Chip: Mark Coyle, having gambled twice on Gophers basketball coaching hires, gets another shot

[BleedGopher]

Per Chip:

Regardless of how he frames it publicly, Coyle moved on from Lindsay Whalen as women's coachafter five unimpressive seasons. Men's coach Ben Johnson has finished last in the Big Ten in each of his first two seasons.

No Big Ten school was worse than Minnesota this basketball season. Six victories and 30 losses, combined, in the Big Ten.

This is an especially sad period for two programs that by Coyle's own admission have languished over the last quarter century.

People can blame coaching but this is Coyle's problem, too. His hires, his problem.

"We've got to figure it out," Coyle said. "We have everything in place. There is no reason why it can't be done here. That's the question we've got to figure out."

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Go Gophers!!

 

[Bfan]

"This is an especially sad period for two programs that by Coyle's own admission have languished over the last quarter century.... Athletic directors are responsible for the success of every sport within a department, but their job performance essentially gets graded by fans and media based on the most high-profile sports, namely football, men's basketball and men's hockey."

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I know the focus is on the big programs like basketball that has hit bottom for both teams and football. But some of the other Gophers teams are doing well.

The women's hockey team is a power every year. Just yesterday they won the WCHA tournament and have the best scorer in all NCAA hockey, in fact, five of the top scorers. I have watched several games this year. A well trained team.

The incoming recruiting classes for women's hockey are loaded with elite Minnesota talent.

Would be nice to see women's Minnesota basketball consistently recruit local talent like the women's hockey team does rather than them going to Michigan, Utah...




Women's volleyball consistently is ranked in the top 4 or 10. That's a power program. This year and next year the best recruits in Minnesota are coming to the Minnesota program. Next year's Stella Swenson of Wayzata coming to Minnesota is especially good, and her twin sister also is coming to Minnesota.

It would be great if the women's basketball program could consistently recruit the local talent like women's volleyball does, instead of to Michigan, Utah...

For gymnastics, Mya Hooten is a star athlete. I was at a meet earlier this season where she earned a perfect ten on Floor! And then last week another athlete Maddie Quarles scored a 10 on vault. Lots of accolades and honors for athletes in that program, including gymnast of the year. Coach Jenny Hansen has won coach of the year.




In wrestling, last season Gable Steveson was a sensation, winning the NCAA heavyweight title and winning the Olympic gold spectacularly (and now a somewhat famous pro). This weekend I am following the wrestling team at the Big Ten tournament where Minnesota is receiving huge accolades for outperforming expectations at the tournament.





Aaron Nagao is an example. As the #6 seed he beat the #3 seed and then in the semi-finals beat the #2 seed yesterday. Outperformed expectations.




The top wrestling recruit in the state of Minnesota and the top wrestler in the nation for his weight class is coming to Minnesota. Max McEnelly of Waconia.


So the basketball programs may be at rock bottom but some of the other program are doing well and with accomplishments.

 

[Gopher Ally]

"This is an especially sad period for two programs that by Coyle's own admission have languished over the last quarter century.... Athletic directors are responsible for the success of every sport within a department, but their job performance essentially gets graded by fans and media based on the most high-profile sports, namely football, men's basketball and men's hockey."

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I know the focus is on the big programs like basketball that has hit bottom for both teams and football. But some of the other Gophers teams are doing well.

The women's hockey team is a power every year. Just yesterday they won the WCHA tournament and have the best scorer in all NCAA hockey, in fact, five of the top scorers. I have watched several games this year. A well trained team.

The incoming recruiting classes for women's hockey are loaded with elite Minnesota talent.

Would be nice to see women's Minnesota basketball consistently recruit local talent like the women's hockey team does rather than them going to Michigan, Utah...

View attachment 24396


Women's volleyball consistently is ranked in the top 4 or 10. That's a power program. This year and next year the best recruits in Minnesota are coming to the Minnesota program. Next year's Stella Swenson of Wayzata coming to Minnesota is especially good, and her twin sister also is coming to Minnesota.

It would be great if the women's basketball program could consistently recruit the local talent like women's volleyball does, instead of to Michigan, Utah...

For gymnastics, Mya Hooten is a star athlete. I was at a meet earlier this season where she earned a perfect ten on Floor! And then last week another athlete Maddie Quarles scored a 10 on vault. Lots of accolades and honors for athletes in that program, including gymnast of the year. Coach Jenny Hansen has won coach of the year.

View attachment 24397


In wrestling, last season Gable Steveson was a sensation, winning the NCAA heavyweight title and winning the Olympic gold spectacularly (and now a somewhat famous pro). This weekend I am following the wrestling team at the Big Ten tournament where Minnesota is receiving huge accolades for outperforming expectations at the tournament.

View attachment 24398



Aaron Nagao is an example. As the #6 seed he beat the #3 seed and then in the semi-finals beat the #2 seed yesterday. Outperformed expectations.

View attachment 24399


The top wrestling recruit in the state of Minnesota and the top wrestler in the nation for his weight class is coming to Minnesota. Max McEnelly of Waconia.


So the basketball programs may be at rock bottom but some of the other program are doing well.

I agree, our non revenue sports are doing really well including my daughters track team! That being said, men’s basketball has to be a big revenue producer like football and men’s hockey or our entire athletic department will suffer. Right now The Barn is empty, not good!

 

[Bfan]

I agree, our non revenue sports are doing really well including my daughters track team! That being said, men’s basketball has to be a big revenue producer like football and men’s hockey or our entire athletic department will suffer. Right now The Barn is empty, not good!

That's super exciting your daughter is on a Big Ten (the big time) track team! You must be so proud. Imagine all the memories she will have.


I don't follow track as much but I know that Amira Young broke Big Ten/school records this year and that Akilah Lewis of the Gophers who came in second would have broken records too if Young was not a fraction faster. Like gymnastics, that seems to me a sport where individuals are working towards their best and earn accolades.



And the Dance Team won the national title in two competition areas. That Gophers team is actually a dynasty super power of competitions.

Great Eight: Gopher Dance Team Dynasty Marches On

Two more titles for the Dance Team...and another for GOLDY!

www.thedailygopher.com

 

[Gopheritnow]

"It would be great if the women's basketball program could consistently recruit the local talent like women's volleyball does, instead of to Michigan, Utah..."

Gee, I wonder where we would ever find a coach like that? Hmmmm? Too bad we don’t have someone from MN who has excelled in all levels, and is willing to come and take her lumps on the job a build a long term connection with instate coaches and players?

 

[Gopher Ally]

That's super exciting your daughter is on a Big Ten (the big time) track team! You must be so proud. Imagine all the memories she will have.


I don't follow track as much but I know that Amira Young broke Big Ten/school records this year and that Akilah Lewis of the Gophers who came in second would have broken records too if Young was not a fraction faster. Like gymnastics, that seems to me a sport where individuals are working towards their best and earn accolades.



And the Dance Team won the national title in two competition areas. That Gophers team is actually a dynasty super power of competitions.

View attachment 24400

Great Eight: Gopher Dance Team Dynasty Marches On

Two more titles for the Dance Team...and another for GOLDY!

www.thedailygopher.com

Thank You, super proud of my Gopher and her teammates! We also have a thrower, Shelby Frank, who set the top indoor mark in the country so far this year in the weight throw. On a side note, my daughter was also being recruited by Megan Griffith of Columbia for basketball. She seemed like a very personable gal who is having some success. I noted her name being mentioned in the coaching search for the Gopher women

 

[Gopheritnow]

I had knee surgery therapy this last winter. Both my therapists were from WI and were avid, or was it rabid, Badger fans. They delighted in reminding me that the Gopher had a championship dance team! I definitely sensed sarcasm in those discussions!

 

[Roland Brooks]

"It would be great if the women's basketball program could consistently recruit the local talent like women's volleyball does, instead of to Michigan, Utah..."

Gee, I wonder where we would ever find a coach like that? Hmmmm? Too bad we don’t have someone from MN who has excelled in all levels, and is willing to come and take her lumps on the job a build a long term connection with instate coaches and players?

Excelled in all levels BUT coaching.. SO obvious to see… to some

 

[Bfan]

Thank You, super proud of my Gopher and her teammates! We also have a thrower, Shelby Frank, who set the top indoor mark in the country so far this year in the weight throw. On a side note, my daughter was also being recruited by Megan Griffith of Columbia for basketball. She seemed like a very personable gal who is having some success. I noted her name being mentioned in the coaching search for the Gopher women

Griffith at Columbia is interesting. I could be wrong because I don't really know but if I was NCAA I would hope she stays at Columbia in NYC and keeps that program strong. NYC is the potential #1 media market in the US and yet doesn't have college sports like other places, and now there's Columbia right there in Manhattan! It's a dream development for the NCAA TV stategy. She's also from Manhattan and to many people that is a dream place to live.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I think the argument goes this way:

Coyle hired a Women's coach who had never coached before at any level.

Coyle hired a Men's Coach who had never been a head Coach at any level.

and he hired them to coach at a P5 D1 level program.

What did he expect? Did he communicate those expectations to the new coaches?
Did Coyle evaluate these new coaches the same way he would evaluate an experienced coach?
And did Coyle admit or understand that he put these coaches in this situation when he hired them instead of going with more experienced candidates?

one could argue that, if the coaches failed, then the person who hired them also failed.

("but he hired Fleck, so he's a great AD...."

 

[Gopheritnow]

Excelled in all levels BUT coaching.. SO obvious to see… to some

I never coached basketball, but I did coach a lot of baseball. I coached the same every year, but like most coaches my W/L record was relative to my on hand talent. Viewing posts on Gopher Hole remind me that many find it hard to differentiate between coaching acumen and wins/losses!

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I never coached basketball, but I did coach a lot of baseball. I coached the same every year, but like most coaches my W/L record was relative to my on hand talent. Viewing posts on Gopher Hole remind me that many find it hard to differentiate between coaching acumen and wins/losses!

But in college, a coach is effectively the GM, they are in charge of constructing the roster. Once you reach a point where the coach is several years in, if the problem is they can "coach" but they don't have a strong enough roster, then that is also on them. And even for a coach who is in their first year and inherited a bad roster, I'd expect them to maximize their talent. They may not win games, but you expect a well coached team to be able to do things like have sound fundamentals and minimize turnovers.

 

[erickjohnson11]

I had knee surgery therapy this last winter. Both my therapists were from WI and were avid, or was it rabid, Badger fans. They delighted in reminding me that the Gopher had a championship dance team! I definitely sensed sarcasm in those discussions!

As nice as they might be, national champion dance titles need to be the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.