Ben McCollum is the savior that Iowa basketball has been yearning for all these years. McCollum has been a seamless fit into the fanbase’s identity. Iowans never wanted an East Coast elitist who refused
to play defense. I was undoubtedly the preeminent McCaffery detractor. I wanted a coach I could call “my guy,” which are two words I would never say about McCaffery.
Deep down, most fans would admit that Fran’s personality never really gelled with the fans. Especially seeing how their exit went, I couldn’t be happier with the university’s decision.
McCollum, on the other hand, is an Iowan through and through. Coach loves to work hard. His face lights up when he gets to talk about practice in his post-game pressers. The three-hour in-season practices are a staple for McCollum. Players need to be tough to handle the grind, and recruits are selected with that in mind. It’s the no-nonsense approach that lends itself to players’ development.
McCollum has a very obvious jealousy of Kinnick Stadium, and who wouldn’t? Coach Mac wants the community to bring that same energy to Carver. Coach knows these same fans will lose their voice on a Saturday, then sit down for an entire basketball game. His efforts to galvanize the fanbase led to the UCLA game being one of the best Carver environments I can remember. McCollum’s arms are opened, not crossed.
You won’t find a bigger Ben McCollum fan than me. If there are 100 McCollum fans, I am one. If there are 10, I am one of them. If there are none, I must be dead.
However, as a fanbase, we need to pump the brakes on Coach Mac’s first season. Looking to the future, the sky is the limit for where he can take the program. This season, his first, is building up momentum that could potentially cloud our vision for the future.
After the UCLA win, you could find outrageous takes from Hawk fans all over X.com. It would have seemed as though we had just beaten Michigan on the road. The hopes were clearly starting to rise for an appearance in the second weekend of March. Not only did the win fire up the people, but so did all the online rating websites. KenPom.com has Iowa ranked eighteenth even after the Hawkeyes lost to Minnesota on Tuesday.
B1G Time
Realistically, this team is just not on par with the athletes in the Big Ten. The guys play really hard and fit the system well. No matter how you slice it, there is not enough talent to make up for Bennett Stirz having an off night. I love the players, and they’ve proven they are Big Ten hoopers. Most nights in the conference, we’re still going to face stronger, faster, and more experienced players than we have currently.
The Big Ten is loaded this year. Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Illinois, Nebraska (yuck), Indiana, and USC are all very tough teams. It’ll be a struggle to find many surefire wins, especially on the road. It’s a different type of grind, having to play games on both coasts, all while attending grueling practices.
(sidenote, when are they going to class?)
Whether it was illness, fatigue, or subpar athleticism, Iowa looked really lethargic against the Gophers. The Hawks’ win against UCLA is aging worse as well, as the Bruins picked up another loss the Wisconsin on Tuesday.
The System
The Hawks’ system is effective at maximizing the player’s ability to the fullest extent. I believe in the aggressive defense and methodical offensive approach. Teams are clearly uncomfortable when playing against Iowa when they are put into the anaconda squeeze. “Impose your will” is fantastic.
The margin of error is small when you’re at a talent deficit, but McCollum can make it work. The key to success is establishing a lead early. There is a somewhat strict formula for how the Hawks can win. It’s the best option we currently have. Just don’t be upset if Illinois gets an early lead and we’re dead in the water early.
You may think that I’m too negative or a fun hater, but I’m just a realist. People are getting ahead of themselves, and I can see it. Losing to a subpar Minnesota was incredibly frustrating to watch. I’m sure many of you wanted to pull your hair out, as did I. We must face the reality that year one is merely a foundation. McCollum has clearly already established a tough and high-energy culture. That alone has already met my expectations for the first year.
Enjoy the Ride
As a Bears fan and an Iowa hoops fan, there has been a striking similarity between the two teams’ resurrections. Both have coaches named Ben, targeting a fan base that was apathetic, and then established a tough culture. Now, they are enjoying moderate success in their first year. Many Bears fans are ready to label the year a disappointment if they lose to the Packers on Saturday night. I couldn’t disagree more.
How lucky am I to have Ben McCollum and Ben Johnson? I’m steadfast in my belief that those are both the coaches of the future; year one success is all gravy to me. The rest of the Big Ten campaign would have to be an utter catastrophe for me to start to sour on McCollum. The Hawks will probably drop their next game against Illinois, but who cares? The Illini have the EuroLeague all-star team for crying out loud.
Hawkeye fans, let’s just enjoy this ride together. Bring the energy to Carver and thank your lucky stars that we have a coach who cares about hoops and the community.
Watch Bennett Stirz’s three against UCLA before you go to bed tonight, and you’ll sleep like a baby.
