Donyell Marshall out at CCSU

[nelsonmuntz]

CCSU is also probably like the worst job in the country...I wouldn't really make that judgement based on that.

I disagree. I think Central is a GREAT low-major job. There is a lot of third tier local talent in Connecticut, and New York and Boston are not that far. A job like this needs a big talent base that is drivable. The academics are manageable, and CCSU can be cannon fodder for big name programs like UConn and St. Johns any time it wants, which will be appealing to these kids.

This is the kind of job where a lot of the recruiting happens in the film room, not in the living room. There are a lot of kids to choose from in the area, and most of the kids are probably not getting many if any other D1 offers, so the coach has to be able to identify the difference between a low level D1 player and a DII player, and that is hard to do. But he also has to be able to outsell other low-majors when it comes to the better kids.

The coach also has to be able to coach kids up once he gets them, but that is true of anyplace. The big thing is that he has the local talent pool to work with.

Howie was successful at CCSU for 15 years until he got too old. If I was a 30-something high-major assistant with roots in the Northeast, I would be beating down the door to get the CCSU job.

 

[CCSUBlue92]

Donyell really did CCSU a favor by coaching there. He raised their profile. He represented them with class. I thought his team play as well as they could given they were almost always outgunned. Very tough place to win. He did nothing that would hurt his legacy.

Let's get one thing straight....Donyell was NOT doing CCSU any favors. There was not a single person in the athletic department who wanted Donyell--and that includes the AD. From Day 1, Central fans were extremely unhappy with the hire. The hiring committee had some GREAT finalists to choose from. Unfortunately they were overruled by a high-profile UConn supporter who serves on the board.
Donyell is a great guy. He's a very good recruiter. He is terrible coach.

 

[The Viking]

Kevin Ollie is available. Anytime you have the chance to add a coach with a national championship, you have to do it.

 

[Austin316]

Let's get one thing straight....Donyell was NOT doing CCSU any favors. There was not a single person in the athletic department who wanted Donyell--and that includes the AD. From Day 1, Central fans were extremely unhappy with the hire. The hiring committee had some GREAT finalists to choose from. Unfortunately they were overruled by a high-profile UConn supporter who serves on the board.
Donyell is a great guy. He's a very good recruiter. He is terrible coach.

You can respect the heck out of the guy for what he’s done to UConn as a player/alum but that didn’t do him any good at Central. Agreed, at lower mid-major bball coaching wins games more than anything else.

I think Sellers would be a great candidate.

 

[CCSUBlue92]

You can respect the heck out of the guy for what he’s done to UConn as a player/alum but that didn’t do him any good at Central. Agreed, at lower mid-major bball coaching wins games more than anything else.

I think Sellers would be a great candidate.

100% agree!
My first 3 phonecalls would be Sellers, Steve Curran, and Tobin Anderson. (Keep an eye on Anderson.)

 

[Huskybass]

Kevin Ollie is available. Anytime you have the chance to add a coach with a national championship, you have to do it.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

 

[huskyinfl]

Better CT basketball is great for everyone. CCSU should be a lil pipeline for us on higher risk kids.

 

[Johnjp0628]

It's a tough sell. Keith Closs, Rick Mickens, not much else in their history. They really don't stand out or even look average in any non-basketball aspect - location, prestige, student facilities.

Would be cool to see Mickens involved, he lives local and is a career Firefighter in NB. Cant ask for a better ambassador for the program.

 

[CCSU97]

I've been a big Pat Sellers supporter for years. He was the top choice of the Central AD 5 years ago. When he was overruled--by a UConn guy who sat on the board--the AD resigned a few weeks later. Ended up at Fairfield...and immediately hired Pat as an assistant MBB coach.
Pat was an outstanding player. We were at Central at the same time. His brother Rod would often bring his UConn guys over to Vance Hall to hang out.
Having said all that, neither Pat, nor I, are young guys anymore. However, if he still has the energy and passion to come to Central for the long haul--and it will be a difficult haul! (with all the ridiculous cuts to the current athletic budgets)--then I'd be very interested.
Good luck to your Huskies in the postseason!

Correction - Jay Young was the former AD's selection to replace Howie. The CAO overruled him and picked Marshall based solely on his UConn pedigree, and not on his very thin coaching resume. The mistake was obvious from the beginning and the AD left shortly thereafter to go to Fairfield. Only UConn fans thought this was a good idea - the entire CCSU fan base (yes, as small as that might be) was appalled at the decision and we've payed dearly for it.

BTW - The CAO, Richard Bachoo, a UConn graduate, was fired a few years later for abuses regarding oversight of the CCSU Police Department

Pat Sellers is a fan favorite for a ton of reasons, including his class regarding how he was thrown under the bus by Calhoun and UConn and sent professionally to Sibera (well China). Of course he was exonerated and is now an assistant to Young at Fairfield (with CCSU's former AD).

However, that's not to say he's the best or most likely selection. Last time around the finalist for the job included Young, Sellers, Marshall, Shaheen Holloway (HC at St. Peter's), Steve Curran (Assoc. HC at St. Bona), Jared Grasso (HC at Bryant), and Andre LaFleur.

This will be CCSU's first "open" search since 1991, when the school picked Mark Adams, an assistant from Washington State. In 1997, our AD plucked Howie directly from the UConn bench.

I expect an very interesting and qualified group of names.

 

[CCSU97]

CCSU is also probably like the worst job in the country...I wouldn't really make that judgement based on that.

Not even close to true.

Jobs like Binghamton, Sacred Heart, Quinnipiac, Hartford, MEACs, SWACs, etc. are just as "bad" - let's dial down this nonsense.

 

[CCSU97]

Donyell really did CCSU a favor by coaching there. He raised their profile. He represented them with class. I thought his team play as well as they could given they were almost always outgunned. Very tough place to win. He did nothing that would hurt his legacy.

Are you lucid? He was a disaster on and off the court. He embarrassed himself more than you know. From his conduct to in-game strategy, it was painful to watch.

That being said, I blame the CAO wo selected him for the job - he wasn't ready or prepared to be a D-I head coach.

He'll land somewhere and do fine as an assistant coach focused on recruiting.

 

[CCSU97]

A couple of years ago, I would have been offended by this comment, however, NOW I have to admit that you may be right. The president of Central has slashed the basketball budget down to nothing. It's ridiculous! Central is a really tough place to win under the current economic constraints.

Yes, it is very tough and the fiscal resources are embarrassing low at Central, but let's not pretend this isn't the exact same situation at about 150 of the 350 Division I programs.

It is no harder to win at CCSU than it is at Sacred Heart, NJIT, UNC Ashville, Binghamton, Florida A&M, etc.

 

[CCSU97]

It's a tough sell. Keith Closs, Rick Mickens, not much else in their history. They really don't stand out or even look average in any non-basketball aspect - location, prestige, student facilities.

CCSU has 3 NCAA appearances (2007, 2002, 200) - that's more than Sacred Heart, Quinnipiac, and Hartford combined!

Hint: they have ZERO

Fairfield has 3 appearances as well, but their most recent was in 1997.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Fordham is the worst job in D1. End of debate.

At least for CCSU, the NEC is a pretty wide open conference. Yes, Bryant is currently the cream of the crop, but outside of them it's a different standings every season.

With Fordham, you can pretty much book them being the worst team in the A-10 every single year:

• ONE .500 season of A-10 play in 25 seasons.
• Since 2000, THIRTEEN seasons with four or less A-10 wins.

 

[CCSU97]

Fordham is the worst job in D1. End of debate.

At least for CCSU, the NEC is a pretty wide open conference. Yes, Bryant is currently the cream of the crop, but outside of them it's a different standings every season.

With Fordham, you can pretty much book them being the worst team in the A-10 every single year:

• ONE .500 season of A-10 play in 25 seasons.
• Since 2000, THIRTEEN seasons with four or less A-10 wins.

100% Correct. Low-major leagues like the NEC, America East, Patriot, etc. have a lot of parity. Teams ebb and flow in cycles based on coaching and recruiting. You're really never more than 2 seasons away from winning in one of those leagues.

Compare that with a Fordham or now Boston College. These are obviously higher profile and paying jobs, but with much less chance of success. Everything is relative. The CCSU job is a stepping stone for a high-major assistant to run their own program.

Your own Dan Hurley got his "start" at Wagner playing league game vs. Central at Detrick Gym.

 

[CCSU97]

I've been a big Pat Sellers supporter for years. He was the top choice of the Central AD 5 years ago. When he was overruled--by a UConn guy who sat on the board--the AD resigned a few weeks later. Ended up at Fairfield...and immediately hired Pat as an assistant MBB coach.
Pat was an outstanding player. We were at Central at the same time. His brother Rod would often bring his UConn guys over to Vance Hall to hang out.
Having said all that, neither Pat, nor I, are young guys anymore. However, if he still has the energy and passion to come to Central for the long haul--and it will be a difficult haul! (with all the ridiculous cuts to the current athletic budgets)--then I'd be very interested.
Good luck to your Huskies in the postseason!

Agreed. CCSU fans love Pat because he is a "Central guy" and he's got an experienced resume. We're loyal as hell and proud to see our alumni do well. Obviously its somewhat nostalgia for a Howie redux - alumni returns and brings us to the NCAAs. However, those expectations might be too high (and unfair to him).

I really wish Sellers got the job to replace Howie, but I'm not sure he's the right guy now. We probably need someone younger, but I think he could be that experienced top assistant (Associate Head Coach).

Regardless, would love to have him be part of the program in the future.

 

[gtcam]

Donyell, if he wants to continue coaching, will be fine in an assistant/recruiter/big mans coach.
Like so many, being a great player doesn't translate into being an effective head coach and dealing with all the responsibilities involved.
I wish Donyell all the best