Think that you are absolutely right, but Spiders can do better.
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Yes Nathan Davis could very well be the guy. I don't dislike him. Solid resume no doubt. My initial feelings there however are...did we just hire Hardt to get Davis, hope it was for more than 1 potential hire. Plus Bucknell's program has been humming for long time through numerous coaches. Same as Randy Mac. Bob Richey at Furman was mentioned too. That program was built by Niko Medved and Richey took over good situation. He just has lot less experience than Davis. Richey could be great coach too. But I lean to a guy like Wes Miller & few others more who took over bad situation and built it themself. If it weren't for Hardt connection maybe I'm lot more onboard w Davis & maybe I shouldn't hold against him. Just my gut. Or maybe Hardt should exceed expectations & pull off an Oats or Earl Grant hire. Guess just expecting a little more ingenuity from him even though hiring someone you know is quite common. Jabba the Hardt. Moniker could stick. I mean firing Shaffer after last season was a layup imo and he didn't make move. I get sticking w Mooney another year lot more than Shaffer actually.
Regardless there is a lot to play out including rest of season for all coaches. And whomever the coach never know we could have a Beilein type first year when he took over. We have some pieces. New coach. new attitude. New philosophies. New energy. That assumes everyone important comes back. Likely a terrible assumption. Hypothetical.
Regardless there is a lot to play out including rest of season for all coaches. And whomever the coach never know we could have a Beilein type first year when he took over. We have some pieces. New coach. new attitude. New philosophies. New energy. That assumes everyone important comes back. Likely a terrible assumption. Hypothetical.
Question about Miller. Is Richmond a logical next sort of move for him .... or is his immediate trajectory a little higher than us?
Agree. .740 winning percentage, twice ODAC Coach of the Year, twice Patriot League Coach of the Year, 8 NCAA appearances, one NIT...all in 9 years as a head coach. Not discounting other possibilities, but as Fan1 says, "I would not be upset."
Nathan Davis has been so good you are almost thinking he is due for a down stretch. One thing about both he and Miller, if they think they have NCAA talent where they are, may be hard to convince to come to Richmond.
He seemed like the young hot sh1t name after the tourney last year. Would think if he has another good year, he can get a bigger job than ours.
Looks like he’s signed though 2029 at UNCG so would come with some sort of buyout. Base salary is 300k
https://www.wralsportsfan.com/wes-miller-signs-7-year-extension-to-remain-at-uncg/17448986/
Miller and Grant may be out of reach, but I would take either of them in a heartbeat if we could land one.
From Beilein’s kid to Lieberman, I’m not sure why so many people are hung up on getting someone related to the program (both of which are connected loosely at best to the program). Also, and I know I’m going to get killed for saying this, I believe that UVA probably has a very competent assistant, but can we find someone who wins and makes watching basketball enjoyable? UVA is doing to basketball what the New Jersey Devils did to hockey with the trap D. Yes they win, but in such boring fashion. I get that wins trump all else, but there are more systems that win out there.
PA, we are talking about Miller above. He played at unc and jmu, he does not a connection that I know of. Agree that uca can be a bit ugly, but better than giving up 90 points in yet another fluid moral victory
Not sure Merkel is ready for a job that has the magnitude and pressure that our job entails. He has done a great job at R-MC, but he has a senior-laden squad (I believe they start 4 seniors and a sophomore) and expectations were pretty high going into this season (not that an 8-0 start was expected).
This will be our big chance to get a proven coach who can step right in and get our program pointed in the right direction without having to learn what D1 college hoops is all about.
Angela Merkel
Makes some sense. We'd have a lock on Mideastern basketball talent.
We are an A-10 school with top notch facilities, a really nice history, and a situation that is tailor made to win big. We are going to attract some really nice candidates. No way do we take a D-3 coach. We are either going to get a D-1 head coach at a lower level program (Nathan Davis/Wes Miller) type of coach or we are going to go a top level assistant from a big BCS program (UVA, maybe).
Yes, there ARE more systems that win, but systems have to marry school, league and who you will be able to recruit etc. I would not, for example, advocate that we ever play run and gun and push tempo and 94 feet of hell defense etc. because all that requires highly athletic players and lots of depth. That would be a major recruiting challenge for us (at least based on history).
We need to select a coach whose system(s) figure to be compatible with who we can recruit and sign and the coach has proven (as much as possible) that he can win with those systems against teams that frequently have better athletes. The biggest mistake we could make in my mind would be to bring a coach in whose systems require recruits that are substantially different than what we have been able to get for many many years (including pre-Mooney for sure) and figure he can totally change over the recruiting dynamic to be compatible with those systems.
I, for one, am a big believer that packline defense (what UVA plays) is on the short list of defensive systems that would hugely benefit us (under the current or future coach). UVA has won and continues to win at an elite level without elite level athletes, but kids who can still be elite level players within their systems.
And I'd add this - - - as someone with no real vested interest in the team playing, watching UVA or another packline team probably does suck because your interest is in seeing exciting plays etc. But I can assure you that it will be a raucous Robbins Center and every player, coach, alum and fan will find it tremendous fun and it will be plenty enjoyable the night VCU comes in here and we hold them to 43 points and frustrate the hell out of them playing a packline (or any other boring defense). I don't care about making our games enjoyable in general to watch - - - I only care about making them enjoyable for Spider fans!
yep, recall conversing with one of my vdu buds who was bragging about scoring 100 points a game early in the sonny smith era. when confronted with the fact, yep but the other team is scoring 120, he said but it is fun to watch. we can score 50 per and would be happy if we are winning the games and think most fans feel the same like Philly says above. would just like us to play better D so we can have a chance. look what JB did to unc last evening, holding them 20 or so under their average. that is how you win a lot....
I hate watching UVA play. I think it is boring as all get out. However, I would never got bored watching the Spiders play and win with this type of system. I agree with this assessment 100%. It amazes me how UVA consistently beats teams with superior talent with the packline defense. I think it would work well for us. Hence, my post about possibly targeting a UVA assistant coach.
I still kinda like Ryan Odom. I'm fine with the young coach from a lower level that might leave in 4 years to coach Wake Forest when Danny Manning finally gets fired.
I like the looks of Odom, obviously the one game really raised his profile. Not much head coaching history to go on. But he definitely has the look and feel of an up and comer.
Here might be our guy: Luke Yaklich.
Look him up and tell me I'm wrong.
Look him up and tell me I'm wrong.
You're not. I thought of him before and neglected to put his name on this thread. Great story & meteoric rise. We *should* have lot of good options and I wouldn't mind him getting some consideration too. I don't see Jabba the Hardt being innovative though.
Add Mike Jones, the Radford coach to the list. Radford is 6-1 and has beaten Notre Dame and #17 Texas
For sure Mike Jones on list. He’s been discussed briefly here & other threads. Always liked him. Very good coach. Varied experience here at UR and elsewhere.
I really like that we’ll have lot of strong options. That’s why I think kinda dumb if Jabba the Hardt just defaults to Nathan Davis at Bucknell. Maybe he’s the guy but I mean look around. Fish in a barrel.
I really like that we’ll have lot of strong options. That’s why I think kinda dumb if Jabba the Hardt just defaults to Nathan Davis at Bucknell. Maybe he’s the guy but I mean look around. Fish in a barrel.
Hopefully you would have a good 15 prospects. With Davis and Miller I believe they are adding pretty darn good recruiting classes into probable NCAA teams. If they see a window to make a 2 or 3 year run they may not be interested in a re build now and know if they do make a run they will have better possibilities. The JB assistant is very interesting, sounds like a defensive guru. Michigan does okay d at a very high level now.
Watching UNC-G and Wes Miller go toe to toe with Kentucky at Kentucky through first half. Miller is back to my undisputed number one. Doubt Hardt can land him. Great roster, play great D and great O. At UNC-G.
UNC-G up at the half. I hate even watching these teams, it just continues to underline the blatant mishandling by Jim Miller and Chris Mooney. Makes me ill. Please Hardt, fix this.
Updating the list:
Top coaches we should be looking at right now. Am I missing someone?
1. Nate Oats - Buffalo
2. Wes Miller - UNC-Greensboro
3. Bob Richey - Furman
4. Earl Grant - Charleston
5. Nancy Lieberman
6. Rick Stansbury - WKU
7. Mike Jones - Radford
8. Steve Donahue - Penn
9.. Jason Williford - Associate Head coach at UVA
10. Nathan Davis - Bucknell
Top coaches we should be looking at right now. Am I missing someone?
1. Nate Oats - Buffalo
2. Wes Miller - UNC-Greensboro
3. Bob Richey - Furman
4. Earl Grant - Charleston
5. Nancy Lieberman
6. Rick Stansbury - WKU
7. Mike Jones - Radford
8. Steve Donahue - Penn
9.. Jason Williford - Associate Head coach at UVA
10. Nathan Davis - Bucknell
I don't think Stansbury is a fit here. I'd have Yaklich as a top-3 option. Oats probably will have P5 offers but if not, he should be at the top of our list for sure.
Odom yes. Others imo too like Carlin Hartmann, Patrick Beilein, John Becker. Heck if Kenny Atkinson were fired by Nets & he had any interest that’s a no brainer. I’m not ranking them they r not all equal but just thinking of a reasonable list. Again fish in a barrel.
Stansbury would never be on any reasonable list. UR would have zero interest & he wouldn’t have any himself. Donahue I don’t get either. He’s ok I guess lot like Mooney really except he took the BC job & even more losses.
Stansbury would never be on any reasonable list. UR would have zero interest & he wouldn’t have any himself. Donahue I don’t get either. He’s ok I guess lot like Mooney really except he took the BC job & even more losses.
I'd bump Mike Jones up the list. Impressive wins against Notre Dame and Texas. Building a solid program at Radford, and seems like he'd fit the nice guy UR profile. Plus, I'm sure he'd like coming back to RVA.
Why would anyone be upset if Hardt hired Nathan Davis from Bucknell? NCAA and NIT appearances, a Division III Final Four? Was down at the half against us last year, made halftime adjustments and won by eight? Most likely would like working for our athletic director? Why would this be bad?
Stork, not seeing too much to dislike? Guy just wins and wins. Record in conference is spectacular, which to me means you are out coaching guys with similar resources. He signed King Rice's son for next year, seems like it must be most of his guys at Bucknell now.
Will be interesting to see Hoiberg's next move. Have a feeling he will be looking at P6 conferences.
Let's see how Davis does with his own players this year. But definitely a candidate for sure. Really like what Jones has done at Radford. He has recruited well for a Big South school. I want a coach who can recruit.
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