ISU players love T.J.
- Thread starter ohly2311
- Start date
It should not be the #1 priority but it is certainly a plus if former players like the head coach, especially those still playing in the league. TJ can have those guys around the facility in the summer and hang with the players / recruits and use them as recruiting tools. Essentially like Coach Prohm did.
Doesn't Ron work for the MyPillowGuy now...
So, you've made a great case for why TJ would be a really good top assistant and lead recruiter. Now, what would make him stand out as HC v. others we might hire?
Thanks for the post and insight from someone who actually knows TJ and former ISU players. Ignore the Debbie downers.
Sorry but that's not true.....you say everyone likes the assistant coach but with T.J. he was the ISU recruiting train.....McDermott was not bringing in any talent.....he even was ready to let his son go to UNI......without T.J. there is no Diante, Naz, Melvin, or Matt Thomas......all guys that had huge careers at ISU and have had strong professional careers......T.J. is also the only reason Craig Brackins even considered ISU......
I think we all get that. That’s why when he is announced there will be favorable quotes from all former players.
Now we will see if he can be a head coach at the big 12 level.
I don't disagree that T.J. has not shown overwhelmingly that he is a great X's and O's head coach but in year three he had set up UNLV to start making a lot of noise....he would return all of his top five scorers next season and had a great recruiting class coming in.....he was just getting things weeded out the first two seasons.....also, look at the development of his top player, Bryce Hamilton, who went from averaging 4 pts as a freshman to 16.0 and 17.9 as a sophomore and junior under T.J.
I do agree with you that Prohm got some solid players but he clearly proved he couldn't coach and develop them.....and most importantly, he couldn't win with them......I believe T.J. will win at ISU but I do understand that he still has things to prove.....
I said Naz and Matt Thomas were the only Hoiberg guys I saw tweet something. Tyrese is not a Hoiberg guy.
Sure, he went 70-33 in his first job, including two trips to the NCAA tournament
He also went 35-11 in conference
At UNLV, he had a winning first season and finished 2nd in league but it was a roster that he wanted to change to fit his style.....so some players left so that he could bring in his type of players
So heading into his third season next year he would have had ALL FIVE top scorers returning, including All-League player Bryce Hamilton, who will be a pro in two years, and has really developed nicely under T.J. and along with all of his top players returning, he has two-high level freshman (4-star) coming in next year and few other solid recruits......
Not bad for heading into year three with all your studs coming back and a great recruiting class......I have never said that T.J. is the greatest head coach but I do feel he'll be a good hire for ISU.....I believe in the guy.....maybe I'll be proven wrong.....hope I'm not......
Not that randoms from reddit mean anything, but UNLV fans seem very happy about TJ potentially being gone and paint a much different picture.
I don't think they would have felt that way after year three but I think Ames is a way better situation for him......just my opinion
Look---this was the problem last time. Too many people trying too hard to sell him to us.
He's going to be the head coach.
Let him prove it instead of trying to sell us.
As noted by another poster, your zest for TJ appears to be much higher than actual fans of his current school. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and experiences with TJ. I just can't get over how much wishing & hoping seems to underlie the TJ hire - from his other supporters. There would be risks in most hires, but it feels like "woe is me/ISU; surely no one will want me, so let's get the guy who we know loves us".
Seems like a much bigger risk than you all see it as. The fact that he doesn't appear to be in any demand only adds to this. Doesn't mean it won't work. I hope you're right.
Last edited:
To be fair, their fan base’s expectations of where they believe their program should be are a bit overblown.
Right, because everyone loves the assistant coach. You just solidified my point. The players have a special bond with their recruiter. As the head coach, TJ won’t be in that role anymore. It’s a totally different dynamic.
Johnny could win here...he just couldn't win on the road!
To some degree, I feel like we have an opposite problem going on, though. I've read all the arguments for TJ and understand his likely ability to get on the ground running quicker, but Iowa State is in the B12 and is gonna hire a head coach who is below .500 in the Mountain West? I get that there's more to the story, but I have a hard time believing that Iowa State isn't settling a bit.
