Contrary to rumors, Fran McCaffery is not going to retire anytime soon. During Wednesday’s media conference ahead of the Iowa Hawkeyes’ game against the eighth-ranked Michigan State Spartans, the longtime Hawkeyes coach cleared things out regarding the rumors circulating about his retirement.
A reporter asked McCaffery to provide more information on the growing speculation that this season could be his last. He immediately denied the rumors, saying that he will remain with the Hawkeyes.
“I’m fully committed to the program, to the players,” McCaffery said, emphasizing his focus on Thursday’s game against the Spartans. “I have no intention of moving on.”
Fran McCaffery says he has every intention of returning next season as Iowa’s head coach.
“I’m fully committed to the program, the players. I have no intention of moving on.” pic.twitter.com/Hqjl6t4HwU
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) March 4, 2025
The Hawkeyes coach added, “Just came to work today, trying to figure out how we can beat Michigan State. [I] did some other conversation, professional conversation, of course, on a number of different topics. Get ready for practice today.”
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Coaching the Hawkeyes since 2010, Fran McCaffery led them to the NCAA Tournament eight times, reaching the second round in 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2021.
Fran McCaffery’s Iowa squad struggled this season
Fran McCaffery and the Iowa Hawkeyes endured a troublesome 2024-25 NCAA season, posting a 15-14 overall record through 29 games. They are ranked 15th in the Big Ten standings this season, with an unimpressive 6-12 record against conference opponents.
The Hawkeyes started the season on a good note until January when they lost 10 of their last 13 games. The stream of losses began when they lost three consecutive games against USC, UCLA, and Minnesota on the road.
They suffered another string of three consecutive losses against Ohio State, Purdue, and Wisconsin. Then they gathered another set of losses at the hands of Maryland, Oregon, Illinois, and Northwestern.
Fran McCaffery can attribute his problems this season to his team’s inefficient defense. According to the latest Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings, the Hawkeyes ranked 167th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, with a low rating of 106.8.
Their next game against the Michigan State Spartans will test their defense once more.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
