2019 Coaching Carousel

[Silent Verbal]

Yeah it would've been nice to see Nate hold out for a better situation

The risk was probably too great that Buffalo would take a step back next year.  No idea on terms, but I'm guessing he'll make a lot more at Bama.  If he does well, he can look for a better job.  If he fails, he'll have pocketed some good coin and can always go back to coaching at the low/mid major level.  IMO, he made a good call.

[WindyCityGoldenEagle]

I like oats and otzelberger.  I guess the pseudo good news is if wojo does flame out marq could potentially still get one of those guys if they were successful at those schools.

[MU82]

The risk was probably too great that Buffalo would take a step back next year.  No idea on terms, but I'm guessing he'll make a lot more at Bama.  If he does well, he can look for a better job.  If he fails, he'll have pocketed some good coin and can always go back to coaching at the low/mid major level.  IMO, he made a good call.

Yep. He didn't want to get "Mosered."

I have no idea if the Loyola coach got a single P6 offer after last year's FF run, but if he did he should have taken it.

Buffalo could slide big-time next year. Get the $$$ now.

This also shows how meaningless these contract extensions and buyouts are.

When folks are talking about players having the same kind of freedom coaches do, inevitably somebody brings up the buyout ... as if that stops most programs that really want a coach from hiring that coach. I suppose if the buyout is $10M or something, maybe, but that's very rare. Alabama paid for this buyout from the change they found in the sofa cushions in Saban's lounge.

[NickelDimer]

The risk was probably too great that Buffalo would take a step back next year.  No idea on terms, but I'm guessing he'll make a lot more at Bama.  If he does well, he can look for a better job.  If he fails, he'll have pocketed some good coin and can always go back to coaching at the low/mid major level.  IMO, he made a good call.

Oh I understand it from his perspective and don't question it for him at all. My point was for his sake I wish it was in a better situation. That said if he's as good a coach as I think he is he should be able to succeed anywhere

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Oh I understand it from his perspective and don't question it for him at all. My point was for his sake I wish it was in a better situation. That said if he's as good a coach as I think he is he should be able to succeed anywhere

I think he is a really good coach but he will fail there.  Alabama not a place any coach is going to have big time long term sustained success, therefore, in 4-6 seasons ge will be fired.  And it will all start again like at every SEC school not named UF or UK.

[Silent Verbal]

I think he is a really good coach but he will fail there.  Alabama not a place any coach is going to have big time long term sustained success, therefore, in 4-6 seasons ge will be fired.  And it will all start again like at every SEC school not named UF or UK.

I agree with you on the shelf life of SEC basketball coaches.  The thing is, in those 4-6 years Oats will probably have pocketed about $10 million.  And when they fire him, some low/mid major school that needs a coach will say, "He did well at Buffalo and no one wins at Alabama.  Let's hire him."  He really had nothing to lose by taking the job.  And hey, not bad for a guy who was coaching high school ball a few years ago.

[Pakuni]

Not sure what some of you guys are talking about.
Wimp Sanderson and Mark Gottfried both had long (10+ years) and reasonably successful runs at Bama.

[The Sultan]

Not sure what some of you guys are talking about.
Wimp Sanderson and Mark Gottfried both had long (10+ years) and reasonably successful runs at Bama.

Under suspicious circumstances.

[Pakuni]

Under suspicious circumstances.

I believe you're thinking of Gottfriend's tenure at NC State. Neither he or Sanderson ran afoul of the NCAA at Alabama. Sanderson had some off-court behavior that led to his resignation, but nothing with the NCAA.

Anyhow, together they combined for 23 years at Bama, winning three SEC regular season titles, five SEC tournament titles and earning 15 NCAA bids.
All of which flies in the face of the notion that Bama is not a place where a coach can have long-term success.

[MU82]

The only Alabama basketball result that matters to me was their win over the Warriors in the 2006 NCAAs in San Diego. I was there for other purposes (Illinois also happened to be playing there) so I got to witness firsthand a spirited comeback that ultimately ended when the magic ran out for Novak. He missed a jumper that could have given us the lead with about 30 seconds left and a 3 that could have tied it in the closing seconds.

But that's basketball. I really enjoyed the team that season, but obviously hated that ending.

Postscript:

Bama lost their next game by 3 points to UCLA, which ended up getting all the way to the championship game, where they fell to Florida.

UCLA was coached by Ben Howland, who 8 years later would be begging Marquette to hire him.

Marquette instead went with Wojo. After sitting out two years, Howland caught on with Mississippi State, which has done OK in his 4 seasons. As a 5-seed this year, their only NCAA tourney bid under Howland, they lost to to a 12-seed.

Sometimes the coincidences in sports are amazing!

[jsglow]

Otz just got the UNLV job.  Good for my fellow Cavalier!

Edit.  Didn't see you guys mention on the last page.  (Told you I'm not paying attention.  )

[Pakuni]

Mark Fox to Cal.
Kidd maybe think he's getting the Lakers' gig.

[brewcity77]

Mark Fox to Cal.
Kidd maybe think he's getting the Lakers' gig.

That has to be one of the most pedestrian hires I can imagine. Nothing against Fox, but that just screams 7th-10th in the league, no NCAA appearances for the next decade.

[Uncle Rico]

That has to be one of the most pedestrian hires I can imagine. Nothing against Fox, but that just screams 7th-10th in the league, no NCAA appearances for the next decade.

Not sure the athletic department has a lot of money to do much more than that

[The Sultan]

Apparently brought to you by the same search firm that recommended Kevin Stallings at Pitt.

[Lennys Tap]

That has to be one of the most pedestrian hires I can imagine. Nothing against Fox, but that just screams 7th-10th in the league, no NCAA appearances for the next decade.

But he's been a D1 coach multiple times. Some think that makes it "safe".

[muguru]

Very curious to see if Kelvin Sampson bolts for Arkansas

[brewcity77]

But he's been a D1 coach multiple times. Some think that makes it "safe".

I'm not saying it's a bad hire, just a very dull one. Sort of like getting socks for Christmas, or winning an all inclusive trip to Toledo.

[JWags85]

I'm not saying it's a bad hire, just a very dull one. Sort of like getting socks for Christmas, or winning an all inclusive trip to Toledo.

Thats not dull, thats just cruel and some sort of punitive response to sins in your life.

[Billy Hoyle]

Mark Fox to Cal.
Kidd maybe think he's getting the Lakers' gig.

Kidd does not have a degree and that's a requirement within the UC system for the job.

[Cheeks]

But he's been a D1 coach multiple times. Some think that makes it "safe".

Said no one, but good try.  Also, key point missed was hiring a successful D1 MAJOR coach.

But no coaching hire is safe or guaranteed, you play the odds.  The odds are greater they will succeed than an assistant that has never done it at the major level. 

[Cheeks]

That has to be one of the most pedestrian hires I can imagine. Nothing against Fox, but that just screams 7th-10th in the league, no NCAA appearances for the next decade.

Cal and Waazu are two of the worst basketball jobs in the PAC 12, for them this is a decent hire because it is a job that is so tough.  I think the back half of your statement will prove to be inaccurate.

[lawdog77]

S The odds are greater they will succeed than an assistant that has never done it at the major level.

source?

[Cheeks]

source?

That assistant coaches don't do as well in major coaching jobs then already major coaches switching from one major job to another....is that the question?

[Billy Hoyle]

Said no one, but good try.  Also, key point missed was hiring a successful D1 MAJOR coach.

But no coaching hire is safe or guaranteed, you play the odds.  The odds are greater they will succeed than an assistant that has never done it at the major level.

Fox was successful at Nevada - 3 straight NCAA appearances when they were still in the WAC.  He struck while the iron was hot and took a big job where he really didn't fit and there wasn't great institutional support.

That said, Cal could have done much better. Cheaping out once again as that program is in incredible debt (the football stadium won't be paid off for another 90 years).