McCaffery's Hawkeyes making progress overall

As a former Iowan, I'm disappointed over Iowa's recent woes on the basketball court. However, Hawkeye fans have plenty of reason for hope.

In four years, Coach Fran McCaffery has three winning seasons and a 74-53 record at Iowa. In Lute Olson's first four seasons, he went 59-50 and had two losing seasons. Two years after going 12-15, Lute's Hawks went to the Final Four in 1980. Iowa's trajectory is arcing upward. It takes time to change the power structure in the Big Ten.

In hindsight, Iowa played over its head for much of the season. But when reality settled in, the Hawks still had a team that lacks mobility and shot creation abilities on the offensive end. This was still a one-man team. Like Lute Olson's Big Ten scoring champ Scott Thompson, Devyn Marble was the lone star on a team still building, still looking for a point guard who can penetrate and a strong post man. Hopefully those pieces are on the way in the next couple of years.

Iowa had a glimpse of what it's like to gain national attention for standout play. And its season is ending with the reality that the team still has a long way to go.

Wishing McCaffery and staff much success and praying for his son Patrick and a full recovery.

Dennis Durband

Mesa