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Baylor’s search

This is Baylor - so think strict religious code of conduct and no whiff of LGBQ - that will limit the candidates somewhat - and the appeal for prospective hires.
I have a dark horse candidate in mind. She's a bit unproven as a head coach, but her ability to enforce moral principles is second to none.

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This is Baylor - so think strict religious code of conduct and no whiff of LGBQ - that will limit the candidates somewhat - and the appeal for prospective hires.

I'm completely in agreement with you on this.

On top of that, Kim is one of thosec coaches who is completely an institution unto herself: she'd be a very, very tough act to duplicate. Since Baylor really had no women's hoops before she came about, add in UcMiami's point and I think the pool is actually not as large as one might think in Baylor wants to not take too drastic a cha-cha. My thoughts:

1) Stay in-house with assistants who have both had HC experience.
  • Associate Coach Bill Brock has been her right-hand for ages. He coaches the posts, which is a Baylor strength and he makes all the defensive calls, which is another strength. At his age, this could be his last chance at a HC gig. Assures some degree of continuity with current players and incoming recruits/transfers. Can also buy Baylor administration some tme to find a long-range successor.
  • Sytia Messer. If Brock coaches the bigs, guess who recruited them? She's brought in two #1-rated classes. Yes, they may not have signed, but the boss probably had something to do with that.

2) Find someone who, if they don't get Baylor (at least initially), get Texas.
- Mark Kellogg, current coach at Stephen Austin and at West Texas befoe that. Got the connections to make those teams successful. If he has the Baylor brand in-state, he can potentially get the players he needs.

Now, we'll see if Kim actually pulls the trigger on this and heads to Baton Rouge.
 
You're joking, right? Vandy has been a bottom feeder for years. Baylor is a top 5 program in the country. One of these things is not the same as the other.
Notre Dame.
 
I'm completely in agreement with you on this.

On top of that, Kim is one of thosec coaches who is completely an institution unto herself: she'd be a very, very tough act to duplicate. Since Baylor really had no women's hoops before she came about, add in UcMiami's point and I think the pool is actually not as large as one might think in Baylor wants to not take too drastic a cha-cha. My thoughts:

1) Stay in-house with assistants who have both had HC experience.
  • Associate Coach Bill Brock has been her right-hand for ages. He coaches the posts, which is a Baylor strength and he makes all the defensive calls, which is another strength. At his age, this could be his last chance at a HC gig. Assures some degree of continuity with current players and incoming recruits/transfers. Can also buy Baylor administration some tme to find a long-range successor.
  • Sytia Messer. If Brock coaches the bigs, guess who recruited them? She's brought in two #1-rated classes. Yes, they may not have signed, but the boss probably had something to do with that.

2) Find someone who, if they don't get Baylor (at least initially), get Texas.
- Mark Kellogg, current coach at Stephen Austin and at West Texas befoe that. Got the connections to make those teams successful. If he has the Baylor brand in-state, he can potentially get the players he needs.

Now, we'll see if Kim actually pulls the trigger on this and heads to Baton Rouge.
What about Baylor going after the head coach of Abilene Christian or one of those other smaller church schools in TX that do well in their division.... They could get one of them for cheap and keep the churchy values of being non-inclusive.
 
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What about Baylor going after the head coach of Abilene Christian or one of those other smaller church schools in TX that do well in their division.... They could get one of them for cheap and keep the churchy values of being non-inclusive.
Ask yourself whether you think such a person would be an acceptable successor for Geno. Because this hire is on that scale.

SFA guy maybe. Abilene Christian absolutely not.
 
If I were the AD I'd consider Kim Barnes Arico; Kelly Graves; Jeff Waltz; Mike Neighbors; Scott Rueck; Joni Taylor; or other proven winning D1 head coach. I would not look at assistants.
Baylor isn’t that much more of an attractive job than any of those schools unless all the players on the roster stay when Kim leaves
 
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Ask yourself whether you think such a person would be an acceptable successor for Geno. Because this hire is on that scale.

SFA guy maybe. Abilene Christian absolutely not.
If they have covid financial issues and they now have a top men's program who can make money for them, maybe they don't care as much about having a top women's team....

They may have some trouble getting a top coach. Women's basketball is getting more and more inclusive so I wonder how many top coaches will want to be associated with the churchy Baylor policies and their limitations.
 
If I were the AD I'd consider Kim Barnes Arico; Kelly Graves; Jeff Waltz; Mike Neighbors; Scott Rueck; Joni Taylor; or other proven winning D1 head coach. I would not look at assistants.
But would these coaches consider Baylor? Even at any price.
 
Ask yourself whether you think such a person would be an acceptable successor for Geno. Because this hire is on that scale.

SFA guy maybe. Abilene Christian absolutely not.
Maybe the up and coming Cal Baptist coach?
 
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Dillon - I agree and it is also late in the cycle with a number of the most interesting possibles already off the board. Keeping in house make sense at least short term. I suspect the pay scale Baylor would want is significantly below what Kim got - they are not signing someone with three NCs and 20+ years in the job, so shouldn't be paying at that rate.

I also suspect that the AD will be happy to reduce the influence of KM. It helps that MBB had their breakthrough, and I would be very surprised if he hires a 'name'. Walz, Graves, Neighbors, Rueck seem both unlikely and outside the parameters - Barnes Arico is perhaps more in line with a less established resume, but I don't think she has any TX or 'southern' background. I think successful P5 coaches are not likely to be tempted to a restrictive program in the B12. A successful non-P5 coach would seem like the best they could hope for, or the AC of a successful P5 program.
 
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They may have some trouble getting a top coach. Women's basketball is getting more and more inclusive so I wonder how many top coaches will want to be associated with the churchy Baylor policies and their limitations.
True.
I have wondered the same, which is why the lateness this year is extra problematic. Someone like Tina Langley would’ve been an easy pickup if they wanted her.

That said a truckload of money can solve many problems.
 
You have to wonder if they would’ve beeen interested in Shea Ralph had she not taken the Vandy job.
I doubt it. I can't see them considering someone with no head coaching experience.
 
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Other than a really good bbq joint on the interstate, Waco is a tough draw. Look for a Texas native or someone from the wastelands.
 
Notre Dame.
Okay, that's a good point. I think if you are going to tab a first time HC, promoting someone from within the program makes more sense for continuity (I realize she had left ND, but for only 1 year; she'd been w/ ND for more than a decade).


edit--not to mention the early returns at ND aren't very good, which reinforces my opinion that you are always taking a HUGE risk hiring a coach w/ no prior head coaching experience
 
Okay, that's a good point. I think if you are going to tab a first time HC, promoting someone from within the program makes more sense for continuity (I realize she had left ND, but for only 1 year; she'd been w/ ND for more than a decade).


edit--not to mention the early returns at ND aren't very good, which reinforces my opinion that you are always taking a HUGE risk hiring a coach w/ no prior head coaching experience
Really don't think now that men's basketball and football are back, that women's basketball will continue to be a priority.
 
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