10 most interesting options to replace Richard Pitino

[tmvander]

Some more on Gates that I'm reposting from the thread about potential black coaches:

Gates is interesting but a bit of a gamble given his short record of head coaching experience.

On the other hand:

1) He was a consensus top 100 recruit as a player;
2) Played at UC Berkley (not a great player but a consistent rotational player who showed continuous improvement);
3) He was a two-time academic All American;
4) Received the award for the top student athlete at Cal;
5) Voted team's most inspirational player at Cal;
6) Picked up his bachelor's degree in 3 years at Cal and went on to earn two master's degrees while being a GA;
7) Spent 14 years as an assistant at Cal, Northern Illinois, Nevada, and Florida State with 7 seasons at the last school;
8) Currently in his second year as head coach at Cleveland State with a big turnaround from his first year.

In short, he's paid his dues and earned everything he's gotten (a sharp contrast to Pitino).

The only thing for me is that points 1-6 are all student athlete related. That doesn't translate into a home run coach to me. Point 8 was exactly Pitino. That leaves point 7...definitely more time than Pitino as an assistant but Pitino was under his dad and Billy Donovan so I'd call it close to a wash.

Not saying the guy has 0 potential at all, but the highlights of his resume are either non coaching related or similar to Pitino's.

 

[Otis]

The only thing for me is that points 1-6 are all student athlete related. That doesn't translate into a home run coach to me. Point 8 was exactly Pitino. That leaves point 7...definitely more time than Pitino as an assistant but Pitino was under his dad and Billy Donovan so I'd call it close to a wash.

Not saying the guy has 0 potential at all, but the highlights of his resume are either non coaching related or similar to Pitino's.

Pitino never played. Gates did.

 

[adchester]

Not being from or living in Minnesota, the local angle is the toughest one for me to get a handle on. I am intrigued by Niko Medved and think he's done at least a solid job everywhere he's been, but if he wasn't a Minnesota guy would he be on the list? His overall head coaching record is just a hair above. 500. He has one 3 way tie for a conference title and no NCAA tournament berths on his resume. Furman is currently better than it was under him and the same can be said of Drake. I know both those jobs are tough (I know a lot about Drake specifically) and I recognize he did a good job in both places which enabled him to move on to better jobs. I am just saying as an outsider, his resume is clearly lacking compared to everyone on this list and depending on how this season plays out...we'd be hiring him hoping he'd have more success at Minnesota than he did in the Southern, Missouri Valley, or Mountain West. I'd love to hear from someone who might have some local knowledge as to why Niko stands out as a great option.

Dennis Gates concerns me a bit. Only a head coach for 2 years and the conference that he's in is realy bad. When I last checked, Jerry Palm had Cleveland State playing in one of the #16 play in games (assuming they win their conference tournament) and Joe Lunardi had them as just a regular #16 seed. So he's coaching at a low major, not a mid major. Like Niko, I see reasons to like Dennis too but the resume is a bit sparse compared to other candidates and that gives me pause.

On Medved, its a lot harder to take a bad team to good than a good team to great. I dont think Furman and Drake being better after he left is a knock on him in any way

 

[cjbfbp]

The only thing for me is that points 1-6 are all student athlete related. That doesn't translate into a home run coach to me. Point 8 was exactly Pitino. That leaves point 7...definitely more time than Pitino as an assistant but Pitino was under his dad and Billy Donovan so I'd call it close to a wash.

Not saying the guy has 0 potential at all, but the highlights of his resume are either non coaching related or similar to Pitino's.

Yes, Pitino was briefly an assistant to his dad and to a venerable coach who owed his career to Rick Pitino. Are you aware of what Rick Pitino did for Billy Donovan as both a player and a coach? If you are you should realize that there was no way Billy Donovan was going to decline to hire Richard as an assistant.

As far as the student achievements, Richard attended Providence, a school where his father took them to one of their greatest years in history. My guess is that he made a nice donation or two as well. I doubt Richard was a great student. He's never seemed all that bright to me.

You don't think being smart (in addition to his collegiate academic honors, Gates also went to a prestigious magnet public high school - the same one Michelle Obama graduated from), productive, hard working, graduating in 3 years while being a D1 athlete, and succeeding on one's own merits throughout life lend themselves to success in coaching? I guess that makes coaching different from all other occupations then.

 

[Gopherbbdude]

Gates hasn't done enough for me..

 

[tmvander]

Yes, Pitino was briefly an assistant to his dad and to a venerable coach who owed his career to Rick Pitino. Are you aware of what Rick Pitino did for Billy Donovan as both a player and a coach? If you are you should realize that there was no way Billy Donovan was going to decline to hire Richard as an assistant.

As far as the student achievements, Richard attended Providence, a school where his father took them to one of their greatest years in history. My guess is that he made a nice donation or two as well. I doubt Richard was a great student. He's never seemed all that bright to me.

You don't think being smart (in addition to his collegiate academic honors, Gates also went to a prestigious magnet public high school - the same one Michelle Obama graduated from), productive, hard working, graduating in 3 years while being a D1 athlete, and succeeding on one's own merits throughout life lend themselves to success in coaching? I guess that makes coaching different from all other occupations then.

I'm not harping on Gate's achievements...the guy seems like a smart dude and of course it should be part of it but 6 of your 8 reasons for hiring him were strictly due to him being a good basketball player and student. I'm sure there are thousands of people out there that were good basketball players and athletes with just 2 years less head coaching experience.

Again, just pointing out that there should probably be bigger things on Coyle's list than did the new coach play basketball? was he good? how were his grades? If those types of things occupy the MAJORITY of what he's looking for than I don't think we're hitting the home run. That's my only point.

Personally, I'd rather take someone with a 2.0 GPA, fat AF, non athlete, who is a proven winner and recruiter.

 

[MplsGopher]

Gates hasn't done enough for me..

Agree.

To go from Horizon straight to Big Ten, you need to go to the Sweet Sixteen or something pretty dang good. There's always this year.


Obviously the same criticism can be leveled at Medved. Thought I would think slightly less of a jump from Mountain West to Big Ten, than Horizon.

 

[MplsGopher]

Craig Smith is still my #1 choice. Utah St is currently throttling Alford's Nevada team on FS1, and it's fun to watch.

There's a reason he immediately improves every team he's taken over. They just flat out outwork the other team. They have out-rebounded every team they've played this season. They move the ball really well and are a very good defensive team.

They'll sit 0.5 games out of first place after losing one of their best players in program history after last season.

And they still have some pretty nice players. Queta I feel like is just a slight downgrade from Oturu, similar type of game though.

Feel like he, and maybe a couple others(?), would transfer up with CS.

 

[MplsGopher]

Anthony Grant is far more accomplished than several on these lists

.... so is Mark Few. What is your point?

That they'd take the Minnesota job just because it's in the P5? So are Nebraska and Washington State.


Some non P6 coaches can and likely would be more picky about the P5 programs they'd be willing to take over.

 

[MplsGopher]

No assistants. Sorry. I want successful head coaches at lower levels.

 

[MplsGopher]

Also, as far as Dayont goes: they had a solid last four years under Archie Miller, and they seem to have regressed for some reason under Anthony Grant other than a great year last year -- but then why are they down this year? Maybe they lost some players with covid/transfers?

2013–14	Dayton	26–11	10–6	T–5th	NCAA Division I Elite Eight
2014–15	Dayton	27–9	13–5	T–2nd	NCAA Division I Round of 32
2015–16	Dayton	25–8	14–4	T–1st	NCAA Division I Round of 64
2016–17	Dayton	24–8	15–3	1st	NCAA Division I Round of 64

2017–18	Dayton	14–17	8–10	9th
2018–19	Dayton	21–12	13–5	3rd	NIT First Round
2019–20	Dayton	29–2	18–0	1st	NCAA Division I Canceled
2020–21	Dayton	12–8	8–7

 

[cjbfbp]

I'm not harping on Gate's achievements...the guy seems like a smart dude and of course it should be part of it but 6 of your 8 reasons for hiring him were strictly due to him being a good basketball player and student. I'm sure there are thousands of people out there that were good basketball players and athletes with just 2 years less head coaching experience.

Again, just pointing out that there should probably be bigger things on Coyle's list than did the new coach play basketball? was he good? how were his grades? If those types of things occupy the MAJORITY of what he's looking for than I don't think we're hitting the home run. That's my only point.

Personally, I'd rather take someone with a 2.0 GPA, fat AF, non athlete, who is a proven winner and recruiter.

The motivation for my reply to your original post was that you implied Gates' background and qualifications were similar to Pitino's. My point was to dispute that emphatically. Prior to coming here, Pitino's primary qualifications were that he was born on 3rd base with a famous name and a father to whom important people owed favors. That is not the case with Gates. He has worked for everything he has in life, succeeded on his own merits, and paid his dues.

I decided to investigate Gates because a poster who claimed to have inside information said he was high on the list of potential hires. I think his record indicates that he is not just a diversity hire but, if the top powers in the university want a diversity hire, they will get one. Always remember that Coyle is not the King of the university, something that too many poster seem to forget. I still have significant doubts that it was Coyle's idea to fire Claeys.

 

[tmvander]

The motivation for my reply to your original post was that you implied Gates' background and qualifications were similar to Pitino's. My point was to dispute that emphatically. Prior to coming here, Pitino's primary qualifications were that he was born on 3rd base with a famous name and a father to whom important people owed favors. That is not the case with Gates. He has worked for everything he has in life, succeeded on his own merits, and paid his dues.

I decided to investigate Gates because a poster who claimed to have inside information said he was high on the list of potential hires. I think his record indicates that he is not just a diversity hire but, if the top powers in the university want a diversity hire, they will get one. Always remember that Coyle is not the King of the university, something that too many poster seem to forget. I still have significant doubts that it was Coyle's idea to fire Claeys.

Sorry if I misread. I compared Pitino to Gates because they both had 2 years of head coaching experience. Pitino had some assistant coaching experience as does Gates obviously.

My point being Pitino was hired because of his age, name, and some brief success (don't think we disagree there). I don't want to take a flyer on a guy who also doesn't have head coaching experience but instead of a Pitino name has grades and was a good basketball player.

 

[MplsGopher]

I think his record indicates that he is not just a diversity hire but, if the top powers in the university want a diversity hire, they will get one.

If that is the case, then so be it. (Assuming Gates wants to come here, mind you.)

I think it is potentially excessively risky to go after a Horizon League coach who, looks like he's having a great season, but technically hasn't even won the league to get into March Madness, yet. That should probably happen this year, but it might not.

I still have significant doubts that it was Coyle's idea to fire Claeys.

I have no idea who ultimately wanted it more, or who's idea it was ...... but I just would not be surprised if the situation was "used" as the excuse to hire Fleck, because that's who Coyle really badly wanted, since back at Syracuse the year before. And Kaler was like "yeah that's fine with me, I don't particularly like Tracy and that dumbass Tweet of his sealed the deal, you have a green light".

I made this up. I'm just saying, it could sound right.

 

[MplsGopher]

Actually, looking at the Horizon, Wright St (coached by former South Dakota St head coach) has the same 16-4 league record as Cleveland St, and split with them during the regular season.

They are the top two seeds, and it should come down to them for the championship and I assume the single bid to March Madness.

 

[Urbandale]

I have researched Darian Devries some too, and am impressed with him. I view him as a valid option. I challenge all readers to keep an open mind about him. We need to keep Robbins as a foundation and maybe he can do that.

DeVries is an outstanding coach. Much like Gates, he's earned his stripes as a long-time assistant. In his case, 17 years at Creighton.

The word here in Iowa, though, is that he's most interested in the Hawkeye job when and if it comes open, and he's willing to stay at Drake until then.

 

[MplsGopher]

The word here in Iowa, though, is that he's most interested in the Hawkeye job when and if it comes open, and he's willing to stay at Drake until then.

Of course. Literally, the farthest he's ever gone outside the state of Iowa as a coach ..... is Omaha.

Must like the smell of hog barns.

 

[Urbandale]

Of course. Literally, the farthest he's ever gone outside the state of Iowa as a coach ..... is Omaha.

Must like the smell of hog barns.

I like living in Iowa. I miss the Twin Cities too, but this is an excellent place to raise a family and build a life.

 

[Gopherfan84]

I like living in Iowa. I miss the Twin Cities too, but this is an excellent place to raise a family and build a life.

It's March 1st today not April 1st. A month off for those type of jokes

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

NFL they scream it, does not help. Much more quiet here, and I am an old entitled white guy.

It's all anyone ever talks about with every single hiring now. The front of ESPN was people crying that the Wolves didn't hire the defensive architect of the worst defense in the NBA who was an assistant to the same failing regime. It would have been like if the Gophers fired Brew and hired his offensive coordinator.

I'm not saying it "helps", whatever that means. I have no delusions that loudly protesting something has ANYTHING to do with accomplishing the intended result.

The goal is to expect an unrealistic bar. Out of one side of their mouth, they want the coaching/GM ranks to match the demographics of the league. Out of the other side of their mouth, they want to get more females into coaching/GM.

The reality is (IMO) we are making significant strides to just hiring the best people. That will naturally bring people of all backgrounds, genders, hairstyles, sexualities, etc.

But to say it's not something people talk about is insane. It's all people ever talk about with anything. IMO, it has taken things away from guys like David Culley and Robert Saleh.

 

[howeda7]

The lack of Dave Smart on this list is deeply distressing.

 

[Uffda]

DeVries is an outstanding coach. Much like Gates, he's earned his stripes as a long-time assistant. In his case, 17 years at Creighton.

The word here in Iowa, though, is that he's most interested in the Hawkeye job when and if it comes open, and he's willing to stay at Drake until then.

It seems like McCaffery has a very solid program cemented. Are there rumors regarding a soon departure? If DeVries is not interested, then so be it. I do think he could be pursued to find out. Didn't Mark Coyle attend Drake as a student? Thanks for the feedback.

 

[cjbfbp]

I like living in Iowa. I miss the Twin Cities too, but this is an excellent place to raise a family and build a life.

I lived in Iowa a long time and I'm an alum (undergrad) from the U of Iowa. Honestly, the only things I think Iowa has over Minnesota are that Iowa is a bit warmer and considerably cheaper. A good salary can get you a lot more there than here (especially in the Twin Cities!).

 

[Otis]

I think I'd rather have Drake from State Farm as our coach.

 

[MplsGopher]

I lived in Iowa a long time and I'm an alum (undergrad) from the U of Iowa. Honestly, the only things I think Iowa has over Minnesota are that Iowa is a bit warmer and considerably cheaper. A good salary can get you a lot more there than here (especially in the Twin Cities!).

I mean, you really only need to drive down to Northfield ... maybe even just Elko (?) ... to get the same thing.

 

[cjbfbp]

I have no idea who ultimately wanted it more, or who's idea it was ...... but I just would not be surprised if the situation was "used" as the excuse to hire Fleck, because that's who Coyle really badly wanted, since back at Syracuse the year before. And Kaler was like "yeah that's fine with me, I don't particularly like Tracy and that dumbass Tweet of his sealed the deal, you have a green light".

I made this up. I'm just saying, it could sound right.

Part of me thinks that certain other people wanted Claeys fired because 1) he was cheap to fire and 2) it was a way to send a message to the athletic department to not cross the administration. It was a way of telling them: "When the administration gives an order, you fall in line!"

 

[MplsGopher]

Part of me thinks that certain other people wanted Claeys fired because 1) he was cheap to fire and 2) it was a way to send a message to the athletic department to not cross the administration. It was a way of telling them: "When the administration gives an order, you fall in line!"

I could be misremembering or never got the full picture ...... but I really never thought much of Claeys tweet as anything more than a knee-jerk response in support of his players, and he just didn't have a clue how seriously it would be taken.

Like, maybe he was a Twitter novice and had no clue that it would be seized upon. I could hear him thinking something like "well gosh, the kids sure like the Twitter these days, so maybe I'll just put a short message on there letting know I'm here for them".

Point being, I don't think there was any way in hell that he ever intended his Tweet to be any kind of shot across anyone's bow, in any sense. Doesn't strike me as that type of person. Could easily be wrong, though.

 

[Urbandale]

It seems like McCaffery has a very solid program cemented. Are there rumors regarding a soon departure? If DeVries is not interested, then so be it. I do think he could be pursued to find out. Didn't Mark Coyle attend Drake as a student? Thanks for the feedback.

McCaffery's two boys on the Iowa team will likely be there for at least two more years. Fan enthusiasm for him had started to crater, and this year has really been a saving grace for him. A lot of talent will be gone by next year, and we'll see what the villagers have to say about that.

The other thing about DeVries is that his son Tucker is a 4-star (.9617 composite) at Waukee who is planning on playing for him at Drake. That probably fits into the equation somehow.

And yes - Coyle went to Drake, and I think he played football there.

 

[cjbfbp]

I mean, you really only need to drive down to Northfield ... maybe even just Elko (?) ... to get the same thing.

Northfield is very nice but not particularly cheap unless you buy a house that is as old as Methusalah. Sure, it's cheaper than the Twin Cities' more desirable suburbs and the better neighborhoods of the core cities but you pay a premium to live in Northfield instead of one of the other towns in the region. According to City Data, the mean price of detached houses in Northfield in 2019 was $308,514.

As far as living in Elko, I'll pass. I live in a redneck town now. If I ever move, I think I'd like to try something different.

 

[SixBySix]

Point being, I don't think there was any way in hell that he ever intended his Tweet to be any kind of shot across anyone's bow, in any sense. Doesn't strike me as that type of person. Could easily be wrong, though.

I mean, if that were true it would raise potentially disqualifying concerns about his intelligence.