Report: T.J. Otzelberger headed for Iowa State

jimonalog

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We should have hired another once-in-a-lifetime Johnny! McDermott leaves and one day later Hoiberg is hired. Hoiberg leaves for Bulls and several days later Prohm is hired. Chiz is gone and a few days later Rhoads is hired. A couple days after Rhoads is gone, Campbell is hired. All arguably great hires. Prohm was a victim of his own recruiting success when many left early for pros. I was disappointed in his ability to develop bigs. JP had a great process of discerning change with Prohm and a great decision to move on. I hope Prohm considers himself always a Cyclone, just like Rhoads. Anyone expecting a process ignores the history. JP haters need to explain how he has made bad hires. Anyone who is involved in hiring knows the can't-fail candidate fails. At the end of the day, ISU is much better after he became AD. I doubt this was pre-arranged. Quality people would never work for someone with a reputation of working behind their staff's back. Welcome CTJO!
 

AttakOfDaClones

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If true, it is a weak hire. If you want to build momentum in a slumping program, you don't quickly hire a .500 coach from a mid major program. For crying out loud, are we Iowa State or Indiana State? It looks cheap and third tier.....I remember the late 70's ISU Basketball. Johnny Orr built something out of that. He was from MICHIGAN! Why are settling for TJ? He doesn't deserve to coach at a Major D1 program...yet. This says winning doesn't matter.

Juwan Howard apparently turned Jamie down, but he was higher on the list than Otz.
 
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isucy86

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I would love to hear you expand on the talent he had at UNLV this year. I certainly see the talent due in next year, but his team was not talented this year.

For a MWC school, this years UNLV team had solid talent:
  • Jenkins followed TJ to UNLV and was a Summit League 1st teamer. He ended up being 3rd team all MWC this season
  • Hamilton was a carryover player and potential MWC
  • Diong their center was All-Defense 1st Team
Add Caleb Grill and a couple other nice role players and this could have been a top 3-4 MWC team this year. The problem wasn't talent- it's that the talent didn't mesh. And they had some bad luck in their starting PG getting hurt. Plus they had a Covid shutdown.
 

dahliaclone

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What was it like on here when we found out Fred was leaving? I ask because it seems odd to me that the UNLV board is basically silent. A few posts all surrounding the Vegas Journal story...but no one can confirm anything or is hearing anything solid. Seems like if a coach was leaving there would be more action on a site.
 
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Walden4Prez

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What was it like on here when we found out Fred was leaving? I ask because it seems odd to me that the UNLV board is basically silent. A few posts all surrounding the Vegas Journal story...but no one can confirm anything or is hearing anything solid. Seems like if a coach was leaving there would be more action on a site.
They’re all dippin dollars at the Spearmint Rhino this time of night
 

inCyteful

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What was it like on here when we found out Fred was leaving? I ask because it seems odd to me that the UNLV board is basically silent. A few posts all surrounding the Vegas Journal story...but no one can confirm anything or is hearing anything solid. Seems like if a coach was leaving there would be more action on a site.

download (1).jpg
 
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WhoISthis

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Did Larry go winless in his last year? He had Vroman, Homan, Sullivan plus Blaylock and Stinson incoming.
Of course not, he wasn’t horrible like Prohm. Why do you ask?


Wayne was a big part of holding that roster together. No Wayne, no Stinson, Blalock, or Staple, and you’re looking at another bad year. Hopefully TJ has equal positive implications in regards to immediately improving the roster. That’s the leading (only) reason he’s a valid candidate.

Certainly TJ is in a much better spot to be worse than Wayne, but improve the record. With immediate transfers rules it’s easier to quickly rebuild now.
 
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Kurttr

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He’s a fit right now.
  • The program just went winless in conference, it can’t be much worse
  • Covid blew a hole in the athletic dept budget
  • Other high-profile openings in the Midwest (Indiana, MN)
  • He comes relatively cheap until he proves himself
  • He has deep ties to ISU and wants to be in Ames
  • He proven success recruiting to Ames
Guess we differ in that I don’t think our opening is as poor as you do. As a few have mentioned, The Athletic had an article today about the opening and had a lot of good things to say about the ISU BB job. Doesn’t mean that TJ was the wrong choice, just that we should have had some good candidates. It would appear TJ was the only candidate. Hope it works.
 
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AttakOfDaClones

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They are jumping
For a MWC school, this years UNLV team had solid talent:
  • Jenkins followed TJ to UNLV and was a Summit League 1st teamer. He ended up being 3rd team all MWC this season
  • Hamilton was a carryover player and potential MWC
  • Diong their center was All-Defense 1st Team
Add Caleb Grill and a couple other nice role players and this could have been a top 3-4 MWC team this year. The problem wasn't talent- it's that the talent didn't mesh. And they had some bad luck in their starting PG getting hurt. Plus they had a Covid shutdown.

No offense, but that does not sound like a talented roster. But certainly more info that I expected you to have lol. Touché
 

Clones8686

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I hate this hire but I guess he is the coach now, as we knew all along he would be... so here's your shot TJ, prove it.
 
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cyclonehomer

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Not saying it's going to be the same but wasn't CMC's hiring process similar?

Got hired the week after the last game in 2015.
CMC had a lot of interest from at least Mizzou and I'd imagine others. He was a big get for Iowa State, iirc he and PJ Fleck were the two big candidates from that offseason?