Best time to send Ben packing?

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bga1 said:
Neither Mike Mitchell nor Cochran should be running the point, but you are right that they will help.
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I'm not so sure about that. Mitchell proved himself as a PG at Pepperdine and averaged some pretty solid assist totals. I'm all for force feeding Asuma minutes, and he's easily the quickest guard we have, but he's not the passer Mike is at the moment.

Trouble is, Mitchell is also our best shooter and we sorely need him bombing 3's off the ball as well so...:ROFLMAO::unsure:
 

Zeppelin Gopher said:
I'm not so sure about that. Mitchell proved himself as a PG at Pepperdine and averaged some pretty solid assist totals. I'm all for force feeding Asuma minutes, and he's easily the quickest guard we have, but he's not the passer Mike is at the moment.

Trouble is, Mitchell is also our best shooter and we sorely need him bombing 3's off the ball as well so...:ROFLMAO::unsure:
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The last part is the key. He's better off the ball shooting it. Having the two together on the floor would do a lot for this team. I don't want Asuma learning from his mistakes leading the team in the Big Ten- I want that to happen now, especially now with Mitchell out.
 

Holy Man said:
Clemson drilled us that night. It’s still the absolute worst feeling I’ve ever had at the
Barn. Miserable night and obvious Dan had lost the team really early. Minor adjustment to the analogy is that 0-3 Orlando trip included losses to two dogs, Marist for sure and I think one of the Montana schools. This year’s Florida MTE has considerably better competition. A loss to Wake or Florida carries no shame. Marist will every time.
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Yes, the trio of Ls in Orlando was Marist, Southern Illinois & Montana. Marist wasn't really a horrible loss. The Red Foxes wound up 25-7, won their conference and made to the 2nd Round of the NIT.

Southern Illinois made it to the NCAA Tourney and advanced to the Sweet 16. Haven't been back to the Dance since.

Monson's Minnesota swan song though also included a come from ahead loss to Iowa St at the Barn prior to the Thanksgiving Tourney and an exhibition loss to Winona St.

Uff da.
 


bga1 said:
The last part is the key. He's better off the ball shooting it. Having the two together on the floor would do a lot for this team. I don't want Asuma learning from his mistakes leading the team in the Big Ten- I want that to happen now, especially now with Mitchell out.
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I also think it could help free up Patterson to return to more of the scoring role he played at Charlotte. Clearly having him run the offense hasn't worked thusfar
 

Holy Man said:
Clemson drilled us that night.
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Also thanks for the correction, I updated. I was conflating another bad memory (2010). Under Tubby Smith went to Puerto Rico and beat North Carolina & West Virginia

Returned home and after beating NDSU, then lost to Virginia.
 






RockChalk said:
It also points to, coaching matters!!
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It would be interesting to see what happens if a coach focused on bringing in great D-2 players versus the below average transfers we get from D-1. A baller is a baller. I'm guessing there are several overlooked kids playing in D-2. Same with lower division coaches. Unpopular take, I know, but something I've always believed.
 





bga1 said:
It kind of helps to have a half dozen 5 stars to run it. This guy is doing it with zero stars.
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Yup, both guys, the guy I speak of and the guy you speak of look like coaches who can teach a system. Johnson, after 4 years, has shown he can't or maybe it is just that he doesn't have one.
 

RockChalk said:
Well I can't argue with you there. Bill Self is well paid no doubt.
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So are his players.
Dickenson knows he is getting more $$$ at Kansas than a G league contract so he stayed where he can cash in. It's the Wild west of the NIL so no harm in that.
Bill Self and Caliparri are made from the same slimey mold so he is not my favorite coach by any means.
 



I think there are two in-season points to consider making a change:

After the December 9th game against Indiana there is a 12 day break. If they are 6-5 or worse (which is very possible), their chances of making the NCAA tournament are basically dead. It's early to pull the plug but gives Thorson 12 days to take the reigns and gets a jump on the coaching search.

The second is after the Illinois game on 2/8. They have have a week off after and a stretch of winnable games against Washington, @PSU and home against Illinois. If they are anything less than 14-10 at that point, the same logic applies.
 
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howeda7 said:
I think there are two in-season points to consider making a change:

After the December 9th game against Indiana there is a 12 day break. If they are 6-5 or worse (which is very possible), their chances of making the NCAA tournament are basically dead. It's early to pull the plug but gives Thorson 12 days to take the reigns and gets a jump on the coaching search.

The second is after the Illinois game on 2/8. They have a stretch of winnable games against Washington, @PSU and home against Illinois. If they are anything less than 14-10 at that point, the same logic applies.
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Since my original post and after reading all of the comments I'm leaning towards not pulling the plug after the 9 December game. In season termination is really tough to handle unless it's evident that Ben has completely lost this team. I'm hoping that the AD pulls the plug the minute the team is locked into one of the bottom three slots in the BIG thus eliminating them from the BIG tournament and also the NCAA tournament. Terminating Ben at that point will give the admin/AD a head start on the coaching search.
 


The only possibility of Ben getting fired in season would be if they started the B1G season going 0-fer into February.

Otherwise 3/10 can't come soon enough.
 

Big Dawg said:
Since my original post and after reading all of the comments I'm leaning towards not pulling the plug after the 9 December game. In season termination is really tough to handle unless it's evident that Ben has completely lost this team. I'm hoping that the AD pulls the plug the minute the team is locked into one of the bottom three slots in the BIG thus eliminating them from the BIG tournament and also the NCAA tournament. Terminating Ben at that point will give the admin/AD a head start on the coaching search.
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It was the right move with Monson and Molinari did a decent job as interim. I see Thorson doing similarly.

Although it's rare, there's also a chance they just announce he won't return next year but will coach out the season. Since Ben/Coyle have a decent relationship I could see that happening in this case. They won't do that in December but might in February. That sort of unofficially happened with Pitino as he supposedly told the team with out about a week left in the season.
 

howeda7 said:
I think there are two in-season points to consider making a change:

After the December 9th game against Indiana there is a 12 day break. If they are 6-5 or worse (which is very possible), their chances of making the NCAA tournament are basically dead. It's early to pull the plug but gives Thorson 12 days to take the reigns and gets a jump on the coaching search.

The second is after the Illinois game on 2/8. They have a stretch of winnable games against Washington, @PSU and home against Illinois. If they are anything less than 14-10 at that point, the same logic applies.
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I think the coaching search is already underway. Just not public but the whispers through the network have to be blowing already. That makes the public process a lot shorter whether it comes in December, February or March.
 

Holy Man said:
I think the coaching search is already underway. Just not public but the whispers through the network have to be blowing already. That makes the public process a lot shorter whether it comes in December, February or March.
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I'm sure there is some of that, but some coaches won't engage behind a guy's back. I don't think we would have gotten Tubby Smith if we'd waited until the end of the season to fire Monson.
 

howeda7 said:
I'm sure there is some of that, but some coaches won't engage behind a guy's back. I don't think we would have gotten Tubby Smith if we'd waited until the end of the season to fire Monson.
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Good point. Being “first” in line might help the process.
 


EasyThere Pilgrim said:
I said LOL too. I'm okay lol.

But yes, it is a little frustrating to always hear about coaching on here.
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But all the other excuses laid out for Ben don't matter.

Fire him, let him go work under someone who knows X' & O's for a long period of time, then let another school take a chance on him. Our home state school has given him a long enough leash, it is time to cut the cord.
 


short ornery norwegian said:
at another school, the boosters would be putting heat on the AD. but at MN, I don't think they have that level of boosters who can really influence decisions. If they do, they aren't coughing up any big money.

so it all comes down to Coyle. What does he expect from the program? being Coyle, he's not going to tell us anything.

at MN right now, the Football program is top dog. Volleyball, Men's Hockey, Women's Hockey, and maybe Women's Basketball all rank above Men's basketball. with Steveson coming back, Wrestling might even move above Men's hoops in the pecking order. and Women's Soccer is having a good season. so Men's basketball is off the radar.

If the Gophers somehow make the NCAA tournament, I think Johnson gets another year.

anything short of that - even an NIT bid - and the odds go way down.

but the bottom line is that most people right now don't really care. and the AD might fall into that category, too.
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If you are going to rip of Reusses terrible takes you should at least give him credit. Maybe throw in a few coughs and wheezes too for good measure.
 
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