MU Coaching Candidates

[NCMUFan]

Changing the direction of this thread.
The CC BB game is evolving.  I look at all the turnovers by this team.
Could it be the 30 second time clock and not understanding the game as it is played now?
Do we need a coach that understands the game as it is played today?

Watching the UNC vs Marquette championship game and how they played.  Very little similarity to todays game other than 10 players on the court.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Slightly OT, but I am reading Twitter and seeing the Tennessee Football community losing its mind over its team football plane currently being in Charlotte, with an apparent imminent announcement of its next head football coach.  Brings back some very entertaining (and emotionally draining) days from a few years ago. 

Whenever the day comes, it will be funny to watch us (once again) conduct investigative reporting as to whom the school leadership is secretly meeting with.

[pacearrow02]

What about Kelvin Sampson?  Brings a little bit of baggage but has Houston rolling and is only making 300K. 

[wadesworld]

What about Kelvin Sampson?  Brings a little bit of baggage but has Houston rolling and is only making 300K.

$300K/year...times 10.

[Billy Hoyle]

1. Nate Oates - what's his buyout?
2. Travis Ford- has St. Louis ranked with wins over LSU and NC State. Has been in a power 6 conference before and recruits Illinois and the Midwest. - OK success at a power 5 but wasted some good talent with early tourney exits. What's his buy out also?
3. Leon Rice-Boise State head coach who has 20 + winning seasons 8 out of 10 years and 5 ncaa post seasons. - Not coming East. Sorry.
4. Rick Stansberry- Western Kentucky coach who also coached at Mississippi State. - Dirty as hell. Pass.
5. Wardle - most realistic.
6. TJO at UNLV - would he leave UNLV so soon? Not tearing it up this year either.

Also, I do like the idea of Matta just not sure he wants to coach again.

What about Kelvin Sampson?  Brings a little bit of baggage but has Houston rolling and is only making 300K. 

A "little bit of baggage?" Two major programs hit with serious sanctions because of his actions. Plus, IU was rife with drug use under him. The Queen Mary carries less baggage than he does. John Glaser gets the job before he does.

[DienerTime34]

If Wojo goes, there should be only one call, and that's to Nate Oats. Proven winner at Buffalo, already turning Alabama around, grew up in Wisconsin very close to Milwaukee, can recruit the Midwest, a ton of connections from coaching HS hoops in Michigan, & his strong faith makes him a better fit at Marquette then a public university.

If you read the features on him, there's a lot of the blue collar, grind-it-out mentality that will help here. Not "I sat next to Coach K, therefore I'm a good coach" entitlement.

[The Sultan]

I really doubt Oats leaves Alabama for Marquette.

[Galway Eagle]

I really doubt Oats leaves Alabama for Marquette.

I'd doubt it too but there's enough to show he loves WI/Great Lakes between His home town, college, Hs coaching, and even Buffalo, that it'd be worth a call should we be in the search.

[Billy Hoyle]

I really doubt Oats leaves Alabama for Marquette.

Even more doubtful we could afford him with our financial situation. He makes nearly $2.5 million and has a $5.5 million buyout after March 14.

https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Article/Alabama-Basketball-approves-contracts-for-Nate-Oats-Antoine-Pettway-132066880/#:~:text=Oats'%20five%2Dyear%20contract%20worth,%2C%20through%20March%2014%2C%202024.

[dgies9156]

Folks, you are wasting your time speculating about a new coach this year. It will not happen, absent an absolute and total collapse in which we fail to win another game this year and one or more of our players getting caught doing things they ought not be doing.

It will cost too much money at a time when we are strapped for cash.

Second, it's about revenue. We can't tell how far down revenue has fallen because we have no fans at the Computing Castle. Check back next year.

Third, for us, Marquette basketball is something special. Many of us know how good it once was and can be again. Since Father Wild rode off into the sunset, I really don't think basketball has the importance to or commitment from our administration. As long as we win more than we lose, don't make waves and certainly don't get locked up in an NCAA investigation, they'll be happy.

This is where I blame Buzz. Yes, he was really a good coach and had us headed back to where most of us here think we should be. But the front page reporting in the Chicago Tribune, the NCAA slap on the wrist and other rumors surrounding the team did us no favors with the powers that be. Wojo is here largely because his PowerPoint made him the anti-Buzz.

Nothing in that PowerPoint, in the eyes of the Adminisitration, has changed. That's why we'll have Wojo next year and the year after.

[pacearrow02]

$300K/year...times 10.

Salary of $300 with quite a few incentive opportunities yes, does Wojo have similar structure to his?

[brewcity77]

Salary of $300 with quite a few incentive opportunities yes, does Wojo have similar structure to his?

No, it's literally 10x what you suggested. $300k in base salary, $2.7M in guaranteed non-salary compensation, then bonuses on top of that.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/A-closer-look-at-Kelvin-Sampson-s-new-UH-contract-13742649.php

[cheebs09]

No, it's literally 10x what you suggested. $300k in base salary, $2.7M in guaranteed non-salary compensation, then bonuses on top of that.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/A-closer-look-at-Kelvin-Sampson-s-new-UH-contract-13742649.php

Sounds like Buzz's set up. I think his base salary was low, but a ton was paid to Buzz Williams LLC or something like that.

[brewcity77]

Sounds like Buzz's set up. I think his base salary was low, but a ton was paid to Buzz Williams LLC or something like that.

That's what it reminded me of too, only even more extreme.

[Johnny B]

i dont see anything that would entice oates to come here. is there anything?? he grew up round here? doubt that means much. hes a devote xtian? great so is 90% of alabama folks. there is nothing. the current st of our program, it would be a step down for him. why even mention the name.

[LAZER]

I really doubt Oats leaves Alabama for Marquette.

It'll be hard to compete against that SEC money.

[MU82]

First, folks can talk about red flags or of a few Scoopers saying "fire Wojo" back in the spring of 2019, but there was 0.0% chance Wojo was going to get fired after the 2018-19 season. I doubt there is a single school in the entire country that would have fired their head coach in a similar circumstance. So a few ridiculous Scoopers can keep posting that Wojo should have been fired then until they wear off the letters on their keyboards typing the same ridiculous thing, but it's not going to change anything.

Over the last 3 years, I have moved from Strongly ProJo (during 2018-19 season and before) ... to moderate Projo (after the collapse and Hausershima coup attempt) ... to ShowJo (after last season's collapse) ... to willing NoJo now.

All of us know what the problem is: Administration does not seem anywhere near as disappointed with Wojo as those of us who would like to see a change made. Whining on the interwebs won't lead to anything, but I guess it's what passes as a fun distraction in what's looking like a lost season during the middle of a pandemic. Whee!

In an ideal world, what I'd like to see happen is this ...

Fire Wojo right now. Eat the buyout. Hire Killings as interim coach. Commence the search.

If Killings kills it - not just with results on the floor but by showing definite coaching chops and by keeping all recruits on the line - then you hire him after the NCAA tourney victories.

In the meantime, get in touch with Matta's people immediately. He is the obvious choice, and he might be interested. I imagine his price would be higher than MU would be willing to pay - not just for his own salary but for the high-priced assistants he'd want to hire. Still, maybe the allure of a Midwest basketball school that spends big bucks on its program and draws nice crowds would get him to offer a slight discount. Won't know until you try. Naturally, this all depends on his health.

After that, sure, reach out to any number of names that already have been mentioned in this thread, even those who seemingly wouldn't be available (such as Oats).

I'm one with serious reservations about Wardle, but I'd be open-minded about anybody.

Again, all of the above is "in an ideal world." But every single Scooper knows it is not an ideal world. Administration does not seem especially motivated to sack Wojo.

So the pragmatist in me says Wojo will still be the head coach at Marquette Madness next October. Hopefully without a contract extension, though I wouldn't be surprised about that, either.

[The Sultan]

Folks, you are wasting your time speculating about a new coach this year. It will not happen, absent an absolute and total collapse in which we fail to win another game this year and one or more of our players getting caught doing things they ought not be doing.

It will cost too much money at a time when we are strapped for cash.

The biggest issue will not be paying the buyout.  It's the optics of paying it out. 

[panda]

The biggest issue will not be paying the buyout.  It's the optics of paying it out.

Yep can't argue with that.

What I do wonder is how the university will view another collapse this season if it does happen?

We can all agree they've been somewhat ambivalent towards the mediocre results, but it would be a very difficult scenario to navigate if the trend of results continue downward this season.

[WarriorPride68]

If Wojo goes, there should be only one call, and that's to Nate Oats. Proven winner at Buffalo, already turning Alabama around, grew up in Wisconsin very close to Milwaukee, can recruit the Midwest, a ton of connections from coaching HS hoops in Michigan, & his strong faith makes him a better fit at Marquette then a public university.

If you read the features on him, there's a lot of the blue collar, grind-it-out mentality that will help here. Not "I sat next to Coach K, therefore I'm a good coach" entitlement.

Id be shocked if any P6 coach would leave their position for Marquette at this point. Sad it's gotten to this point

But yeah. No way Oates leaves. They have even more 5 stars coming in next year, he's rolling in Bama

[Galway Eagle]

Id be shocked if any P6 coach would leave their position for Marquette at this point. Sad it's gotten to this point

But yeah. No way Oates leaves. They have even more 5 stars coming in next year, he's rolling in Bama

Crean might. And that's sad for us and him.

[MU82]

Id be shocked if any P6 coach would leave their position for Marquette at this point. Sad it's gotten to this point

I don't know ... there are a few Scoopers who think established, tourney-game-winning, baggage-free P6 coaches will be beating down Marquette's door if we dump Wojo, despite decades of history to the contrary.

I miss guru.

[Silent Verbal]

In an ideal world, what I'd like to see happen is this ...

Fire Wojo right now. Eat the buyout. Hire Killings as interim coach. Commence the search.

If Killings kills it - not just with results on the floor but by showing definite coaching chops and by keeping all recruits on the line - then you hire him after the NCAA tourney victories.

In the meantime, get in touch with Matta's people immediately. He is the obvious choice, and he might be interested. I imagine his price would be higher than MU would be willing to pay - not just for his own salary but for the high-priced assistants he'd want to hire. Still, maybe the allure of a Midwest basketball school that spends big bucks on its program and draws nice crowds would get him to offer a slight discount. Won't know until you try. Naturally, this all depends on his health.

I agree with everything you said in your post, but this part especially.  There's enough season left where, if Wojo got the axe, it could revitalize the team and start them on a run to the NCAA Tournament if Killings does a good job.  I also think a lot of folks on here are questioning the admin's commitment to building and maintaining a winning basketball program.  Firing Wojo now would send a clear message that mediocre results will not be tolerated.

Unfortunately, none of this will actually happen.

[Shooter McGavin]

The biggest issue will not be paying the buyout.  It's the optics of paying it out.

Fluff,

It seems like they will be paying for the buyout for years anyway as season ticket renewals decline, potential donors stop giving and apathy increases.  Also, there are many potential students (as stupid as it sounds) who choose schools based on athletic success of football and basketball teams.   

This is a business decision that may need to be made despite the optics. 

[The Sultan]

Fluff,

It seems like they will be paying for the buyout for years anyway as season ticket renewals decline, potential donors stop giving and apathy increases.  Also, there are many potential students (as stupid as it sounds) who choose schools based on athletic success of football and basketball teams.   

This is a business decision that may need to be made despite the optics. 

I don't disagree with any of this.

Also payouts aren't always just lump-sum payments.  The timeline and method of the payout may already be outlined in the contract.  And anything can be negotiated anyway.  And you are right that declines in revenue have to be taken into consideration.