OT: 2021 Coaching Carousel

[Billy Hoyle]

Cocaine and Coeds, classic problem. Nothing some NBA stints and an excursion to Moscow couldn't solve

Not just coeds, but a star player's GF.

[Warrior-Eagle]

Not just coeds, but a star player's GF.

Quinn is an interesting case study in the Coach K tree which is a very manicured and a product of a managed system. Failure and Crisis are integral to the journey of success. Personally, I believe that Quinn is a model of failure is your best friend early in your career on your path to overcome the Fear of Failure. A Rookie mistake in Life from an old guy.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Hurley extended. Good news

[Eye]

Add me to the list of guys that would throw in a C-note to get rid of Wojo.

[Pakuni]

Northern Illinois hires former DePaul Blue Demon Rashon Burno as its new head coach.

[JWags85]

Northern Illinois hires former DePaul Blue Demon Rashon Burno as its new head coach.

Seems like a pretty decent hire. Been around, under some good coaches and some good networks.

Hurley extended. Good news

I'm so baffled how he continues to be a hot name in coaching searches. He's been so average at ASU

[Dr. Blackheart]

Seems like a pretty decent hire. Been around, under some good coaches and some good networks.

I'm so baffled how he continues to be a hot name in coaching searches. He's been so average at ASU

Dan not Bobby

[Viper]

Cocaine and Coeds, classic problem. Nothing some NBA stints and an excursion to Moscow couldn't solve

I'm pretty sure Snyder has a law degree too. Decent player during his day. Bright guy, had success, got derailed, Redeemed.

[JWags85]

Dan not Bobby

Gotcha. My point still remains. But no reason for Dan not to. Has righted the ship there and had a pretty good first BE season

[Uncle Rico]

Gotcha. My point still remains. But no reason for Dan not to. Has righted the ship there and had a pretty good first BE season

He's going to win big at UConn.  He's managed his coaching career well

[Dr. Blackheart]

Gotcha. My point still remains. But no reason for Dan not to. Has righted the ship there and had a pretty good first BE season

Good for the conference too. Defend against BE coach poaching.

As an aside, Jaime Dixon is having a down year and he didn't do himself any favors with the UCLA attempted jump, but you'd have to wonder if he would want back in the BE if a coach or two jump to another conference?

[Silent Verbal]

Hurley's in just his third season at UCONN and has already turned them around completely.  Lots of good coaches out there, and better ones than Wojo, hey?

[MU82]

He's going to win big at UConn.  He's managed his coaching career well

That's an excellent observation about managing his career. He has given himself a chance to learn at lower levels and has progressed nicely. It would have done Wojo (or any coach, really) good to do the same.

By all indications, Hurley is going to succeed at UConn, and I don't blame them one iota for giving him an extension.

But he really hasn't accomplished much yet. Eleven years as a head coach, 2 first-round NCAA tourney wins. Jury is still out IMHO.

[MU82]

Hurley's in just his third season at UCONN and has already turned them around completely.  Lots of good coaches out there, and better ones than Wojo, hey?

See my previous about Hurley. I like him and think he's doing a good job.

But his third season at UConn is quite similar to Wojo's third at Marquette.

We'll see. I wouldn't proclaim him the next best coach yet, but maybe he will be.

"Better ones than Wojo" is not a very high bar.

[Uncle Rico]

That's an excellent observation about managing his career. He has given himself a chance to learn at lower levels and has progressed nicely. It would have done Wojo (or any coach, really) good to do the same.

By all indications, Hurley is going to succeed at UConn, and I don't blame them one iota for giving him an extension.

But he really hasn't accomplished much yet. Eleven years as a head coach, 2 first-round NCAA tourney wins. Jury is still out IMHO.

No, he hasn't but I like the progression.  Turned Wagner around in his two years, took over a mess at Rhode Island and got them back to the tournament. 

I like the way he goes about his business in building a program.  He's also been fortunate to have administrations let him do his thing.  I think UConn is very fortunate to have him

[JWags85]

Good for the conference too. Defend against BE coach poaching.

As an aside, Jaime Dixon is having a down year and he didn't do himself any favors with the UCLA attempted jump, but you'd have to wonder if he would want back in the BE if a coach or two jump to another conference?

He hasn't been all that good at TCU and has been trending downwards. UCLA was his chance to leap up. I think it's more likely he continues meh and goes back to Hawaii (where he has history) and has some success other than leaping back to the BEast.

But he really hasn't accomplished much yet. Eleven years as a head coach, 2 first-round NCAA tourney wins. Jury is still out IMHO.

That's pretty unfair and viewing him in a vacuum. He took over ehh from Mike Deane and Wagner and made them competitive quick. And I think you underestimate the difficult at URI.  Baron left him a bit of a mess.   They hadn't made an NCAA, much less won a game, in almost 20 years by the time he took them there. Hadn't won the A10 since 1981. Baron, outside of one year, never had them better than a tie for 4th. Hurley finished top 3 in the conference 3 out of 6 seasons.  He's been REALLY good in less than desirable situations

Is he a long term guy who can continue to keep them at a high level of success? TBD. But I don't think any praise of him is unjustified.  He has a track record of success as a HC at multiple levels that Wojo can't boast

[willie warrior]

Hurley's in just his third season at UCONN and has already turned them around completely.  Lots of good coaches out there, and better ones than Wojo, hey?

Can't be. Otherwise admin would make a change. Oh wait, they can't make that decision...because we can't afford it...or wait... because Covid...oh wait... because they have their head firmly embedded in Wojo-Dukiets ass. Take your pick

[Uncle Rico]

He hasn't been all that good at TCU and has been trending downwards. UCLA was his chance to leap up. I think it's more likely he continues meh and goes back to Hawaii (where he has history) and has some success other than leaping back to the BEast.

That's pretty unfair and viewing him in a vacuum. He took over ehh from Mike Deane and Wagner and made them competitive quick. And I think you underestimate the difficult at URI.  Baron left him a bit of a mess.   They hadn't made an NCAA, much less won a game, in almost 20 years by the time he took them there. Hadn't won the A10 since 1981. Baron, outside of one year, never had them better than a tie for 4th. Hurley finished top 3 in the conference 3 out of 6 seasons.  He's been REALLY good in less than desirable situations

Is he a long term guy who can continue to keep them at a high level of success? TBD. But I don't think any praise of him is unjustified.  He has a track record of success as a HC at multiple levels that Wojo can't boast

I don't think there is a correct recipe in hiring a coach anywhere per se, but a guy like Hurley is an example of the type of guy I think Marquette should target.

That's why I'm intrigued by Craig Smith at Utah State.  He took over middling programs and made them winners.  The programs he took over weren't in as bad of shape as the ones Hurley did for sure but he's a builder and winner at the same time

[willie warrior]

I don't think there is a correct recipe in hiring a coach anywhere per se, but a guy like Hurley is an example of the type of guy I think Marquette should target.

That's why I'm intrigued by Craig Smith at Utah State.  He took over middling programs and made them winners.  The programs he took over weren't in as bad of shape as the ones Hurley did for sure but he's a builder and winner at the same time

That sounds like as good a resume as any. And one that Wojo-Dukiet lacks.

[JWags85]

I don't think there is a correct recipe in hiring a coach anywhere per se, but a guy like Hurley is an example of the type of guy I think Marquette should target.

That's why I'm intrigued by Craig Smith at Utah State.  He took over middling programs and made them winners.  The programs he took over weren't in as bad of shape as the ones Hurley did for sure but he's a builder and winner at the same time

I wouldn't call Utah St a middling program. That's a historically very good MM program that just made a bad hire promoting from within when THE LEGEND STEW MORILL retired. And South Dakota was a solid program that just had some understandable growing pains making the jump to D1.

But I think Smith is a good coach. I don't care at all for Miles and am wary of his tree, but Smith has accomplished enough on his own away from him that he's intriguing

[Uncle Rico]

I wouldn't call Utah St a middling program. That's a historically very good MM program that just made a bad hire promoting from within when THE LEGEND STEW MORILL retired. And South Dakota was a solid program that just had some understandable growing pains making the jump to D1.

But I think Smith is a good coach. I don't care at all for Miles and am wary of his tree, but Smith has accomplished enough on his own away from him that he's intriguing

Utah State has a very good history.  The end of the Stew Morill era, the program stagnated as they moved into the MWC.  Smith jumped in and started winning.

I like his track record and what his teams do.  It'll be interesting his trajectory

[MU82]

That's pretty unfair and viewing him in a vacuum. He took over ehh from Mike Deane and Wagner and made them competitive quick. And I think you underestimate the difficult at URI.  Baron left him a bit of a mess.   They hadn't made an NCAA, much less won a game, in almost 20 years by the time he took them there. Hadn't won the A10 since 1981. Baron, outside of one year, never had them better than a tie for 4th. Hurley finished top 3 in the conference 3 out of 6 seasons.  He's been REALLY good in less than desirable situations

Is he a long term guy who can continue to keep them at a high level of success? TBD. But I don't think any praise of him is unjustified.  He has a track record of success as a HC at multiple levels that Wojo can't boast

We are in total agreement, Wags.

I think he's done a good job at all 3 stops. I think UConn was wise to extend him. I think he is praiseworthy. And I'd take him over Wojo in a heartbeat.

I also happen to think it's too early to say he's done more at the P6 level than Wojo did through 3 years, and definitely too early to say he's the next great coach.

Maybe he will be, though. That absolutely is a possibility, and I sure wouldn't say that about Wojo.

[Billy Hoyle]

Utah State has a very good history.  The end of the Stew Morill era, the program stagnated as they moved into the MWC.  Smith jumped in and started winning.

I like his track record and what his teams do.  It'll be interesting his trajectory

He's one of Minnesota's top targets. Smith, Ryan Saunders, Niko Merved. Al, have ties to The U or the state.

[Uncle Rico]

He's one of Minnesota's top targets. Smith, Ryan Saunders, Niko Merved. Al, have ties to The U or the state.

I heard Brian Dutcher's name get mentioned there as well

[JWags85]

He's one of Minnesota's top targets. Smith, Ryan Saunders, Niko Merved. Al, have ties to The U or the state.

All make more sense then them thinking they could lure Mussleman.

Medved makes a lot of sense as their top target. I like Saunders but that seems like a disaster. He got a raw deal with the TWolces given the mess up there, but I think he still needs more seasoning as a coach, much less no recruiting experience or track record to sell.

I think Dutcher uses Minnesota to get a nice raise at SDSU. He's been there for 20 years, has a nice thing going, is on the wrong side of 60, seems like an inopportune time to jump to a challenging job in a brutal conference, especially if SDSU bumps him to mid $1MM range.