MU Coaching Candidates

[MU82]

Am I wrong?

I don't know. And neither do you.

[MuggsyB]

Smith is a system coach. Most of his teams have played from in the fastish to mid-tempo range. On offense he puts a premium on ball movement and crashing the offensive glass. Almost every shot they take is assisted. Turnovers are his team's achilles' heel (though not as bad as Wojo).

Defense is Smith's calling card. At both Utah State and South Dakota his teams got better defensively every season he was there. Every year at Utah State his teams have ranked in the top 45 for eFG% allowed. They are also elite on the defensive glass (top 11 every year at Utah State). His defensive system is to give up threes in order to guard the paint (but they do it better than MU does). Elite 2P defense, meh 3P defense. Defensive weakness is also TOs, they don't force many of them. Honestly, Smith runs Wojo's defense except it actually works.

A lot to like about Smith. He hit the ground running at Utah State when no one expected them to be good right away. His teams seems to consistently improve as the season goes on. Concern I would have for him is his recruiting. He's shown no evidence of recruiting networks in the midwest since heading out west. Almost all of his kids have come from west of the Rockies or overseas. If he came back to the midwest he'd need to establish recruiting networks here.

Is there a h-c that would have Midwest recruiting networks besides Moser?  Craig is from Minny.  I have to say I never imagined in a million yrs we would be in this position. 

[JTJ3]

Otz is the guy if you want instate and midwest recruiting ties.  He'd kill it in state if he got the marquette job.  He's the guy who got all of the wisconsin kids to iowa st during the hoiberg years, and helped with other midwest kids too like monte morris.

Devries has a roster full of midwest kids too, especially the chicago area.

[Warrior_2002]

Following along on all the candidates mentioned here.  Tough decision but I wonder if the BOT looks strictly for a diverse candidate.  Not saying I agree or disagree.  Just feel that could be a focus.  Just give me a coach that can have at least a couple strengths on the court.  Like hey we are a great defensive team or hey we attack the rim or hey we move the ball great and have great shot selection.  We have zero strengths and I’m tired of watching this.  So frustrating.

[SaveOD238]

Following along on all the candidates mentioned here.  Tough decision but I wonder if the BOT looks strictly for a diverse candidate.  Not saying I agree or disagree.  Just feel that could be a focus.  Just give me a coach that can have at least a couple strengths on the court.  Like hey we are a great defensive team or hey we attack the rim or hey we move the ball great and have great shot selection.  We have zero strengths and I’m tired of watching this.  So frustrating.

Knowing the current direction that the university is going with student recruitment, I can imagine there will be a strong push to hire a Black head coach. 

Frankly, I don't think I've heard a Black coach named anywhere in this thread, outside of Stan.  Other than our own assistants and former assistants, what other Black candidates are there?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Knowing the current direction that the university is going with student recruitment, I can imagine there will be a strong push to hire a Black head coach. 

Frankly, I don't think I've heard a Black coach named anywhere in this thread, outside of Stan.  Other than our own assistants and former assistants, what other Black candidates are there?

Dennis Gates at Cleveland State is black.

I am sure the BOT and administration would like that too, but I also think they know they would have to get this hire right.  That will be the primary factor.

[dad's couch]

I'm glad you had your fun and now for reality. Marquette has laid of 350 employees and are expecting more.

Here are some more numbers:

Wojo is owed approximately $6 million (maybe more because he deferred some this season due to Covid but we'll keep it at $6 million). Coaches are owed probably $1 million for next season. MU now owes $7 million in dead money.

Moser makes $1.15 million. Figure for him to move it has to be at least $1.6 million. Coaching staff will cost $1 million. That's $2.6 million. Now MU is up to $9.6 million for a basketball coach next season. Can't find his buyout but usually 50 - 75 percent what's owed. Moser has 4 years left so at a minimum it's $2 million. A guy that makes $1 million and will be less than $2 million at MU will not pay his own buyout. That $2 million brings the total to $11.6 million MU needs to pay out for a Moser next season, almost $9 million more that if we keep Wojo.

Add in Moser will probably be a hot property so we'll have competition. Maybe DePaul with get rid of Leitao. He makes $1.3 million. So the new administration ups what they pay their coach to match MU. Less pressure and no move. And one more thing. The BC AD was the guy that hired Moser at Loyola. They pay Christian $1.3 million so they can also drive up his price. So $1.6 million might be too low.

In all Moser will cost us at least $11 million next season.

Smith makes about $750,000 with a bunch of bonus opportunities. He has 2 years left with a buyout of 75 percent of his salary. Works out to about $1.1 million. Figure a $1.5 million salary and $1 million for coaches for a total of $3.6 million for Smith. That's $7 million more than they would pay Wojo and it comes to $10 million for Smith.

Here's another little fun fact. MU male athletics had $27 million in revenue in 2020. No ticket revenue in 20-21 and decrease of NCAA Tournament money with the expiration of credits from 6 years ago and no share from last year. Safe assumption games generate $300K per game/15 games is $4.5 million in lost revenue. (My estimate is based on $22 for 11,000 tickets per game. I didn't include in game advertising and sponsorships). So it is more.

To get rid of Wojo the athletic department will need to find a minimum of $7 million when it has a $27 million total budget for men's sports and lost about $4 million just in ticket revenue. And forget the PR nightmare of of raising $7 million while hundreds are being let go and others forced to take a pay freeze.

Unless a lot of you bought GameStop at $3 and sold at $300, if we do get rid of Wojo the next coach is an assistant coach or an unemployed coach.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Dad's, I agree with your premise that it would be difficult to replace Wojo this year.  I also think Wojo wasn't on the hot seat before the season began so it is doubtful that Lovell, Scholl and Co. have lost THAT much faith in him that they want to let him go.  So IMO I think you are correct that Wojo is here next year.

But here's the problem.  They are going to have to spend this money soon.  This isn't working and they have to see that.  Furthermore they almost have to extend him.  I mean, maybe not but then you may as well fire him right?

And I think MU needs to realize that next year could get real ugly PR wise.  Their prospects for success don't look great.  They will likely bleed a bunch of season ticket holder next year, and likely more the year after.  A successful basketball program is a key to MU getting out of the financial situation they are in.  But having faith that Wojo is that guy seems quite foolish.

[shoothoops]

I totally hear & understand skepticism of Moser. But that 1 appearance is about to be 2, at an equally-or-moreso POS program. Watch his teams, they look a lot like Villanova and he's doing it with significantly less talent. It has definitely clicked for him. Luckily, ESPN2 picked up their game against Drake tomorrow (11 a.m. CST / noon ET). Nice opportunity for our fan base to get a good look at the T-bone by sticking our heads up the butcher's ass, so to speak.

The Missouri Valley Conference is playing back to back league games this season. This means Loyola Chicago and Drake play today at Drake, and they play tomorrow, Sunday. Both games are at Drake. (At minimum Sunday's game is likely on ESPN+.)

[GoldenWarrior11]

Dad's, I agree with your premise that it would be difficult to replace Wojo this year.  I also think Wojo wasn't on the hot seat before the season began so it is doubtful that Lovell, Scholl and Co. have lost THAT much faith in him that they want to let him go.  So IMO I think you are correct that Wojo is here next year.

But here's the problem.  They are going to have to spend this money soon.  This isn't working and they have to see that.  Furthermore they almost have to extend him.  I mean, maybe not but then you may as well fire him right?

And I think MU needs to realize that next year could get real ugly PR wise.  Their prospects for success don't look great.  They will likely bleed a bunch of season ticket holder next year, and likely more the year after.  A successful basketball program is a key to MU getting out of the financial situation they are in.  But having faith that Wojo is that guy seems quite foolish.

Somehow, I’d imagine if the school went collectively to Wade, Butler, Rivers, Matthews and Crowder, (and other alumni) they’d be able to give at least HALF the amount of upfront buyout money ($3 million).  Allow the group to have a voice (not THE voice) in the search.  They want MUBB to be successful and continue to show support for their alma mater.

Honestly, the financial concerns are overblown.  If the school decides to make a change, it will find a way to do so.  We will not keep Wojo strictly for financial reasons.

[4everwarriors]

Pops, I appreciate the cold, statistical facts. However, MU cannot afford paralysis by analysis. The potential loss of revenue is even far greater if he remains. He gone, hey?

[Warrior_2002]

Pops, I appreciate the cold, statistical facts. However, MU cannot afford paralysis by analysis. The potential loss of revenue is even far greater if he remains. He gone, hey?

Totally with you.  We don’t know the real financial picture at Marquette.  I’m hopeful they take care of this and move on but also not sure if the administration has what it takes.  More to come I guess. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Totally with you.  We don’t know the real financial picture at Marquette.  I’m hopeful they take care of this and move on but also not sure if the administration has what it takes.  More to come I guess. 

I don't know what you mean by "the real financial picture."  They have lost hundreds of enrolled students.  They are firing and furloughing employees.  They haven't matched 403(b) contributions all year.

Safe to say it's pretty bad.

That being said, you CAN make a change if you want.  It's hardly impossible to do so.  Difficult?  Most definitely.  But it's going to be difficult WITH him next year too.

[shoothoops]

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 don't care who Marquette hires as long as that staff is as successful as possible. I do like Dennis Gates, hence why I posted about him before.

Fair is fair. I saw lots and lots of other posters here mention Brian Wardle. (They have been pretty quiet lately) I wasn't why they would mention him when Porter Moser has been better in the same league over a similar time. Mentioning one without the other was strange.

People can like or not like Moser. People can include him on a list of candidates or not. I don't care  BUt I will give him fair representation of his record. To say all he has to his resume is one Final Four run isn't a fair representative of his time there

This will likely be the fourth straight season that Loyola Chicago will either be the Missouri Valley Regular Season Champion or runner up.

For perspective, Loyola Chicago has played in a league 40 years. Only one other coach at Loyola has won their league.

Besides Moser, Loyola Chicago has made rhe NCAA's one other time (1985) since the 1960's.

He was the top assistant and lead recruiter for Majerus. Rick's coaching tree? How is Marquette's coaching tree? We could say this about some of the country's very best coaches. It's more common to not have one than to have one. Not that it matters, but several have done just fine. Donny Daniels did pretty well at UCLA and Gonzaga. Alex Jensen was the NBA G league coach of the year after SLU. Chris Harriman has done well, and so on. After working with Majerus, Jim Whitesell worked with Nate Oats for four seasons at Buffalo before taking over as HC. Several coaches have done quite well after working with Majerus.

So, fair is fair.

[shoothoops]

Knowing the current direction that the university is going with student recruitment, I can imagine there will be a strong push to hire a Black head coach. 

Frankly, I don't think I've heard a Black coach named anywhere in this thread, outside of Stan.  Other than our own assistants and former assistants, what other Black candidates are there?

Black coaches don't get the opportunities often enough. And when they do, they are often held to a different standard, and, are often recycled less often too. That needs to improve.

Good for Stan for getting an opportunity At LMU. Dennis Gates is a very strong candidate for the head coaching position at Marquette in my opinion.

[HutchwasClutch]

Black coaches don't get the opportunities often enough. And when they do, they are often held to a different standard, and, are often recycled less often too. That needs to improve.

Good for Stan for getting an opportunity At LMU. Dennis Gates is a very strong candidate for the head coaching position at Marquette in my opinion.

Gates is winless outside Horizon League this year, including a 55 point drubbing to a MAC school. He has a very long way to go in demonstrating he can coach.  We can do far better than this in very strong candidates. 

[GoldenWarrior11]

Black coaches don't get the opportunities often enough. And when they do, they are often held to a different standard, and, are often recycled less often too. That needs to improve.

Good for Stan for getting an opportunity At LMU. Dennis Gates is a very strong candidate for the head coaching position at Marquette in my opinion.

Not arguing with you, but can you provide examples?

JTIII had back-to-back losing seasons at Georgetown, a top-25 program, and had one tournament appearance in his last four years.  Dave Leitao has been at DePaul for six years, again, and has never finished higher than 8th in conference. Mike Anderson was at Arkansas for eight seasons and immediately gets hired at St. John’s. Patrick Ewing is overseeing one of the worst stretches for Georgetown basketball in decades, and is in no danger of being fired. Cuonzo Martin has had three power conference jobs in a decade.  Jerry Stackhouse, Juwan Howard, Avery Johnson and Ewing, were hired all with zero college coaching experience, but he too found another job after Miami and the NBA. Jeff Capel was rehired at Pitt after being at Oklahoma and VCU.  Leonard Hamilton didn’t make an NCAAT for his first five years at FSU. 

[willie warrior]

I don't know what you mean by "the real financial picture."  They have lost hundreds of enrolled students.  They are firing and furloughing employees.  They haven't matched 403(b) contributions all year.

Safe to say it's pretty bad.

That being said, you CAN make a change if you want.  It's hardly impossible to do so.  Difficult?  Most definitely.  But it's going to be difficult WITH him next year too.

Since the school is already firing and furloughing employees, put Wojo-Dukiet on that list. Lamest excuse is "we cant afford to fire him"  He has gots to go. He started the dumpster fire.

[HutchwasClutch]

Not arguing with you, but can you provide examples?

JTIII had back-to-back losing seasons at Georgetown, a top-25 program, and had one tournament appearance in his last four years.  Dave Leitao has been at DePaul for six years, again, and has never finished higher than 8th in conference. Mike Anderson was at Arkansas for eight seasons and immediately gets hired at St. John’s. Patrick Ewing is overseeing one of the worst stretches for Georgetown basketball in decades, and is in no danger of being fired. Cuonzo Martin has had three power conference jobs in a decade.  Jerry Stackhouse, Juwan Howard, Avery Johnson and Ewing, were hired all with zero college coaching experience, but he too found another job after Miami and the NBA. Jeff Capel was rehired at Pitt after being at Oklahoma and VCU.  Leonard Hamilton didn’t make an NCAAT for his first five years at FSU.

Add Craig Robinson to this list.  One good season of two leading an Ivy League program, and he gets a P5 gig! And then is kept for 6 seasons and has a losing conference record every year.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Since the school is already firing and furloughing employees, put Wojo-Dukiet on that list. Lamest excuse is "we cant afford to fire him"  He has gots to go. He started the dumpster fire.

It's his fault that enrollment dropped?

[shoothoops]

Gates is winless outside Horizon League this year, including a 55 point drubbing to a MAC school. He has a very long way to go in demonstrating he can coach.  We can do far better than this in very strong candidates.

Is this your way of saying Cleveland St. is in first place? Or that they won more league games in Gates' first year than the previous five years? Or that they have only played three non-conference games this year including a close loss at Ohio St.?

He's had better head coaching success prior to Marquette than Tom Crean and Buzz Williams.

[HutchwasClutch]

Is this your way of saying Cleveland St. is in first place? Or that they won more league games in Gates' first year than the previous five years? Or that they have only played three non-conference games this year including a close loss at Ohio St.?

He's had better head coaching success prior to Marquette than Tom Crean and Buzz Williams.

To consider him a strong candidate at this stage is asinine.  Maybe he will be good, and I didn’t say he won’t be. But let’s temper the enthusiasm of being top of the Horizon League not even completed his second season as head coach.  I would say a 55 pt loss to a run of the mill MAC program maybe is a slight red flag they’re not really as good as their confidence record suggests.

In case you’re new to following sports, the road is littered with guys who looked really good for one season, and the story is yet to even be written how this season will finish.   

Wait and see on him.  If this is general profile of our strong candidates, whoa.  This program has sunk much lower than I thought. 

[NorthernDancerColt]

Gates is winless outside Horizon League this year, including a 55 point drubbing to a MAC school. He has a very long way to go in demonstrating he can coach.  We can do far better than this in very strong candidates.

While many here seem to downplay the financial side, I doubt (if we make a move) that we are going to go after proven commodities. Anyone who really demonstrates he can coach is unfortunately going to come at a high price tag. I agree about Gates being unproven, but we may have to roll the dice.

On that note, if we really wanted to gamble and go the unproven assistant route...does anyone have any thoughts on Roger Powell, Jr at Gonzaga? He played on an NCAA Runner-up team at Illinois. From Joliet, so knows the Midwest and Chicago. Could he help land an occasional overseas talent? Has worked at Valpo, Vanderbilt, and Gonzaga, so he knows he landscape of private, religious schools.

I haven%u2019t t followed this thread closely, so if he's been discussed, my bad.

[panda]

While many here seem to downplay the financial side, I doubt (if we make a move) that we are going to go after proven commodities. Anyone who really demonstrates he can coach is unfortunately going to come at a high price tag. I agree about Gates being unproven, but we may have to roll the dice.

On that note, if we really wanted to gamble and go the unproven assistant route...does anyone have any thoughts on Roger Powell, Jr at Gonzaga? He played on an NCAA Runner-up team at Illinois. From Joliet, so knows the Midwest and Chicago. Could he help land an occasional overseas talent? Has worked at Valpo, Vanderbilt, and Gonzaga, so he knows he landscape of private, religious schools.

I haven%u2019t t followed this thread closely, so if he's been discussed, my bad.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. He’s leaving (not fired) for two reasons.

1 - PR nightmare if he stays. He will get booed every home game.

2 - He’s hurting his future employability and next seasons prospects don’t look great. He’s going to go somewhere else while the “gettins good”

[shoothoops]

Not arguing with you, but can you provide examples?

JTIII had back-to-back losing seasons at Georgetown, a top-25 program, and had one tournament appearance in his last four years.  Dave Leitao has been at DePaul for six years, again, and has never finished higher than 8th in conference. Mike Anderson was at Arkansas for eight seasons and immediately gets hired at St. John’s. Patrick Ewing is overseeing one of the worst stretches for Georgetown basketball in decades, and is in no danger of being fired. Cuonzo Martin has had three power conference jobs in a decade.  Jerry Stackhouse, Juwan Howard, Avery Johnson and Ewing, were hired all with zero college coaching experience, but he too found another job after Miami and the NBA. Jeff Capel was rehired at Pitt after being at Oklahoma and VCU.  Leonard Hamilton didn’t make an NCAAT for his first five years at FSU.

I can't tell if this is parody or not?

Are we serious? Now do White Coaches.

Let's take a look.

JT3 hasn't been a Head Coach in four years. He won 278 games at Georgetown. This includes 9 NCAA Tourney games there, some of it in the tougher Big East. He won the league title 3 times and he finished in the top four in the league six times. This doesn't include winning the Ivy League 3 out of his 4 seasons there. I'd say that's pretty good. But he hasn't had his door knocked down since leaving Georgetown.

Two seasons before his coaching tenure ended at Georgetown, he went 12-6 in the league. Some people here think that is either good enough for Wojo to either stay at Marquette or go to BC or Penn St.etc...

Leonard Hamilton?  Florida St. hadn't had a winning league record in the previous nine seasons prior to his arrival. He of course has done it 9 times, has won the ACC Regular Season Title, and he's won 9 NCAA games there and last year had one of the country's best teams.

It took Mike Krzyzewski and Jay Wright four years to make the NCAA's at Duke and Villanova. It's taken some others longer. Kevin Willard anyone?

You've named less than a dozen Black Head Coaches over a many year period, many of whom actually had success that warranted an additional opportunity.   In D-1 Ball (There are over 350 Head Coaches per season)

It's silly season if you think all things are equal or close to it from a racial standpoint.