Next Gopher Head Coach

After deliberating for a couple weeks I have come to rank my choices as follows:

1) Musselman
Who knows if he is a realistic option but there is enough chatter to make me believe this isn't some pie in the sky scenario.

I like that he has built multiple programs into top 10 teams, is energetic, and seemingly connects with today's youth. He also has an NBA pedigree which I don't place an importance on but if you do he checks that box too. I don't know if there is a negative on his resume.
Musselman is my favorite too. However, I do question if he will value academics or NCAA rules much more than his father.
2) Dutcher
Good coach, good recruiter, WANTS to be here. He is evidently extremely loyal having stayed with Fisher for 25+ years. The only question I have is whether he can win with his own players and not Fisher's collection... but then again he recruited most of these guys so is that really an issue?
My reservations with Dutcher are that he settled playing Robin to Fisher's Batman for 25+ years. Maybe a tad too "go-with-the-flow" type. #4 on my fav list.

3) Gates, Smith, Medved
This is the beginning of the second tier for me. Gates probably excites me the most but I can only base this off the videos that have circulated this site. Smith doesn't do much for me but he is probably not a horrible hire. Medved is about the same but I think would garner less excitement about the program.
Smith is my #2 (Fleck lite), Gates is my #3. I would be VERY happy with either.
4) Mitchell, Saunders
I'm not enthused about either of these options but I would prefer Mitchell over Saunders as I feel he's a better game coach based only on their times with the Wolves. Mitchell has some experience recruiting but who knows how much of an influence he actually had on last year's Memphis class, which has underachieved.
NO! Just NO!
I don't consider any of the other names thrown about to be realistic but would obviously take Beilein or Matta in heartbeat.
I disagree with you here. Most coaches, not named Leonard Hamilton, start to lose their edge around 66-67 years old. Beilein is there already. Matta would be a gamble on him remaining healthy. Band-aids.
In conclusion, I'd be pumped if it was Musselman or Dutcher, optimistic and intrigued if it was Gates, Smith, or Medved, and disappointed if it was Mitchell or Saunders.

If there was someone not on this list I'd probably check on Travis Steele's interest if for not other reason than Xavier seems to know what they are doing when hiring head coaches so they must see something in him that are better than his results so far (which are still better than Pitino).
 


My list w/out explanation.
1. Dutcher
2. Musselman
3. Gates
4. Smith
5. Moser or DeVries
 

Musselman is my favorite too. However, I do question if he will value academics or NCAA rules much more than his father.

My reservations with Dutcher are that he settled playing Robin to Fisher's Batman for 25+ years. Maybe a tad too "go-with-the-flow" type. #4 on my fav list.


Smith is my #2 (Fleck lite), Gates is my #3. I would be VERY happy with either.

NO! Just NO!

I disagree with you here. Most coaches, not named Leonard Hamilton, start to lose their edge around 66-67 years old. Beilein is there already. Matta would be a gamble on him remaining healthy. Band-aids.
I realize you said “most” but prob should add Lon Kruger to that list of exceptions. And of course elder Pitino, a few others. I also agree Matta is not an option before several others, if at all.
 

1 Musselman
2/3 Dutcher/Smith (don't really have a preference)
3 Gates
4 Medved

This is assuming Thad Matta is a no go

Beilein is 68, no thanks

Mitchell or Saunders, hahaha right
 


My list w/out explanation.
1. Dutcher
2. Musselman
3. Gates
4. Smith
5. Moser or DeVries
My list:
1. Musselman (by far)
2. Dutcher
3. Smith
4. Gates
Not interested after those four.

I want a coach who has won at difficult places. All the above fit that in some respect. I would rather see a mature coach over a young up and comer. I think those four are past the up and comer status imo.

I don't have a lot of hope for getting Muss. I have a feeling Dutcher is the easiest get.
 

for anyone that is interested.....here is the Mountain west games today to check out Dutcher, Smith, & Medved

Quarterfinals (Thurs., March 11), CBS Sports Network

No. 1 San Diego State vs. Game 1 winner, 1 p.m.

No. 4 Boise State vs. No. 5 Nevada, 3:30 p.m.

No. 2 Utah State vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m.

No. 3 Colorado State vs. Game 3 winner, 9:30 p.m.
 


ISU was really good in the 90's early 2000's as well. It's program has always kept up with facilities and they pay coaches decent, plus are supported well with boosters. It wasn't just Hoiberg that made that program good.
Guess which years Hoiberg was at ISU.
SeasonOverallConference
200125–613–3
200212–194–12
200317–145–11
200420–137–9
200519–129–7
200616–146–10
200715–166–10
200814–184–12
200915–174–12
201015–174–12
201116–163–13
201223–1112–6
201323–1211–7
201428–811–7
201525–912–6
201623–1210–8
201724–1112–6
201813–184–14
201923-129–9
202012–205-13
20212–210-18
 



My list....
1. Musselman (by far my 1st choice)
2. Dutcher (by far my 2nd choice)
3a- Gates.
3b. Smith.
5-Medved

-im tired just thinking about having Fleck and Musselman
-Gates. He gets an interview but i think he goes elsewhere and it wont be BC
-Smith and Medved have a real chance to gain some momentum if either of them can make a run in the tourney. Not just for this job.
-Dutcher-if hes going anywhere other then San Diago its MN

And maybe its too much homer in me....but can whomever the coach is....please get Trent Tucker on the staff. Hes the type of guy we need. Wasnt raised here. Played here. Played in the NBA. And came back here! He would do wonders selling the school and the twin cities in general to both recruits and parents. He has a vision of what this Bball program can be! Special Assistant and Director of Player Development or whatever position you want to give him.
 

1. Musselman
2. Gates
3. Medved / Smith / Dutcher
6. Anyone not named Ryan Saunders
 


My list....
1. Musselman (by far my 1st choice)
2. Dutcher (by far my 2nd choice)
3a- Gates.
3b. Smith.
5-Medved

-im tired just thinking about having Fleck and Musselman
-Gates. He gets an interview but i think he goes elsewhere and it wont be BC
-Smith and Medved have a real chance to gain some momentum if either of them can make a run in the tourney. Not just for this job.
-Dutcher-if hes going anywhere other then San Diago its MN

And maybe its too much homer in me....but can whomever the coach is....please get Trent Tucker on the staff. Hes the type of guy we need. Wasnt raised here. Played here. Played in the NBA. And came back here! He would do wonders selling the school and the twin cities in general to both recruits and parents. He has a vision of what this Bball program can be! Special Assistant and Director of Player Development or whatever position you want to give him.
This is my list and are my theories as well. Thank you for typing it up for me.
 



1. Musselman
2. Beilein
3. Smith
4. Dutcher
5. Medved
6. Gates
 

Because they (presumably I don't follow their search closely) don't have multiple options with local ties and equal or better resumes.
We are so stuck on this local ties thing. What 17-18 year olds even know about Dutcher? He is 62 years old too. I like Medved and Smith a lot more than Dutcher. Musselman would be a fool to leave Arkansas for us. Leaving a top 20 school to go to a middling program for probably less money doesn't make sense. Also, Beilin is a great coach but he won't be able to stay around for more than 5 years max. I don't like the idea of bringing in a guy at the end of his career.
 

We are so stuck on this local ties thing. What 17-18 year olds even know about Dutcher? He is 62 years old too. I like Medved and Smith a lot more than Dutcher. Musselman would be a fool to leave Arkansas for us. Leaving a top 20 school to go to a middling program for probably less money doesn't make sense. Also, Beilin is a great coach but he won't be able to stay around for more than 5 years max. I don't like the idea of bringing in a guy at the end of his career.
I’d have to also say what 17-18 year olds are going to know about Medved and Smith. They know the big name coaches from the big name schools. I doubt they are excitedly following the coaches of the mountain west.
 

Guess which years Hoiberg was at ISU.
SeasonOverallConference
200125–613–3
200212–194–12
200317–145–11
200420–137–9
200519–129–7
200616–146–10
200715–166–10
200814–184–12
200915–174–12
201015–174–12
201116–163–13
201223–1112–6
201323–1211–7
201428–811–7
201525–912–6
201623–1210–8
201724–1112–6
201813–184–14
201923-129–9
202012–205-13
20212–210-18

What about these years?

199221–135–9
199320–118–6
199414–134–10
199523–116–8
199624–99–5
199722–910–6
199812–185–11
199915–156–10
200032–514–2

Iowa State was good in the 90's and early 2000's under Floyd and Eustacy like I said before. It then fell apart with McDermott and picked up again with Hoiberg. The job was good before Hoiberg was the coach. Go look at Nebraska's history and try to tell me that job is as good as ISU's. It's not
 

Having Musselman at the top of all these lists is doing a disservice to lists.

Not happening. Sure, I'd love Jay Wright to come to Minnesota too.
 

I’d have to also say what 17-18 year olds are going to know about Medved and Smith. They know the big name coaches from the big name schools. I doubt they are excitedly following the coaches of the mountain west.
Medved has gotten 3 star Minnesotans to go to Colorado State and Thorson is well known within MN Coaching circles. I think Smith has the right energy for the job. We need a high-energy guy. Our program is dead we need life
 


We are so stuck on this local ties thing. What 17-18 year olds even know about Dutcher? He is 62 years old too. I like Medved and Smith a lot more than Dutcher. Musselman would be a fool to leave Arkansas for us. Leaving a top 20 school to go to a middling program for probably less money doesn't make sense. Also, Beilin is a great coach but he won't be able to stay around for more than 5 years max. I don't like the idea of bringing in a guy at the end of his career.
Leave Arkansas? Wait, where was Arkansas before he got there?
 

We are so stuck on this local ties thing. What 17-18 year olds even know about Dutcher? He is 62 years old too. I like Medved and Smith a lot more than Dutcher. Musselman would be a fool to leave Arkansas for us. Leaving a top 20 school to go to a middling program for probably less money doesn't make sense. Also, Beilin is a great coach but he won't be able to stay around for more than 5 years max. I don't like the idea of bringing in a guy at the end of his career.
It's not being "stuck" on it. Smith and Medved are legit candidates for any open power 5 job. But you can't see how they're more attractive to us than they would be to BC or Penn State?

Dutcher is a unique situation. He pretty obviously would not leave SDSU for Penn State or BC.

Musselman is not likely to leave Arkansas for Minnesota, but it would hardly make him a fool. They have similar upsides.
 



Having Musselman at the top of all these lists is doing a disservice to lists.

Not happening. Sure, I'd love Jay Wright to come to Minnesota too.
Having someone on your list who you have a 25% shot at and someone you have a 0% shot at are not the same.
 



It's not being "stuck" on it. Smith and Medved are legit candidates for any open power 5 job. But you can't see how they're more attractive to us than they would be to BC or Penn State?

Dutcher is a unique situation. He pretty obviously would not leave SDSU for Penn State or BC.

Musselman is not likely to leave Arkansas for Minnesota, but it would hardly make him a fool. They have similar upsides.
They will throw out more money than we can
 

I'm telling you Musselman and Wright are both 0%. If I'm wrong, I'll gladly come eat crow. It's just not in the cards.
We'll either get Musselman or we won't. There won't be any proof of what our chances were.

No offense, but I'll take the multiple reports of his interest over the last 3 years from Reusse and others over your insistence.
 

Watching UVa need a game shot and them getting a wide open one to win the game out of a timeout hurts. Man alive can we just get a coach who can draw up 1 good play out of a timeout and not rely on a miracle.
 




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