The dust has finally settled on another Iowa Men's basketball blowout loss that saw the Hawkeyes drop a pitiful game on the road to the Illinois Fighting Illini on Tuesday night. Fans are still questioning why Fran McCaffery is still the man in charge, with the noise beginning to intensify.
We are sitting on the doorstep of March, and the Hawkeyes are in a worse spot than last year.
They will more than likely miss out on March Madness for the second straight season, barring a miraculous Big 10 Tournament run, and Fran's magic and endearment to the fans have officially run out. The famous "Fran Fade" at the end of the season is in full effect.
Coach McCaffery rescued the Iowa Men's basketball program from the dark ages when he took over for Todd Lickliter after he was fired in 2010 in the wake of a 22-loss season. Fans will never forget what he has done to resurrect a horrendous program after the shadow of Lickliter loomed large, but enough is enough.
— Blaine (@Blaine___S) February 26, 2025
No beating around the bush here, just a simple call for what some Iowa fans have been waiting for since the end of the 2023 season.
I’m ready for a new Iowa basketball coaching staff at the end of the year.
— Cody Hills (@ByCodyHills) February 26, 2025
I appreciate everything Fran has done.
But, it’s time. #Hawkeyes
Every Hawkeye basketball fan has some admiration for Fran McCaffery. He is loyal to his guys and rarely ever has anyone transfer out of the program once they are in. Only his sons want to transfer away or not join the program at all.
Iowa men’s basketball is not fun. #Hawkeyes
— Ryne (@ryneobrien) February 26, 2025
This one made me chuckle, and I could not agree more. Iowa plays a unique style of basketball in the Big 10, where they play little to no defense and hope to outscore their opponent. Can they play defense? In spurts, the answer is yes. They just don't do it enough and this leads to blowout losses and definitely not being fun.
Blown out nightly on the road. This is squarely on Fran. No more excuses. You lose on the recruiting front and you'll lose on the court. The player profile Fran goes for is not one that will compete in any meaningful basketball. Time for the winds of change. #Iowabasketball
— VirginiaHawk (@kinnick1993) February 26, 2025
Replying to your own tweet is a bold strategy, but it works when you want to get your point across. Fran has not done enough in recruiting, especially in this new era of NIL and the transfer portal. He has a type of player he likes, and he sticks with them.
Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships and he has not figured that out in his 14 years at Iowa.
These are just a few of the multitude of Hawkeyes fans who have had enough of the status quo and watching the "Fran Fade" occur at the end of every season. We all agree that Fran was a god-send to this program, but missing out on the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and never making it past the Sweet 16 should be a clear indicator that it is time to move on.