General Coach Candidate News

[PartyintheVillas]

1 minute ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

There isn’t a “uniquely Indiana” culture. The Indiana culture was really just Bob Knight culture. The past 25 years have shown that IU is just another school without Knight. So, if you want to bring back that culture, bring back a coach with a Bob Knight mentality.

Not saying that’s the perfect move to make, but that’s Beard. 

Bob Knight didn’t work at Indiana after 1993. He wouldn’t work here today. It’s 2025. Hanging on to Bob Knight culture has been part of the problem at times. Many coaches have connections to Bob knight and have failed: Mike Woodson, Randy Wittman, Isiah Thomas, Pat Knight, etc. maybe it was just that Bob knight was a basketball genius in the 70s and 80s.

[Scotty R]

14 minutes ago, MikeRoberts said:

Beard 

I doubt he brings the kind of Culture IU is looking for

[Hoosier987]

2 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

I disagree. While his resume is not top ten candidate worthy, if we are researching him, interview him, and think he’s truly uniquely special? Then he immediately becomes a top tier option.

That’s up to Scott Dolson to decide. I don’t think it will come to the point of a McCollum hire.

[PartyintheVillas]

1 minute ago, jimsorgi said:

I'd gamble on the upside of McCollum, but I totally understand this perspective. 

I can understand this take, it’s a gamble. I’m not convinced he can be a CEO as much as a basketball coach though. Indiana requires that, and I’d like proof first.

[Ryno6284]

Scott is going to make Wade a strong a$$ offer!

[Stuhoo]

16 minutes ago, jimsorgi said:

I'd gamble on the upside of McCollum, but I totally understand this perspective. 

I’d say it differently. Gotta trust the very smart people who have complete access and insight into the process.

Dolson is a very talented and experienced basketball guy.

So while I don’t think it’ll be Beard, if it is? That means our very smart basketball AD fully vetted his personal issues.

If it’s Wade? That means our very smart basketball AD fully vetted his NCAA issues.

If it’s McCollum? That means our very smart basketball AD fully vetted his D1 inexperience issues.

[jimsorgi]

Just now, PartyintheVillas said:

I can understand this take, it’s a gamble. I’m not convinced he can be a CEO as much as a basketball coach though. Indiana requires that, and I’d like proof first.

That's certainly reasonable. I'm optimistic that could support him with a really strong GM to help navigate some of the high D1 roster construction, and he would definitely need that. But not a guarantee and I cannot fault your skepticism. 

[Hoosierfan2017]

3 minutes ago, PartyintheVillas said:

Bob Knight didn’t work at Indiana after 1993. He wouldn’t work here today. It’s 2025. Hanging on to Bob Knight culture has been part of the problem at times. Many coaches have connections to Bob knight and have failed: Mike Woodson, Randy Wittman, Isiah Thomas, Pat Knight, etc. maybe it was just that Bob knight was a basketball genius in the 70s and 80s.

Mike Woodson the coach is about as far away from Bob Knight culture as one can possibly get. 

[MikeRoberts]

14 minutes ago, MrBBall said:

Agree but it’s not beard. I promise. High donors have already said they won’t support it. I highly doubt Dolson divides that room. 
 

don’t mean to sound rude. Apologies. I just kindly disagree that bears would be hired. That’s all

All good, that’s what we’re here for. We need a winning culture, that could be like 10 guys perhaps, time will tell

[jimsorgi]

Just now, Stuhoo said:

I’d say it differently. Gotta trust the very smart people who have complete access and insight into the process.

Dolson is a very talented and experienced basketball guy.

So while I don’t think it’ll be Beard, if it is that means our very smart basketball AD fully vetted his personal issues.

If it’s Wade? That means our very smart basketball AD fully vetted his NCAA issues.

If it’s McCollum? That means our very smart basketball AD fully vetted his D1 inexperience issues.

Good point as well. We shouldn't assume that Dolson is working off the same information as we have because there's every reason to believe he has superior information. 

[Scotty R]

16 minutes ago, PartyintheVillas said:

There are far more failures than successes so many more so it's easier to anecdotally point out the successes. If we're using data in this way, a mid major hire would be extremely risky. You have to 100% know, without a doubt, it's a winning bet. 

Of course there are hit and misses. What I am trying to show is that getting other top power conference coaches to leave is not very likely. There have been very few top jobs where you see a successful power conference coach leave for another one.

If you want a power conference coach it will more than likely be Beard, who I don't want or Brownell, Buzz Williams. If it was up to me I take McCollum over those type of coaches.

[Hoosier987]

8 minutes ago, Scotty R said:

All I am saying that those top power 4 coaches are more than likely not leaving their current job. I just think all of these rumors are going to get some of you upset because we probably are not going to get a top coach from a power conference.

Stevens very, very doubtful 

May No

TJO doubtful 

Drew doubtful 

Wright No

Bennett No

Few very, very doubtful 

After this who do you really think that a realistic candidate. Like I have said I would take my chances in McCollum over Beard

I understand your logic. Past history shows these would be “no’s.” Let’s see what happens…I have a feeling Dolson is getting a good one here.

[Stuhoo]

11 minutes ago, jimsorgi said:

Good point as well. We shouldn't assume that Dolson is working off the same information as we have because there's every reason to believe he has superior information. 

Scott Dolson 1,000,000% has superior information.

That’s why I found that video stating that Dusty regularly talks up McCollum so interesting. Dusty is one of us even if he is at Michigan. And Dusty is tight with Dolson.

[Hoosierfan2017]

6 minutes ago, jimsorgi said:

I'd gamble on the upside of McCollum, but I totally understand this perspective. 

I’m sure McCollum knows his X’s and O’s, but I just have no interest in hiring a guy who has to learn every other aspect of the job on the fly. Can he schmooze with donors? Can he handle the egos that come with recruiting million dollar teenagers? How does he handle 15k hostile road crowds? Plenty of guys across industries are stars at lower levels but can’t cut it at the very top. In no circumstance should a school of IU’s brand and NIL funds have to gamble on McCollum being a guy who can. 

[Scotty R]

14 minutes ago, jimsorgi said:

To state it differently: no coaches with McCollum's background have succeeded OR failed at IU's level. Absolutely inherent risk in that. 

Nate Oats was a high school coach and within 8 years he got the Alabama job. Also there is a risk with anyone you hire

[MikeRoberts]

20 minutes ago, PartyintheVillas said:

What about Beard would be uniquely Indiana? The man has never lived here or coached in Indiana. He's built the same culture at Texas Tech, Texas, and Ole Miss.

There isn’t anyone that truly fits your question. It doesn’t exist. That’s an odd thing to say you are looking for if you are Dolson. Is Cig uniquely Indiana? Then he was uniquely James Madison the year prior. 
 

I don’t think having lived in Indiana should be a criteria or something you look for when choosing our coach and I don’t take those comments to mean that at all.

we need a winning culture from our student managers to the players to the assistants, head coaches, trainers etc. Everyone has to be locked in and on the same page, committed to the team and winning first. That should become the culture here if we hire the right guy

[Ryno6284]

4 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Scott Dolson 1,000,000% has superior information.

Probably like CIA type info!

[Stuhoo]

2 minutes ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

I’m sure McCollum knows his X’s and O’s, but I just have no interest in hiring a guy who has to learn every other aspect of the job on the fly. Can he schmooze with donors? Can he handle the egos that come with recruiting million dollar teenagers? How does he handle 15k hostile road crowds? Plenty of guys across industries are stars at lower levels but can’t cut it at the very top. In no circumstance should a school of IU’s brand and NIL funds have to gamble on McCollum being a guy who can. 

Maybe he can be great at it.

He has zero resume for doing it though.

That’s why the vetting process for a guy like Stevens would be less critical and the vetting process for McCollum would be incredibly critical.

[PartyintheVillas]

2 minutes ago, MikeRoberts said:

There isn’t anyone that truly fits your question. It doesn’t exist. That’s an odd thing to say you are looking for if you are Dolson. Is Cig uniquely Indiana? Then he was uniquely James Madison the year prior. 
 

I don’t think having lived in Indiana should be a criteria or something you look for when choosing our coach and I don’t take those comments to mean that at all.

we need a winning culture from our student managers to the players to the assistants, head coaches, trainers etc. Everyone has to be locked in and on the same page, committed to the team and winning first. That should become the culture here if we hire the right guy

Yep, that was my point. People love the Chris Beard/RMK connection like that makes him RMK II. The RMK connection has not helped a dozen coaches. It's something that doesn't matter at all if someone has it or doesn't.

[GP711]

1 hour ago, Paye32 said:

Not doubting the info but why would they want to put such a distraction on the current team heading into the BTT/ postseason play. Seems insensitive and irresponsible if true. Jmo

I’m talking about leaks, not school announcement lol