General Coach Candidate News

[ronzo4IU 251]

42 minutes ago, Rusty Shackleford said:

I think it's less snake oil used car salesman and more the ability to interact with and keep happy a lot of different groups of people (administration, donors/boosters, AAU & HS coaches, player's handlers, grassroots fans, etc.) That's required at an IU level job much more than at lower levels. The IU job done well can make the coach the face of the state, not just the basketball team. So, I think that's what he was saying by sales/politician. 

Well, maybe there in lies the problem with coaching at Indiana (if true) and maybe that needs to change. We don’t need a coach being concerned with being the face of Indiana and schmoozing boosters, etc. as much as we need him to focus on doing his job, which is recruiting/coaching basketball and winning games.

[jimsorgi 739]

11 minutes ago, JustWinBaby said:

Now, how is GIF pronounced? Like gift without the "t", or like Jif peanut butter? Discuss

However Brad Stevens pronounces it. 

[IUBtown 363]

All I know is no one has said Tommy Lloyd said no. Or McDermott.  Or Gregg Popovich. So with that I'm still ok with how this search is going.  

[JSHoosier 21,813]

11 minutes ago, Mr. Hoosier Pride said:

gift -the T

the g stands for Graphics

I thought so too, but the creator of it pronounces it JIF, in his acceptance speech even had a PowerPoint with a slide saying "it's JIF not GIF".

[Hoosier987 1,947]

13 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

One bad hire in Archie Miller - a HC for all of 6 years before IU hired him - and half the fanbase wants to write off every mid major coach lol. Setting themselves up for disappointment when it’s not Stevens, Donovan or a tier 1A college guy. They are not coming IMO. No reason they should in 2025. Scared money don’t make money. If you don’t like McCollum for his lack of P5 experience, I assume you really want Cronin, Collins or Brownell. 

Listen...I get it. We've been stung with the previous hire (Woodson) but the prior hires were actually supposedly very good hires at the time. You want to temper expectations...surely not be disappointed again. I don't think we need to worry about it this time...but yes, I'm taking countless D1 coaches, like Mcdermott, Devries, Tommy LLoyd and the countless of other names mentioned over Mccolllum. 

[Artie86 3,066]

Just now, tyappleg said:

It's like the peanut butter, and anybody who answers differently is wrong. 

I'm a HS teacher and all the kids pronounce GIF as "Jiff"....lol

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 10,438]

21 minutes ago, IU Prof said:

Or the next Tim Miles or John Groce...

Edit: And there are, by far, many more examples of the latter two than Self and Wright.

Hmmm.. Tim Miles and John Groces only similarities to McCollum is they all coach basketball and breathe. 

[Silat Player 1,191]

9 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

One bad hire in Archie Miller - a HC for all of 6 years before IU hired him - and half the fanbase wants to write off every mid major coach lol. Setting themselves up for disappointment when it’s not Stevens, Donovan or a tier 1A college guy. They are not coming IMO. No reason they should in 2025. Scared money don’t make money. If you don’t like McCollum for his lack of P5 experience, I assume you really want Cronin, Collins or Brownell. 

This. You don't make a scared hire. Don't hire for mediocrity. 

If you can't hire your home run (Stevens, Donvan, etc...), then you hire somebody who MIGHT be a home run in the future. 

You don't hire someone who has already proven themselves to be a singles or doubles hitter at a high major level already (Cronin, Brownell, etc...).

And I honestly don't believe that IU is going to hire someone like Wade or Beard. I think that IU is too fearful of bad PR. While the faces have changed, this is the same university who self-reported and fired their coach for illegal phone calls...

[theriverpilot 6,351]

34 minutes ago, Hoosier987 said:

Wes Miller was indeed a very hot name, so was the dude from FGCU…though I guess he had some slightly above average years at USC. Next year it will be a different name. It’s the same thing every year. Some mid major coach is the next sure thing. Some work out, others don’t. It’s not necessary for us to find out this go around. 

But if the mid-major route is the only option due to other circumstances then the choice is fairly clear.

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 10,438]

Just now, Silat Player said:

This. You don't make a scared hire. Don't hire for mediocrity. 

If you can't hire your home run (Stevens, Donvan, etc...), then you hire somebody who MIGHT be a home run in the future. 

You don't hire someone who has already proven themselves to be a singles or doubles hitter at a high major level already (Cronin, Brownell, etc...).

And I honestly don't believe that IU is going to hire someone like Wade or Beard. I think that IU is too fearful of bad PR. While the faces have changed, this is the same university who self-reported and fired their coach for illegal phone calls...

Correct.  I'm not here to date the 5th hottest chick. Cronin under any circumstances is boring af. 

[JSHoosier 21,813]

4 minutes ago, tyappleg said:

It's like the peanut butter, and anybody who answers differently is wrong. 

Yeah, the guy that created it pronounces it like the peanut butter.

[EasyEJay 398]

2 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

If you don’t like McCollum for his lack of P5 experience, I assume you really want Cronin, Collins or Brownell. 

I will admit I like Brownell literally last to me it just screams to continue the cycle of mediocracy of IU the last decade. I wouldn't be thrilled about Cronin but he does raise the floor of then program. Collins intrigues me because NW is HARD to win at and he's proven he can find good underrated recruits in the State of Indiana . 

I put McDermott in the same category as Cronin, does he hang a banner ? Probably not but do we win 20 + games every year and compete for Big Ten title/get to tourney every year and see where the chips fall ? Most years yes. 

As far as mid majors coaches the only one that really peaks any interest in me is Ryan Odom. He's on the verge of taking 3 different Mid-Major Programs to the NCAA Tournament 2 of them (VCU and Utah State) are in much more difficult conferences than the Mo Valley. But again too many unknowns don't know if he can sustain success over a period of time doesn't seem to hang out places very long, everyone wins at Utah State (Smith , Odom, Sprinkle, Now Calhoun), and outside of Utah State seems to be an East Coast guy. 

 

[Home Jersey 12,867]

1 minute ago, Hoosier987 said:

Listen...I get it. We've been stung with the previous hire (Woodson) but the prior hires were actually supposedly very good hires at the time. You want to temper expectations...surely not be disappointed again. I don't think we need to worry about it this time...but yes, I'm taking countless D1 coaches, like Mcdermott, Devries, Tommy LLoyd and the countless of other names mentioned over Mccolllum. 

Hope you’re right! I don’t see any of those guys coming here… would like to be wrong. Definitely trying to leave space for me to be pleasantly surprised instead of bitterly disappointed. 

[Hoosier987 1,947]

11 minutes ago, Magnanimous said:

Agreed. Archie Miller would have been scooped up by a big name program at that point in his career. If not us, he would’ve landed a top 15 job during the window when we were looking to get rid of Crean. 

Yup. He most certainly would've taken OSU which came open shortly after...and frankly, I think he probably would've had more success at OSU then here. Again, Indiana is not for the faint of heart. You have to want it... embrace the expectations. You're the face of the University. 

[theriverpilot 6,351]

16 minutes ago, JustWinBaby said:

Now, how is GIF pronounced? Like gift without the "t", or like Jif peanut butter? Discuss

Like the peanut butter.  I'll die on this hill....

[JSHoosier 21,813]

7 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

That’s fair, you’re consistent. Many people aren’t and have been crapping all over Collins and Cronin lol. I would prefer Cronin too but think the buyout makes it extremely unlikely. 

Without the buyout I'd take Cronin over McCollum every time, even if the ceiling is Crean level; he's not worth that buyout though.

[realTomCrean 2,252]

It took me an hour to read today's messages. A few good shots at the naysayers, good information, baseless arguments, and a few who have visibly committed to hating anyone advocating for Brad S or Ben M.

On McCollum: All he has ever done is win. Regardless of level, he wins. How you gonna hate on that? It's IU - sells itself, even Archie got high level recruits here. .909% Win percentage (D1 only). 2013-2024 in D2 he lost a total of 24 games, now only has 3 losses in D1. 

For a fanbase who has experienced the Cig effect, you'd think the concept of hiring is much easier now: Get a guy who wins

 

[mdiu28 2,566]

13 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

One bad hire in Archie Miller - a HC for all of 6 years before IU hired him - and half the fanbase wants to write off every mid major coach lol. Setting themselves up for disappointment when it’s not Stevens, Donovan or a tier 1A college guy. They are not coming IMO. No reason they should in 2025. Scared money don’t make money. If you don’t like McCollum for his lack of P5 experience, I assume you really want Cronin, Collins or Brownell. 

IF the choice is one of those three or McCollum - give me Collins all day every day. Brad Brownell shouldn't even be in our hc conversation. If we end up with him, it's because everyone else said no and Beard was a non-starter. 

I'd rather take a chance on someone who knows the league inside and out and has been on a P5 staff forever with the other being Duke (I believe Collins has 2 rings).

I will be interested to see how Drake does in the tourney when they play big boy schools. 

[BA47591 540]

Whomever mentioned politician/salesman hit it on the head. That will be huge coming out of the gate. I'd like to be excited about a coach with a track record proven, consistent results at a high major. If they've adapted to the NIL era quickly, that would be nice. 

 

 

[Hoosier987 1,947]

4 minutes ago, theriverpilot said:

But if the mid-major route is the only option due to other circumstances then the choice is fairly clear.

I understand this sentiment, I just don't think we're going to get there.  Remember, one can make a strong case that we will hire someone that is not on any of the "hot boards" or "coaching lists" made from the writers.