Five Guys On A Shortlist: If the U Decides Change Is Needed, Aim High & Don't Be Cheap With That Big Ten Cash

I'm not sure how realistic DeVries is. Coaches don't usually leave after one year. But it's worth a shot.

Brownell was a long-shot in the first place, but I figured if they ended up a bubble team again, he might be open to jumping. With the year they're having, his seat is no longer anywhere near warm and we almost certainly can't afford him or his buyout. It's gone from a long-shot to no shot IMO.

I kind of view Medved as the baseline hire. Coyle shouldn't have to go further down the list than that. He doesn't really excite me, but I think he would at least bring us back to competence. I hope he can get one of the bigger targets though.
Medved doesn't really excite me. I think it is important to be careful of coaches at mid-major's who have won with a great player who is better than that level. You have to weigh that success - did they get lucky and hit a homerun with a recruit that was much better than their level, or do they consistently identify under the radar talent they win with and/or have a consistently strong system that wins as players change.

My concern with many of these mid-major coaches who have had a couple of years of success is that it is often about a player or two they got lucky with, not a system of play or consistent roster development they have demonstrated. The mid-major coaches who have been successful when they stepped up to a P4 job typically have had a long run of high-level success at the mid-major level. Medved has been middling when you look at his records other than one year at Furman, and his best years at CSU were with Roddy. Not sure how that transfers with a step up.
 

Medved doesn't really excite me. I think it is important to be careful of coaches at mid-major's who have won with a great player who is better than that level. You have to weigh that success - did they get lucky and hit a homerun with a recruit that was much better than their level, or do they consistently identify under the radar talent they win with and/or have a consistently strong system that wins as players change.

My concern with many of these mid-major coaches who have had a couple of years of success is that it is often about a player or two they got lucky with, not a system of play or consistent roster development they have demonstrated. The mid-major coaches who have been successful when they stepped up to a P4 job typically have had a long run of high-level success at the mid-major level. Medved has been middling when you look at his records other than one year at Furman, and his best years at CSU were with Roddy. Not sure how that transfers with a step up.
They made the NCAA's last year and were ranked in the top 25 most of the year without Roddy (but still with multiple Minnesotans!). But I get your point.
 

The thing I like most about hiring a successful coach who’s also a name (rather than a classic mid-major riser) is that guy will have leverage, and can use it to force Coyle to commit to investing in the program far more than he has over the last decade, particularly with a larger NIL allocation to men’s basketball. At least I hope that’s how it plays out.
 

The thing I like most about hiring a successful coach who’s also a name (rather than a classic mid-major riser) is that guy will have leverage, and can use it to force Coyle to commit to investing in the program far more than he has over the last decade, particularly with a larger NIL allocation to men’s basketball. At least I hope that’s how it plays out.
I think hiring a guy like Will Wade fits that description perfectly. He took McNeese from less than 20 wins the season before him to 30+ in his first year and likely 30+ this year as well. I watched them play at Alabama earlier this year and they were in the game til the end. He has them as a team that no one would want to face in the tournament. He's not the only one like that, but he's the most prominent example.


**edit** McNeese was 11-22 the season before Wade took over, including an 11 game losing streak
 



Even if the Gophers had the money to get Wade would they even consider him with the recruiting violations at LSU?
 

Both Craig Smith and Porter Moser might be available buyout free. I don't want either at this point though.
 

McDermott would be an excellent hire, but with his success he could land a higher profile job if he wants it. Sean Miller would be interesting, but he was forced out of Arizona for alleged academic misconduct, bribery, and a loan cover-up, some of which might now be legal or irrelevant. But I don’t think Minnesota would hire a coach with academic misconduct allegations on his record after the big scandal 25 years ago. But Chris Mack is an interesting thought, has head coaching success and might want to be at a high major program again. As for Johnson, I’m not convinced he will be forced out after this poor season because of the buyout. And they would have to come up with a pretty big paycheck for a new coach with a solid record, and they don’t seem to have the money. Finally, any new coach will want to know how much he can pay the players, and this team is on the lower level of that list right now. After last season two of their best players got big money to transfer, so that is an ongoing problem.
 
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I think hiring a guy like Will Wade fits that description perfectly. He took McNeese from less than 20 wins the season before him to 30+ in his first year and likely 30+ this year as well. I watched them play at Alabama earlier this year and they were in the game til the end. He has them as a team that no one would want to face in the tournament. He's not the only one like that, but he's the most prominent example.


**edit** McNeese was 11-22 the season before Wade took over, including an 11 game losing streak
WW is the answer!!!
 


What is the intrigue with Chris Mack? Clearly a good coach with his run at Xavier, but when given the keys at a near blue blood, he ran it into the ground.
I actually like Mack. He did a very good job at Xavier. Sweet 16, Elite Eight and 2 R32s is really impressive.

Louisville is a weird job where money matters more than coaching. Money is important everywhere nowadays, but I think that's less so the case at Minnesota.

I'd like this hire.

*Edit Looks like @howeda7 beat me to this but I agree with all of their point.
 

Will Wade has a two year show cause that expires on June 21, 2025. No way Coyle is going to go in front of the NCAA and petition to let him coach prior to June 21 and he's also not going to wait to hire a coach on June 22 if Johnson is fired next month.

As good as Wade is, it ain't happening here.

Go Gophers!!
 



Will Wade has a two year show cause that expires on June 21, 2025. No way Coyle is going to go in front of the NCAA and petition to let him coach prior to June 21 and he's also not going to wait to hire a coach on June 22 if Johnson is fired next month.

As good as Wade is, it ain't happening here.

Go Gophers!!
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Will Wade has a two year show cause that expires on June 21, 2025. No way Coyle is going to go in front of the NCAA and petition to let him coach prior to June 21 and he's also not going to wait to hire a coach on June 22 if Johnson is fired next month.

As good as Wade is, it ain't happening here.

Go Gophers!!
If this true - and not doubting you at all - how does he have a job at McNeese? If they petitioned successfully, why would they deny Minnesota?
 

Will Wade has a two year show cause that expires on June 21, 2025. No way Coyle is going to go in front of the NCAA and petition to let him coach prior to June 21 and he's also not going to wait to hire a coach on June 22 if Johnson is fired next month.

As good as Wade is, it ain't happening here.

Go Gophers!!
I could be wrong but essentially a "show clause" does nothing. He got suspended, a few recruiting limits (like that is a thing), but basically 0 issues. I'd say it's unlikely he ends up here (unfortunately) but I think it's far more likely because he got a better job than we wouldn't hire him. The issue was he paid kids... you can do that now so it's pretty pointless I'd say.
 

If this true - and not doubting you at all - how does he have a job at McNeese? If they petitioned successfully, why would they deny Minnesota?

He was hired at McNeese before the penalties were given out from LSU situation. He was grandfathered in.

Go Gophers!!
 

I actually like Mack. He did a very good job at Xavier. Sweet 16, Elite Eight and 2 R32s is really impressive.

Louisville is a weird job where money matters more than coaching. Money is important everywhere nowadays, but I think that's less so the case at Minnesota.

I'd like this hire.

*Edit Looks like @howeda7 beat me to this but I agree with all of their point.
I stand corrected from both of you. Roll the wheelbarrow of cash to bring him in.
 



The thing I like most about hiring a successful coach who’s also a name (rather than a classic mid-major riser) is that guy will have leverage, and can use it to force Coyle to commit to investing in the program far more than he has over the last decade, particularly with a larger NIL allocation to men’s basketball. At least I hope that’s how it plays out.
Coyle doesn't decide where the DTA money goes...
 

McDermott would be an excellent hire, but with his success he could land a higher profile job if he wants it. Sean Miller would be interesting, but he was forced out of Arizona for alleged academic misconduct, bribery, and a loan cover-up, some of which might now be legal or irrelevant. But I don’t think Minnesota would hire a coach with academic misconduct allegations on his record after the big scandal 25 years ago. But Chris Mack is an interesting thought, has head coaching success and might want to be at a high major program again. As for Johnson, I’m not convinced he will be forced out after this poor season because of the buyout. And they would have to come up with a pretty big paycheck for a new coach with a solid record, and they don’t seem to have the money. Finally, any new coach will want to know how much he can pay the players, and this team is on the lower level of that list right now. After last season two of their best players got big money to transfer, so that is an ongoing problem.
The buyout? Seriously? It is next to nothing.
 

Will Wade has a two year show cause that expires on June 21, 2025. No way Coyle is going to go in front of the NCAA and petition to let him coach prior to June 21 and he's also not going to wait to hire a coach on June 22 if Johnson is fired next month.

As good as Wade is, it ain't happening here.

Go Gophers!!
How can a show cause be in effect when he already has a job?
 



Will Wade has a two year show cause that expires on June 21, 2025. No way Coyle is going to go in front of the NCAA and petition to let him coach prior to June 21 and he's also not going to wait to hire a coach on June 22 if Johnson is fired next month.

As good as Wade is, it ain't happening here.

Go Gophers!!
 

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