Is there reason to believe MU will be better in '26-27?

[Scoop Snoop]

I'm guessing some (perhaps even Shaka) would argue that it's not a matter of a recruit (or transfer) earning playing time over a returning player because the recruit (or transfer) proves he's better than the returnee ... it's a matter of paying a recruit (or transfer) more than a returnee.

I'm not saying that school of thought is "right." IMHO, if we are to return to prominence, Shaka (or whoever the coach is) very well might need to pay a proven, talented transfer and/or a high-ranked recruit more than what returnees will be paid.

Returnee Jones got a clean bill of health and some Scoopers assumed he'd move back into the starting lineup even though freshman James was playing well; they were wrong. Fairly early in the season, Shaka benched returnee Lowery in favor of freshman Stevens. So obviously Shaka was willing to use recruits over returnees. But did James and Stevens receive more financial compensation than Jones and Lowery? I haven't seen the books, but I'd bet the answer's no.

Great post 82. I simply do not believe that Shaka will do all of what he needs to do, and as long as he is our coach we will not "return to prominence". With a patched up, or "modified" RGV, we/Shaka still will not be able to do what is necessary. Middle-of-the-pack in the BE would be our ceiling. RGV has to go, which means its creator has to go in order to "return to prominence". Cue the scoopers with the "one bad season" and reciting his very impressive accomplishments, as if they are relevant to the here and now of this mind-boggling disaster resulting from RGV. Then was then, and now is now.

I never, ever thought I would write this, but Coach Don Quixote, astride his steed Argeevy, needs to ride off into the sunset. I hate saying this, but it is what I believe.

Edit: I am well aware that he will likely return next season. I am simply expressing my opinion.

[Warrior of Law]

I think it's been mentioned on this board that MU NIL is based on your grade level (seniors get more than frosh). If that's the case, jettisoning Jones and Norman would free up some money and pave the way for a transfer or two. MU can soften the blow for their transfer to a Horizon league team with a severance payment. I'm not confident that Shaka will do that, and I fear he'll lean on the existing roster. Perhaps even to the extent that he gets himself fired for having the worst two-season stretch in MU history.

[MU82]

Great post 82. I simply do not believe that Shaka will do all of what he needs to do, and as long as he is our coach we will not "return to prominence". With a patched up, or "modified" RGV, we/Shaka still will not be able to do what is necessary. Middle-of-the-pack in the BE would be our ceiling. RGV has to go, which means its creator has to go in order to "return to prominence". Cue the scoopers with the "one bad season" and reciting his very impressive accomplishments, as if they are relevant to the here and now of this mind-boggling disaster resulting from RGV. Then was then, and now is now.

I never, ever thought I would write this, but Coach Don Quixote, astride his steed Argeevy, needs to ride off into the sunset. I hate saying this, but it is what I believe.

Edit: I am well aware that he will likely return next season. I am simply expressing my opinion.

I don't know how Shaka will respond to this season. My opinion is that he will realize wining isn't possible with this current roster-building philosophy and that he will make necessary changes. But maybe you're right - though I hope not. We'll see!

[burger]

There are some very inappropriate comments I would like to ascribe to next season's last place team that I will not post because of level of sensibility....

The frustration is large with all of this crap....

[Scoop Snoop]

I don't know how Shaka will respond to this season. My opinion is that he will realize wining isn't possible with this current roster-building philosophy and that he will make necessary changes. But maybe you're right - though I hope not. We'll see!

Blind faith-something that is not characteristic of me-is what I had (note past tense) in Shaka's ability to make his system work. I had my suspicions last season as the bench failed repeatedly to be reliable but trusted in Shaka's vision based upon his success at Marquette. Not only did he fail to go to the portal last Spring, but his preseason assurances of how impressively Hamilton had improved and that our calling card would be a tenacious defense made it clear that he was not dealing with reality.

When a professor is offered a position at a university and accepts, it takes quite a while before tenure is part of the relationship with the university. Yet apparently Marquette recruits have tenure as part of the deal.

I hate saying Shaka need to go. He was (again, note past tense) our dream coach who exceeded my expectations. Now? His frantic substitutions in games speaks volumes. He has made himself a failure.

[tower912]

I get it.  His early season substituting was looking for the right combination.  Those days are gone for now.

[Jockey]

I'm guessing some (perhaps even Shaka) would argue that it's not a matter of a recruit (or transfer) earning playing time over a returning player because the recruit (or transfer) proves he's better than the returnee ... it's a matter of paying a recruit (or transfer) more than a returnee.

I'm not saying that school of thought is "right." IMHO, if we are to return to prominence, Shaka (or whoever the coach is) very well might need to pay a proven, talented transfer and/or a high-ranked recruit more than what returnees will be paid.

Returnee Jones got a clean bill of health and some Scoopers assumed he'd move back into the starting lineup even though freshman James was playing well; they were wrong. Fairly early in the season, Shaka benched returnee Lowery in favor of freshman Stevens. So obviously Shaka was willing to use recruits over returnees. But did James and Stevens receive more financial compensation than Jones and Lowery? I haven't seen the books, but I'd bet the answer's no.

I don't necessarily agree. The salary structure is the salary structure and I think players are smarter than we give them credit for.

Drake Maye has a good chance to be MVP this year, yet a ton of players are paid more. Should he get angry about that or does he understand the system in place.

NIL is no different.

[wadesworld]

I don't necessarily agree. The salary structure is the salary structure and I think players are smarter than we give them credit for.

Drake Maye has a good chance to be MVP this year, yet a ton of players are paid more. Should he get angry about that or does he understand the system in place.

NIL is no different.

NIL is definitely different.  There are league rules that restrict what type of contract Drake Maye can have.  There are not those types of restrictions college athletes can get.

[jfp61]

Not unless shaka stops what he wants to do.

[MU82]

Blind faith-something that is not characteristic of me-is what I had (note past tense) in Shaka's ability to make his system work. I had my suspicions last season as the bench failed repeatedly to be reliable but trusted in Shaka's vision based upon his success at Marquette. Not only did he fail to go to the portal last Spring, but his preseason assurances of how impressively Hamilton had improved and that our calling card would be a tenacious defense made it clear that he was not dealing with reality.

When a professor is offered a position at a university and accepts, it takes quite a while before tenure is part of the relationship with the university. Yet apparently Marquette recruits have tenure as part of the deal.

I hate saying Shaka need to go. He was (again, note past tense) our dream coach who exceeded my expectations. Now? His frantic substitutions in games speaks volumes. He has made himself a failure.

I disagree that Shaka is "a failure."

This season is a failure ... after four mostly enjoyable, entertaining, successful seasons. If he continues with his current roster-building philosophy and it continues to fail, then we can revisit whether or not he's a failure.

[Jockey]

NIL is definitely different.  There are league rules that restrict what type of contract Drake Maye can have.  There are not those types of restrictions college athletes can get.

I agree but I think players understand that better players get more money whether they are better players - not just because they stayed longer in the program.

Why would Nigel complain if they brought in a top center from the portal at more money than he is getting? It helps the team win which in turn means he will make more if he continues to develop.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Great post 82. I simply do not believe that Shaka will do all of what he needs to do, and as long as he is our coach we will not "return to prominence". With a patched up, or "modified" RGV, we/Shaka still will not be able to do what is necessary. Middle-of-the-pack in the BE would be our ceiling. RGV has to go, which means its creator has to go in order to "return to prominence". Cue the scoopers with the "one bad season" and reciting his very impressive accomplishments, as if they are relevant to the here and now of this mind-boggling disaster resulting from RGV. Then was then, and now is now.

I never, ever thought I would write this, but Coach Don Quixote, astride his steed Argeevy, needs to ride off into the sunset. I hate saying this, but it is what I believe.

Edit: I am well aware that he will likely return next season. I am simply expressing my opinion.

Why do you think a Painter/Purdue model couldn't work for Marquette?

That seems to be the most logical pivot Shaka could make and I don't understand why he couldn't be successful with it.

[Pakuni]

Why do you think a Painter/Purdue model couldn't work for Marquette?

That seems to be the most logical pivot Shaka could make and I don't understand why he couldn't be successful with it.

I think it could work long-term with improved recruiting.
But if we're talking about a 2026-27 turnaround, it's going to take more than bringing in a support player or two.

[Scoop Snoop]

I disagree that Shaka is "a failure."

This season is a failure ... after four mostly enjoyable, entertaining, successful seasons. If he continues with his current roster-building philosophy and it continues to fail, then we can revisit whether or not he's a failure.

That's fair. My venting got the better of me. Mea Culpa.

[MU82]

I agree but I think players understand that better players get more money whether they are better players - not just because they stayed longer in the program.

Why would Nigel complain if they brought in a top center from the portal at more money than he is getting? It helps the team win which in turn means he will make more if he continues to develop.

I agree with this in concept. But what if Shaka already has told his players (and their parents) that NIL is based on time served and not necessarily talent and has promised them it would continue to be that way?

Please note that I have no idea if that's what he told them. Just saying that if it is, then there could be plenty of bruised egos if a newby gets more than a returnee, even if the newbie is better.

[Scoop Snoop]

Why do you think a Painter/Purdue model couldn't work for Marquette?

That seems to be the most logical pivot Shaka could make and I don't understand why he couldn't be successful with it.

I love this question. Thanks for posing it.

I think that the Painter/Purdue model probably is free from implied (if not stated) assurances that a player will not be recruited over and also my guess would be that Painter would work with a transfer (and his agent) to do what he needed to do regarding money, regardless of what arrangements he has with the rest of the team. Possibly, Purdue's and Painter's status in bball make it easier for"P&P" to make it work. A recruit who is not cutting it after being at Purdue for a while knows he needs to leave. Painter probably has a fairly short time frame for projects (like a Hamilton).

Another answer to your question is that Shaka is playing a different game with his RGV. The Purdue model works. This year, we are seeing the first year of Shaka's transfer free team that he has been building for a while. I think he has incorporated too much of his personal beliefs-meditating, being influenced by some book that "changed my life" (my point being a "True Believer") etc.- into the team. I really like and respect him personally and have stated that I would love having him as a neighbor and friend, but never, ever as a business partner. Good business plans have a Plan B, an exit strategy, when a new product bombs in the marketplace. Shaka is quixotic. He wasn't when he arrived at Marquette, but he is now.

[CTWarrior]

Next year's team will be younger than this year's team particularly if Jones and Norman are not invited back. There has been minimal growth by Parham, Hamilton, and Owens and there's zero reason to believe they'll improve. Next year's team will be reliant the current frosh, recruits and redshirts. This may take a few seasons. Someone convince me otherwise before I renew for next season.

Even if Shaka doesn't go to the portal, I think we'll be a lot better next year.  We can be a lot better and still not be a good team though.  Maybe a 8-12 or 9-11 BE team or something like that, but not an NCAA tournament team.

[Warrior of Law]

Even if Shaka doesn't go to the portal, I think we'll be a lot better next year.  We can be a lot better and still not be a good team though.  Maybe a 8-12 or 9-11 BE team or something like that, but not an NCAA tournament team.

MU may be improved and win a few more conference games. The issue is that every team that doesn't hamstring themselves with sub-par recruits over transfers will also improve. And potentially at a greater clip. Mature talent wins and MU needs more of it.