Rivals rates coaching hires

[Sir Lawrence]

Don't know if this has been posted.  I apologize if it has.  Rival's national reporter ranks the coaching carousel season and the results: 

http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=812514

Of interest here--poor grade for the Buzz hire.  Hope the grades are like those given for NFL draft day selections--worthless. 

MARQUETTE

   
Williams
NEW COACH: Buzz Williams (Marquette assistant)
OLD COACH: Tom Crean (took Indiana job)
PROS: By promoting an assistant, the Golden Eagles ensure there will be as little change as possible. That's exactly what the players want to hear. The Golden Eagles return a veteran squad loaded with NCAA Tournament experience. Williams, 35, is familiar with the personnel. That predecessor Tom Crean was a rookie head coach when he took over at Marquette in 1999 should help fans look past Williams' inexperience. Williams also spent two seasons working under Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie at Texas A&M, and helped engineer one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball in recent years.
CONS: Lack of experience is the biggest. Williams has spent only one season as a head coach, going 14-17 at New Orleans in 2006-07. Other than that, he has spent only three other seasons at the high-major level (one at Marquette and two at A&M). That's not exactly the kind of resume you expect from a head coach in the Big East. Williams' background also makes this a puzzling choice: He is a Texas native and most of his connections are in Big 12 country.
BOTTOM LINE: Most of the college basketball world is shaking its head at this decision. Marquette plays in arguably the top conference in the nation, has good fan support, plenty of tradition and returns a team that will be well inside the preseason top 25 next season. That would have attracted a long list of impressive candidates. But instead of shopping around, Marquette took an unnecessary risk by handing the program over to an unproven assistant.
GRADE: D. 

[ATWizJr]

Then Bennett and Miller really blew it if we are so attractive.

[Marquette84]

Its interesting that Buzz has gained more commitments from Rivals 2009 top 100 recruits than all the others in the article combined.

Buzz Williams:  Two
Montgomery + Crean + Johnson + Ford + Davis + Robinson + Ford + Dawkins:  One.

[Big Papi]

Obviously it is too early to tell.  They should revisit this topic in a few years and then hand out grades.

[77ncaachamps]

Its interesting that Buzz has gained more commitments from Rivals 2009 top 100 recruits than all the others in the article combined.

Buzz Williams:  Two
Montgomery + Crean + Johnson + Ford + Davis + Robinson + Ford + Dawkins:  One.

Most of those coaches aren't looking at losing three top-tier players this coming season.

I assure you that they will get their top 100 players for 2010 and on.

[Daniel]

I've hired lots and lots of people in my career - and it was not always the one with the best resume who performed the best on the job.  Sometimes, you have a feel for someone whose resume is not as totally polished as the next guy.  I have hired great employees from each camp, and some that did not work out from each camp.  But basically, they can give Buzz a D now.  But the finals are several years away - and maybe he will ace everything in between.

I think Buzz will do great.

[mviale]

Looks like Buzz has no where to go but up - great position to be in for a new coach

[ATWizJr]

DWade wasn't highly ranked either. 

Buzz has great upside and will do well.

[MUFan71]

DWade wasn't highly ranked either. 

Buzz has great upside and will do well.

  I agree Buzz has shown he can recruit now we wait for the rest of the 09 class. I think he will do well.
Just a side note D. Wade was ranked #50 by Bob Gibbons.

[jpvegas]

Wasn't Monson considered a home run hire at Minnesota?

[dennycrane]

Wasn't Monson considered a home run hire at Minnesota?

I don't recall.

Regardless that was a completely different situation. Minnesota was handed major penalties for multiple years by the NCAA. It was a worse situation than what Crean is now facing in IU. Plus it was Minnesota and not a traditional power like IU.

The Gophers had to pay handsomely to land Monson with a long term contract. Under those circumstances it was considered a coup for Minnesota to land a head coach coming off a deep NCAA tourney run with Gonzaga.