All Things Gophers Coaching Search Thread (rumors, tweets, tid-bits and more)

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MNVCGUY said:
Not sure if this is what you are saying but CSU made the tournament for the first time under Medved during what was Ben's first season as the head coach here. So when we were hiring he was coming off an appearance in the NIT but had not yet qualified for the NCAA tournament.
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My bad, they finished 3rd in league that year with an NIT invite. I thought they made the dance that season. Must have just been one of the last 4-8 out.
 


Panthadad2 said:
If nothing else, the nostalgia could generate some fan interest and maybe help line the NIL coffers to get the program headed in the right direction.

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If they won’t retire his jersey or hang the banners he was largely responsible for, they ain’t hiring him to be the coach. I think they’d rather hire Will Wade with his financial cheating past than dig up the academic cheating scandal BJack is tied to.
 

howeda7 said:
If we're going with a slow plodding offense, write a check big enough to get Tony Bennett out of retirement.
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We might win games and average 45 per game!

If we're going to to pull anyone out of retirement, my first choice would be Jay Wright.
 




10 potential candidates to replace head coach Ben Johnson at Minnesota​

Jerrod Calhoun​

Calhoun is the latest in a sudden line of strong Utah State head coaches, as he’s still in the midst of his first season with the Aggies. He’s a former assistant under Bob Huggins who’s had success as head coach at D2 Fairmont State as well as Youngstown State in the Horizon League. Calhoun fits the bill of a young coach on the rise and has Utah State sitting pretty for the NCAA Tournament with 25 wins before the MWC Tournament begins.

Ross Hodge​

A lesser-known candidate than most on this list, Hodge is another rising young coach in the ranks with success at multiple levels of college basketball. Although he’s never worked for a power conference school, Hodge was great as a junior college head coach before helping orchestrate success at several D1 schools. He’s been at North Texas since 2017 and became the head coach two years ago, with 42 wins already under his belt. He’s more of a stretch than the other names, but he has more experience than Pitino did when Minnesota hired him in 2013.

Alan Huss​

Formerly a player at Creighton under Dana Altman, Huss has started to make major waves as a head coach in his own right. He was a successful high school coach before aiding New Mexico and Creighton at the college level before his own head coaching journey started in 2023. High Point brought him into a mediocre program and he’s excelled beyond belief, with 56 wins already in two seasons. Huss has led the Wildcats to their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament this season and will be a hot name in coaching circles.

Ben McCollum​

There’s no question that McCollum is one of the best rising names in coaching circles right now. The former player at Northwest Missouri State is fresh off leading his alma mater to four D2 national championships in a six-year span. After immense success, he made the jump last offseason to the D1 level and has been masterful there as well, leading Drake to a 30-win season and another MVC Tournament title. McCollum is from the Midwest and he knows how to win and could do wonders with the Golden Gophers.

Niko Medved​

Perhaps one of the big favorites for this opening, Medved is a Minneapolis native who graduated from Minnesota and was briefly an assistant under Dan Monson nearly two decades ago. In the time since, he’s spent more than a decade as a D1 head coach, building the starting points for success at Furman and Drake before his recent run at Colorado State. He’s averaging right around 20 wins per season in his seven years with the Rams and has taken them to the last two NCAA Tournaments, with potential for a third bid next week.

Leon Rice​

Yet another intriguing MWC name worth monitoring, Rice is a longtime former Gonzaga assistant who helped Mark Few craft that program into gold for more than a decade. Although himself a former junior college coach, Rice’s head coaching career really started in earnest with Boise State and he’s spent the last 15 years building something special with those Broncos. He’s taken Boise State to the NCAA Tournament five times, including in each of the last three seasons, and is an even more attractive candidate for Minnesota than the last time this job opened, though he’s the oldest candidate on the list.

Ryan Saunders​

It’s important to consider all options and Saunders it the only non-collegiate coach on the list. A former backup guard for the Golden Gophers in the late 2000’s, Saunders has made his name in the NBA, spending much of the last 15 years on those coaching staffs. He ascended to the top job and spent nearly two seasons leading the Minnesota Timberwolves before winning an NBA title as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets. He’s never worked full-time in college ball but does have Minnesota connections and professional experience that could attract bigger names to the Golden Gophers.

Takayo Siddle​

While he’s never worked in the Big Ten or even in that part of the country, Siddle is another rising name who’s going to end up running somebody’s program in the near future. A former disciple of Kevin Keatts, including at NC State, Siddle’s head coaching career has gotten off to a fast start since UNC Wilmington brought him aboard in 2020. After a CBI championship early, he led the Seahawks back to the NCAA Tournament with a CAA title this week and has won just under 100 games in his last four seasons.

Drew Valentine​

While his brother became an icon at Michigan State, Valentine got into coaching after playing collegiate at Oakland. He really caught on with Loyola Chicago and was an assistant on their 2018 team that marched to the Final Four. Valentine became the Ramblers’ head coach in 2021 and has done great work continuing their trajectory, now as members of the A-10. Loyola has won at least 21 games in three of his four seasons and has been to the Big Dance under his leadership, but would the Golden Gophers consider this Michigan native?

Will Wade​

A power conference program is going to hire Wade this offseason or in the very near future and they likely won’t regret it. Though things ended poorly due to his violations a few seasons ago at LSU, Wade built winning programs at Chattanooga, VCU, and most recently McNeese State, owning a 57-10 record with the Cowboys. He also was an assistant on VCU’s Final Four run, has demonstrated talent as a recruiter, and can be a home run hire if Minnesota can actually land him; if they can overlook a somewhat tarnished past.

bustingbrackets.com

10 potential candidates to replace head coach Ben Johnson at Minnesota

In a surprising late night move from Minneapolis, the Golden Gophers have announced that Ben Johnson is out after four years as head coach at Minnesota. An alum
bustingbrackets.com bustingbrackets.com

Go Gophers!!
 

So the national media who loved Ben and predicted he would get another season are saying Niko? I know who I am betting against ;)
 

Shama chimes in:

Tauer and Coyle are acquainted, with both being St. Paul residents and connected through Cretin-Derham Hall where their children have attended school. It’s unknown whether Tauer is on Coyle’s list but he should be at the top.

Tauer’s resume and state roots scream for him being the most rational choice to successfully turn around the long slide of Gopher basketball. At Minnesota he would be the most likely of any candidate to replicate the Wisconsin model.

Media speculation on candidates includes Brian Dutcher, Niko Medved, Ben McCollum, Ryan Saunders, Craig Smith and Kimani Young. “There’s no one close to John Tauer,” a college basketball insider told Sports Headliners.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is a long list of hoops authorities who will testify as to how special Tauer is. That list, he offered, will range from Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard to faculty and patrons at St. Thomas, to Creighton head coach Greg McDermott, to the high school coaches who have met Tauer on the recruiting trail.

A perk with hiring Tauer, the source said, is no contract buyout will be required by St. Thomas. Then, too, Tauer is an ideal age to take the rebuild job at Minnesota. Young enough to have the vast energy required for the assignment, but old enough and settled in enough in the Twin Cities to make Dinkytown his last stop.

Would Tauer take the Minnesota job if offered? “No,” said the source.


Go Gophers!!
 



BleedGopher said:
Shama chimes in:

Tauer and Coyle are acquainted, with both being St. Paul residents and connected through Cretin-Derham Hall where their children have attended school. It’s unknown whether Tauer is on Coyle’s list but he should be at the top.

Tauer’s resume and state roots scream for him being the most rational choice to successfully turn around the long slide of Gopher basketball. At Minnesota he would be the most likely of any candidate to replicate the Wisconsin model.

Media speculation on candidates includes Brian Dutcher, Niko Medved, Ben McCollum, Ryan Saunders, Craig Smith and Kimani Young. “There’s no one close to John Tauer,” a college basketball insider told Sports Headliners.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is a long list of hoops authorities who will testify as to how special Tauer is. That list, he offered, will range from Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard to faculty and patrons at St. Thomas, to Creighton head coach Greg McDermott, to the high school coaches who have met Tauer on the recruiting trail.

A perk with hiring Tauer, the source said, is no contract buyout will be required by St. Thomas. Then, too, Tauer is an ideal age to take the rebuild job at Minnesota. Young enough to have the vast energy required for the assignment, but old enough and settled in enough in the Twin Cities to make Dinkytown his last stop.

Would Tauer take the Minnesota job if offered? “No,” said the source.


Go Gophers!!
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If we're down to those 6 names then it doesn't look promising
 

BleedGopher said:
Shama chimes in:

Tauer and Coyle are acquainted, with both being St. Paul residents and connected through Cretin-Derham Hall where their children have attended school. It’s unknown whether Tauer is on Coyle’s list but he should be at the top.

Tauer’s resume and state roots scream for him being the most rational choice to successfully turn around the long slide of Gopher basketball. At Minnesota he would be the most likely of any candidate to replicate the Wisconsin model.

Media speculation on candidates includes Brian Dutcher, Niko Medved, Ben McCollum, Ryan Saunders, Craig Smith and Kimani Young. “There’s no one close to John Tauer,” a college basketball insider told Sports Headliners.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is a long list of hoops authorities who will testify as to how special Tauer is. That list, he offered, will range from Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard to faculty and patrons at St. Thomas, to Creighton head coach Greg McDermott, to the high school coaches who have met Tauer on the recruiting trail.

A perk with hiring Tauer, the source said, is no contract buyout will be required by St. Thomas. Then, too, Tauer is an ideal age to take the rebuild job at Minnesota. Young enough to have the vast energy required for the assignment, but old enough and settled in enough in the Twin Cities to make Dinkytown his last stop.

Would Tauer take the Minnesota job if offered? “No,” said the source.


Go Gophers!!
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So he would be the perfect candidate but wouldn't take the job if offered.....so what's the point then of having him as a candidate for a job he won't take?
 

BleedGopher said:
Shama chimes in:

Tauer and Coyle are acquainted, with both being St. Paul residents and connected through Cretin-Derham Hall where their children have attended school. It’s unknown whether Tauer is on Coyle’s list but he should be at the top.

Tauer’s resume and state roots scream for him being the most rational choice to successfully turn around the long slide of Gopher basketball. At Minnesota he would be the most likely of any candidate to replicate the Wisconsin model.

Media speculation on candidates includes Brian Dutcher, Niko Medved, Ben McCollum, Ryan Saunders, Craig Smith and Kimani Young. “There’s no one close to John Tauer,” a college basketball insider told Sports Headliners.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is a long list of hoops authorities who will testify as to how special Tauer is. That list, he offered, will range from Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard to faculty and patrons at St. Thomas, to Creighton head coach Greg McDermott, to the high school coaches who have met Tauer on the recruiting trail.

A perk with hiring Tauer, the source said, is no contract buyout will be required by St. Thomas. Then, too, Tauer is an ideal age to take the rebuild job at Minnesota. Young enough to have the vast energy required for the assignment, but old enough and settled in enough in the Twin Cities to make Dinkytown his last stop.

Would Tauer take the Minnesota job if offered? “No,” said the source.


Go Gophers!!
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That’s quite the kicker at the end, rendering the rest of the words written meaningless and a waste of time.
 




Marcus chimes in:

Niko Medved​

School: Colorado State
Age: 51
Salary: $1.7 million. Buyout: About $4 million or 33% of remaining contract signed through 2030-31)
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: Two


Skinny: The former Gophers assistant and Roseville native has turned around programs previously at Furman, Drake and Colorado State, including with Gophers assistant Dave Thorson at Drake and Colorado State. Medved was named Mountain West coach of the year by the media in 2021 and reached the NCAA tournament in 2022 and 2024.


Porter Moser​

School: Oklahoma
Age: 56
Salary: $3.2 million. Buyout: $8.3 million
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: Two
Skinny: The former Loyola Chicago coach made one of the most memorable Cinderella runs in the NCAA tourney when he took the Ramblers to the Final Four with Sister Jean on board in 2018. He also went to the Sweet 16 three years later before jumping to the Sooners, who have been to the NIT in his first three years.
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Darian DeVries​

School: West Virginia
Age: 51
Salary: $2.9 million. Buyout: 9.3 million
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: Three
Skinny: Former Drake coach won 150 games over six seasons with the Bulldogs, including back-to-back NCAA tournament trips. That turned into his first high major opportunity this season with the Mountaineers, who finished .500 in the Big 12 his first year. He’s a candidate for Indiana’s job.
6EVEX3F6F5EJ3NIKY6OIK74RNQ.JPG

Ben McCollum

School: Drake
Age: 43
Salary: Unknown, not public for a private university.
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: One
Skinny: Became a household name in college basketball this season after Drake won the Missouri Valley regular season and conference titles in his first year. But McCollum was one the most successful coaches at the lower levels with four Division II national championships at Northwest Missouri State. He’s also a possible candidate at Indiana.

Ryan Saunders​

Team: Denver Nuggets
Age: 38
Salary: Top NBA assistants make up to $1-2 million
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: None
Skinny: The son of late former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders followed in his father’s footsteps to coach the Wolves from 2018-21. The Wayzata graduate and former Gophers walk-on and graduate assistant won an NBA title as a Denver Nuggets assistant in 2023.
Northern Iowa guard Ali Farokhmanesh (5) and his coach, Ben Jacobsen, share a hug after they upset Kansas, 69-67, in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday, March 20, 2010.

Ben Jacobson​

School: Northern Iowa
Age: 54
Salary: $900,000*. Buyout: $500,000.*
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NCAA tourneys as a head coach: Four
Skinny: Who could forget the Panthers' big upset against Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 in 2010. Jacobson never had another deep March Madness run going back in 2015 and 2016. He has the most coaching wins in Missouri Valley Conference history with 207 since arriving at UNI in 2006.
*As of Jacobson’s last contract extension in 2021.
Memphis Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger

Staples, Minn., native Dave Joerger, pictured as Memphis Grizzlies head coach, is now an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks. (Randy Johnson — Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Dave Joerger​

School/team: Milwaukee Bucks
Age: 51
Salary: Top NBA assistants make $1-2 million
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NCAA tourneys as a head coach: none
Skinny: The Staples, Minn., native played college ball at Concordia and Minnesota State Moorhead in the 1990s. As a coach, Joerger won three CBA titles and the 2007 NBA G League championship before being hired as a Memphis Grizzlies assistant in 2007 and eventually head coach in 2013. He also was the Sacramento Kings head coach from 2016-19. Currently on Doc Rivers' staff for the second time, now at Milwaukee.

More names​

Other potential candidates: Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney (St. Thomas graduate), McNeese’s Will Wade, former Indiana and Georgia coach Tom Crean.

www.startribune.com

Potential candidates to replace Ben Johnson as the next Gophers men's basketball coach

Gophers AD Mark Coyle has options to explore, including some Minnesota natives, in the search to replace Ben Johnson.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 



Local media seems to have the most steam for Niko. We really need to take Ryan Saunders off the list, please no. Good to see they have Will Wade on there
 

Panthadad2 said:
If nothing else, the nostalgia could generate some fan interest and maybe help line the NIL coffers to get the program headed in the right direction.

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My two favorite gophers: Bobby Jackson and Jordan Murphy. Jackson refused to be denied and Murphy an understated guy who got the most out of his abilities.
 

Minnesconsin fan said:
if Niko is the guy, Thorson probably is back. Which I think is a good thing

Tim Miles would love to be back in the Big Ten also- I was bummed when he took the Nebraska job a year before Tubby was fired. Good guy, great quote, got hosed in Nebraska

Does the guy at Drake jump after one year? or does he wait for Fran to retire?

I like what I have read about the Arkansas State coach, but that is a quick jump after one year also- and maybe not enough of a track record after our last two coaches without enough track record have shown.
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Not really excited about Thorson remaining. I suppose he has a relationship with our returning players and recruits. A little skeptical of hiring one of our own. Will Wade has my vote.
 

Panthadad2 said:
If nothing else, the nostalgia could generate some fan interest and maybe help line the NIL coffers to get the program headed in the right direction.

Click to expand...
No thanks, don't want someone who couldn't do their own homework in college and who's academic fraud cost us our final 4 appearance.
 



I have to believe Medved would jump at this job in a heartbeat. You can afford to make him your 5th/6th option in your back pocket. No need to go with him right out of the gate. Swing for the fences first. He’s not my first/second/third pick , but we could do a lot worse.

Thorson was part of the coaching staff that has the worst record in Gopher basketball history. His fault or not, I don’t consider keeping him a plus. You have to burn the forest down before you get new, healthy growth.
 

I look at it this way. Before we had Fleck, we needed Kill to repair the damage caused by Brewster. This needs to be a Kill caliber hire, ie a mid major coach well known for running a solid program with solid fundamentals, before we go for the big name hire. There was a saying along the lines of "you can't build a foundation on a pile of sand." We're sitting on a pile of sand right now. We need to fix the program from the ground up and need a guy who's known for stability and accountability before we become a program who can draw a home run.
 

I am so sick of the idea of we need some kind of connection to the program to be a serious candidate. Hire the best guy for the job. Most likely, the best candidate for the job will come from outside of the confines of Minnesota. 98% of candidates will have no connection to Minnesota.
 

BleedGopher said:
Marcus chimes in:

Niko Medved​

School: Colorado State
Age: 51
Salary: $1.7 million. Buyout: About $4 million or 33% of remaining contract signed through 2030-31)
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: Two


Skinny: The former Gophers assistant and Roseville native has turned around programs previously at Furman, Drake and Colorado State, including with Gophers assistant Dave Thorson at Drake and Colorado State. Medved was named Mountain West coach of the year by the media in 2021 and reached the NCAA tournament in 2022 and 2024.


Porter Moser​

School: Oklahoma
Age: 56
Salary: $3.2 million. Buyout: $8.3 million
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: Two
Skinny: The former Loyola Chicago coach made one of the most memorable Cinderella runs in the NCAA tourney when he took the Ramblers to the Final Four with Sister Jean on board in 2018. He also went to the Sweet 16 three years later before jumping to the Sooners, who have been to the NIT in his first three years.
Advertisement
Advertisement

Darian DeVries​

School: West Virginia
Age: 51
Salary: $2.9 million. Buyout: 9.3 million
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: Three
Skinny: Former Drake coach won 150 games over six seasons with the Bulldogs, including back-to-back NCAA tournament trips. That turned into his first high major opportunity this season with the Mountaineers, who finished .500 in the Big 12 his first year. He’s a candidate for Indiana’s job.
6EVEX3F6F5EJ3NIKY6OIK74RNQ.JPG

Ben McCollum

School: Drake
Age: 43
Salary: Unknown, not public for a private university.
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: One
Skinny: Became a household name in college basketball this season after Drake won the Missouri Valley regular season and conference titles in his first year. But McCollum was one the most successful coaches at the lower levels with four Division II national championships at Northwest Missouri State. He’s also a possible candidate at Indiana.

Ryan Saunders​

Team: Denver Nuggets
Age: 38
Salary: Top NBA assistants make up to $1-2 million
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: None
Skinny: The son of late former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders followed in his father’s footsteps to coach the Wolves from 2018-21. The Wayzata graduate and former Gophers walk-on and graduate assistant won an NBA title as a Denver Nuggets assistant in 2023.
Northern Iowa guard Ali Farokhmanesh (5) and his coach, Ben Jacobsen, share a hug after they upset Kansas, 69-67, in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday, March 20, 2010.'s Basketball Tournament at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Saturday, March 20, 2010.

Ben Jacobson​

School: Northern Iowa
Age: 54
Salary: $900,000*. Buyout: $500,000.*
Advertisement
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: Four
Skinny: Who could forget the Panthers' big upset against Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 in 2010. Jacobson never had another deep March Madness run going back in 2015 and 2016. He has the most coaching wins in Missouri Valley Conference history with 207 since arriving at UNI in 2006.
*As of Jacobson’s last contract extension in 2021.
Memphis Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger

Staples, Minn., native Dave Joerger, pictured as Memphis Grizzlies head coach, is now an assistant for the Milwaukee Bucks. (Randy Johnson — Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Dave Joerger​

School/team: Milwaukee Bucks
Age: 51
Salary: Top NBA assistants make $1-2 million
Advertisement
NCAA tourneys as a head coach: none
Skinny: The Staples, Minn., native played college ball at Concordia and Minnesota State Moorhead in the 1990s. As a coach, Joerger won three CBA titles and the 2007 NBA G League championship before being hired as a Memphis Grizzlies assistant in 2007 and eventually head coach in 2013. He also was the Sacramento Kings head coach from 2016-19. Currently on Doc Rivers' staff for the second time, now at Milwaukee.

More names​

Other potential candidates: Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney (St. Thomas graduate), McNeese’s Will Wade, former Indiana and Georgia coach Tom Crean.

www.startribune.com

Potential candidates to replace Ben Johnson as the next Gophers men's basketball coach

Gophers AD Mark Coyle has options to explore, including some Minnesota natives, in the search to replace Ben Johnson.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
No Saunders. No Joerger. No Sweeney. Stop this never been a college coach, but he's "one of us" nonsense.
 

mngg11 said:
I look at it this way. Before we had Fleck, we needed Kill to repair the damage caused by Brewster. This needs to be a Kill caliber hire, ie a mid major coach well known for running a solid program with solid fundamentals, before we go for the big name hire. There was a saying along the lines of "you can't build a foundation on a pile of sand." We're sitting on a pile of sand right now. We need to fix the program from the ground up and need a guy who's known for stability and accountability before we become a program who can draw a home run.
Click to expand...
Oh FFS. STFU.

Stupid.
 

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