General Coach Candidate News

[Class of '66 Old Fart 90,256]

Just now, HOOSIERINJURTLAW said:

Oats is not getting talked about enough…. Why is he not in the list of real possibilities. 

Welcome to btb.  Glad to have you join our merry band.

[TrueHoosier62 1,855]

The greatest thing to happen to IU basketball is IU football. 

[PartyintheVillas 1,028]

5 minutes ago, go iu bb said:

Completely agree. He's way up there for me. 2nd on my list to Stevens, who I don't think we'll get. In addition to his winning percentage, he's also won tournaments and lower level championships. The guy just wins.

If IU is serious, they should be looking at $7M+ to pull a great coach away from a school they may love. Not offer Stevens $10M then settle for someone for $3-4M.

Examples: Double the salary of someone you really want like McCasland or Otzelberger. Offer Oats that $10M.

I also really like McCasland, and would love to get him out of Texas if possible.

[IUwins0708 3,108]

1 minute ago, TrueHoosier62 said:

The greatest thing to happen to IU basketball is IU football. 

Exactly!!!

[Home Jersey 15,727]

https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2024/03/18/nate-oats-contract-salary-buyout-alabama-basketball-extension-coach-ranking/73017955007/

What is Nate Oats' buyout?

Oats will owe Alabama $18 million if he leaves in the first two years of his new contract. After March 31, 2026, that buyout falls to $10 million until March 31, 2027. After that, it falls to $4 million for the next year and $0 after that.

What is Nate Oats' salary?

Oats will be paid the following by Alabama:

• Year 1 (2024-25): $5 million
• Year 2 (2025-26): $5.51 million
• Year 3 (2026-27): $6.02 million
• Year 4 (2027-28): $6.53 million
• Year 5 (2028-29): $7.04 million
• Year 6 (2029-30): $7.55 million

It would be expensive to get Oats. But given the figures being mentioned, if Stevens says no, I think Oats should be your second call. You should at least kick the tires there. Maybe no traction but worth finding out before moving onto Dusty, etc. IMO

[NCHoosier 474]

I don’t have many contacts, but I know someone close to the Cronin family. He will not be our guy. He was pissed when UCLA joined the B1G as he didn’t like that brand of ball. That was part (not all) of the reason he went west when he was on the market previously. 

[Pagoda 4,376]

In the UK search it seemed like they couldn’t even get Oats to engage, he was a quick “no.”  It will be tough, but he is worth our best shot if Brad passes.

[ap2345 11,320]

4 hours ago, KnightsChair said:

Yes he was at the game. In his same spot at the scorer’s table as usual.

i couldn’t understand why he had a green tie with shamrocks on, but now it’s making sense.

I wish this was true lol

[ap2345 11,320]

3 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

Finally, I find it interesting that @JerryYeagley23 (who I VERY MUCH appreciate) has consistently stated that Dolson “has his guy,” but has yet to clearly state just who that guy is.

It’s the white whale 

[RoadRage 3,012]

So who got off that jet from Boston this morning?

[IUHAHN81 3,309]

Sometimes it's more than money and a cush position that drives a decision. Ask Jim Harbaugh. Now go get our guy Scott! 

 

[Unexpectedflash 1,707]

12 minutes ago, HOOSIERINJURTLAW said:

Oats is not getting talked about enough…. Why is he not in the list of real possibilities. 

I think he’s honestly more unrealistic than Stevens. Coaches aren’t leaving places they have rolling anymore. Alabama gives him everything he wants and he has them as a top 5 program in the country with a bunch of NIL at his disposal. He doesn’t really have any reason to leave Alabama. Kentucky and Louisville probably checked in last year and he’s still there so i don’t know why it’d be any different for us 

[TrueHoosier62 1,855]

2 minutes ago, ap2345 said:

It’s the white whale 

We're hiring Moby Dick?! Holy shite!

[ap2345 11,320]

22 minutes ago, kottke said:

Is that guy Brad or Dusty, or other?

Dusty isn’t negotiating anything with anyone right now 

[Papacap 1,970]

Has his guy as in has identified who his guy is or has him essentially wrapped up to be the next coach? I’m not impatient or anything. Just want to know right now.  Won’t tell anyone else. 

[ap2345 11,320]

4 minutes ago, TrueHoosier62 said:

We're hiring Moby Dick?! Holy shite!

Indeed 

[Unexpectedflash 1,707]

I’ve seen people say we wouldn’t be considering dusty if he wasn’t from here but I’d raise that the only reason we have any shot is because he went here. Plus Michigan and Louisville were both fighting for him last year and he didn’t go there so he’s obviously thought highly of. Having watched Michigan this year, they don’t have consistent guard play and that’s why all their games end up being close. Michigan has had the biggest win differential of any team in the country which seems pretty elite to me. Once dusty gets guards in like he had at FAU he is going to have them rolling. He’d be a great fallback option.

If you look at coaching searches the last few years it is very hard to get someone established to leave their programs. Maybe that has changed with NIL but I’ll believe it when I see it. 

[Silat Player 1,947]

30 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

I think we already have our guy.

Randy Wittman? LOL

[IU Prof 2,327]

2 minutes ago, IUHAHN81 said:

Sometimes it's more than money and a cush position that drives a decision. Ask Jim Harbaugh. Now go get our guy Scott! 

 

The Harbaugh-Stevens parallel isn't perfect. Jim went to HS in Ann Arbor and obviously played at UofM, while Brad never lived or played here. Plus Jim, unlike Brad was quickly wearing it his welcome with the 49ers at the time.

All that said, I do think it's nevertheless a really good analogy in terms of media skepticism about how a pro coach would never voluntarily lower himself to return to the college game.

Hopefully the story ends the same way here (without the 9 year roller coaster ride to win a championship, of course).

[Silat Player 1,947]

6 minutes ago, Unexpectedflash said:

I think he’s honestly more unrealistic than Stevens. Coaches aren’t leaving places they have rolling anymore. Alabama gives him everything he wants and he has them as a top 5 program in the country with a bunch of NIL at his disposal. He doesn’t really have any reason to leave Alabama. Kentucky and Louisville probably checked in last year and he’s still there so i don’t know why it’d be any different for us 

Agree. Why would Oats leave? Alabama has plenty of money. Oats has that program absolutely rolling. 

Oats has no emotional ties to Indiana. 

Why in the world would he leave?