Fran McCaffery gives direct response on whether he expects to coach at Iowa in 2025-26

As Iowa headed into the Big Ten Tournament, questions swirled about whether Fran McCaffery would coach the Hawkeyes in 2025-26 amid rumors of retirement. After Thursday’s loss to Illinois, he gave a direct response to whether he expects to coach at Iowa next year.

Speculation started to grow throughout the season about McCaffery’s future on the sidelines. Iowa finished the season over .500 with a 17-16 record, but had just a 7-13 mark in Big Ten play and didn’t win a road game until Feb. 12 at Rutgers.

As the year went along, questions continued to come up about how much longer McCaffery, 65, would roam the sidelines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. In his postgame press conference Thursday night, he put those to rest with two words.

“I do,” McCaffery said.

McCaffery has a 297-207 record since taking over at Iowa in 2010. However, the rough year this season created frustration around the fan base and led some to wonder if a change could be on the way.

Ahead of a late matchup in the regular season, though, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo stood squarely on McCaffery’s corner. He said if he was calling the shots, Iowa wouldn’t make a change and added the Hawkeyes “don’t have the resources” to be where fans might want.

“I look at some of the players he’s had and what they’ve done, you get lucky and unlucky,” Izzo said. “I just went through a three-year period where everyone wants to ship me out. I mean, it’s just the way it is. They don’t have the resources here. I’m going to say what I think. This ain’t what Fran thinks.

“Everybody has different amounts of resources. They’re not on the middle or high end. I love Fran. I think what he’s gone through here with his own kids and everything. Watch what you wish for. I’ve seen this happen at a couple of football programs close to us and people better appreciate. It’s easy to throw stones. Everybody says, ‘Well, we’re paying guys money now, so you should be able to win.’ Well, don’t you think the rest of us are paying money? It’s no different. Fran is one of my favorite guys because he does speak his own piece and he’s very smart.”

Iowa’s season is not over, though, after Thursday’s loss to Illinois. Fran McCaffery said the Hawkeyes plan to play in the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas in late March.