Hypothetical Coaching Changes

[GoldenWarrior11]

The St. John's thread got me thinking about hypothetical coaching changes in the BE. Let's say - for whatever reason (firing, taking other college job, taking NBA job, retirement) - your program suddenly was looking for a new head coach come Spring. Who do you think your school would look at? What has the program done in the past once a new coach was needed? As a note, I absolutely admire and respect all of the current Big East head coaches and believe that all of the current programs are headed in the right direction (both this year and beyond). However, no coach stays in one place forever, as change is inevitable.

For Marquette, if Wojo were to leave after the season (hypothetically Duke), my guess would be that MU would look at our current assistants (namely, Stan Johnson and Brett Nelson), Travis Diener and Brian Wardle. I'm sure there would be a big push from fans to somehow get Dwayne Wade and/or Doc Rivers interested, I don't think that would be a very realistic (or wise) path. I think our current admin was incredibly turned off by the pursuit of Shaka Smart (so I doubt they would look to pursue a "name" head coach). Wojo, Buzz, Crean and O'Neill were all assistants before getting hired at Marquette, and I'd imagine a similar path being taken if/when Wojo moves on (whenever that will be - hopefully, not for a very long time!).

How about for your school? I took a stab at it myself, but would love to see how fans view a hypothetical coaching search for their team.

Butler - Matthew Graves, Jeff Meyer, Thad Matta
Creighton - Steve Lutz, Porter Moser, Darian DeVries
DePaul - Porter Moser, Tyrone Corbin, Rod Strickland
Georgetown - Johnny Dawkings, Kevin Keatts, Shaka Smart
Providence - Richard Pitino, King Rice, Jamion Christian
Seton Hall - Lawrence Frank, Danny Hurley, Tim Cluess
St. John's - Bobby Hurley, Mark Jackson, Tim Cluess
Villanova - Baker Dunleavy, Pat Chambers, Ashley Howard
Xavier - Pat Kelsey, Dino Gaudio, Jonas Hayes

[herodotus]

Villanova - Baker Dunleavy, Pat Chambers, Ashley Howard

My head just exploded. I'd bring back Steve Lappas, and give him a 10 year contract before I'd hire Pat Chambers. Considering all that Villanova has done to keep the conference relevant, Chambers at Nova would be disastrous for the BE. I'd hire him as an assistant in a minute. He'll be available in about 6 weeks too!

[GumbyDamnit!]

Silly question...everyone knows that in the next 20 years science is going to figure out a way to insure immortality and Jay W. will enjoy the next 100 years at the helm of V'nova Wildcats. Right? (I figure if I repeat that enough times that it will come true).

[MullinMayhem]

Must be so weird to have a fanbase 100% on board with the coach like Nova. At SJ it has been 50/50 supporters/critics since at least Lavin and Mullin.

[Savannah Jay]

How about for your school? I took a stab at it myself, but would love to see how fans view a hypothetical coaching search for their team.

Creighton - Steve Lutz, Porter Moser, Darian DeVries

Lutz - maybe...but would hope to lure someone that was already a successful head coach
Moser - two 20 win seasons in 14 years as a head coach; was 18-14 before the magical final four year and 14-8 (with the same core players) so far this year. One could make a reasonable argument that had Wichita stayed in the Valley last year, Loyola may not have been in the NCAA tournament. No thanks.
DeVries - First year as a head coach and doing better than expected, but not setting the world on fire in a very average MVC; prior to this year his only coaching experience was as an assistant for the two coaches that many CU fans have decried for not getting us to the sweet 16; would need some level of sustained success as a HC for me to be sold.

Our AD has stated when he hired McDermott that he always has a list with some names on it as his next HC candidates. I would be shocked if Moser was on his list for MBB but the other two could be as Ras would know them very well.

[kayako]

My head just exploded. I'd bring back Steve Lappas, and give him a 10 year contract before I'd hire Pat Chambers. Considering all that Villanova has done to keep the conference relevant, Chambers at Nova would be disastrous for the BE. I'd hire him as an assistant in a minute. He'll be available in about 6 weeks too!

I can't say I've watched a lot of Penn State basketball, but I did watch the coaching clinic Chambers put on in the last minute of the regulation. I just changed the channel convinced Purdue was going to destroy them in OT. Thank God Jay is so committed to this program. Hopefully he sticks around until Brunson decides to coach college BB.

[ChestRockwell85]

The St. John's thread got me thinking about hypothetical coaching changes in the BE. Let's say - for whatever reason (firing, taking other college job, taking NBA job, retirement) - your program suddenly was looking for a new head coach come Spring. Who do you think your school would look at? What has the program done in the past once a new coach was needed? As a note, I absolutely admire and respect all of the current Big East head coaches and believe that all of the current programs are headed in the right direction (both this year and beyond). However, no coach stays in one place forever, as change is inevitable.

For Marquette, if Wojo were to leave after the season (hypothetically Duke), my guess would be that MU would look at our current assistants (namely, Stan Johnson and Brett Nelson), Travis Diener and Brian Wardle. I'm sure there would be a big push from fans to somehow get Dwayne Wade and/or Doc Rivers interested, I don't think that would be a very realistic (or wise) path. I think our current admin was incredibly turned off by the pursuit of Shaka Smart (so I doubt they would look to pursue a "name" head coach). Wojo, Buzz, Crean and O'Neill were all assistants before getting hired at Marquette, and I'd imagine a similar path being taken if/when Wojo moves on (whenever that will be - hopefully, not for a very long time!).

How about for your school? I took a stab at it myself, but would love to see how fans view a hypothetical coaching search for their team.

Butler - Matthew Graves, Jeff Meyer, Thad Matta
Creighton - Steve Lutz, Porter Moser, Darian DeVries
DePaul - Porter Moser, Tyrone Corbin, Rod Strickland
Georgetown - Johnny Dawkings, Kevin Keatts, Shaka Smart
Providence - Richard Pitino, King Rice, Jamion Christian
Seton Hall - Lawrence Frank, Danny Hurley, Tim Cluess
St. John's - Bobby Hurley, Mark Jackson, Tim Cluess
Villanova - Baker Dunleavy, Pat Chambers, Ashley Howard
Xavier - Pat Kelsey, Dino Gaudio, Jonas Hayes

In regards to Villanova, I totally get your thought process here by picking guys connected to the school, but if Jay Wright left next year, not a single one of those guys would be considered. Unless the coach is a proven candidate, Villanova will not take a gamble. Jay Wright has built something special at Villanova, and nobody is aware of it more than the people in charge and they will do anything they can to protect it after Jay leaves.

[Hall2012]

You can scratch Danny Hurley off the list for Seton Hall. Maybe he's someone they would like to consider, but there's zero chance they have the resources to lure him away from UConn, even with the Big East advantage. It's not even worth trying.

[MarquetteRustler]

I think Marquette would try to get Brad Stevens or Gregg Popovich.

[jbarajas0490]

For Marquette I would say Nate Oats head coach of Buffalo University. Grew up in Watertown and earned a masters from Madison. Going to be two ncaa's in his first 2 years as HC.