Buzz Back to Milwaukee

[Pardner]

Focus shifts to Williams
By Todd Rosiak
Friday, Apr 4 2008, 08:35 PM
Buzz Williams cut short his trip to the Final Four, returning to Milwaukee on Friday multiple sources said for a round of more formal talks with Marquette University administrators regarding the school's head-coaching position.

Williams, an assistant to former coach Tom Crean, appears at this point to be the leading candidate for the job, which has been vacant since Tuesday when Crean unexpectedly left MU for Indiana.

Since early Thursday MU is known to have made inquiries into Xavier's Sean Miller, Washington State's Tony Bennett and Virginia Commonwealth's Anthony Grant. But by early Friday, after it became apparent that none of the three were interested in leaving their current situations, the school's focus shifted squarely to Williams.

Williams, who was unavailable for comment, will likely spend the remainder of the weekend meeting with MU officials, who are undoubtedly interested in not only getting to know him better personally but also in what his plans are for hiring a coaching staff.

Miller and Bennett were eliminated as candidates later Thursday, and Grant early Friday.

Williams' true first name isn't really Buzz, by the way. It's Brent.

http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/04/04/focus-shifts-to-williams.aspx

[nyg]

Oh boy, when an Anthony Grant doesn't want to leave VCU for a Big East Program, that is a bad sign. What the heck is going on here? 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Chicos was right. Our administration is inept.

I don't want to sound overly harsh because he might be a fantastic coach. But is this the guy we want representing our school? Are we that lazy that we called three guys and threw up our hands?

If this guy knocked on my door, I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable opening it up to let him use the telephone.

[5YearsatMU]

Oh boy, when an Anthony Grant doesn't want to leave VCU for a Big East Program, that is a bad sign. What the heck is going on here? 

sounds like he is leaving VCU for a SEC program. . .

[donsartonelkatdav]

Very disappointing.  What about Lowery, Weber- the guy from Davidson, Ford??  I could go on and on.

[4everwarriors]

If this is true, and I have no reason to doubt it, expect MU to name Williams head  coach this weekend. The job is basically his to lose. This is unfrickin' believable that MU would not even use the FF weekend and its convention of coaches to interview others.

[nyg]

Only SEC opening is at LSU and if Grant goes there then thats a different story. If he was offered MU job and declined to stay at VCU, what does that say?  Wow.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

What kills me is this talk about his recruiting! His recruiting? Are you serious? WHAT RECRUITING?!?!?! A JUCO and one other kid from Texas? Seriously? That qualifies you to coach a Big East school with 4 returning starters, three of whom are seniors? Really? We know damn well Crean recruited Taylor and Williams basically committed because Wade went here. Buzz Williams was hired because Crean was basically out of ideas and he signed two guys that he'd been in contact with for a while. How is that spectacular recruiting?!?!

I hope to GOD they are not stopping the search. Please!

[AlumKCof93]

I've been traveling all week and am only now catching up on where things stand.  What I don't understand is why there is no talk of Drew or Keno Davis?  If the others (Bennett, Grant, and Miller) are out, why does Buzz suddenly become the favorite?  I understand the urgency, but Buzz should be the an option only after everyone else is considered.  If Buzz is hired in the next day or so, I won't understand it. 

[MR.HAYWARD]

Give me a break people ...what in the hell has Lowey doen to entertain a look from MU?  Who has he ever recruited?  What has he ever done with his own talent?  Seems to me that program has gone down his as Weber and painter's talent leave.  yet he should be considered over Buzz?  McKillop has been coaching for 20 years and has never doen crap before this year.  Weber has been a disaster at illinois, Travis ford's Ad at Umass is the new AD at LSU and he is going there.  give me a break people he has as much or more experience and has worked under some tremndous coaches and has abetter resume than Jamie Dixon, Tom Crean or ToM Izzo had when they were hired.  He is a absolte work aholic, who can also recruit the socks off anyone and simply will get the job done on pure work ethic and ability.  Some people will bitch just to bitch, your support would be great though Buzz will get it done.  I think he will in time be better than Crean ever was.  I firmly beleive that.  My opinion from day one was my three hopes were Bennet, Miller, or Buzz and not necessarily in that order.

[nyg]

I posted this on another thread earlier. If I missed something regarding Buzz's experience please advise.   
   
Re: get Buzz...

Here are the Buzz facts.  Someone mentioned he was 35 years old, so presuming he started his college coaching career at age 23:

1) Asst Coach Texas-Arlington
2) Asst. Coach Texas A&M-Kingsville
3) Asst. Coach Northwestern State
4) Asst. Colorado State
5) Asst. Coach Texas A&M
6) Head Coach New Orleans (record of 14-17 in Sun Belt Conf.)
7) Asst. Coach Marquette

  Seven jobs in 12 years, to include one year of head coaching responsibility at a lower major with a losing record.  His first three assignments were not actually basketball powerhouses and New Orleans is well, New Orleans in the Sun Belt. You would think that at least one of his prior head coaches would have had some sort of faith in his abilities, otherwise why the constant movement?  If he was such an outstanding assistant, why no continuity in his job? 

Buzz is always mentioned as an outstanding recruiter.  There was one who described him as "he can flat out recruit". I don't know his recruits for Texas A&M, maybe he delivered Acie Law, so I'll mention the 2008 recruits. I do not even know if Buzz recruited all three or other coaches were responsible.   

Chris Otule - a non ranked center by all services and probably a project
Joseph Fulce - a very good JC player with an upside, but unknown
Tyshawn Taylor - Scout and Rivals list him as the 15th and 21st ranked point guard from 2008, not ranked guard, but point guard.
Nick Williams - signed before Buzz arrived.

A nice recruiting class, but not as vibrant as others believe.  2009 with Eric Williams, great start, but long way till signing LOI.

In prior MU coaching hires, Kevin O'Neill was the top assistant and the top recruiter for Lute Olson at ARIZONA.  Crean was the top assistant and top recruiter for Tom Izzo at MICHIGAN STATE.  Both served on the staff of these experienced head coaches for lengthy timeframes, learning the major college experience.  This was not a year at Northwestern State and a year at TA&M-Kingsville, a year at New Orleans, then........ I don't even know if he was top assistant at MU. Hopefully you'll see the point.

Buzz Williams will make an exceptional top assistant and hopefully be a head coach again, but not at this juncture.  There are candidates left who are at least on paper or resume-wise,  much more qualified.  Please note Anthony Grant and Brownell.  I hope that the AD and BOT are not considering him as head coach for the sake of consistency or the possibility of retaining some recruits.  What I really hope for is this search to arrive at closure.

[MR.HAYWARD]

PRN--in the past I have agreed with you but give it afreaking rest.  Get off the recruiting mantra!!  Did Mu hire Crean beacause of a recruiting class? Did Pitt hire Dixon because of a recruiting class? No Buzz is a fantastic candidate that needs an opportunity.  Tahnkfully MU is smart enough to see that.  If not he will go to IU and get a chance soemwhere else in a couple fo years and we will read you stupid posts about how inept Mu was to let him go.  he will be a greta coach somewhere soon!  he has all the attributes you look for.  Oh and by the way he is one of the best if not the best recruiter in the country, dont use this class for your evidence even thow it wasMu's 2nd best in 8 years, he was only on staff 3 months.  Look at the Texas A&M roster!!  The St. Johns of the Big12 before he and gillespie got there.  Oh and he did improve UNO while he was there, but he chose to leave because he was not receiving his pay check.  maybe you should take a day off from being an a-hole all the time.

[ChicosBailBonds]

For the record, I'm not saying the admin is inept.

I'm also not totally against Buzz, I just can't believe this is the option so quickly.  Seems to quick to settle, recruits can't go anywhere without our releasing them.

I'm sure some of the candidates are looking at the "can't follow a legend" issue.  Now, before a few of you throw up at that comment, I agree TC is not a legend, but he will be very difficult to replace.

Some might say if TC can't do it, how am I? 

What this decision does tell me which I was more concerned with from day 1 is that you just don't go down the street and hire anyone.  Same as you don't go down to the corner store for a 7 footer...reality doesn't work that way.

Yes MU has money, yes they have the Big East, yes they have tradition, but that doesn't mean a hill of beans.

I've watched UCLA in my own backyard hire pedestrian guys time and time again.

Let's hope this works....disappointing only because of the quickness.  To use a draft analogy, seems we could have gotten Buzz in the 6th round but we took him in the 3rd.

I'm off to vacation...

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Chicos -- Have a good vacation!

Mr. Hayward -- If I'm an "a-hole" all the time and you agree with me most of the time, what does that make you? I'm not going to "get off the recruiting mantra" because that has to be the only reason we would hire this guy. As nyg points out, he doesn't even have an impressive resume!!

What kills me is it seems we're listening to the very guy that just stabbed Fr. Wild, Cottingham, Jerel, DJ and Wesley in the back! Who gives a tinker's damn who Crean thinks should be our coach?

[MR.HAYWARD]

why does the recruiting have to be the only reason...maybe like Crean and Al before him he walked into that interview room and knocked their freaking socks off!  Part of the reason Mu coaches leave is becuase peopl like you hate all the time.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Are you serious? You just got finished telling me you disliked Crean as much as I did! And I seem to recall reading your posts that were less than flattering.

If Williams is hired, I will support him whole-heartedly. I just think it would be the least impressive hire I could have imagined and possibly the least impressive hire Marquette has ever made. Then again, Al McGuire did not knock their socks off at Belmont Abbey. Of course, he was a former NBA player. But time will tell!

[MR.HAYWARD]

again my point is you labeleing this unimpressive...how in the heck would you know?  Same thing could have been said about Crean he has even less experience than Buzz, and regardless of your feeling or mine for the guy he did a good job.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Chicos was right. Our administration is inept.

I don't want to sound overly harsh because he might be a fantastic coach. But is this the guy we want representing our school? Are we that lazy that we called three guys and threw up our hands?

If this guy knocked on my door, I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable opening it up to let him use the telephone.

I think this is where a lot of people got on you and 4ever for the constant bashing of Crean. Was he perfect? Absolutely not. But when you have people like we do handling the hiring most people would rather settle for having a guy like Crean at the helm then let the admin take charge.

Now we are seeing why Crean was so valuable to MU. And it had nothing to do with coaching.

[4everwarriors]

Coobey, tell me, Rican, and DKCL we were wrong.

I, for one, regret not laying the criticism on heavier. Should never have held back.

[MUCam]

PRN -

WHO should we be looking at if not Buzz? Please give me two-three names, your view on how realistic our chances are of landing them, and why they are better than Buzz.

The problem I see is that there are not many marquee names out there. There are not many "proven" guys out there. We went after Miller and Bennett. Presumably, we went after them hard. Despite that, they both apparently said, "no." So who is left?

Don't ask me what makes Buzz such a great candidate, tell me why X, Y, or Z are such better candidates. I ask this sincerely, because to date, I have not heard anything that would lead me to believe there are exceptionally better candidates than Buzz.

Please enlighten me.

And for the record, the following two things concern me about Buzz:

(1) Lack of head coach experience
(2) Ties back to Crean. If Buzz is to be the man, I want him to be his own man and not Crean's. Only time will tell if that is truly possible.

[jaygall31]

I hope we can all hope Weber doesn't get even mentioned...what has he done at Illinois other than winning with Self's players and ALMOST getting eric gordon?

I mean come on, he's lucky to stilll have a job there isn't he?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Thanks....vacation includes the blackberry...I'm on glass of wine 4 so who knows how this sounds.

The one reason why I would solicit Crean's opinion is only as it relates to Buzz.  I think Crean is a proud person, perhaps to proud but he is not going to want to see MU fail.  I truly believe that.  As a result, if crean said bu isn't ready, then that would mean something to me.  If he said Buzz is ready, then that would mean something to me also.

Just a data point, one of many but an important data point nonetheless.

[MUsoxfan]

I disagree Chicos.   I think that Crean's ego is so large that he would relish MU's failure after his leaving.  I hope I'm wrong, but I've also come to believe very little of what he's ever said. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

4ever...you were wrong....dreadfully wrong.

MU needs a coach like Crean.  I have a feeling in 2 or 3 years you might come to realize that.  I hope I am dead wrong and you are right.

I really do

[79Warrior]

For the record, I'm not saying the admin is inept.

I'm also not totally against Buzz, I just can't believe this is the option so quickly.  Seems to quick to settle, recruits can't go anywhere without our releasing them.

I'm sure some of the candidates are looking at the "can't follow a legend" issue.  Now, before a few of you throw up at that comment, I agree TC is not a legend, but he will be very difficult to replace.

Some might say if TC can't do it, how am I? 

What this decision does tell me which I was more concerned with from day 1 is that you just don't go down the street and hire anyone.  Same as you don't go down to the corner store for a 7 footer...reality doesn't work that way.

Yes MU has money, yes they have the Big East, yes they have tradition, but that doesn't mean a hill of beans.

I've watched UCLA in my own backyard hire pedestrian guys time and time again.

Let's hope this works....disappointing only because of the quickness.  To use a draft analogy, seems we could have gotten Buzz in the 6th round but we took him in the 3rd.

I'm off to vacation...

Does anyone stop and consider MU is being turned down. Bennett and Miller both are not interested. What you don't want is a bunch of names coming out saying no thanks. It is entirely possible MU is having a tough time.