasons. Only Michigan State pulled it off every year during that time.
Iowa's four-year run of NCAA Tourneys likely came to an end with Thursday's loss but that still represents the second-longest streak in school history. It's competed in seven of the last nine tourneys.
Michigan State has reached the last 25 NCAA Tournaments. Michigan and Purdue have made it in eight of the last nine. Iowa and Ohio State are next at 7 of 9.
Hawkeye Football also is enjoying a similar run during that time in respect to conference opponents. Maybe if Ferentz and McCaffery were replaced today Iowa would win more. Don't bet on it.
We can further debate who's more successful between the coaches some other time. That's not the main point.
They're close enough for us to know the head coach isn't the reason the program hasn't reached the Sweet 16 since Davis' last season. Yes, that's right, the last trip to the second weekend was led by a lame-duck coach.
That's the point. This predicament is not a new one for longtime Iowa men's basketball fans. It's eerily reminiscent of where the program sat in '98 and during different periods of time since then.
You may not like it, but the commitment to men's basketball makes it a tough place to win at the highest level. We have a pretty darn big sample size of evidence showing it.
Move the student section. If that means the media sits at the top of the aren, so be it.
Put vendors in the stands. Add restrooms. Get creative with promotions.
Oh yeah, almost forgot, let's not compare the men's and women's basketball programs. The latter is selling out because a generational talent makes it the best it's ever been and must-see entertainment. It's awesome. It's also not easily replicated.
So, how do the Hawkeyes catch up with modern times in men's hoops? Well, fans play a big part these days. The Swarm NIL collective earmarks donations of at least $1,000 a shot or $100 a month.
Jamison Battle has been one of Ohio State's top players this season. He netted 23 second-half points Thursday in his hometown of Minneapolis. Where would the Buckeyes have been without him?
Maybe we would know had NIL not intervened. He averaged 15 points a game during the last two seasons at Minnesota before entering the transfer portal and resurfacing in Columbus.
Hopefully new Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz is a student of her men's basketball program's history. Then she'll see that the path to reaching greater heights starts with a bigger investment in it.
