Which 5, Current Head Coaches Would Be Your Top Picks to Succeed JC?

[huskiesnyc]

I'm going with Mark Few. If he can get that talent at a school like Gonzaga imagine what he would do at UConn. He's also a very solid game coach

 

[FfldCntyFan]

As far as Kevin Ollie being named the successor - just think about this...if UConn didn't reach out to someone not in the system, we would have never gotten Calhoun!

Are you seriously viewing the coaching search when JC leaves as a similar situation to the one when we hired JC?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I believe that Donovan already makes considerably (~$1mm per year) more than JC. I don't believe that it would be possible financially for the school to pay JC's successor more than JC was making and on many other levels it would not make any sense at all.

We aren't landing Donovan and we may not be able to consider coaches along the lines of Sean Miller because of this.

 

[aceboon]

lol @ guys seriously naming Frank Haith in this thread, you guys are way too caught up in the moment. Haith was detailed as handing over cash directly to a recruit in that Miami probe, and landed in possibly the best situation you could ever get as a first year coach by taking over a veteran team of guys he didn't recruit.

 

[aceboon]

Andy Katz has reported how much Herbst respects Ollie and has taken to him, he followed the team during the White House visit and observed it first hand. The hiring of Manuel obviously is a new factor to the whole situation and we don't know how he's going to approach the new hire process, but Ollie's chances don't take a hit with Herbst being the new Prez, they actually go up with her in place.

You may be right, but I still think that the chances are slightly lower now than before. Let's take the football hire as an example: there was (or at least appeared to be) a REAL chance that Hank Hughes was going to be the next coach of the UConn Huskies. In fact, if Hathaway didn't make the Pasqualoni decision, I'm not sure he doesn't make Hughes the full time coach and wait a bit to see how it goes. At the time, Addazio was already at Temple, Leach had ZERO chance, and I don't think that the administration was endeared to Whipple at all (which is why I think that move ultimately didn't happen).

In contrast, I could have pictured a press conference for that hire with Herbst and Manuel just coming out early on and saying, "We're a national brand, and we need a coach who will reflect that brand. While we appreciate all of Hank Hughes' efforts, we will be interviewing other candidates with the intention of hiring the next football coach at the University of Connecticut" or something to that effect.

I could be wrong, though...

 

[hungry husky]

Not a huge fan of this guy, but what does everyone think about Stan Heath?

 

[husky91]

I would throw everything to get Shaka.

Smart, Stevens, Few, Martin, Haith. Subject to change.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Are you seriously viewing the coaching search when JC leaves as a similar situation to the one when we hired JC?

At the same time, does it matter that KO is in the system? Does that mean he should be who we consider first? If UConn has a chance to get Shaka Smart, it's not even close. Gotta give him the job over Ollie. He's proven, Ollie isn't. And UConn deserves a coach who has proven themselves. As great as a story KO would be, a good story doesn't mean we should do it.

 

[CL82]

1.Shaka Smart
2.Gregg Marshall
3.Fran Franshilla
4.Anthony Grant
5.Kevin Ollie

Fran Franshilla?? God no

 

[seeya27]

I apologize if this name had been floated earlier: Geno.

For those of you who don't know, Geno made a full court press, albeit behind the scenes, for the UMass mens job in the early 2000s when that job opened. He's always wanted to coach a mens program and see if his system would work at that level.

That said, Calhoun (my coaching hero) might disassociate himself from the program forever if it ever happened. Little doubt that with the right assistants he could recruit and coach at this level though.

Given his deep roots in the Olympic program, I suspect it could never happen. But in another time and year, who knows?

 

[Burnsbros23]

I like Fran.... but i highly doubt that would ever happen. espn guys have done a good job lavin gottfried

 

[MattMang23]

Geno was a finalist for the OU job when it went to Capel a few years back too, wasn't he? It's no secret Geno and Joe Castiglione, AD at Oklahoma, are good friends. Geno's been trying to get into the men's game for a while.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Ollie can recruit. he should and will get the job. if he can recruit he will win big at uconn.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Geno has been trying to get in the mens game for awhile now? did not know that. im surprised he hasnt gotten a mens job somewhere. im guessing hes had offers but none that he felt were worth leaving uconn.

 

[PolisHusky]

Let's just build fundraise for those facilities and then we can attract these coaches. I like the ideas, but in many ways, you have to have something more than Gampel because many colleges have an "arena". Big basketball facilities, combined with our tradition, and rabid student fanbase could really make the coaches think twice about passing on UConn.

Calhoun will also be part of the fold as long as his health poses no issues, a new coach will have to adapt to life with Jim...after Jim. If the egos mesh, that is a big component. This board loves drama and banter, but I think we can all agree that conflict between Calhoun and his successor is nothing we want. I don't envy Manuel or Herbst when the time comes, but I'm glad they are in charge right now and will work together to move the university, support groups, and athletic programs forward.

 

[MattMang23]

Geno has been trying to get in the mens game for awhile now? did not know that. im surprised he hasnt gotten a mens job somewhere. im guessing hes had offers but none that he felt were worth leaving uconn.

Supposedly he was offered the OU men's job prior to Capel and turned it down.

http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_womens_basketball/2011/02/yahoo-video-geno-auriemma-almo.html

 

[mike40]

Sean miller, big east guy, north east guy, excellent recruiter. Danny Hurley for basically the same reason, plus he's scrappy, I like that in a coach.

 

[Nostical]

No way Ollie becomes our HC as his first rodeo.
Forget about it. Take him out of the discussion

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I apologize if this name had been floated earlier: Geno.

For those of you who don't know, Geno made a full court press, albeit behind the scenes, for the UMass mens job in the early 2000s when that job opened. He's always wanted to coach a mens program and see if his system would work at that level.

That said, Calhoun (my coaching hero) might disassociate himself from the program forever if it ever happened. Little doubt that with the right assistants he could recruit and coach at this level though.

Given his deep roots in the Olympic program, I suspect it could never happen. But in another time and year, who knows?

I don't buy that. If he really wanted that job he would have landed it.

 

[UConnDad]

1. Kevin Ollie
2. Would really like to see Geno give it a go

No other choices would make me happy initially but with great results? But then what would there be for some of you to complain about? Just kidding I love passionate Husky fans.

 

[traitor71]

lol @ guys seriously naming Frank Haith in this thread, you guys are way too caught up in the moment. Haith was detailed as handing over cash directly to a recruit in that Miami probe, and landed in possibly the best situation you could ever get as a first year coach by taking over a veteran team of guys he didn't recruit.

I'm simply astonished that anyone would mention Frank Haith. If I were looking at a guy that coached down here I would take Leonard Hamilton. He preaches toughness and I would love to see him at a school where basketball is a focus, not an extra. I am also scared at the idea of turning the program over to a guy that has never been a head coach before which makes Ollie a risky move to me.

 

[Ed-D]

If we're talking current head coaches I'm gonna have to choose "none of the above" here. I would want somebody like Kevin Ollie to take over and continue Calhoun's legacy while slowly building his own

 

[Prezidint]

Izzo, please.

 

[Inyatkin]

If Geno wanted to be in the men's game, he'd be in the men's game. You think some loser program wouldn't give the most successful women's coach a shot? He'd be a huge story, at least at first, as everyone would want to see if he could do it. It'd sure make a bigger splash than all these other retreads that keep getting hired.

 

[seeya27]

If Geno wanted to be in the men's game, he'd be in the men's game. You think some loser program wouldn't give the most successful women's coach a shot? He'd be a huge story, at least at first, as everyone would want to see if he could do it. It'd sure make a bigger splash than all these other retreads that keep getting hired.

The UMass story is accurate. I went to a High level UConn event and learned about it in detail. The key stipulation was that Geno didn't want an open competiton for the job -- something UMass couldn't promise. But he clearly wanted the job.

Can't imagine why he would ever want a mid-major, non-football school like UMass though. I would want a school with resources and a larger fan base.

Still think the Olympics pretty much prohibits him from any men's job for a while.