Red Flags

[panda]

Lots of talk about red flags recently. I've seen many different points mentioned from season one to the Hauser's, but the biggest red flag for me was when Wojo forgot the game situation at Butler last season and instructed Bailey to foul in a tie game.

That is the most damning incident for me which reflects on a much larger issue. We've all become acquainted with the Wojo deer in the headlights look, but his inability to read game situations and counterpunch tactically when opponents change up will always limit his teams. Coaches in the league figure him out so easily. I don't know his record in the second games of round robin BE play, but it has to be awful.

A mutual departure at the end of the season will serve both Marquette and Wojo well. This is a bad marriage and will only get worse for both parties if they stay together.

[Goose]

Biggest red flag to me was his long tenure as an assistant. I do not believe it was simply because he was waiting for a dream job. In addition, it looked like he did not learn much sitting next to Coach K. I understand why he was hired and will understand why got fired, if that happens this year.

[#UnleashSean]

Losses to Omaha and Belmont

[Galway Eagle]

Losses to Omaha and Belmont

Omaha absolutely, Belmont was disappointing sure but they're a very well respected program that was a risky game so early in the season that year.

[cheebs09]

Mine are pretty small, but some times when I doubted he was the right guy.

First was when he called the taking the practice gear away a gimmick later in the year. The team seemed to buy in and took the message to heart in the beginning. It seemed to work and the players bought in. Then, when the season seemed to be going awry, in a frustrated press conference, he called it a gimmick. Yes, obviously it is, but it kind of made it seem like the players were naive to buy into it as anything more than a gimmick.

Then the other was the press conference after the Providence loss when I believe Andrei from Paint Touches asked him a question referencing how earilier in the year Wojo said he needed to coach better. Wojo went off and played the victim and bashed the question. He looked super immature and thin skinned. Multiple times he mentioned his favorite stat of the year that they were the youngest team in the oldest conference, but he's not using it as an excuse. It reminded me of K going after the student this year.

Outside of the stretch in 2019, there's not many times I can point to feeling like we had the right guy. Even the first NCAAT team was very flawed. We had the Nova win and were lucky to play Creighton and Xavier when we did.

[NCMUFan]

Certainly not the pressure to succeed as an assistant.
He did his best.  If that is not good enough, well on to the next coach.

[#UnleashSean]

Omaha absolutely, Belmont was disappointing sure but they're a very well respected program that was a risky game so early in the season that year.

The same belmont team that lost to Evansville days later?

Or lost to such good teams such as Valparaiso, middle Tennessee and Cleveland state?

Sure they won the ovc.... but were one and done in the nit.

What we saw in that game was a coach who out maneuvered wojo at every turn. What should have been a slaughter was an embarrassment.

[Silent Verbal]

Biggest red flag to me was his long tenure as an assistant. I do not believe it was simply because he was waiting for a dream job. In addition, it looked like he did not learn much sitting next to Coach K. I understand why he was hired and will understand why got fired, if that happens this year.

And how.  Wojo (and probably K) no doubt thought that with Marquette's budget and resources, he'd be able to come in here, keep the program rolling like Buzz and Crean did for the next 7-8 years, and then leave for the Duke job when K retired.  That was absolutely the plan.  What Wojo didn't plan for is how hard it is to sit in the big chair.

[shoothoops]

Omaha absolutely, Belmont was disappointing sure but they're a very well respected program that was a risky game so early in the season that year.

I'd take Casey Alexander and a couple of elite recruiters. Throw the ball up, I'll take my chances.

[avid1010]

Red Flag #1 - Hiring Wojo given the relatively poor success of Coack K. assistants.
Red Flag #2 - Win/Loss Record
Red Flag #3 - Average finish in BEAST
Red Flag #4 - NCAA Appearances
Red Flag #5 - NCAA Wins

There were many small incidents along the way that concerned me...especially things that continue to go wrong game-after-game and year-after-year.  That said, Buzz did some stupid things, but they were easy to overlook when his regular season and NCAA success was at the level it was.  I don't pretend that I have the qualifications, insight or access to properly evaluate Wojo on the specifics.  I do think that he has failed to meet the basic expectations that any coach can be held to. 

[Goose]

Silent

Money is thrown like crazy in college sports and if someone wanted him badly enough they would have ponied up the money. In addition, how do we know that the plan was to get him ready to take over when Coach K retired? My guess is Coach K knows Wojo better than most and if felt he was the right to be groomed as his replacement I question how sharp Coach K is in judging coaching talent.

[Warrior2008]

To me losing our two NCAA tournament games in seven years by a combined 39 points.  That and Sam Hauser deciding to delay a pro career by a year just to get away from Wojo.

[Scoop Snoop]

For me, it was the Murray State game. The defensive game plan seemed to be to just gang up on Ja Morant. He was an excellent passer (often with great "no-look" passes that were spot on) and his wide open team mates scored almost at will. Wojo called a time out early very in the 2nd half and then proceeded with the same failed strategy for the rest of the game. The camera caught Sam coming out of the time out, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief. I think that may have been the moment he decided to leave Marquette.

Two days later FSU handled Murray State with ease. One of the announcers said "Notice the FSU defenders. They play their positions. You don't see 5 guys collapsing on Morant." 

[MU82]

I will sit out this stream, having participated significantly in a similar discussion in a different stream.

Have a nice day, everyone!

[Galway Eagle]

The same belmont team that lost to Evansville days later?

Or lost to such good teams such as Valparaiso, middle Tennessee and Cleveland state?

Sure they won the ovc.... but were one and done in the nit.

What we saw in that game was a coach who out maneuvered wojo at every turn. What should have been a slaughter was an embarrassment.

No the Belmont coach who built that program from an NAIA powerhouse to being a well regarded mid major. No doubt it wasn't the sexiest Belmont team but Rick Byrd was a hell of a coach and Wojo was still green (turns out he still is) while putting pieces of Henry and Haanif with players he didn't rely on due to carlino the prior year. Was a bad time all around and easy for an accomplished coach to pick apart. If we played them in December around the time we beat WI I'd bet we win.

[4everwarriors]

Biggest red flag to me was his long tenure as an assistant. I do not believe it was simply because he was waiting for a dream job. In addition, it looked like he did not learn much sitting next to Coach K. I understand why he was hired and will understand why got fired, if that happens this year.

Nah, by watchin' K count his money, Woj learned to count his own, hey?

[4everwarriors]

I will sit out this stream, having participated significantly in a similar discussion in a different stream.

Have a nice day, everyone!

Thanks four da update and status report, hey?

[We R Final Four]

When Junior Varsity HS players have no idea on how to properly defend a fricking OOB play, the coach needs to show them proper technique. 
When it happens at a HM, I don't know what to say.
It is absolutely amazing.
It happened again last night.  Symir gets pinned by JRE. 
Its happened to Cain.  Its happened to GE.
If a HS coach cannot correct this, that should be a red flag.
Not to mention are own in bound plays, inability to finish on fast breaks, etc.
Not a good coach.

[shoothoops]

No the Belmont coach who built that program from an NAIA powerhouse to being a well regarded mid major. No doubt it wasn't the sexiest Belmont team but Rick Byrd was a hell of a coach and Wojo was still green (turns out he still is) while putting pieces of Henry and Haanif with players he didn't rely on due to carlino the prior year. Was a bad time all around and easy for an accomplished coach to pick apart. If we played them in December around the time we beat WI I'd bet we win.

Casey Alexander won 30 games three times as a player at Belmont under Hall of Famer Rick Byrd. He was on the bench as an assistant for 6 of Belmont's first 8 NCAA appearances. He was a 16 year assistant for Byrd.

As a Head Coach, he led Lipscomb to its first ever NCAA appearance and the NIT Finals. Has won his league multiple places. His teams play aesthetically pleasing ball. He has won the Skip Prosser Award. Get him a couple of elite recruiters and throw the ball up. 20-1 overall this year.

The similarity to Wojo is long time assistant at successful program. The difference is the successful Head Coaching experience after. And, he's still in his 40:s.

[cheebs09]

No the Belmont coach who built that program from an NAIA powerhouse to being a well regarded mid major. No doubt it wasn't the sexiest Belmont team but Rick Byrd was a hell of a coach and Wojo was still green (turns out he still is) while putting pieces of Henry and Haanif with players he didn't rely on due to carlino the prior year. Was a bad time all around and easy for an accomplished coach to pick apart. If we played them in December around the time we beat WI I'd bet we win.

I believe that team was coming off a tournament appearance and was pretty experienced.

[Galway Eagle]

Casey Alexander won 30 games three times as a player at Belmont under Hall of Famer Rick Byrd. He was on the bench as an assistant for 6 of Belmont's first 8 NCAA appearances. He was a 16 year assistant for Byrd.

As a Head Coach, he led Lipscomb to its first ever NCAA appearance and the NIT Finals. Has won his league multiple places. His teams play aesthetically pleasing ball. He has won the Skip Prosser Award. Get him a couple of elite recruiters and throw the ball up. 20-1 overall this year.

The similarity to Wojo is long time assistant at successful program. The difference is the successful Head Coaching experience after. And, he's still in his 40:s.

I'd absolutely give him a call. I imagine it'd be tough to pry him away from his alma mater after his coach had turned a multitude of High Major offers away over the years.

[jutaw22mu]

LOL this thread is full of such great memories.  Wojo is turning us into a mid-major.  He has to go.

[Silent Verbal]

Silent

Money is thrown like crazy in college sports and if someone wanted him badly enough they would have ponied up the money. In addition, how do we know that the plan was to get him ready to take over when Coach K retired? My guess is Coach K knows Wojo better than most and if felt he was the right to be groomed as his replacement I question how sharp Coach K is in judging coaching talent.

All valid points, and you're right about how a team would've ponied up if they wanted him badly enough.  You're also probably right about K knowing Wojo better than most.  If anything, he did Wojo a solid by giving him a great reference for a job he knew Wojo probably wasn't qualified for.  I honesty think K will end up like Paterno and still be coaching long after he should've retired.

[We R Final Four]

LOL this thread is full of such great memories.  Wojo is turning us into a mid-major.  He has to go.

Cant happen.....we play in the Big East.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Biggest red flag to me was his long tenure as an assistant. I do not believe it was simply because he was waiting for a dream job. In addition, it looked like he did not learn much sitting next to Coach K. I understand why he was hired and will understand why got fired, if that happens this year.

So, I've heard that Wojo was offered one job before Marquette, and he turned the school down (Dayton, 2011 - before they hired Archie).  Does anyone have any inside knowledge saying otherwise?