Who should Drake hire?

[DUBulldog]

Sounds like Ali Farokhmanesh is joining the Drake staff.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/ ... eec8feb608

That's been the rumor for a couple of weeks now....looks like it still isn't official But, I'd be very surprised if this doesn't happen.

[PantherU]

So UNI fans, is Farokhmanesh the leader in the clubhouse for next alumni head coach in Cedar Falls? Or are some others around the area?

After today, I want to make sure I learn some more background about MVC schools.

[BCPanther]

So UNI fans, is Farokhmanesh the leader in the clubhouse for next alumni head coach in Cedar Falls? Or are some others around the area?

After today, I want to make sure I learn some more background about MVC schools.

Nope. If, and that's a massive if at this point, Jake would leave, the only alumni with a shot at this point is Brooks McKowen. Played at UNI from 2003-07 and is the head coach at Upper Iowa (D2). Took a steaming pile of horrible to the NCAA Tournament in 3 years. That said, Jake is probably a Rick Byrd/Bob McKillop lifer at UNI. He's paid very well, is incredibly happy and his wife loves it here.

[unipanther99]

Would have to think current assistant and alum Erik Crawford would be in the mix as well, along with long time assistant Kyle Green. I'm not of the mind that a jump from Upper Iowa to UNI is a natural transition. I'd like to see Brooks take a low major D1 job and see what he can do with it. Hopefully he will get that chance, because as mentioned, Jacobson likely isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

[BCPanther]

Would have to think current assistant and alum Erik Crawford would be in the mix as well, along with long time assistant Kyle Green. I'm not of the mind that a jump from Upper Iowa to UNI is a natural transition. I'd like to see Brooks take a low major D1 job and see what he can do with it. Hopefully he will get that chance, because as mentioned, Jacobson likely isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

I agree. I know Brooks has started sniffing around some low major offers. He was super interested in the South Dakota job for the 15 minutes it was open...

[uniftw]

Would have to think current assistant and alum Erik Crawford would be in the mix as well, along with long time assistant Kyle Green. I'm not of the mind that a jump from Upper Iowa to UNI is a natural transition. I'd like to see Brooks take a low major D1 job and see what he can do with it. Hopefully he will get that chance, because as mentioned, Jacobson likely isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Don't disagree.

HOWEVER, he's shown the ability to recruit talent to UIU. I took college visits for football to UIU. Have you been to UIU? It's the definition of middle of no where. I'm not sure the town has a stop light. It's a town of 1,300 people an hour NE of Cedar Falls. Fayette is the biggest town within an hour of it.

As BC said, he took over a garbage program that was impossible to recruit too. His very first game as a HC was an exhibition agaisnt Bradley - they lost to Bradley by 2 on a shot by Walt Leming Jr with .2 seconds left in the game. I know Bradley isn't great but in 2013 UIU had been a scholarship program for just 7 years after leaving D3.

They've shown improvement in recruiting and quality of play since Brooks got there. NCAA tournament this past year. They did lose the first game BUT it was in OT to the #1 seed (and eventual National Champs) Northwest Missouri State. Missouri State had 1 loss on the year, and outside of that the game against Upper Iowa was about as close as it got all year.

I don't know that he'd be ready for UNI any time soon, but it would likely come down to Brooks, Eric Crawford, PJ Hogan (long time assistant) or Kyle Green. I'm not sure Kyle or PJ really want to be a head coach. Those are all "UNI" men. Eric played at UNI and now coaches here. Brooks played here. Kyle and PJ have been here forever. Kyle has been with UNI since 01. He had to short stints elsewhere as head coaches at D2 and D3 schools but has always come back here. That's part of UNI's success is the extremely low turnover and it being a culture.

Look at last years staff
HC Jake - 16 years at UNI
AC Hogan - 14 years at UNI
AC Crawford - 9 years at UNI 5 years coaching at and 4 years as a player under Jake/McDermott
AC Green - 13 years at UNI
DBOP Netten - 10 years at UNI - UNI grad as well
VC Moran - 9 years at UNI - one of the most decorated UNI players in history and 5 years on staff.
GA Koch (Jake) - 7 years at UNI - 5 as a player 2 as GA plus watching his older brother play before he got here so he's at like 11 years knowing UNI.

I won't be shocked if the next GA is a guy like Seth Tuttle, but I hope he keeps chasing his dream of playing or Kwadzo Ahelgbe or another former player (though he's with the Minnesota Timberwolves right now in some kind of advising role).

Jake's coaching tree is actually starting to get pretty big with a bunch of guys that could break out into bigger jobs, but they are all happy with Jake and staying here. Many are convinced Jake is happy here and won't leave until he retires. I hope that's the case. He's 46 now and been the head coach since he was 35. He's been at UNI since he was 30. He's under contract until he's 57. His kids are middle school aged and love the school system. His wife loves the area. I can't see him leaving before his youngest is done with school, which is 7 more years.

He is currently 7th all time in conference wins and He should move into the top 5 in the next two years.
He's 6th in games coached in MVC history. He'll move into 5th this year.

Let's say he coaches out only until his youngest is graduated - 7 years. Keeping his average wins and everything the same he will leave UNI as the coach with the most games coached in MVC, history, most wins in MVC history, most conference wins in MVC history and the third longest tenured coach in MVC history.

Some of that depends on how long Barry continues to coach in the Valley. Barry is a head of Jake, but by less than 10 games, in most categories. However, he's 10 years older (56) and had 3 years in MVC stats in hand (14 vs 11). He's got 3 years left on his deal. He'll be 60 when that deal is up. How long does he plan on coaching?


Sorry, way off topic and even off topic from where I start this off topic post.

[PantherU]

I know Coach Jake has had several opportunities to leave and hasn't taken them. I think that says a lot about his character and how UNI is as a program and Cedar Falls is as a community.

[DUBulldog]

Farokhmanesh to Drake is now official, and Medved's staff is complete.

[UNIFanSince1983]

Farokhmanesh to Drake is now official, and Medved's staff is complete.

Disappointed he is leaving Nebraska, but good for him. Probably makes sense considering Miles probably won't get much more time here, and he wasn't an actual assistant coach. He was Director of Player Relations and Development. So if his goal (which seems like it is) is to be a D1 coach this seems like a good move for him right now.

[DUBulldog]

Farokhmanesh to Drake is now official, and Medved's staff is complete.

Disappointed he is leaving Nebraska, but good for him. Probably makes sense considering Miles probably won't get much more time here, and he wasn't an actual assistant coach. He was Director of Player Relations and Development. So if his goal (which seems like it is) is to be a D1 coach this seems like a good move for him right now.

Medved is a former assistant to Miles, so I'm guessing Miles recommended Ali to him. I wonder if this hire will help Drake in it's pursuit of Nebraska transfer Michael Jacobson.