By Brendan Stiles
brendan-stiles@uiowa.edu
In books, there are chapters. They have beginnings and ends.
The book on Iowa basketball is no exception.
One chapter came to an end on Monday when Iowa athletics director Gary Barta relieved Todd Lickliter of his head coaching duties after three trying seasons. Now, as Barta said, a new chapter starts.
As Barta embarks on his second men’s basketball head coaching search in four years, he said he will use a process similar to his search in 2007, which ultimately led him to Lickliter.
“The university process is such that we’ll have a search committee,” Barta said. “We had one last time, it has not yet been formulated, and I’ll be doing that.
“Today was Step 1. Today was my final meeting with Todd. Tomorrow will be Step 2, which will include things like beginning to form the search process.”
While Barta wouldn’t reveal names of any potential candidates, he did say prior head coaching experience would be of benefit, adding that he was open to exploring candidates considered three years ago.
One of the most popular candidates amongst the fan base is current Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl. Pearl was a Hawkeye assistant for six seasons under Tom Davis, and was also among the list of coaching candidates in 2007. Additionally, his entire coaching staff at Tennessee has connections to the state of Iowa.
Barta was asked on Monday whether Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany would get involved in this coaching search in light of the backlash Pearl received as the focal point of a 1988 recruiting war between Iowa and Illinois. That controversy led to an NCAA investigation of the Fighting Illini, where other violations were discovered and Illinois was placed on probation.
“Jim Delany is very knowledgeable about the game of basketball. He doesn’t have any say in who we hire, but I definitely will include him and many others as I go through this process,” Barta said. “Not because he’s our conference commissioner, but because he’s somebody very knowledgeable about the game of basketball, and I value that knowledge.”
While Pearl would be the biggest name out there, Barta also made clear that going for “the biggest fish” isn’t the primary issue.
“I want to finish and complete this process with the belief that we have the right person,” Barta said. “I don’t have some sort of pride factor that says this is going to define me.
“I’m trying to do the best I can in the role that I play.”
Regardless of who comes in, one issue of order will be reaching out to the current players, as well as the four prospects in Iowa’s already-signed recruiting class.
Joel Cornette, who was a part of Lickliter’s staff at Iowa, said he hopes those four players stick to their commitments.
“This is where they committed to,” Cornette said outside Carver-Hawkeye Arena after initially declining to be interviewed. “I understand the staff is a big part of it, but those guys have become close, and the guys we have here now are excited to play with them. The problem is it’s all their individual decisions.
“I want to see them in Black and Gold, and I hope that’s how it turns out.”
Whether the recruits honor their commitments remains to be seen, but one thing became clear on Monday — a new chapter in Iowa basketball has begun to be written.
“The search begins today,” Barta said. “There are coaches who I’ve watched over the years, there are coaches who I’m aware of, that will be considered as part of my process, but in earnest, it begins today.”
