Wojo’s replacement.

[tower912]

Worry about it in a few years.

[Dish]

To answer the original question...Jon Scheyer.

(Totally kidding)

[Cheeks]

Johnny Dawkins, a Duke grad who can win in the NCAA tournament

[HutchwasClutch]

Johnny Dawkins, a Duke grad who can win in the NCAA tournament

If Wojo produced a S16 and two NIT titles here as Dawkins did at Stanford, I shutter at the thought of the love he'd be getting from many on this board still staunchly defending him in the midst of the trainwreck we all just witnessed the last 7 games of the season.  Look at those taking up arms for him still after two NCAA blowout first round losses and an NIT quarterfinal loss at the Al on top of an epic meltdown to blow a conference championship.

[HutchwasClutch]

T.J. Otzelberger
Nate Oats
Wardle

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

If Wojo produced a S16 and two NIT titles here as Dawkins did at Stanford, I shutter at the thought of the love he'd be getting from many on this board still staunchly defending him in the midst of the trainwreck we all just witnessed the last 7 games of the season.

Took over a team coming off a 3 seed and ran them into ground. His peak was a 10 seed where he managed to string together two upsets. I would have been doubting him by year 2 and calling for his head by year 3.

A new coach needs to take what he is given and build on it.

[WarriorHal]

We could get any number of mid-major coaches, as we have in the past in Dukiet and Deane -- and, for that matter, Al.

Minor point, but I'd say the experienced head coaches MU has hired since the 1980s were from two schools -- Saint Peter's College and Siena -- that were even lower than mid-major. Probably the same deal with Belmont Abbey in the early 60s.

[Billy Hoyle]

Minor point, but I'd say the experienced head coaches MU has hired since the 1980s were from two schools -- Saint Peter's College and Siena -- that were even lower than mid-major. Probably the same deal with Belmont Abbey in the early 60s.

Siena is a mid major. They had been to multiple tourneys and a NIT final four under Deane. The MAAC has traditionally been a solid mid major conference.

IIRC, MU rushed to hire Deane once Dayton made a move on him.

[Goose]

MU had no competition when hiring Deane. The job was basically handed off to him based off recommendation from KO. He and KO were big buddies and Cords jumped at hiring Deane because KO gave him recommendation. There were a ton of very unhappy boosters after that move. Very little work was done by MU during the process of hiring Deane.

[Galway Eagle]

MU had no competition when hiring Deane. The job was basically handed off to him based off recommendation from KO. He and KO were big buddies and Cords jumped at hiring Deane because KO gave him recommendation. There were a ton of very unhappy boosters after that move. Very little work was done by MU during the process of hiring Deane.

Given where MU was at the time who would we have gone after? Weren't we still in a mid major conference?

[Goose]

Galway
That was a long time ago and would have to think about other options. The whole hire happened quickly and do not remember anyone else being on a short list.

[Cheeks]

MU had no competition when hiring Deane. The job was basically handed off to him based off recommendation from KO. He and KO were big buddies and Cords jumped at hiring Deane because KO gave him recommendation. There were a ton of very unhappy boosters after that move. Very little work was done by MU during the process of hiring Deane.

This is correct, and it always struck me as a bit odd because of How KO left and the deference given to him anyway.  I appreciate what KO did on the court, but we had time.  We were still trying to become a real athletic department back then, and that was an example of still being in the stone ages.  In the end, it was a good thing as it showed how far we had to go.

[Eldon]

Given where MU was at the time who would we have gone after? Weren't we still in a mid major conference?

The term 'mid-major' is relatively new. In fact, I don't ever remember hearing it until UWM made their Sweet 16 run in 04 (05?)

Conference USA was a bad ass conference back in the day, regularly putting more teams in the tourney than the power conferences. And getting guys in the NBA.

[4everwarriors]

Billy Packer called it early on, hey?

[The Sultan]

MU had no competition when hiring Deane. The job was basically handed off to him based off recommendation from KO. He and KO were big buddies and Cords jumped at hiring Deane because KO gave him recommendation. There were a ton of very unhappy boosters after that move. Very little work was done by MU during the process of hiring Deane.

Wasn't there also a connection between Bill Cords and Jud Heathcote, who Deane assisted at MSU prior to becoming head coach at Sienna?  Aren't those the same connections he used to get Crean?

[Goose]

Cheeks

Because Bill Cords was in over his head. There were many folks, that were close to the program, that could not believe Cords would take any advice from KO, let alone hire him. Bill Cords is a nice guy, but KO and Crean were spoon fed to him by outside folks. He had zero to do with their hires, aside from announcing them at PC. He did have everything to do with the Deane hire. I get the biggest laugh when folks throw out Cords praise on who he hired. Again, he had zero to do with KO and Crean.

[oldwarrior81]

Mike Deane had been a pretty good D3 ballplayer.  I think he went to camp with the Bucks when Kareem was still here.  He jokingly said the Bucks drafted him to fill the Big O's spot.

Dan Theiss had been Deane's first recruit as an assistant coach.  Later Theiss was an assistant for Deane at Siena.  In '94 he was an assistant for O'Neill and was a strong voice on Deane's behalf.  Also a factor in Deane deciding to take the job was Theiss joining his staff.

Deane had a nice run at Siena and in '93 turned down the head coaching spot at Northwestern.  He really looked up to the late Jud Heathcote, and Jud was the one that recommended him to AD Bill Foster at NW.

Deane liked the smaller private schools which is what attracted him to Marquette and Dayton.


Tom Izzo had been a "volunteer/graduate" assistant at Michigan State when Deane was an assistant there.  Seeing that Jud didn't have a need for a full-time assistant, Izzo took a job with Tulsa.  Deane takes the Sienna job and Izzo returned just a few weeks after leaving East Lansing. 
I remember Tom saying when Jud called to offer the position, Izzo told him, "I don't know coach.  My last check was $408.  Think you can afford me?"
Things worked out OK in this situation.

[Billy Hoyle]

The term 'mid-major' is relatively new. In fact, I don't ever remember hearing it until UWM made their Sweet 16 run in 04 (05?)

Conference USA was a bad ass conference back in the day, regularly putting more teams in the tourney than the power conferences. And getting guys in the NBA.

We were still in the Great Midwest when Deane was hired. 

Deane wasn't a terrible hire. He had a pretty strong track record at Siena:

1986–87   Siena   17–12   12–6   T-3rd   
1987–88   Siena   23–6           16–2   1st   NIT First Round
1988–89   Siena   25–5           16–1   1st   NCAA Second Round
1989–90   Siena   16–13   11–5   2nd   
1990–91   Siena   25–10   12–4      NIT Quarterfinals
1991–92   Siena   19–10   11–5   3rd   
1992–93   Siena   16–13   8–6   4th   
1993–94   Siena   25–8           10–4   3rd   NIT Final Four (3rd place)

The 1989 MAAC tourney was the one where a measles outbreak kept fans from being allowed in the arena. Pretty crazy.

[Cheeks]

Cheeks

Because Bill Cords was in over his head. There were many folks, that were close to the program, that could not believe Cords would take any advice from KO, let alone hire him. Bill Cords is a nice guy, but KO and Crean were spoon fed to him by outside folks. He had zero to do with their hires, aside from announcing them at PC. He did have everything to do with the Deane hire. I get the biggest laugh when folks throw out Cords praise on who he hired. Again, he had zero to do with KO and Crean.

Bill grew into the job, at the time you are probably right.  I think the 100th season celebration was rather telling when Deane, Crean, and KO all went out of their way to praise Cords.  They didn't have to do that, he wasn't on the stage, I don't even know if he was at the event, but they went out of their way.  Cords got Deane fired, so Deane was kind in giving that praise.

The way it was setup back then, the AD didn't make the final decision but absolutely was part of the committee at MU that made the recommendation.  Let's not forget Crean wasn't a foregone conclusion, it was him and others which the committee sorted out with their recommendation. Quinn Snyder was in the mix until the last moment.  Yes, Cords was responsible for Deane, and yes I believe they acted too quickly on that one.  I also thought they acted too quickly on Buzz as Buzz was going nowhere, there were others to be had and he could easily have been the backup if we were more patient.  I know you are close enough to know the crap that he was involved in and certain people here will never accept, but for the good he did on the court he was a grade A pretty boy and the actions were putting MU in some tough spots.

[Goose]

Cheeks

We are in 100% agreement regarding the facts of all of those hires. As for Cords, he was a decent guy and the three coaches all probably appreciated more after they left. It was nice of the guys to send praise Cords way. I think Bill is a nice guy.

The quickness of the Buzz hire mirrored the Deane hire. Both of the hires were down by MU folks, with limited outside group help/support. I hated the Buzz hiring process to this day. Honestly, that is why I started the thread on Saturday regarding MU being prepared or not. They have log history of making knee jerk decisions.

[Herman Cain]

Cheeks

We are in 100% agreement regarding the facts of all of those hires. As for Cords, he was a decent guy and the three coaches all probably appreciated more after they left. It was nice of the guys to send praise Cords way. I think Bill is a nice guy.

The quickness of the Buzz hire mirrored the Deane hire. Both of the hires were down by MU folks, with limited outside group help/support. I hated the Buzz hiring process to this day. Honestly, that is why I started the thread on Saturday regarding MU being prepared or not. They have log history of making knee jerk decisions.

I spoke with Cords shortly after the Wojo decision came down. He was very candid and up front. His words " We felt Cuonzo was running from something and We felt Wojo was running to something"

[MU82]

I spoke with Cords shortly after the Wojo decision came down. He was very candid and up front. His words " We felt Cuonzo was running from something and We felt Wojo was running to something"

That proved to be very true. Dodged a bullet by not hiring a coach who would have had one foot out the door the moment he stepped in our doorway.

[Billy Hoyle]

That proved to be very true. Dodged a bullet by not hiring a coach who would have had one foot out the door the moment he stepped in our doorway.

Cuonzo knew the posse was out for him at Tennessee as expectations were far too high. He left Cal because he didn't fit there and the department is in major financial chaos and isn't truly committed to winning. I think he would have stayed at MU but wouldn't swap Wojo for him.

[NorthernDancerColt]

The actions of Buzz were most definitely putting people in bad spots, as Cheeks posted above. I was not privy to it, but I heard the stories from solid sources, and it serves nobody to elaborate. That said, I plead guilty to absolutely loving our product on the court under Buzz. I felt a bit conflicted knowing how the sausage was made.

From the day he accepted the job as steward of our proud program, I have been nothing but proud of the group of guys Coach Wojo has assembled and coached. They represent us in a world class manner. I have no doubt our basketball product is about to match the elite status of the character of the guys representing the brand. If you think these are just good students with top notch character and nothing more, boy you are mistaken. These are hard-working and tough competitors of the highest order. With talent. We've seen them rise and then fall. I wouldn't bet against them.

[We R Final Four]

T.J. Otzelberger
Nate Oats
Wardle

TJ to UNLV
Oats to Bama
Wardle to Bradley