STANZ: Coaching Search Hot Board 1.0

[Statefan10]

Hypothetically, if TJ were to finish top 2/3 in the MW in 2021-2022. Would opinions change of him? Would we wish he had taken the job at ISU if whomever we hire can't recruit in this very important COVID transfer year??

He has the #16 class coming in. Could return almost the entire team and turned Caleb Grill into the player we all wished he was at ISU

I'm still in the Craig Smith camp. Mostly becuase I want a great X's and O's coach. But just about all of the other candidates have some really serious questions marks that TJ doesn't.

I think TJ is now my #2 for the job, mostly because of his history to who he brought to Iowa State, he's probably willing to take a lesser salary day 1 (Pollard admitted in the video this morning that this will be the reality for 2021-2022) and he needs NO TIME to aclamate to Iowa State. He'd start recruiting to Ames 10 seconds after signing a contract. He's our best bet at keeping Hunter committed and if he could bring in 1-2 of his UNLV recruits. That's a Top 20 class instantly. Near 5 star PG in Hunter, Kaluma would be the stretch 4 we desperately need.

2021/2022 starters then:

Hunter - Near 5 star PG - TJ get/keep
Bolton - All Big-12 guard, who many agree would thrive when asked to not handle the ball
(Big guard) - Biggest hole on the roster. Could be filled if Hinson stays with the program
Kaluma - Top 50 recruit, KU, OU, USC offers - TJ recruit
Foster

That's 5/5 positions with either Elite talent or prior P5 success

I'm starting to not be upset if TJ were hired. Again, he's not my #1. But he's becoming my #2 of the names mentioned

JCL has an opportunity to stay and play one more year. I think he might consider doing that.

 

[CyLyte2]

I would estimate that year 1 might suck no matter who we get. But we'll learn alot about the new guy.

 

[cc1091]

Richard Pitino has already been named the New Mexico coach.

OK... three team coaching trade
MacDermott to Nebby (will be the coach they deserve)
Prohm to Creighton (will give them some class)
Hoiberg to Iowa State. (the town needs its Mayor).

 

[AuH2O]

TJ didn't have a winless in conference season is more than enough proof that he's better than Prohm. TJ didn't lose three times as many games as his guys won over the course of two seasons. TJ didn't get worse every season as a coach. I don't know why this isn't so difficult to understand. At least TJ got a far better recruiting class to UNLV than any close that Prohm has put together. TJ > Prohm, not even close.

And luckily there is zero discussion or situation where debating Prohm vs. anybody matters. If we are going to justify TJ is a good candidate because he isn't likely to go 0-fer in conference, then we could make the same justification to bring back Wayne Morgan, or pretty much any somewhat legitimate college coach, because the odds they can't fall ass backwards into some conference wins is pretty small.

 

[jsb]

I get it, but TJ is in year 2 of a complete rebuild. He's got a good class coming in. I think he's better than some people think.

He’s in a rebuild by choice. Did we see great coaching from him this year?

 

[clonehenge]

TJ didn't have a winless in conference season is more than enough proof that he's better than Prohm. TJ didn't lose three times as many games as his guys won over the course of two seasons. TJ didn't get worse every season as a coach. I don't know why this isn't so difficult to understand. At least TJ got a far better recruiting class to UNLV than any close that Prohm has put together. TJ > Prohm, not even close.

You were saying?

2019–20	UNLV	17–15	12–6	T–2nd
2020–21	UNLV	11–14	8–10	7th

 

[Statefan10]

You were saying?

2019–20	UNLV	17–15	12–6	T–2nd
2020–21	UNLV	11–14	8–10	7th

Using year one and year two of a new coach, with year two being a pandemic year isn't exactly great for measuring whether or not the coach is good.

 

[Thomasrickj]

Using year one and year two of a new coach, with year two being a pandemic year isn't exactly great for measuring whether or not the coach is good.

You're using the pandemic as an excuse when every team had to deal with it? Get over it already. This was the most poorly coached season in Iowa State basketball history.

 

[cc1091]

Jamie says he’s going to move quickly, so I think we’ll have a new coach within a week.

While he may move quickly, I doubt any coach who is in the NCAA or NIT will want an announcement or distraction until after the tournament. Now is the time for research and planning.

 

[AuH2O]

You're probably right that he can coach but it still doesn't change the fact he's never even played in and NCAA tourney game in 8 years as a head coach.

2 of his 3 stops were in one-bid leagues, where he took over 7 win garbage teams. He was on the verge of an at-large this year, three years removed from taking over CSU after Larry's flame out 11-21 season. And his two best players are Sophs and he has NO seniors that play, so this isn't the typical mid-major Senior-laden team making a run.

 

[cyfan92]

JCL has an opportunity to stay and play one more year. I think he might consider doing that.

Good Point. That's 6 Big 12 starter quality players. To assume JCL, Hunter, Hison and Foster come back in 2021-2022 in being very naive. TJ is probably the best bet to keeping them. Plus he has the best chance to bring in 4 star players already committed to him

 

[Thomasrickj]

You were saying?

2019–20	UNLV	17–15	12–6	T–2nd
2020–21	UNLV	11–14	8–10	7th

I love how you're trying to defend Prohm, who just won a measly two games and couldn't coach worth squat. Again, that was seasons 1 and 2 for Otz. That wasn't seasons 5 and 6 where he went to poop.

 

[cytor]

The Fred thing is intriguing.... The only way he comes here is:
1) He flat out quits Nebby, no loose ends.
2) OR Nebby drops the buyout
3) He wants to live in Ames again

Otherwise, the $/buyout thing is just too much for ISU to get him back.

 

[Urbandale2013]

Don't get me wrong, TJs ties to ISU are a positive. But I just think it's way down on the list of important factors. I think our bball coaching history shows that coaches with no ties to ISU are likely to develop a love for ISU basketball once they are established here.

If it's TJ, I'll be on board, and I'll be excited for the upcoming season if he can retain Hunter. If not, I will still be interested, but can't say I'll have too much enthusiasm for year 1. I think any coach will have an uphill battle next year, but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

Fit is a big thing for me this go around. For TJ it isn't just that he is connected to Iowa State it is that he fits the mold that Fred used.

Looking back while I think Prohm liked being here and I like and respect him I just don't think he really understood what has made us successful. It is up tempo offensively focused basketball. When he came in we wanted to get better at rebounding and defense, but we didn't want to lose our offensive excellence. He always talked about getting better at those things but never actually did it. At the same time our offense tanked.


I think some have this idea that we are still playing Hoiball, but we really aren't. We look drastically different than those teams.

 

[allfourcy]

Jamie says he’s going to move quickly, so I think we’ll have a new coach within a week.

"within a week"..... as in by next Monday or Tuesday? or by end of this weekend?
thoughts anyone?

 

[Cloneon]

Using year one and year two of a new coach, with year two being a pandemic year isn't exactly great for measuring whether or not the coach is good.

I suppose apples-to-apples would be the evaluation of what he inherited. Because, after-all, it's been quite evident on here Prohm won with Fred's players. Did TJ inherit an disaster in terms of players?

 

[cytor]

I'm still in the Smith camp.

Can anyone out there make a good case for Matta? He's still young enough to hang for a while. I'm not interested in those older coaches.

 

[clonehenge]

Using year one and year two of a new coach, with year two being a pandemic year isn't exactly great for measuring whether or not the coach is good.

Hey, I never said it was...just pointing out that you can't throw out statements like that when they aren't true.

 

[cyfan92]

I highly doubt Kaluma would follow Otz to Ames.

I highly doubt Kaluma would follow T.J. to Ames.

The thing is we just don't know for certain if he committed to the school or the coach. Definitely puts Iowa State in better position to hire the coach he committed to. It'd be easier to get him to flip than it would to get a high level transfer stretch 4 to commit to ISU, in my opinion. The relationship is already there versus starting new

 

[Statefan10]

You're using the pandemic as an excuse when every team had to deal with it? Get over it already. This was the most poorly coached season in Iowa State basketball history.

I'm not using it as an excuse. It's completely different when if we'd be talking about a coach that has been at a program for a while and continuously has gotten worse. I will not, however, judge coaches like Fred or TJ in these two years when they're in their first two years on the job and blew up their rosters in year one.