Don't typically post a lot of basketball stuff but this has occupied everyone's mind all day including mine and have had some conversations.
Mentioned in another thread that I got confirmation from David's report that the Crafts are likely back in on basketball with the next coach but that was always understood to be likely after Cal left from the people I talked to. Haven't heard concern that it would impact football too much, and I was curious about that before, even heard that it wasn't concerning and I believe that.
Mentioned in that original message I posted at the beginning of this that UCONN folks had some unease about the dollars that Kentucky could throw at Hurley. Here is my thinking. If Hurley intends to leverage Kentucky's interest/offer as he should, as anyone with an agent would advise, then that might take a little bit of time. UCONN might have drafted up restructured deals beforehand, they surely had to plan for the need to give him more money. I read up on the UCONN money situation and it's very complicated how they allocate finances for athletics. Lately they have provided fewer subsidies to athletics and they believe they are in as good a financial position as any Group of Five program, but that's not Power Four money much less SEC money. Hurley is at $5 and went to almost $7 maxing out bonuses this year. I've always felt like Kentucky could go up to $12 but UCONN would probably only be able to go up to $8 or $9 and uncomfortably so. But I do have to believe, knowing how these processes work, that Hurley would leverage that - of course.
Even if Barnhart didn't think Hurley was attainable, you almost have to make the approach given who you are in the sport, your program, what Hurley's doing. You couldn't tell your fan base that you didn't.
I struggle with the idea that Kentucky has multiple offers out there. A lot of this is semantics. There are understandings sometimes. I just don't think Barnhart is the kind of guy who is going to go as fast as he can when he just became able to reach out to candidates with the pace of the Calipari/Arkansas thing. Is Barnhart really the type of guy to offer the same position to multiple guys at the same time? No, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it's understood that Drew is the guy "if xyz" or something like that.
David and I have both heard that Drew has gone dark on folks he normally talks to. In my experience that often happens when someone knows they're on the move or may very well be, trying not to mess things up. Drew has always been the guy that I've felt is the most likely to end up at Kentucky. But I am not sure that Barnhart is the type of guy to rush that out on the very first day that the job is officially open when the fan base is going to want to feel like they at least kicked the tires on Hurley, Donovan, etc.
I have always felt like Donovan is more realistic than some might think. Not a bold take I guess. I thought the video of him talking about it tonight was very interesting. Sure sounded like a guy who has followed it very closely... wasn't even sure Cal had left yet, etc. Spoke very highly of the program. The question is can you wait on someone like Donovan, whose timetable is different. I think he would be a grand slam while others have some questions. If Barnhart hasn't already decided on Drew and is still going through the process with the aforementioned guys, you have to be conscious of how dragging it out might impact someone like Drew.
One possible line of thinking: The absolute worst case scenario would be missing out on everyone including Drew. There may be a cliff after Drew is you won't hire Pearl and Oats isn't assured. If you like Drew and consider him an A or B hire, you might heavily factor the downside risk of waiting and losing everyone (having him reconsider, more time at home, etc) just as much as taking a shot on Hurley or Donovan.
Mentioned in another thread that I got confirmation from David's report that the Crafts are likely back in on basketball with the next coach but that was always understood to be likely after Cal left from the people I talked to. Haven't heard concern that it would impact football too much, and I was curious about that before, even heard that it wasn't concerning and I believe that.
Mentioned in that original message I posted at the beginning of this that UCONN folks had some unease about the dollars that Kentucky could throw at Hurley. Here is my thinking. If Hurley intends to leverage Kentucky's interest/offer as he should, as anyone with an agent would advise, then that might take a little bit of time. UCONN might have drafted up restructured deals beforehand, they surely had to plan for the need to give him more money. I read up on the UCONN money situation and it's very complicated how they allocate finances for athletics. Lately they have provided fewer subsidies to athletics and they believe they are in as good a financial position as any Group of Five program, but that's not Power Four money much less SEC money. Hurley is at $5 and went to almost $7 maxing out bonuses this year. I've always felt like Kentucky could go up to $12 but UCONN would probably only be able to go up to $8 or $9 and uncomfortably so. But I do have to believe, knowing how these processes work, that Hurley would leverage that - of course.
Even if Barnhart didn't think Hurley was attainable, you almost have to make the approach given who you are in the sport, your program, what Hurley's doing. You couldn't tell your fan base that you didn't.
I struggle with the idea that Kentucky has multiple offers out there. A lot of this is semantics. There are understandings sometimes. I just don't think Barnhart is the kind of guy who is going to go as fast as he can when he just became able to reach out to candidates with the pace of the Calipari/Arkansas thing. Is Barnhart really the type of guy to offer the same position to multiple guys at the same time? No, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if it's understood that Drew is the guy "if xyz" or something like that.
David and I have both heard that Drew has gone dark on folks he normally talks to. In my experience that often happens when someone knows they're on the move or may very well be, trying not to mess things up. Drew has always been the guy that I've felt is the most likely to end up at Kentucky. But I am not sure that Barnhart is the type of guy to rush that out on the very first day that the job is officially open when the fan base is going to want to feel like they at least kicked the tires on Hurley, Donovan, etc.
I have always felt like Donovan is more realistic than some might think. Not a bold take I guess. I thought the video of him talking about it tonight was very interesting. Sure sounded like a guy who has followed it very closely... wasn't even sure Cal had left yet, etc. Spoke very highly of the program. The question is can you wait on someone like Donovan, whose timetable is different. I think he would be a grand slam while others have some questions. If Barnhart hasn't already decided on Drew and is still going through the process with the aforementioned guys, you have to be conscious of how dragging it out might impact someone like Drew.
One possible line of thinking: The absolute worst case scenario would be missing out on everyone including Drew. There may be a cliff after Drew is you won't hire Pearl and Oats isn't assured. If you like Drew and consider him an A or B hire, you might heavily factor the downside risk of waiting and losing everyone (having him reconsider, more time at home, etc) just as much as taking a shot on Hurley or Donovan.
