Candid Coaches on Best Coaching Hire

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/candid-coaches-who-was-the-best-coaching-hire-in-college-basketball-in-2021/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Survey of 100 anonymous coaches picked Smart as the second best hire of the offseason (behind his replacement at Texas). A few good quotes in there about Shaka. This narrative of Shaka not being a cultural fit at Texas seems to have some legs.

[brewcity77]

Nice article. I do think this hire might end up better than had we landed Shaka in 2014. Beard is so clearly a home run that I think the coaches (who presumably only voted for one candidate) would've been even more favorable of our hire in an average year.

[fjm]

Damn Tamu. Some of those comments on both beard and Shaka.

Makes that trade look amazing and does probably explain some of why Shaka will be great here and beard will be great at Texas.

[Billy Hoyle]

I had to laugh at this one about Beard considering what led to Gillispie's ouster at Kentucky: "I don't think he lets his personal life [get in the way], he's more like a Billy Gillispie to where basketball is everything."

[Goose]

I could not be any more excited about Shaka being HC at MU. I believe that will end up being a very, very big hire for program. I cannot wait to see where Shaka takes the program over the next few years. That said, he gets no grace period from me. I am expecting a far better season than many on here.

[BrewCity83]

This was my favorite:

"Marquette is VCU with more resources … he will kill it there, as it's right in his wheelhouse. Urban school in a basketball league where he only has to focus on his team and players. He will win big at Marquette."

[McLintock]

I could not be any more excited about Shaka being HC at MU. I believe that will end up being a very, very big hire for program. I cannot wait to see where Shaka takes the program over the next few years. That said, he gets no grace period from me. I am expecting a far better season than many on here.

Agreed.  I will have patience and understanding but I am not going to couple that with low expectations.  Coaching matters and I think year 1 under Shaka will exemplify that.

[panda]

Agreed.  I will have patience and understanding but I am not going to couple that with low expectations.  Coaching matters and I think year 1 under Shaka will exemplify that.

I agree. I think the floor of this team is higher than some think and are ceiling is higher in my mind as well. Acquiring the B10 defensive player of the year, A10 freshman of the year, a legit shot blocker in Kuath, returning Lewis/Elliott, adding Joplin who after watching him in HS, will be ready to contribute this year and Ellis who by all accounts is an absolute gamer. I understand the question marks surrounding the newcomers as that is natural, but there is a lot of talent on the roster. Couple that with a very average middle to lower tier BE this season and it should be a fun season.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think coaching matters very much. I also think talent and experience matter. We've improved on one, gotten worse in another, and jury is out on the third but on paper has gotten worse.

I'll put it this way. If Wojo was coaching the 21-22 roster instead of Shaka, my expectations would be much lower than they are now. If Shaka was coaching the 20-21 roster instead of the 21-22 roster, my expectations would much higher than they are now.

[MU82]

I love the optimism by many here, and I'm excited to get the season going!

[Goose]

TAMU

I think this team is going to provide a very entertaining season of basketball this year. I think the team is going to buy into building a foundation for long term success and far exceed expectations. I believe Shaka knows that he does not get a traditional grace period and he will be pushing the team hard. Based off the look of the BE, stealing a few wins should not be that difficult.

[MU82]

TAMU

I think this team is going to provide a very entertaining season of basketball this year. I think the team is going to buy into building a foundation for long term success and far exceed expectations. I believe Shaka knows that he does not get a traditional grace period and he will be pushing the team hard. Based off the look of the BE, stealing a few wins should not be that difficult.

Goose, I am SO hoping that come mid-March, I get to come back on here and say, "Damn if Goose wasn't right about us having a great season under Shaka."

I do hope you're not too disappointed if, like the vast majority of coaches who take over a struggling program - including Buzz Williams (at 2 different stops), Crean (at 3 different stops), Beard, Wright, etc etc etc - Shaka doesn't win big right away.

The only thing I'm willing to bet on is that I'll feel good about the direction of the program come March.

[Shooter McGavin]

I just hope Shaka knows ball. Aina?

[Shooter McGavin]

….and I don’t even care what kind of ball.  As long as he knows ball.

[tower912]

I am looking forward to seeing some basketball.   I love the length, the athleticism, the potential depth.   I think Coach Smart will do well at MU.   I think I will enjoy the brand of basketball he wants these guys to play.   

As far as expectations of the actual record, my expectations are the same as they would be for any team this young with this few proven scorers.   

Far more interested in the process than the results.

[Goose]

82

I always talk about the eye test and that is my barometer this season. It there is a clear style of play, athletes that are basketball players and the look of a program on the rise, I will be thrilled. Those three things will be winning big in my book. That said, I think we are playing in March.

[JakeBarnes]

82

I always talk about the eye test and that is my barometer this season. It there is a clear style of play, athletes that are basketball players and the look of a program on the rise, I will be thrilled. Those three things will be winning big in my book. That said, I think we are playing in March.

Goose,

While it isn't a game yet, I am excited to see that this won't just be a "high ball screen is the only play' from some of the videos and rumblings.

I agree that it will be refreshing to see a clearer style of play and see improvement across the players.

[Galway Eagle]

I don't wanna dampen this parade but this does seem worth posting before everybody pops a blue pill and starts thinking about Shaka:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/candid-coaches-which-school-made-the-best-coaching-hire/

Marquette (Steve Wojciechowski) : 7 percent

"Marquette. It's a school that will do whatever is necessary to have a great basketball program. They spare no expense and take no shortcuts. It's a great hire. They hired a guy that gets it and has worked for and earned everything his entire life. It's the perfect match."

"Wojo at Marquette is going to be one to watch. He got some support here, but plenty are curious to see if he can keep Marquette rolling to the NCAAs like Buzz did. If he does, there's a good chance the Duke job is his whenever Mike Krzyzewski"

[bilsu]

In Shaka's interview with Dodds he said "freshmen do not know what they do not know". This might not be an exact quoted, but it is close. The expectations should recognize that freshmen have a big learning curve.

[rocky_warrior]

That said, I think we are playing in March.

100%  The Big East Tournament is in March 

[Billy Hoyle]

If he is indeed going back to the Havoc style then we need to ignore recruiting rankings. I'm more interested in getting guys who fit the system than 5 star guys looking to be one and done and have the offense built around them. I think that led to Shaka's struggles at UT; he had pressure to get 5 stars and get publicity for recruiting rankings.

[Hards Alumni]

If he is indeed going back to the Havoc style then we need to ignore recruiting rankings. I'm more interested in getting guys who fit the system than 5 star guys looking to be one and done and have the offense built around them. I think that led to Shaka's struggles at UT; he had pressure to get 5 stars and get publicity for recruiting rankings.

Havoc is dead.  Bury it after the rule changes.

[Uncle Rico]

It’ll be a very interesting season.  I think Shaka is fine as a coach but I’m not sure where he ranks amongst his peers. 

Did he overachieve at VCU?  I think so.  Did he underachieve at Texas?  I think so.  One could argue he was never a top 3 coach in the Big XII.

There could be a variety of reasons why his stop at Texas was “meh”.  I don’t dismiss fit as an issue.  It’s a legitimate thing as far as I’m concerned.  It feels like he’s a good fit at Marquette and in the Big East.  I also think his ceiling is pretty limited as a coach.  Perhaps this is the spot where everything clicks. 

The more I think about it, the more I’m with Goose and him not having a long leash for this season.  The league isn’t very good and I’m more interested in how they play in the Big East versus November/December.  I think it’s important the energy and excitement return and a bad year, even if expected in some quarters, really puts him behind the eight ball.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm not sure where the narrative that the Big East will not be very good this season is coming from. A lot of teams in our league have COVID super seniors who were the leaders of their squads last season. Over half the league brought in higher ranked freshman than our highest ranked freshman. Most of the league also did well on the transfer market. The Big East should be very solid this year. This actually makes more bullish on year 2. I think the COVID seniors will cause some balance issues on other teams that we won't have to deal with.

[Uncle Rico]

I'm not sure where the narrative that the Big East will not be very good this season is coming from. A lot of teams in our league have COVID super seniors who were the leaders of their squads last season. Over half the league brought in higher ranked freshman than our highest ranked freshman. Most of the league also did well on the transfer market. The Big East should be very solid this year. This actually makes more bullish on year 2. I think the COVID seniors will cause some balance issues on other teams that we won't have to deal with.

I think it’s going to be mediocre.  There isn’t an alpha.  Nova is the closest and indontbthink their defense is that good.  We’ll see but I see a league with some parity but no teams I’d call great

[bilsu]

I think it’s going to be mediocre.  There isn’t an alpha.  Nova is the closest and indontbthink their defense is that good.  We’ll see but I see a league with some parity but no teams I’d call great

Nova's defense is very good. I think they differ from most teams in that they do not care how much an individual player scores as long as they can keep the whole team from scoring to much. Their goal is to not to let the complementary players beat them by over defending the other team's star. This is the opposite of what Wojo would do.

[Uncle Rico]

Nova's defense is very good. I think they differ from most teams in that they do not care how much an individual player scores as long as they can keep the whole team from scoring to much. Their goal is to not to let the complementary players beat them by over defending the other team's star. This is the opposite of what Wojo would do.

Eh, we’ll see.  They were 66th in KenPom on d and T-Rank early projection has them projected similarly.   

[panda]

I'm not sure where the narrative that the Big East will not be very good this season is coming from. A lot of teams in our league have COVID super seniors who were the leaders of their squads last season. Over half the league brought in higher ranked freshman than our highest ranked freshman. Most of the league also did well on the transfer market. The Big East should be very solid this year. This actually makes more bullish on year 2. I think the COVID seniors will cause some balance issues on other teams that we won't have to deal with.

It will be competitive like it always is. My comment stems from the fact that a perennial second or third place team has never been established in the league. By and large it’s Nova in tier 1, a couple teams changing year by year in tier 2, tier 3 which is compromised of a bunch of .500 teams that are similar in talent level and then tier 4 of Georgetown/DePaul/SJU.

The conference isn’t bad but no team other than Nova has consistently separated themselves from the middle of the pack.

Mu has the resources and track record to do so. Now they have a proven head coach  to get them over the hump.

It’s a great opportunity no other program has fully seized since the beginning of the new BE.

[Lennys Tap]

Nova's defense is very good. I think they differ from most teams in that they do not care how much an individual player scores as long as they can keep the whole team from scoring to much. Their goal is to not to let the complementary players beat them by over defending the other team's star. This is the opposite of what Wojo would do.

I think the correct strategy depends on the type of star player we’re talking about. When we had Markus, MU was going to try to beat you for the most part with him scoring. If you set the defense to stop him we still tried the same strategy. Doubling him was smart and only had upside.

With a star like Ja Morant, however, all that doubling him did was to allow a great passer to set up teammates for wide open 3s or uncontested lay ups. Bad strategy, predictable results.

[panda]

Eh, we’ll see.  They were 66th in KenPom on d and T-Rank early projection has them projected similarly.

The BE is UConn’s to lose this year. Nova will disappoint. Lots of question marks and not much depth.

[MU82]

82

I always talk about the eye test and that is my barometer this season. It there is a clear style of play, athletes that are basketball players and the look of a program on the rise, I will be thrilled. Those three things will be winning big in my book. That said, I think we are playing in March.

Giving yourself a little wiggle room here as far as expectations go. I don't blame you.

The more I think about it, the more I’m with Goose and him not having a long leash for this season.  The league isn’t very good and I’m more interested in how they play in the Big East versus November/December.  I think it’s important the energy and excitement return and a bad year, even if expected in some quarters, really puts him behind the eight ball.

But what does fans not giving the coach a long leash even mean, Unk? If we don't have a decent season, you're done with Marquette?

I'm guessing it's just a phrase we can toss out on fan message boards, but maybe I'm guessing wrong.

[brewcity77]

Havoc is dead.  Bury it after the rule changes.

I thought that initially, but it seems all the recruits that visit talk about it, which likely means the staff is telling them about it. I don't think we'll see the same system he ran at VCU, but I do think we'll be a high pressure defense focused on turnovers and enough depth to absorb some of the rule changes. It might be a hybrid, but I think it'll be closer to Havoc than Shaka has said publicly

[Herman Cain]

I have been very bullish on MU hiring Shaka since day one. I love how he came out of the box strong.Signing three recruits with him, closing on two guys who signed NLIs with MU, and then bringing in 3 solid transfers .

I also like that we are getting Shaka in his third job. He has a lot of experience . I understand the season did not end well last year for him . However , overall it was a good regular season his team won the conference championship tournament in The Big 12 and earned a 3 Seed. The experience in The Big 12 is helpful because, like the Big East, they are a smaller league with a lot of depth. Unfortunately that means 3 game losing streaks can and will happen. Having the experience to work through that and regain momentum is essential to success .

Shaka is showing that he can recruit to MU with two intriguing 2022 candidates committed. I like the 2023 pipeline.

I have consistently believed , MU has the ability to compete for that 3rd spot in The Big East behind Nova and U Conn. I believe the Big East will be tough ,as usual ,but with a lot of teams relatively equal behind the top two. All teams have question marks in the league and I like how MU has addressed its situation.

[panda]

I thought that initially, but it seems all the recruits that visit talk about it, which likely means the staff is telling them about it. I don't think we'll see the same system he ran at VCU, but I do think we'll be a high pressure defense focused on turnovers and enough depth to absorb some of the rule changes. It might be a hybrid, but I think it'll be closer to Havoc than Shaka has said publicly

100% agree Brew. I feel like the “Havoc is dead” sentiment is something someone said right after Shaka was hired and everyone reflexively agreed and moved on with their thoughts.

Kuath is a proven shot blocking big and if he can stay on the floor for long stretches of time, it will allow a significant amount of ball pressure at many different points on the floor.

It’s no accident that he’s at MU. Havoc is not dead and this MU team will base itself around high pressure defense.

[tower912]

We can only hope.

[Hards Alumni]

I thought that initially, but it seems all the recruits that visit talk about it, which likely means the staff is telling them about it. I don't think we'll see the same system he ran at VCU, but I do think we'll be a high pressure defense focused on turnovers and enough depth to absorb some of the rule changes. It might be a hybrid, but I think it'll be closer to Havoc than Shaka has said publicly

Rebranded then.

New Coke, if you will.  Hopefully more successful.

[cheebs09]

100% agree Brew. I feel like the “Havoc is dead” sentiment is something someone said right after Shaka was hired and everyone reflexively agreed and moved on with their thoughts.

Kuath is a proven shot blocking big and if he can stay on the floor for long stretches of time, it will allow a significant amount of ball pressure at many different points on the floor.

It’s no accident that he’s at MU. Havoc is not dead and this MU team will base itself around high pressure defense.

Wasn’t that someone Shaka? I thought he said the new rules limited Havoc’s effectiveness.

I’m sure we will do much more pressing than we have in the past. Also, I’m sure we will play a much more aggressive defense overall. Just not Havoc.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Wasn’t that someone Shaka? I thought he said the new rules limited Havoc’s effectiveness.

I’m sure we will do much more pressing than we have in the past. Also, I’m sure we will play a much more aggressive defense overall. Just not Havoc.

Correct. Shaka has repeatedly said that Havoc can't work anymore. I've also heard that he's said that it works against A10 point guards but not when you're going against P6 PGs every night.

It does seem like we will get havoc like here at MU.

[panda]

Wasn’t that someone Shaka? I thought he said the new rules limited Havoc’s effectiveness.

I’m sure we will do much more pressing than we have in the past. Also, I’m sure we will play a much more aggressive defense overall. Just not Havoc.

Havoc in Shaka speak is a high intensity diamond type trapping press. Trap the first pass and then force ball up the sideline and trap again.

I agree we won’t see that game in game out moving forward with him here, but his defensive strategy this season will be much more aggressive than what I saw him put out at Texas.

We’ll see something in between the havoc  of old and what we saw with him at Texas.

[MU82]

The operative words:

We'll see!

[panda]

The operative words:

We'll see!

What’s fun about waiting and not talking about the team ?! ;-)

[Goose]

82

I am not giving any wiggle room on expectations. I am confident that passing my eye test will be a slam dunk. I am not expecting a deep NCAA run, but I am 100% expecting an NCAA bid. The BE is not horrible, but there are plenty of teams that are beatable and I believe we will win enough to play in NCAA.

[MU82]

82

I am not giving any wiggle room on expectations. I am confident that passing my eye test will be a slam dunk. I am not expecting a deep NCAA run, but I am 100% expecting an NCAA bid. The BE is not horrible, but there are plenty of teams that are beatable and I believe we will win enough to play in NCAA.

I get that, Goose, and I love your optimism.

We Are Marquette!

[cheebs09]

82

I am not giving any wiggle room on expectations. I am confident that passing my eye test will be a slam dunk. I am not expecting a deep NCAA run, but I am 100% expecting an NCAA bid. The BE is not horrible, but there are plenty of teams that are beatable and I believe we will win enough to play in NCAA.

I certainly hope you are right. I’m not quite that optimistic. Although, I think we will see a lot better coaching than the last few years.

My expectation is a team that is far more cohesive and better at the end of the year than the start. I think under Wojo, often I get our Nov/Dec team would easily beat our March team.

There’s not anything that can really happen this year that would make me hit the panic button. I guess if there’s a mass exodus at semester I’d be panicked. However, a team that doesn’t improve as the year goes on would temper my enthusiasm.

[rocky_warrior]

There’s not anything that can really happen this year that would make me hit the panic button. I guess if there’s a mass exodus at semester I’d be panicked. However, a team that doesn’t improve as the year goes on would temper my enthusiasm.

Hm, this is probably the better question than expectations - of which I don't have many this year. 

"What would make you hit the panic button?" 

Too much exodus during / after the season is pretty much it.  Shaka has (seemingly) intentionally given himself a very young core to work with.  If they start leaving or are unsatisfied, and we don't see improvement next year (2022-2023), then I'm worrying.  Sure a couple will probably bolt -it's the nature of the beast.  But if the top young players from this year bolt (as judged with a year under their belt), I'll be concerned. 

[Newsdreams]

Hm, this is probably the better question than expectations - of which I don't have many this year. 

"What would make you hit the panic button?" 

Too much exodus during / after the season is pretty much it.  Shaka has (seemingly) intentionally given himself a very young core to work with.  If they start leaving or are unsatisfied, and we don't see improvement next year (2022-2023), then I'm worrying.  Sure a couple will probably bolt -it's the nature of the beast.  But if the top young players from this year bolt (as judged with a year under their belt), I'll be concerned.

Yes and all I expect is a bubble team that can have a good chance to make the tournament. NIT is what I expect less than that not panic button but disappointed.

[Billy Hoyle]

Rebranded then.

New Coke, if you will.  Hopefully more successful.

and after a few months it sill be Havoc Classic?

[Lennys Tap]

The operative words:

We'll see!

Hated when my parents used that line. Usually meant bad news.

[MU82]

Hated when my parents used that line. Usually meant bad news.

I hope that’s not what I mean, son.

Now go to your room!

[Herman Cain]

Hated when my parents used that line. Usually meant bad news.

For me it was always my full first name.