ADVERTISEMENT

Realistic coaching replacements for Cal

Then who do we get.

Right now I'm more worried about moving away from what we have.
I’m not sure but I don’t want Drew any where near this program. Drew has been at Baylor since 2003. In that time he only has 2 conference championships. Both of those championships came at the same time he won the NCAA championship. He got lucky as hell that Covid happened and most of his team stuck around because they couldn’t work out for the NBA. You take Covid out of the equation and he has 1 less conference championships and no NCAA championship. All that since 2003. I know Cal needs to go but hiring Drew would be the nail in the coffin to becoming Indiana.
 
I’m not sure but I don’t want Drew any where near this program. Drew has been at Baylor since 2003. In that time he only has 2 conference championships. Both of those championships came at the same time he won the NCAA championship. He got lucky as hell that Covid happened and most of his team stuck around because they couldn’t work out for the NBA. You take Covid out of the equation and he has 1 less conference championships and no NCAA championship. All that since 2003. I know Cal needs to go but hiring Drew would be the nail in the coffin to becoming Indiana.
Baylor likely was going to win the 2020 championship as well. Covid probably cost him a title.
 
Hire Dawn Staley. Break the glass ceiling. We would be the talk of college basketball and might actually start getting some home cooking again and respect from officials. ESPN and the media would love UK. The only question is recruiting.
 
I’m not sure but I don’t want Drew any where near this program. Drew has been at Baylor since 2003. In that time he only has 2 conference championships. Both of those championships came at the same time he won the NCAA championship. He got lucky as hell that Covid happened and most of his team stuck around because they couldn’t work out for the NBA. You take Covid out of the equation and he has 1 less conference championships and no NCAA championship. All that since 2003. I know Cal needs to go but hiring Drew would be the nail in the coffin to becoming Indiana.
100%, Drew is a less successful and dynamic Cal lite.
 
Realistic Hires from Mitch
Scott Drew
TJ Ozterberger (dude brought Iowa St back in 1 year)
A Mid Major Coach we haven't thought of

Semi Realistic Hires if Mitch Retires
Dan Hurley
Bruce Pearl
Nate Oats
Tommy Lloyd
Frank Vogal or some NBA Coach that is not Donovan
Chris Beard

Fantasy Hires
Brad Stevens
Billy Donovan
Jay Wright

Hires that would turn the Basketball world UPSIDE DOWN
Rick Pitino
Bill Self

Hires to keep an Eye on in 5+ years
Todd Golden
Mark Pope
Mark Byington (James Madison)
Chris Collins (Northwestern)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cats192
You don't think Bruce, with Kentucky talent could beat Oakland? Auburn doesn’t have Kentucky's talent.

The same ole, if so and so had Cal’s talent argument. There’s a reason he doesn’t have that level of talent and 1 of the many reasons he would fail here. Next.
 
Everyone keeps throwing out the:

Jay Wright
Billy Donovan
Brad Stevens
Dan Hurley

I think we should inquire about them. But as far as an honest discussion goes: They will most likely say no.

Jay Wright was getting 6 million a year at Villanova. He had them built up as a powerhouse. He walked away He walked away from 6 million. If 4 million more would have kept him coaching--he'd probably be at Villanova right now.

Donovan is making 6 million plus in the NBA. He very much wants to be in the NBA. He has had chances at the Kentucky job before and didn't want it.

Stevens: The dude doesn't even want to coach the Boston Celtics. He had one of the premiere NBA franchises and moved into an administrative/executive role. Indiana--his home state--was offering him the farm. He hasn't been sitting in a penthouse office in Boston waiting for Kentucky to finally offer him.

I would gladly take Hurley. It doesn't make sense for him. He just won the title. He has the odds on favorite again. Kentucky doesn't give him resources that he lacks at UCONN. Furthermore, if we're going to come out and offer him a crazy amount of money--then UCONN is probably going to find a way to match it. You don't get outbid for the best coach in the country when you already have him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OriginalChiDore
There is also a reason Kentucky has won a championship with 5 different coaches.

Yes, 4 won based on coaching and talent and 1 won because he was gifted a championship level roster.

Kentucky doesn’t draw in recruits like some think, simply by being Kentucky. That’s why Tubby and BCG struggled.

Don’t be fooled into believing that recruiting will always be great because we are Kentucky. The wrong hire will definitely show otherwise.
 
Pearl’s hype exceeds his results. His a great salesman, he definitely cares about winning and losing, but at Tenn and Auburn he has been, what? Good, not great. Better than those schools’ average? Drew took Baylor to places they’ve never been. Few at Gonzaga. Donovan at Florida. Those are guys that really did something special. I just don’t see Pearl in that light.

As for list, I’d like any of these:

Lloyd
Drew
Sean Miller
Hoiberg
 
Realistically we probably can't get a huge name to coach here. We are no longer anything special. We don't have anything to offer that any power 5 can't match. In this century we have 1 title.

We will need to look at some promising mid major coach or go the Duke/UNC route and hire someone that was connected to the program at some point.
I disagree with this assessment, uk can and will ponies up 8 to 10 million if it's the right guy. There are a lot power 5 that don't value basketball that much and would refuse to match that
 
It’s hard to say who would say no to this job. This is Kentucky. Look how bad Cal wanted this job before he got it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re right about Scott Drew being his choice if he makes the next hire.
The fact is you don't have to be the head coach at UK to get talent good enough to win a Title. Villanova and UConn aren't anywhere near the historic level that UK has been but, each has won multiple titles recently.
The UK job is attractive to guys with the desire to be in the spotlight all the time. Maybe there's some ego gratification involved? But, Kentucky still moves the needle. For instance, there were approx. 20 million people watching us get beat by Oakland on Thursday. Good or bad there is probably no other program that will draw those numbers for a early round game in the tournament.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Woodrow_Call_1998
---
If you're going to eliminate coaches because they lost a game they shouldn't have, you're going to eliminate everybody.

I’m eliminating coaches based on winning games and his resume doesn’t indicate he’s able to win big games. It’s kind of a simple strategy…..
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT