General Coach Candidate News

[Hoosier987]

Just now, Hoosierfan2017 said:

Sounds like a repeat of 2021 where Dolson puts all his eggs in the pie in the sky Hail Mary basket and then we’re left with an underwhelming hire when that doesn’t work out. At least McCollum has coached college basketball. 

Yes, Woodson was an underwhelming hire…but it’s believed his hand was more forced last time around. It doesn’t sound like that’s the case this time around 

[68Hoosier]

Ben ******* McCollum 

This just doesn't have the same feel to it for me, LOL

[IvanRenkosillegitimatechild]

2 minutes ago, Hoosier987 said:

Actually he and Cignetti are not very similar…which has been covered extensively by others already here. also Indiana basketball is not Indiana football. It’s apples to oranges. 

How are they not similar? They both win at every stop they’ve ever been at, they both have complete confidence in themselves, they both have built programs up.

[DSUMMITT]

I'd be cool with McCollum and I'd completely understand anyone who would feel underwhelmed but I keep going back to UK and UofL for 2 reasons -
1 ) Their searches - both (from what was reported) went after the big fish hard, probably very similar to our lists and with equivalent offers to ours - no bites as far as I heard. Unfortunately, people are comfy where they are it seems 
2 ) Those same resources level the playing field - both coaches jumped into those programs hitting the ground running - a lot of the problems a big move would cause can be mitigated with todays staff, transfer portal, and NIL. Find a coach that can coach and fill in their weaknesses with key staff. Structuring staff more like the NBA helps coaches just focus on what they do - coach (plus some recruiting but that's not like it use to be before you could hire Scouts/GM i.e. Zeller if that's what he ends up doing (love to see Hulls in that position too - think he'd be drawn to players McCollum would love).

Still would pee myself if Brad is it - but I knew the odds (very low imho - I absolutely think SD put in the work but it was gonna be a battle) and I love a meh floor but a super high ceiling (more then Collins or Brownell). Just my opinion but as I said - Huss, Schertz, McCollum, or Devries are those ceiling imho. 

[JPCIVOP]

1 minute ago, 68Hoosier said:

Ben ******* McCollum 

This just doesn't have the same feel to it for me, LOL

There might be people who would say this the exact opposite way that they would invoke Brad Stevens...

[AH1971]

4 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

Sounds like a repeat of 2021 where Dolson puts all his eggs in the pie in the sky Hail Mary basket and then we’re left with an underwhelming hire when that doesn’t work out. At least McCollum has coached college basketball. 

I don't believe Dolson put all his eggs in one basketball on this one, despite what we've been told. I do believe he made an obligatory call to Stevens once Woodson's retirement was announced but don't believe it went much further than that. Poaching somebody like May, Drew, or Otzelberger was always going to be an uphill battle given the state of the program. Any other school that has missed the tournament more times than they've made it the last quarter century would be thrilled with a candidate list that included Brownell, McCollum, Collins, etc

[Hoosier987]

15 minutes ago, ap2345 said:

Trilly said he asked someone close to McCollum what it would take for him to take the IU job over Iowa. The response was to make IU a football school and move it to Iowa lol 

My friend just sent me the screenshot of Trilly saying this. Yikes lol 

[Hippopotamo]

Just now, IvanRenkosillegitimatechild said:

How are they not similar? They both win at every stop they’ve ever been at, they both have complete confidence in themselves, they both have built programs up.

If you use those as the only comparisons then that would explain basically every college coach in the history of coaching. 

[12345Brad]

3 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

Sounds like a repeat of 2021 where Dolson puts all his eggs in the pie in the sky Hail Mary basket and then we’re left with an underwhelming hire when that doesn’t work out. At least McCollum has coached college basketball. 

Dolson hired Matta with Fife.  QB forced the Woodson hire.   Hence our three-headed debacle year 1.   
 

what’s never been confirmed is if Archie’s buyout was quid pro quo from QB to hire Stevens or Woodson - or if Dolson went rogue and hired Matta/Fife. 

[Motley's]

42 minutes ago, Alistair Smash said:

I was told this morning from a friend who is tangentially connected that it’ll be McCollum. I’m not happy to report this and I’m no insider so I have no issue with this being dismissed by anyone or everyone on this board.  This is a friend who is not prone to hyperbole or gossip.  I’m confident that he 100% believes it.  He said, as you’d suspect, that they are waiting for Drake’s season to be done to announce it.

I don’t think this comports with the email tidbit from yesterday. But, I figured I share it.  

If you think about it, that's a really easy sell for an AD. 81% winning % DII, 79% conference. Four national titles. 30-3 first year D1. 

[IU05]

1 minute ago, EasyEJay said:

This board is bipolar . Literally multiple insiders come on here and alludes to Stevens , posts Florida GIFs about planes and a meeting . Even years and numbers . 
 

then bam 9 AM now we’re battling a cellar Dweller conference school for a D2 coach . Awesome stuff 

can’t wait for this coaching search to be over ! 

I hear you. While flight tracking is mostly fun, there were confirmed planes yesterday that went from Bedford Mass, Indy Exec, and Clark Regional to Opa-locka. And there's another this morning going from Indy Exec to Opa-locka. Do with that what you will.

[TadQueasy]

5 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

Sounds like a repeat of 2021 where Dolson puts all his eggs in the pie in the sky Hail Mary basket and then we’re left with an underwhelming hire when that doesn’t work out. At least McCollum has coached college basketball. 

I do not see this close to last time at all.  There are several guys that would be MAJOR upgrades over Woody if the big fish falls through.  

[Hoosierfan2017]

1 minute ago, AH1971 said:

I don't believe Dolson put all his eggs in one basketball on this one, despite what we've been told. I do believe he made an obligatory call to Stevens once Woodson's retirement was announced but don't believe it went much further than that. Poaching somebody like May, Drew, or Otzelberger was always going to be an uphill battle given the state of the program. Any other school that has missed the tournament more times than they've made it the last quarter century would be thrilled with a candidate list that included Brownell, McCollum, Collins, etc

McCollum isn’t even Iowa’s first choice, apparently. Hiring Iowa’s backup plan would be a total IU move, though. 

[SlammySammy]

1 minute ago, Hoosier987 said:

My friend just sent me the screenshot of Trilly saying this. Yikes lol 

Good lord....We can't even pull in McCollum??? We're getting Brownell...!@#!@$!$!!4

[Hippopotamo]

16 minutes ago, ap2345 said:

Trilly said he asked someone close to McCollum what it would take for him to take the IU job over Iowa. The response was to make IU a football school and move it to Iowa lol 

Fans really need to relax about McCollum potentially preferring Iowa over IU. He’s from Iowa City. Don’t overthink it. 

[CSP]

5 minutes ago, Hoosier987 said:

Actually he and Cignetti are not very similar…which has been covered extensively by others already here. also Indiana basketball is not Indiana football. It’s apples to oranges. 

I'm willing to bet they have more similarities than not. 

[TadQueasy]

5 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

Sounds like a repeat of 2021 where Dolson puts all his eggs in the pie in the sky Hail Mary basket and then we’re left with an underwhelming hire when that doesn’t work out. At least McCollum has coached college basketball. 

I do not see this close to last time at all.  There are several guys that would be MAJOR upgrades over Woody if the big fish falls through.  

[CSP]

2 minutes ago, IU05 said:

I hear you. While flight tracking is mostly fun, there were confirmed planes yesterday that went from Bedford Mass, Indy Exec, and Clark Regional to Opa-locka. And there's another this morning going from Indy Exec to Opa-locka. Do with that what you will.

what is there to do with this info? 

[Chris007]

5 minutes ago, IvanRenkosillegitimatechild said:

Who is the big fish? Unless you’re still talking about Stevens but the way you worded it makes me think you’re talking about someone else. I weirdly would be ok with it being someone like Self who is ready for a change, Few, or someone that caliber of coach.

I don't like to speak in names. I'm still talking about the same. 

[Trish]

Ben seems like the coach you land at Wisconsin or Iowa and you regret it because they'll play a style of basketball for the next 15 years and they'll be good here and there with some runs in March.

It's just not a sexy hire, could be a great hire, could blow up like Archie. If it is indeed a mid-major coach, we'll officially know the Indiana job is simply just not good anymore.