Top of the Food Chain

[f/k/a humanlung]

yeah, hiring the top assistant of a coach you've just fired because he "looks the part" screams "high major"

The last unknown assistant we hired did pretty well until someone screwed with his happy.

[brewcity77]

The last unknown assistant we hired did pretty well until someone screwed with his happy.

Meh, arguably the biggest mistake in program history. Certainly in my time as a fan and it's not close.

[muguru]

Meh, arguably the biggest mistake in program history. Certainly in my time as a fan and it's not close.

Screwing with his happy(I 1000% agree), or hiring him to begin with??

[f/k/a humanlung]

Meh, arguably the biggest mistake in program history. Certainly in my time as a fan and it's not close.

Buzz didn't end well but biggest mistake in program history?

Bob Dukiet owns that title, imo. 

[Silkk the Shaka]

Or, Martin Inglelsby. Former Assistant at Notre Dame from 09-16, current Head Coach at Delaware where he has improved the team every year for 4 years.

Plus he has a gelled side part, which is probably high on the list

[BM1090]

Screwing with his happy(I 1000% agree), or hiring him to begin with??

I think he means hiring him to begin with. I won't go as far as Brew because Buzz delivered three memorable tournament runs, but I don't think he was ever staying at MU regardless of "his happy".

He wanted to get to a school in Texas. He accomplished that.

[LAZER]

Or, Martin Inglelsby. Former Assistant at Notre Dame from 09-16, current Head Coach at Delaware where he has improved the team every year for 4 years.

You can't replace Wojo with a guy like that.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I would be VERY curious to know what the biggest donors to the program are thinking/feeling right now, and just how much sway they might have with Lovell/Scholl.

I've been curious about this all day too.  It's one things for basketball fans on a message board to complain to one another about the status of the program; it's probably another if the high rollers/money backers begin/have done the same things too. 

[brewcity77]

Buzz didn't end well but biggest mistake in program history?

Bob Dukiet owns that title, imo.

Nope, because we recovered from Dukiet relatively quickly. If we don't hire Buzz, we hire Tony Bennett. And unlike Buzz, he likely would've stayed. Put TB in here for the past 11 years and we'd be in a vastly different place.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I think it may not be wise to assume Scholl would run a men's basketball search similar to one where the revenues are much less significant.

Let's look at the institution as a whole, then, from a historical perspective:

Wojo - hired as an assistant at Duke
Buzz - hired as an assistant at Marquette
Crean - hired as an assistant at MSU
Deane - hired as head coach at Siena
O'Neill - hired as assistant at Arizona
Dukiet - hired as head coach at St. Peter's
Majerus - hired as assistant at MU
Hank - hired as assistant at MU
Al - hired as head coach at Belmont Abbey

Again, what gives anyone a belief that MU would actively hire-away a proven/successful head coach from a major program?  Historical results don't show that.  Before Wojo was hired, Shaka was rumored as the target (he was coming from a current A-10 program, which just got plucked from the Colonial Athletic Association - VCU). 

Many of us won't like it, but it is what it is.  We aren't the type of program to buy-away a proven/successful coach from a major program.  We invest in up-and-comers; some are hits, some are misses, but I doubt that strategy will change even after Wojo leaves (whether this Spring or in any future season).

[WarriorPride68]

Isn't Greg Gard getting fired?

[LAZER]

Let's look at the institution as a whole, then, from a historical perspective:

Wojo - hired as an assistant at Duke
Buzz - hired as an assistant at Marquette
Crean - hired as an assistant at MSU
Deane - hired as head coach at Siena
O'Neill - hired as assistant at Arizona
Dukiet - hired as head coach at St. Peter's
Majerus - hired as assistant at MU
Hank - hired as assistant at MU
Al - hired as head coach at Belmont Abbey

Again, what gives anyone a belief that MU would actively hire-away a proven/successful head coach from a major program?  Historical results don't show that.  Before Wojo was hired, Shaka was rumored as the target (he was coming from a current A-10 program, which just got plucked from the Colonial Athletic Association - VCU). 

Many of us won't like it, but it is what it is.  We aren't the type of program to buy-away a proven/successful coach from a major program.  We invest in up-and-comers; some are hits, some are misses, but I doubt that strategy will change even after Wojo leaves (whether this Spring or in any future season).

Has anyone suggested any active P6 head coaches as potential targets?

[brewcity77]

Has anyone suggested any active P6 head coaches as potential targets?

Not sure, but Steve Pikiell would be high on my list of people to call.

[21Jumpstreet]

Bring in Bennett, UVA is down, he's won there, nothing more to see. And...Sam can follow him back 😳

[asdfasdf]

Not sure, but Steve Pikiell would be high on my list of people to call.

Pikiell just signed an extension at Rutgers, I think.

[LAZER]

Not sure, but Steve Pikiell would be high on my list of people to call.

He just got a nice extension and he's bringing his whole team back next year.

[f/k/a humanlung]

Nope, because we recovered from Dukiet relatively quickly. If we don't hire Buzz, we hire Tony Bennett. And unlike Buzz, he likely would've stayed. Put TB in here for the past 11 years and we'd be in a vastly different place.

We hit a home run in getting KO to revive the program after Dukiet - that was huge.

Was TB really interested?  I don't remember that.

[The Sultan]

And he wouldn't leave Rutgers to come to Marquette anyway.  He's an east coast guy.

[BM1090]

We hit a home run in getting KO to revive the program after Dukiet - that was huge.

Was TB really interested?  I don't remember that.

He was.

[The Sultan]

The only P6 head coaches that would be interested in MU are those who are either desperate for a change for job reasons or those at the couple of places where Marquette would be a significant enough upgrade.  For instance, Washington State.

[mug644]

Might the Syracuse job open up? If so, that might be appealing to other coaches on the move. At the same time, it might be the kind of place Wojo could land (similar to Wake Forest, though with better history).

[Silent Verbal]

Nope, because we recovered from Dukiet relatively quickly. If we don't hire Buzz, we hire Tony Bennett. And unlike Buzz, he likely would've stayed. Put TB in here for the past 11 years and we'd be in a vastly different place.

Buzz led us to three straight Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight.  If hiring him was a mistake, I'll take two.

To say that Bennett "likely would've stayed" at Marquette is pure speculation.  The UCLA, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Indiana, Louisville, and Ohio State jobs have all opened up since 2008.  Bennett would've been a candidate for every one of those if he'd been at MU. 

I understand folks are butt hurt because Wojo didn't get them a pony last night, but calling Buzz's hire "the biggest mistake in program history" is laughable.

[brewcity77]

Buzz led us to three straight Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight.  If hiring him was a mistake, I'll take two.

To say that Bennett "likely would've stayed" at Marquette is pure speculation.  The UCLA, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Indiana, Louisville, and Ohio State jobs have all opened up since 2008.  Bennett would've been a candidate for every one of those if he'd been at MU. 

I understand folks are butt hurt because Wojo didn't get them a pony last night, but calling Buzz's hire "the biggest mistake in program history" is laughable.

Bennett stayed at Virginia, which was never his home before that move. Buzz got Sweet 16s. Whoop-di-freaking-doo. Bennett got league titles, 1-seeds, and won the big one. That matters. What Buzz did didn't to anyone outside Milwaukee.

[1SE]

So seriously, what are the drawbacks to TJO? Milwaukee guy. Young. Earned his stripes in the mid-majors. What's his buyout at UNLV?

[BM1090]

So seriously, what are the drawbacks to TJO? Milwaukee guy. Young. Earned his stripes in the mid-majors. What's his buyout at UNLV?

If we move on, I think he'd be a good choice. No idea on his buyout, but local ties and has had success as a head coach. Could definitely do worse