Shooter: Alumni and assorted boosters are pushing Ryan Saunders, the ex-Gopher who is an assistant for the Denver Nuggets, for the Gophers head job.

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If these boosters reportedly want him so bad, put you money where your mouth is and contribute SIGNIFICANTLY to NIL like BYU did with their HC and then securing the commitment of the #1 HS recruit. If this means an influx of approximately $10 million dollars or so, I'd be in. If not, this move doesn't move the needle at all.
 





theory - Saunders would take a lower salary for the MN job - a key factor when you're trying to run a program on the cheap.

the Gophers will wind up hiring a young coach because any established coach would laugh in Coyle's face when they hear what MN is willing to pay.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
theory - Saunders would take a lower salary for the MN job - a key factor when you're trying to run a program on the cheap.

the Gophers will wind up hiring a young coach because any established coach would laugh in Coyle's face when they hear what MN is willing to pay.
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They have plenty of money to compete for a great coach. They don't have to run the program on the cheap- but that is what they have been doing, because they don't care. Will they learn their lesson? We'll see. They are taking a pretty big spanking this year so if they are ever going to learn- now is the time.

1. Get the boosters involved in the future
2. Get commitments for support - based on a commitment to excel in basketball
3. Pay 4 million for a winning coach
4. Commit big time to funding basketball in revenue sharing

It will pay off.
 

bga1 said:
They have plenty of money to compete for a great coach. They don't have to run the program on the cheap- but that is what they have been doing, because they don't care. Will they learn their lesson? We'll see. They are taking a pretty big spanking this year so if they are ever going to learn- now is the time.

1. Get the boosters involved in the future
2. Get commitments for support - based on a commitment to excel in basketball
3. Pay 4 million for a winning coach
4. Commit big time to funding basketball in revenue sharing

It will pay off.
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they could do that - but up to know, they have chosen not to. it is a choice. I maintain that it's also a reflection of the fact that the Football program gets the lion's share of the NIL money and will also get most of the revenue-sharing.

does Coyle have the balls to tell Fleck - you have to get by with a little less so that I can spend more on basketball? not in a gazillion gazillion years. Fleck says "jump" and Coyle asks "how high?"

the only hope for the basketball program is a sugar daddy - like a Phil Knight type - who is willing to give 10's of Millions of $$ for men's hoops. If that person exists, they haven't found him (or her) yet.
 

WindyCityGopher said:
Seems like the perfect solution to end the 25-year death spiral for this program.
  • He’s never coached a game at the college level
  • Has a .314 career winning percentage as a NBA head coach
  • Hasn’t been a head coach since 2021
  • He’s one of us!
Ryan Saunders wouldn’t be considered as a head coach candidate at any other D1 program. Why do we always do this to ourselves?
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In the words of Sid Hartman, who are we going to get? No one wants this job. It was a good job I believe before Clem got run out of town. Now old arena, old fan base ,and terrible culture and that isn’t far from the truth.
 



WindyCityGopher said:
Seems like the perfect solution to end the 25-year death spiral for this program.
  • He’s never coached a game at the college level
  • Has a .314 career winning percentage as a NBA head coach
  • Hasn’t been a head coach since 2021
  • He’s one of us!
Ryan Saunders wouldn’t be considered as a head coach candidate at any other D1 program. Why do we always do this to ourselves?
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Amen
 

Big Dawg said:
Stop with the MN connection BS. Why are boosters and alumni pining for some MN connection. I heard Bud Grant's granddaughter's cousins, brother in law's guide dog is available. Just go after a normal proven target who has HEAD COACHING experience. Any HC from a winning mid major program would be fine. A HC job at a P6 is an upgrade ($$) from most if not all mid major type programs.
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So Tom Crean?
 

WindyCityGopher said:
Seems like the perfect solution to end the 25-year death spiral for this program.
  • He’s never coached a game at the college level
  • Has a .314 career winning percentage as a NBA head coach
  • Hasn’t been a head coach since 2021
  • He’s one of us!
Ryan Saunders wouldn’t be considered as a head coach candidate at any other D1 program. Why do we always do this to ourselves?
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Charlie's still mad the Gophers didn't hire Marc Trestman like they should have. One of Us is all that matters!
 

The next coach needs to be someone who has the ability to bring a bunch of players with him from his previous school. Anyone who can't do that shouldn't be an option.
 



GopherBlood777 said:
When it comes to ex gophers, it's bickerstaff or bust
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gopherdudepart2 said:
I agree with this. Bickerstaff is the only ex Gopher that has proven he is a quality head coach. I doubt JB Bickerstaff would be interested in coaching college ball.
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Do folks not realize that Bickerstaff is in the first year of a 4-year deal paying him $6 million per year with the Detroit Pistons? He has a team option for a fifth year at $6 million. He is among the early favorites for NBA Coach of the Year for what he is doing in Detroit. So, he's likely going to make $30 million over the next five years.

Coaching the Gophers next year (or ever) is not happening.
 

tjgopher said:
Do folks not realize that Bickerstaff is in the first year of a 4-year deal paying him $6 million per year with the Detroit Pistons? He has a team option for a fifth year at $6 million. He is among the early favorites for NBA Coach of the Year for what he is doing in Detroit. So, he's likely going to make $30 million over the next five years.

Coaching the Gophers next year (or ever) is not happening.
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He could prob do it part time from Chicago and do it better than what we’re seeing right now
 


tjgopher said:
Do folks not realize that Bickerstaff is in the first year of a 4-year deal paying him $6 million per year with the Detroit Pistons? He has a team option for a fifth year at $6 million. He is among the early favorites for NBA Coach of the Year for what he is doing in Detroit. So, he's likely going to make $30 million over the next five years.

Coaching the Gophers next year (or ever) is not happening.
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Good, I'm hoping they hire someone with coaching success in college basketball.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
they could do that - but up to know, they have chosen not to. it is a choice. I maintain that it's also a reflection of the fact that the Football program gets the lion's share of the NIL money and will also get most of the revenue-sharing.

does Coyle have the balls to tell Fleck - you have to get by with a little less so that I can spend more on basketball? not in a gazillion gazillion years. Fleck says "jump" and Coyle asks "how high?"

the only hope for the basketball program is a sugar daddy - like a Phil Knight type - who is willing to give 10's of Millions of $$ for men's hoops. If that person exists, they haven't found him (or her) yet.
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Why do you pretending that Fleck is taking up all the money that basketball would get? I get you heard it on a podcast once but there is no actual evidence is the case. I mean on the football board all we hear is Fleck doesn't get his assistants enough money...
 



Will Wade makes the most sense. Brian Hodgson from Arkansas State as well. They actually just signed Tristan Beckford so the guy can recruit too. They make sense. That's why Coyle won't try for them
 

JZABR said:
Will Wade makes the most sense. Brian Hodgson from Arkansas State as well. They actually just signed Tristan Beckford so the guy can recruit too. They make sense. That's why Coyle won't try for them
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I get that the most recent basketball hire didn't work out but Coyle is the AD who went out and got PJ Fleck who at the time was one of the hottest available coaches on the market that season.

If he is allowed to make the next hire without a lot of outside interference I wouldn't be real quick to assume he won't go get a quality candidate.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I get that the most recent basketball hire didn't work out but Coyle is the AD who went out and got PJ Fleck who at the time was one of the hottest available coaches on the market that season.

If he is allowed to make the next hire without a lot of outside interference I wouldn't be real quick to assume he won't go get a quality candidate.
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This.

Joan Gabel is gone, so I’m willing to give Coyle another chance. He needs to call the shot this time. No one else. Screw the search committees and politics. Absolutely have to get it right this time.
 
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SelectionSunday said:
This.

Joan Gabel is gone, so I’m willing to give Coyle another chance. He needs to call the shot. No one else. Screw the search committees and politics. Absolutely have to get it right this time.
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Yep.....when he hired Fleck he moved quick, identified Fleck as the candidate he wanted and went out and got him. No long drawn out search process....no committee BS.

And Coyle knows he has to get this hire right because the revenue sports are the ones that he will be judged on. Right now Football and Hockey are in good places but mens basketball is a complete mess.
 


Gopher Ally said:
I don’t feel the fan base will be aroused with Saunders. Coyle has to rejuvenate what’s left of the fanbase with a Plitzuweit type of hire for the men’s side
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as far as Plitzuweit - when hired at MN, she had only been head coach for one season at a major-level school. She had a lot of success at a mid-major school (South Dakota).

She seems to know what she's doing.

but I wonder - would the fan base be that excited if - for example - the Gophers hired the coach from South Dakota State? he's had comparable success to what Plitzuweit did in the Summit League. again, he seems to be a good coach. but I suspect most Gopher fans have never heard of him.

personally, I would be fine with a coach who had a track record at a mid-major. but I think the fans who want a better-known coach would be skeptical.
 

Plitzuweit did win 19 games in her first year with the Mountaineers taking them to the tournament which was quite impressive. It was definitely a name I didn’t expect to be called after one year in West Virginia. She is a winner, Maybe Coyle has some more magic up his sleeve
 

short ornery norwegian said:
personally, I would be fine with a coach who had a track record at a mid-major. but I think the fans who want a better-known coach would be skeptical.
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I would too. They need to find a proven commodity this time around from a mid-major and/or hire a lead assistant from a very successful program (i.e. Micah Shrewsberry at Purdue). It would be very difficult to get a Musselman type hire to this dumpster fire right now.

In my view, this program is saddled with 1970's/1980's era thinking in its fanbase, its boosters, its administration, and even local media. Look no further than the nonsense trying to push for Ryan Saunders to coach this team. Would any other college program push for him to lead their team? Sadly, many of us are still stuck in the nostalgia around Bill Musselman warm-up drills and The Barn being nostalgic and a draw for recruiting. Stuck thinking local recruits have a picture of Goldy hanging in their bedroom and dreaming about being a Gopher if only given the chance. Stuck thinking the right "Minnesota connection" will bring a flood of Minnesota kids to the University campus. Stuck thinking six kids dressed up in barnyard costumes or NBA jerseys equates to a good student section. Stuck thinking the rouser where we all stand up on call and immediately sit down after the obligatory "Rah" is fan engagement. The whole experience from peeing in urinal troughs to limited food options is pretty dated frankly.

BUT.....you can't begin to address the game day experience, arena, etc. without addressing the product on the floor. I would have had some of the same complaints about the Metrodome-era Gophers football program. Now they have competent leadership at the head coach position and results/money/atmosphere/stadium have followed during his tenure.

Go find a basketball coach sooner rather than later. Don't ask him about his "Minnesota connections."
 

short ornery norwegian said:
but I wonder - would the fan base be that excited if - for example - the Gophers hired the coach from South Dakota State? he's had comparable success to what Plitzuweit did in the Summit League. again, he seems to be a good coach. but I suspect most Gopher fans have never heard of him.

personally, I would be fine with a coach who had a track record at a mid-major. but I think the fans who want a better-known coach would be skeptical.
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I doubt there is going to be a Tubby Smith like name that would get people all that excited and given how that hire worked out people would probably be skeptical about a big name anyway.

No matter who the next coach is, it will take them some time to win the fans back. That is why to me the best bet would be getting a successful mid major coach who has some players he can bring with him. Hopefully have some success early in order to get people excited about Gopher basketball again.

I don't care where the coach is from or if the fanbase knows his name.....Coyle needs to hit a HR with this hire and get the program back on track.

The Ryan Saunders stuff is foolish....and anyone floating his name is way too obsessed with the "one of us" concept. Gotta get someone who has proven he can be successful as a college basketball head coach not someone with a famous last name who was a bust in his only NBA head coaching gig.
 

Gopher Ally said:
Plitzuweit did win 19 games in her first year with the Mountaineers taking them to the tournament which was quite impressive. It was definitely a name I didn’t expect to be called after one year in West Virginia. She is a winner, Maybe Coyle has some more magic up his sleeve
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The U of M, from the top, has above average commitment to women's sports versus below average commitment to men's sports. It's a good place to coach women's basketball and far easier to get a winning result here in a women's sport than in men's. She has been very good, no doubt.
 

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