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Head Coach Candidates

King of Allapattah said:
I don’t doubt it one bit that Caputo loves it down here and understands the potential. But be that as it may, I completely understand him not wanting to make the move down here if he felt he weren’t going to receive the kind of support he would need to be successful.

Not sure about the exact numbers but from what I understand, they split about $20 mil in NIL money at Miami with the football team taking about 90% of it.
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25 mil NIL fund and ~85% football for last year.

We need a coach who is willing to also be the basketball AD. Thats what Caputo is doing up at GW. A lot of coaches aren’t good at it or just don’t want to be bothered with it.

There’s enough money available for basketball to compete at the elite level IF the next coach can fully engage the donors.
 
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Memnon said:
How come Will Wade's tenure at LSU isn't held against him?
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Not sure what there is to hold against him on the court. He turned that program around from the jump. In his first season, he took a 10-21 team from the prior year and got them to the 2nd round of the NIT. This would be his only year at LSU where he didn't finish top 5 in the conference. In his second season at LSU, he got them to the Sweet 16 and regular season conference champs. If I'm not mistaken it was during his 3rd season at LSU when the FBI and NCAA came knocking and COVID eventually ended that season for everyone. Despite things going sideways, he ended up making two more appearances in the NCAA tourney during his final 2 years there.
 
AmherstCane said:
25 mil NIL fund and ~85% football for last year.

We need a coach who is willing to also be the basketball AD. Thats what Caputo is doing up at GW. A lot of coaches aren’t good at it or just don’t want to be bothered with it.

There’s enough money available for basketball to compete at the elite level IF the next coach can fully engage the donors.
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So the football suck tax also impacts basketball adversely…

**** us
 
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While there are some intriguing candidates, many come with significant concerns. Will Wade is a strong option, but others, like Chris Jans, seem unrealistic due to salary and conference strength. Russell Turner has done well at UCI, but his trajectory isnt necessarily upward. Some names, like Eric Olen and Alan Huss, lack a proven track record at higher levels, making them risky choices. Others, such as Kimani Young and Justin Joyner, have potential but may not yet be established enough for this role. Steve Forbes has done great work at Wake, but at 59, he may not be the long-term solution. Ultimately, we need to weigh experience, readiness, and program fit carefully.
 
casualcane said:
Revisiting who I'd like to see shortlisted (in no particular order)

Will Wade - yes
Chris Jans - yes
Russell Turner - yes
Brian Wardle - yes
Niko Medved - maybe
Mark Schmidt - no
Kimani Young - yes
Justin Joyner - no
Steve Forbes - no
Eric Olen - maybe
Alan Huss - maybe
Ben McCollum - yes
Brian Michaelson - no
Bob Richey - yes
Takayo Siddle - yes
Jerrod Calhoun - yes

Caputo should get an interview and probably will. Grant will be considered but no thanks
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Good list!
 
King of Allapattah said:
I've heard some whispers that Caputo and Grant are probably out. The prevailing thought seems to be that neither feels the need to give up their current situation for what could be deemed as uncertainties with NIL funds allotted to our basketball program. Neither has to currently haggle with football programs for funding. Both coaches seem to feel they're currently in good situations, leading the top teams on their respective campuses and don't want to come down here to have to quarrel with Mario over NIL money.

By the way, may want to keep an eye out on Bucky McMillan. If Samford wins their conference again this year, it will be their 3rd year in a row doing it with back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tourney. They're playing well right now with only 1 loss in over a month.
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I'd like to see the GW basketball NIL "budget." I'd be shocked if it was remotely near what L was working with here. Even if Wolf Blitzer is a big supporter.

GW dropped football decades ago and hasn't emphasized sports since Red Auerbach left (as a player).

The campus there was more energized on changing the nickname from Colonials to Revolutionaries than with basketball success. So, to imply GW is a better basketball situation than UM doesn't hold water to me.
 
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hotshot said:
I'd like to see the GW basketball NIL "budget." I'd be shocked if it was remotely near what L was working with here. Even if Wolf Blitzer is a big supporter.

GW dropped football decades ago and hasn't emphasized sports since Red Auerbach left (as a player).

The campus there was more energized on changing the nickname from Colonials to Revolutionaries than with basketball success. So, to imply GW is a better basketball situation than UM doesn't hold water to me.
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UM had about 5x GW’s NIL budget for men’s BB this year. Which makes it especially crazy that GW ranked ahead of Miami in Kenpom and NET even before L stepped down.

The point is Caputo took them from nothing to a very positive growth trajectory with almost no help from the AD over the past 2.5 years. He has the program on track to become a top A10 team over the next few years (at least in terms of basketball infrastructure and resources).
 
Memnon said:
We don't even try anymore.

The team quit a long time ago.
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That's exactly what it looks like. All of those years, we struggled to put a decent basketball product on the floor. We get there, and ascend to the top (Final 4) of the college basketball world..... Then the bottom falls out, and watching it crash and burn, has been excruciatingly painful.
 
AmherstCane said:
UM had about 5x GW’s NIL budget for men’s BB this year. Which makes it especially crazy that GW ranked ahead of Miami in Kenpom and NET even before L stepped down.

The point is Caputo took them from nothing to a very positive growth trajectory with almost no help from the AD over the past 2.5 years. He has the program on track to become a top A10 team over the next few years (at least in terms of basketball infrastructure and resources).
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I like Caputo and he may or may not have GW on an ascending path. Jury still out.

Thing is, I don't think he brings much in terms of recruiting or excitement, which this program so badly needs. Not a transformative guy for the needed quick turnaround imo.
 
hotshot said:
I like Caputo and he may or may not have GW on an ascending path. Jury still out.

Thing is, I don't think he brings much in terms of recruiting or excitement, which this program so badly needs. Not a transformative guy for the needed quick turnaround imo.
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I agree. We should not pursue Caputo IMO.
 
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A lot of good conversations have occurred since my last post.
However, my top 5 are:
1. Luke Murray UCONN AC
1. Kimani Young UCONN AC
3. Ritchie McKay-Liberty HC
4. Will Wade-McNeese HC
5. Joe Jones Boston University HC
I would hire either Luke Murray or Kimani Young.
Both have been instrumental in the success of UCONN over the past few years including bringing in 3 McDonald's All Americans in 2025.
If McKay leaves Liberty for an ACC job, he will probably go to UVA.
Wade is a good choice but he comes with the suspicious and shady reputation. Fair or foul, I don't know but that is how some people feel about him.
Jones would have a team with the highest GPA in the ACC along with a 100% graduation rate as the team makes the NCAA or NIT every year but would probably not have a deep NCAA tournament run past the Sweet 16. Even with an NIT championship or two, nobody really wants any of that.

Thank you @King of Allapattah for the exclusive on Young. I would feel good about that choice.
 
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