3 Names Who Could Replace Fran McCaffery as Next Head Coach for Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes are in the market for a new head coach and here are three names that would make sense.

Mar 8, 2025; St. Louis, MO, Drake Bulldogs head coach Ben McCollum reacts during the first half against the Belmont Bruins at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Fran McCaffery’s tenure as the Iowa Hawkeyes head coach is officially over after 15 years. The result is an opening for one of the most coveted positions that will be available this offseason. 

Iowa has won eight Big Ten regular season championships and three Big Ten Tournament titles in its history.

March hasn’t been the best for the Hawkeyes, as they have only had one trip to a National Championship game and that was all the way back in 1956. The last time the program was in the Final Four was in 1980 and they have not reached a Sweet 16 in over two decades.

As Iowa casts its net to find the guy who will change the culture of Iowa basketball, here are three names that it should consider.

Ben McCollum - Drake

McCollum has the Drake Bulldogs trending up and they are one of the Mid-Major teams that could make a run in this tournament. To win in the Big Ten, you need to play defense and the Bulldogs are the No. 1 defense in the entire country.

Before taking the job at Drake, he had a record of 391-95 at Division II Northwest Missouri State. Should he want to continue his climb through the college basketball ranks, Iowa would make a lot of sense.

Jerrod Calhoun - Utah State

In his first season as the Aggies’ head coach, Calhoun has his team rolling into the NCAA Tournament with a 28-6 overall record. Calhoun cut his teeth at Youngstown State before taking the job at Utah State. 

Calhoun is considered one of the up-and-coming coaches in college basketball and should be a name that Iowa considers.

Mar 1, 2025; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Utah State Aggies head coach Jerrod Calhoun talks with his team during a timeout in the first half against the Colorado State Rams at Moby Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Bucky McMillan - Samford

Another young candidate who has very little Division I experience is Samford’s Bucky McMillan, but he is a guy who has proven that he can win. He has won at least 20 games in four of his first five seasons at Samford and actually got into the NCAA Tournament and gave Kansas all that they could take in the first round of the tournament. 

Although he doesn’t have much Division I experience, he is young and a guy who could infuse some energy into the Iowa program and propel them to a deep run in the tournament.

It is a big decision for Iowa and it must get it right. Going after an unproven Division I coach, but someone who is hungry and has shown the ability to win is the route the Hawkeyes should take. These three coaches fit that billing.