which rumor mill exactly because many rumor mills have been burning down
2025 MBB Coaching Carousel
- Thread starter dahliaclone
- Start date
Wren baker said WVU will have a new coach in the next few days. He said WVU's NIL money is among the best in the country, and that the new coach will have the resources and fan support to be successful.
My money is on the Drake coach if he hasnt already signed @ Iowa.
Wren Baker is a very good AD.
My money is on the Drake coach if he hasnt already signed @ Iowa.
Wren Baker is a very good AD.
Devries himself admitted the discussions with Indiana had been going on during the season, leading many to wonder if the drop-off was due in part to distractions. it isnt a good look for Devries. The loss to colo. in the big 12 opener allowed Devries to start his new job sooner.
You say all these things about NIL, but yet we all saw the FB and MBB team that WVU fielded this year.
Which begs me to ask the question, do you really think those are the best teams that money could buy???
Hassell and Downs made a good point on their emergency live stream yesterday: The Devries family is Top 10 Hawkeye Royalty. Coming off of 15 years of Philly Fran and his antics and not embracing the state and Iowa fans that would be almost invaluable. They get none of that with any other option.
NB didn't lose because of a lack of NIL money; he lost because he couldn't evaluate talent and coach. Look at where WVU's transfers ended up: Ohio State, 2 to VT, 2 to Illinois, 2 to Mizzou, 1 to Kansas, one to UCF, and one to Miami.
WVU outbid Kansas for Javon Small over the course of a month-long back-and-forth. Is that not evidence of NIL money? People forget Jayden Stone, a 20-point scorer, never played a game for WVU, getting hurt in the preseason.
Had WVU had Tucker and Stone, who WVU paid big bucks for, People wouldnt question WVU's NIL.
Mcaffee himself said WVU's NIL was in a very good place. WVU outbid Ole Miss and others for the best returning cb in the country. Pat Mac. bragged about that on his show as well. RROD didnt get much of a shot in the 1st portal bc he was putting together a staff, but he will make a splash in the spring portal--wait and see.
Any question of WVU's NIL money need look no further than WVU stealing OU's defensive coordinator--the guy who actually made the calls, not venables. RROD also wanted his oline coach he had in 2019 when he was Ole miss' oc, and he plucked him from wisconsin. He got larry porter as a rb coach, who has signed numerous 5 star recruits and has twice been the national recruiter of the year.
FWIW, Porter got a 4-star western Pa. RB that Penn State and Michigan both wanted, and he had visited them both. You dont steal a football player in western Pa out from under PSU's nose without a fat wallet.
Wren baker isnt blowing smoke up anyone's arse.
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Not embracing the state?
He gave Iowa kids scholarships that should have been walkons at University of Dubuque. If that isn't embracing Iowa then I don't know what is.
Woodson was fired in early February. It would be shocking if the Indiana AD or a search company didn't reach out to candidates or their agents during the season. That's the whole benefit of a school firing a coach during the season.
But a lot of this "tearing down" of Devries as a coach and person is sour grapes on behalf of WVU fans. The reality is Indiana is a hoops blue blood. And hoops in Indiana is the equivalent of football in Texas. The state lives and breaths hoops.
Agree it sux. Not a fan of coaches taking promotions and a year later leaving for the next, better opportunity. But it happens in every profession. The good thing is WVU will hire a good coach and with the portal & NIL, if they hire the right guy- all will be good for the Mountaineers.
No one is bashing Devries's coaching ability or his decision to take his dream job. They are questioning his disinterest during WVU's upset loss to Colo in the Big 12 touney. It just is a bad look. had he made a run in the big 12 tourney, then its a whole different story.
I haven't seen this "admission" and I don't believe Devries himself would have been involved. Certainly reps of both parties could have had contact. Reps for several other potential coaches probably did, too.
Only one I see coming back is Pryce Sandfort. Maybe Harding. Iowa doesn’t have **** to spend NIL wise. Freeman and Dix are obviously going to get big deals elsewhere.
Someone (think it was Leistekow) relayed a story about an event where all the major coaches went and spoke. Ferentz and Brands stayed for an hour after and made sure they talked to everyone that wanted to talk…Fran went the car and waited for the ride back to the airport right after he gave his canned speech.
