MU Coaching Candidates

[shoothoops]

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

Played and coached for well regarded coach Mike Montgomery at Cal. Coached under Leonard Hamilton at FSU. (elite 8, Sweet 16's etc...)He won more games his first year at Cleveland State than they had in many years. Has worked at Marquette before (Crean). He can coach, recruit, was All Academic at one of the country's best Universities. Checks a lot of boxes actually. He's worked in California, Florida, Midwest, etc...is from Chicago. He's 41.

[Galway Eagle]

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.

UConn has three in the past 15 years by my count two under Calhoun (09,11) one under Ollie.

[genious expert]

Played and coached for well regarded coach Mike Montgomery at Cal. Coached under Leonard Hamilton at FSU. (elite 8, Sweet 16's etc...)He won more games his first year at Cleveland State than they had in many years. Has worked at Marquette before (Crean). He can coach, recruit, was All Academic at one of the country's best Universities. Checks a lot of boxes actually. He's worked in California, Florida, Midwest, etc...is from Chicago. He's 41.

Dennis Gates would be my #1 option and I think many of MU's former players would agree.

[4everwarriors]

Maebee wee should go after Bill Gates? Mite bea able ta get him cheap, ewe no, wit MU's financials and such, hey?

[GOO]

Is Shaka Smart having too good of a season to get fired at Texas?  I assume that is the case, but I don't follow things too closely. 

My two cents, Wojo is staying.  This year he gets a pass, but yes, next year will be a year he will need to have a solid season. One early poster on this thread poster quoted Al Davis and his "just win" value system.  That won't fly at Marquette, so get used to that if you want to be an MU fan.  Wojo checks all of the boxes except one of the main ones, especially this year...  but this year will be a year that gets punted.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Is Shaka Smart having too good of a season to get fired at Texas?  I assume that is the case, but I don't follow things too closely. 

My two cents, Wojo is staying.  This year he gets a pass, but yes, next year will be a year he will need to have a solid season. One early postering this thread poster quoted Al Davis and his "just win" value system.  That won't fly at Marquette, so get used to that if you want to be an MU fan.  Wojo checks all of the boxes except one of the main ones, especially this year...  but this year will be a year that gets punted.

Yeah I would still be surprised to see him ousted. 

[shoothoops]

Dennis Gates would be my #1 option and I think many of MU's former players would agree.

His year at Marquette was Mike Broeker's first at Marquette. He was therr same time as Diener, Novak, Chapman, Townsend, Merritt, rhe year after the Final Four Team.

[4everwarriors]

If Woj has any self respect, he bolts, hey?

[genious expert]

If Woj has any self respect, he bolts, hey?

Dead man walking. Can't be healthy to keep showing up for work knowing that everyone there wants you gone, hey?

[Billy Hoyle]

Dennis Gates would be my #1 option and I think many of MU's former players would agree.

There’s a name from the past. Yes, he’d be a solid hire for us. Add him to the list!

[MU82]

Dead man walking. Can't be healthy to keep showing up for work knowing that everyone there wants you gone, hey?

Who at his place of work wants him gone?

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?

Love your optimism, Doc. Make it happen!

Ewe got da konnekshuns and da shekels to dew it fore us, oona boona?

[genious expert]

Who at his place of work wants him gone?

The ones who want what is best for the Marquette men's basketball program. But I'm just guessing here.

[MU82]

The ones who want what is best for the Marquette men's basketball program. But I'm just guessing here.

Yes you are.

[genious expert]

Yes you are.

Am I wrong?

[We R Final Four]

Dead man walking. Can't be healthy to keep showing up for work knowing that everyone there wants you gone, hey?

Healthy for his bank account aina?

[The Lens]

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.

Crazy me, I aspire to be one of the top 16 programs in the country.  And yes I do think that a coach who has already been to a Final Four and is currently sitting 14th in KenPom can do it. 

[tower912]

Said IU in 2008.

[The Lens]

Said IU in 2008.

Yes! TC finished 14th in KenPom that season.  His 2nd best effort (2002, #11...2003, #15)

[Hards Alumni]

Crazy me, I aspire to be one of the top 16 programs in the country.  And yes I do think that a coach who has already been to a Final Four and is currently sitting 14th in KenPom can do it.

Rick Barnes?

[The Lens]

Rick Barnes?

Well played with your fancy refresh button.

[We R Final Four]

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.

Boom. Agree completely.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Played and coached for well regarded coach Mike Montgomery at Cal. Coached under Leonard Hamilton at FSU. (elite 8, Sweet 16's etc...)He won more games his first year at Cleveland State than they had in many years. Has worked at Marquette before (Crean). He can coach, recruit, was All Academic at one of the country's best Universities. Checks a lot of boxes actually. He's worked in California, Florida, Midwest, etc...is from Chicago. He's 41.

Color me intrigued. Thanks

[The Lens]

Had Quentin Richard come to MU with Cordell, Gates would have come too. 

For some reason Deane like David Digga more unless the Q package was activated. 

I got to know Dennis a bit when he was on TC’s staff, he really thought he, Q & Cordell were going to MU. They were all tight with Wardle and often come up here to hoop.

[JWags85]

Crazy me, I aspire to be one of the top 16 programs in the country.  And yes I do think that a coach who has already been to a Final Four and is currently sitting 14th in KenPom can do it.

Porter Moser is in his 50s, has been a head coach for 16 seasons prior to this year...and has been to 1 NCAA tourney....ONE.  They weren’t in the tourney last year, pandemic or not.  And you champion their computer rankings in a weird year without a true OOC schedule.  They are 0-1 Quad 1, and 3-2 in Quad 2. 

It’s a strange year for computer rankings.  Loyola hasn’t beaten a single team in the Top 100.  Look at Colgate in the top 20.  Wright State and UCSB in the top 50 with a combined 1 Quad and Quad 2 wins.  With no OOC, if you beat down the conference cupcakes, your NET/KenPom ranking is high.  Acting like this is a monster Loyola team cause their top 15 computer ranking when they lost to an ok Richmond team and got spanked by Wisconsin is misguided.

Acting like Moser is the guy to join that absurdly good list of multiple FF coaches when his resume is a fluke FF run in his ONLY career NCAA tourney and a heavily asterisked computer ranking in 2021 is a HEAVY reach.  He could be a decent choice, but the adoration and praise needs to chill a bit.

Gates would be awesome if we had another year or two of time at CSU to go off of, but he’s very intriguing.

[The Lens]

Porter Moser is in his 50s, has been a head coach for 16 seasons prior to this year...and has been to 1 NCAA tourney....ONE.  They weren’t in the tourney last year, pandemic or not.  And you champion their computer rankings in a weird year without a true OOC schedule.  They are 0-1 Quad 1, and 3-2 in Quad 2. 

It’s a strange year for computer rankings.  Loyola hasn’t beaten a single team in the Top 100.  Look at Colgate in the top 20.  Wright State and UCSB in the top 50 with a combined 1 Quad and Quad 2 wins.  With no OOC, if you beat down the conference cupcakes, your NET/KenPom ranking is high.  Acting like this is a monster Loyola team cause their top 15 computer ranking when they lost to an ok Richmond team and got spanked by Wisconsin is misguided.

Acting like Moser is the guy to join that absurdly good list of multiple FF coaches when his resume is a fluke FF run in his ONLY career NCAA tourney and a heavily asterisked computer ranking in 2021 is a HEAVY reach.  He could be a decent choice, but the adoration and praise needs to chill a bit.

Gates would be awesome if we had another year or two of time at CSU to go off of, but he’s very intriguing.

I'm betting on the guy who had his career turned around by Rick Majerus.  I fully admit, Ricks influence is coloring my vision.  What I also like about his is how competitive he has been in his conference the past 4 years.  I think he's the type of coach who with MU upgrades could do really well.