Market for a New Coach

[Vowelguy]

According to these responses, no one is ever going to change jobs.

I disagree.

Why, for example, might Rueck leave OrSt?
1) Pay. Rueck's base salary is ~100k/year less than Warlick's. I would bet ancillary pay (media, ads, etc) is higher at TN as well. And his performance is better! Also, Tenn is just starting to reap the $ benefit from the SEC network, so they will soon really be rolling in the dough.
2) Recruiting. How many great HS players live within 500 miles of Knoxville? Corvallis?

Don't get me wrong, I sure hope he doesnt go to TN (and honestly I'd be super surprised to see a male coach there), but all these coaches are not going to stay put their whole careers.

 

[Charliebball]

According to these responses, no one is ever going to change jobs.

I disagree.

Why, for example, might Rueck leave OrSt?
1) Pay. Rueck's base salary is ~100k/year less than Warlick's. I would bet ancillary pay (media, ads, etc) is higher at TN as well. And his performance is better! Also, Tenn is just starting to reap the $ benefit from the SEC network, so they will soon really be rolling in the dough.
2) Recruiting. How many great HS players live within 500 miles of Knoxville? Corvallis?

Don't get me wrong, I sure hope he doesnt go to TN (and honestly I'd be super surprised to see a male coach there), but all these coaches are not going to stay put their whole careers.

could anybody see Rueck as a possible UConn coach down the line?

 

[Vowelguy]

Coaches who have done more with less:

José Fernández
Doug Bruno
Quentin Hillsman
Tricia Fabbri

Bruno is too old, and Fernandez?? Please.
Hillsman is an interesting choice. He could move up to a higher profile job, but not likely at Duke or Tenn.
Fabbri could get a look from ACC schools or say Penn St if the Nittanies cut ties with Coquese.

 

[Vowelguy]

could anybody see Rueck as a possible UConn coach down the line?

Shea Ralph is the next coach

 

[j66kicker]

Shea Ralph is the next coach

I just don't get it. Shea Ralph has no head coaching experience. She needs to go get that taken care of.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I haven't spoken to Rueck personally. This is just my opinion, but I have a really hard time seeing him leave Corvallis. Of course he could get more money elsewhere, more prestige, bigger facilities. That's entirely missing the point though. He loves Corvallis, he is beloved there, he's built an excellent program and he seems very contented. OSU is a bit different than most of the other Pac 12 schools, and some of the coaches they've drawn over the years embrace that difference. Pat Casey built the baseball team into a powerhouse. He had numerous overtures from bigger schools with deeper pockets. He was happy to stay at OSU. I see Rueck in a similar light.

 

[jonson]

I haven't spoken to Rueck personally. This is just my opinion, but I have a really hard time seeing him leave Corvallis. Of course he could get more money elsewhere, more prestige, bigger facilities. That's entirely missing the point though. He loves Corvallis, he is beloved there, he's built an excellent program and he seems very contented. OSU is a bit different than most of the other Pac 12 schools, and some of the coaches they've drawn over the years embrace that difference. Pat Casey built the baseball team into a powerhouse. He had numerous overtures from bigger schools with deeper pockets. He was happy to stay at OSU. I see Rueck in a similar light.

Although I have much less inside knowledge than nwhoopfan, I completely agree. It's difficult to imagine Rueck leaving for any other job, and certainly not Tennessee. And isn't it true, or is this just a local legend, that, after the first or second national championship, Phil Knight actually ponied up some money to keep Casey in Corvallis?

 

[Charliebball]

I just don't get it. Shea Ralph has no head coaching experience. She needs to go get that taken care of.

I've been wondering whether they would turn over the reigns to SR .................same for Niele Ivey at Notre Dame................two really excellent assistant coaches who so many view as the heir apparents to their big time programs.......

 

[Vowelguy]

I just don't get it. Shea Ralph has no head coaching experience. She needs to go get that taken care of.

One thing I will note, not that I imagine it will persuade you that much, is that Pitt's best stretch ever came when Ralph was an asst coach, and it ended soon after she left. I dont like to give assistants too much credit, but the fall off after her departure was striking even though the head coach remained.

 

[nwhoopfan]

And isn't it true, or is this just a local legend, that, after the first or second national championship, Phil Knight actually ponied up some money to keep Casey in Corvallis?

I don't know the answer to that. My dad is a huge OSU baseball fan, I'm sure he would know.

 

[j66kicker]

One thing I will note, not that I imagine it will persuade you that much, is that Pitt's best stretch ever came when Ralph was an asst coach, and it ended soon after she left. I dont like to give assistants too much credit, but the fall off after her departure was striking even though the head coach remained.

I have no trouble giving assistants all the credit they deserve. But it's not like Shea was the de facto head coach at Pitt. HC is an entirely different job that must be learned. A good AD at a super high profile school like CT is unlikely to take that "on the job training" risk, where I'm sure many lesser programs would love to give someone like Shea the opportunity to cut her teeth there. She should be doing that now.

That good AD would also give Geno the courtesy of providing all the input he wants on the next HC. But then that AD should then take that and all the other input and make the decision him/herself.

 

[geewago]

Why not Becky Hammon ?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Why not Becky Hammon ?

She would be a very intriguing coach, but it seems she's holding out for an NBA head coaching gig.

 

[ScarlettB]

Shauna Green from Dayton is an up and comer. She won the Maggie Dixon Rookie Coach of the Year award in her first year at Dayton (2016-2017) and has done well with the program she took over from Jim Jabir. I think she would be a good fit for a program like Duke. Not sure if she is a good fit for Tennessee.

 

[Plebe]

I have no trouble giving assistants all the credit they deserve. But it's not like Shea was the de facto head coach at Pitt. HC is an entirely different job that must be learned. A good AD at a super high profile school like CT is unlikely to take that "on the job training" risk, where I'm sure many lesser programs would love to give someone like Shea the opportunity to cut her teeth there. She should be doing that now.

That good AD would also give Geno the courtesy of providing all the input he wants on the next HC. But then that AD should then take that and all the other input and make the decision him/herself.

I wonder if anyone's ever done a study to see which subgroup is more successful statistically: first-time head coaches with strong assistant-coaching experience, or those with previous head-coaching experience?

It seems axiomatic that previous HC experience is better than none, but examples abound of successful AC-to-HC transitions (Geno, Walz, Mulkey...), and lots of HCs have been unable to re-create their success a new school. Matt Bollant went from averaging 30 wins a season at Green Bay to a total of 22 wins in his 5 years at Illinois.

Kristy Curry went from being an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech (when they went to two consecutive Final Fours in the late '90s) to a highly successful HC at Purdue to more modest success at Texas Tech to her current job at Alabama, where she's failed to go to a single NCAA tournament in 5 (going on 6) seasons.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Interesting topic Plebe. Seems like a bit of crap shoot either way. Seen it go both ways with some local teams. Rueck won a D3 Championship, doing well at OSU. Graves transitioned well from Gonzaga to Oregon. Tia Jackson had a great pedigree as an assistant under several high profile coaches but was an utter disaster as a head coach at UW. Neighbors on the other hand did well moving from assistant to HC for them, but over a short enough run to be inconclusive. Now w/ Wynn going from a Big West school to Pac 12 she's struggling mightily to turn the corner so far.

 

[Vowelguy]

to her current job at Alabama, where she's failed to go to a single NCAA tournament in 5 (going on 6) seasons.

But 5 STRAIGHT wins against a certain program .... which brings us full circle back to this thread's topic.

 

[JordyG]

Of course in @vowelguy's original post, 3 other coaches who have done more with less are Wes Moore, Vic Schaefer, and Scott Rueck.

I would add Vic on that list. MSS has never had a McDonald's AA recruited to their school. Of course since he has had McCowan things may change next year and in years to come.

 

[Biff]

Hmmm. I read the OP title and thought I was going to see something like this.....

 

[WestsideWaltz]

Interesting topic Plebe. Seems like a bit of crap shoot either way. Seen it go both ways with some local teams. Rueck won a D3 Championship, doing well at OSU. Graves transitioned well from Gonzaga to Oregon. Tia Jackson had a great pedigree as an assistant under several high profile coaches but was an utter disaster as a head coach at UW. Neighbors on the other hand did well moving from assistant to HC for them, but over a short enough run to be inconclusive. Now w/ Wynn going from a Big West school to Pac 12 she's struggling mightily to turn the corner so far.

I would add Cori Close and Lindsay Gottlieb to that list. And since we're talking Duke, does anyone remember Rueck's predecessor and Duke asst. coach LaVonda Wagner, arguably the worst Pac wbb coach in history.

I think Johnnie Harris will be given a lot of consideration. Pac has some strong female assistant coaches like Cal's Charmin Smith or Stanford's Kate Paye (waiting for TVD's retirement) and Oregon's Mark Campbell.

 

[Dillon77]

While many think Niele Ivey is the "Muffet successor in waiting," I'm not so sure of it (at this juncture. MM seems invigorated.). Ivey and Courtney Banghart, if you recall, were the finalists for the Vanderbilt job that Stef White ultimately won.

So, Niele will look for her first head-coaching job if she thinks it's a good fit. One reason that made her very focused on the right fit is her son, Jayden*, who grew up in South Bend and the ND campus. As a single mom, she was very in tune with what was best for him. Jaylon is now getting D1 offers of his own, so mom could very much consider a D1 HC position knowing he's embarking on a career of his own.

So, if Duke becomes available....that's certainly something that might be considered. Other possible Duke candidates:
- her other Vandy co-finalist, Princeton's Courtney Banghart, would be very interested in Duke, also; particularly with Bella Alarie's eligibility winding down.

- as mentioned above, Shauna Green of Dayton could be a good fit at Duke.
- Megan Duffy of Miami (Ohio), who served as top recruiter and back-court coach at both George Washington and U of Michigan before heading to Miami. She's only in her 2nd year of HCing, but results are solid thus far and the future look promising. Also, she works very hard and is good with a microphone in front of her.

- My last Duke thought, if they wanted to go the proven route: Duke alum Katie Meier, who has done very well at Miami of Florida. Katie would know what to do with the talent that Duke draws.

As for Tennessee, why not Kara Lawson and some veteran WCBB assistants to help her out? The b-ball IQ is off the charts. Her 3 v 3 charges love her. As Dickie V, might say (yell), "Cred City! Book her!"

* Thanks to Orangutan for supplying correct Jaden's first name. Shame on me...50 Hail Mary's at the Grotto.

 

[nwhoopfan]

does anyone remember Rueck's predecessor and Duke asst. coach LaVonda Wagner, arguably the worst Pac wbb coach in history.

I think everyone that knew anything about that situation tried really really hard to forget.

 

[Fightin Choke]

I would add Vic on that list. MSS has never had a McDonald's AA recruited to their school. Of course since he has had McCowan things may change next year and in years to come.

Did you see the 3 coaches in my list you quoted?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

And anyone taking TN job is NOT getting their own program - WCBB is too young to have a long coaching tree at schools that have had icons. Texas is the only school I can think of where Jodi is 'ancient history' even if it is only 11 years - she was certainly a pioneer, but only two FF and a single NC 33 years ago doen't cast a long shadow.

No. Jodi is extremely well respected at Texas and had a fair influence in the current coach selection. The impact of any of these coaches is primarily on their immediate successor. In that respect, Jodi isn't a factor, but at least until recently she was often seen at UT games, and interviewed at times.

 

[IrishTiger]

If I was Tennessee I’d go after.
1. Jeff Walz I doubt he’d take it. But I’d still offer Him the job.
2. Vic Schaefer Not sure He would take it either but would still offer Him the job.
3. Wes Moore
4. Kara Lawson

If I was Duke I’d go after.
1. Jennie Baranczyk
2. Courtney Banghart
3. Niele Ivey Now i hope she wouldn’t take the job. Since I’m an Irish fan. But if the first two turned it down I’d go after Niele.