Coaching replacement list

WANTED: Passionate Sycamore Fanatics. That You?

Register NOW to join our community of die-hard Sycamore fans.

Shrewsberry would be a great hire but you would always have to worry about him leaving for a bigger program or the NBA.

Just doing a quick search here is some possible targets...

1. Wes Miller, UNC Greensboro (age: 37)
Miller started his coaching career as an assistant at Elon in his mid-20s, and the No. 1 coach on our list hasn't looked back. After accepting the head-coaching job at UNC Greensboro as a 27-year-old, Miller emerged as one of the top young coaches in college basketball. Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Miller has amassed 104 wins in a stretch that includes the program's first NCAA tournament appearance in 17 years (2018).

2. Brian Michaelson, Gonzaga assistant (38)
Has been in the Gonzaga family since 2000, when he joined the basketball team as a walk-on. He returned to Mark Few's program in 2008 and eventually became an assistant coach under Few in 2013. Michaelson has quietly been a key part of the Bulldogs' recruiting success over the past several seasons, and he led the charge for 2020 guard Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga's highest-ranked recruit ever.

3. Gerry McNamara, Syracuse assistant (36)
An assistant to Jim Boeheim since 2011, McNamara has been on staff for 213 wins and six trips to the NCAA tournament. Oldsters still talk about how his 19-of-40 3-point shooting over four close games led the Orange to the 2006 Big East tournament title.

4. Kim English, Tennessee assistant (31)
Already in five seasons as an assistant, English has made stops at Tulsa, Colorado and, now, Tennessee.

5. Craig Smith, Utah State
Age
: 46
Record: 107-62 (79-55 in four seasons at South Dakota; 28-7 in one season at Utah State), 1 NCAA Tournament appearance

Smith enjoyed success at South Dakota, winning 48 games during his final two seasons, which resulted in his hire at Utah State. But what he did last season with a team projected to finish near the bottom of the Mountain West was beyond impressive. Utah State went 28-7 (15-3 in league play) and swept the regular-season and league tourney titles. Smith has Sam Merrill and Neemias Queta back, and should have another strong season in Logan.

6. Ryan Odom, UMBC
Age
: 45
Record: 75-48 (67-37 in 3 seasons at UMBC; 8-11 in 1 season at Charlotte), 1 NCAA Tournament appearance

He obviously pulled off the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history two years ago when the Retrievers beat No. 1 seed Virginia in the first round, but he’s turned around the program and has also won at least 21 games in all three seasons at the helm. It would make sense that Odom would be in the mix at Wake with his father, Dave, a former coach with the Demon Deacons.

7. Chris Jans, New Mexico State
Age
: 50
Record: 79-23 (21-12 in one season at Bowling Green; 58-11 in two seasons at New Mexico State), 2 NCAA Tournament appearances

He was fired after one season at Bowling Green, but it was due to an off-the-court issue. Jans can flat-out coach. He led Bowling Green to the CIT in his lone season, and has a 58-11 mark in two years in Las Cruces.
I would highly recommend Kim English. He interviewed at SE Missouri State last season and got the job but backed out at the last minute.

He is very impressive.
 

Become a Supporting Member to remove this ad and help support the site.
Just occurred to me that Royce came from D2.

Though he was also a National Champion as an Asst at IU prior to that...I’d say that carried a little weight.

I'd venture it was Waltman's entire career that got him the HC job, not a handful of seasons in gloomington
 
I don't know if I can completely look past his record as HC at S. Alabama, but I think that Matt Graves would at least make an interesting interview candidate. Homegrown in the Hoosier state, experience within the MVC as an assistant under McCarthy, currently working in a major conference. I definitely can't blame him for getting out of Evansville once he saw what had transpired, but prior to McCarthy dipping his pen into the cheer squads ink the program was definitely on the rise.
 
Worthy of mention ........... Devries is a 3rd year Head Coach .....
Drake is undefeated, and their best player from last year is averaging 13 & 7 as Minnesota’s starting center this year.
 
I don't see why we wouldn't take a HC from a D2 school if they've been pretty successful at that school. We weren't D1 when UCLA stole our coach and it worked out pretty well for them.
 

Become a Supporting Member to remove this ad and help support the site.
Are you really trying to reference the 60's and 70's for comparison?

Why not? Chris Beard was at D2 Angelo State before Arkansas Little Rock picked him up. He went 30-5 in his only season there before TX Tech poached him and he led the Red Raiders to the national championship game after his third season. Winners seem to find ways to win.
 
Why not? Chris Beard was at D2 Angelo State before Arkansas Little Rock picked him up. He went 30-5 in his only season there before TX Tech poached him and he led the Red Raiders to the national championship game after his third season. Winners seem to find ways to win.
Chris spent a decade as an assistant coach at Texas Tech. You're being disingenuous trying to make it seem like he was some out of the blue candidate.
 
Here’s my 2 cents:
1. Hire an assistant from a D1 program.
2. Under the age of 45
3. Clean cut and no ghosts in his closet.
4. Has strong ties to the state of Indiana. Knows all about Hoosier hysteria etc.
Willing to recruit the 4 corners of Indiana. Known and respected by many high school coaches
throughout Indiana. Will put an emphasis on recruiting Indiana HS all-state players.
(Honorable mention not included).
5. Has experience coaching/developing big men.
6. Is tough, but encouraging.
7. Doesn’t have to be an excellent X’s and O’s Guy. Good X’s and O’s should be a given!
8. Good game manager.
9. Would crave a head coaching job in the MVC
10. Someone we could get for $300,000 plus incentives.
 
I don't see why we wouldn't take a HC from a D2 school if they've been pretty successful at that school. We weren't D1 when UCLA stole our coach and it worked out pretty well for them.

But we WERE a Div I program during Wooden's tenure; we reclassified to College Division in John Longfellow's first season (1948-49). We than reclassified back to Div I for the 1969-70 season, the required 3-year transition was completed in 1972
 
Last edited:

Become a Supporting Member to remove this ad and help support the site.
But we WERE a Div I program; we reclassified to College Division in John Longfellow's first season (1948-49), reclassified again to Div I for the 1969-70 season, 3-year transition was completed in 1972
No reason to argue with you on this. You seem to be doing a good job arguing with yourself.
 
You didn't point out anyone's error except your own. You made a statement then contradicted it in the same post.

I'll type this slowly so your lips won't get tired as you read it. I'll also omit ISU's simultaneous membership in the NCAA (nee' IAAUS) and NAIA (nee' NAIB)

ISU NCAA "Division I" (basically one division) 1906-07 _ 1947-48
ISU NCAA College Division 1948-49 _ 1968-69
ISU NCAA College Div reclassifying to Div I 1969-70 _ 1971-72
ISU NCAA Division I 1972-73 _ present
 
Last edited:

Become a Supporting Member to remove this ad and help support the site.
Know someone who is interested that meets many criteria you guys are looking for. I think he has some connections. I will see if his interest is still hot. I will share if things break here. Go sycamores and let's run the table. Haven't been on lately, hope all is well and keep safe.
 
Pat Kelsey - Winthrop Eagles
Kelsey is an interesting guy to be honest. He has been attached to several big jobs including Wake Forest after they canned Manning. He was an assistant under Skip Prosser at Wake and both he and another Skip assistant Chris Mack have been successful.

He basically took some Prosser concepts and merged them with where the NBA was going. Pretty much everyone on his teams has to be able to shoot. There was an article I read about him a several years ago how he changed his philosophy as Raptor's coach Nick Nurse wife/girlfriend was working at Winthrop so he started hanging around Kelsey when he was in town spending time with her and shared his schemes and what not with him.
 
Back
Top