With two program icons poised to graduate, Iowa looked like a solid bet to be one of the country’s strongest teams last season. Plagued by inconsistency, the Hawkeyes struggled to live up to those expectations.
Now, Fran McCaffrey must find a way to get his program back on track in the highly competitive Big 10 Conference. Two key returnees should help him along the way.
Key Losses: Aaron White (graduation), Gabriel Olaseni (graduation)
Possible Losses: No announcements made
Key Returners: Jarrod Uthoff, Adam Woodbury, Mike Gesell, Peter Jok
Key Newcomers: Andrew Fleming (three-star, shooting guard)
Breakdown: Could there have been a more fitting end to Iowa’s season than blowing out Davidson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, only to be crushed by Gonzaga in the second round? The Hawkeyes could rarely find consistency in 2014-2015, often times displaying that Jekyll/Hyde after halftime of any given game. The good news for Fran McCaffrey is that he’ll have a new group of Hawkeyes to break in, and try to instill some consistency with them. The bad news, is losing a program icon in White. Uthoff, Gesell, Jok, and Woodbury return next year, but Iowa will be hurting for some true offensive difference makers. Incoming freshman Andrew Fleming could be the next knockdown shooter for Iowa, but he’s not going to be the dynamic ball handler, creator, and finisher that they need. As usual, the Big 10 looks loaded for next season. If the Hawkeyes stand any chance of returning to the Big Dance, they’ll need guys like Gesell and Jok to really step up their offensive production, making life a bit easier for Uthoff in the process.
