It’s still yet to be seen if we will retain Fearne and put him on a big contract or not. Since we have a whole season to Eyeball candidates, it should be fun to talk about potential coaches. I’ll go first:
Griff Aldridge
Longwood Lancers
Overall record 96-73
2022/23 record 20-12
2021/22 record 26-7 NCAA berth
2023/24 record so far 9-1
Kenpom 150
NET 87
Current salary $150K. (stuff like this BTW is why it’s absurd for some to say we don’t have enough money to be successful).
He took a team that only had a single winning season in 2008 since becoming DI in 2004 and turned them around.
Prior to his arrival the school had gone 42-120 under the prior head coach and was coming off of 7, 6, 10, 11, and 8 win seasons.
Griff immediately turns things around going
16-18
15-17
12-17
26-6 first DI NCAA tourney berth in program history
20-12
Currently only has one loss, by four points on the road, to a St. Bonaventure team that’s looking pretty good itself.
If Longwood dances again this year I can’t imagine Griff won’t be a hot commodity. Would love to see what he could do with some resources behind him.
A retread with at least a history of success could be a safer pic than someone with no history.
I don’t mind a retread if they had success at a G5 level and then stepped up and it didn’t work out. Some of the jobs G5 coaches take are really hard to win at.
Fred Hoiberg is still rumored to be on the hot seat. Maybe if he has another flame out at Nebraska again this year we can hire him and bring back brice williams
Agreed. sometimes the job is just too difficult to win at if that school doesn’t have the history behind it in winning. Nebraska and ole miss come to mind. if the guy had great success in the G5 but took a crappy P5 job and had some issues getting it done with an over demanding administration I might take another flyer on the guy.
although with the transfer portal these days if I’m an AD and I’m about to hire a guy that just got fired. I might ask about how confident he would be in convincing some of his key players to transfer with him to his new job. its possible that that could a useful way to rebuild quickly.
No denying Hoiberg had a great run at Iowa State - four consecutive trips to the NCAAT - but flamed out with the Chicago Bulls and his tenure since returning to the collegiate ranks has been underwhelming. If the Huskers lose to a so-so Michigan State tonight in Lincoln and fall to 0-2 in the Big Ten, his seat is definitely going to be warming up - yet again!
I’d be absolutely fine with an Andy Kennedy, Bobby Cremmins, Cliff Ellis, Steve Fisher type of profile.
I’d almost prefer that. Older guy that can get us set in the right path. The only concern I have with older coach is whoever we bring in has to be able to manage this new world of roster flux and the portal.
At least with this hire we won’t be paying two coaches at the same time for awhile as we have basically all of our recent basketball hires. Theoretically means we have more money available.
They also beat a Top 15 Kentucky team. Their Net and KenPom ratings are lower than ours. Not sure they’ve beat anyone good except kentucky. We’ve had years where get get a random top 25 win and the season still ends up being a throwaway.
I’m also not sure how much better our job is than the UNCW job. It probably pays a little more but they’ve been dancing three times since we have and seem to have similar fan support.
Yep, lost big to App on a neutral court in Florida and let ECU rally for a win in Greenville. But still decent wins at #12 Kentucky and at Big South preseason fav UNCA.
