New Coach Top 5 Candidates....

[KenSucky]

Ok, I can't take this death by papercut anymore. KP has to go at the end of the season. If so, who realistically do you think would be our top 5 options?

1. Nate Oats
2. Richard Pitino
3. Travis Ford
4. Sean Miller
5. Grant McCasland

Thoughts...?

 

[J_Lewis0117]

Ok, I can't take this death by papercut anymore. KP has to go at the end of the season. If so, who realistically do you think would be our top 5 options?

1. Nate Oats
2. Richard Pitino
3. Travis Ford
4. Sean Miller
5. Grant McCasland

Thoughts...?

If we could afford Nate Oats, that would be great

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

I mean no disrespect I appreciate this thread because 2-4 made me laugh out loud. I didn't think I could laugh any louder after reading #2, then I read #3 and #4 and it's a push. Thank you for all that.
#1 would be the dream hire. #5 might be a more realistic shopping target but I'm not pretending to know.

 

[Cardiac Red]

Ok, I can't take this death by papercut anymore. KP has to go at the end of the season. If so, who realistically do you think would be our top 5 options?

1. Nate Oats
2. Richard Pitino
3. Travis Ford
4. Sean Miller
5. Grant McCasland

Thoughts...?

Nate Oats is the only candidate on that list that would create any excitement around here and the other 4 are just a joke in my opinion.

Richard Pitino..???? You serious Clark. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

[KenSucky]

I mean with KP's buyout I'm not sure what we could afford or what we would go after. Yes, Oats would be the one, 2-4 would be solid although I don't think our fans would ever take them seriously, and 5 is the young up and comer. McCasland I do think would draw excitement.

 

[Thecycle27]

I understand these threads but where is the money to fire him? On top of that where is the money to hire someone else. Then go deeper into the hole what if that coach is .500 next year? What then?

The expectation is next year with no obstacles is the NCAA. If the next coach doesn’t achieve that he failed. He will face the same scrutiny as Payne. At some point the fanbase has to let the coach build the program back up. You can’t keep firing coaches early in contracts because they don’t meet the standard. It’s not like contracts are 2-3 years.

 

[KerryRhodes]

I understand these threads but where is the money to fire him? On top of that where is the money to hire someone else. Then go deeper into the hole what if that coach is .500 next year? What then?

The expectation is next year with no obstacles is the NCAA. If the next coach doesn’t achieve that he failed. He will face the same scrutiny as Payne. At some point the fanbase has to let the coach build the program back up. You can’t keep firing coaches early in contracts because they don’t meet the standard. It’s not like contracts are 2-3 years.

Yes you can fire him after one year due to gross incompetence.

The buyout goes down to $8 mill in March or April. People behind the scenes are raising money for his buyout.

A first year Coach going .500 would be acceptable due tor the circumstances. A coach going .105 is unacceptable and intolerable.

Okorafor played better than Curry and Wheeler combined and the Cards still lost by double digits. Whoever he brings in , wont win enough to make the NCAAT.

Enough with the NCAA excuse. Kansas has several level one accusations and they just went into COruppT arena and beat those big blew clowns.

Get rid of payneful in March or December/January. It aint going to get any better. Stop delaying the inevitable.

 

[the artist FKA zipp]

So a replacement process that started because a prominent coach cheated could end up with Sean Miller. Ridiculous enough in this world to have legs…

 

[Cardiac Red]

At some point the fanbase has to let the coach build the program back up. You can’t keep firing coaches early in contracts because they don’t meet the standard. It’s not like contracts are 2-3 years.

When you've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are way in over your head, you win two games and COMPLETELY whiffed on building a roster for this year and recruiting for next year already, you don't deserve anything. Including another year or any buyout money because you are not capable of doing the job you were hired to do..

 

[the artist FKA zipp]

You’re pretty much spot on IMO, but it won’t matter…

 

[Thecycle27]

When you've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are way in over your head, you win two games and COMPLETELY whiffed on building a roster for this year and recruiting for next year already, you don't deserve anything. Including another year or any buyout money because you are not capable of doing the job you were hired to do..

I am not specifically talking about Payne. It could be the next coach.

 

[Cardiac Red]

I am not specifically talking about Payne. It could be the next coach.

Fair enough. I was just emphasizing why that can't apply to KP because he is a complete and total failure. The next hire has to be a home run..

 

[Cardinal Cash]

What about TJ Otzelberger?

 

[KingHenry_X]

Ben McCollum.

 

[KingHenry_X]

Ben McCollum.

I'll add this which I posted in another thread:

Aside from being incredibly successful, consistent, an Adidas guy, smart, young enough to have a long tenure…

Another selling point is his neutrality. No association with our past history - positive or negative. No doubt he knows of Louisville basketball, and I’m sure respects the tradition, but he also isn’t burdened with following a legend whom he will be compared against. Louisville basketball is like finding the Biltmore Estate on foreclosure.

If Josh is smart, and I believe he is, this guy will be a top (if not THE top) candidate, and if he brings him in for an interview, he brings the whole family.

And I don’t want to hear sh*t about “but can he recruit at the P5 level”

This isn’t college football where you need 3-deep on the OL and DL to even think about competing with the elite.

This is NCAA basketball. The right coach can take any team/school to the final four. The really good ones can do it more than once. Mark Few didn’t take the job at Gonzaga and start hauling in blue-chippers. Neither did Jay Wright at Villanova. Or Chris Beard at Texas Tech. Loyola-Chicago. Wichita State. Butler. VCU.

We need a coach who knows what he is doing, and is great at doing it! That alone with Louisville’s tradition and facilities will open doors to a higher caliber athlete than he has ever had access to. But most importantly, I want him to get baller that he wants. Ones that fit his system.

Let that school down the road continue hauling in the OADs, having high expectations and then failing to meet them with clueless freshmen that run an AAU system. I want to be back to being a regular in the Sweet 16/Elite 8.

 

[BrohmsNephew]

At this point it’s about saving face and preventing this program from becoming Georgetown. This is a top 8 program in the country. The Payne hire looks like a mistake right now. Doesn’t mean it won’t be mended and turn out to be the best decision ever and we all look back and laugh. No matter what, it’s time to save this program. If he can’t get it done in the portal as soon as the season ends and doesn’t get rid of Jameson/Manning, I’d say nip it in the bud and chalk up the funds to get this program where it needs to be. Guarantee Adidas execs are talking in Heird’s ear…. It’s bad for business beyond just the athletic program

 

[TopCatCal]

I mean no disrespect I appreciate this thread because 2-4 made me laugh out loud. I didn't think I could laugh any louder after reading #2, then I read #3 and #4 and it's a push. Thank you for all that.
#1 would be the dream hire. #5 might be a more realistic shopping target but I'm not pretending to know.

I'm with you on this. I do not understand this love affair that some has for Sean Miller. There's somebody on Rupp Rafters that's posting about him as a replacement for Calipari. As a UK fan there's are several coaches that I would love to see replace Calipari but Sean Miller sure ain't one of them. Miller had Final Four talent at Arizona many, many different seasons yet never made a single Final Four.

 

[rgnn]

I'd throw a lot of money at TJ Otzelberger

 

[KenSucky]

I think we'd be doing great if we had to save some money and go McCollum or McCasland. I'll even start the chant we want a Mc, we want a Mc, we want a Mc!

 

[shadow force]

Alabama’s Nate Oats has received a multi-year contract extension through the 2028-29 season, multiple sources told College Hoops Today.

The deal is expected to be approximately worth $5 million dollars annually and makes Oats one of the sport’s highest paid coaches.

An official announcement is expected soon.

 

[KenSucky]

The McCollum or McCasland chant is growing. Musselman only has a $1 million buyout, he'd be great right now!

 

[Teh1]

No e of this matters. Payne will be back next season

 

[OldhamCard335]

No e of this matters. Payne will be back next season

Yep…if my greatest fears and worst nightmares come true, he will.

 

[Koerterback12]

For those that scoffed at Mick Cronin during the hiring process last year, UCLA is 19-4 and ranked in the top 10. He’s now 85-33 at UCLA. We somehow thought we were too good for him

 

[KerryRhodes]

Jerome Tang from Kansas State.

An actual bottle of Tang, would be a better coach than Payneful.

 

[Morgantown Card]

For those that scoffed at Mick Cronin during the hiring process last year, UCLA is 19-4 and ranked in the top 10. He’s now 85-33 at UCLA. We somehow thought we were too good for him

Well, the back of his baseball card said that Cronin would rarely get you to the second weekend of the NCAAT. I mean yeah now he looks like John Wooden compared to what we currently have but there was a lot of data on Cronin at the time and it wasn't impressive. That said, the guy is out at California kicking ass, there's no doubt about that.

Probable unpopular opinion - no one other than Pitino (or someone just like him, and there are few) would have been successful during Mack's window.

 

[EKYCard643]

Cronin's issues had to do more with a personality clash and the fact that a lot of people felt he was just a massive dick. I think Mick is a hell of a coach but I think his level of success at UCLA is a direct result of being in the Pac 12, in California and at UCLA. I don't think he'd be 19-4 this year at UofL will multiple 5 stars on our current roster and more on the way like he has at UCLA.

Sean Miller is a solid choice.
Jerome Tang

Barring something crazy I don't see a scenario where we land Oats or Muss.

I'm not above it. I'd call Chris Beard. Dude's a hell of a coach and beat UofL for every kid we went toe-to-toe for over the last 2 years. If like most of us assume that Payne is retained this year and Beard sits out another year and we're another year removed from the incident and we're looking for a coach in April 2024 - I'm calling Chris Beard.

 

[PushupMan]

Jeff Capel. Didn’t realize that he’s been a winner everywhere he’s been, including Oklahoma.

 

[EKYCard643]

Jeff Capel. Didn’t realize that he’s been a winner everywhere he’s been, including Oklahoma.

Jeff Capel was almost fired this past summer. He had 1 good season at Oklahoma in 5 years and is 68-76 right now at Pitt in his 5th year. I'd just as soon give Kenny Payne another year as bring in Jeff Capel.

 

[KingHenry_X]

Jeff Capel was almost fired this past summer. He had 1 good season at Oklahoma in 5 years and is 68-76 right now at Pitt in his 5th year. I'd just as soon give Kenny Payne another year as bring in Jeff Capel.

Jeff Capel

 

[PushupMan]

Jeff Capel was almost fired this past summer. He had 1 good season at Oklahoma in 5 years and is 68-76 right now at Pitt in his 5th year. I'd just as soon give Kenny Payne another year as bring in Jeff Capel.

Capel just beat Kenny Payne by 58 points in two games, and yet you’d prefer to keep Payne instead of hire Jeff Capel? You may not like him as a candidate, but that’s a ridiculous take.

 

[EKYCard643]

Capel just beat Kenny Payne by 58 points in two games, and yet you’d prefer to keep Payne instead of hire Jeff Capel? You may not like him as a candidate, but that’s a ridiculous take.

Jeff Capel in his 5th year at Pitt...in his 14th year as a D1 head coach beat 1st year head coach Kenny Payne by a combined 58 points. That same Jeff Capel was 11-21 last year, 10-12 the year before, 16-17 the year before and 14-19 in his first year. The same Jeff Capel whos P5 record has has 4 seasons over .500 and 6 under.

I know what I'm getting with Capel based on 15 seasons of coaching - 10 at the P5 level. He's 164-145 at the P5 level, been fired at 1 P5 job and will probably be fired by Pitt within the next 2 years.

Kenny Payne has been absolutely atrocious. Fire him right now and it'd be justified but don't fire him and hire a career failure like Jeff Capel. I'd rather give Payne a second year to try and fix it than hire someone who's proven he can't fix it.

 

[PushupMan]

So you don’t like him. I get it. But don’t be a P5 snob and dismiss the great job he did at VCU. And you have to admit that “rather keep Kenny Payne another year than hire Jeff Capel” is still a ridiculous take.

For my part. I’ll admit that Capel isn’t a cheap option - he earns about $3.5 million at Pitt. But the good news would be that his buyout appears to be cheap (just $5 million under his current contract). He’s someone with a wealth of experience, and we could afford him.

 

[the artist FKA zipp]

When you’ve gone down the aisle with Kenny Payne, it’s hard to be critical of anyone else.

But Capel is exactly the type of coach I would expect this administration to offer up as his replacement. It’s the perfect example of an argument I make to think twice about sending the same people out to fix their own mistakes.

Why would you hope for significant improvement just because we’re making a change?

“Anyone’s better than Todd Grantham!…”

 

[EKYCard643]

So you don’t like him. I get it. But don’t be a P5 snob and dismiss the great job he did at VCU. And you have to admit that “rather keep Kenny Payne another year than hire Jeff Capel” is still a ridiculous take.

For my part. I’ll admit that Capel isn’t a cheap option - he earns about $3.5 million at Pitt. But the good news would be that his buyout appears to be cheap (just $5 million under his current contract). He’s someone with a wealth of experience, and we could afford him.

I don't like him because he's proven he's not good. He's been at Oklahoma and Pitt - for 5 years each and wasn't good at either of them. He got games vacated and had 1 good season at Oklahoma and up until the mediocre season he's having this year his tenure at Pitt has been a disaster. I would much, much, much rather give save the money and give Kenny Payne one more year than bring in a coach that has failed everywhere he's been for the last decade. This is Jeff Capel's first winning season out of the last 6 he's coached. His last good season of coaching happened in 2008-2009. His time at VCU was TWENTY YEARS AGO. Since then he failed at Oklahoma was an assistant for nearly a decade and then has been a disaster at Pitt. What's appealing about that?

There isn't a single appealing thing about the idea of hiring Jeff Capel. I would be over the moon if Kenny Payne was fired 30 mins from now but if that firing meant hiring Jeff Capel - I'm giving Kenny Payne another season.

I'm normally on board with you and I don't mean to harp on you and I don't mean this in an antagonizing way towards you -I'm not attacking you personally I'm just attacking the idea of Jeff Capel being our coach. Capel is the worst candidate I've heard mentioned since Mack stepped down.

 

[nccardfan]

Cronin's issues had to do more with a personality clash and the fact that a lot of people felt he was just a massive dick. I think Mick is a hell of a coach but I think his level of success at UCLA is a direct result of being in the Pac 12, in California and at UCLA. I don't think he'd be 19-4 this year at UofL will multiple 5 stars on our current roster and more on the way like he has at UCLA.

Sean Miller is a solid choice.
Jerome Tang

Barring something crazy I don't see a scenario where we land Oats or Muss.

I'm not above it. I'd call Chris Beard. Dude's a hell of a coach and beat UofL for every kid we went toe-to-toe for over the last 2 years. If like most of us assume that Payne is retained this year and Beard sits out another year and we're another year removed from the incident and we're looking for a coach in April 2024 - I'm calling Chris Beard.

Mick Cronin vs Sean Miller? Their records are not that different. Cronin 450-204 ..688% and Miller 389-161 .707.

The difference is Mick has ties to U of L and before you say it (so does Payne), specifically Mick has ties to Pitino and his style of play. We hated Mick because he coached at a adversary but he did good things while at U of L. Yes, he gets testy and looks like an ass sometimes but I rather have a coach with passion than a guy who shrugs his shoulders or rolls his eyes. I don't think Mick would put up with lazy players like Withers and Ellis no matter how many points they score.

 

[KingHenry_X]

Mick Cronin vs Sean Miller? Their records are not that different. Cronin 450-204 ..688% and Miller 389-161 .707.

The difference is Mick has ties to U of L and before you say it (so does Payne), specifically Mick has ties to Pitino and his style of play. We hated Mick because he coached at a adversary but he did good things while at U of L. Yes, he gets testy and looks like an ass sometimes but I rather have a coach with passion than a guy who shrugs his shoulders or rolls his eyes. I don't think Mick would put up with lazy players like Withers and Ellis no matter how many points they score.

Mick Cronin’s buyout is somewhere north of 20million now. That ship has sailed.

 

[the artist FKA zipp]

If we’re plucking from the Pitino coaching tree, I think I’d take a flyer on Kevin Willard before I’d pay up to get Cronin. A guy like Willard should have been given more consideration a hire or two ago…

 

[TheRealVille]

If we’re plucking from the Pitino coaching tree, I think I’d take a flyer on Kevin Willard before I’d pay up to get Cronin. A guy like Willard should have been given more consideration a hire or two ago…

I was rebuked big time when I suggested Willard when Mack quit. He's done a pretty good job at Seton Hall, a program known more for Dick Vitale than anything else.

Everyone that wants KP removed also wants a top level coach to replace him. The later is even more unlikely than the former.

 

[12375CAT]

If we could afford Nate Oats, that would be great

Gotta hope he doesn't go to Rupp instead once Cal is gone.