I was a big fan of Berube, but she has absolutely no experience recruiting and would be a liability from the get-go. Also, she is very smart and undoubtedly would recgonize this weakness and probably would turn down the job in the unlikely event it was offered to her.
I'm picking The Gabulous One!!!!!
Shea yes, Jen no. Jen has fizzled these last few years as her tenure wound down in Hartford, those teams were not dominating the conference and I watched the GW game the other day against Mercer which left me extremely disappointed. Other than Carla, I am hard pressed to name another assistant who commands the HC role in their current position that we would expect to continue on at in Storrs. After Carla, the next best might be Cardoza at Temple but even that underwhelms me. Staley had built that program into respectability and Tanya has barely kept it at that level. Jamelle while a great competitor, not so great a coach (and please let's not go into the lack of support at Cincinnati). Geno's tree is not bearing much fruit, which is quite shocking to me considering the unbelievable list of players he developed and who trump his wizardry at any microphone (and deservedly so). The heir apparent is not so apparent. My guess in 5 years, it's Shea but who knows, I just want to enjoy this year and next year and keep whistling past the graveyard...
At the time they hired Geno UConn was an absolute nobody, not established as the premier program in the country. WBB was the lowest possible priority. It would be unfair to hire someone now who didn't have head coaching experience - unfair to the candidate, unfair to the players, and unfair to the fans. Not to mention a huge, potentially career-ending, bone-head move for whoever the AD is at that point.
This was a point emphasized by Gary Blair last year in his postgame comments after beating Tennessee. He said he twice had opportunities to replace a coaching legend (I forget exactly, but I think one of them was Louisiana Tech) and he declined both times because it's such a mission impossible.
I'll agree that either way it is a never a sure thing. It could work out well either way, and it could fail either way. My alma mater, Oklahoma, just promoted their very young offensive coordinator with no head coaching experience to replace Bob Stoops, the winningest OU coach of all time, and it's working out pretty well so far.
While Geno's assistants are paid significantly more than most head coaches (its published as part of the UConn salary review each year), would be unusual if they would stay if a new Head Coach was named over them. Would also be normal for the new Head Coach to want his/her own staff.
Absolutely correct, but most get their first HC job with a lesser program than the perennially top program in the country. Geno certainly did.
Let me just jump in with both feet..Becky Hammon. A disciple of Popovich, who is Geno's professional alter ego.
I may be mistaken; didn't Christine Dailey say she had no interest in being Head Coach? The times she "subbed" for Geno when he was ejected she said she wasn't happy about being in that situation. (those ejections go back many years ago)\
