Fansided

10 college basketball coaches on the hottest seats entering 2018-2019

By Brad Berreman

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 17: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins during the game against the South Carolina State Bulldogs at Pauley Pavilion on November 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 17: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins during the game against the South Carolina State Bulldogs at Pauley Pavilion on November 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Matthew Holst/Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Matthew Holst/Getty Images /

5. Fran McCaffrey, Iowa

After a run of four straight 20-plus win seasons, and three straight NCAA Tournament bids, the Hawkeyes won 19 games and went to the NIT in 2016-17 before the proverbial bottom fell out last year (14-19, 4-14 in the Big Ten). The defense has been a strength for Iowa under McCaffrey, but the Hawkeyes allowed 78.7 points per game (last in the Big Ten) last year and ranked 242nd in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency (per KenPom).

It seems like it should be more, but the Hawkeyes have made the NCAA Tournament only the aforementioned three times in McCaffrey’s eight seasons. Last year’s finish of tied for 11th in the Big Ten was the first time Iowa finished outside the top seven in the conference since McCaffrey’s first season (2010-11). McCaffrey’s overall winning percentage at Iowa is decent (.557), but he’s now below .550 in conference play (67-75) and that won’t cut it for very long.

Any chance of a return to the Big Dance this year will be predicated on the Hawkeyes playing some semblance of functional defense. That’s a big question though, with most of the same players returning, and if there’s more of the same to come this year McCaffrey’s post-game press conferences should be interesting as the heat on him ratchets up.