NCAA Coaching Carousel

[AnnapSpider]

Hi folks,
I thought I’d come back for an end of season comment.
Hardt has let go our women’s bb coach, soccer coach, baseball coach with positive
results . He very well may be under the pressure of Quealy and other donors not to
let Mooney go
That’s all folks.

 

[MrTbone]

Hi folks,
I thought I’d come back for an end of season comment.
Hardt has let go our women’s bb coach, soccer coach, baseball coach with positive
results . He very well may be under the pressure of Quealy and other donors not to
let Mooney go
That’s all folks.

Not sure which soccer team you’re referring to, the one that went 4-10-3 this year or the one that went 3-11-4 the year before.

I mean yeah, that’s a half game improvement but it’s not setting the world on fire.

But I’ll give you that both WBB and baseball are looking great. It begs the question of why would any donor of substance want to be so mediocre (or poor) at MBB when UR has shown it can be quite successful at it and other sports.

 

[Gallipoli]

If the school was going to remove Coach Mooney, they would have made an announcement by now.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Would love to hear an announcement similar to this from Roussell.

 

[spiderstudent17]

I’ve been saying here for a while that I think with Mooney there’s more involved and a level of politics than with other coaches. Meaning, Mooney is well liked by the administration and big donors that play a hand in decision making. Factor that in with the higher cost of a buy-out for a contract and the fact that we’ve had recent seasons that were good enough in the eyes of the administration, even last year that didn’t result in an NCAA appearance, and you can see why Mooney hasn’t been let go. Like I said in a previous thread it’ll either take a noticeable drop in fan attendance for consecutive years or the more likely option of big donors (and BoT now with NIL from school) not happy with the results.

I think Hardt has been great as an AD. So far he’s hired one phenomenal coach in Roussell and hopefully one soon to be phenomenal coach in Aoki with baseball (won’t quite move him up in that category yet without winning an A10 championship). I agree that men’s basketball carries the most weight out of any of our sports in terms of markers of success for an AD. Keep in mind under Hardt we’ve won 2 A10 trophies while his predecessor had 0.

With MBB there are a lot more layers to it as it is the face of our athletic department, than all the other sports where Hardt probably has more free rein to make decisions without as many hoops to jump through. I do think if he is tasked to hire our men’s basketball coach, he has shown me enough ability to make good hires for UR, that I think he will do a great job for that too.

 

[GKiller]

Hi folks,
I thought I’d come back for an end of season comment.
Hardt has let go our women’s bb coach, soccer coach, baseball coach with positive
results . He very well may be under the pressure of Quealy and other donors not to
let Mooney go
That’s all folks.

By “let go” they were all non renewals with expired contracts, none fired with term.

Hardt & Hallock just gave Moon an extension 9 months ago. It’s not even a fleeting thought.

 

[GKiller]

Whoa, how about this...the greatest three-point shooter in Spider history moving from "chief strategist" at SMU to Radford head coach.

The Coaching Changes account had a tweet last night mildly ripping the Chu hire. Can’t post it…now deleted. That account also likes Mooney. Who got to them? The Mooney circle can get billboards taken down, tweets taken down, but can’t win games.

 

[GKiller]

Small sample size I think, but UCSD having huge year. Irvine coach? Yes, be glad to be on the committee but it is a few years away.

 

[Eight Legger]

It's really the damnedest thing I've ever seen in sports. EVERYONE makes excuses for Mooney. Even as they use the same exact measuring sticks AGAINST other coaches. It's like they've all been brainwashed but only specifically for him.

They'll agree that it was time for NC State to move on from Keatts even though he just went to the Final Four last year. Bennett's act was getting stale at UVA, and oh yeah I guess that natty was nice but it was awhile ago. McCaffrey may have been the winningest head coach in Iowa history and made the tournament every other year for 15 years, but he needed to go.

Mooney has 3 tourneys in 20 years and 4 losing seasons in the past 8? He's doing an incredible job and is such a great representative for the University! Give him another year or 12, you jerks!

 

[spider23]

The Coaching Changes account had a tweet last night mildly ripping the Chu hire. Can’t post it…now deleted. That account also likes Mooney. Who got to them? The Mooney circle can get billboards taken down, tweets taken down, but can’t win games.

Coaching changes is one of the biggest POS accounts on Twitter. Constantly wrong, advocating for terrible coaches, etc. Then when they make stupid tweets they hide behind the old "this account is running by multiple coaches with logins" bs. Right. Whatever. They probably had one of their cronies in the running for the Radford job.

 

[spider23]

Hardt is failing. His grade is 95% mens basketball and he apparently has no influence, other than when he talked Mooney into scrapping the match up defense years ago, but is apparently back. And though I swear there was an article about that discussion with moon may have been a figment of my imagination.

 

[SpiderGuy]

It's really the damnedest thing I've ever seen in sports. EVERYONE makes excuses for Mooney. Even as they use the same exact measuring sticks AGAINST other coaches. It's like they've all been brainwashed but only specifically for him.

They'll agree that it was timer for NC State to move on from Keatts even though he just went to the Final Four last year. Bennett's act was getting stalker at UVA, and of yeah I guess that natty was nice but it was awhile ago. McCaffrey may have been the winningest head coach in Iowa history and made the tournament every other year for 15 years, but he needed to go.

Mooney has 3 tourneys in 20 years and 4 losing seasons in the past 8? He's doing an incredible job and is such a great representative for the University! Give him another year or 12, you jerks!

Spot on. If the professors or students at our school performed similarly to Mooney, they’d probably be on probation; not extension.

 

[GKiller]

Hardt is failing. His grade is 95% mens basketball and he apparently has no influence, other than when he talked Mooney into scrapping the match up defense years ago, but is apparently back. And though I swear there was an article about that discussion with moon may have been a figment of my imagination.

Yes there was article, & discussion. U r recalling this famous one.

Tho Mooney decided on own. So it says. But from everything I know about Moon he would never listen to a football lineman out of Iowa on any basketball strategy.

Just another media member carrying water for Moon because we are leafy, little ol' Richmond with a family man coach that looks the part from Princeton.

Congrats to our own KE Spider. It will remain 1 of the great disappointments of GK's life to not have been quoted there. I suppose I still have the Roll Spides twitter account quoting me without attribution to look fwd to.

How do you like Chris Mooney now?

Spiders fans were once losing patience with Mooney, but he has Richmond poised as the A-10 favorite to make the NCAA Tournament.

www.nytimes.com

 

[GKiller]

Looking back on the two main questions from both the author and Mooney is both funny and sad.

How do you like Chris Mooney now?
“How can we more consistently be at this level?” Mooney says. “That’s the challenge.”

Well let's see we've had 2 of 3 losing seasons, 4 of 8, 1 in 14 NCAA, and continue to get our ass kicked by VCU.

Questions answered. It would be great to get a follow up article from our friend Eamonn, but you know...they never do that.

Selection Sunday is easily 1 of the best days of the year if your team is in or a good chance to be in. Yet at Richmond it feels like we're starting from scratch with a 20 year coach.

 

[spider23]

No the media is a bunch of bi@#$es. They only do the articles when moon has his rare success to rub it in the fake fans faces. Nothing about worst rivalry coach ever or the big slides and lack of adaptability.

 

[Anachnid]

Looking back on the two main questions from both the author and Mooney is both funny and sad.

How do you like Chris Mooney now?
“How can we more consistently be at this level?” Mooney says. “That’s the challenge.”

Well let's see we've had 2 of 3 losing seasons, 4 of 8, 1 in 14 NCAA, and continue to get our ass kicked by VCU.

Questions answered. It would be great to get a follow up article from our friend Eamonn, but you know...they never do that.

Selection Sunday is easily 1 of the best days of the year if your team is in or a good chance to be in. Yet at Richmond it feels like we're starting from scratch with a 20 year coach.

It’s worse. We starting from scratch with a 20 year coach with a history of minimal success.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Spot on. If the professors or students at our school performed similarly to Mooney, they’d probably be on probation; not extension.

slightly disagree with you here if you want apples to apple comparison, I would say tenured professors specifically. There were many tenured professors at UR that I had, who did not give a crap anymore and knew their job was safe because they’re tenured.

 

[urfan1]

Yes there was article, & discussion. U r recalling this famous one.

Tho Mooney decided on own. So it says. But from everything I know about Moon he would never listen to a football lineman out of Iowa on any basketball strategy.

Just another media member carrying water for Moon because we are leafy, little ol' Richmond with a family man coach that looks the part from Princeton.

Congrats to our own KE Spider. It will remain 1 of the great disappointments of GK's life to not have been quoted there. I suppose I still have the Roll Spides twitter account quoting me without attribution to look fwd to.

How do you like Chris Mooney now?

Spiders fans were once losing patience with Mooney, but he has Richmond poised as the A-10 favorite to make the NCAA Tournament.

www.nytimes.com

Behind paywall cannot read

 

[fan2011]

It's really the damnedest thing I've ever seen in sports. EVERYONE makes excuses for Mooney. Even as they use the same exact measuring sticks AGAINST other coaches. It's like they've all been brainwashed but only specifically for him.

They'll agree that it was time for NC State to move on from Keatts even though he just went to the Final Four last year. Bennett's act was getting stale at UVA, and oh yeah I guess that natty was nice but it was awhile ago. McCaffrey may have been the winningest head coach in Iowa history and made the tournament every other year for 15 years, but he needed to go.

Mooney has 3 tourneys in 20 years and 4 losing seasons in the past 8? He's doing an incredible job and is such a great representative for the University! Give him another year or 12, you jerks!

Probably has to do with what they think of Richmond as much as what they think of Mooney. The media at large may just believe Mooney has us performing at our potential as a small, academically focused school.

 

[GKiller]

Behind paywall cannot read

open it up on your phone instead. article from 2020. I don't have subscription either and it worked on phone.

 

[AnnapSpider]

By “let go” they were all non renewals with expired contracts, none fired with term.

Hardt & Hallock just gave Moon an extension 9 months ago. It’s not even a fleeting thought.

Would you have been happier if he said - You’re fired!”

 

[GKiller]

Would you have been happier if he said - You’re fired!”

No just pointing out there’s a difference between letting a contract expire vs. terminating early & eating $. Mooney has term the other coaches didn’t.

 

[SFspidur]

Chu is official...

 

[urmite]

Chu is official...

View embedded media

Since Eightlegger said time had passed…
How old is Chu and How old was Mooney when He became Air Force coach?

 

[SFspidur]

The answer to both of those questions is indeed 32!

 

[ur2K]

Sounds like his branch broke off the Mooney tree (good for him) - his quote sums up the reality of this new version of basketball that our folks in charge don't see.

"The landscape of intercollegiate athletics is undeniably undergoing rapid change," Chu said as he reflected on his new role with the Highlanders. "The traditional methods of building a program are far less relevant. I have strong conviction that an analytically driven strategy can create a distinct competitive advantage, particularly when applied end-to-end across a basketball program: from player evaluation, to portal management, to game strategy."

 

[Ferrum Spider]

They're always very happy at their current school and think it's a perfect fit, right up until the press conference at their new school.

Unless they’re Danny Rocco.

 

[Ferrum Spider]

Chu is official...

View embedded media

Had no idea Chu was even in coaching. GOAT walk-on and a hell of a tennis player. Congrats to him.

Love to see all the Spiders in the coaching industry. Kenny Atkinson, Tony Dobbins, Jermaine Buckonor, Geroit, Hovde, Smitty, PT and Chu. Pretty impressive list over the last 20 years.

 

[spiderstudent17]

No. I wish Chu very well but can we please get as far away from Moon as possible. We r close to any warm body will do, or Chu, but going to any Mooney connected coach next feels so misguided. Plus 3-4 years so he’s replacing Mooney? We r only thinking 3-4 years because the school thought like u did this summer and extended 2 more years. Sorry student17 u r off scheduling and search.

So if he’s a very good coach at Radford and finds success there with a completely different basketball scheme/philosophy you wouldn’t want him here just because he played under Mooney over a decade ago? Best case scenario for Richmond is to find an excellent coach who wants to stay here long term like Few at Gonzaga. I think if it’s an alum of the program, it’ll be harder for them to leave for greener pastures, considering we also play at a high level too in A10. Like Tony Skinn with Mason. If he wasn’t an alum there, he would be out asap without a second thought. Not saying he wouldn’t leave now as an alum, but I bet the decision will be harder for him to make.

 

[97spiderfan]

Probably has to do with what they think of Richmond as much as what they think of Mooney. The media at large may just believe Mooney has us performing at our potential as a small, academically focused school.

Exactly, local sports media view Richmond as some little engine that could story. It is so patronizing and of course we do nothing to ever correct that narrative.

 

[SpiderTrap]

Mooney is going nowhere, and in my opinion - he shouldn't be going anywhere after this season. College sports and coaching is all about - what have you done lately. And lately - Mooney, minus this season - has been good. Look at the last 5 years.

21 - COVID Short season - NIT Quarterfinals
22 - A10 tourney champs, win first round NCAA game.
23 - 15-18 - Mooney has medical issue.
24 - 23-10, win A10 regular season title - NIT first round
25 - 10-22.

So in 5 years - Won an NCAA game, 2 NIT appearances. 2 losing seasons, but one is asterisk with medical issue.

SO in reality - I don't even think his seat is warm at this point. Given the new landscape of college basketball, I think it is more likely for most mid-major schools to have the roller coaster up and down year to year because each year will be a new team. Gone are the years where we could say, yes, we went 10-22, but we gained experience and guys coming back will be better. Next year will be a whole new team. Remember Mooney when he first got to UR, he was able to build that first few years with KA, Gonzo, Butler, Geriot, Harper. They struggled early, but got experience. Those times are gone. You get players for 1-2 years max. Each year you will have at least 4 new players and building HS Kids is a thing of the past.

So if Mooney has another losing season next year - the seat gets warm. But if he finishes .500 or above, the administration will be happy with the "improvement".

 

[Eight Legger]

Find me all the examples of the 20-year head coaches (or hell, even 10-year head coaches!) who have had 2 losing seasons in their past 3 seasons and are in no danger of being fired....

 

[Gallipoli]

Mooney is going nowhere, and in my opinion - he shouldn't be going anywhere after this season. College sports and coaching is all about - what have you done lately. And lately - Mooney, minus this season - has been good. Look at the last 5 years.

21 - COVID Short season - NIT Quarterfinals
22 - A10 tourney champs, win first round NCAA game.
23 - 15-18 - Mooney has medical issue.
24 - 23-10, win A10 regular season title - NIT first round
25 - 10-22.

So in 5 years - Won an NCAA game, 2 NIT appearances. 2 losing seasons, but one is asterisk with medical issue.

SO in reality - I don't even think his seat is warm at this point. Given the new landscape of college basketball, I think it is more likely for most mid-major schools to have the roller coaster up and down year to year because each year will be a new team. Gone are the years where we could say, yes, we went 10-22, but we gained experience and guys coming back will be better. Next year will be a whole new team. Remember Mooney when he first got to UR, he was able to build that first few years with KA, Gonzo, Butler, Geriot, Harper. They struggled early, but got experience. Those times are gone. You get players for 1-2 years max. Each year you will have at least 4 new players and building HS Kids is a thing of the past.

So if Mooney has another losing season next year - the seat gets warm. But if he finishes .500 or above, the administration will be happy with the "improvement".

This is well-reasoned and thoughtful. Richmond has always been a developmental school, where we invest in unknowns and train them to become a winning program. Even Tarrant's teams developed into winning programs about every two years.

 

[SFspidur]

What's Coen's status at Northeastern? Finally got to 17–15 this year after three well below .500.

How about Reed at Lehigh? Losing seasons in five of the past six.

Driscoll at North Florida?

Toole at Robert Morris had four bad years leading up to this year, but now they're dancing.

(I do realize the common denominator is lower-level programs...less pressure, harder to get OOC wins before playing peers in conference, etc.)

 

[SpiderTrap]

Find me all the examples of the 20-year head coaches (or hell, even 10-year head coaches!) who have had 2 losing seasons in their past 3 seasons and are in no danger of being fired....

But your comparing UR to other schools who take athletics seriously. Your forgetting, our goal is not to win, but rather "compete". And we value things like - good kids, graduation rates, etc more than winning and losing. AND - worse of all, the administration has already given you the blueprint and in their eyes it worked. 8 years removed from NCAA tourney. 2 NIT appearances and a CBI appearance. 2 seasons of 16-16 and then 2 losing seasons with 20 losses in back to back years. That was the time to fire - they did not. Likely cause of money. And Mooney went out next year and had a good year. COVID stopped tourney. And then 2 years later - NCAA tourney win. So they see sticking with the coach is the answer - not changing.

 

[Eight Legger]

I agree that our administration has made it clear that it doesn't really care about the program, but you said that you thought he should remain, and I was just pointing out that his recent track record is more negative than positive.

 

[GKiller]

So if he’s a very good coach at Radford and finds success there with a completely different basketball scheme/philosophy you wouldn’t want him here just because he played under Mooney over a decade ago? Best case scenario for Richmond is to find an excellent coach who wants to stay here long term like Few at Gonzaga. I think if it’s an alum of the program, it’ll be harder for them to leave for greener pastures, considering we also play at a high level too in A10. Like Tony Skinn with Mason. If he wasn’t an alum there, he would be out asap without a second thought. Not saying he wouldn’t leave now as an alum, but I bet the decision will be harder for him to make.

Correct. Too close to Moon. Too bad but it what it is. Again I hope Chu does well. I'd take him over Moon, any warm body at this point we need change. So if the choice is betwen Chu and Moon in 3-4 years sure give me Chu if he's doing well. Stinks to be thinking 3-4 years down line too.

It would have to be unbelievable success. And that's very unlikely. And we would have much better choices. But I never say never again. James Bond taught me that.

I don't go for the little ol' Richmond get a lifer mentality either. We're doing that now, how's it working. Kennt Atkinson could be my alum coach tho.

 

[GKiller]

We handcuffed ourselves with another extension. On purpose. It's weird. Anywhere else near our level or higher he'd be fired by now, or on hot seat. His seat would actually be really warm here if he had 2 years left. But it's not warm at all because of extension & also our mentality/how we operate

 

[Eight Legger]

We handcuffed ourselves with another extension. On purpose. It's weird. Anywhere else near our level or higher he'd be fired by now, or on hot seat. His seat would actually be really warm here if he had 2 years left. But it's not warm at all because of extension & also our mentality/how we operate

This x1000.

You give your coach an extension if you want to keep him AND there's a good likelihood that a better program wants him. The former clearly was the case but the latter clearly was not. Bargaining against yourself is stupid business.

 

[urmite]

My personal opinion is that many here feel we should be a Top 5 non-P5 program. I think that is unlikely no matter who is the coach or how much money we throw at it.

However it appears to me that the administration feels we can never be a Top 30 non-P5 program. I think that is wrong and that Top 15 is achievable.