Mike Woodson to be next IUBB coach. Thad Matta to be associate AD

[HoosierFan1994]

Listened to the press conference at lunch. I certainly like that he is ready to go. He is meeting with the players today and will have a staff soon. I'm warming up to the hire, but he can't have a 2008 like exodus of players and not bring anyone in. I do think this can work! Interested to see his staff. 

[Southside]

After reading the presser and listening to DD interview, I'm getting happier and happier.

Very closed to being pumped!

DD is still a Dbag.... 

[Southside]

2 minutes ago, HoosierFan1994 said:

Listened to the press conference at lunch. I certainly like that he is ready to go. He is meeting with the players today and will have a staff soon. I'm warming up to the hire, but he can't have a 2008 like exodus of players and not bring anyone in. I do think this can work! Interested to see his staff. 

This is probably the best year ever to build a team, or plug holes via transfers.

[LIHoosier]

13 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

 

More details on the bonuses he can earn.

 

Most of those are similar to the bonuses Archie didn't acquire(save for APR probably). The $100K for top 3 appears to be new and the cupcake bonus got taken away.

[Hoosierfan222]

I believe over 25% of college basketball players are in the transfer portal....

Let that sink in.

[raorIU]

Just listened to, and then read the transcript, of CMW's conference. I noted he made a huge overture to the inarguably redeemable aspects of Knight's program: player development, player (not coach - hah!) accountability, and continuity across classes. That last aspect being what I think many here wanted to say when they shouted for hiring an "IU Guy". After all, it is was comparatively difficult for Crean, Miller to work with former IU players.

I also found it interesting and positive CMW did not claim Knight's on-court schemes were part of IU's future product. Avoiding that nonsense was a fear I had about hiring an "IU Guy" - happy it seems a modern bball product is in our future.

All that being said, it did not appear CMW has all the answers when it comes to recruiting strategy, navigating the B10 / NCAA. He was fairly transparent on that - kudos - but still worrying. I'm really glad Matta is part of this as he could be a major boon in these aspects.

[MoyeNeeded]

4 minutes ago, Hoosierfan222 said:

I believe over 25% of college basketball players are in the transfer portal....

Let that sink in.

Just over 900 this morning.

[LIHoosier]

1 minute ago, MoyeNeeded said:

Just over 900 this morning.

The full list https://www.verbalcommits.com/transfers/2021

993 as of 3:50 pm eastern.

[BleedCubbieBlue]

Like most people on this board, I was disappointed at first with this hire.  The more I think about it, the more I like it.  He is one of the only coaches we could have got that can actually say to a player, "I know what it takes to get to the NBA, and if you are willing to put in the work, we can make it happen."  I think that will really motivate players to improve and put in the work to up their game.

[mdn82]

32 minutes ago, Old Friend said:

Hey, Bow.

At the risk of someone changing my answer spending 4 years blabbing about things I didn't say just so he can follow me around like a child and criticize me like he has nothing better to do....

I like it.   I talked to a friend last night who is very close to Butch Carter and by proxy Mike Woodson, and I know the IU basketball "family" is behind it.  That matters to me.  Woodson wants the job and won''t listen to any of the exterior BS.  He's not afraid of the task at hand, believes in player development and local recruiting.   I like all of that.   Archie wasn't willing to work a room or really change anything.   Woodson will be.

 If you take the names off the resumes, I love Matta and would stack his resume against, say Matt Painter's.    Woodson has 20+ years of NBA experience with teams that got better when he was the head coach.  Players kids have heard of respect him and like him.  That matters.   A reality?  I wanted Brad Stevens.  He was the holy grail.   But on second thought and looking at it after stepping back, he really hasn't done anything Woodson hasn't done save coach in college successfully for a short time.   

Woodson played at Broad Ripple, played at Indiana, and played in the NBA for 10 years.  That will resonate w kids whether they have heard of him or not.   He may be the most under-rated player in the history of the Big Ten.  He was a 2000 point scorer in only 114 games at Indiana.   He was Big Ten player of the year having played just FIVE Big Ten games his senior year.   As Dakich said today, Woodson has dealt with the egos of Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin.  He can handle players' mommies.  The minutiae won't bother him.  Matta will help him with the ins and outs of running a college basketball program; and I think that combo will really be fun.

My opinion?  I think Indiana - shown by Matta w Woodson, are getting back to their own culture (no longer running it like a mid major), and at the same time, running IU men's basketball like a top tier basketball program for the first time in 21 years.   I see a whole lot of questioning and doubt above; and I had it too at first reaction.    Having had some time to think about it, I really like it and think he deserves this shot.  The "family" will now be united and that can do nothing but help.    

Edit :  Bob Kravitz doesn't like it which means I love it.    He and so many others are so damned unable to look beneath the surface.  Why journalism guys like he and Zac Osterman (whose experience is playing Madden and NCAA Basketball on XBox) are asked for their input on sports.   I digress..

Yeah man, I know you and I have had discussions probably over the last 15 years on IU guy vs not IU guy.  I think to a degree we both hedged at various times if it was needed.  We will see how it plays out.  But I really like the structure they are going to surround him with.  He is an X and O guy.  The other guys will help with recruiting and making sure he doesn’t hand a kid a pop giving IU the death sentence.  Out of every ex IU guy, at the point it had to be Woodson or Lewis I think.  Good time for a reboot for everyone.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Jon Blau --  I don't know if this has been noted yet on this site, but Bob Knight had his introductory press conference as IU's coach on March 29, 1971.  Mike Woodson's introduction (albiet, via Zoom) came on March 29, 2021.  Exactly 50 years later, to the day.

Let's hope Woody has the same kind of success.

[Golfman25]

24 minutes ago, raorIU said:

 

I also found it interesting and positive CMW did not claim Knight's on-court schemes were part of IU's future product. Avoiding that nonsense was a fear I had about hiring an "IU Guy" - happy it seems a modern bball product is in our future.



Actually, I think he did, but more in a fundamental basketball way.  Something to the effect -- everyone touches the ball, shooters shoot and non-shooters do other things needed to win.   

[cthomas]

13 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Jon Blau --  I don't know if this has been noted yet on this site, but Bob Knight had his introductory press conference as IU's coach on March 29, 1971.  Mike Woodson's introduction (albiet, via Zoom) came on March 29, 2021.  Exactly 50 years later, to the day.

Let's hope Woody has the same kind of success.

If he does, he will be one of the oldest coaches ever in college basketball.

[Golfman25]

In another thread I indicated my concern with Woodson was being away from the college game.  And at the time, there where other hot name coaches out there.  I am good with the hire.  I see lots of positives.  The next month or so will tell -- who stays and who he gets to come via transfer.  He's got two definite spots (open scholarships) and a third with Al graduating.   So even if he gets everyone to come back, he can bring in three impact players right away.  That would be a good start.  

[raorIU]

2 minutes ago, Golfman25 said:

Actually, I think he did, but more in a fundamental basketball way.  Something to the effect -- everyone touches the ball, shooters shoot and non-shooters do other things needed to win.   

Yeah, I caught that too and almost mentioned it in my post. I'm really glad it was said that way and not "we expect 3 passes before any shot" or whatever the Knight cliche was.

[Hoosierfan1901]

Curse is over, Woodson will win 2 titles in 10 years

 

[Hoosierfan222]

For the record, since this was brought up last night...

Woodson said he met with 8 or 9 players from the team last night. The rest Zoom’d in. 1 on 1’s with players today. 

[Hoosierfan1901]

Imagine if we have an all NBA coaching staff, that would be something 

[Kentuckysucks]

2 hours ago, Shivan said:

I'm an NC State fan. This reminds me of our 2006 coaching search. We thought we could get Calipari from Memphis or bring Rick Barnes "home" from Texas. I don't know if our AD was incompetent or if we never had a chance at those guys, but we eventually hired Sidney Lowe. Lowe had two unsuccessful NBA head coaching jobs but he was a good NBA assistant. He was also on our 1983 championship team so he understood how we were supposed to be winners!

He lasted five years. Went 86-78, 25-55 ACC.

 

So... good luck.

Your administration should've done its homework. 

 

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/514524-nba-power-rankings-the-50-worst-coaches-in-nba-history.amp.html

 

[Hoosierfan1901]