List of viable replacements.
- Thread starter Son_Of_Saul
- Start date
1. Dan Hurley: He probably wouldn't take it, but you make the call. He's the closest to an '09 Calipari and '89 Pitino
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2. Scott Drew: pretty decent resume, especially for coaching in the Big 12.
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-Oats/Beard/Pearl: too much baggage that Mitch wouldn't touch
-NBA coaches: the landscape of college basketball is a shit show right now. With non-stop recruiting, NIL, and the transfer portal, it's not what it is used to be. Even if you are a former assistant or equipment manager for a couple years, it's not as alluring.
-Former players and coaches from the state: Currently, there are none with a resume for a blue blood program. I don't care that they are up-and-coming and understand the tradition. Don’t let nostalgia cloud your judgment.
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2. Scott Drew: pretty decent resume, especially for coaching in the Big 12.
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-Oats/Beard/Pearl: too much baggage that Mitch wouldn't touch
-NBA coaches: the landscape of college basketball is a shit show right now. With non-stop recruiting, NIL, and the transfer portal, it's not what it is used to be. Even if you are a former assistant or equipment manager for a couple years, it's not as alluring.
-Former players and coaches from the state: Currently, there are none with a resume for a blue blood program. I don't care that they are up-and-coming and understand the tradition. Don’t let nostalgia cloud your judgment.
We need a college coach who is college focused. A program builder. Honestly i don’t want anyone from the nba. Trying to play nba style in college is a losing proposition. It’s wide open and there is zero room for error.
The first name on the list has to be Dan Hurley. He was built to coach Kentucky. And if we were to throw the kitchen sink to get someone it would be him. After that honestly is Bruce pearl. He wins and would win big at Kentucky. There are plenty of coaches. I look at IU and UL bringing guys from the nba and they sucked. We need to build a college program with coaches who will coach the college game. Anyone who wants to come in here and emulate the nba is a hard pass unless it is a coach who was highly successful in college before their nba career. in the mold of pitino.
Oh and yeah no joking I think you gotta add Rick Barnes to any list. Nate oates is another of consideration.
It doesn’t matter what we want. The fans don’t matter.
Here is who Barnhart will go with next season…
This is the guy he wants for the job…
John Calipari.
Here is who Barnhart will go with next season…
This is the guy he wants for the job…
John Calipari.
How many NCAA tournaments has he been to? 1.
How many NCAA games has he won? 0
All that other stuff is secondary. I need to see SOME kind of results.
I like Pop and think he would do a good job. I'm not to excited about some recycled coach who who isn't able to grow good players and get high caliber talent to fit THEIR system.
Hurley would be good but Oats or Pearl would be a hard pass for me.
Hurley would be good but Oats or Pearl would be a hard pass for me.
1. Scott Drew. He had Baylor as a top team for a couple of years. He's won an NCAA Championship at Baylor. I think he could do a lot better with a top tier program. That being said, he's been at Baylor for 20+ years. He has the only championship in school history. He's pretty well a made man. Now...he only makes 3.7 million. Big boy money may lure him out.
2. Tommy Lloyd. Since he took over, Arizona has been a 1 seed, 2 seed, and are currently on pace to be a 2 seed again. They have been a contender each year under Lloyd. I think he would be insanely good at a Blue blood. I think there's an argument for him as the top choice. I do worry he's a west coast guy, and it may be hard to pull him away from a good Pac-12 job.
3. Nate Oats. He took Buffalo to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament in back to back years. He's transformed Alabama into an SEC contender. I think he could take the next step at UK.
4. Musselman: He's almost 60. I'd like to get someone with a longer potential career at UK. He took Nevada to 3 straight tournaments. He's had 3 straight Sweet 16's at Arkansas. He recruits well. He motivates guys. They're having a dumpster fire of a season, but it's due to player drama.
5. Pearl: The dude WANTS the job so badly. He is a good coach. He's taken Auburn to the Final 4, which is an accomplishment in itself. He's had some NCAA issues in the past. He's also 63. He's only 1 year younger than Calipari.
I don't think Hurley leaves UCONN. UCONN is a big time job. He's fresh off a national championship. He's got the best team in the country again. I just don't think he'll take the call other than to say no thank you.
Vogel would be a very good X's and O's coach, something we have been lacking for a long time. Can he recruit and build a program? College is so different than the NBA.
2. Tommy Lloyd. Since he took over, Arizona has been a 1 seed, 2 seed, and are currently on pace to be a 2 seed again. They have been a contender each year under Lloyd. I think he would be insanely good at a Blue blood. I think there's an argument for him as the top choice. I do worry he's a west coast guy, and it may be hard to pull him away from a good Pac-12 job.
3. Nate Oats. He took Buffalo to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament in back to back years. He's transformed Alabama into an SEC contender. I think he could take the next step at UK.
4. Musselman: He's almost 60. I'd like to get someone with a longer potential career at UK. He took Nevada to 3 straight tournaments. He's had 3 straight Sweet 16's at Arkansas. He recruits well. He motivates guys. They're having a dumpster fire of a season, but it's due to player drama.
5. Pearl: The dude WANTS the job so badly. He is a good coach. He's taken Auburn to the Final 4, which is an accomplishment in itself. He's had some NCAA issues in the past. He's also 63. He's only 1 year younger than Calipari.
I don't think Hurley leaves UCONN. UCONN is a big time job. He's fresh off a national championship. He's got the best team in the country again. I just don't think he'll take the call other than to say no thank you.
Vogel would be a very good X's and O's coach, something we have been lacking for a long time. Can he recruit and build a program? College is so different than the NBA.
Barnhart and Cap want Cal to retire and leave on his own. the only proof you need is that Barnhart has not only sided with Stoops in the off season, he gave stoops a contract for a little more money to Cal... told Cal to shut up, he's not getting a practice facility and got Cap to go watch Cal's practices and travel with the team for a week or 2....... thats serious right there, they were looking for a reason ... you only do that if you were looking for a reason to toss Cal.
OK, well, that makes far more sense. Amazing what a difference leaving out an “e” can make.
At this point i would try to get Morehead States coach say we could get him cheaper than one of Cal assistant coaches
An AD hire would be must see tv. It would be interesting to see how far UK is willing to go, and what kind of coach they are willing to stomach to get Kentucky basketball back. If they fire Mitch, that's the same as saying, "We want to win, period. Make it happen". If they stay with Mitch, it'll be a safer, more vanilla hire.
I thought you said viable candidates? None of those NBA guys are giving up coaching superstars to come to college and deal with the mess that is in the game.
I'm in the middle of all of that town and I can tell you I have never seen a coach talk the talk and back it up around town. Yes this is a football school forever but he's made them love basketball and the experience that comes with it. This town loves him
I don’t think I want a coach who has won a title.
I want a guy who is desperate and hungry.
Somebody that’s been right there, but couldn’t get over the hump at his current school.
A guy that knows he needs UK as badly as UK needs him. Someone who came close and knows he could get it done with the resources he can only get at UK.
Don’t know who that is, but that’s who I want. LOL!
I want a guy who is desperate and hungry.
Somebody that’s been right there, but couldn’t get over the hump at his current school.
A guy that knows he needs UK as badly as UK needs him. Someone who came close and knows he could get it done with the resources he can only get at UK.
Don’t know who that is, but that’s who I want. LOL!
Wrong.
Pitino did just that when he came to Kentucky, but I'm sure in your mind the rebuttal would be that it was "a different era back then."
It's also cool that you know these guys wouldn't give up coaching superstars for double and triple their current pay. I'm not buying that for a second.
Money talks far above your polished sentiment about the prestige of the NBA.
Call me age-ist if you want, but Pearl’s age alone turns me off that idea.
For the guy in charge of starting a new era of UK hoops, I want someone at his absolute peak in terms of energy, ambition and a super-intense drive to prove himself. That ain’t so likely to be an already-set-for-life 64-year-old who’s already slayed most of his dragons and is starting to wear down.
I think Pearl actually does seem like a great fit for the UK program and its unique demands …IF we’d hired him a decade ago …but not so sure about now.
I agree, he would be good for about 5-8 years max. I would rather have someone young and hungry and they are out there.
I don’t see Cal leaving, imo and I don’t see him getting fired because of the ridiculous contract and if for some reason he ends up leaving, I really don’t want Barnhart to have anything to do with hiring a New Coach.
true and look where uk is at right now.. The next coach doesnt need to be white as snow, but they can't be shady enough to keep criminals on the team. There's just certain lines that shouldn't be crossed, and that is one of em, atleast to me
Dude Pitino was over 30 years, and he had head coaching experience at the college level. The guys are you listed are all NBA lifers.
And despite what you think, they’re not making chump change compared to Calipari. All make between 5-10 million. And UK is gonna double and triple that? Not buying it. Especially with the mess that is college athletics these days.
Hurley is the obvious choice and Mitch would have to at least make the call. He’s got it rolling there at UConn without all the pressure and expectations. But you have to make him say no to your best offer.
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Pitino was most likely going to leave or be fired after the '89 season, regardless. The Knicks' GM at the time had an awful relationship with Pitino.
Tubby had success here. Not wonderful but pretty good for awhile and he was at Tulsa with mediocre success. I don’t think it has to be some established home run big name. We just need someone who can coach and puts UK and winning above all the other bull.
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