True, but in this era of college basketball, that can be a good thing as well if you get the right coach.
Nope. If he’d done just a little more in the last couple of years, sure you can buy the excuses (which are indeed legit). But the reality is we limped in and seemed to underachieve for 3-4 years now, even though we did actually win a game in each tournament. The cred just isn’t there to withstand a truly bad season. IMO. There isn’t even the slightest shred of evidence we can challenge for a title of any kind, and we are sliding downward in the SEC. I’ve always maintained if he can keep the NCAA streak, then you keep going, but if we miss then it’s probably time to move on. This year seems to be trending towards missing quite badly.
Absolutely, and I expect there’s a high chance we might lose one or both (without knowing any inside info about them, just based on what usually happens). In this new world we might be looking to fill 13 scholarships. Next year could get pretty tough. But the right coach could theoretically piece something together with transfers. It’s not like we’d be picked in the top half of the SEC anyway. Even if you stick with White, we would still basically be reliant on transfers for half (or more) of our roster. Obviously a shakeup makes next year possibly even more miserable, but it comes with the territory.
This is the best post on the board concerning who might be our next coach. It is rational, factual, and gives very specific guidance on who not to hire (essentially anyone who has been suggested so far). Regrettably it will not get the readership it needs.
Exactly, we already had a ton of turnover from last season with a ton of transfers. We will have a lot of turnover again after this season. May as well start with a new coach.
This is an f-ing business. My sister is an awesome person but I dont want her coaching the DAMN team. Mike White must go. He makes 2+ Million dollars a year. I dont care if his wife and kids are crying while wearing clothes I cannot afford to buy for my kids.
All we have to do is to take a look at the football program. The writing was on the wall there too. Don't get me wrong, MW was never the asshat that thumb wrestler was, but just like DM, MW is/was never gonna win a championship of any kind here at UF. He's just not capable. Especially, again like DM, with his own recruits and transfers. The program has officially slid into irrelevancy under his leadership . A change HAS to be made. Give the man his buyout and a pat on the back for the effort. He tried. He failed. It happens, now it's someone else's turn.
I just think at this point in our downward trajectory that the narrative needs to change and change quickly. Finding another "diamond" in the rough (which White was supposed to be) isn't going to cut it. We need instant credibility with whoever we bring in, otherwise it just slides further.
Great info. Still, I don't think we luck into another Billy by looking for someone who doesn't have much of a track record. I think we have to load a Brinks truck up with cash and try to bring in the biggest, most successful coach we can find. Our problem is talent and recruiting. First and foremost. We don't get back until our credibility is revived.
Unfortunately, if I was to bet money on what I'd like to see happen, actually happen, I'd be poorer than I am now. They're not going to hire who we really need. They're going to reach for another mid major guy who comes cheap. Lots of promise but nothing that makes you feel confident. We'll win 10 games next season with a roster of transfers.
You say “great info” but then ignore it. Name one basketball coach who won a National championship and then moved on to win another one somewhere else other than Rick Pitino…and no, we are not hiring Rick Pitino even if Billy did like him. So while I have moved over to the “it’s time for a change” side I don’t think a “proven” winner is likely. We will take a chance by definition.
I’m not sure about the mid major point. Just look at the teams that have now surpassed us in the SEC: Bama - Oats came from Buffalo LSU - Wade came from VCU Arkansas - Musselman came from Nevada There are a lot of really good up and coming coaches at some of these schools. We need someone who can coach AND recruit. Some view recruiting as one of MW’s strengths, but according to 247 composite team rankings, he has averaged around the 5th best class in the conference since he’s been here. He had one year where we were ranked 2nd (Tre Mann / Scottie Lewis) but on average he hasn’t been in the top 3-4. That simply isn’t going to cut it.
I’m not opposed to trying to get whoever a “hot” mid major coach is. You basically have to, if you are being reasonable. Hiring “formerly successful” coaches doesn’t always work out either. Unless you can poach some insta-cred guy like a Jay Wright or someone at the peak of their career from a major program, which seems amazingly unlikely given the state of our program, and I don’t expect our AD could justify the obscene money it would take for such a move. More likely the “proven” hire you could reasonably get also sort of means washed up or a guy looking for his “last” gig before checking out within 5 years. For a “proven” guy to be available almost requires luck, or for them to be “available” because of scandal (I.e. Bruce Pearl). Just have to hope to get lucky one of these guys can translate mid-major success to long term success here. Would also consider Anthony Grant a good hire if we could get him. The timing could be right this time. Although some might be worried about his lack of success at Bama, that is indeed a knock on him. But not disqualifying IMO. It just means he isn’t as obvious or up there as #1 option as he might have been otherwise w/his connections the program and state.
Interesting debate about a possible "replacement". Short of signing Baylor's coach or the guy at Gonzaga (Mark Few) who? Roll of the dice no matter what. I like the "up and comer" approach myself in hopes of striking gold.
