Next Gopher Head Coach

[MplsGopher]

I lived in Salt Lake, about the same distance as Red Wing is to the U. Almost commutable.

Provo direction much more desirable though.

SLC to Logan is like Mpls to Hinckley. And with a mountain pass.

That's a hell of a commute.

 

[dlnavra]

For me not enough history coaching his own players. Which is basically the same flaw in most of candidates mentioned here.Im pro outstanding recruiter. Gates has that history.

I like Gates also, but if we put emphasis on outstanding recruiter(s), then the list of names might look a lot different than what's been shared so far. Gates has been a HC for 2 years (?), and he for sure brought in good talent at Florida State, but Richardson himself is also a draw for FSU, so it was sort of both of them. Mike Miller is turning out to be (so far) an excellent recruiting assistant. Mark Phelps, Amir Abdur-Rahim, Tommy Lloyd at Gonzaga but he's probably not leaving there. Would be cool if Gophers bring in Gates, but if that's the emphasis, then Coyle's list is probably expanded and different than some of the names shared on this board.

 

[MplsGopher]

I mean, sure, I think he'd do fine as a coach, etc.
But to me it's not the "Oh, we better grab him now or we'll miss out like we did with Musselman!" people are playing it off to be.

As far as college goes ... Muss did well as the head coach of Nevada. In the Mountain West. That really was it.

Smith is pretty much the same as that. Plus a solid stop at South Dakota before that, and assistant in the Big Ten at Nebraska for Miles.


I don't see how you can be excited for Muss but meh for Smith. Just because his dad? Come on... that was four years in the seventies...

 

[MplsGopher]

Gates has that history.

In the Horizon League, for two years?

Or are you trying to give all of FSU's credit to Gates? Which seems silly.

 

[scools12]

We can do a lot better than Porter Moser. Winning in the B1G is a whole lot different than MVC. As well as the Drake coach. Nothing against them personally, but they wouldn’t be a step up from Pitino.

The only coach I would put in a tier above Moser would be Musselman.

Other than that I would have Moser in the same tier as any of the other most frequent names thrown around.

 

[bmb5270]

I think I will be happy with any of the rumored names. My preferred list is : Smith, Dutcher, Moser, Gates. Muss is definitely out of the realm of possibility if Arkansas does well in the tournament.

Hindsight is 50/50 but I wish Coyle would have dumped Pitino right off the bat and hired Mussleman from Nevada.

If you were UNM would you rather have Tim Miles or Richard Pitino? I would say its a wash. I bet Miles gets hired though. Pitino just has too much stink of desperation on him right now.

It sounds like Pitino is in the lead there but personally I think Miles is a better coach.

 

[Hates Monikers]

I'm not a Porter Moser fan, but I admit I know next to nothing about him. Looking at his record, he was very underwhelming at two stops before Loyola, and was underwhelming for six years there. He finished 7th, 5th and 5th in the Sun Belt and 10th, 6th, 10th and 8th in the Missouri Valley.

At Loyola, in conference games he finished 10th, 7th, 10th, 6th, 8th and 5th before winning the conference and going to the Final Four in his seventh year. A Final Four tends to propel a program, and they've been very good the past three years.

I don't want to dismiss the Final Four and building Loyola into a Missouri Valley power. It takes chops to make that happen. I just have no reason to think he would strike gold here. He never finished higher than fifth in 13 seasons of coaching before the Final Four run.

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Just heard Nadine on WCCO. One thing she was asked about was the whole diversity article that whoever da fuq decided to write. (idiot for many reasons)

she said that it's easier for recruits to relate to someone that looks like them and that matters.

sure, it matters, but with that logic. No recruit of color would go play for a white head coach.

Dumbest thing I've heard

 

[GopherNuts]

does anyone see this defense translating to the Big Ten? I don’t and think Moser is probably the worst of the options we’ve discussed on here. He’s landed recruits from the Chicagoland area that get overlooked by the P5 that the rest of the MVC can’t land which gives him the quality of athlete he needs to play this brand of defense. We don’t have that luxury here. I think an aggressive on ball defense with strong ball denials across the court with defenders staying glued to corner shooters works in the MVC as you don’t have the dynamic guards we see in the Big Ten. You’re putting your on ball defender on an island in this system. Krutwig is also allowed to be a roamer in the paint (he’s got great instincts as shown in the video) because most teams in that conference can’t go 5 out or don’t have a big that you have to game plan for. Loyola-Chicago struggled with Wisconsin’s guards, I don’t see them getting past Georgia Tech but if they play Illinois that’s going to get ugly quick.

Not a surprise he’s been fired before.

 

[matt]

We can do a lot better than Porter Moser. Winning in the B1G is a whole lot different than MVC. As well as the Drake coach. Nothing against them personally, but they wouldn’t be a step up from Pitino.

Who are your top 5 or so candidates for the job?

 

[MplsGopher]

it's easier for recruits to relate to someone that looks like them and that matters.

...
but with that logic. No recruit of color would go play for a white head coach.

No ...

That's not what was being implied or argued. You took it too far.


It was not being argued that a coach being less easy to relate to, means you won't go play for him.

 

[Hates Monikers]

Just heard Nadine on WCCO. One thing she was asked about was the whole diversity article that whoever da fuq decided to write. (idiot for many reasons)

she said that it's easier for recruits to relate to someone that looks like them and that matters.

sure, it matters, but with that logic. No recruit of color would go play for a white head coach.

Dumbest thing I've heard

Except that recruits of color have almost no option but to play for a white head coach ... which is the point.

 

[Dano564]

does anyone see this defense translating to the Big Ten? I don’t and think Moser is probably the worst of the options we’ve discussed on here. He’s landed recruits from the Chicagoland area that get overlooked by the P5 that the rest of the MVC can’t land which gives him the quality of athlete he needs to play this brand of defense. We don’t have that luxury here. I think an aggressive on ball defense with strong ball denials across the court with defenders staying glued to corner shooters works in the MVC as you don’t have the dynamic guards we see in the Big Ten. You’re putting your on ball defender on an island in this system. Krutwig is also allowed to be a roamer in the paint (he’s got great instincts as shown in the video) because most teams in that conference can’t go 5 out or don’t have a big that you have to game plan for. Loyola-Chicago struggled with Wisconsin’s guards, I don’t see them getting past Georgia Tech but if they play Illinois that’s going to get ugly quick.

Not a surprise he’s been fired before.

I don't understand the questions for various coaches of
"Will their offense work here" or "Will their defense work here against Big Ten".

I would think a coach coaches based on his players and their ability. How they coach at one spot doesn't mean it will be the same somewhere else.

 

[Holy Man]

In the Horizon League, for two years?

Or are you trying to give all of FSU's credit to Gates? Which seems silly.

History is clear that he was top recruiter for Florida State. Recruiting experience at a high level. I think you over read the statement.

 

[Tucker32]

I don't understand the questions for various coaches of
"Will their offense work here" or "Will their defense work here against Big Ten".

I would think a coach coaches based on his players and their ability. How they coach at one spot doesn't mean it will be the same somewhere else.

Yep. Bo Ryan had an up-tempo, full court defense attack at Platteville. It definitely was not what he did at Wisconsin. A coach teaches well and develops a philosophy for where they are at, that will be successful there. I think what Moser is doing at Loyola would translate very well to the Big Ten, and he teaches it well. Not my first choice, but his teams play together much better than what we've witnessed in recent years at MN.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

For me not enough history coaching his own players. Which is basically the same flaw in most of candidates mentioned here.Im pro outstanding recruiter. Gates has that history.

Utah St.'s team was mostly made up of Smith recruits this season. Smith was the lead assistant/recruiter under Miles at Colorado St and Nebraska. He has that history.

I was very interested to see how good Utah St would be after losing Merrill, who Smith inherited and is one of the best players in Utah St. history.

All they did is finish second, and played in their 3rd straight conference championship game. I think it's far more difficult to win with someone else's players immediately, which Smith has done at every stop.

 

[Gopherfan84]

Utah St.'s team was mostly made up of Smith recruits this season. Smith was the lead assistant/recruiter under Miles at Colorado St and Nebraska. He has that history.

I was very interested to see how good Utah St would be after losing Merrill, who Smith inherited and is one of the best players in Utah St. history.

All they did is finish second, and played in their 3rd straight conference championship game. I think it's far more difficult to win with someone else's players immediately, which Smith has done at every stop.

Lovet the part in bold. There is a reason most coaches clean house when coming into a new job. It's easier to do with "your guys". Really speaks well to a coach if they can win with the old coaches guys in my opinion.

 

[GopherNuts]

I don't understand the questions for various coaches of
"Will their offense work here" or "Will their defense work here against Big Ten".

I would think a coach coaches based on his players and their ability. How they coach at one spot doesn't mean it will be the same somewhere else.

The entire culture of his program is built around this system and he’s shown minimal flexibility. Could we see a variation of this system if he were hired? Sure but coaches largely stick to what’s given them success, hall of famers can coach one way at one stop and a different way at another but I don’t think Moser’s career tells us he’s that caliber of coach. He’s had 4 years of success in a 17 year head coaching career and this is it.

 

[dlnavra]

I don't understand the questions for various coaches of
"Will their offense work here" or "Will their defense work here against Big Ten".

I would think a coach coaches based on his players and their ability. How they coach at one spot doesn't mean it will be the same somewhere else.

This gets to ability and willingness to adjust a coaching style. Underwood did it at Illinois, a guy like Crean was not able or willing to do it at Indiana. Personnel matters as well. But it is a league where it's super hard to win if you don't have a solid couple of options down low. Before others say every league is like that, not as much so as the Big Ten.

 

[Dano564]

I made the mistake of browsing the Indiana Forum.

Post of possible candidates includes:
Musselman
Scott Drew
Mike Boynton
Nate Oates
Mike Young
Chris Beard
John Beilein and That Matta among others.

Fans are calling that list depressing.

 

[GopherNuts]

Boston College hires Earl Grant from Charleston. Gates to BC a no go. Boy, everything is happening in the last few hours lol. Miller gone, PSU announces a hire, BC hires someone, Goodman confirming that Pitino’s a goner...it’s all happening!

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

No ...

That's not what was being implied or argued. You took it too far.


It was not being argued that a coach being less easy to relate to, means you won't go play for him.

Then what's the point? Is there data out there showing that if you're a coach of color, your odd of landing top players of color improve to the point that its statistically significant over a white coach?

She also mentioned something that honestly is the actual issue.

it all starts at the top. Not the AD, but the president, booster, regents. The people that pay the bills. that's where it all starts.

It's true for any business where diversity is lacking.

 

[Gophs24]

not surprised by Gates not going to BC. just never made a lot of sense with the conflict of interest with his wife working there

but earl grant is certainly an interesting hire for them. Young coach. 44 years old. seen hes been the HC at Charlston for 7 years already.

 

[Gopherfan12]

Boston College hires Earl Grant from Charleston. Gates to BC a no go. Boy, everything is happening in the last few hours lol. Miller gone, PSU announces a hire, BC hires someone, Goodman confirming that Pitino’s a goner...it’s all happening!

Very interesting I for sure thought he was a lock to go to BC

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Except that recruits of color have almost no option but to play for a white head coach ... which is the point.

If recruits actually cared that much, then they should go play for a coach of color. That begs the question, why dont they.

If top recruits of color were to choose only coaches of color, I guarantee you schools would notice and start hiring more diverse candidates.

So really, it's the players that have the power here, not the Universities.

 

[Dano564]

I'm still high on Gates!

 

[Holy Man]

I made the mistake of browsing the Indiana Forum.

Post of possible candidates includes:
Musselman
Scott Drew
Mike Boynton
Nate Oates
Mike Young
Chris Beard
John Beilein and That Matta among others.

Fans are calling that list depressing.

Also delusional. Where is Stevens? He’s coming back to save the day, right?

 

[MplsGopher]

Lovet the part in bold. There is a reason most coaches clean house when coming into a new job. It's easier to do with "your guys". Really speaks well to a coach if they can win with the old coaches guys in my opinion.

Not at all trying to be a contrarian, but there was a not insignificant amount of roster change for CS's first year at USU, according to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018–19_Utah_State_Aggies_men's_basketball_team

No idea how much the departing guys contributed the year before, or how much the new guys immediately had an impact.

Note that Ashworth then took an LDS mission, so was actually a "true freshman" this season. The incoming list doesn't show Queta for some reason.


Let's be honest: CS's success at USU can, not exclusively, but pretty hugely be tied to the success of Queta. I don't know if CS is the reason he ended up at USU. If so, then the credit is all CS, and that is fair. That's a big part of the reason he won so much right away his first year. Freshman of the year, defensive player of the year.

Damn shame if he isn't going to come be a Gopher for a year, should it all work out. Sounds like NBA draft in his immediate future.

 

[Holy Man]

I'm still high on Gates!

I am too. I don’t think there is a can’t miss candidate who would come here. I also think diversity factor is high on the list at the university, meaning they will work extra hard to attract a quality candidate who isn’t white. Before the responses I think Gates is an excellent candidate regardless of his race.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Have you been to Logan Utah? Beautiful place. Nice University. But you have a two hour drive to get to a major airport. And unofficially it is the end of civilization. I would think smith is looking to move on. The big question, and this is true of all the candidates, is does this guy really understand that the Big Ten is a different animal, and can he find players to compete on that level.

He's engineered top-40, top-50 teams recruiting to the Mountain West Conference and Logan, UT. It stands to reason that he could do at least as well recruiting to the Big Ten and Minneapolis. And keep in mind that he did recruit Queta and those nifty freshmen Ashworth, Shulga and Worster. I mean, heck, those underclassmen are a key factor in this year's success.