Let the Carousel begin! | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Let the Carousel begin!

MSSportsGuy said:
I honestly didn't think it would happen this year, not that I thought things would improve.
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After their disastrous OOC I thought Kentucky might go winless in the SEC. They actually recovered somewhat to win 4 games and finish ahead of 2 other teams. But not enough, obviously.
 
Wildcatfan3 said:
Elzy fired at Kentucky at last.
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Not too surprising. Hate to see any coach get fired but sometimes it isn't a great fit. Coach Elzy gave it a shot and things didn't work out. Hopefully she gets another chance and who knows, it might be the right fit.
 
Plebe said:
After their disastrous OOC I thought Kentucky might go winless in the SEC. They actually recovered somewhat to win 4 games and finish ahead of 2 other teams. But not enough, obviously.
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That's one of the reasons I thought she had a chance to hang around one more year even though I didn't think it would change the eventual outcome. Elzy seems like a good person and may just not be cut out for being a HC at the SEC level.
 
Wildcatfan3 said:
Most Kentucky fans would like one of the below.

1. Molly Miller
2. Kim Stephens
3. Carly DuDonis
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Reactions:
  • Molly Miller, if memory serves, played at Drury in Missouri and she's been successful and publicized at Grand Canyon for a few years now.
  • Kim Stephens is in her first year at Marshall and doing a great job. However, that would be a leap of faith that she could translate one year to a P5 school in need of a rebuild.
  • And while DuDonis is having a great 2nd year at Fairfield, that's a mid-major in Connecticut. She was at Minnesota under Whelan, but that didn't turn out that well.

As for @Vowelguy and the Megan Duffy suggestion, while Duffy is from the Dayton area and did spend a few years at Miami of Ohio, I still think of her as a solidly Midwest/Big Ten kind of coach in terms of recruiting and the players she goes after. (For some reason, I think if Uncle Joe retires at Northwestern, you could see an interest in moving down the lake shore coast from Milwaukee...) Something about Duffy and Kentucky doesn't feel quite right there in terms of fit...at least to this Domer.
 
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Elzy clearly wasn’t the answer at Kentucky and the results were far below what the program should expect but she is incredibly gracious and appears to care deeply about her players and the conference. I hope she gets another opportunity, even if it’s just as an assistant coach. And if nothing else, she coached a team to the most unexpected SECT championship in a decade and no one can take that from her.
 
Elzy is a great person, but her downfall was she just couldnt recruit at all and had more significant losses to the portal than additions.

There's a report out there that Matthew Mitchell could be getting hired again which I wouldn't love personally. Karl Smesko is another name out there in Kentucky groups.
 
Wildcatfan3 said:
Elzy is a great person, but her downfall was she just couldnt recruit at all and had more significant losses to the portal than additions.

There's a report out there that Matthew Mitchell could be getting hired again which I wouldn't love personally. Karl Smesko is another name out there in Kentucky groups.
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Smesko gets mentioned for every job, even interviewed at a few, and he’s gotten/taken none of them.

He’s got a good gig and likely lifetime employment. And he gets to live in Fort Myers!

I don’t see him leaving that for Lexington KY.
 
Can't help but feel some empathy with coach Elzy, but there is no legit argument against this decision. I'm just saying she took over the program in the midst of the covid upheaval then had the new NIL and transfer cultures thrown in for good measure. That's a lot to deal with while trying to establish yourself as the leader of the program.

Could be a fresh start will turn out to be a good thing for her and for Kentucky.
 
YoDore said:
Can't help but feel some empathy with coach Elzy, but there is no legit argument against this decision. I'm just saying she took over the program in the midst of the covid upheaval then had the new NIL and transfer cultures thrown in for good measure. That's a lot to deal with while trying to establish yourself as the leader of the program.

Could be a fresh start will turn out to be a good thing for her and for Kentucky.
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Well said.
 
Dillon77 said:
Reactions:
  • Molly Miller, if memory serves, played at Drury in Missouri and she's been successful and publicized at Grand Canyon for a few years now.
  • Kim Stephens is in her first year at Marshall and doing a great job. However, that would be a leap of faith that she could translate one year to a P5 school in need of a rebuild.
  • And while DuDonis is having a great 2nd year at Fairfield, that's a mid-major in Connecticut. She was at Minnesota under Whelan, but that didn't turn out that well.

As for @Vowelguy and the Megan Duffy suggestion, while Duffy is from the Dayton area and did spend a few years at Miami of Ohio, I still think of her as a solidly Midwest/Big Ten kind of coach in terms of recruiting and the players she goes after. (For some reason, I think if Uncle Joe retires at Northwestern, you could see an interest in moving down the lake shore coast from Milwaukee...) Something about Duffy and Kentucky doesn't feel quite right there in terms of fit...at least to this Domer.
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I agree. That's not a robust enough list for a P5 job, especially one in the SEC. This job may require someone with more P5 coaching experience. I hope their AD will be working his magic at the Final Four this year because this might be a tougher sell than most think.

And count me as someone else who loves Megan Duffy but does not want her first P5 experience to be Kentucky.
 
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The reason I like those options is they are young and up and coming coaches who would be hungry for a big time gig. The Kentucky wbb has gone kind of stale so would love someone who could bring some energy into the program. Recruiting will be the biggest thing needed. It's obviously a risk jumping into the P5, but I think those options are more than capable along with Duffy.
 
Wildcatfan3 said:
The reason I like those options is they are young and up and coming coaches who would be hungry for a big time gig. The Kentucky wbb has gone kind of stale so would love someone who could bring some energy into the program. Recruiting will be the biggest thing needed. It's obviously a risk jumping into the P5, but I think those options are more than capable along with Duffy.
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If you want young and up and coming, UNLV coach Lindy La Rocque is only 34 but already has 4 very good years under her belt as a head coach. Miller has been coaching longer, but La Rocque has more experience than the other two mentioned.
 
JellyBean said:
Not too surprising. Hate to see any coach get fired but sometimes it isn't a great fit. Coach Elzy gave it a shot and things didn't work out. Hopefully she gets another chance and who knows, it might be the right fit.
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Wait, what? Right fit? She was Mitchell’s top assistant before she got the job and then proceeded to spiral down with a quality team and lost at least 3 key players and hasn’t had the best publicity to say the least. Maybe so really bad mid-major would hire her but her next gig with be back as an assistant not as a HC. In fact I highly doubt we ever see her coach at a P5 ever again but who knows-Coquese Washington got a second shot….
 
DefenseBB said:
Wait, what? Right fit? She was Mitchell’s top assistant before she got the job and then proceeded to spiral down with a quality team and lost at least 3 key players and hasn’t had the best publicity to say the least. Maybe so really bad mid-major would hire her but her next gig with be back as an assistant not as a HC. In fact I highly doubt we ever see her coach at a P5 ever again but who knows-Coquese Washington got a second shot….
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And Felicia Legette Jack, and Kelly Harper.

But yeah not everyone is cut out to be a tier 1 head coach, regardless of background.
 
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nwhoopfan said:
If you want young and up and coming, UNLV coach Lindy La Rocque is only 34 but already has 4 very good years under her belt as a head coach. Miller has been coaching longer, but La Rocque has more experience than the other two mentioned.
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Any PAC jobs gonna open up?

She has played (I think?) and coached out west. I’d think a west job is her next step.

Wonder if any of the richer SEC/big schools will go after WSU or OSU coaches now that their schools are being orphaned , or even the ones going to the b12.
 
Wildcatfan3 said:
Elzy is a great person, but her downfall was she just couldnt recruit at all and had more significant losses to the portal than additions.

There's a report out there that Matthew Mitchell could be getting hired again which I wouldn't love personally. Karl Smesko is another name out there in Kentucky groups.
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I would be shocked if Smesko left, especially for Kentucky. He's got it good with FGCU, he built that program from the ground up.
 
Vowelguy said:
And Felicia Legette Jack, and Kelly Harper.

But yeah not everyone is cut out to be a tier 1 head coach, regardless of background.
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Legette Jack has made strides since returning to a P5 program. Don't think anyone saw Syracuse making the improvements they have in less than 2 full seasons.
 
Vowelguy said:
Any PAC jobs gonna open up?

She has played (I think?) and coached out west. I’d think a west job is her next step.

Wonder if any of the richer SEC/big schools will go after WSU or OSU coaches now that their schools are being orphaned , or even the ones going to the b12.
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No Pac jobs officially open. I get the regional thing, but it's not like no coach has ever taken a job in a different part of the country than where their roots are. Results vary.

I just looked up ages, Ethridge is 59 and Rueck 54. Kami has been at WSU for a shorter period of time and has less of a tie to the school, I could see her leaving if a better opportunity presented itself. I gotta think Rueck has been courted at some point and didn't leave. Before this year the shine was pretty much off of him. Now who knows. Their football coach bolted (and was an OSU alum), the uncertainty of conference affiliation in the future is certainly a factor to consider.
 
Can Rutgers get a redo on the carousel?

Sad Season 1 GIF by Friends
 
nwhoopfan said:
No Pac jobs officially open. I get the regional thing, but it's not like no coach has ever taken a job in a different part of the country than where their roots are. Results vary.

I just looked up ages, Ethridge is 59 and Rueck 54. Kami has been at WSU for a shorter period of time and has less of a tie to the school, I could see her leaving if a better opportunity presented itself. I gotta think Rueck has been courted at some point and didn't leave. Before this year the shine was pretty much off of him. Now who knows. Their football coach bolted (and was an OSU alum), the uncertainty of conference affiliation in the future is certainly a factor to consider.
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Assuming no Oregon State Players jump ship, I just can't see Rueck leaving given the talent he has coming back next season. Oregon State doesn't have any seniors on it's roster. Rueck is an Oregon State Homer, and 2 of his kids still in Junior High/High School. His son Cole is #1 golfer at Boise State, so I don't see Rueck leaving for an SEC, B12, or ACC head coaching position.
 
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cancontent said:
Legette Jack has made strides since returning to a P5 program. Don't think anyone saw Syracuse making the improvements they have in less than 2 full seasons.
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She had done a solid job at Buffalo. Bringing her top two players from there -- Fair and Wooley -- certainly helped jump start the program. Coach Jack has some fine athletic forwards. It will interesting to see if she can find another volume shooter/scorer to join Wooley now that Fair is out of eligibility.
 
Vowelguy said:
Absolutely. Was referring to coaches who got a 2nd shot at a p5 job after getting fired.
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?? Wasn't Coach Jack fired at IU? She then went to Buffalo, now 'Cuse? So, she took a two-step trip back, much like Kelly Harper.
 
Dillon77 said:
?? Wasn't Coach Jack fired at IU? She then went to Buffalo, now 'Cuse? So, she took a two-step trip back, much like Kelly Harper.
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That’s what I said.
She got fired at a P5.
She made her way back to a p5.

Ergo she got a 2nd shot at a p5 job after getting fired.
 
JellyBean said:
Not too surprising. Hate to see any coach get fired but sometimes it isn't a great fit. Coach Elzy gave it a shot and things didn't work out. Hopefully she gets another chance and who knows, it might be the right fit.
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She can apply at Utah State.
 
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