Who should be our next Coach?

Who should be the next Gophers Coach?


  • Total voters
    78
  • Poll closed .
To me, the most important competency is being able to operate effectively in the current portal environment without a lot of help on the NIL front. Guys who are proven good coaches, but haven’t recently been at a P6 where this environment is the most intense - you don’t know how they’ll do. Either a big time assistant who’s ready (Shrewsbury is my mental model) or someone who went from assistant at a P6 to a head coach at a mid major - that’s the pool I’d swim in. But a proven good coach without the proven portal chops would be an improvement….
 

Ben Johnson signed the #11 recruit in the nation...out of California...to come to a Minnesota dumpster blizzard that he inherited. Simply on his own talent & vision. No name recognition, no help.

Who else has done that?
So Ben's big accomplishment is almost getting a highly ranked recruit to come here? That would be like if I clang a shot off the back iron at the gym, and then talk about what a great shooter I am because the ball made it all the way to the rim.
 

Ben Johnson signed the #11 recruit in the nation...out of California...to come to a Minnesota dumpster blizzard that he inherited. Simply on his own talent & vision. No name recognition, no help.

Who else has done that?
Every body on this board has been able to not land a Top 20 recruit.
 

so who Should be the next coach?

pecking order of possibilities:

1. veteran head coach who has demonstrated ability to win at a major D1 school
2. veteran head coach who has won at a mid or lower-level D1 program
3. long-time assistant coach at a P5-level program
4. long-time assistant coach at a mid or lower-level program
5. younger hotshot head coach at a mid-level program
6. younger assistant coach at a mid-level program
7. a head coach from the D2 or D3 ranks
8. some guy walking down the street wearing a "Space Jam" t-shirt
9. A Gopher Hole poster

the questions are: which of those possibilities is willing to tackle the challenge of coaching at MN?
how much salary $$$ will it take to land them? WTF does the Administration want in a new head coach?
 

Of all the idiotic threads lately this one seems the most delusional.
 



That we'll need a next coach or who we could get? A reminder: every team everywhere has a next coach.
Just that we are discussing it because Ben didn't get the top 20 recruit.. It ain't normal, or healthy. Putrid season, sucks that Evans pushed off - Go Gophers!

My vote is that Ben gets Asuma, a killer replacement scholarship for Evans via the portal, and Ben is replaced by Bill Mussleman's great grandson in 2053 after a hall of fame coaching career. (how's that?)
 





I was watching Shaka Smart last night and wondered who would be the Gopher's Shaka Smart.

  • State/Area ties
  • Won at Mid Major
  • Ok at Big 6 at Big Gig (Texas)
  • Timing hits for Marquette and they get him back to his roots and in 1st place in Big East.
 

Point still stands.
I do agree that after the dust has settled, it's not a huge deal to lose Evans.

But the main question mark for me continues to be the portal this year, and the W/L record for next year. All comes down to Ws and Ls.
 

I was against hiring Dutcher previously because of his age, and because I thought there were better, younger options available. Now he'd be my first option. Even if his tenure is limited due to age, he'd immediately get us back to respectability, which would make finding his future replacement much easier.
He has great genes. His dad is 90 and in good health. Mom lived a good long life too. He could coach a long time yet. I
 




I do agree that after the dust has settled, it's not a huge deal to lose Evans.

But the main question mark for me continues to be the portal this year, and the W/L record for next year. All comes down to Ws and Ls.
He thought Cooper was good enough last portal season and either didn't want to or couldn't get anyone better. We think that changes now after a 1 win conference season? He has no idea how to shape a roster. I'm fully expecting to get another Samuels this off-season and hear CBJ talk about Carrington, Henley and Christie getting time at PG because II will be playing the sg.

It's gross to think about how awfully he's handling roster management.
 

I was watching Shaka Smart last night and wondered who would be the Gopher's Shaka Smart.

  • State/Area ties
  • Won at Mid Major
  • Ok at Big 6 at Big Gig (Texas)
  • Timing hits for Marquette and they get him back to his roots and in 1st place in Big East.
Muss after next season when the Razorbacks under perform like they have this year???


pretty please
 

I was watching Shaka Smart last night and wondered who would be the Gopher's Shaka Smart.

  • State/Area ties
  • Won at Mid Major
  • Ok at Big 6 at Big Gig (Texas)
  • Timing hits for Marquette and they get him back to his roots and in 1st place in Big East.
Craig Smith sadly.
 

I was watching Shaka Smart last night and wondered who would be the Gopher's Shaka Smart.

  • State/Area ties
  • Won at Mid Major
  • Ok at Big 6 at Big Gig (Texas)
  • Timing hits for Marquette and they get him back to his roots and in 1st place in Big East.
Coyle hired our Shaka
 

I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it. The dude D1coach slept in the office. And yes he had a family and yes he eventually gave up the job. Great guy, Great coach and an even better family man.
Good family man? Did his wife and kids have cots at the office too?
 

He thought Cooper was good enough last portal season and either didn't want to or couldn't get anyone better. We think that changes now after a 1 win conference season? He has no idea how to shape a roster. I'm fully expecting to get another Samuels this off-season and hear CBJ talk about Carrington, Henley and Christie getting time at PG because II will be playing the sg.

It's gross to think about how awfully he's handling roster management.
If it's more of the same, I think we'll have our answer with Ben and this next year will be the end.

He's gotta know he needs impact guards from the portal, job basically depends on it.

Likely he gets 'em? Maybe not. I wouldn't say it's impossible though either. Kids seems to like him.

Also really depends on who leaves of course as well.
 


Just that we are discussing it because Ben didn't get the top 20 recruit.. It ain't normal, or healthy. Putrid season, sucks that Evans pushed off - Go Gophers!

My vote is that Ben gets Asuma, a killer replacement scholarship for Evans via the portal, and Ben is replaced by Bill Mussleman's great grandson in 2053 after a hall of fame coaching career. (how's that?)
It's good to have a plan.
 


I keep trying to convince myself to get on the Ben train, and then Smith and Dutcher continue to come up here.

It's ridiculous to put Ben in the same sentence as those guys.

Taking me right back to the disbelief when the hire was announced.

You think Dutcher and Smith aren't gonna get highly recruited kids from MN if they fit for us? Come on now...
 

Tim Miles-- his timing has been off the last couple of hiring cycles-- had only been at Nebraska for 1 year when Norwood fired Tubby- would have been a bad look to move in the conference then- and not sure if he had just been hired at SJSU before Pitino got fired, but never got a look then either.
I like coaches that are smart, quick-witted glib guys that don't take themselves too seriously , but I also think he can coach. Really got hosed the year he won 13 B1G games and didn't get to the tourney

all that being said-- I hope Ben turns it around and we don't need a new coach for 25 years
 

Tim Miles-- his timing has been off the last couple of hiring cycles-- had only been at Nebraska for 1 year when Norwood fired Tubby- would have been a bad look to move in the conference then- and not sure if he had just been hired at SJSU before Pitino got fired, but never got a look then either.
I like coaches that are smart, quick-witted glib guys that don't take themselves too seriously , but I also think he can coach. Really got hosed the year he won 13 B1G games and didn't get to the tourney

all that being said-- I hope Ben turns it around and we don't need a new coach for 25 years
I'm a fan. He might not be the best we could get, but he'd be a huge improvement.
 

I was watching Shaka Smart last night and wondered who would be the Gopher's Shaka Smart.

  • State/Area ties
  • Won at Mid Major
  • Ok at Big 6 at Big Gig (Texas)
  • Timing hits for Marquette and they get him back to his roots and in 1st place in Big East.
Steve Alford? Indiana guy but kinda fits. Tim Miles is probably more appropriate.

Not huge on either guy.
 

Tim Miles-- his timing has been off the last couple of hiring cycles-- had only been at Nebraska for 1 year when Norwood fired Tubby- would have been a bad look to move in the conference then- and not sure if he had just been hired at SJSU before Pitino got fired, but never got a look then either.
I like coaches that are smart, quick-witted glib guys that don't take themselves too seriously , but I also think he can coach. Really got hosed the year he won 13 B1G games and didn't get to the tourney

all that being said-- I hope Ben turns it around and we don't need a new coach for 25 years
Tim Miles has done a nice job at San Jose St this year. Richard Pitino beat him by 20 points and 30 points this year. Richard can coach...he needs some luck. New Mexxico has lost two games on last second shots with no time on the clock. Two more when House was injured and a couple jjust bad luck games. Pitino's team is fun to watch and I believe he is a far superior coach to Miles.

Miles like Pitino can be funny. Until one of them takes their team to the Sweet 16 I don't think either should be speculated upon as a possible Gopher coach.
 

Muss after next season when the Razorbacks under perform like they have this year???


pretty please
I think Muss probably wears people out. He's the kind of guy who needs a change of scenery every couple years. Minnesota should be next on his list.
 

Just that we are discussing it because Ben didn't get the top 20 recruit.. It ain't normal, or healthy. Putrid season, sucks that Evans pushed off - Go Gophers!

My vote is that Ben gets Asuma, a killer replacement scholarship for Evans via the portal, and Ben is replaced by Bill Mussleman's great grandson in 2053 after a hall of fame coaching career. (how's that?)
It's 100% normal and not healthy or unhealthy.
 

I'm a fan. He might not be the best we could get, but he'd be a huge improvement.
Coincidentally that’s the type of model/program development Ben follows more so than anyone else he’s coached under. Tim was fine being awful in year one and playing young guys. I’ve listened to him on multiple podcasts talk about it. Not saying Ben will turn it around, but the statement “judge me by year 4” is a line by Miles
 




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