General Coach Candidate News

[JustWinBaby]

Just now, Trish said:

The Cronin talk is just silly. I've been around the guy, he's not the guy you want for the job. He's not a Dolson guy, that's for damn sure. 

Yeah I don't see him ever being the guy here, just screams "bad fit" to me. We don't need another bad fit like Archie.

[rcbowla]

10 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

It doesn't, but keep in mind it's written by the LA Times... A few things that caught my eye... don't think he'd have a problem winning over our fanbase talking like this... 

 

"Having compiled a 499-231 record in 22 seasons, Cronin, 53, would become the youngest active Division I college basketball coach with 500 victories should his team prevail. Cronin likes to say he’s chasing banners, not wins.

Rather than reiterate that he’s not leaving UCLA or disarm the question with his mantra that he loves living in L.A. because he “turns left on Sunset” Boulevard, Cronin talked about the unforgiving nature of fans.

“I would say some people might be happy because some people are probably on [message] boards wanting me fired,” Cronin said with a laugh when asked what he would tell UCLA fans concerned about seeing him listed as a candidate for the Indiana job on message boards.

“And I’m being dead serious. Your popularity rating when you’re a coach, you have to check your ego — they booed [Arkansas coach] John Calipari at Kentucky, OK? You know what he did there? … So I’m well aware that I might be on a board for a job, but my board, somebody might want me to lose my job and I know I’m laughing, but I’m being serious, man. We get our @$$ beat Tuesday [against Minnesota], go ahead and check our boards.”

Self-awareness..... from a HC? Weird

[IUHoosier5]

Someone super young who hasn’t been mentioned yet: Digger Phelps. 

[Truthhurts]

Given 1) Drew seems like such a uniquely perfect fit for Baylor 2) he does not at all seem like a fit for IU, and 3) he just turned down Kentucky, I just don’t see it happening. 
 

He’s a hell of a coach and he’d have success at IU, and I’m not saying the odds are 0 because idk what Baylor’s NIL situation looks like, but it just doesn’t make sense to me. 
 

Dusty snd Cronin both seem far more likely. 

Edited February 18, 2025 by Truthhurts

[VFury]

16 minutes ago, Trish said:

The Cronin talk is just silly. I've been around the guy, he's not the guy you want for the job. He's not a Dolson guy, that's for damn sure. 

Not to mention the huge buyout. It's just not gonna happen.

[TTT]

IU doesn’t need another bald head coach back to back.

[MrBBall]

1 minute ago, TTT said:

IU doesn’t need another bald head coach back to back.

You’re a follicleist. 

[HoosierX]

1 hour ago, Ryno6284 said:

I thought Joe Hillman was a Woody guy?

I'm sure he was at some point. He gives off a real "not in my backyard" vibe.

[Pagoda]

38 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

I thought someone said his wife wasn’t supportive of the move to Lexington is the reason he stayed at Baylor. They couldn’t find a church they liked. I think he’s a home run hire but a little too religious for me but I’ll support him if he’s the guy. 

I don't know the exact reason, that could be it. 

Someone told me in Waco he built a huge house (are those called compounds down there?  zing!) where they have broader/extended family living with them.  They seem entrenched in that town and school in a way we can't replicate.  If Brad had three other votes to deal with, Scott may have 10+!  Admittedly there are no public details on his house, so I have to trust the person I heard this from.

He would be a very good hire -- he knows how to win big.  Fit just doesn't seem likely.

 

[KNOBYDOX]

March 2 doesn’t work for me. Brad will just have to change the date to the third.

[HoosierHoopster]

5 minutes ago, TTT said:

IU doesn’t need another bald head coach back to back.

Wait, what??!!

As a, uh, thinning hair guy, I take personal offense! 

[Chris007]

36 minutes ago, Hoosier Guy said:

Same.  My wife tells me I’m obsessed with this entire situation.  I give her the “it’s only a hire that will determine if IU is good at basketball ever again” explanation.  It’s a valid explanation.

I get that too. My wife says you know their not hiring a coach for another month put your phone down.

[IUHAHN81]

2 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

I get that too. My wife says you know their not hiring a coach for another month put your phone down.

It's like fishing man, it's that NEXT CAST that you don't make. The ONE DAY u don't check in, could be the biggest news drop of um all! Can't risk that sh*t Chris. Can't risk it buddy! Stay strong! 

[OliviaPope40]

Would you guys allow me to get caught up on the rest of the board there are threads I completely forgot about.

[Chris007]

32 minutes ago, JustWinBaby said:

I was told we'd be seeing a Brad Stevens-to-Indiana announcement yesterday, what happened?

On a serious note, I'm willing to hold out hope he may come and there's a lot going on behind the scenes we aren't privy to. I see and hear rumblings in various places that the Stevens saga isn't over. Only time will tell I guess. Odds are we've still got 6+ weeks to go before we'll know much of anything for certain.

However, I'm super stoked about Dusty May and I don't think that anyone should feel like it's a significant step down from Brad Stevens. If anything, we're more likely to be winning games with more immediacy given that Dusty is a *current* college coach and Stevens would be making a stark adjustment (yes he's done the job before, but that was 10+ years ago).

Also, I gotta say it's pretty funny seeing how everyone went from "if it's Cronin I'm out" to "I'm warming up to Cronin" in a span of about 72 hours. I guess throwing names around like Buzz Williams, Brad Brownell, and Mark Turgeon is having the intended effect haha

I remember one guy predicting we wouldn’t hear anything till right before the NCAA tournament. But that seems like years away right now. I feel like a kid again riding in the backseat asking if we’re there yet. I’m still Brad or Dusty and I trust Scott to get it done. 

[Mopladysman]

34 minutes ago, Trish said:

The Cronin talk is just silly. I've been around the guy, he's not the guy you want for the job. He's not a Dolson guy, that's for damn sure. 

Hope your right but what type of a guy is a dolson type of guy 

[woodenshoemanHoosierfan]

My thoughts

Stevens- I never bought the rumors and will only believe he will be the coach when he has signed and is announced. 

May- my number 1 and way more realistic than Stevens. Will he leave Michigan after 1 year? We shall see. F you Buckner!

Otzelberger- my 1b. If we could entice him here. I woukd be ecstatic. If we can offer BS the money that has been rumored, we can afford his buyout.

McCasland- would love this, but supposedly isn't leaving Texas. I would definitely reach out to him.

Pearl- great coach, but I'm torn. I don't like Illinois, but liked what he did during the DT recruitment even less. Having said that, I will support him if he is hired.

Beard- I am very much a no on him because of the DV incident. Rarely is DV a one time thing. If IU does a very deep dive into this incident and finds out it never happened before or since, I could support him. As of right now, though, I am a no.

McCollum-I like the way he coaches. But would the fan base be patient. If he would be hired, I will support him.

I would support Cronin, but not in love with the hire.

I saw a post a few days ago that he was talking to someone who was not currently coaching. I would love to see that be Bennett or even try to pull Jay Wright back. I can't see either.

Sorry for the long post

[IUHAHN81]

3 minutes ago, Mopladysman said:

Hope your right but what type of a guy is a dolson type of guy 

He likes a lot of BS in his life ;)

[Mopladysman]

3 minutes ago, IUHAHN81 said:

He likes a lot of BS in his life ;)

Should have kept Woodson.

[OKHOOSIER]

53 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

It doesn't, but keep in mind it's written by the LA Times... A few things that caught my eye... don't think he'd have a problem winning over our fanbase talking like this... 

 

"Having compiled a 499-231 record in 22 seasons, Cronin, 53, would become the youngest active Division I college basketball coach with 500 victories should his team prevail. Cronin likes to say he’s chasing banners, not wins.

Rather than reiterate that he’s not leaving UCLA or disarm the question with his mantra that he loves living in L.A. because he “turns left on Sunset” Boulevard, Cronin talked about the unforgiving nature of fans.

“I would say some people might be happy because some people are probably on [message] boards wanting me fired,” Cronin said with a laugh when asked what he would tell UCLA fans concerned about seeing him listed as a candidate for the Indiana job on message boards.

“And I’m being dead serious. Your popularity rating when you’re a coach, you have to check your ego — they booed [Arkansas coach] John Calipari at Kentucky, OK? You know what he did there? … So I’m well aware that I might be on a board for a job, but my board, somebody might want me to lose my job and I know I’m laughing, but I’m being serious, man. We get our @$$ beat Tuesday [against Minnesota], go ahead and check our boards.”

Am I crazy or does this really sound like he’s politicking for our job lol, hard to not see that as a shot direct across Woodys bow. Ego, booing, message board noise? That seems awfully close to home. Or maybe UCLA fans want him as fired as we wanted Woody.