Where will Ben land?

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Big Dawg

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Ben Johnson by most accounts should have never jumped from only being an assistant on subpar teams to being a HC in the B1G. That jump just doesn’t typically happen. Now that the four year failed experiment has run its course, where will Ben land next? I’m guessing back as an assistant with a non P4/5 program. Thoughts?
 







I think he drops a level or so and gets a mid major. Once some coaches get sniped by the big boys, he will be in pretty good position to grab something. Richard Pitino charted a pretty nice course for Ben and you have to believe Coyle is going to help him find something as well since it reduces our buyout(?).
 
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MNVCGUY said:
Wouldn't shock me to see him take next season off, maybe go hook on with some program as an analyst or something and then get an assistant job in 26/27
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In his contract he has to seek employment or his buyout in null
 


I doubt there is language in his contract that says he can't bring any of his current (former) players to a new program. I think Pitino took Mashburn Jr. with him. Not sure how much of a market there is for Asuma, Mitchell, Grove and the three recruits.
 




jamiche said:
I doubt there is language in his contract that says he can't bring any of his current (former) players to a new program. I think Pitino took Mashburn Jr. with him. Not sure how much of a market there is for Asuma, Mitchell, Grove and the three recruits.
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I think Richard’s connections ran deeper than Ben’s. Depending on what Ben wants to do, I think it might take a bit to land a head coaching gig of any kind. I’m not worrying too much about him bringing players with him.

More likely an assistant at a smaller place, I think.
 

Ewert86PC said:
So he could get a job as an assistant at DeLaSalle and keep the buyout?
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I haven’t read it for a while

but I believe it says like jobs and defines them as D1 head or assistant or NBA head or assistant

If he accepts de la salle job that would be the same as him not pursuing like jobs
 


Big Dawg said:
Ben Johnson by most accounts should have never jumped from only being an assistant on subpar teams to being a HC in the B1G. That jump just doesn’t typically happen. Now that the four year failed experiment has run its course, where will Ben land next? I’m guessing back as an assistant with a non P4/5 program. Thoughts?
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Wherever he lands it's a guarantee he'll be working with a more competent Athletic Director. I've never seen a coach do more with less. It's a shame. For the people who claim that Ben can't recruit or develop players, Jamison Battle and Cam Christie are both active in the NBA. Pitino had two NBA draft picks in seven years.
 

savagerube said:
Wherever he lands it's a guarantee he'll be working with a more competent Athletic Director. I've never seen a coach do more with less. It's a shame. For the people who claim that Ben can't recruit or develop players, Jamison Battle and Cam Christie are both active in the NBA. Pitino had two NBA draft picks in seven years.
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He found some good pieces but was never able to assemble a roster that could make the NCAA tournament. And he isn't the inept coach some try to make him out to be here.....but he had 4 years and the only way you could justify a 5th would be if the team appeared to be on the cusp of breaking through and that clearly was not the case.

Year 5 is going to be another near complete rebuild with just a couple of returning pieces. It was time for a change.
 

Some guy said:
I haven’t read it for a while

but I believe it says like jobs and defines them as D1 head or assistant or NBA head or assistant

If he accepts de la salle job that would be the same as him not pursuing like jobs
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Thanks for that info.
 

savagerube said:
Wherever he lands it's a guarantee he'll be working with a more competent Athletic Director. I've never seen a coach do more with less. It's a shame. For the people who claim that Ben can't recruit or develop players, Jamison Battle and Cam Christie are both active in the NBA. Pitino had two NBA draft picks in seven years.
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Battle left Ben.

Ben's biggest issue was putting together teams full of one dimensional players, most of which lacked speed. Then he set up an offense based on beating your opponent off the dribble. When things went bad, he absolutely refused to change anything. No messing with the lineups, no changing of the defenses, no mixing it up on offense. Just the same stuff all the time using the same guys who hadn't been winning.

In his defense he recruited good character guys who never quit. I hope Ben lands on his feet and I am guessing he will at a lower level.
 

bga1 said:
Battle left Ben.

Ben's biggest issue was putting together teams full of one dimensional players, most of which lacked speed. Then he set up an offense based on beating your opponent off the dribble. When things went bad, he absolutely refused to change anything. No messing with the lineups, no changing of the defenses, no mixing it up on offense. Just the same stuff all the time using the same guys who hadn't been winning.

In his defense he recruited good character guys who never quit. I hope Ben lands on his feet and I am guessing he will at a lower level.
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He didn't leave Ben, he chased money. Have NIL money in place and Battle doesn't leave.
 

savagerube said:
He didn't leave Ben, he chased money. Have NIL money in place and Battle doesn't leave.
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No NIL money cause no one is giving money to a bad coach, and Ben was not a good coach. I suspect if we get someone in here with some coaching chops, some NIL money will follow.
 

savagerube said:
Wherever he lands it's a guarantee he'll be working with a more competent Athletic Director. I've never seen a coach do more with less. It's a shame. For the people who claim that Ben can't recruit or develop players, Jamison Battle and Cam Christie are both active in the NBA. Pitino had two NBA draft picks in seven years.
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Hahaha.
"He had multiple NBA players" but he also "did more with less."

Which is it?

Logic ain't your strongest asset.
 

USAF said:
Hahaha.
"He had multiple NBA players" but he also "did more with less."

Which is it?

Logic ain't your strongest asset.
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Sorta like the following logic: "Ben doesn't recruit well and doesn't develop players." Cute response though. You must be over-compensating for something if you feel the need to criticize someone's "logic" on a message board full of opinions on College Basketball.
 
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savagerube said:
Sorta like the following logic: "Ben doesn't recruit well and doesn't develop players." Cute response though. You must be over-compensating for something if you feel the need to question someone's "logic" on a message board full of opinions on College Basketball.
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So if Ben DOES "recruit well and develop players," he must be a really piss poor coach, no?

I mean, he took all those recruited and developed players to the worst B1G record in team history.

Hahaha.

This is too easy.
 

MNVCGUY said:
He found some good pieces but was never able to assemble a roster that could make the NCAA tournament. And he isn't the inept coach some try to make him out to be here.....but he had 4 years and the only way you could justify a 5th would be if the team appeared to be on the cusp of breaking through and that clearly was not the case.
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Correct. I had a more lenient standard for a fifth year than most here: He needed to do noticeably better than last season. What I meant by that was winning more games than last season - at least 20 or 21 which could include post-season.

He didn't come close to that. After the LA trip it looked like he might have had a chance to do that. Instead, they lost four of their last five games in the regular season and dropped their first game in the Big Ten tournament. Even if they could have received an invite to the Crown Tournament, I don't think I would have had any confidence in them or enthusiasm to watch them.
 

savagerube said:
Sorta like the following logic: "Ben doesn't recruit well and doesn't develop players." Cute response though. You must be over-compensating for something if you feel the need to criticize someone's "logic" on a message board full of opinions on College Basketball.
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Hi, Meat Sauce!
 

I hope he lands on his feet since he seems like a nice guy.

But Ben the head coach should end up on a couch near Lake Street.
 

Ben has already landed on millions of dollars. He is easily in the top 1% of people worldwide in terms of wealth. The man has been blessed. He could spend the rest of his life living on interest from his earnings while he volunteers with worthy causes. I have no worries about Ben's future. I wish him the best as he walks the path.
 

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