Feathery

Probably right. After next season when the buyout is down to $3 mil, Archie will have 2 years remaining on his contract. He has to be extended or fired. So it’s shaping up to be a hot seat season.

$10 mil after on April 1st. Around $3 mil next April.

It’s one thing to embrace Alford as a former player. It’s another thing to sit down as AD and select him to lead the program. But with IU, they always seem to screw things up, so maybe will be the next coach. Lol

Yup. Has to be booster money to happen at the end of the year.

Yup. I understand the money aspect. Which would mean IU cares more about money than winning. Dolson needs to go fundraising if the team continues to struggle. Because nothing in 3.5 years indicates that Archie will make IU a top 4 conference team. If Archie gets us in the NCAA’s this year, by all means go to next season as the make or break. But there will be plenty of work to be done as TJD is likely gone.

Sweet 16s do cut it at Indiana. Crean would still be here if he didn’t have so many low years in between the good. There was too much bottoming out under Crean.

It doesn’t take a year to do homework. If he was smart he would have already been doing his homework. If he hasn’t, then he has 2.5 months of homework to be doing. The buyout is $10 mil after April 1st. Thats booster money. He need to go raise the funds. He has an entire department at his disposal to help with that homework. I don’t think it will happen but it should unless Archie does better. Who cares if Archie finds out. He needs a fire kit under his arse anyway.

Best case scenario for everyone is Archie figures it out and we can keep processing. Just don’t have the faith in that happening.

Absolutely. But is he healthy is the question. If he isn’t Dolson will need other candidates. Which means to me.... an IU guy. Though I’m starting to believe that it’s worth a try with the correct setup. Someone that has some sweat equity might be what’s needed to right the ship.

Also, holding steady when you know you have the wrong guy is never a good move. This is a business and in business you have to make the right call. You spend money to make money. Go get someone with some personality and can win. That will put butts in the seats when the pandemic is over.

The more I think about it the more I think Dolson needs to make a move this off-season. The recruiting class for next year is 1 player and a transfer. If we wait another season and the struggling continues, then we make a change, that’s going to be back to back classes with subpar recruiting. That puts the next coach at a talent deficit. Making a move this spring, go find the money, gives the new coach the best set up for stability and talent. We likely lose TJD either way. But the new coach walks into a group of sophs and juniors to build around. Waiting another year and then you have players like Franklin who could graduate early and leave. This off-season is the best time for a change to have the least amount of holes.

Love Beilien but he is done coaching. You can’t call players thugs in this day and be successful at a high level. so you expect Buffalo to make a run? Seriously, the NCAA is a crapshoot. We need consistent league success, which will lead to NCAA appearances and opportunities for a run. I don’t value the “hot” coach who makes a NCAA run. There have been way too many Archie Miller’s and John Groce’s that made hay in a tournament one time and got this great reputation. Success in league is what I want. Archie didn’t have that until his conference head an exodus of quality teams, which opened the way for him to beat lesser competition. He was average when his team was comparable to other teams in his conference before the realignment. my point on Oats is he could win the SEC this year and be a top SEC team next year and that is enough track record for me to pull the plug on Archie at a lower buyout and call Oats in for an interview. There are a few others I’d also interview as well. Then pick the best of that group. However, I think Dolson will go for a IU guy like Smart or Fife. Just need to make sure we have the correct assistants to support that type of move. It’s worked for Michigan, but the assistant coaches have helped pave the way there to help Howard transition.

Age is important. He isn’t so young that he is inexperienced. He isn’t so old that he is going to struggle recruiting bc he will be retiring in a couple of years. IU isn’t firing Archie this year, but probably after another year. So if Oats does well the next 2 years, then he needs to be on a short list of candidates to be interviewed.

He was fantastic at Buffalo. 2 years to build and then 27 and 32 wins. Never finished lower than 3rd in conference at Buffalo and won the conference 2/4 years. Left for Bama. Struggled in year 1. Now in year 2 at Bama he is currently 11-3 and undefeated in the SEC, in 1st place. He plays modern basketball. Values the 3 or shot. Can coach both offense and defense. On Kenpom right now Bama is top 20 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. That’s national championship caliber good when looking at historical mind and where they ranked offensively and defensively. He is from the Midwest as well, Wisconsin. He is also still young for a coach, 46 years old.

Ok here is all the pushback I can give. The best thing for everyone is for Archie to figure it out. Bring in some transfers this off-season to help offset the loss of TJD (assume he goes pro). Lander has the game slow down for him and he is competent at PG for next year. that’s all I’ve got for pushback. I do like Archie, but I only see 1 very narrow path for him to succeed here. I don’t think he has even found the entrance to that path. I’m looking at guys like Matta (if healthy), Oats, and Musselman. edit: If I’m Dolson, I sit down with Archie at the end of the season and tell him that he will not be getting an extension. And unless he wins 25+ and make the second weekend next year he will be fired. Encourage him to look around and find something this year. See if money is a motivator or if Archie is motivated by public perception and get out while it’s his choice.

77 - 68 IU

IU - 66 Wisc - 72

I think people outside of the IU fan base think they are outdated or dumb. Kids do pay attention to gear. When Michigan football became the first football program to have Jumpman uniforms the recruits were buzzing about it. Respect the past but a program must stay relevant in all aspects to appeal to recruits. That means winning, developing, and having some style. Don’t have a weakness in the program should always be the goal.

Only if it helps get recruits. Maybe some kids don’t want to dress like a clown with candy stripes. I have my own pair of candy stripes but I know some thing they are stupid and ugly. Get with the times and be stylish. Jordan brand is a thing for a reason.

The only tradition I care about is winning. I don’t care about names on jerseys or candy stripe warmups. Just win. If kids want their names on their Uniforms then put the names on. Just win and recruit.

Lol. I’m all for recruiting Indiana but not only Indiana. Need to protect your home recruiting pipelines and get the top in state talent. At the same time get the best players to fill out a top notch roster.

PG - Yogi SG - Alford SF - Cheaney PF - Henderson C - Zeller Plenty of shooting, ball handlings, athleticism, and can play at a fast pace. just going off of players I’m old enough to remember. The 70’s glory years were before my time. :)

Coming in I thought he had a legit shot of being all big ten good. Tremendous growth he put in over the offseason. Hoping that a couple of the freshmen can make good jumps next season. Whoever Franklin worked with during the off-season is who Leal and Lander need to work with this off-season.

72-66 Illini

Be careful what you ask for. I think if we move on from Archie, Dolson will hire Alford. They were at IU at the same time, Dolson a manager while Alford played. No inside info, just trying to connect some dots. Not saying that’s who I’d go for, it’s what I think will happen.