RIP Marquette 2025-2026 Men's Basketball Season

[brewcity77]

It's fine to disagree but my impression is it's not apples-to-apples when it comes to analyzing Shaka's tenure and his job security moving forward. 

I agree that if next season is nearly as bad as this one Shaka would likely be fired.  I wouldn't have any issue with that.  However, I think he's earned some goodwill from the first 4 years.

Personally, I expect a tourney team next season.  However, if we see a lot of improvement but end up on the wrong side of the bubble, I think firing him would be shortsighted.

No, it's not apples to apples and I said as much because the ability to flip a roster has completely transformed the sport. So the first two years that Wojo largely got a pass for shouldn't exist anymore because as Shaka showed in 2021, you can go out and add 4 heavy rotation guys with immediate impact. That wasn't possible in 2014.

And I do think that Shaka was feeling real job pressure this year. The comments to Greenberg before Providence were not an accident. Panning to visiting GM Broeker while talking about the new roster philosophy was not an accident. It was a message to big donors that Mike & Shaka know they need to win next year and need to use the portal and donor funds available to them to do that. It was also a message saying "give us money and this time we will use it."

Shaka earned enough grace his first four years to allow him the opportunity to pivot back to the portal. But I think there are a lot of people here who don't realize just how much of that grace he lit on fire with this past season. Had he doubled down on this roster and indicated he was going to run it back with the same guys, I think there's a real chance he'd be gone already. And there's no way he can do this again next year and remain employed at Marquette.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Jay Wright went 13-19 in 2011-2012.  It is possible for a successful program/head coach to have a historic bad season.  The key is to assess how it happened and ensure the same mistake doesn't occur again.

My only worry going into next season isn't whether roster change occurs (I think a few occur) is that between the end of last season (with rotations of BG, ZL, CR and TN) and the starting lineup for most of the start to this season (CH, BG, ZL, CR, SJ), what exactly did the staff project with the roster as constructed?  Either the evaluation was terribly off, or development plan was; in either case the root (IMO) can be traced to the end of last year.  Many fans expressed worry with several glimpses without Jop, Stevie or Kam.

That component, whatever it is, needs to change absolutely.

[The Sultan]

Let's do a side-by-side of their first 5 years.

2015: Wojo: Sucked  Shaka: Tourney
2016: Wojo: Clear progress, no tourney but competitive Shaka: Tourney 2 seed
2017: Wojo: Tourney bid  Shaka: Tourney 2 seed
2018: Wojo: Narrowly missed, but 7 of top-9 players were freshmen/sophomores  Shaka: Tourney
2019: Wojo: Made top-10, 5-seed, should've won league --Hausers leave, from Feb 2019 was the first notable downturn in progress-  Shaka: Horrendous season
2020: Wojo: Disappointing, but no one was getting fired after COVID  Shaka: TBD

Sorry but "Narrowly missed, but 7 of top-9 players were freshmen/sophomores" is an excuse.

"Made top-10, 5-seed, should've won league --Hausers leave, from Feb 2019 was the first notable downturn in progress-" I don't see Brew changing the framing for Shaka last season where the team made the top 5 and was a 7 seed. 

When you look at their first 5 years side-by-side the difference is pretty stark.  Wojo never achieved consistent results.  He always provided barely just enough reason to keep him in spite of mediocre results.  Even his best team fell apart during the season and imploded after.

It's fine to disagree but my impression is it's not apples-to-apples when it comes to analyzing Shaka's tenure and his job security moving forward. 

I agree that if next season is nearly as bad as this one Shaka would likely be fired.  I wouldn't have any issue with that.  However, I think he's earned some goodwill from the first 4 years.

Personally, I expect a tourney team next season.  However, if we see a lot of improvement but end up on the wrong side of the bubble, I think firing him would be shortsighted. 

Imagine typing all these words and not addressing my point.

[The Sultan]

I don't think anyone here is/has made the argument that Wojo is a better or equal coach.
What they're saying is:
1. There were valid and defensible reasons Wojo wasn't fired earlier.
2. There are valid and defensible reasons that Shaka would be fired after another losing season in 2026-27.

Beyond that, the ongoing insistence of some here to make Wojo the standard by which we judge Shaka makes zero sense. Wojo ultimately failed to meet the standards and expectations here. Doing better than that should be the Shaka's floor, not ceiling.
Do we think Kentucky fans are defending Mark Pope being on the hot seat next year by saying "but he's better than Billy Gillespie?"

Exactly.

[Elonsmusk]

Imagine typing all these words and not addressing my point.

Imagine being so dumb about basketball that you couldn't recognize Wojo wouldn't succeed as a coach for 5 years.

Imagine suggesting a coach with Shaka's track record should be on the hot seat after 1 bad season out of 5, and fired should he have a 2nd bad seasons at MU - a program that hadn't won an NCAA game for 10 years prior to his arrival.  Yet, imagine trying to justify the loser that came before Shaka not being fireable until Year 7.

[Elonsmusk]

No, it's not apples to apples and I said as much because the ability to flip a roster has completely transformed the sport. So the first two years that Wojo largely got a pass for shouldn't exist anymore because as Shaka showed in 2021, you can go out and add 4 heavy rotation guys with immediate impact. That wasn't possible in 2014.

And I do think that Shaka was feeling real job pressure this year. The comments to Greenberg before Providence were not an accident. Panning to visiting GM Broeker while talking about the new roster philosophy was not an accident. It was a message to big donors that Mike & Shaka know they need to win next year and need to use the portal and donor funds available to them to do that. It was also a message saying "give us money and this time we will use it."

Shaka earned enough grace his first four years to allow him the opportunity to pivot back to the portal. But I think there are a lot of people here who don't realize just how much of that grace he lit on fire with this past season. Had he doubled down on this roster and indicated he was going to run it back with the same guys, I think there's a real chance he'd be gone already. And there's no way he can do this again next year and remain employed at Marquette.

So dumb. The hits keep coming.

[WhiteTrash]

No, it's not apples to apples and I said as much because the ability to flip a roster has completely transformed the sport. So the first two years that Wojo largely got a pass for shouldn't exist anymore because as Shaka showed in 2021, you can go out and add 4 heavy rotation guys with immediate impact. That wasn't possible in 2014.

And I do think that Shaka was feeling real job pressure this year. The comments to Greenberg before Providence were not an accident. Panning to visiting GM Broeker while talking about the new roster philosophy was not an accident. It was a message to big donors that Mike & Shaka know they need to win next year and need to use the portal and donor funds available to them to do that. It was also a message saying "give us money and this time we will use it."

Shaka earned enough grace his first four years to allow him the opportunity to pivot back to the portal. But I think there are a lot of people here who don't realize just how much of that grace he lit on fire with this past season. Had he doubled down on this roster and indicated he was going to run it back with the same guys, I think there's a real chance he'd be gone already. And there's no way he can do this again next year and remain employed at Marquette.

I'd add to this, IF Shaka rolled with his previous strategy into next season I'd view that as him waiving the white flag as a college coach. He wouldn't be the first HC to do so.

I would truly be shocked if Shaka doesn't materially change his strategy.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Will the roster restructuring mean the dismissal of Norman, Jones and Hamilton? Their production and contributions have been minimal.

[muwarrior69]

Will the roster restructuring mean the dismissal of Norman, Jones and Hamilton? Their production and contributions have been minimal.

...add Clark as well. If he showed any potential he would have gotten more playing time than he did. If Shaka wants to keep any of these guys the only one I would keep is Tre and let him finish his Senior Year.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Imagine typing all these words and not addressing my point.

Imagine not realizing your point was addressed.

[The Sultan]

Imagine being so dumb about basketball that you couldn't recognize Wojo wouldn't succeed as a coach for 5 years.

Imagine suggesting a coach with Shaka's track record should be on the hot seat after 1 bad season out of 5, and fired should he have a 2nd bad seasons at MU - a program that hadn't won an NCAA game for 10 years prior to his arrival.  Yet, imagine trying to justify the loser that came before Shaka not being fireable until Year 7.

Just stating facts you emotional little dweeb. If Shaka has another season like this one, he WILL be fired. Sorry you can't manage that.

[Warrior of Law]

...add Clark as well. If he showed any potential he would have gotten more playing time than he did. If Shaka wants to keep any of these guys the only one I would keep is Tre and let him finish his Senior Year.

I do believe there's a path to keep Norman and Hamilton. If MU picks up two spots from the portal, then there is still a roster spot for them. Both can be 8-10th guys and serve a purpose. With the redshirts and incoming frosh, there will be robust competition for minutes.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

No, it's not apples to apples and I said as much because the ability to flip a roster has completely transformed the sport. So the first two years that Wojo largely got a pass for shouldn't exist anymore because as Shaka showed in 2021, you can go out and add 4 heavy rotation guys with immediate impact. That wasn't possible in 2014.

And I do think that Shaka was feeling real job pressure this year. The comments to Greenberg before Providence were not an accident. Panning to visiting GM Broeker while talking about the new roster philosophy was not an accident. It was a message to big donors that Mike & Shaka know they need to win next year and need to use the portal and donor funds available to them to do that. It was also a message saying "give us money and this time we will use it."

Shaka earned enough grace his first four years to allow him the opportunity to pivot back to the portal. But I think there are a lot of people here who don't realize just how much of that grace he lit on fire with this past season. Had he doubled down on this roster and indicated he was going to run it back with the same guys, I think there's a real chance he'd be gone already. And there's no way he can do this again next year and remain employed at Marquette.

Of course Shaka was feeling pressure.  Of course the comments to Greenberg were intentional and intended to send a message.  I never said otherwise.

Wojo got 7 years and was almost brought back for an 8th despite only 2 tourney appearances with no tourney wins. 

Shaka has 4 tourney appearances in 5 years, two 2-seeds, a conference championship, a conference tourney championship, and a Sweet 16.  He's shown repeatedly he can win at a high level, and even more importantly, wants to stay long-term.

This season was unacceptable.  Unless next season is also an unmitigated disaster, Shaka should not be on the hot seat. 

[Pakuni]

Of course Shaka was feeling pressure.  Of course the comments to Greenberg were intentional and intended to send a message.  I never said otherwise.

Wojo got 7 years and was almost brought back for an 8th despite only 2 tourney appearances with no tourney wins. 

Shaka has 4 tourney appearances in 5 years, two 2-seeds, a conference championship, a conference tourney championship, and a Sweet 16.  He's shown repeatedly he can win at a high level, and even more importantly, wants to stay long-term.

This season was unacceptable.  Unless next season is also an unmitigated disaster, Shaka should not be on the hot seat.

Wojo is not the baseline.
Wojo is not the baseline.
Wojo is not the baseline.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Wojo is not the baseline.
Wojo is not the baseline.
Wojo is not the baseline.

No, Wojo is not the baseline of what should be expected of the basketball program.  But he is also the most recent data point so let's not act like it's not relevant to compare. 

[Small Orange Soda]

If you're saying Wojo inherited a mess or citing why he missed the tournament three of his first four years then yes, you're making excuses for him. He was on the hot seat entering season five for a reason: he'd done a bad job the previous four.

[Pakuni]

No, Wojo is not the baseline of what should be expected of the basketball program.  But he is also the most recent data point so let's not act like it's not relevant to compare. 

The most recent data point of what ... what it takes to get fired?
Fine, Wojo was fired after back-to-back underwhelming seasons.
What does that data point tell us is the appropriate outcome if Shaka has another underwhelming season?