Making a trade

[DienerTime34]

Hypothetically, if all incoming recruits and current players agreed to stay, would you trade Wojo for Tom Crean today?

[The Lens]

This is how bad it has gotten.  People are talking Tom Crean. 

[4everwarriors]

Dat's hilarious, Bro. Kneed a good laugh on a snow filled mornin', hey?

[brewcity77]

I'll treat this one seriously, because I saw something similar posed on Twitter. I think that Crean is a slightly better version of Wojo right now. Let's not forget that while we celebrate 2003, that is the lowest rated defensive team to make a Final Four in the kenpom era and it isn't even close. He was a great offensive mind, pretty reliably in the top-30 in the country in offensive efficiency, but he only had top-50 defenses in 5 out of his 16 years as a head coach at Indiana and Marquette. You can blame some of that on the Indiana rebuild, but he was only 4/9 in seasons that he made the tournament with top-50 defenses. So even when his teams were good, they more often than not were still subpar on the defensive end.

If we were truly looking, and I still fully believe Wojo deserves 2018-19 and 2019-20 (barring a complete 2019 disaster) to prove what he can do, this would be my list:

1) Dan Hurley, Rhode Island: Has the East Coast connections, proven defense first coach that has developed a solid offense. Seems like a good fit for our league, and hasn't rashly left a middle-of-the-road URI job despite numerous opportunities.
2) Nick McDevitt, UNC-Asheville: He keeps seeing his best players transfer (cough, Andrew Rowsey, cough) and keeps winning more games. The metrics don't wow you, but his teams have been top-2 in Big South defensive efficiency the last 3 years. I think he's an under-the-radar guy that could be a star.
3) Brian Wardle, Bradley: I'm hesitant to put him here because obviously there are pros and cons to a legacy hire, but his teams improve win totals every year and also show consistent defensive improvement. It was too early for him when we hired Wojo, but I think he might be ready now. Anyone that wants a return to Tom Crean should instead look at his 38-year-old protege that has a better defensive track record as HC and ties to Marquette.

[mu_hilltopper]

I don't believe Wojo is the answer, so if you said we could trade him for a veteran coach who won the Big 10 Championship twice, been to the NCAAs 8x, a Final Four, coach of the year in his respective conferences 3x.

Yeah, I'd take that guy.  Baggage and all.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Hypothetically, if all incoming recruits and current players agreed to stay, would you trade Wojo for Tom Crean today?

Have people lost their goddamn3d minds? Jesus Christ!!

Are we DePaul?

[wadesworld]

No.

[Eldon]

I'll treat this one seriously, because I saw something similar posed on Twitter. I think that Crean is a slightly better version of Wojo right now. Let's not forget that while we celebrate 2003, that is the lowest rated defensive team to make a Final Four in the kenpom era and it isn't even close. He was a great offensive mind, pretty reliably in the top-30 in the country in offensive efficiency, but he only had top-50 defenses in 5 out of his 16 years as a head coach at Indiana and Marquette. You can blame some of that on the Indiana rebuild, but he was only 4/9 in seasons that he made the tournament with top-50 defenses. So even when his teams were good, they more often than not were still subpar on the defensive end.

If we were truly looking, and I still fully believe Wojo deserves 2018-19 and 2019-20 (barring a complete 2019 disaster) to prove what he can do, this would be my list:

1) Dan Hurley, Rhode Island: Has the East Coast connections, proven defense first coach that has developed a solid offense. Seems like a good fit for our league, and hasn't rashly left a middle-of-the-road URI job despite numerous opportunities.
2) Nick McDevitt, UNC-Asheville: He keeps seeing his best players transfer (cough, Andrew Rowsey, cough) and keeps winning more games. The metrics don't wow you, but his teams have been top-2 in Big South defensive efficiency the last 3 years. I think he's an under-the-radar guy that could be a star.
3) Brian Wardle, Bradley: I'm hesitant to put him here because obviously there are pros and cons to a legacy hire, but his teams improve win totals every year and also show consistent defensive improvement. It was too early for him when we hired Wojo, but I think he might be ready now. Anyone that wants a return to Tom Crean should instead look at his 38-year-old protege that has a better defensive track record as HC and ties to Marquette.

Wardle?  Well I guess, if you want to run off any recruit that still poops his pants.

Seriously though, would MU admin see Wardle's bullying/"bullying" as mark against him since they want a squeaky-clean program?

[Goose]

Please, please, please let's not talk Brian Wardle and MU men's basket HC in the same sentence. I hope we all want to see the program make major strides upward and any Wardle talk makes me cringe.

[GooooMarquette]

Hologram Al

[tower912]

Crean, 18 years, 9 NCAA appearances.     He had a good run in 2003, but as brew points out, that was the worst defensive team to make a final 4.    Also, recall the frustration about lack of ability to land consecutive decent classes, the inability to adjust when the wheels came off, the berating of assistants.      So, no. 

[#UnleashSean]

Please, please, please let's not talk Brian Wardle and MU men's basket HC in the same sentence. I hope we all want to see the program make major strides upward and any Wardle talk makes me cringe.

? At least he had head coaching experience. Our last 2 hires didn't (please don't talk about new Orleans with buzz. It ruins my view)

[Dish]

I joked about bringing back Crean in another thread, but, if Wojo were gone, on a blind resume basis, Crean checks off so many things. Yes, we all understand the baggage.

I just re-read Matty V's interview with Crean prior to the 100 year celebration. I think there's a lot of maturity and perspective there with him now. I think tv has done him good as well.

I in no way think Woj is gone or that Crean is coaching here next year, but MU could do way worse than Crean.

[tower912]

I joked about bringing back Crean in another thread, but, if Wojo were gone, on a blind resume basis, Crean checks off so many things. Yes, we all understand the baggage.

I just re-read Matty V's interview with Crean prior to the 100 year celebration. I think there's a lot of maturity and perspective there with him now. I think tv has done him good as well.

I in no way think Woj is gone or that Crean is coaching here next year, but MU could do way worse than Crean.

Why would MU want a coach who got to 9 NCAA tournaments in 18 years and got past the first weekend twice?

[GGGG]

? At least he had head coaching experience. Our last 2 hires didn't (please don't talk about new Orleans with buzz. It ruins my view)

Actually our last three hires, and four out of the last five, didn't have head coaching experience.  But you know who did?  Mike Deane.  And you know who else?  Bob Dukiet.

[willie warrior]

This is how bad it has gotten.  People are talking Tom Crean.

Why not? Better than talking Wojo.

[MUBurrow]

[The Lens]

Wardle has NEVER been to the NCAAs.   

Not as a player
Not as an assistant
Not as a head coach

If you look at his Year by Year it's almost unreal at how effective he is at not making the Tourney. 

Disclaimer: he's my second favorite Marquette player behind only Damon Key. 

[warriorfred]

Crean - No.  You don't go back to one you broke-up with.
Wardle - No.  But talk to me when/if Bradley makes the Sweet 16.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Crean?  Y'all need Jesus.

[jaygall31]

Crean?  Y'all need Jesus.

Buzz is by far the best game coach of the 3.
Shocks me a little saying that, honestly.

[4everwarriors]

Can Hayzeus teach d-fence, hey?

[Galway Eagle]

Wardle has NEVER been to the NCAAs.   

Not as a player
Not as an assistant
Not as a head coach

If you look at his Year by Year it's almost unreal at how effective he is at not making the Tourney. 

Disclaimer: he's my second favorite Marquette player behind only Damon Key.

He's also only been in single bid conferences. If I was a major AD I'd look at the guy who consistently wins the regular season but ends up losing the conference tournament over a guy like John groce who takes a mid major to the sweet 16 randomly

[GGGG]

He's also only been in single bid conferences. If I was a major AD I'd look at the guy who consistently wins the regular season but ends up losing the conference tournament over a guy like John groce who takes a mid major to the sweet 16 randomly

Wardle only won the regular season once.  That being said, I don't think he's a bad coach, but if it weren't for his Marquette connection his hire would be met with a giant "WTF??" from the fanbase.

[Bad_Reporter]

Back to the original posters question,


Crean in a landslide.  Simple, look at the resumes' and look at everything Crean did for MU.