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Fran McCaffery

T

The RUT

Heisman
Oct 30, 2011
35,696
19,749
61
This is just the most obvious move of all time and Rutgers needs to make it happen. Throughout the years with R Hoops specifically, there have been opportunities for RU to hire high quality coaches, but we have sat on our hands and allow other programs to take action.

This is a legitimate Big Ten Championship level coach who has had a phenomenal career and would be the BEST modern coach in Rutgers history. You want to change the Rutgers athletics brand? You want to make a statement to donors and your fans? Hire Fran.

No, I do not care about his age. Programs are not recruiting HS kids telling them they're going to be around for 10 years anymore. That's not a thing.

This has nothing to do with Pike and everything to do with Rutgers being great. Want to be a winning program? Leadership has to be willing to make moves to support that.

I apologize in advanced as I'm likely going to beat this drum consistently until it happens. No I don't care that Villanova's NIL payroll blew them out today. The dude is a winner and can straight up coach hoops.

2010–11Iowa11–204–1410th
2011–12Iowa18–178–10T–7thNIT Second Round
2012–13Iowa25–139–96thNIT Runner-up
2013–14Iowa20–139–96thNCAA Division I First Four
2014–15Iowa22–1212–6T–3rdNCAA Division I Round of 32
2015–16Iowa22–1112–6T–3rdNCAA Division I Round of 32
2016–17Iowa19–1510–8T–5thNIT Second Round
2017–18Iowa14–194–14T–11th
2018–19Iowa23–1210–106thNCAA Division I Round of 32
2019–20Iowa20–1111–9T–5th NCAA Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19
2020–21Iowa22–914–63rdNCAA Division I Round of 32
2021–22Iowa26–1012–8T–4thNCAA Division I Round of 64
2022–23Iowa19–1411–9T-5thNCAA Division I Round of 64
2023–24Iowa19–1510–10T–6thNIT Second Round
2024–25Iowa17–167–13T–12th


Winner.
 
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T

The RUT

Heisman
Oct 30, 2011
35,696
19,749
61
rpiseman said:
I actually think he could evaluate talent and get guys on the roster who can run HIS system.
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Would be thrilled to go to the RAC to watch his teams play. Fast paced. Fun. Exciting.

My only concern with him is the NIL thing and his personal views on it. I sense it's part of the reason he went to Penn. With that said, that's on Kelli and Tate to make sure the retention is there for him.
 
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S

stribucher

Junior
Dec 6, 2024
186
322
47
Doubt it would ever happen. However Fran knew how to run a motion offense that maximized the talent of his players.
 
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JudgeSmails56

All-American
Dec 1, 2019
4,586
6,689
113
Great coach, age is the issue. He'll come here and kick our dicks in with Penn i'm sure. The guy owns us.
 
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Mholinko

All-Conference
Apr 25, 2023
1,400
2,151
77
BigEastPhil said:
Fran is a good coach but his age and coaching antics won’t cut it!
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Antics? I would take his sideline behavior for the amount of winning he’s done

Rutgers fans are too precious for their own good that we have to have Mr white collar behavior on the bench AND win

got news for you most of the best coaches come with some warts they are humans like us
 
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T

The RUT

Heisman
Oct 30, 2011
35,696
19,749
61
Can someone explain the age hang up?

What are you worried about? Him wanting to retire in 5 years? Or maybe you’re worried he’ll lose his ability to draw on a white board.

He’s 66, not 76.

Winner. This isn’t complicated.
 
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PiscatawayMike

PiscatawayMike

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
17,323
15,157
113
 
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S

S_Janowski

Heisman
May 24, 2009
13,903
26,494
113
The RUT said:
Can someone explain the age hang up?

What are you worried about? Him wanting to retire in 5 years? Or maybe you’re worried he’ll lose his ability to draw on a white board.

He’s 66, not 76.

Winner. This isn’t complicated.
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Age is a factor because he probably wouldn’t even want this job in the first place in today’s environment and at a place like Rutgers.

He’s probably very happy to be living back home and coaching at his alma mater where he doesn’t need to worry about NIL.

Unless he wants a big challenge in his late 60’s he’s not coming to coach at Rutgers and staying where he’s at.
 
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T

The RUT

Heisman
Oct 30, 2011
35,696
19,749
61
S_Janowski said:
Age is a factor because he probably wouldn’t even want this job in the first place in today’s environment and at a place like Rutgers.

He’s probably very happy to be living back home and coaching at his alma mater where he doesn’t need to worry about NIL.

Unless he wants a big challenge in his late 60’s he’s not coming to coach at Rutgers and staying where he’s at.
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I don’t mean to be argumentative, but “probably wouldn’t even want this job in the first place…” is not an explanation for why his age is a factor.

Fran is a competitor. He will 100% be coach at another P5 program before his career ends. I want it to be at Rutgers.

People said the same things about Pitino before getting hired by SJU btw. “Older, later in his career, doesn’t want to deal with the BS of today, probably just wants to wind things down.”

Rutgers isn’t some big challenge nowadays, you realize that right? In fact, I would argue RU has a fantastic opportunity in this new world of athletics.

Too much moping around waiting for **** to happen. Classic RU is to watch this dude jump to another school, move on from our coach the following year, and end up with a long time associate HC from a mid major who produces same old same old.

At some point, you need to send a message to your fans, donors, and conference that enough is enough.
 
R

ru66+

All-Conference
Jul 10, 2025
758
1,483
93
Based on what I was years ago he never wanted anything to fo with RU.
 
S

S_Janowski

Heisman
May 24, 2009
13,903
26,494
113
The RUT said:
I don’t mean to be argumentative, but “probably wouldn’t even want this job in the first place…” is not an explanation for why his age is a factor.

Fran is a competitor. He will 100% be coach at another P5 program before his career ends. I want it to be at Rutgers.

People said the same things about Pitino before getting hired by SJU btw. “Older, later in his career, doesn’t want to deal with the BS of today, probably just wants to wind things down.”

Rutgers isn’t some big challenge nowadays, you realize that right? In fact, I would argue RU has a fantastic opportunity in this new world of athletics.

Too much moping around waiting for **** to happen. Classic RU is to watch this dude jump to another school, move on from our coach the following year, and end up with a long time associate HC from a mid major who produces same old same old.

At some point, you need to send a message to your fans, donors, and conference that enough is enough.
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But age could be a reason and factor why he doesn’t want the job (Yes assuming here).

If he was in his mid 40’s he would have no choice but to adapt to the current environment and a job like Rutgers could be really appealing, a place where he could provide himself and use it as a stepping stone to his next big job.

I don’t think he loves what NIL has done to the game and got tired out in Iowa. He’s back living where he grew up and coaching at his alma mater, while not having to deal with the headache of NIL. A pretty good spot to be heading into your late 60’s.

I’m not sure why Rutgers would be so attractive to him compared to what he has now. He’s a competitor sure but I wouldn’t compare him to Pitino, who loves himself and would do anything for a big job.

If Willard is a flop at Nova after 2/3 years I could see Fran pushing for a job like that. But I don’t think he would have much interest in coaching at Rutgers, just my opinion.

And Rutgers is a challenge unless we can figure out how to fundraise big. Every school is getting revenue share and the Catholics are getting more than us for basketball and also fundraising better, so it’s definitely a challenging job.
 
T

The RUT

Heisman
Oct 30, 2011
35,696
19,749
61
S_Janowski said:
But age could be a reason and factor why he doesn’t want the job (Yes assuming here).

If he was in his mid 40’s he would have no choice but to adapt to the current environment and a job like Rutgers could be really appealing, a place where he could provide himself and use it as a stepping stone to his next big job.

I don’t think he loves what NIL has done to the game and got tired out in Iowa. He’s back living where he grew up and coaching at his alma mater, while not having to deal with the headache of NIL. A pretty good spot to be heading into your late 60’s.

I’m not sure why Rutgers would be so attractive to him compared to what he has now. He’s a competitor sure but I wouldn’t compare him to Pitino, who loves himself and would do anything for a big job.

If Willard is a flop at Nova after 2/3 years I could see Fran pushing for a job like that. But I don’t think he would have much interest in coaching at Rutgers, just my opinion.

And Rutgers is a challenge unless we can figure out how to fundraise big. Every school is getting revenue share and the Catholics are getting more than us for basketball and also fundraising better, so it’s definitely a challenging job.
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You're implying that because he's 66 he wants to have a chill time and just coach hoops.

I watched that dude SCREAMING at one of his guards vs Nova for fouling down 25+ with 20 seconds to go lmao, he is not in winding down mode by any means.

I would fully support Kelli if she made the decision to funnel more $ toward basketball if it means we land a coach like Fran. You're making arguments for reasons why it wouldn't work, but I'd argue it's Kelli and Tate's job to reduce the amount of friction points.

You can create an environment for the guy where he doesn't need to deal with the NIL stuff. Tell him you've got the NIL situation handled and we just want him to coach hoops.
 
S

S_Janowski

Heisman
May 24, 2009
13,903
26,494
113
The RUT said:
You're implying that because he's 66 he wants to have a chill time and just coach hoops.

I watched that dude SCREAMING at one of his guards vs Nova for fouling down 25+ with 20 seconds to go lmao, he is not in winding down mode by any means.

I would fully support Kelli if she made the decision to funnel more $ toward basketball if it means we land a coach like Fran. You're making arguments for reasons why it wouldn't work, but I'd argue it's Kelli and Tate's job to reduce the amount of friction points.

You can create an environment for the guy where he doesn't need to deal with the NIL stuff. Tell him you've got the NIL situation handled and we just want him to coach hoops.
Click to expand...

I don’t think he’s winding down at all. He loves coaching. He’s also a nut job and always will be a nut job until he hangs it up.

I’m not ruling him out of another Power 5 job before his career is over. I just don’t see why he would have that much interest in a job like Rutgers given his current situation at his age, and our struggles to fundraise.

Why do you think the Rutgers job is so attractive or he would be so interested in the opportunity?
 
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