• Fran the Builder – Coach McCaffery took a dismal Sienna program and turned it to the preeminent power in the Metro Atlantic conference. Licklighter on the other hand ascended from a successful program that he inherited from Barry Collier.
• Going Coastal – I’m not old enough to remember the hiring of Lute Olsen but I suspect that many questioned his ability to recruit the Midwest much like folks today are questioning McCaffery’s ability to do the same. Keep in mind McCaffery was an assistant at Notre Dame, located in the Chicago suburb of South Bend Ind. Having someone from out of the time zone may prove to be an advantage. Think of the Texas/ New Jersey studs recruited to Iowa City by Hayden Fry.
• Iowa Connections – If the coach is to be taken at his word at least one of the new assistants will have played at the Hawkeye U. This won’t necessarily mean more “W”s but will likely bring back some of the fans turned off by having Hoosiers coach our teams.
• Coaching Style – McCaffery is likely to bring an up tempo east coast style of basketball to the Big Ten. This could be an advantage in that Iowa will not be after the cookie cutter half court players that dominate conference play.
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