McCollum - Medved Rivalry

[Oatmeal Savage]

I’m excited about the start of the season and the start of the Niko regime. This is definitely the right place for him and I think he’s the right coach for us.

That being said, I’m curious to see how things play out south of the border. The algorithms served me up this (and preview of Gophers-Iowa football). Iowa is definitely the right place for him. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s right for Iowa. For the sake of a good rivalry, I hope so.

Medved and McCollum both have a decent amount of head coaching experience at lower levels, the one year of Drake seasoning, and both were hired the same year to take over the Big Ten programs they care about that need a shot in the arm to return them to the glory days they remember.

A rivalry has to be competitive, so the games can be close, we can be near each other in the standings, and we can both make the NCAA tournament. But let’s beat them in the games, edge them out in the standings, and advance at least one round further each time.

 

[howeda7]

McCollum is not unlikable enough for an Iowa coach. Angry Fran was better in that regard.

 

[BleedGopher]

I’m excited about the start of the season and the start of the Niko regime. This is definitely the right place for him and I think he’s the right coach for us.

That being said, I’m curious to see how things play out south of the border. The algorithms served me up this (and preview of Gophers-Iowa football). Iowa is definitely the right place for him. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s right for Iowa. For the sake of a good rivalry, I hope so.

Medved and McCollum both have a decent amount of head coaching experience at lower levels, the one year of Drake seasoning, and both were hired the same year to take over the Big Ten programs they care about that need a shot in the arm to return them to the glory days they remember.

A rivalry has to be competitive, so the games can be close, we can be near each other in the standings, and we can both make the NCAA tournament. But let’s beat them in the games, edge them out in the standings, and advance at least one round further each time.

I just want to be good enough to be a rival with anyone again! We haven't finished ahead of wisconsin in the BT standings since the Final Four. Would love our traditional football rivals to be our traditional basketball rivals again, but it's up to Medved to earn that right.

Go Gophers!!

 

[bga1]

I just want to be good enough to be a rival with anyone again! We haven't finished ahead of wisconsin in the BT standings since the Final Four. Would love our traditional football rivals to be our traditional basketball rivals again, but it's up to Medved to earn that right.

Go Gophers!!

He will.

 

[Bayfield Gopher]

Their records prove that they are both capable CFB coaches. It will all come down the the one that recruits the best players that fit their system.

 

[Bad Gopher]

I just want to be good enough to be a rival with anyone again! We haven't finished ahead of wisconsin in the BT standings since the Final Four. Would love our traditional football rivals to be our traditional basketball rivals again, but it's up to Medved to earn that right.

Go Gophers!!

Well put.

The Iowa situation is going to be very compelling to watch. I was always impressed with Fran and his teams' play and feel like he got a raw deal down there. That said, McCollum has all the signs of being an uncommon coach and program builder. He clearly knows what he's doing, and his results have been almost unreal. That said, Lickliter showed that nothing is guaranteed in Iowa City--that even though the program has been objectively successful over the years, it can go bad.

 

[formerlybis]

Well put.

The Iowa situation is going to be very compelling to watch. I was always impressed with Fran and his teams' play and feel like he got a raw deal down there. That said, McCollum has all the signs of being an uncommon coach and program builder. He clearly knows what he's doing, and his results have been almost unreal. That said, Lickliter showed that nothing is guaranteed in Iowa City--that even though the program has been objectively successful over the years, it can go bad.

Fran’s teams were generally good to very good on offense, but bottom of the barrel on defense. He would routinely put the 5 best offensive players on the floor and ignore defensive liabilities altogether. This is objectively supported by his teams’ analytics over the years.

McCollum’s teams have had much better analytics, and he seems to get both ends of the floor. It’ll be down to recruiting for him, because he’s a much more complete coach

 

[SplitDecision]

I'm not thinking that Ben McCollum has proven much at the Power Conference level. Clearly, he can coach and has had terrific success at the D2 level plus 1 year at Drake. There will be a learning curve for him in recruiting, travel, preparation for B10 opponents. Niko is 8 years older, has coached high D1 basketball for 8 years with success, and things for MN should be smoother in program building. Like some of the pre-season All Big Ten player picks, McCollum is still just the shiny object to me until they win games.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Fran’s teams were generally good to very good on offense, but bottom of the barrel on defense. He would routinely put the 5 best offensive players on the floor and ignore defensive liabilities altogether. This is objectively supported by his teams’ analytics over the years.

It's true.

 

[bga1]

I'm not thinking that Ben McCollum has proven much at the Power Conference level. Clearly, he can coach and has had terrific success at the D2 level plus 1 year at Drake. There will be a learning curve for him in recruiting, travel, preparation for B10 opponents. Niko is 8 years older, has coached high D1 basketball for 8 years with success, and things for MN should be smoother in program building. Like some of the pre-season All Big Ten player picks, McCollum is still just the shiny object to me until they win games.

What really helps McCollum is to bring Stirtz with him- a guy who will run his stuff and lead.

 

[60's Guy]

Iowa will be an NCAA Tournament team this year. Minnesota will not. So year one goes to iowa.

 

[bga1]

Iowa will be an NCAA Tournament team this year. Minnesota will not. So year one goes to iowa.

I would agree that they are likely to do better this year- but I am not ruling us out. I really liked what I saw in terms of executing both an offense and defense against NDSU. There is enough ability here, but it will take winning the close ones.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

I'm not thinking that Ben McCollum has proven much at the Power Conference level. Clearly, he can coach and has had terrific success at the D2 level plus 1 year at Drake. There will be a learning curve for him in recruiting, travel, preparation for B10 opponents. Niko is 8 years older, has coached high D1 basketball for 8 years with success, and things for MN should be smoother in program building. Like some of the pre-season All Big Ten player picks, McCollum is still just the shiny object to me until they win games.

So you like the Niko hire better?

 

[Oatmeal Savage]

Well, it's off to a good start!

 

[minnyrules11]

Iowa will be an NCAA Tournament team this year. Minnesota will not. So year one goes to iowa.

We will see about that.

 

[60's Guy]

We will see about that.

Awesome that we won!!! I still think my end of season forecast is on target but fantastic win last night!

 

[Beerculees]

2 things on Ben McCollum, I am very interested to see how he does when Stritz graduates. I think he will still be successful but Stritz does so much for them. I can't wait for him to be gone.

2nd, the reddit meme from the bald sub needs to be done to Ben. He does not look 8 years younger than Niko. He is only 44. Sometimes it is just better to accept the inevitable and shave it off. It is okay to be bald. It would probably also make him look more like a villain to us so it is a double win.

 

[Bad Gopher]

2 things on Ben McCollum, I am very interested to see how he does when Stritz graduates. I think he will still be successful but Stritz does so much for them. I can't wait for him to be gone.

2nd, the reddit meme from the bald sub needs to be done to Ben. He does not look 8 years younger than Niko. He is only 44. Sometimes it is just better to accept the inevitable and shave it off. It is okay to be bald. It would probably also make him look more like a villain to us so it is a double win.

I think he'll attract a lot of talent to Iowa City, and I think they're going to be a handful as far as the eye can see.

 

[minnyrules11]

I think he'll attract a lot of talent to Iowa City, and I think they're going to be a handful as far as the eye can see.

I'm not so sure it seems like Nebraska is taking some of that talent and are recruiting better players out of high school perhaps due to more NIL for the program. Also being second fiddle to Iowa St is not helping.

High School 2026 Team Recruiting Rankings
Iowa State- 15th with 4 recruits: a pair of 4 and 3 stars.
Minnesota- 27th with 3 recruits
Nebraska- 33rd with 2 recruits both 4 stars.
Iowa- 57th with one recruit.

Early yet but Nebraska and Iowa St are in top 10 for 2027 with one recruit from Minnesota.

I do think at some point need to be able win without Stirtz. The B1G is a different breed than D2 and Drake.

 

[Beerculees]

I'm not so sure it seems like Nebraska is taking some of that talent and are recruiting better players out of high school perhaps due to more NIL for the program. Also being second fiddle to Iowa St is not helping.

High School 2026 Team Recruiting Rankings
Iowa State- 15th with 4 recruits: a pair of 4 and 3 stars.
Minnesota- 27th with 3 recruits
Nebraska- 33rd with 2 recruits both 4 stars.
Iowa- 57th with one recruit.

Early yet but Nebraska and Iowa St are in top 10 for 2027 with one recruit from Minnesota.

I do think at some point need to be able win without Stirtz. The B1G is a different breed than D2 and Drake.

McCollum's system relies on a PG like Stritz if they can't find one that can handle similar responsibilities they could be in trouble. Granted he was the Alabama (football) of D2 basketball so maybe I am wrong there.

 

[minnyrules11]

McCollum's system relies on a PG like Stritz if they can't find one that can handle similar responsibilities they could be in trouble. Granted he was the Alabama (football) of D2 basketball so maybe I am wrong there.

Yeah being an NSIC guy myself did have a lot of success there. Just wondering if programs like MN, Nebraska rise and Iowa St stays put where does that leave Iowa, or better yet WI. Fun to speculate.