New Iowa Men's Basketball Head Coach Ben McCollum addressed the status of the program

McCollum did an interview with CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein to discuss how he is adjusting to Iowa City
Iowa men’s basketball head coach Ben McCollum passes Bennett Stirtz (14) during practice June 19, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa men’s basketball head coach Ben McCollum passes Bennett Stirtz (14) during practice June 19, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Since taking the head coaching vacancy at Iowa following the exit of long-time Head Coach Fran McCaffery, Ben McCollum has said and done all the right things. He has not been shy about doing media interviews and promoting the Iowa brand.

When he arrived on campus, McCollum stated he wants to reinvigorate the Iowa Basketball fanbase and generate enthusiasm for the program. He is adamant that the team will not succeed without the help of the Iowa City community and fans.

Over the weekend, McCollum sat down for an interview with CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein to discuss the future of the program, his 31-win campaign with Drake last season, and much more.

Throughout the 20-plus interview with Rothstein, McCollum addressed multiple topics, but three things stood out from his interview.

His coaching philosophy

McCollum catapulted Drake Men's Basketball into the national spotlight after guiding them to a 31-4 season, including Missouri Valley Conference regular and conference titles. They also achieved an NCAA Tournament berth in his first and only season in Des Moines.

When asked how he was so successful in his first season in Division I, McCollum stated that it was about creating a culture and setting the program up for the long haul.

He noted it was never his plan to coach at a bigger program like Iowa, but it was his dream job, and he had to take it.

McCollum mentioned that his success at the Division II level with Northwest Missouri State and then at the Division I level with Drake is all about the players. He said they look for players with the right mental makeup and develop them into better basketball players.

He never considered winning 31 games or making the NCAA Tournament; he only wanted the team to improve every day.

The differences between Division I and II

McCollum was extremely successful at Northwest Missouri State, compiling a 394-91 record with four Division II National Championships in 15 seasons. Before the 2024-2025 season, McCollum moved to Division I Drake.

In his first and only season at Drake, he guided the Bulldogs to a 31-4 record, MVC regular and conference tournament titles, and a NCAA Tournament berth.

A few days after falling to Texas Tech in the Round of 32, McCollum took the head coach job with Iowa.

After making the jump from Division II to Division I, McCollum noted multiple differences between the two levels. One is that there are not as many external pressures in Division II. He mentioned his first few years at Northwest Missouri State were bad, but he had time to develop his culture alongside the players.

The next big difference he noticed was in recruiting. Most of the talent he recruited at Northwest Missouri State were high school kids he could develop over four or five seasons. At Division I, the transfer portal plays a huge role in determining where top talent will go.

He noted that multiple Division I players choose the school that recruited them the hardest, not the best fit for them.

He also stated that Division II coaches tend to be better at X's and O's because they have multiple seasons with the same players and do not have as much roster turnover.

The roster makeup for the 2025-2026 season

McCollum is adamant they have a talented roster, but he could not quantify how talented. He stated he would not know what the roster would look like until they played their first game, but they like the pieces they have.

The one position he was sure of was point guard. He is very high on Bennett Stirtz and noted as the level of competition grows, he rises to meet it.

He said Stirtz is one of the team's hardest workers and is not worried about how he will adapt to a higher level of competition in the Big Ten.

McCollum also mentioned they have size, skill and tough kids overall. He is sure they will not have a problem adjusting and is trying to establish a culture first.

McCollum's interview has excited Iowa fans as he hopes to rejuvenate a fan base that has been dormant for multiple seasons.

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