MU coaching candidates

[Tums Festival]

Let's be honest with ourselves, first. Moser is the hot topic today but he's been at Loyola 10 years and through 2018 there was sub .500 overall and in conference for seven years.
Would we be willing to wait that long for "success" here? Would our leash be as long?
Looking back there was no guarantee in 2017 he'd have the success he's had the last three years. Could we, would we wait with that uncertainty?

Lots of people keep bringing up when "the light bulb comes on" for coaches, especially with Krzyzewski. We waited for seven years with Steve and at the end not only didn't the light bulb come on, it shattered. I think it's safe to say the light bulb came on for Moser three years ago.

[Galway Eagle]

For what it's worth I think the biggest issue was getting the right pieces in place at Loyola. When they won the CBI I was quite impressed by their discipline they just were very clearly not on the high major level talent/experience level.

[Scoop Snoop]

I still like Moser best but comments from Brew and TAMU and others have made me open to questions about Moser and also open to Shaka as my close second choice. This is a big change for me. There is a strong case for Gates but to me, Marquette desperately needs at least a 5 year coach (assuming he is successful) and I see Gates as a three-and-flee coach. That would be really bad for MU. I think FSU would be watching closely and waiting. I think Shaka is ready for a rebuild of his rep as well as Marquette's.

As I mentioned in other threads, I lived in Richmond for 28 years and saw first hand the Shaka mania sweep the city. He loved the attention. The very loud crowd and band, the excitement at home games- what's not to like? An energized crowd may be good for at least one more W each season. If Shaka had decided to leave coaching and run for the Richmond area's seat in Congress, he would have won in a landslide.

I doubt that he would want to risk being at what amounts to as a midwestern version of Texas sports mania- Indiana- and be run out of town at the end of the first bad season. Marquette is a much better atmosphere for a coach and gives them a fairly long leash. I still prefer Moser and, of course, would certainly support Gates and hope that I am wrong about him should he be the one.

[rocket surgeon]

bring in mike rhodes and show shaka(wife) the finger

[MU82]

bring in mike rhodes and show shaka(wife) the finger

huh?

[JakeBarnes]

bring in mike rhodes and show shaka(wife) the finger

This is dumb. Why are you acting like some jilted lover over a coach that turned us down because our AD and Prez situation was a dumpster fire.

[Dr. Blackheart]

huh?

Jimmy John's sighting on campus?

[GooooMarquette]

This is why I’m pro-Shaka. If you go below the surface level of his Texas results, it doesn’t look nearly as bad. Offense is a bit all over the place but defense is solid.

https://twitter.com/lowedownstats/status/1375247711419662336?s=21

Good statistical rankings are nice...but if they don't translate to NCAA Tournament wins, they're just a bunch of numbers.

Give me the guy who wins in March.

[brewcity77]

Good statistical rankings are nice...but if they don't translate to NCAA Tournament wins, they're just a bunch of numbers.

Give me the guy who wins in March.

Shaka has a Final Four and 7 NCAA wins. Yes, he has lost his last 5 NCAA Tournament games, that is true. But he's lost them by a combined 13 points and 3 of them in overtime. Honestly, the ONLY reason we are able to discuss a coach with Smart's track record of success both on the court and on the recruiting trail is because of 5 bounces that went against him. At UT, he lost on a half-court buzzer beater, as an underdog in overtime after having a double-digit lead, and on free throws with 1 second left.

At the moment, he has more NCAA wins than Moser and his 5 losses are by a near identical combined margin (13) to Moser's career NCAA loss margin (12).

[Galway Eagle]

Shaka has a Final Four and 7 NCAA wins. Yes, he has lost his last 5 NCAA Tournament games, that is true. But he's lost them by a combined 13 points and 3 of them in overtime. Honestly, the ONLY reason we are able to discuss a coach with Smart's track record of success both on the court and on the recruiting trail is because of 5 bounces that went against him. At UT, he lost on a half-court buzzer beater, as an underdog in overtime after having a double-digit lead, and on free throws with 1 second left.

At the moment, he has more NCAA wins than Moser and his 5 losses are by a near identical combined margin (13) to Moser's career NCAA loss margin (12).

He only has more NCAA wins because the play in game. Which a lot of people don't consider to be "in the tournament"

I'm not arguing margins or anything but you can't tell me Shaka's final four is more impactful to his record because he had a play in game win too. 

[Silkk the Shaka]

Rob has something coming you should take a look at. Will likely publish in the next day or two on Cracked Sidewalks.

That said, Shaka's time with Havoc shows he knows how to generate turnovers. He made conscious decisions to change his defense at Texas and despite that remained top-40 every year. And even with defensive success, brought in Luke Yaklich when he was available, widely regarded as the best defensive assistant in the country, so Smart is willing to challenge his own thought processes.

Was bringing in Rob Judson evidence that Wojo was willing to challenge his own thought process as well? And what changes in defensive style/process/results did bringing in Yaklich 2 years ago have for Texas on the court?

[brewcity77]

Was bringing in Rob Judson evidence that Wojo was willing to challenge his own thought process as well? And what changes in defensive style/process/results did bringing in Yaklich 2 years ago have for Texas on the court?

Considering Judson isn't an actual assistant, I'm skeptical Wojo was challenging his own thought process. Especially since we know he was fired for refusing to shake up his staff. In Yaklich's one year they didn't see a huge turnaround (#26 to #24 in defensive efficiency) but it's that he's showing he isn't afraid to bring in someone like that, especially with where Yaklich's reputation was at the time. I have more respect for someone who is really good at something (Smart with defense) bringing in someone else who shares that strength because it seems that is exactly what Scholl was looking for in Wojo and didn't find.

[Tha Hound]

https://twitter.com/acny2la/status/1375459127812558852?s=21

“Very strong rumors out there that Shaka Smart is the guy at Marquette - take it as speculation and rumor but as of last night word on the street is signs pointing in that direction...”

First at least semi-respectable account sharing these rumors.

[naginiF]

https://twitter.com/acny2la/status/1375459127812558852?s=21

“Very strong rumors out there that Shaka Smart is the guy at Marquette - take it as speculation and rumor but as of last night word on the street is signs pointing in that direction...”

First at least semi-respectable account sharing these rumors.

This is a classic "no wrong decision" scenario if we land one of the names feverishly discussed here, Shaka being one of them.

If he's the guy I can't say I'm looking forward to a new thread every time Moser posts a W or lands a top 150 recruit......god forbid we're on the bubble while he's #1 in the MVC.

[Galway Eagle]

This is a classic "no wrong decision" scenario if we land one of the names feverishly discussed here, Shaka being one of them.

If he's the guy I can't say I'm looking forward to a new thread every time Moser posts a W or lands a top 150 recruit......god forbid we're on the bubble while he's #1 in the MVC.

This will 100% happen, in fact any way you cut it somebody's going to be weirdly obsessed with the other options and what could have been.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Considering Judson isn't an actual assistant, I'm skeptical Wojo was challenging his own thought process. Especially since we know he was fired for refusing to shake up his staff. In Yaklich's one year they didn't see a huge turnaround (#26 to #24 in defensive efficiency) but it's that he's showing he isn't afraid to bring in someone like that, especially with where Yaklich's reputation was at the time. I have more respect for someone who is really good at something (Smart with defense) bringing in someone else who shares that strength because it seems that is exactly what Scholl was looking for in Wojo and didn't find.

Scholl was looking for Wojo to bring in someone else who shared his strengths? Legitimately somewhat confused.

[JakeBarnes]

Scholl was looking for Wojo to bring in someone else who shared his strengths? Legitimately somewhat confused.

That would imply there were strengths in wojo's game coaching...which there weren't.

[JWags85]

If he's the guy I can't say I'm looking forward to a new thread every time Moser posts a W or lands a top 150 recruit......god forbid we're on the bubble while he's #1 in the MVC.

Considering that’s literally never happened at Loyola, even after the FF, I’m not so worried about that one 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Considering Judson isn't an actual assistant, I'm skeptical Wojo was challenging his own thought process. Especially since we know he was fired for refusing to shake up his staff. In Yaklich's one year they didn't see a huge turnaround (#26 to #24 in defensive efficiency) but it's that he's showing he isn't afraid to bring in someone like that, especially with where Yaklich's reputation was at the time. I have more respect for someone who is really good at something (Smart with defense) bringing in someone else who shares that strength because it seems that is exactly what Scholl was looking for in Wojo and didn't find.

I think a better example with Shaka is hiring Nevada Smith to be the DOPD. He was regarded as one of the top offensive coaches in G League. Offense went from 153 in KenPom to 30.

[Silkk the Shaka]

I love KenPom as much as the next guy, but the stat-humpers on here are making me want to cancel my KP subscription hahaha. Basketball is way WAY more than just some numbers on a sheet.

[hawk]

Shaka Smart.  who saw that coming