Hawkeye recruits, prep coaches weigh in on Lickliter

Devyn Marble said he could hear the strain in Todd Lickliter's voice as they talked Sunday.

“He just sounded real frustrated,” Marble said. “He didn't know what was going on.”

Lickliter was fired Monday as head men's basketball coach at the University of Iowa. One of four signed recruits for the 2010-11 season, Marble didn't find out about the firing until a reporter informed him just as his final class of the day at Southfield-Lathrup High School in Michigan was dismissed.

“I don't even know what to say,” Marble said, amid the considerable chatter of schoolmates.

Marble was asked if he planned to remain a Hawkeye. His father, Roy, was a star for the Hawkeyes in the late 1980s.

“I don't know, yet,” he replied. “We'll have to see.”

Another recruit, Zach McCabe, said Monday he expected to stick to his Iowa commitment. The Sioux City Heelan senior said he had not talked recently to Lickliter but had discussed a potential coaching change with fellow signee Cody Larson of nearby Sioux Falls, S.D.

“He's on the same page as me,” McCabe said. “Right now, I'm a Hawkeye. I still want to be a Hawkeye and I plan on being a Hawkeye.”

Area prep basketball coaches seemed surprised by Monday's news.

Cedar Rapids Washington's Brad Metzger said he had direct contact with the Iowa coaching staff because of junior Josh Oglesby. Metzger said he received a letter from Lickliter upon returning to his native Iowa last year after coaching in Indiana, Lickliter's home state.

“He just welcomed me back to the state,” Metzger said. “It was pretty cordial. I saw him a couple of times after that, and he was very nice ... I hope he lands on his feet.”

Linn-Mar's Chris Robertson also had positive things to say about Lickliter, who recruited former Lion Grant Gibbs before he signed three years ago with Gonzaga and who was recruiting Linn-Mar sophomore Marcus Paige.

“A terrific guy, probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met,” Robertson said. “I'm not so sure I would agree with this firing. It's really unfortunate. He was in the hole from the beginning."

Prominent AAU coach Hank Huddleson, however, didn't seem particularly surprised with Lickliter's dismissal. Huddleson, who coaches in the successful Martin Brothers program, said he had talked to Lickliter just three times in his tenure at Iowa but had dealt regularly with some of Iowa's assistant coaches.

“When (Gary) Barta lays out all the facts, how can he not do what he did?” Huddleson said of the Iowa athletics director.

Solon's Brad Randall said he attended several Iowa practices over the years and found Lickliter to be a good coach.

“I just think he's a fine gentleman,” Randall said. “I think his system is very sound. To me, he's been a victim of circumstance.

“You know, I think we blew it with the way we handled the Tom Davis situation. Tom Davis was a great coach and a great guy. A great example to Iowa ... Look at Indiana. Any time you push out the winningest coach in history, there's going to be problems.”