General Coach Candidate News

[HinnyHoosier]

21 minutes ago, southernindianahoosier2 said:

So Rabby is consistently saying that there's no secret deal with a coach, there's no way its stevens, that he's completely ruled out. Trilly says he hasn't heard much but doesn't think its stevens and thinks its a current coach coaching..

Do we really believe we got stevens? 

Neither are as connected at IU as they want to be although one will try to tell you otherwise. Trilly he seems to hear a lot of stuff on the college front in general based on a broad array of sources and I find it odd he hasn't heard a single thing, were it to be a current college coach.

[Hornsby]

People criticizing posters for believing Stevens isn't a realistic candidate and saying it over and over. Same people keep saying they believe he's coming over and over. One has a big piece of evidence to suggest he's not and the other has hope. Believe what you want to believe. I think many that are adamant that he's not a candidate feel that way because a) he said so and b) because they don't want to exhaust themselves with hope only to be let down. So it's a lot easier on the ol' brain and heart to just contemplate candidates that haven't said that they aren't candidates.

Is it possible. Sure. But I don't think it's likely imo. Think it will be someone else.

Sent from my SM-A146U using Tapatalk

[8bucks]

1 hour ago, Motley's said:

No one believes that he wanted to come but the family said no. That’s a fairy tale. I don’t doubt that the family didn’t want to move. That’s the only part that’s accurate. Tracy has been very openly supportive of him taking new challenges. If he really wanted it, she would have supported him. 

Hello, I am no one he said sheepishly 

[southernindianahoosier2]

4 minutes ago, HinnyHoosier said:

Neither are as connected at IU as they want to be although one will try to tell you otherwise. Trilly he seems to hear a lot of stuff on the college front in general based on a broad array of sources and I find it odd he hasn't heard a single thing, were it to be a current college coach.

Thats what makes the search the most interesting... when the Stevens rumors started he couldn't find one source. Said it was coming from the IU side, but couldn't corroborate anything with NBA guys, agents, etc. 

It feels eerily quiet. Like when we hired Archie it was very clearly 1 of 5 candidates. right now its not a peep. The Stevens denial left a sliver of hope. 

 

[Silat Player]

10 minutes ago, HinnyHoosier said:

Neither are as connected at IU as they want to be although one will try to tell you otherwise. Trilly he seems to hear a lot of stuff on the college front in general based on a broad array of sources and I find it odd he hasn't heard a single thing, were it to be a current college coach.

This to me is the most suspicious thing that might lean towards the possibility of Stevens. There should be some kind of noise out there about agents (or other reps of college coaches) being contacted by IU and prelim talks going on. I know they're lawyers and all, but it seems like this kind of stuff does get leaked. Friends of coaches, family of coaches, etc.. leaking this stuff.

There just hasn't been much info regarding college coaches being leaked. 

That being said, I'll say what I've said all along. I know I'm in the vast minority here, but I wouldn't be all that sad to not get Stevens. I know he's been super successful, but I'm not sure what you get from a guy who hasn't been in the college game for over a decade. 

I would also be a little bit worried about whether or not his heart would really be in it. He's turned IU down a couple of times already. After coaching in the pros and then being in the front office, would he really have the same hunger to do the day-to-day coaching activities with 18 or 19 year olds like he did when he was at the start of his career? 

It's a fair question at this point...

[TheWatShot]

6 minutes ago, Silat Player said:

That being said, I'll say what I've said all along. I know I'm in the vast minority here, but I wouldn't be all that sad to not get Stevens. I know he's been super successful, but I'm not sure what you get from a guy who hasn't been in the college game for over a decade. 

You get a guy with a proven track record who knows as much about the game as anyone and would absolutely kill it here with our resources and the support he would get. 

 

The college game more closely resembles the NBA now compared to a decade ago. 

[rcbowla]

24 minutes ago, HoosierInParadise said:

30 minutes ago, rcbowla said:

I also think the Stevens belief has skewed a lot of people's perceptions of what a good hire would be. I get the impression many Stevens believers wouldn't be happy with a Drew, Beard, Otz, McDermott, you name him. That's because now nothing will hit that dopamine the same as a Brad hire.

I would be excited for all those guys. You are right though, there would be a letdown for a day or two. Then people will get behind the new guy...

I also believe this is true. People will come around after some time

[tyappleg]

My personal mental viewpoint heading into March will be:

10% Stevens (don't want to give up all hope; as I do believe several posters here are indeed hearing what they are posting here from legit boosters)

10% Scott Drew (Best coach I think we have an outside shot with)

10% TJ Otz (Best younger coach we may have a shot with who I think still has yet to reach his peak)

70% The Field

I'd really love it if it didn't get to "The Field", but I'm mentally prepared this time around if it does.  There are plenty of good coaches in the field, but I think all are at least a tier below those 3. 

[Gnet550]

Just echoing what others have said……the people who find the need to come in here and antagonize people because they believe it’s Stevens….need to find a new hobby. Maybe they are completely wrong, maybe they aren’t. No one really knows and  if RTZ, Chris, and Jerry post what they hear we are all grown up enough to put our big boy pants on and decipher rather we want to believe it or not. No need to attack those posters or other guys who believe. Go whine on a Purdue board or something, good grief…..

[DSUMMITT]

Tony's usually pretty spot on if I remember right - others said the same. 

Edited February 25, 2025 by DSUMMITT

[Unexpectedflash]

4 minutes ago, DSUMMITT said:

Tony's usually pretty spot on if I remember right - others said the same. 

Lmao his next comment was how much he loves Woody as a coach. How quickly things can change

[AZ Hoosier]

9 minutes ago, Unexpectedflash said:

Lmao his next comment was how much he loves Woody as a coach. How quickly things can change

Yeah, that makes his take pretty lame... have to weigh everything he says against "love Woody & am happy he's the coach"...

[JustWinBaby]

9 minutes ago, Unexpectedflash said:

Lmao his next comment was how much he loves Woody as a coach. How quickly things can change

We all tried to talk ourselves into that hire as best we could despite it making no sense on the surface.

He was a semi-successful NBA coach, and that's a significant step up from college coaching -- so people hoped that it would translate.

Thad Matta was being brought in to help direct the program, so people were hopeful that meant that Woodson's lack of college experience, especially with recruiting, would be negated by a highly successful former college coach.

He was a Bob Knight protegé, and people were hopeful that he could bottle that up and find some success via his legacy.

 

There were legitimate reasons to think that he could have worked out here. The issue is that ultimately there were character deficits and a lack of work ethic that prevented him from achieving what is possible here. His coaching performances against Purdue are proof that he can execute an excellent gameplan and get his guys to buy in. He just never could do it consistently. That requires a level of effort, energy, and focus 365 days a year that he just did not have to give to the program.

[moyemayhem]

7 minutes ago, Silat Player said:

That being said, I'll say what I've said all along. I know I'm in the vast minority here, but I wouldn't be all that sad to not get Stevens. I know he's been super successful, but I'm not sure what you get from a guy who hasn't been in the college game for over a decade. 

I would also be a little bit worried about whether or not his heart would really be in it. He's turned IU down a couple of times already. After coaching in the pros and then being in the front office, would he really have the same hunger to do the day-to-day coaching activities with 18 or 19 year olds like he did when he was at the start of his career? 

It's a fair question at this point...

Regarding your concern about Stevens’ hunger for the day to day coaching activities… In what world is the Team President of the NBA Champion Boston Celtics moving back to Indiana to be a college head coach without being fully committed?  Most people outside Indiana fans are laughing at the mere concept.  Only someone that has an emotional connection to this job would even consider making that move.  If Stevens is moving to Bloomington to coach the Hoosiers, there is no doubt his heart is in it.

[HoosierInParadise]

Tony's usually pretty spot on if I remember right - others said the same. 

Tony tells stories of myth and legend....

[Magnanimous]

Let’s debate something we can actually resolve before the NCAAT, since no one on this board, the interwebs, or the outer sphere has a “con-flabbin” clue who the next coach will be or has an actual say in any of this. So…top 10 Westerns:

1) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2) The Searchers

3) Once Upon a Time in the West

4) Stagecoach

5) Django Unchained

6) Shane

7) The Outlaw Josey Wales

8) Rio Bravo

9) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

10) The Magnificent Seven

Now tell me why Unforgiven, either True Grit, the rest of the Dollars trilogy, Tombstone, The Wild Bunch, Ben McCollum and the Sundance Kid, High Noon, Blazing Saddles (or others) should replace anything on this list. 

[Goober]

5 minutes ago, Magnanimous said:

Let’s debate something we can actually resolve before the NCAAT, since no one on this board, the interwebs, or the outer sphere has a “con-flabbin” clue who the next coach will be or has an actual say in any of this. So…top 10 Westerns:

1) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2) The Searchers

3) Once Upon a Time in the West

4) Stagecoach

5) Django Unchained

6) Shane

7) The Outlaw Josey Wales

8) Rio Bravo

9) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

10) The Magnificent Seven

Now tell me why Unforgiven, either True Grit, the rest of the Dollars trilogy, Tombstone, The Wild Bunch, Ben McCollum and the Sundance Kid, High Noon, Blazing Saddles (or others) should replace anything on this list. 

Million Ways to Die in the West

because  Charlize Theron is hot

 

[ziggyiu]

25 minutes ago, Magnanimous said:

Let’s debate something we can actually resolve before the NCAAT, since no one on this board, the interwebs, or the outer sphere has a “con-flabbin” clue who the next coach will be or has an actual say in any of this. So…top 10 Westerns:

1) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2) The Searchers

3) Once Upon a Time in the West

4) Stagecoach

5) Django Unchained

6) Shane

7) The Outlaw Josey Wales

8) Rio Bravo

9) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

10) The Magnificent Seven

Now tell me why Unforgiven, either True Grit, the rest of the Dollars trilogy, Tombstone, The Wild Bunch, Ben McCollum and the Sundance Kid, High Noon, Blazing Saddles (or others) should replace anything on this list. 

Unforgiven because the storytelling is so taut. Not a wasted scene or line. 

True Grit (Cohen Bros remake) because it's rich with diverse characters. 

For a Few Dollars More because Lee Van Cleef.

Have you seen The Great Silence? Duck, You Sucker? Death Rides a Horse? Day of Anger? My Name is Nobody? 

Don't sleep on Randolph Scott, Lee Van Cleef, Henry Fonda, T. J. Otzelberger, James Coburn, Kirk Douglas, and Robert Duvall.

There are a lot of great ones with more experience--having proven themselves across different eras, working with a different casts, and being the star of big productions. ; )

[Muskie plays the four]

34 minutes ago, Magnanimous said:

Let’s debate something we can actually resolve before the NCAAT, since no one on this board, the interwebs, or the outer sphere has a “con-flabbin” clue who the next coach will be or has an actual say in any of this. So…top 10 Westerns:

1) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2) The Searchers

3) Once Upon a Time in the West

4) Stagecoach

5) Django Unchained

6) Shane

7) The Outlaw Josey Wales

8) Rio Bravo

9) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

10) The Magnificent Seven

Now tell me why Unforgiven, either True Grit, the rest of the Dollars trilogy, Tombstone, The Wild Bunch, Ben McCollum and the Sundance Kid, High Noon, Blazing Saddles (or others) should replace anything on this list. 

Ox bow incident , Winchester 73 , Quigley down under , Sacketts , the wild bunch , the propostion , Monte Walsh , Cat ballu , Pat Garret and Billy kid, Red River , Lonesome Dove  and all the pretty horses 

[Hoosierfan1901]

Who needs a coach when there’s conference tournament games on Sunday