Coaching carousel thread

[Dave from Dayton 3,948]

  On 2/19/2025 at 3:39 AM, 12345Brad said:

Archie was a great hire at the time. 100%.  Something ive always wondered … did he really want TJD?   As you mentioned, he came from Dayton and one year made the tourney with no kid taller than 6’6” or something.   Then he gets IU job and sort of feels the need to get Indiana kids … and here is a big man.    Archie never really ran a big man system and if you take TJD, you need to run an offense through the post.   He obviously had to recruit TJD, but if TJD was say, from the state of WI, would he have ever gone after him?

I really have never contemplated the question: Did Archie Miller, as coach of Indiana, really want TJD?  At the time of recruiting>?   Or during each game?

Which are different questions than what was implied...did Archie Miller utilize TJD, with all of his talent and skills, correctly? 

I am not a coach of basketball.  Nor am I a great analyst.  I read.  I support IU.  Grew up in Indiana. I do have a perspective and loads of opinions.  Do not know if any of them are spot on.

Archie was a point guard with the Wolfpack.  Shot 84% from the line.  Sean Miller was a point guard for Pitt.  Both of those guys think that the players all have to buy in to the system.  And the point guard is in charge of distributing the ball and is tasked with defending loads of cuts during each game.  

Did he know what to do with a talented forward that played in the middle like TJD? 

From Wiki:  Miller spent time at several programs as an assistant coach, spending a season at Western Kentucky (2003–04), two at NC State (2004–2006), one at Arizona State (2006–07) under former coach Herb Sendek, two at Ohio State (2007–09) under Thad Matta, and two at Arizona (2009–11) under his brother Sean.^[4] While at Arizona, Miller shined as a top recruiter, helping secure Arizona's top 10 recruiting class for 2011 recruits. He also excelled as a game strategist and designed the Wildcats' upset of eighth-ranked Texas to get them to the Sweet 16.^[5]

^{My only answer can be that one player cannot win the game without 4 more performing and executing and sharing.  Did IU have those players that bought in to the team concept?  Or did IU have players that were there to steal the show?}  

^{I used to compare TJD with Jared Jeffries.  Jeffries had one hell of a team around him.  I look at TJD's team.  Uh, not quite up to par.  RMK recruited JJ's team.  Tom Crean left Archie Miller with players that had other agendas.  Seemed IU did not allow Archie Miller to bring in a 4* PG that he had recruited at Dayton.  IU wanted the new coach to recruit Indiana first. Seemed IU did not support the new coach who may have wanted to stop certain scholarship players from coming back and recruit his team anew.  That is my perspective.  Archie got a team that was never his team.  But it is up to the coach to insist and obtain wins.  Archie was not a good fit at Indiana.  Then again, IU has not been a good fit for any coach since last century.}

^{PS.  In answer to another poster...Romeo Langford tore a ligament in his shooting hand's thumb in November.  He played in 26 games after that and averaged over 16 ppg.  He was tough.}

[BA47591 721]

He's the best x's and o's coach I've seen in a very long time. I love the movement and how quick his players process from moment to moment. I know a couple of D2 coaches pretty well and they say Ben is the gold standard. Sisley would thrive under him. 

[Home Jersey 15,097]

Playing Northern Iowa right now on ESPN. 1 vs 2 in the Missouri Valley

[LamarCheeks 21,784]

  On 2/23/2025 at 9:09 PM, Home Jersey said:

Playing Northern Iowa right now on ESPN. 1 vs 2 in the Missouri Valley

It's the Battle of the Bens.

Think that one's actually on the Deuce. 

I remember years ago, Northern's coach -- Ben Jacobson -- was the flavor of the month (like Shaka Smart and Brad Stevens) after knocking off No. 1 seed Kansas in the 2nd round of the NCAAs. 

Pretty sure he had offers, but he stayed put -- been there 19 years now. Probably worked out for the best, too. 

[Lebowski 3,260]

12 straight 1st place conference finishes in the books for this coach. Coaching matters. 

[Hornsby 3,870]

  On 2/5/2025 at 4:14 AM, Magnanimous said:

21-2 with a D2 roster. 

Might of been worrth taking a risk on two hires ago but not now. This isn't a hire where you take a chance on a guy with one season of division one experience

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[Lebowski 3,260]

  On 2/24/2025 at 3:23 PM, Hornsby said:

Might of been worrth taking a risk on two hires ago but not now. This isn't a hire where you take a chance on a guy with one season of division one experience

Sent from my SM-A146U using Tapatalk
 

This isn't taking a chance. He's a proven winner. Someone will hire him and I just hope it isn't the likes of Iowa or any other school in the conference. 

[Hornsby 3,870]

  On 2/24/2025 at 3:25 PM, Lebowski said:

This isn't taking a chance. He's a proven winner. Someone will hire him and I just hope it isn't the likes of Iowa or any other school in the conference. 

So was archie we were told. It most certainly is taking a chance

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[Stuhoo 88,034]

  On 2/24/2025 at 3:25 PM, Lebowski said:

This isn't taking a chance. He's a proven winner. Someone will hire him and I just hope it isn't the likes of Iowa or any other school in the conference. 

Isn't taking a chance? Wowza.

I think we can agree that there are different levels of competition and organizational management. He may step up a level and be a Hall of Famer. But he may step up a level and be... just okay.

You said "He's a proven winner." So tell me about his proven winning:

• Against ranked teams
• Against top 50 teams
• In the NCAA D1 Tournament
• With recruiting top 100 recruits
• With recruiting talented portal recruits
• Against D1 competition with players that haven't been in his system for multiple years (His top four mpg guys have had multiple years with him at NW Missou St.)
• Convincing agents that he can develop players to the next level.

This guy would be an almost unfathomably high risk. There is a reason that if McCaffery retires, Iowa's number one target for the job is expected to be home state guy...

Darren Devries.

[Demo 22,625]

It’s pretty fascinating that this thread continues to chug along and remains reasonably interesting when there is a 0% chance McCollum is coming here. And I absolutely mean that as a compliment to those engaging in it.

[Ryno6284 4,272]

  On 2/24/2025 at 4:18 PM, Stuhoo said:

Isn't taking a chance? Wowza.

I think we can agree that there are different levels of competition and organizational management. He may step up a level and be a Hall of Famer. But he may step up a level and be... just okay.

You said "He's a proven winner." So tell me about his proven winning:

• Against ranked teams
• Against top 50 teams
• In the NCAA D1 Tournament
• With recruiting top 100 recruits
• With recruiting talented portal recruits
• Against D1 competition with players that haven't been in his system for multiple years (His top four mpg guys have had multiple years with him at NW Missou St.)
• Convincing agents that he can develop players to the next level.

This guy would be an almost unfathomably high risk. There is a reason that if McCaffery retires, Iowa's number one target for the job is expected to be home state guy...

Darren Devries.

It’s Darian, but who’s keeping track anyways? Lol

[Hovadipo 61,162]

  On 2/24/2025 at 4:18 PM, Stuhoo said:

There is a reason that if McCaffery retires, Iowa's number one target for the job is expected to be home state guy...

Darren Devries.

The only problem with Devries is that I don't think Iowa can afford him. WVU slapped a big buyout on that contract if I remember correctly and it just recently came out that Iowa's NIL guy was having to pay out of pocket to get them through the season. I'm not sure if they have the cash to make an 8-figure buyout happen. I'd be really surprised if McCollum isn't there assuming this is the end of the line for Fran.

[Stuhoo 88,034]

  On 2/24/2025 at 5:04 PM, Hovadipo said:

The only problem with Devries is that I don't think Iowa can afford him. WVU slapped a big buyout on that contract if I remember correctly and it just recently came out that Iowa's NIL guy was having to pay out of pocket to get them through the season. I'm not sure if they have the cash to make an 8-figure buyout happen. I'd be really surprised if McCollum isn't there assuming this is the end of the line for Fran.

For sure; one of the advantages of McCollum for lower tier programs is that he's a cheap 'get.'

That's how Drake lost Devries to begin with.

[Lebowski 3,260]

  On 2/24/2025 at 4:04 PM, Hornsby said:

So was archie we were told. It most certainly is taking a chance

 

  On 2/24/2025 at 4:18 PM, Stuhoo said:

Isn't taking a chance? Wowza.

Hide and watch fellas. 

[Lebowski 3,260]

Went to the UE game last night. UE looked to be the more talented team on the floor. It might have been a bad night for Drake. Who knows. 

However, Drake was hands down the smarter more disciplined team on the floor. Overall, they played solid defense, worked the ball to find the open shot and drained free throws. Seeing this kind of basketball with IU talent would be a thing of beauty and take me back to the old days of watching a team where every player on the team knew their role, was always prepared to play on the court and ready for a dog fight no matter who the opponent. This coach has the juice. 

Coaching matters. 

[Stuhoo 88,034]

  On 2/27/2025 at 3:27 PM, Lebowski said:

Went to the UE game last night. UE looked to be the more talented team on the floor. It might have been a bad night for Drake. Who knows. 

However, Drake was hands down the smarter more disciplined team on the floor. Overall, they played solid defense, worked the ball to find the open shot and drained free throws. Seeing this kind of basketball with IU talent would be a thing of beauty and take me back to the old days of watching a team where every player on the team knew their role, was always prepared to play on the court and ready for a dog fight no matter who the opponent. This coach has the juice. 

Coaching matters. 

Evansville is 240 in the NET. Drake was in a dogfight with them and got by. It's just not a game that can be credibly spun into a positive for McCollum.

Every player on Drake knows their role because:

• McCollum is a good coach, and
• McCollum's top four guys in minutes played at Drake have been multi-year players in his system

[Magnanimous 5,354]

  On 2/27/2025 at 3:27 PM, Lebowski said:

Went to the UE game last night. UE looked to be the more talented team on the floor. It might have been a bad night for Drake. Who knows. 

However, Drake was hands down the smarter more disciplined team on the floor. Overall, they played solid defense, worked the ball to find the open shot and drained free throws. Seeing this kind of basketball with IU talent would be a thing of beauty and take me back to the old days of watching a team where every player on the team knew their role, was always prepared to play on the court and ready for a dog fight no matter who the opponent. This coach has the juice. 

Coaching matters. 

I was about to respond to this sarcastically with “But has he ever beaten Henry Iba?”

Then I looked up Henry Iba’s biography, and coincidentally he too coached at NW Missouri State, coached one year at D1 (Colorado) before going to Oklahoma State. Interesting…

 

[Lebowski 3,260]

  On 2/27/2025 at 3:38 PM, Stuhoo said:

Evansville is 240 in the NET. Drake was in a dogfight with them and got by. It's just not a game that can be credibly spun into a positive for McCollum.

I was there brother. Drake wasn't hitting wide open threes and UE looked to be the more 'talented' team on the floor. But make no mistake, UE was out coached and got beat by lesser talent (for that night at least). Drake was in control the entire game. Their defense is really good and a breath of fresh air to watch. They are a disciplined basketball team. Not the most talented but a complete team on the same page. 

[Stuhoo 88,034]

  On 2/27/2025 at 3:40 PM, Lebowski said:

I was there brother. Drake wasn't hitting wide open threes and UE looked to be the more 'talented' team on the floor. But make no mistake, UE was out coached and got beat by lesser talent (for that night at least). Drake was in control the entire game. Their defense is really good and a breath of fresh air to watch. They are a disciplined basketball team. Not the most talented but a complete team on the same page. 

That's why my first bullet point was "McCollum is a good coach."

But my other bullet point is also true. Hell ... even Mike freakin' Woodson has looked like a better coach over the last month of every season he's had at IU. It's in real part because he has had massive roster turnover every year, and guys that have more time on the court together make for a better flowing basketball team and a more connected team defensively.

[Lebowski 3,260]

  On 2/27/2025 at 3:47 PM, Stuhoo said:

That's why my first bullet point was "McCollum is a good coach."

But my other bullet point is also true. Hell ... even Mike freakin' Woodson has looked like a better coach over the last month of every season he's had at IU. It's in real part because he has had massive roster turnover every year, and guys that have more time on the court together make for a better flowing basketball team and a more connected team defensively.

Good coaching doesn't need a majority of the team to be multi-year players. They just need buy-in and the right guys on the team. They build chemistry in the locker room. They get every bit of talent out of their players regardless the talent level. And they win. They always win. 

This guy has the juice. 

I'll be fine with IUBB hiring this guy. I would also like to see if IUBB can try to land someone like Rick Pitino. But again, I'll be A OK if Dolson hires this guy.