Sound the Alarm!

Attention all Big Ten basketball programs, this is not a test! This is an upset alert, a Hawk Watch has been issued in your area. That's right everyone, I am making the call right here and now, the Iowa Hawkeyes are on their way back. Now, before you get your little panties in a bunch, I want to clarify that I am not predicting some breakout season in 2010-2011. However, I must say that a corner has been turned and it's long before Fran McCaffery has even coached his first game for the Hawkeyes.

Yesterday, the University of Iowa announced it's third and final assistant basketball coach - Sherman Dillard. Who? The relatively unknown to you is quite the opposite to AAU coaches around the country, something that should begin paying dividends immediately.  The Shermanator has spent the past 5 years working for Nike as the Global Camp Director.  Some of the camps he administered include the Nike All-America camp and skills acadamies hosted by NBA players such as Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James (I'm thinking he may have met a decent AAU coach or two at a couple of those camps). 

Prior to joining Nike, Dillard spent 10 seasons as head coach at Indiana State ('94-'97) and James Madison ('97-'04), which also happens to be his alma mater.  While playing for James Madison, Sherman scored more than 2,000 career points and was an Academic All-American.  Following his senior season, Dillard was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 1978.

In addition to the head coaching experience, the Shermanator brings 15 years of assistant coaching experience.  While he was at Maryland ('79-'85), the Terps had four 20-win seasons, four NCAA Tournament bids and two Sweet-16 appearances.  In 1985, Dillard left Maryland for Cal, where he spent three season under Lou Campanelli.  Then, in 1988, he joined Bobby Cremins' staff at Georgia Tech.  While with the Yellow Jackets, the team received five NCAA Tournament bids, made a Sweet-16 appearance in '92 and made a Final Four appearance in 1990. 

As I look at all the experience Dillard brings to the table, I can't help but be amazed at the striking difference between this staff in its entirety as compared to our previous one.  Fran has surrounded himself with a set of assistants with more head coaching experience than most current head coaches.  We have 27 years between our second (Kirk Speraw, who spent 17 seasons as a head coach) and third assistants and our first assistant (Andrew Francis, who has been with Fran for the last three seasons) is heralded as a top-notch recruiters.  Add to that the fact that our third assistant has spent the last five years running Nike basketball camps for NBA stars and mingling with AAU coaches and I can't help but to think the connections are being developed.  In his first few weeks on the job, Fran has put together a VERY solid staff, which by the way, includes a former standout Hawkeye and NBA veteran (Ryan Bowen) and brought in a more athletic recruit than we saw in the three season under Lick (Melsahn Basabe). 

I don't intend to bash on the previous staff as that ship has sailed, but I am in utter amazement at how things are shaping up in Iowa City.  We still have a graduate assistant position to fill (rumors are floating about another former Hawkeye filling that role) and two open scholarships.  Like I said, i don't expect miracles in 2010, but I think we are making the right moves.  From all accounts, Fran is hitting the recruiting trails pretty hard; focusing on the cream of the in-state crop for 2011 and 2012, while still getting out there and schmoozing the likes of some top-50 recruits out of state.  I like the idea of bringing in coaches with both experience and connections and I like what I am hearing about possible JUCO additions to next year's roster (the Salter kid from Iowa Western would have two years left at the PG spot, while Ware, the PG from ,would have one - still giving us 2-3 schollies for that 2011 class) to add some much needed depth. 

Yes, the Kool-Aid is starting to taste pretty good here in Iowa City.  I just hope I can find a way to make a few bucks mass-producing it for 2011.  Of course, the rest of you don't have to drink it up.  Just let me say I tried to warn you.  The Hawkeye bandwaggon is starting to move in the right direction, are you on board yet?