IU Prof

Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.

Could also explain slow rolling the interview on IU's end.

I think someone mentioned earlier that Oats' buyout drops precipitously after the first year. Here are some more details: https://www.al.com/alabamabasketball/2021/02/details-on-nate-oats-new-19-million-contract-buyout-structure.html Definitely doesn't seem like the structure that someone 100% committed to staying in Tuscaloosa long-term would seek. It's also interesting that he signed a big (for them) extension with Buffalo just a couple weeks before leaving for Alabama.

All speculation, but I was just thinking that I'd put the odds at ~80-85% that the next coach is on this list: Beard, Beilein, Drew, Musselman, and Oats.

FWIW re Oats, Buffalo was a Nike school too.

Regarding Nate Oats, I think it's certainly plausible he could want to remain at Alabama. It gives him an opportunity to routinely be in the mix for Final Fours and National Championships, without the spotlight that comes with a basketball-first school (ala Holtmann). But it's also possible that he'd rather be at a basketball-first school, and a top 5 or 6 program historically, along with an opportunity to return to the Midwest. Only Oats knows. If it were UNC, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, or UCLA hiring a coach, though, I don't think anyone would be surprised if someone like Oats decided to accept the offer even if Alabama was paying him good money. There are only so many blue blood job opportunities available. So for that reason, it isn't crazy to think that Oats (or Beard, Drew, etc.) would view IU desirably even if they are generally content where they are.

Weird. Stevens really isn't very good with words off the top of his head.

What'd he say?

Why the 27th?

I'm a big Oats fan. He was building a monster at Buffalo, and has hit the ground running at Alabama. The MAC tends to play a more physical style of ball, similar to the B1G, so I believe his style would translate to IU. My concern is, if you are Oats, why sign a new contract with a big buyout a few weeks ago if you are interested in IU. He had to know the job could come open, and that a $12 million buyout would hamper his negotiating leverage should IU reach out.

There usually is a black SUV around there. Doubt it means anything.

Yeah, I get that. I edited my post above to clarify what I was saying. It's not clear what a simple physical is going to tell us that would disprove whatever Matta feels about his health. Are we worried about his cholesterol? His white blood cell count? His back, specifically? If the back, what exactly is the standard we are using to determine if he's healthy enough to coach? In the abstract the idea sounds plausible, but the specifics don't actually make much sense.

Interesting. If true, that would mean the IU Athletic Department's immediate squashing of that rumor was untruthful. I'm still skeptical, just because I don't even know what a failed physical would mean in this context. What would we be concerned about specifically that would physically prevent him from taking the job? It just doesn't pass the smell test to me, no offense intended Chris (I know you are just passing along what you heard, which I appreciate)! Edit: I get that he has health issues that could prevent him from giving it his all, but it's not clear what a doctor would tell us in that regard that would cause us to discount Matta's own assessment of his condition.

I'd also add that I wouldn't place any urgency on the search just because a few guys enter the portal. The program needs a massive infusion of talent. Losing a few current players, even someone like Franklin, might be a step back next year, but is a small price to pay for getting the right hire in place for the long-term.

It seems to me it makes perfect sense that Dolson would move from Stevens to interviewing retirees and IU grads. All of the other top candidates were still coaching until this past weekend, so it would make perfect sense to get the interviews with the others out of the way while you wait for your top candidates to free up. That way you can say you covered all your bases, and don't waste the down time.

On the plus side, if we hire an inexperienced IU alum we'll be in a position to go back through another failed pursuit of Brad Stevens in 4 or 5 years...

Agree with this entirety. If it ends up being Beilein after we've kicked the tires on Beard, Musselman, Oats, etc., I could live with that. But if it's Beilein this week, then no.

Didn't mean it as a gotcha, just that it would suggest that there is a backup plan in place!

Love the info you bring, but a week ago didn't you say on HSN that your source said it wasn't Stevens, but that everyone would be happy with the hire?

I'm not sure what a physical for a HC position would entail. Would that even be legal under the ADA? This seems highly unlikely to me.

re Bennett, someone also mentioned on the HSN board that they'd heard that Dolson had floated that name specifically by some Indiana AAU coaches. That then would support this Kendrick guy having heard something. That having been said, I still think it's a longshot at best.

Beilein makes the most sense to me if all these disparate rumors are linked and true. He is an innovative guy offensively, has NBA experience now, etc. Recruited Lander. And unlike Bennett or Beard, which would be pretty fast hires given when they were eliminated, Beilein's timeline works better here after Stevens spurned us. That having been said, Beilein is still my 6th choice, but if it's a done deal that's the best guess right now, I think.

Happy to be wrong, but I don't see why Bennett would take the job at this point. Not only the sister issue, but he's now fully established as a national championship coach in Charlottesville. Don't see the motivation for him to start over at this point.

I'm a big believer in geographic fits. Enfield has never coached or recruited in the Midwest (at the collegiate level). His current roster is almost all from Cali, with the only three kids from east of the Mississippi all being transfers. That's a major negative for me. He hasn't been successful enough to overcome that, IMO. Realize the same could be said of Beard, but his success has been at a level where I'd be comfortable taking him on. And his recruiting at Texas Tech has been more national.

My only concern with Drew is whether he burned any bridges with the Indiana HS/AAU circuit with the whole threatening to deport the recruit business. If not, he and Beard are neck-and-neck at the top of my board.