MU Coaching Candidates

[Johnny B]

Crean sucks

not as hard as wojo

[Scoop Snoop]

Moser is, hands down, my favorite candidate. Their Cinderella run to the Final Four was dismissed as a combination of unusual opportunity with some big teams getting upset in their region and just plain luck. They seemed to have more damn fun than any other team there. It was not a fluke that they did so well and they are proving that this year by being ranked while we whimper in 9th place in the BE.

I've read a number of articles about the Loyola team, camaraderie, and fan loyalty (no pun intended). All teams talk about family, but Loyola is the real deal. That includes everybody- not just the team.  If Marquette offers him the job after Wojo is, one way or the other, goneI think Sister Jean simply has [/color]to be part of the package.

Moser is in his 10th year and, if I recall, either interviewed or expressed interest in the St. John's opening. He makes over 1.5 mil so he would not come cheap but I think he might, just might consider leaving Loyola for Marquette.   

[wadesworld]

Moser is, hands down, my favorite candidate. Their Cinderella run to the Final Four was dismissed as a combination of unusual opportunity with some big teams getting upset in their region and just plain luck. They seemed to have more damn fun than any other team there. It was not a fluke that they did so well and they are proving that this year by being ranked while we whimper in 9th place in the BE.

I've read a number of articles about the Loyola team, camaraderie, and fan loyalty (no pun intended). All teams talk about family, but Loyola is the real deal. That includes everybody- not just the team.  If Marquette offers him the job after Wojo is, one way or the other, goneI think Sister Jean simply has [/color]to be part of the package.

Moser is in his 10th year and, if I recall, either interviewed or expressed interest in the St. John's opening. He makes over 1.5 mil so he would not come cheap but I think he might, just might consider leaving Loyola for Marquette.   

Regarding fan loyalty, in Moser's 4th year at Loyola, their men's volleyball program had more ticket sales than their men's basketball program.

I've become more open to Moser at Marquette.  But I hope he's not our top choice.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Moser is, hands down, my favorite candidate. Their Cinderella run to the Final Four was dismissed as a combination of unusual opportunity with some big teams getting upset in their region and just plain luck. They seemed to have more damn fun than any other team there. It was not a fluke that they did so well and they are proving that this year by being ranked while we whimper in 9th place in the BE.

I've read a number of articles about the Loyola team, camaraderie, and fan loyalty (no pun intended). All teams talk about family, but Loyola is the real deal. That includes everybody- not just the team.  If Marquette offers him the job after Wojo is, one way or the other, goneI think Sister Jean simply has [/color]to be part of the package.

Moser is in his 10th year and, if I recall, either interviewed or expressed interest in the St. John's opening. He makes over 1.5 mil so he would not come cheap but I think he might, just might consider leaving Loyola for Marquette.   

Questions: Do the Jesuits waive his buy-out?  Next: Is his recruiting network BE worthy? Does it mesh with MU standards?

[The Lens]

Given our track record of consistent top 100 players over the past 22 years, I think our recruiting success is as much due to the school and the infrastructure as it is the coach. 

I’m confident that given his Chicago contacts alone Moser could easily trade up in his recruiting circles.  Look, Wojo traded down.  He never has to compete for a Greg Elliott Type at Duke but he learned to here.

I really believe if we hire Moser we’re looking at a coach who will be here 15 years (he turns 54 after the season) and will get us to two Final Fours.

He’s the guy.

[MuggsyB]

Given our track record of consistent top 100 players over the past 22 years, I think our recruiting success is as much due to the school and the infrastructure as it is the coach. 

I’m confident that given his Chicago contacts alone Moser could easily trade up in his recruiting circles.  Look, Wojo traded down.  He never has to compete for a Greg Elliott Type at Duke but he learned to here.

I really believe if we hire Moser we’re looking at a coach who will be here 15 years (he turns 54 after the season) and will get us to two Final Fours.

He’s the guy.

Moser's salary is nearly identical to Wojo's which surprised me. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

Moser's salary is nearly identical to Wojo's which surprised me.

He bought Tom Rickett's crib.

[Scoop Snoop]

Given our track record of consistent top 100 players over the past 22 years, I think our recruiting success is as much due to the school and the infrastructure as it is the coach. 

I’m confident that given his Chicago contacts alone Moser could easily trade up in his recruiting circles.  Look, Wojo traded down.  He never has to compete for a Greg Elliott Type at Duke but he learned to here.

I really believe if we hire Moser we’re looking at a coach who will be here 15 years (he turns 54 after the season) and will get us to two Final Fours.

He’s the guy.

Thanks Lens! You answered Dr. B's recruiting questions before I got got around to it and answered them much better than I would have, but along the same lines. I will add one more comment though-for Chicago players who want their families see them play, its a fairly short trip to Milwaukee. Just another plus.

A few additional pluses for Moser- clean program? Check. Knows how to work well with a Catholic University? Check. Brings excitement and deep commitment to team? Check. As noted, tourney success (even if it was one spectacular year, so what?) vs. 2 appearances as a 5 seed that got blown out by 12 seeds. They will be in the tourney this year. Marquette will watch them on TV. 

Loyola knows what they have, so yes Muggsy, his salary is not far off from Wojo's. They raised it dramatically after the Final Four appearance. If Marquette wants him, they will have to pony up. At 54 years old, he may be just right for a long stay at Marquette and not want to wander.

[MuggsyB]

I think he's a good option but we may be powerless vs Sister Jean.

[YoungMUFan4]

Dennis Gates
Scott Nagy
Niko Medved
Craig Smith
Thad Matta

[Hards Alumni]

What is with a bunch of people dreaming of coaches that would never come to Marquette.  Beilein?  Matta?  You guy are serious with these?  Why not add Jim Calhoun to the list too?

You want to know what Marquette will hire?  Someone safer than safe.  Someone a lot like Wojo.  An assistant coach at a P6 school without HC experience.

I'd be shocked if we got someone like Oats, Moser, or Nagy.

Having said all that, there is one exception, and that is Brian Wardle.  I'm not advocating for it, but he is exactly the type of guy that MU is looking for.

[#UnleashSean]

What is with a bunch of people dreaming of coaches that would never come to Marquette.  Beilein?  Matta?  You guy are serious with these?  Why not add Jim Calhoun to the list too?

You want to know what Marquette will hire?  Someone safer than safe.  Someone a lot like Wojo.  An assistant coach at a P6 school without HC experience.

I'd be shocked if we got someone like Oats, Moser, or Nagy.

Having said all that, there is one exception, and that is Brian Wardle.  I'm not advocating for it, but he is exactly the type of guy that MU is looking for.

Wardle was my pick 3 or 4 years ago.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'd be surprised if they went the assistant route again. Beilein I don't think is interested in coaching right now. Nor sure about Matta. I think he may be waiting for a specific job and I'm not sure Marquette is it

[jesmu84]

What is with a bunch of people dreaming of coaches that would never come to Marquette.  Beilein?  Matta?  You guy are serious with these?  Why not add Jim Calhoun to the list too?

You want to know what Marquette will hire?  Someone safer than safe.  Someone a lot like Wojo.  An assistant coach at a P6 school without HC experience.

I'd be shocked if we got someone like Oats, Moser, or Nagy.

Having said all that, there is one exception, and that is Brian Wardle.  I'm not advocating for it, but he is exactly the type of guy that MU is looking for.

Correct.

This is MU's path. Always has been. Most likely always will.

Assistant at a major program.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

If you look at Scholl hires for other sports, he has gone the mid-major head coach route more often than not.  (Duffy, Theis)  The only exception has been Stimmel as lax coach, but he was a former MU assistant.

Like TAMU, I would be very surprised to see them take that route again.

[cheebs09]

Dennis Gates
Scott Nagy
Niko Medved
Craig Smith
Thad Matta

This is an interesting list. I think Smith is my top choice of those out there (assuming Oats isn’t looking to get back to WI at all costs).

I like that Gates has experience at a number of schools and seems to be turning Cleveland State around.

I think we go the mid-major head coach route. It seems like there’s a lot more talent there than when Wojo was hired. I feel those talented assistants that we used to hire are becoming head coaches more than in the past.

[shoothoops]

Marquette hires Dukiet, Head Coach, smaller program. Perceived to not be a success.

Then Marquette hires Kevin O'Neill, assistant High Major. It''s perceived to be a success.

Marquette hires Mike Deane, a HC of a smaller program. It is not perceived to be a success.

Then Marquette hires Crean, assistant High Major. Perceived to be a success.

Then Marquette hires its own Assistant Buzz.

Marquette hires High Major assistant, Wojo. Perceived to not be a success (so far)

Do you see a pattern?

Seems to go back and forth, especially when either the coach was not perceived to be a success or there exit was not ideal.

This is common in sports. If you are perceived to have success a certain way with coaching changes, there is a tendency to try it again. If you are perceived to not have success with a coaching change, you try something different. This isn't all that different in football, when teams will sometimes hire and offensive or defensive coach if the unsuccessful previous one was the opposite.

Marquette would likely be open to any type of hire. But it would seem they may want some successful HC experience too, running a program, based on the current situation.

[GoldenWarrior11]

College athletics, much like professional sports, usually sees institutions and organizations move in the opposite direction if a previous hire failed.  If the coach was experienced and hot-tempered, they will go with youth and mild-mannered.  If they went young, and the inexperience proved fatal, they will inevitably go with someone that has done it before so as to avoid a repeated collapse.  In going from Buzz (who was charismatic in his own way and eccentric, with a handful of off-court issues from the team) they went to Wojo (a buttoned-up, successful assistant coach at one of the blue blood programs in the country).  It is unequivocally true today that MUBB went down going from Buzz to Wojo, and the school will question what it needs to do differently in the interview process to avoid a repeat. 

If there is a change in the next few weeks, the next head coach will have head coaching experience - I am very confident in that prediction.  Now, at what level can be anyone's guess, but the school and athletic department will not want to take another gamble on an uncertainty; the program will need experience, success and stability. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

If you look at Scholl hires for other sports, he has gone the mid-major head coach route more often than not.  (Duffy, Theis)  The only exception has been Stimmel as lax coach, but he was a former MU assistant.

Like TAMU, I would be very surprised to see them take that route again.

Bingo. And I might add: Strong and varied top assistants before their mid-major jobs.

Also, can people get realistic here. If MU cannot afford a payout of $4-6 million for Wojo (guess), why do we think we can afford to pay Oats or another top coach $5 million which will also require a multi-million buy-out to another school?

Lastly, program fit based on academic standards as I have said. A guy who can pull in top players from college prep high schools is the recruiting network MU wants in their criteria. That's not a Nate Oats type either.

[shoothoops]

Dennis Gates
Scott Nagy
Niko Medved
Craig Smith
Thad Matta

This is really the path for Marquette. I would add a few names as well. Dennis Gates doesn't get enough discussion.

[withoutbias]

Bingo. And I might add: Strong and varied top assistants before their mid-major jobs.

Also, can people get realistic here. If MU cannot afford a payout of $4-6 million for Wojo (guess), why do we think we can afford to pay Oats or another top coach $5 million which will also require a multi-million buy-out to another school?

Lastly, program fit based on academic standards as I have said. A guy who can pull in top players from college prep high schools is the recruiting network MU wants in their criteria. That's not a Nate Oats type either.

How many of Marquette's men's basketball players went to college prep high schools?

[Dr. Blackheart]

How many of Marquette's men's basketball players went to college prep high schools?

On this one?  100%

[MUCam]

I really believe if we hire Moser we’re looking at a coach who will be here 15 years (he turns 54 after the season) and will get us to two Final Fours.

He’s the guy.

I love the optimism, but let's be a little realistic. If my quick calculations are correct, in the last 15 years of NCAA Tournaments, exactly 15 schools have gone to 2 final fours or more. The coaches from those schools that were involved in 2 or more of the FF's include:

Tom Izzo
Jay Wright
John Beilein
Bill Self
Roy Williams
Jim Boeheim
Coach K
The Grinch from WI
John Calipari
Billy Donovan
Rick Pitino
Thad Matta
Brad Stevens
Ben Howland

Conneticut was the other two time participant, with one trip under Calhoun and one under Ollie via Calhoun. Notably, only three of those 14 coaches were the head coach at schools similarly situated to Marquette, and one of those three is Coach K. The rest coach(ed) at big state schools.

I am not saying it cannot be done, but to "really believe" that we will go to 2 final fours in the next 15 years with a coach that has never coached at a power conference and has been to exactly 2 NCAA tournaments in the last 20 years, is setting yourself up for disappointment. Its like putting it all on the #2 ball in Roulette and reasonably believing that you're going to hit. In fact, odds may be better on the Roulette table.

So, again, I love the optimism. I do think that sort of success can be had at Marquette (look at Jay Wright and Brad Stevens for examples) and that the likelihood of such success is better at Marquette than many other schools in Marquette's weight class, but..... let's be a little realistic?

Or not. All fun conjecture anyway.

EDIT: May also not be realistic, and he may have 0.00% interest, but if I had my way, I'd go all in on Beilein. Class act, with great success.

[4everwarriors]

Nah, MU is in a disparate situation and needs to make a splash. Plus, the AD has no history here of hirin' a men's head BB coach. MU has the shekels, hey?

[Silkk the Shaka]

This is really the path for Marquette. I would add a few names as well. Dennis Gates doesn't get enough discussion.

I don't know much about Dennis Gates but what stands out about him? Not much on a quick bio perusal but I'm open minded