I think it will be Howland, and this is why

[tower912]

With the uncertainty at the Pres/AD positions, MU is faced with a very unpleasant set of choices.
1.  Wait until the new pres/AD are in place and make the hire then.   At the current pace that the sports world moves, MU simply cannot afford to wait 2 months to hire a coach.
2.  Cords/Wilde choose a highly ranked assistant,   Over the next few years, the new coach clashes with the guys who didn't hire him.
3.  Cords/Wilde try to compete for the latest hot coach...who won't come because they don't know who the new admin is going to be.
4.  Howland.   History, track record, low maintenance.  Already interested.   He probably won't be here 10 years.   New admin know they have a pro in place, can settle in.   Once they are established, a few years down the road they can start planning the succession.   

[NavinRJohnson]

I tend to agree. I don't see any way they wait for a new administration to be in place, unless those decisions are already made and it happens in the next few days. Don't think that's the case. If you are guy like Marshall for instance, are you going to leave your cushy Wichita State gig for the unknowns at Marquette? I'd think not. If Howland real wants the job as has been reported, I think its a great fit and you give it to him.

[ChicosBailBonds]

With the uncertainty at the Pres/AD positions, MU is faced with a very unpleasant set of choices.
1.  Wait until the new pres/AD are in place and make the hire then.   At the current pace that the sports world moves, MU simply cannot afford to wait 2 months to hire a coach.
2.  Cords/Wilde choose a highly ranked assistant,   Over the next few years, the new coach clashes with the guys who didn't hire him.
3.  Cords/Wilde try to compete for the latest hot coach...who won't come because they don't know who the new admin is going to be.
4.  Howland.   History, track record, low maintenance.  Already interested.   He probably won't be here 10 years.   New admin know they have a pro in place, can settle in.   Once they are established, a few years down the road they can start planning the succession.   

#1 is not even plausible...the only time you do a July hire is when Rick Majerus quits on us in July.  The hire will happen in the next 3 weeks unless they already have their guy it could happen sooner.  My only worry on this stuff is for the guys you know you can get (i.e. Buzz in 2008, Wardle now, etc) you don't have to go fast.  For guys you want really badly and can get them in a short window, then you go fast.

[Avenue Commons]

Why do you insist on starting new threads?

[79Warrior]

#1 is not even plausible...the only time you do a July hire is when Rick Majerus quits on us in July.  The hire will happen in the next 3 weeks unless they already have their guy it could happen sooner.  My only worry on this stuff is for the guys you know you can get (i.e. Buzz in 2008, Wardle now, etc) you don't have to go fast.  For guys you want really badly and can get them in a short window, then you go fast.

Well, Cords knows by now if SS is interested to listen to our pitch. Marshall, obviously they will have to wait for formal contact, but the feelers are out. Should not take too long to see if there is interest or not.

[mugrack]

Hire Howland, keep Chew, all is good.

[GooooMarquette]

Hire Howland, keep Chew, all is good.

+1

[Eldon]

Hire Howland, keep Chew, all is good.

+1

His record speaks for itself (multiple FFs)
He's put multiple players in the NBA
He's a former BE guy, so surely he has east coast ties
His hiring makes a HUGE splash, shaking off any inkling of a notion that we are a stepping stone

[LAZER]

4.  Howland.   History, track record, low maintenance.  Already interested.   He probably won't be here 10 years.   New admin know they have a pro in place, can settle in.   Once they are established, a few years down the road they can start planning the succession.   

See I think Howland is the most likely to stay at MU the longest and offers the most stability.  I could see him take advantage of all the great things MU has to offer and settle in for the remainder of his career at MU.

All other candidates seem to be the types that would use MU as a stepping stone again.

[Dawson Rental]

Hire Howland, keep Chew, all is good.

The first seems like it's there for the doing.  Hopefully, Howland will be able to keep Chew.  Why wouldn't he?  Howland has a reputation for demeaning behavior toward assistants.  Chew has an established relationship with Buzz and certainly would be welcome to follow him to VT.  Chew's reputation should get him offers from several other schools closer to his Midwest home base, as well.

Marquette's ace in the hole?  It's budget.  Buzz got Chew away from Illinois because the administration okayed an increase in the budget for assistant salaries, and Chew got a very nice salary for an assistant basketball coach anywhere.  Let's hope that's enough.

[Goose]

Young man's game. Not anti Howland but I go younger with big time recruiting skills.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I have settled on the idea that Howland would be the ideal hire.  He won in the Big East before, and, in years 3-5 at UCLA (where he would have had all his recruits on the team), he took them to 2 Final Fours and an NCAA Championship Game appearance.  He is an excellent recruiter, is a good X's and O's guy, sent numerous players to the NBA, and would not be a threat to leave.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Young man's game. Not anti Howland but I go younger with big time recruiting skills.

Agreed on all points.

[Fullodds]

Hire Howland, keep Chew, all is good.

+1. Give Chew an extra $150,000 and call him Associate Head Coach. Need to protect our recruits that we want to keep.  Delay will not help. 

[Norm]

Not wild about Howland, despite his track record. His style of play is pretty boring (yeah, I know he is successful with it), and he does not seem to have the best relationships with players and assistants.

[MauraDay]

Not wild about Howland, despite his track record. His style of play is pretty boring (yeah, I know he is successful with it), and he does not seem to have the best relationships with players and assistants.

To add to this, I would be curious to know what really went down at UCLA. Howland took them to a few Final Fours and I think maybe won the Pac 10 title the year he was fired. On paper, his record doesn't scream "fire me" so wonder why he was let go.

[Pakuni]

Young man's game. Not anti Howland but I go younger with big time recruiting skills.

Jim Boeheim (69), Rick Pitino (61), John Beilein (61), Mike Krzyzewski (67), Roy Williams (63), Steve Fisher (68), Jim Larranga (64), John Calipari (55), Tom Izzo (59), Bo Ryan (66), Lon Kruger (61), Jim Crews (60) and Mike Montgomery (67) might beg to differ.

And don 't even make me mention how old Larry Brown is.

[NavinRJohnson]

Jim Boeheim (69), Rick Pitino (61), John Beilein (61), Mike Krzyzewski (67), Roy Williams (63), Steve Fisher (68), Jim Larranga (64), John Calipari (55), Tom Izzo (59), Bo Ryan (66), Lon Kruger (61), Jim Crews (60) and Mike Montgomery (67) might beg to differ.

Yep. Like I said, Majerus was 59 when he went to SLU who is giving Louisville all they can handle right now. If you know how to get it done, you know how to get it done.

[Eldon]

See I think Howland is the most likely to stay at MU the longest and offers the most stability.  I could see him take advantage of all the great things MU has to offer and settle in for the remainder of his career at MU.

All other candidates seem to be the types that would use MU as a stepping stone again.

Bingo.

Young coaches are wildly optimistic about their future potential.  They have their eyes on the bluebloods. 

Older coaches who are more seasoned realize a good thing when they see it.  They are more realistic.  KO, for example.

I want Howland.

[Rockmic87]

It will also be nice to have all of Howland's former NBA players associating with the MU program. Kind of like how Wade associates with IU!

[muwarrior69]

Not wild about Howland, despite his track record. His style of play is pretty boring (yeah, I know he is successful with it), and he does not seem to have the best relationships with players and assistants.

People change. If he can make us a winner I'll take boring.

[chapman]

It will also be nice to have all of Howland's former NBA players associating with the MU program. Kind of like how Wade associates with IU!

And shouldn't be too tough to recruit when you can point to this list of accomplishments:

Trevor Ariza
Dijon Thompson
Cedric Bozeman
Ryan Hollins
Jordan Farmar
Arron Afflalo
Russell Westbrook
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
Kevin Love
Jrue Holiday
Darren Collison
Malcolm Lee
Tyler Honeycutt
Shabazz Muhammad

[jsglow]

I think he would be a very good choice.  Stability going forward is important.  The rest of the university is in flux. And as a guy who just started a new and hopefully last stop professional job, I can appreciate the allure.

[marquette09]

To add to this, I would be curious to know what really went down at UCLA. Howland took them to a few Final Fours and I think maybe won the Pac 10 title the year he was fired. On paper, his record doesn't scream "fire me" so wonder why he was let go.

He was at UCLA and his name was not John Wooden.  He never won a national championship, hence he was fired. 

[Dawson Rental]

He was at UCLA and his name was not John Wooden.  He never won a national championship, hence he was fired. 

I think that there is a lot that you don't know or are choosing to ignore.