Iowa seeks new head coach after McCaffery's departure

The Iowa Hawkeyes basketball program recently made a significant change by parting ways with head coach Fran McCaffery. McCaffery had been with the team for 15 years but faced criticism after several lackluster seasons. His departure followed the team's elimination from the Big Ten Tournament. With McCaffery gone, discussions have begun around potential replacements. While Darian DeVries was a favored candidate, he recently took a new position at Bloomington. Now, Drake's Ben McCollum is considered the frontrunner for the job. Another name that has gained attention is Richard Pitino, the current head coach at New Mexico. He is well-known in the basketball community as the son of Rick Pitino, a highly successful coach with two national championships and 884 career wins. Richard Pitino led his team to the NCAA Tournament this year and has been recognized as the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year. Despite previously coaching at Minnesota, where he faced challenges, many believe Richard Pitino is deserving of another opportunity in a major program. At 42 years old, he is seen as having the potential for a successful coaching career if given the right chance.