DeVries tanking for Iowa?

[Sigmapolis]

EIU basketball is a good not a great job, they have had in the past a good home court crowd, just not the past few years. Their fan base is done with Fran, after 15 years they know he will tease them with making a run, and then the end, will fall flat on their faces. Give a new guy a year to get his people in, start playing defense and its a good job, is what I am saying.

I suppose some elements come down to what you think the Iowa fanbase would do with a new face and if they started winning again. Are they just completely checked out on Iowa basketball now? Have they missed developing a "new generation" of Hawkeye basketball fans with Fran's boring mediocrity?

Or are they desperate for a winner and, once they start winning, CHA is going to fill up (much as it did with the Clarkies) and Iowa basketball could be dangerous going forward? They've been very good in the now distant past, and TJ and McD have shown you can build winning programs just down the road.

I honestly don't know, but I would guess more "sleeping giant" than "dead in the ditch." You could say something similar about a number of Big Ten schools with basketball, though, like Minnesota.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

I suppose some elements come down to what you think the Iowa fanbase would do with a new face and if they started winning again. Are they just completely checked out on Iowa basketball now? Have they missed developing a "new generation" of Hawkeye basketball fans with Fran's boring mediocrity?

Or are they desperate for a winner and, once they start winning, CHA is going to fill up (much as it did with the Clarkies) and Iowa basketball could be dangerous going forward? They've been very good in the now distant past, and TJ and McD have shown you can build winning programs just down the road.

I honestly don't know, but I would guess more "sleeping giant" than "dead in the ditch." You could say something similar about a number of Big Ten schools with basketball, though, like Minnesota.

Not a sleeping giant, but a decent, middle of the road BB program. People over there are looking for a reason not to go to the games, it was not that long ago that they packed the place. There is no reason that will not happen with a new coach and they start winning.
This is not like ISU and football that was horrible for a decade or more, hell EIU bb made the tournament two years ago. From 18/19 season till the 22/23 season they made or would have made the tournament 5 straight years, they would have made it the Covid year, from 13/14 to 15/16 they made it three straight years. The guys problem is he has had decent talent and then pisses it down his leg at crunch time. People remember how you finish the season, and Fran has repeatedly let them down on that regard.

 

[NoCreativity]

Iowa needs to come up with A LOT of money if they want DeVries for next season. Fran is under contract until 2028. While he could retire, he would be smart not to. He would be owed $4.2 million. Then they’d also have to buy out the WV contract for DeVries, which would amount to $4.6M.

So Iowa is looking to pay $8.8M to bring in DeVries next year. That’s a lot of money for a department that lacks the funds

They'll figure it out if they really want him. Wasn't the ISU athletic budget in bad shape back when they hired TJ?

I know Prohm had a big buyout we couldn't afford and it was during Covid also.

 

[RonBurgundy]

Why would he take a lower amount than what the buyout would pay him? In other words, why walk away from that much money on the table. If he comes back and they win, he can finish out the contract, if it goes South, they fire him and buy him out. I get why EIU and their fan base would like for him to walk away, but what is it in for him, that he would not get even if they fire him.

That is frequently what mature, reasonable people do, Come to an agreement that will let Fran retire without the ignominy of being fired and he will accept less than full buyout. He is set for life already.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

That is frequently what mature, reasonable people do, Come to an agreement that will let Fran retire without the ignominy of being fired and he will accept less than full buyout. He is set for life already.

Traditionally yes. But Fran has been known to not be so mature in situations like this. Unless he’s truly mentally ready to retire and he may be, then I can see him cutting that buyout down. It’s the least he could honestly do. That university has taken care of him and his family financially for generations.

 

[Sigmapolis]

That is frequently what mature, reasonable people do, Come to an agreement that will let Fran retire without the ignominy of being fired and he will accept less than full buyout. He is set for life already.

I've been on record here that if Iowa was smart...

Give Fran two choices. Retire gracefully with a reasonable severance package and be honored.

Yeah yeah he's never reached the heights of college basketball but he has been consistent. He's the winningest coach in school history. There are nice things to be done for him.

Name something after him. Build him a statue somewhere. Flatter the guy.

But then give him the gold watch and send him out.

Or tell him he's going to be fired and you're going to pretend he never existed.

Then go and get DeVries or McCollum.

I hope Iowa is not smart. DeVries might have already gotten away.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

What Indiana is doing with Mike Woodson this very minute is the blueprint.

Here's a settlement structured in a way that gets you your money without hamstringing us, you can coach the rest of the year and move on gracefully to whatever you'd like to do and everybody gets out of a deal they don't want to be in anymore.

It's pretty simple.

 

[Statefan10]

What Indiana is doing with Mike Woodson this very minute is the blueprint.

Here's a settlement structured in a way that gets you your money without hamstringing us, you can coach the rest of the year and move on gracefully to whatever you'd like to do and everybody gets out of a deal they don't want to be in anymore.

It's pretty simple.

Not to get off topic, but what an absolutely horrible hire. I thought so at the time and am glad I was right.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Not to get off topic, but what an absolutely horrible hire. I thought so at the time and am glad I was right.

Same. It was a disaster from the moment it happened.

They'll convince themselves they're getting Brad Stevens, he'll say no, they'll make a hire that doesn't make any sense and we'll do this whole thing again in 4 years.

Dusty May was your guy and you got cold feet and lost him to Michigan.

 

[Statefan10]

Same. It was a disaster from the moment it happened.

They'll convince themselves they're getting Brad Stevens, he'll say no, they'll make a hire that doesn't make any sense and we'll do this whole thing again in 4 years.

Dusty May was your guy and you got cold feet and lost him to Michigan.

They got a good football hire so maybeeee they'll hit a homerun with this one? At least a triple? Hiring Woodson was bunting foul for the third strike.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

I've been on record here that if Iowa was smart...

Give Fran two choices. Retire gracefully with a reasonable severance package and be honored.

Yeah yeah he's never reached the heights of college basketball but he has been consistent. He's the winningest coach in school history. There are nice things to be done for him.

Name something after him. Build him a statue somewhere. Flatter the guy.

But then give him the gold watch and send him out.

Or tell him he's going to be fired and you're going to pretend he never existed.

Then go and get DeVries or McCollum.

I hope Iowa is not smart. DeVries might have already gotten away.

Coaching is a strange occupation, they are hired to be fired, it happens to almost all of them. I am not sure why Fran is going to be willing to walk away when he is guaranteed 60% of his remaining salary. Now if they are going to match that number, then I could see him retiring, much less, why would he.

 

[rosshm16]

He is a Tavern-Hawk and should be treated as such.

 

[cyclone82]

I really hope Devires doesn’t make the move to ia ******…. But I’m afraid it’s going to happen. He’ll instantly become public enemy number 1 !

 

[GoSTATE71]

I respect WVU as a program but I honestly don’t get why Devries went there. Feel like he could have gotten a better job or if he really wanted the Iowa job just stay at Drake till Fran is out which looks soon. Regardless idk if Devries stays at WVU for the long run. He’s a great coach better programs will come calling or if he wants to be at Iowa that’ll be an option eventually.

 

[simply1]

I hate having to read dumb hok stuff outside of the rivals forum

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Seriously, it's weird.

Comparing Heller is nothing close to the same. Indiana State is a good baseball program, but Heller is making almost 3x what Indiana State's coach is.

Comparing that to either leaving WVU or not working to go to Creighton vs. holding out for Iowa is not at all the same, or even similar.

Edit: a quick check and it looks like Heller's salary his last year at Indiana State was $63,000 and his first year at Iowa was $187,000.

So yeah a guy going from the MVC to the Big 10 while tripling his salary isn't exactly a good example of a guy's fandom being the driver. Had he zero connection to Iowa, he's probably making that same jump.

Iowa might throw tons of cash at Devries to leave WVU. And of course he'd probably consider it and maybe take it. That's not really the point. The point is people are thinking a coach is going to go to extreme lengths (tanking even?) that could damage his career to go to a below average program because he was a fan of the program as a kid. Sorry, that's just dumb.

With the new knowledge of his son not playing the rest of the season and likely getting a medical redshirt for one more year of eligibility, Darian has a chance to take the job he's always wanted and see what has possibly been his sons (or his) dream of donning the black and gold. Dumb, no. Far fetched, maybe.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

I hate having to read dumb hok stuff outside of the rivals forum

Oh relax. Nobody is forcing you to read it.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

I respect WVU as a program but I honestly don’t get why Devries went there. Feel like he could have gotten a better job or if he really wanted the Iowa job just stay at Drake till Fran is out which looks soon. Regardless idk if Devries stays at WVU for the long run. He’s a great coach better programs will come calling or if he wants to be at Iowa that’ll be an option eventually.

More money at WV, gets him into a power conference and it allowed his son to play his senior year against better competition. I would guess he figured that since Mad Fran was just starting his new four year contract, that it would allow him to build a better resume and then when the EIU job opened up, making him more desirable. Not sure anyone thought that EIU would be as bad as they turned out to be.

 

[cyclone82]

This really sucks Dix knowing his kid had surgery to shut down his season so he’ll have an opportunity to play next year. This is all the motivation needed for the suckeye AD to get rid of douchey fran

 

[nfrine]

I hate having to read dumb hok stuff outside of the rivals forum

Oxymoron....