Big East Coach Hot Seat

[CONN78SEJ]

Nelson's Hot Seat Ranking:

Untouchable:

Villanova-Jay Wright - he could show up to work in shorts and a tshirt and not get fired. He leaves when he wants to leave.

Providence-Ed Cooley - Not a great recruiter, but PC knows they will never find anyone better.

Marquette-Shaka Smart - Cleaned up the dumpster fire left behind by the floor slapper in one offseason. Has a good shot at Big East COY.

Safe:

UConn-Danny Hurley - Talent level is improving and good vibe around the program. Needs to get better on gameday.

Xavier-Travis Steele - I am not a fan of Steele, but he has not done anything to get himself in trouble at a program that is pretty loyal to its coaches. Good recruiting class coming in too.

Saint Johns-Mike Anderson - He needs to bring in some talent next season.

Depaul-Tony Stubblefield - Depaul will give him a few years to turn the program around.

Creighton-Greg McDermott - I was surprised he didn't get fired last year, but he is a really good coach and Creighton is not an easy place to win. If he survived last season, it will take a lot to get him canned.

Not sure:

Seton Hall-Kevin Willard - this one is a wildcard. I think he is a good coach, and Seton Hall will be really good if Aiken returns. But this is Willard's 12th year at the Hall and he has never gotten to the second weekend of the tournament. He has had some good teams too. With like 30-40% of the ACC looking for a new coach at the end of this season, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a situation similar to Smart leaving Texas last season, where everyone decides it is best if the coach moves on, especially if Seton Hall doesn't make it out of the first round again. If he makes the Sweet 16, then Seton Hall may try to lock him up long term.

In trouble:

Butler-LaVall Jordan - everyone seems to like the guy and he is a good game coach, but this is his 5th year, he has only made one tourney (although he probably would have made it in 2020) and the talent level just isn't Big East caliber. I could see Butler moving on.

Georgetown-Patrick Ewing - he is going 0-whatever in the Big East this year in year 5, after only making 1 tournament in the first 4 years (he wasn't going to make it in 2020) and having all kinds of roster issues. If this was anyone but Patrick Ewing at Georgetown, it wouldn't even be a question.

Georgetown should hire a coach that sweats a lot, Gary Williams, Pete Gillen………………fans and the media love that.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

as much as i love hurley and believe in him, if the team stumbles to the finish line and loses in the first round his seat will be warm. i don't think you can say the same thing for wright, mcdermott, or even cooley.

How long did it take Calhoun or Geno to mold a tournament tough team? Hurley is doing fine and he’s definitely learning from his mistakes. It took Geno ten years to win his first NC, and Calhoun fourteen years.

 

[7774]

I think he’s a better coach than Danny and would do more with our current roster than our guy has.

He definitely isn't. Congrats to Cooley on catching lightning in a bottle this year, but I'm not sure there is a more overrated in game coach than this guy.

 

[Kathy]

How long did it take Calhoun or Geno to mold a tournament tough team? Hurley is doing fine and he’s definitely learning from his mistakes. It took Geno ten years to win his first NC, and Calhoun fourteen years.

You forgetting JC was a basket away from the Final 4 in year 4?

1990-91 – lost in Sweet 16
1991-92 – lost 2nd round
1992-93 – nit
1993-94 – lost Sweet 16
1994-95 – lost Elite 8
1995-96 – lost Sweet 16
1996-97 – nit
1997-98 – lost Elite 8
1998-99 – Champs
As well as 4 BE Tournament Championships and 6 Regular Season Championships during that time frame.

I guarantee if Hurley can even come close to that people will be more than happy to wait 14 years for a Natty

 

[TRest]

You forgetting JC was a basket away from the Final 4 in year 4?

1990-91 – lost in Sweet 16
1991-92 – lost 2nd round
1992-93 – nit
1993-94 – lost Sweet 16
1994-95 – lost Elite 8
1995-96 – lost Sweet 16
1996-97 – nit
1997-98 – lost Elite 8
1998-99 – Champs
As well as 4 BE Tournament Championships and 6 Regular Season Championships during that time frame.

I guarantee if Hurley can even come close to that people will be more than happy to wait 14 years for a Natty

I tought JC was hired in about 86? Made elite 8 in 90. (Dream Season).

 

[Kathy]

I tought JC was hired in about 86? Made elite 8 in 90. (Dream Season).

86-87, 87-88, 88-89, 89-90
Dream Season was year 4

 

[CONN78SEJ]

You forgetting JC was a basket away from the Final 4 in year 4?

1990-91 – lost in Sweet 16
1991-92 – lost 2nd round
1992-93 – nit
1993-94 – lost Sweet 16
1994-95 – lost Elite 8
1995-96 – lost Sweet 16
1996-97 – nit
1997-98 – lost Elite 8
1998-99 – Champs
As well as 4 BE Tournament Championships and 6 Regular Season Championships during that time frame.

I guarantee if Hurley can even come close to that people will be more than happy to wait 14 years for a Natty

I’m not forgetting anything about JC’s years at UConn. If Hurley is a basket away from a final four in two years I’ll be the first to congratulate him.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I tought JC was hired in about 86? Made elite 8 in 90. (Dream Season).

Spring of 90, yes. JC always said he thought his best team that didn’t make the FF was 93-94 with Ray and Donyell. IIRC UConn finished 4th in the final AP poll that year, pretty good for a team that lost to Florida in the Sweet 16.

 

[Kathy]

I’m not forgetting anything about JC’s years at UConn. If Hurley is a basket away from a final four in two years I’ll be the first to congratulate him.

You asked how long before a tournament tough team, I guess your definition is different than mine. Doesn't have to be a Championship - at the end of the Dream Season - tied for regular season champs, winning BE tournament and a basket away from the final 4 - a lot of us knew we would get there.

 

[Hoophound]

You forgetting JC was a basket away from the Final 4 in year 4?

1990-91 – lost in Sweet 16
1991-92 – lost 2nd round
1992-93 – nit
1993-94 – lost Sweet 16
1994-95 – lost Elite 8
1995-96 – lost Sweet 16
1996-97 – nit
1997-98 – lost Elite 8
1998-99 – Champs
As well as 4 BE Tournament Championships and 6 Regular Season Championships during that time frame.

I guarantee if Hurley can even come close to that people will be more than happy to wait 14 years for a Natty

I don’t know about waiting 14 years. UConn fans want more. We produced at such a high level over 20 years that only Final Fours will appease people before long. This isn’t a fan base happy with Sweet 16’s anymore. A lot of that is just the mentality of fans in the area. They aren’t happy unless we are crushing opponents and ranked in the top 10 all the time. Front runner fans are the norm in CT.

 

[Kathy]

I don’t know about waiting 14 years. UConn fans want more. We produced at such a high level over 20 years that only Final Fours will appease people before long. This isn’t a fan base happy with Sweet 16’s anymore. A lot of that is just the mentality of fans in the area. They aren’t happy unless we are crushing opponents and ranked in the top 10 all the time. Front runner fans are the norm in CT.

But that's so unrealistic. People need to know how fortunate we ate to have 4.

 

[AntG168]

I don’t know about waiting 14 years. UConn fans want more. We produced at such a high level over 20 years that only Final Fours will appease people before long. This isn’t a fan base happy with Sweet 16’s anymore. A lot of that is just the mentality of fans in the area. They aren’t happy unless we are crushing opponents and ranked in the top 10 all the time. Front runner fans are the norm in CT.

CT fans for the most part are spoiled. You have a bunch of yankee, Red Sox, Celtics, and patriot fans. Add that to the success they’re used to from JC and Geno. The demographics of this fan base have been spoiled with success. They’re not going to be excited by anything less than excellence.

 

[Hoophound]

But that's so unrealistic. People need to know how fortunate we ate to have 4.

Yeah, but they don’t. JC set the table for a sustained level of excellence. If Hurley can’t provide it, someone else probably can. At minimum, people are going to doubt Hurley until he makes a serious run at a title. He’s recruiting well and should be able to get us to an E8 or FF before too long if he is getting the right players and developing them.

 

[auror]

Yeah, but they don’t. JC set the table for a sustained level of excellence. If Hurley can’t provide it, someone else probably can.

No. There are like 5 coaches in the country who have a sustained level of excellence to the point they will compete for multiple championships in their career. Wright, Self, K (his last year), Izzo, Few, Calipari. Bennett until this year. None of those guys are coming here.

Even with the advantage of our history/prestige, it will be very difficult to find a new one of those guys.

 

[USNavyDog]

Seton Hall will not willingly lose Willard

I'd be terrified if Willard left Seton Hall and that school tried to woo Danny Hurley from Uconn to his alma mater. But I have a hunch if that Willard were to leave the Hall, Hurley would be loyal enough to stay in Storrs.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Yeah, but they don’t. JC set the table for a sustained level of excellence. If Hurley can’t provide it, someone else probably can. At minimum, people are going to doubt Hurley until he makes a serious run at a title. He’s recruiting well and should be able to get us to an E8 or FF before too long if he is getting the right players and developing them.

Hurley might even do it next year. He’s got Karaban already sitting on the bench, Clingan and that hot shot guard next Fall. We do lose Cole though.

 

[USNavyDog]

Spring of 90, yes. JC always said he thought his best team that didn’t make the FF was 93-94 with Ray and Donyell. IIRC UConn finished 4th in the final AP poll that year, pretty good for a team that lost to Florida in the Sweet 16.

If Uconn had beaten Florida (Donyell does miss those 2 critical free throws)...we would've had to play that Boston College team in the elite 8 featuring Bill Burley and his 3 guard lineup that nearly beat us twice. Remember that scary 2 OT game at the Conte Forum when Uconn was down 18 points and rallied barely win that game. We would've faced very hungry and vengeful BC team eager to advance to the final 4...that BC team beat the #1 seeding North Carolina.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Spring of 90, yes. JC always said he thought his best team that didn’t make the FF was 93-94 with Ray and Donyell. IIRC UConn finished 4th in the final AP poll that year, pretty good for a team that lost to Florida in the Sweet 16.

I thought JC thought the 1994-1995 team was better. It was a more mature team, with Donny, Ollie and Fair as seniors, and Travis as a junior, Ray, Doron and Kirk King were sophomores. That was a really good team.

 

[huskdogs]

I'd be terrified if Willard left Seton Hall and that school tried to woo Danny Hurley from Uconn to his alma mater. But I have a hunch if that Willard were to leave the Hall, Hurley would be loyal enough to stay in Storrs.

That’s enough boneyard for tonight…

 

[CONN78SEJ]

If Uconn had beaten Florida (Donyell does miss those 2 critical free throws)...we would've had to play that Boston College team in the elite 8 featuring Bill Burley and his 3 guard lineup that nearly beat us twice. Remember that scary 2 OT game at the Conte Forum when Uconn was down 18 points and rallied barely win that game. We would've faced very hungry and vengeful BC team eager to advance to the final 4...that BC team beat the #1 seeding North Carolina.

Curley came close to committing to us instead of BC. One of Calhoun’s biggest recruiting disappointments.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I thought JC thought the 1994-1995 team was better. It was a more mature team, with Donny, Ollie and Fair as seniors, and Travis as a junior, Ray, Doron and Kirk King were sophomores. That was a really good team.

I remember him saying it during an interview, he loved that 93-94 team.

 

[Ewekon]

This is a better way to look at it. My main criticism of the OP list is McDermott being far too low. He's one of the best coaches in the country. His mistake was overblown due to tensions at the time. I think it's forgotten at this point. It would surface if he tried to leave, so he's not going anywhere.

Hurley and Cooley have a chance to move to never with some post season success. As noted elsewhere, Cooley could be hired away. Hurley's biggest challenge is his temper.

I'd still say his biggest challenge is managing minutes 35-40 of games. But he followed, once removed, the master.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Georgetown has now lost 15 straight games with a Top 20 recruiting class. I don't see how Ewing keeps his job. It seems being a #1 assistant in the NBA wasn't a bad gig after all. He's 26-57 in the Big East in his 5 years. It's actually sad to see what Georgetown basketball has become under John Thompson III and Ewing.

 

[Hoophound]

No. There are like 5 coaches in the country who have a sustained level of excellence to the point they will compete for multiple championships in their career. Wright, Self, K (his last year), Izzo, Few, Calipari. Bennett until this year. None of those guys are coming here.

Even with the advantage of our history/prestige, it will be very difficult to find a new one of those guys.

If Hurley isn’t challenging for Final Fours? That means being regular, serious threats for the FF. If we don’t have that, he will not be happy here and the fans won’t be happy either. It can’t become acceptable to be mediocre at a school like UConn.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

But that's so unrealistic. People need to know how fortunate we ate to have 4.

If Donyell makes his free throws, we might have had our first NC in 94.