MU Coaching Candidates

[Silkk the Shaka]

Interesting tidbit on Gates that I like as I look into him more; he was a grad assistant under Hamilton in 2005 (third year at the helm) then after doing 2 year stints at Cal, Northern Illinois, and Nevada, went back to Florida State as Hamilton was ascending the program. I love Hamilton's recent teams: lengthy, tough, and unselfish. Very Buzz-like in fact. The fact that Gates had a front row seat to two different phases of a head coach's program development on top of getting some solid experiences in different conferences, geographies, and head coaching philosophies make him a great candidate. He's moved to a top tier option in my mind, would be very happy to have him leading the program.

[JWags85]

I'm betting on the guy who had his career turned around by Rick Majerus.  I fully admit, Ricks influence is coloring my vision.  What I also like about his is how competitive he has been in his conference the past 4 years.  I think he's the type of coach who with MU upgrades could do really well.

FWIW, the Rick Majerus coaching tree isn't exactly robust.  Not like spending time under Rick was the Midas touch for future coaching success,  He's no doubt a better coach after his time at SLU with Rick than he was at ISU.  But he's been not much more than "pretty good" at Loyola, outside of one year.

[Hards Alumni]

Well played with your fancy refresh button.

lol I had to, it fit perfectly!

[MU82]

Gates went to an absolute POS program at Cleveland State and has done a nice job so far. Like Wags said, I wish he had a little more head coaching experience there or somewhere else, but maybe this is our chance to get in on the ground floor of a relative unknown, like Texas Tech did with Beard ... and Marquette did with Buzz.

I remain skeptical of Moser. One NCAA tournament appearance in, like, 100 years at that level? One?

Yes, it was a hell of an appearance ... but if we hire him and then we're still looking for an NCAAT win in 2027, Scoopers will be saying: "Looking back, it was a red flag that Moser coached at mid-majors forever and only had 1 NCAA tourney appearance."

[Silkk the Shaka]

Gates went to an absolute POS program at Cleveland State and has done a nice job so far. Like Wags said, I wish he had a little more head coaching experience there or somewhere else, but maybe this is our chance to get in on the ground floor of a relative unknown, like Texas Tech did with Beard ... and Marquette did with Buzz.

I remain skeptical of Moser. One NCAA tournament appearance in, like, 100 years at that level? One?

Yes, it was a hell of an appearance ... but if we hire him and then we're still looking for an NCAAT win in 2027, Scoopers will be saying: "Looking back, it was a red flag that Moser coached at mid-majors forever and only had 1 NCAA tourney appearance."

I totally hear & understand skepticism of Moser. But that 1 appearance is about to be 2, at an equally-or-moreso POS program. Watch his teams, they look a lot like Villanova and he's doing it with significantly less talent. It has definitely clicked for him. Luckily, ESPN2 picked up their game against Drake tomorrow (11 a.m. CST / noon ET). Nice opportunity for our fan base to get a good look at the T-bone by sticking our heads up the butcher's ass, so to speak.

[Viper]

I totally hear & understand skepticism of Moser. But that 1 appearance is about to be 2, at an equally-or-moreso POS program. Watch his teams, they look a lot like Villanova and he's doing it with significantly less talent. It has definitely clicked for him. Luckily, ESPN2 picked up their game against Drake tomorrow (11 a.m. CST / noon ET). Nice opportunity for our fan base to get a good look at the T-bone by sticking our heads up the butcher's ass, so to speak.

hmm,  I'd probably rather go up the cows ass, but I hear ya.

[MU82]

I totally hear & understand skepticism of Moser. But that 1 appearance is about to be 2, at an equally-or-moreso POS program. Watch his teams, they look a lot like Villanova and he's doing it with significantly less talent. It has definitely clicked for him. Luckily, ESPN2 picked up their game against Drake tomorrow (11 a.m. CST / noon ET). Nice opportunity for our fan base to get a good look at the T-bone by sticking our heads up the butcher's ass, so to speak.

Thanks for that heads-up EFR. I am absolutely gonna watch that game.

I have lots of friends who went to Loyola (or whose kids did) and they all love Moser. Since the FF run, I've probably seen 10 minutes of Loyola hoops. So I will enjoy watching tomorrow's matchup between Moser and DeVries.

Winner gets to follow Wojo!

[The Lens]

Thanks for that heads-up EFR. I am absolutely gonna watch that game.

I have lots of friends who went to Loyola (or whose kids did) and they all love Moser. Since the FF run, I've probably seen 10 minutes of Loyola hoops. So I will enjoy watching tomorrow's matchup between Moser and DeVries.

Winner gets to follow Wojo!

It's a Saturday / Sunday doubleheader so the winner will be decided based on soccer style aggregate.

[wadesworld]

It's a Saturday / Sunday doubleheader so the winner will be decided based on soccer style aggregate.

Nothing will be done based on anything related to soccer.

[Scoop Snoop]

Yeah, just one year of tourney success and with another appearance on tap. No matter how you look at it, he's way ahead of Wojo. Moser was trying to schedule Marquette and some other major conference teams a few years ago. Marquette wisely turned him down. Imagine Marquette playing Loyola this year. I get that he's not proven top notch but may be the best deal for us.

I'll watch the game but am not interested in the trip up the ass, thank you very much. Reminds me of a comment that a patient undergoing a colonoscopy allegedly said to the doc. "Will you please write a note to my wife and tell her that my head is not up there?" 

[panda]

Nothing will be done based on anything related to soccer.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Billy Hoyle]

It's a Saturday / Sunday doubleheader so the winner will be decided based on soccer style aggregate.

But with both games at the same location will there be a road points advantage?

Nice opportunity for our fan base to get a good look at the T-bone by sticking our heads up the butcher's ass, so to speak.

You magnificent bastard!  I salute you.

[MU82]

Yeah, just one year of tourney success and with another appearance on tap. No matter how you look at it, he's way ahead of Wojo. Moser was trying to schedule Marquette and some other major conference teams a few years ago. Marquette wisely turned him down. Imagine Marquette playing Loyola this year. I get that he's not proven top notch but may be the best deal for us.

Don't know if he's "way ahead of Wojo" or not. You think he is, but he's never proven it at any level close to the BEast. Opinions aren't facts.

I can imagine Marquette beating Loyola, just as we beat Wisconsin and Creighton. Or I can imagine us losing to Loyola, just as we've lost to plenty of teams at least as good as them (and at least one worse than them).

It's a Saturday / Sunday doubleheader

I'll watch tomorrow's game. The Sunday rematch is the same time as when MU will be beating Seton Hall.

[Scoop Snoop]

Don't know if he's "way ahead of Wojo" or not. You think he is, but he's never proven it at any level close to the BEast. Opinions aren't facts.

I can imagine Marquette beating Loyola, just as we beat Wisconsin and Creighton. Or I can imagine us losing to Loyola, just as we've lost to plenty of teams at least as good as them (and at least one worse than them).

I'll watch tomorrow's game. The Sunday rematch is the same time as when MU will be beating Seton Hall.

I should have been more specific. In terms of tourney success, he's way ahead of Wojo over the past few years. Final Four and Wojo do not belong in the same sentence. And yes, we may have won vs. Loyola but I think they would have been the favorite.

[The Lens]

Given solid MVC resources, he's built a contending MVC team.  I believe that given great Big East resources, he could build a contending Big Eat team.  He'll be 54 this summer, the same age Beilein was when took over Michigan.  I think this guy can be our Beilein.  And I'm not hiring him because I bet he'll stay, I'm hiring him because I think we'll want him to stay.

[Scoop Snoop]

Given solid MVC resources, he's built a contending MVC team.  I believe that given great Big East resources, he could build a contending Big Eat team.  He'll be 54 this summer, the same age Beilein was when took over Michigan.  I think this guy can be our Beilein.  And I'm not hiring him because I bet he'll stay, I'm hiring him because I think we'll want him to stay.

Agree. He's been at Loyola for 10 years and I suspect he flirted with the St. John's opening just to get a bump in pay. Unless he's a Mark Few/Jay Wright type of guy (of course, where would those 2 go that's a better place?) who simply wants to stay where he is, a move to Milwaukee may be just the right promotion and a long time commitment. Gates has been in too many places for me to want him at Marquette. I get his success but the last thing we need is a short timer and that is what I fear he would be. I like the idea of a coach who is a little older and hopefully gets comfortable in his new home.

[Billy Hoyle]

Agree. He's been at Loyola for 10 years and I suspect he flirted with the St. John's opening just to get a bump in pay. Unless he's a Mark Few/Jay Wright type of guy (of course, where would those 2 go that's a better place?) who simply wants to stay where he is, a move to Milwaukee may be just the right promotion and a long time commitment. Gates has been in too many places for me to want him at Marquette. I get his success but the last thing we need is a short timer and that is what I fear he would be. I like the idea of a coach who is a little older and hopefully gets comfortable in his new home.

sure, as an assistant.

Also, I'm fine with a guy using us as a stepping stone to a high level power conference program. That means he's been successful and left us in a better positon than he found us.

[MuggsyB]

I can't say I know a lot about Craig Smith but his resume is interesting.   Has anyone watched his USU teams play?

[cheebs09]

I can't say I know a lot about Craig Smith but his resume is interesting.   Has anyone watched his USU teams play?

I'm starting to get on the bandwagon. He has good assistant experience. Is almost always in the top half of his conference as a head coach. I watched an interview and mic'd up session and seems like a fun personality.

He's from Minnesota, so could be looking to get back to the Midwest  and stay awhile.

[MuggsyB]

I'm starting to get on the bandwagon. He has good assistant experience. Is almost always in the top half of his conference as a head coach. I watched an interview and mic'd up session and seems like a fun personality.

He's from Minnesota, so could be looking to get back to the Midwest  and stay awhile.

Think about how far Beard and Holtmann have come is a relatively short period of time.  I am no expert on these things but do believe there are a number of intriguing options. 

[4everwarriors]

hmm,  I'd probably rather go up the cows ass, but I hear ya.

Any y'all interested in goin' up Kate Upton's ass, hey?

[muhoops1]

The fact that we can't even get Tommy Boy quotes right shows how far this program has dropped.

I'll wait for the next hire patiently and hope they exceed the current regime's results...cause MUBB blows at the moment.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The fact that we can't even get Tommy Boy quotes right shows how far this program has dropped.

Yeah, he really butchered that quote

[Silkk the Shaka]

The fact that we can't even get Tommy Boy quotes right shows how far this program has dropped.

I'll wait for the next hire patiently and hope they exceed the current regime's results...cause MUBB blows at the moment.

Pretty sure I nailed it. No, wait, it's gotta be your bull...

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I can't say I know a lot about Craig Smith but his resume is interesting.   Has anyone watched his USU teams play?

Smith is a system coach. Most of his teams have played from in the fastish to mid-tempo range. On offense he puts a premium on ball movement and crashing the offensive glass. Almost every shot they take is assisted. Turnovers are his team's achilles' heel (though not as bad as Wojo).

Defense is Smith's calling card. At both Utah State and South Dakota his teams got better defensively every season he was there. Every year at Utah State his teams have ranked in the top 45 for eFG% allowed. They are also elite on the defensive glass (top 11 every year at Utah State). His defensive system is to give up threes in order to guard the paint (but they do it better than MU does). Elite 2P defense, meh 3P defense. Defensive weakness is also TOs, they don't force many of them. Honestly, Smith runs Wojo's defense except it actually works.

A lot to like about Smith. He hit the ground running at Utah State when no one expected them to be good right away. His teams seems to consistently improve as the season goes on. Concern I would have for him is his recruiting. He's shown no evidence of recruiting networks in the midwest since heading out west. Almost all of his kids have come from west of the Rockies or overseas. If he came back to the midwest he'd need to establish recruiting networks here.