They are. San Diego St. is usually good to great, UNM is solid, CSU has been good of late, Utah State is top 25 caliber, it's no slouch of a conference.
Safe hire, no real wow factor.
I’m late to this party but the more I read the more I like.
Thank you for putting this together! My two choices are 1) Devries - Drake and 2) McCollum - NW Miss St. These are 2 proven experienced winners at lower level that remind me of Tech's McCasland. Alford - Nevada would be third choice. Of the 3 choices, Alford is the safe hire. He brings name recognition, Power 5 experience and 600 plus wins.
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You may be right on the ceiling part but Alford has proven to be a better coach over time than TF if we're comparing winning %, conference finishes, tournament appearances and record. I'm not advocating to hire Alford but I think he would be an improvement over our last 4 hires. I still like Devries and McCollum as my top 2 picks.
I'm with you, I'd take McCollum or DeVries first and Alford only third if the other two decline. The only having success at smaller schools doesn't bother me, I actually think it's a plus since both of them have sustained it over time. I could be wrong, but in my mind sustained succes at those smaller schools requires a higher degree of actual game knowledge/innovation and player development. They aren't getting their pick of the litter, 5 star Cade Cunningham types that immediately boost the whole team via their NBA-ready talent. They have to develop players over time into that caliber, and along with that either form their team around the strengths their roster provides, or recruit to fill needs. Even more credence lent to that if those teams weren't any good when said coach arrived.
He checks off A LOT of the boxes we've listed. First and foremost is he has a "style" that he recruits to and coaches to and it works. Give me a team that can flat get buckets any day of the week and I'll beat you more than you beat me. I am not sure the old school defend like craze style can still win at a high enough level, guys want to score and score big. Alabama, Kentucky, FAU, Creighton, Uconn just get buckets. Now, if you can do both, great but I'd rather be able to score than struggle to get to 50.
SIAP. Bewwy Twammel's coach bracket.
What if the OSU basketball coaching search was a bracket?
Read about What if the OSU basketball coaching search was a bracket? at Sellout Crowd today.
Lol yea don't waste your time reading. This doofus has McCollum as a 4 seed (and losing to the 13 seed BTW) in the same region where Gottlieb is the 1 seed.
And... (I hate to say it), Illinois.
Not so much in terms of style but just overall gives off a Chris Klieman vibe.
That old school style still can win at a high level, look no further than UVA or what Huggins did at WVU for evidence. But given how the writing of the rules and how they're being called have changed, it's very hard to execute. Scoring frenzies are what's facilitated nowadays.
I'd prefer Devries or one of the younger guys, but Alford has a positive track record, and he's almost 60, so it's not a long term commitment. If he can get us back to the top half of the league with regular tourney appearances and a run or two to the Sweet 16 or further, that will put butts back in the seat, and put us back on the radar of major college basketball, which would be critical to the hire after Alford retires. I'm not super excited, but not super disappointed. I'll give him a shot and would expect him to at least get us back to regular NCAA appearances. Jamie Dixon at TCU feels like a good comparison.
I was a disciple of that style and love it but I am not sure players have the desire to play defense that way anymore. One or two sure, finding a team full of those guys and a coach that can get it executed (without being "mean and abusive" as I've heard about so many times) is tough. If you can't get them, get guys that can absolutely go fill it up. Makes more sense than not having those defensive players/strategies and then deciding not to score either like we did.
Kelvin says helloI was a disciple of that style and love it but I am not sure players have the desire to play defense that way anymore. One or two sure, finding a team full of those guys and a coach that can get it executed (without being "mean and abusive" as I've heard about so many times) is tough. If you can't get them, get guys that can absolutely go fill it up. Makes more sense than not having those defensive players/strategies and then deciding not to score either like we did.
