MU Coaching Candidates

[connie]

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!

This is what I think hardest for fans willing to go to a team message board to grasp.  What is important to us is simply not anywhere near as important to the current administration.  They are ok with this level of performance--or certainly not willing to absorb what it would cost to change it.  (They are far too busy eliminating anything about MU that made it unique, special, or different from any of the other hundreds of liberal arts colleges that dot the midwest, but that discussion probably belongs in the Superbar, if that is still a thing.) So here we are, watching mediocrity become our mantra. 

[Billy Hoyle]

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.

If you fire Wojo (and there is no way MU is going to do it during the season, especially in this climate, barring a Final Four run hiring the fired guy's assistant looks pretty bad and makes no sense. We hired Buzz after Crean willingly left. Hiring Killings after what we all assume is going to be the conclusion to this season, says nobody else is interested in the job (see: SIUE, firing Jon Harris and hiring his assistant, Brian Barone).

As far as the fiscal  impact, the best case scenario would be Wojo being hired by another school to mitigate the cost of the buyout (what happened with Travis Ford at SLU)..

[MU82]

If you fire Wojo (and there is no way MU is going to do it during the season, especially in this climate, barring a Final Four run hiring the fired guy's assistant looks pretty bad and makes no sense. We hired Buzz after Crean willingly left. Hiring Killings after what we all assume is going to be the conclusion to this season, says nobody else is interested in the job (see: SIUE, firing Jon Harris and hiring his assistant, Brian Barone).

As far as the fiscal  impact, the best case scenario would be Wojo being hired by another school to mitigate the cost of the buyout (what happened with Travis Ford at SLU)..

Just so you're aware, I never even suggested that Killings be hired as the head coach if Wojo is fired at the end of this or any other season.

[panda]

This is what I think hardest for fans willing to go to a team message board to grasp.  What is important to us is simply not anywhere near as important to the current administration.  They are ok with this level of performance--or certainly not willing to absorb what it would cost to change it.  (They are far too busy eliminating anything about MU that made it unique, special, or different from any of the other hundreds of liberal arts colleges that dot the midwest, but that discussion probably belongs in the Superbar, if that is still a thing.) So here we are, watching mediocrity become our mantra.

It is odd the administration seems to accept these results but have been totally fine paying Wojo and his assistants such high salaries.

[Billy Hoyle]

Just so you're aware, I never even suggested that Killings be hired as the head coach if Wojo is fired at the end of this or any other season.

I took it as a hypothetical on your part if Wojo were fired during the season.

[Eldon]

What makes everyone think the admin is pleased with the results?

It's not like theyre going to release their own presser after each game and bash him.

[panda]

What makes everyone think the admin is pleased with the results?

It's not like theyre going to release their own presser after each game and bash him.

We'll see at the end of the season...

[MU82]

What makes everyone think the admin is pleased with the results?

It's not like theyre going to release their own presser after each game and bash him.

That's a legitimate point.

Many Scoopers think that after the 2018-19 season or 2019-20 season, Wojo already had produced bad enough results to be fired, so they assume that the administration must love Wojo unconditionally because he is still employed.

However, TAMU and a couple of others who rely on facts rather than emotion have produced data showing that only 1 (or maybe 2, I can't remember) P6 coaches have been fired with resumes similar to the one Wojo had after last season.

So while the administration might not "care" as much as some Scoopers who claim they would have fired Wojo 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 200 years ago, the only fact-based evidence we have is that Marquette's administration cares as much about its basketball program vis-a-vis the coach's record as every other program in the country has over the decades.

Maybe this season will go completely into the tank from here -- I hope not, but maybe it will. If we finish, say, 6-14 in the BEast and 10-16 overall, what will the administration do?

If they keep Wojo (or fire him), then we'll have a clue what the honchos and poobahs are thinking.

[The Sultan]

The administration may have more patience than we do.

But my guess is that if the administration knew that the next couple of years would be no better than the last six, that they would say "adios."

[tower912]

Years 2-6 = 20 wins per year.    No off-court issues.    I am pretty damn sure that if, in the next few years, the administration was promised 20-ish wins per year and no off-court issues, they would tell all the NoJo's to pound sand. 

[The Sultan]

Years 2-6 = 20 wins per year.    No off-court issues.    I am pretty damn sure that if, in the next few years, the administration was promised 20-ish wins per year and no off-court issues, they would tell all the NoJo's to pound sand. 

With no tourney wins or conference titles? 

[dgies9156]

Years 2-6 = 20 wins per year.    No off-court issues.    I am pretty damn sure that if, in the next few years, the administration was promised 20-ish wins per year and no off-court issues, they would tell all the NoJo's to pound sand.

Which is what's wrong. We need to be a consistent Top 20 team that competes for a Conference Championship and is in the national talk.

Our 20 wins in recent years have given us diabetes.

Again, I truly think our administration doesn't care if we're a Top 20 team. They care about things you outline above. The sad thing is if the Administration opened their eyes, as Father Wild did, it would  see the marketing importance of being a really good basketball powerhouse. They'd do the things that would give us national prominence.

You're up Dr. Lovell....

[Galway Eagle]

Years 2-6 = 20 wins per year.    No off-court issues.    I am pretty damn sure that if, in the next few years, the administration was promised 20-ish wins per year and no off-court issues, they would tell all the NoJo's to pound sand.

This is definitely a valid point but it's only the rosy side of things.

Conversely, 2 of those had no NCAA tournament which to me indicates padded schedules and not being competitive with the next tier. Two of those years we've limped into the end of the season looking like garbage (much like we do now).

There's two sides of every coin. One side is AVG 20 wins & .500 in BE from yrs 2-6 with great recruits. The other is poor postseason, if any, best recruits transfer, poor season finishes, little to no improvement year over year.

[We R Final Four]

Years 2-6 = 20 wins per year.    No off-court issues.    I am pretty damn sure that if, in the next few years, the administration was promised 20-ish wins per year and no off-court issues, they would tell all the NoJo's to pound sand.

And the season ticket holders may also tell the admin "to pound sand."

[MU82]

Which is what's wrong. We need to be a consistent Top 20 team that competes for a Conference Championship and is in the national talk.

Our 20 wins in recent years have given us diabetes.

Again, I truly think our administration doesn't care if we're a Top 20 team. They care about things you outline above. The sad thing is if the Administration opened their eyes, as Father Wild did, it would  see the marketing importance of being a really good basketball powerhouse. They'd do the things that would give us national prominence.

You're up Dr. Lovell....

The only way Father Wild would have fired Wojo by now would have been if he thought Wojo going to 3 NCAA tourneys in his last 4 years was the exact same as Deane going to 2 NCAAs in his last 4 years, including 14-15 his final season.

Father Wild was pretty smart. I doubt he would have thought that way. But I guess we'll never know.

[Silent Verbal]

Years 2-6 = 20 wins per year.    No off-court issues.    I am pretty damn sure that if, in the next few years, the administration was promised 20-ish wins per year and no off-court issues, they would tell all the NoJo's to pound sand.

Mike Deane also averaged 20 wins per year over a five year span, and won more tournament games than Wojo.

[MU82]

And the season ticket holders may also tell the admin "to pound sand."

Do it! Instead of just grumbling on Scoop (or wherever folks grumble), don't buy season tickets. Let ST sales shrink from thousands to hundreds. THAT would get the admin's attention.

[Viper]

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.

from a former BOT I know, MU has big $. No issue. But will they spend it on a HC & staff? I was told Wojo $, but probably not beyond.

[WhiteTrash]

Years 2-6 = 20 wins per year.    No off-court issues.    I am pretty damn sure that if, in the next few years, the administration was promised 20-ish wins per year and no off-court issues, they would tell all the NoJo's to pound sand.

I don't believe this to be true. But I have as much credibility as you do concerning this.

I've said it before and will say it again; MU publicly will stand up for and support Wojo 100% ...... until they let him go. It is in MU's , and Wojo's, best interest to be as 'ProJo' as possible until the day they make a change. Lack of public comments or leaks to the contrary speaks to MU's sophistication and cannot be viewed as an endorsement of Wojo's results or of his actual likelihood of continued employment.

If we want to speculate we can point to what is publicly known and factually true, that MU only gave him a modest extension, not an attempt to lock him up long term.

[Johnny B]

With no tourney wins or conference titles?

crapshoot eh?

[brewcity77]

I'm fully expecting an extension for Wojo after the season.

[panda]

I'm fully expecting an extension for Wojo after the season.

Yep - He's always asked for one to promise recruits he'll be here when they graduate and it's that time again...

Hopefully the powers that be tell him it's put up or shut time when the question is asked.

[WhiteTrash]

I'm fully expecting an extension for Wojo after the season.

Maybe, but the optics on that will be bad for MU. Rewarding a coach with mediocre results with millions of dollars while other university employees who do their job well are let go. Sounds like a PR nightmare.

[avid1010]

Years 2-6 = 20 wins per year.    No off-court issues.    I am pretty damn sure that if, in the next few years, the administration was promised 20-ish wins per year and no off-court issues, they would tell all the NoJo's to pound sand.
[/quote
NCAA committee tells you how successful your year was...not 20 wins.  NCAA tourney appearances, tourney wins, and conference finishes tell you how successful you've been over 6 years...not averaging 20 wins in years 2-6.  In 15-16 MU won 20 games and finished 7th in conference and no tourney bid.  In 16-17 MU won 19 games, tied for 3rd in conference, and made the tourney. 

6 years under Wojo...we've finished in the top half of the conference twice and made 2 NCAA tourneys with no NCAA wins.  That's just not acceptable...and I like the guy way more than I thought I would...

[GoldenWarrior11]

We can point to the multiple 20-win seasons Wojo has had while here at Marquette.  On the surface, the optics can show we have a clean and competitive program, capable of competing for an NCAA Tournament berth annually.  However, doing a deeper dive into each of his seasons, it is clear that a majority of his respective teams regress at the end.  Well coached and successful teams get better and improve as the season goes on, not worse.  Last ten games each season under Wojo:

14-15: 3-7 (No NCAAT, 1-1 BET) *Lost six of last seven regular season games
15-16: 5-5 (No NCAAT, 1-1 BET)
16-17: 5-5 (0-1 NCAAT, 0-1 BET)
17-18: 7-3 (No NCAAT, 2-1 NIT, 1-1 BET)
18-19: 4-6 (0-1 NCAAT, 0-1 BET) *Lost six of last seven total games
19-20: 4-6 (N/A NCAAT, N/A BET) *Lost six of last seven regular season games

IMO, these figures are much more reflective of the program trajectory than simply pointing to the number of twenty win seasons, the quality of recruits or the clean-cut image of the program.