2025 WCBB Coaches Hot Seat edition

[Sifaka]

The rise and fall of Mike Neighbors.

He seemed to have an “it” factor for a while and the winds of the transfer portal were at his back. The peak was probably in Dungee's final year and then a brief plateau followed by a mild decline and then by a sudden death spiral with recent exodus of key players.

Sorry to go all literary on you, but your comment reminded me of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.

“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked.

“Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.”

 

[Dillon77]

Sorry to go all literary on you, but your comment reminded me of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.

Nice.
Totally the wrong thread (player vs coach), but in a semi-literary vein: Game announcers referred to AJ Marotta of the Oregon State Beavers as "...the one who decided to stay." Very, very Harry Potter-ish. (j.k. rowling)

 

[CalWBBfan]

As I noted earlier, Charmin Smith ain’t going anywhere. Just signed a new extension! Smith signs 5 year extension at Cal

 

[XXXBgEast]

I literally found about this 15min before he posted it.

https://x.com/SkimMilkey/status/1899911427219218924

"Regarding the opening at Auburn: It sounds like the Auburn administration is primarily vetting minority candidates and I fully expect their pending hire will reflect as much." (Aida Barnes- U of Arizona).

 

[Vowelguy]

I literally found about this 15min before he posted it.

https://x.com/SkimMilkey/status/1899911427219218924

"Regarding the opening at Auburn: It sounds like the Auburn administration is primarily vetting minority candidates and I fully expect their pending hire will reflect as much." (Aida Barnes- U of Arizona).

So are you saying it’s gonna be Barnes?

 

[XXXBgEast]

So are you saying it’s gonna be Barnes?

Part of me wants to say no because it is Adia's alma mater but there are still too many variables at play.

I'll say 90% chance she goes to Auburn.

 

[bballnut90]

Barnes to Auburn would be a choice. Her style of play would fit in the SEC but I don’t see her being an upgrade from Harris (who I still think they should’ve given another year)

 

[Vowelguy]

I’m trying to think of a major program coach voluntarily leaving their Alma mater for another school.

If it’s a mid-major sure.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I’m trying to think of a major program coach voluntarily leaving their Alma mater for another school.

If it’s a mid-major sure.

Football, Johnathan Smith Oregon St. to Michigan St. Boom. What's my prize? Of course his major program magically changed into not a major program overnight, so a bit of a weird example.

 

[cancontent]

 

[Vowelguy]

Ark has more money and resources, but a tougher road to do well in the conference. That said, in terms of the NCAAs, finishing 10th in the SEC may be the same as finishing 6th in the B12.

 

[DefenseBB]

Seems unusually quiet to me considering some of the schools that are ineligible for the post-season. Then there are some that maybe waiting to see how the teams perform in both the NCAAT or the WBIT to make a decision
The clock is now on:
Texas Tech
UCF
Purdue
Rutgers
Wake Forest
Georgia
Texas A&M

Texas Tech has been abysmal under Krista Gerlich averaging a 5-13 record in conference play in her 5 years at the helm (24-66), and never better than 6-12 4 years ago but they are 17-17 this year and played fairly well in the Big 12 tournament and should get a WBIT bid so maybe the school is seeing if the good results continue.

Purdue is another school, 10-19 (3-15) this year 14-17 (4-14) last year that tells me maybe they are headed in the wrong direction and with the top players already in the portal this year....yikes.

Wake Forest 9-20 (2-16) and 7-25 (2-16) last year, so while slightly better overall, tied for last 2 years in a row and this being year 3, Megan Gebbia could be in serious trouble.

Georgia, Texas A&M and UCF are inexorably linked as all are in year 3 for their coaches with the domino effect of Taylor leaving Georgia for the riches of A&M money, Coach Abe leaving UCF for the Georgia money and Sytia Messer assuming her role. None of the 3 has distinguished themselves but while I don't expect anything to happen this year it should. Rutgers and Coquese Washington are also in year 3 and show no sign of improvement with their best players constantly leaving for playing elsewhere.

Gosh, I need the selection show to occur, so we have something more tangible to discuss....

 

[Vowelguy]

Purdue already said Geralds would be back
Wake Forest Coach has been there 2 years.
Rutgers has too high a buyout at the point.

UCF Ga TAMU are only at 3 years. Previous speculation in this thread was that Ga was safe while TAMU was 50/50.

 

[Vowelguy]

Carly Thibaukt/dubonus turned DOWN an interview with Wisconsin.
Impressive when you’re not interested in BiG money.

Either she’s confident a better job will come her way this year or soon OR/AND she does not think Wisc is a place that sets you up for success.

Bad for the Badgers when a 2nd year mid-major coach hasn’t the slightest interest.

I’ve been saying for months that someone should try to grab her; kudos to WI for trying.

 

[UConnCat]

Carly Thibaukt/dubonus turned DOWN an interview with Wisconsin.
Impressive when you’re not interested in BiG money.

Either she’s confident a better job will come her way this year or soon OR/AND she does not think Wisc is a place that sets you up for success.

Bad for the Badgers when a 2nd year mid-major coach hasn’t the slightest interest.

I’ve been saying for months that someone should try to grab her; kudos to WI for trying.

I suspect she knows Wisconsin is not the right landing spot for her.

I hope UConn looks her way when Geno retires. She has a bright future.

 

[XXXBgEast]

Carly Thibaukt/dubonus turned DOWN an interview with Wisconsin.
Impressive when you’re not interested in BiG money.

Either she’s confident a better job will come her way this year or soon OR/AND she does not think Wisc is a place that sets you up for success.

Bad for the Badgers when a 2nd year mid-major coach hasn’t the slightest interest.

I’ve been saying for months that someone should try to grab her; kudos to WI for trying.

"Ding, we got a winner"!

 

[Plebe]

I’m trying to think of a major program coach voluntarily leaving their Alma mater for another school.

If it’s a mid-major sure.

The normal rules don't apply to the dirty t -- right @azfan ?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The normal rules don't apply to the dirty t -- right @azfan ?

Made the local paper today. Not predicting she was going anywhere, just mentioning the interest.

It also noted, FWIW, that she expects Arizona to go to the WBIT.

Oh, and I am about over "the dirty t". In 14 years living in Tucson I have heard one person use the term once and someone on this board use it a million times. It is not in common parlance. The Kitties is even worse - that's equivalent to calling UConn "the Puppies". There is an equally insulting term for ASU - and it isn't uncommon, I've heard Adia use it and apologize - and I would never use it on the message board.

 

[Plebe]

Made the local paper today. Not predicting she was going anywhere, just mentioning the interest.

It also noted, FWIW, that she expects Arizona to go to the WBIT.

I mean, Arizona should pretty clearly get an invite as they're likely to be one of the top 4-8 teams not to get an NCAA bid. It's just up to Adia whether to accept.

 

[cancontent]

Carly Thibaukt/dubonus turned DOWN an interview with Wisconsin.
Impressive when you’re not interested in BiG money.

Either she’s confident a better job will come her way this year or soon OR/AND she does not think Wisc is a place that sets you up for success.

Bad for the Badgers when a 2nd year mid-major coach hasn’t the slightest interest.

I’ve been saying for months that someone should try to grab her; kudos to WI for trying.

This is the second year in a row where she turned down offers to move. Her husband who also serves as an AC used the "I'm not leaving" clip from Wolf of Wall Street as a post on Twitter/X to emphasize the point.

Not sure if it should be seen that the Badgers look bad considering she's not looking at anyone right now. Gut feeling is that she's in no immediate rush to go anywhere considering what she is building at Fairfield right now.

 

[LETTERL]

"Ding, we got a winner"!

Why can't Wisconsin get over the hump? They've had a revolving door of coaches in the last two decades with mediocre results, at best.

 

[XXXBgEast]

Why can't Wisconsin get over the hump? They've had a revolving door of coaches in the last two decades with mediocre results, at best.

Just waaaaaaaay too many reasons why. Not even sure i could list them all.

Maybe take a look at Illinois before & after, see what they did then ask yourself is Wisconsin willing to do the same?

I would say "nope".

 

[BigTenGuy]

Why can't Wisconsin get over the hump? They've had a revolving door of coaches in the last two decades with mediocre results, at best.

Wisconsin can’t even get to the bottom of the hump, let alone see or get over it.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Wake Forest Coach has been there 2 years.

Three. She had Jewel Spear (now at Tennessee) her first season (0.500 overall).

 

[BigTenGuy]

. . .

Maybe take a look at Illinois before & after, see what they did then ask yourself is Wisconsin willing to do the same?

I would say "nope".

Having a hard time reading between your lines. What did Illinois do that Wisconsin would be unwilling to do?