Lickliter remains beloved at Butler

INDIANAPOLIS – The contrast couldn't be more stark in how Iowa and Butler view their common link: former men's basketball coach Todd Lickliter.

As Iowa sheds its last vestiges of the Lickliter era, Butler clings to positives Lickliter brought to the program. Lickliter took Butler to a pair of Sweet Sixteen berths before leaving for the Hawkeyes in 2007. Iowa fired Lickliter on March 15 after three seasons as coach.

Butler Coach Brad Stevens worked under Lickliter for six seasons before replacing his mentor as head coach in 2007. Stevens gave Lickliter credit for solidifying Butler as a basketball program.

“He's an incredibly big part of this,” said Stevens, who spoke with Lickliter this week. “He's just one of the best people to be around. He treats his players right. He treats his coaches right. He lets you develop as a coach.

“You know, one of the things I truly believe, everybody that's worked and played for him will be better off because of it. I think that's a great legacy to have as a coach.”

Stevens, 33, also credits Lickliter for teaching him how to stay calm on the bench.

Lickliter's former Butler players also praised him. Senior Willie Veasley played in 35 games as a freshman under Lickliter in 2006-07. He said Lickliter put the team in position to win every game.

“I know he had it kind of rough going to Iowa, but he was a phenomenal coach,” Veasley said. “He was definitely a good communicator. When things weren't going right, he knew how to calm us done. When things were going right, he knew how to keep us fired up so that we didn't let up.

“When it came to breaking down things, explaining things, he was great with words with the way he could break something down and make it so simple even though it looked so difficult.”

Butler senior Nick Rodgers signed up for the basketball team at a walk-on booth manned by former Butler and current Iowa assistant Joel Cornette. Rodgers earned a roster spot and learned the Butler way under Lickliter.

“I consider Todd one of the best coaches I've ever been able to play under, even if it was for a year and even if it was from a distance,” Rodgers said. “We didn't communicate a whole lot, but I understood my role and he understood what I had to do as well.”

Lickliter struggled to revive Iowa's program, going 38-58 in his three seasons. Iowa was 10-22 this year to set the school record for most losses in a season. He had problems with player retention with nine scholarship players transferring from the school under his watch.

“I don't know how the Iowa program works,” Veasley said. “Our whole system, our whole idea works better when it's five guys playing together. Maybe they just didn't buy into the whole thing.”

Many Iowa fans were aggravated with Lickliter's slow-it-down, half-court offense. Stevens said the Butler offense never comes up in discussions with recruits.

"We just want to try to win," Stevens said. "Style of play is a little bit overblown; tempo is a little bit overblown."