IOWA CITY — For the first time in a decade and a half, the Iowa men’s basketball head coaching job is open.
On Friday, Iowa moved on from Fran McCaffery, whose tenure with the Hawkeyes spanned 15 seasons. Now, director of athletics Beth Goetz is tasked with finding the person to lead the program in the future.
At a basic level, the marriage between Iowa and a new coach revolves around two questions:
- Who does Iowa want to be its next coach?
- Who wants to be Iowa’s next coach?
In other words, the interest between both parties has to be mutual.
As Iowa enters search mode, there will be plenty of dialogue among the fan base about that first question. What characteristics should Iowa look for when considering its next coach? Should the school prioritize West Virginia’s Darian DeVries or Drake’s Ben McCollum? Or someone else?
More: Who could replace Fran McCaffery as Iowa basketball’s next head coach? Here are possibilities
But it’s also worth looking at circumstances from the other end of the equation.
What could make Iowa an appealing job for a prospective candidate? What could warrant hesitation?
Here is an evaluation of the potential benefits and drawbacks of the job opening at Iowa.
Financial resources
In the modern landscape of college athletics, this is one of the most important aspects — if not the most important.
And Iowa men’s basketball hasn’t been well-equipped to navigate it.
Iowa’s roster payroll during the 2024-25 season was in the range of $1.1 million to $1.5 million, according to reporting by the Register’s Chad Leistikow. There are rosters in the Big Ten reportedly earning around $8 million this season.
Money doesn’t guarantee wins. But it’s difficult to put together a competitive group without it.
“You’d probably need 6 million, and we were nowhere near that,” Fran McCaffery said after Iowa’s loss to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday. “I think you know that. Those numbers are going to go north of that.”
The lack of funds can make roster-building an uphill battle, whether that be through the high school ranks or the transfer portal. Iowa did an admirable job identifying and developing overlooked prospects under McCaffery. Iowa’s next head coach might need to do the same, at least initially.
Revenue sharing could be on the horizon, which might allow Iowa to be better positioned than it is now. If Iowa can’t become more competitive in this space, it could make the job less desirable to a potential candidate.
As far as what Iowa can pay its coach, McCaffery’s $3.4 million annual earnings rank near the bottom of the Big Ten, but 40th nationally.
The hierarchy of sports at Iowa
Men’s basketball is not the main attraction in the University of Iowa’s athletics department. Right now, it might even be fourth in the pecking order behind football, women’s basketball and men’s wrestling.
If a coach wants to be where men’s basketball is the marquee event on campus, Iowa is not that.
At the same time, that means expectations are more reasonable. The job comes with less external pressure than one like Indiana, which is also looking for a new head coach this cycle. A place like Iowa would provide more breathing room to build a foundation than higher-profile programs.
Facilities
It’s been more than 40 years since Carver-Hawkeye Arena opened. The athletics department has been looking into possible upgrades, but there isn’t anything firm on that front yet.
Iowa’s home venue is outdated compared to a place like Northwestern’s more modern Welsh-Ryan Arena, whose $110 million worth of renovations were completed in 2018.
Here’s the thing: Carver-Hawkeye Arena is fine. It won’t drive fans away. But the facility doesn’t stand on its own as a reason to attend an Iowa basketball game. The product on the court has to be good enough to attract fans.
The successful and thriving women’s basketball program is an example of that. Carver-Hawkeye is one of the more formidable environments in women’s college basketball, despite its age. The place is packed every game.
If there is a winning team, the venue matters little.
The fan base
As the last two seasons have shown, support for the program wanes when success is lacking.
Iowa basketball is not like Nebraska football, where fans will remain passionate through thick and thin. There has to be reason for fans to be engaged.
But at this best, the Hawkeye fan base can be incredibly invested. The women’s program shows how passionate Hawkeye basketball fans can be. They move the needle and then some.
The audience is there. Iowa men’s basketball just needs to reel it back in.
Iowa can be relevant nationally
Despite Iowa’s lack of NCAA Tournament success under McCaffery, there were times when the Hawkeyes were firmly in the national picture.
It is possible for Iowa to compete for a Big Ten championship. It is possible for the Hawkeyes to produce NBA talent. It is possible for them to be a force in college basketball (at least during the regular season).
McCaffery’s tenure proved all of those things.
There are other jobs in the Big Ten that present a much grimmer picture than Iowa, such as Minnesota and Penn State. At Iowa, recent history has been brighter.
Now it’s a matter of Iowa’s next head coach being able to build off McCaffery’s best days.
Big Ten stage
Iowa basketball doesn’t have the brand notoriety, resources and history that programs like Indiana, Michigan or Michigan State enjoy. Its platform is not the biggest. But Iowa still is a Big Ten program.
Naturally, that provides a certain level of appeal.
The Big Ten is among the best conferences in college basketball. That provides challenges but also opportunities. Iowa is not an easy place to win at. So if you’re able to prove yourself in this gauntlet of a league, it would speak volumes.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X@Tyler_T15, contact via email at [email protected]
