New Coach Short List





I don't think the U will risk it and I don't think he'd come even if they did. Don't pin all your hopes on one guy .
They should. Find what it takes to make him come here. Think big.

Let's not settle. What is the point in that? We get a 9 seed in the B1G tournament and a mention in someone's "first four out?"

Fuck that. That's not going to sell any tickets.
 


They should. Find what it takes to make him come here. Think big.

Let's not settle. What is the point in that? We get a 9 seed in the B1G tournament and a mention in someone's "first four out?"

Fuck that. That's not going to sell any tickets.
He should be in the discussion. But there are other "think big" moves. Musselman, Bennett, an escape hatch for Bill Self etc.
 

Saunders has NBA coaching experience and is young with flair like PJ Fleck. That relates to players that want to get to the league. He can surround himself with good assistant coaches, but Saunders is recognizable name that kids know.
Does anyone outside of MN know who Ryan Saunders is? How does that help recruiting the portal?
 





He should be in the discussion. But there are other "think big" moves. Musselman, Bennett, an escape hatch for Bill Self etc.
Musselman is a ship that sailed. Bennett? He left his last job for a reason.
Self? Be serious.

Whatever we do, it better not be a settle. Medved's a settle.
 


My gut says this is a done deal in Coyles mind anyway. When Coach P was brought in it seemed obvious they had a plan and executed it immediately. Hopefully the same thing here. Say what you want about Coyle, he does reasonably well with coaching searches. I’m in the camp that believes the CBJ hire came from above. That will stay quiet to eternity though.
Still not sure if the BJ hire was mandated. I think Coyle mainly reacted to the noise that was being made about needing somebody with local ties to recruit all the high end talent that was going elsewhere. The fact that Ben was black was a bonus. It made a vocal group of coaches and critics happy and also satisfied the U's administration. He made the same gamble and mistake with the women's program.

I do think you're right about it being a done deal. Assume when the new guy's team is done with the tournament, the new hire will be announced.
 

Just throwing out some other names that haven't been mentioned to stir the pot as I scope out coaches on Wikipedia. (Forgive me, I am bored today).

Preston Spradlin-JMU
Brian Wardle-Bradley
Bob Richey-Furman
 



I know we're 10th on the list, but we need to get Chris Beard's name back in here if we're talking about Jay Wright, Bill Self, Will Wade, etc.
 

Honestly I could get excited about anybody at this point.

Medved is interesting to me. Someone else mentioned Tim Miles really built up Colorado State, and Larry Eustachy had success before he was fired for bad behavior (although they were 11-21 the year he was fired). Developed players like Roddy, Tonje, Isaiah Stevens, Nique Clifford. Had one down year which took some of the shine off him IMO but has since rebounded well. Will be very interesting to hopefully watch them take on NMSU.
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Honestly I could get excited about anybody at this point.

Medved is interesting to me. Someone else mentioned Tim Miles really built up Colorado State, and Larry Eustachy had success before he was fired for bad behavior (although they were 11-21 the year he was fired). Developed players like Roddy, Tonje, Isaiah Stevens, Nique Clifford. Had one down year which took some of the shine off him IMO but has since rebounded well. Will be very interesting to hopefully watch them take on NMSU.
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Here's the way I look at Niko- He's finished no higher than 2nd in the Mountain West in 7 years while Richard, who couldn't cut it here- just won the same conference in his 4th year. Could Niko do it here? Maybe. This seems like a "he's one of us" settle to me.
Coyle wouldn't give him a sniff 4 years ago and his record for the previous three years at CSU was similar, why would it be different now?
His two best players are seniors and he has one three star recruit signed for the coming year- so there is not going to be a trainload full of good players following him here.
 
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Coyle is on the NCAA Tournament selection committee...so don't expect any announcement in the next several days.
 


Here's the way I look at Niko- He's finished no higher than 2nd in the Mountain West in 7 years while Richard, who couldn't cut it here- just won the same conference in his 4th year. Could Niko do it here? Maybe. This seems like a "he's one of us" settle to me.
Coyle wouldn't give him a sniff 4 years ago and his record for the previous three years at CSU was similar, why would it be different now?
Those are good points.

4 more years of demonstrating sustained success matters to me. And continuing to develop players is an important skill. He would not be an "on the job training" hire.

On Pitino, I remember marveling at his spring recruiting acumen back in the early days. I imagine he is a very good transfer portal guy, especially after he started with a clean slate and could have success to sell to recruits at NMSU.

I'm not hoping for a Medved hire but it wouldn't be baffling.
 

Here's the way I look at Niko- He's finished no higher than 2nd in the Mountain West in 7 years while Richard, who couldn't cut it here- just won the same conference in his 4th year. Could Niko do it here? Maybe. This seems like a "he's one of us" settle to me.
Coyle wouldn't give him a sniff 4 years ago and his record for the previous three years at CSU was similar, why would it be different now?
I mean his record 4 years ago wasn't similar is the correct answer. He had never made a NCAA Tourney. He has made it 2 out of 3 years since and I think they sneak in this year since they are one of the hottest teams in CBB.

As for little Richie. I'd like to imagine that he has made improvements over the last 4 years. He always was good at getting hits in the portal and in todays world. He is a good fit for the NIL era.

TJ Otzelberger at UNLV did much worse than Medved at CSU. Now look at TJ. You never know how someone will translate when they move up a conference but with the info we have Medved is a good candidate.

I am all for Will Wade, Dutcher, Chris Mack, and some of the other names. But the Mountain West isn't a joke of a conference anymore. I'd call it a high major conference and someone who has been successful there could be successful here. Heck I'd imagine Pitino could do a better job round 2 with us and I would probably take him back.
 



I don't think I want Muss Bus after his last two years. Maybe I am wrong but seems to be struggling to be successful.
He needs to get back to the right fit. I think he would have taken MN over USC last year if we'd offered it. Hates the awful travel etc and the USC basketball fan base sucks. I'm sure his buyout is massive but that can be negotiated, especially if both sides have a bit of buyer's remorse.
 


Coyle is on the NCAA Tournament selection committee...so don't expect any announcement in the next several days.

This article on the committee doesn't list Coyle. You are probably right but...just not seeing it here.

  • Mitch Barnhart, director of athletics, University of Kentucky
  • Tom Burnett, commissioner, Southland Conference
  • Janet Cone, director of athletics, University of North Carolina Asheville
  • Bernadette McGlade, commissioner, Atlantic 10 Conference
  • Michael O’Brien, vice president and director of athletics, University of Toledo
  • Jim Phillips, vice president for athletics and recreation, Northwestern University
  • Chris Reynolds, vice president for intercollegiate athletics, Bradley University
  • Craig Thompson, commissioner, Mountain West Conference
  • Kevin White, director of athletics, Duke University
 

Becky Hammon

Fills all the boxes;
Basketball knowledge -check
DEI hire - check
Command authority- if millionaires listen to her, then college kids will
Recruiting - it couldn’t hurt to give her a shot

She would be the only female coach in division 1! Think about the National Coverage!
 


This article on the committee doesn't list Coyle. You are probably right but...just not seeing it here.

  • Mitch Barnhart, director of athletics, University of Kentucky
  • Tom Burnett, commissioner, Southland Conference
  • Janet Cone, director of athletics, University of North Carolina Asheville
  • Bernadette McGlade, commissioner, Atlantic 10 Conference
  • Michael O’Brien, vice president and director of athletics, University of Toledo
  • Jim Phillips, vice president for athletics and recreation, Northwestern University
  • Chris Reynolds, vice president for intercollegiate athletics, Bradley University
  • Craig Thompson, commissioner, Mountain West Conference
  • Kevin White, director of athletics, Duke University
Craig T is not the MW commissioner. Old list?
 


This article on the committee doesn't list Coyle. You are probably right but...just not seeing it here.

  • Mitch Barnhart, director of athletics, University of Kentucky
  • Tom Burnett, commissioner, Southland Conference
  • Janet Cone, director of athletics, University of North Carolina Asheville
  • Bernadette McGlade, commissioner, Atlantic 10 Conference
  • Michael O’Brien, vice president and director of athletics, University of Toledo
  • Jim Phillips, vice president for athletics and recreation, Northwestern University
  • Chris Reynolds, vice president for intercollegiate athletics, Bradley University
  • Craig Thompson, commissioner, Mountain West Conference
  • Kevin White, director of athletics, Duke University
Has to be an old list. Jim Phillips is now commissioner of ACC conference and hasn’t been at NU for a few years.
 




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