General Coach Candidate News

[Chris007 42,431]

4 minutes ago, monskisprodigy said:

Honest question. If Matta doesn't fall into the good category, who in your opinion does? 

Personally, I'd take a coach who had sustained success at OSU prior to his health failing him, than an up and coming coach who has had a few years of success. 

Chris Beard buyout is 3 million. After that, it would need to be someone a little higher up the ladder than Matta. 

[Hoosierfan2017 19,983]

6 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

He's old, doesn't have great health, and was mediocre at the end of his OSU run

He's only 53. Even though he looks a decade or two older than him, he's three years younger than Steve Alford. I'd love to hire a guy who is in his early 40s because then he could stick around for ~30 years, but I'm willing to sacrifice that for a proven coach. He was mediocre at the end of his tenure at OSU, but I wonder how much of that was because of his health. Idk the extent of his health issues, though, so I'd only want him if that all checks out. 

[Chris007 42,431]

Just now, Hoosierfan2017 said:

He's only 53. Even though he looks a decade or two older than him, he's three years younger than Steve Alford. I'd love to hire a guy who is in his early 40s because then he could stick around for ~30 years, but I'm willing to sacrifice that for a proven coach. He was mediocre at the end of his tenure at OSU, but I wonder how much of that was because of his health. Idk the extent of his health issues, though, so I'd only want him if that all checks out. 

Yes his health was back troubles if I remember correctly. Do back problems ever really heal up? I just think we can do better, but I'm probably wrong. 

[Hovadipo 53,155]

18 minutes ago, Ryno6284 said:

Why does it seem like Thad is 63, not 53?

Because his back is 73. 

[Hoosierfan2017 19,983]

1 minute ago, Chris007 said:

Yes his health was back troubles if I remember correctly. Do back problems ever really heal up? I just think we can do better, but I'm probably wrong. 

Hopefully it's a few decades before I have to worry about back problems, lol. 

I'm pessimistic about the attractiveness of the IU job right now. I don't think we could get someone better than Matta, or at least a proven coach like him. We might be able to get a promising up-and-comer, but after trying that with Archie, I'd rather go with a proven Big 10 guy in Matta and hope his health holds up than go the young guy route and hope he can succeed at this level. If we could get Chris Beard I'd go with him over Matta any day, but I doubt that would happen. 

[NashvilleHoosier 3,639]

3 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

Yes his health was back troubles if I remember correctly. Do back problems ever really heal up? I just think we can do better, but I'm probably wrong. 

I had no idea what his health problems were, had only heard about health problems. A quick google search came across this article: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/thad-matta-health-issues-fired-ohio-state-basketball-gene-smith-replacement/1ukvoms8p6h341fluuxdaat6uf

It would be pretty easy to directly correlate the decline in his health the decline in his coaching performance at the end at OSU. 4 years later and he's not yet coaching again makes it a huge question whether he's improved enough to consider it. And to what degree his "improvement" can be linked to the fact that he's just simply not out performing this incredibly demanding job anymore. It's a hard no for me until there is definitive proof he has made significant health improvements. I feel for him as his incredibly promising career was derailed b/c of something out of his control. But we can't be the guinea pig to see if he can perform at that level again. 

[woodenshoemanHoosierfan 6,148]

He's old, doesn't have great health, and was mediocre at the end of his OSU run

53 is old? Damn. I'm 55. Thanks for telling me I'm old!

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[monskisprodigy 1,770]

15 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

Yes his health was back troubles if I remember correctly. Do back problems ever really heal up? I just think we can do better, but I'm probably wrong. 

If his back is healthy, I am all for the hire. 

2 Final fours, 1 Final, 2 elite 8's, 4 sweet 16's. 5 time Big Ten Champs (2 ties) and 4 big ten tourney titles. Made the NCAA tournament 9 of his last 10 seasons, and won the NIT one of the three years he didn't get an NCAA birth. 

That is the type of sustained success I am looking for. And only being 53. Sign me up if that back is good to go. 

[Chris007 42,431]

Just now, woodenshoemanHoosierfan said:

53 is old? Damn. I'm 55. Thanks for telling me I'm old!

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

Sorry, but in the coaching world, it's old to me. Would you want to take over a basketball program at your age?

[monskisprodigy 1,770]

1 minute ago, NashvilleHoosier said:

I had no idea what his health problems were, had only heard about health problems. A quick google search came across this article: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/thad-matta-health-issues-fired-ohio-state-basketball-gene-smith-replacement/1ukvoms8p6h341fluuxdaat6uf

It would be pretty easy to directly correlate the decline in his health the decline in his coaching performance at the end at OSU. 4 years later and he's not yet coaching again makes it a huge question whether he's improved enough to consider it. And to what degree his "improvement" can be linked to the fact that he's just simply not out performing this incredibly demanding job anymore. It's a hard no for me until there is definitive proof he has made significant health improvements. I feel for him as his incredibly promising career was derailed b/c of something out of his control. But we can't be the guinea pig to see if he can perform at that level again. 

I read an article where he had an offer in hand from Georgia. Ended up turning down 5 years $16 million, quoted saying he "Wasn't complete ready to give Georgia what they deserve at this point". So, could read into that several ways. He was also linked to the Wichita State job.

[Chris007 42,431]

3 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

Hopefully it's a few decades before I have to worry about back problems, lol. 

I'm pessimistic about the attractiveness of the IU job right now. I don't think we could get someone better than Matta, or at least a proven coach like him. We might be able to get a promising up-and-comer, but after trying that with Archie, I'd rather go with a proven Big 10 guy in Matta and hope his health holds up than go the young guy route and hope he can succeed at this level. If we could get Chris Beard I'd go with him over Matta any day, but I doubt that would happen. 

The only reason I'm even considering Beard is the Knight connections. Chris & Pat Knight are still best friends, Bob is back in Bloomington so maybe that could swing Chris in taking the job. 

[Hovadipo 53,155]

The good thing about Matta is that he had sustained success at a football school, which we now are. 

[woodenshoemanHoosierfan 6,148]

Sorry, but in the coaching world, it's old to me. Would you want to take over a basketball program at your age?

If I was healthy, yes

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[Hoosierfan2017 19,983]

4 minutes ago, monskisprodigy said:

If his back is healthy, I am all for the hire. 

2 Final fours, 1 Final, 2 elite 8's, 4 sweet 16's. 5 time Big Ten Champs (2 ties). Made the NCAA tournament 9 of his last 10 seasons, and won the NIT one of the three years he didn't get an NCAA birth. 

That is the type of sustained success I am looking for. And only being 53. Sign me up if that back is good to go. 

He also won the Big 10 tournament four times and won the A10 tournament twice in three years at Xavier. I know that's something a number of posters have wanted in a candidate, and I agree. A lot of coaches have struck lightening and went to a final four or an elite eight. Winning a conference tournament, especially in a conference as strong as the Big 10, is tough to do. 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,298]

5 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

He also won the Big 10 tournament four times and won the A10 tournament twice in three years at Xavier. I know that's something a number of posters have wanted in a candidate, and I agree. A lot of coaches have struck lightening and went to a final four or an elite eight. Winning a conference tournament, especially in a conference as strong as the Big 10, is tough to do. 

Yea... Well like... Archie beat Matta during his Elite Eight run so like... Archie is obviously way better. 

[kreigh8 2,008]

34 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

Chris Beard buyout is 3 million. After that, it would need to be someone a little higher up the ladder than Matta. 

Why does 3 million sound doable regardless of the revenue issues with the athletic program? If Stevens is truly a pipe dream, which I have no reason to believe it's anything but that, Beard would be quite an attractive option. His Knight relationship might become problematic for him, but we're nearly 20 years since he coached here. If not Stevens, throw me into the Beard camp.

[Chris007 42,431]

1 minute ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

Yea... Well like... Archie beat Matta during his Elite Eight run so like... Archie is obviously way better. 

Didn't he come from the Matta coaching tree?

[Chris007 42,431]

Just now, kreigh8 said:

Why does 3 million sound doable regardless of the revenue issues with the athletic program? If Stevens is truly a pipe dream, which I have no reason to believe it's anything but that, Beard would be quite an attractive option. His Knight relationship might become problematic for him, but we're nearly 20 years since he coached here. If not Stevens, throw me into the Beard camp.

I think the Knight relationship might actually help IU

[Trish 11,417]

15 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

The good thing about Matta is that he had sustained success at a football school, which we now are. 

Until we win a bowl game.. we're not Bama yet. We're on the right road though!

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,298]

2 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

Didn't he come from the Matta coaching tree?

I believe he was on his staff for a couple seasons at Ohio State. I think right after Oden and Conley. 07/08 and 08/09. 

Ohio State went 24-13 and missed the tourney and then 22-11 and lost in the first round. Then Archie went to Arizona and was with them for Sean's first two seasons there in 09/10 and 10/11. Arizona went 16-14 the first season missing the NCAAs and then 30-8 and Elite Eight appearance.