COYLE FIRES BEN JOHNSON!!!!!!

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I think this shows this was always the plan meaning that Coyle always had the NCAA as the bar for this season. I do wonder if Ben's media blitz played a part in the timing of this announcement. Get something out there before Ben/his agent/local media can spin things any further.

If (big IF) the 3 million buyout number is true, Minnesota will have paid Ben Johnson an average of 3.25 million dollars over 4 seasons. Go back 4 years ago and look at what a 3.25 million salary would have got you in the coaching market...

One of the pressing questions for Coyle has to be "How did Ben Johnson get this job in the first place?" There was a strong belief in the coaching community that Dutcher was coming here so much so that coaches actually dropped out of our interview process. Instead we hired someone with literally nothing on their resume to suggest they warranted an interview for a Big Ten job. Someone needs to own what happened here.
 
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It's not like this process just started today. I'm sure unofficially the process has been in flight for a few weeks as they start to identify candidates and likely have brought in one of the search firms if they are really serious so they can manage the offers/negotiations with the coach's agents.

Also in today's new world, considering the timing of the Transfer portal is paramount. For MBB the transfer portal window is: Monday, March 24 - Tuesday, April 22. Not to mention, Student-athletes whose coach leaves the school will have an additional 30 days to enter the portal, beginning the day after the coach's departure. So, the mayhem with the status of the current roster of players could start today.

So, getting out in front of this now was important if Coyle if he wants to get some offers made that would allow that potential new coach to have the opportunity to make some moves in the portal as well. Unless they are shooting for a higher-level coach or assistant still coaching, I wouldn't be surprised if you saw an offer out there after the weekend of the Sweet 16 & Elite Eight games.
 

EG#9 said:
I think this shows this was always the plan meaning that Coyle always had the NCAA as the bar for this season. I do wonder if Ben's media blitz played a part in the timing of this announcement. Get something out there before Ben/his agent/local media can spin things any further.

If (big IF) the 3 million buyout number is true, Minnesota will have payed Ben Johnson an average of 3.25 million dollars over 4 seasons. Go back 4 years ago and look at what a 3.25 million salary would have got you in the coaching market...

One of the pressing questions for Coyle has to be "How did Ben Johnson get this job in the first place?" There was a strong belief in the coaching community that Dutcher was coming here so much so that coaches actually dropped out of our interview process. Instead we hired someone with literally nothing on their resume to suggest they warranted an interview for a Big Ten job. Someone needs to own what happened here.
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Yeah, no one is shedding a tear for Ben Johnson. Despite all accounts that Ben was a good guy, we have a coach who came into Minn with No P4 head coaching experience and is walking out the door with millions in his pockets.
 

99Gopher said:
It's not like this process just started today. I'm sure unofficially the process has been in flight for a few weeks as they start to identify candidates and likely have brought in one of the search firms if they are really serious so they can manage the offers/negotiations with the coach's agents.

Also in today's new world, considering the timing of the Transfer portal is paramount. For MBB the transfer portal window is: Monday, March 24 - Tuesday, April 22. Not to mention, Student-athletes whose coach leaves the school will have an additional 30 days to enter the portal, beginning the day after the coach's departure. So, the mayhem with the status of the current roster of players could start today.

So, getting out in front of this now was important if Coyle if he wants to get some offers made that would allow that potential new coach to have the opportunity to make some moves in the portal as well. Unless they are shooting for a higher-level coach or assistant still coaching, I wouldn't be surprised if you saw an offer out there after the weekend of the Sweet 16 & Elite Eight games.
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It took only 16 days to hire Plitzuweit, announced the day after her West Virginia club eliminated in the first round. So, it shouldn't take long.
 




Why is he doing this at 1 in the morning?

In the attention economy your goal is to get maximum press, this should have dropped around tip-off of the BTT today.

Everyone is going to wake up, see the news on their own schedule, then go on with their day.

Consistently feels like Coyle has zero understanding of the media landscape in 2025.
 


NateDawgUM said:
Why is he doing this at 1 in the morning?

In the attention economy your goal is to get maximum press, this should have dropped around tip-off of the BTT today.

Everyone is going to wake up, see the news on their own schedule, then go on with their day.

Consistently feels like Coyle has zero understanding of the media landscape in 2025.
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Timing is really weird. The potential upside is that Coyle thinks his candidate is in the bag and is trying to escape media attention. A middle of the night announcement is clearly an avoidance strategy but who knows why.
 



spermophilus said:
I have signed basketballs from both Pitino and Ben. Yesterday over lunch, and prior to our game, I bought a new basketball - to be signed by our next coach. 100% true story. Had a strong feeling.
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I think like 80% of people who care about the program had the feeling too. The recent media chatter is like an election that is clear and the loser does a blitz to raise money telling everyone how close the race is. Clearly Kabuki theatre.
 

It’s been over 4 hours since the release, and the MN star tribune can’t believe it as they still doen’t have a story on the firing on their website!
 

Pioneer Press had two articles but apparently Fuller was too distraught to post anything to the Strib site.

Reminds me of the last minute rug pull with Monson. I thought the Strib print edition went with "Monson fired" after the NIT loss only for Maturi to change his mind in the middle of the night and make them look foolish.
 

MVGopherfan said:
It’s been over 4 hours since the release, and the MN star tribune can’t believe it as they still doen’t have a story on the firing on their website!
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Staff shortages probably prevent them from having anyone on the overnight shift.
 





99Gopher said:
Yeah, no one is shedding a tear for Ben Johnson. Despite all accounts that Ben was a good guy, we have a coach who came into Minn with No P4 head coaching experience and is walking out the door with millions in his pockets.
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Who most likely will not get another P4 job anytime soon.
 





scools12 said:
My assumption based on how fast this announcement was made that the hiring of a new head coach has been in the works for a while and unless something changes the choice for next head choice has already been made.
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That would be the best case scenario
 

Is anyone concerned with the early morning timing of the announcement that Coyle may have actually gotten drunk, went to Whiteys for some sliders, then drunk dialed Ben and ended up firing him, but that when he wakes up this morning he’ll be all full of regret because he didn’t really mean to breakup and they end up getting back together?
 
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I remember when he was hired and how no one saw it coming. The game then completely changed after his hire with NIL. I hope we land someone strong. We need a solid hire to turn things around.
 

Plitzuweit was hired the day after her tournament loss. Motzko was hired the Tuesday after his SCSU team choked in the tournament the previous Friday (probably waited a few days on purpose to get the stink off).
 

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