AubTiger14 0 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I understand that Barbee is still the coach, but we all know the writing is on the wall. I just wanted to start a discussion about potential replacements if a change was to be made. There is a thread about Bruce Pearl, but most seem to think it wouldn't happen as he is kind of the "Bobby Petrino" candidate out there. Who else is it that you would want to see as the next head coach, realistically? Or what kind of coach would you want us to hire? As for me, I'm not very knowledgeable about potential coaching candidates out there and who might be the rising stars. But, I would want the biggest name possible. We've seem time and time again these well-respected assistants or small school coaches get a chance to be a head coach or move to a bigger school and then they do not make it. Obviously some make it because all head coaches had to start somewhere, but it's really a spin of the wheel as the knowing which ones actually will. It's hard for these guys because they are mostly unproven, so recruits aren't as willing to go play for them when they could go play for Donavon, Callipari, Self, Coach-K, etc. Especially at Auburn when our program has no brand equity, another young coach that also has no name recognition will have a hard time convincing players to come here. So, my wish list is basically a big-name. Perhaps an ex-NBA guy or a current NBA assistant. Doubtful that most of those guys would come to college and a program like Auburn, but who knows. Recruits would be intrigued by that because all of them want to make the league. If there is indication that Brad Stevens doesn't like the NBA and wants to come back to college, then I say throw everything we can at him. Maybe the coach at FGCU could be an option because he is actually a known name and brings an exciting style of play that could interest recruits. Which ever coach we can hire that gives us the best chance with the 4 and 5 star recruits is who I would want. What are your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey 16,576 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I don't have a favorite but if i were getting paid a six-figure salary to have short list of good candidates you can bet I'd have one. I'd be looking for a guy whose players liked being on his team so they stick around for more than part of one season. A few comments from former players such as "I wouldn't take anything for my years on Coach X's team. He made everybody on the squad feel great about themselves and the team" would be a starter. Checking graduation rates would be a quick way to get a clue about this. Very many transfers out and he doesn't make the cut. Next watch his games, does he stress fundamentals and does his team not only hustle but play with and within a plan? Thirdly, has he won games within his level of competition and occasionally upset a favored team? We're probably not going to get very many one and done guys that stop by Auburn on the way to the NBA. We don't need them to win. We do need a capable coach that can teach basketball and keep a team together until they mature into a winning college team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
augolf1716 21,103 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 My only input would be after seeing who JJ hired for softball and baseball coaches last year I think he may be looking for a big time hire if possible instead of an up and coming guy Or at least I hope so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
augolf1716 21,103 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Sorry for additional post but I am positive he already has a list of both big time hires and up and coming coaches we could possibility get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auburnfan91 1,407 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Well the guy I want isn't a big name but he's also not an up and comer coach. He's established and taken multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament. Stan Heath at South Florida. I think he would be a good fit for Auburn. I think his recent coaching background would help in recruiting at Auburn. He coached at Arkansas and took them to the NCAA Tournament his last 2 years there. He took South Florida to the NCAA Tournament 2 years ago and is trying to build them back up again. He's the type of coach that's going to recruit players that stay a few years. He's recurited at Arkansas and at South Florida, so he knows the Southeast. Also, South Florida uses UnderArmour. So we wouldn't be bringing in someone who hasn't had to recruit with UnderArmour. One of South Florida's assistant coaches, Donnie Marsh, was at UAB under Mike Davis a couple of years ago. That would be another plus having someone on his staff that's recruited in the state of Alabama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Heath is kind of interesting...got fired by Arky after two trips to the NCAAs though he got off to a slow start after Richardson was asked to leave. I guess Arky thought Heath was not making enough progress and then wanted someone who could take them to the next level....and as might be expected, they are still waiting. Pelfrey got to the tourney with Heath's guys and after that one year,their record looks about like AU's with their current coach probably under the gun. His record at South Florida has been hit or miss...literally...up one year and down the next. JMO seems to be a quality guy but nothing says to me that he would be a big step up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey 16,576 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Heath is kind of interesting...got fired by Arky after two trips to the NCAAs though he got off to a slow start after Richardson was asked to leave. I guess Arky thought Heath was not making enough progress and then wanted someone who could take them to the next level....and as might be expected, they are still waiting. Pelfrey got to the tourney with Heath's guys and after that one year,their record looks about like AU's with their current coach probably under the gun. His record at South Florida has been hit or miss...literally...up one year and down the next. JMO seems to be a quality guy but nothing says to me that he would be a big step up. Oh, he'd be a big step up all right. Most anybody we might hire would be a big step up. I don't know if Heath would be a big enough step up, but he'd be a big step up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronCrazy 1,059 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I don't have a favorite but if i were getting paid a six-figure salary to have short list of good candidates you can bet I'd have one. I'd be looking for a guy whose players liked being on his team so they stick around for more than part of one season. A few comments from former players such as "I wouldn't take anything for my years on Coach X's team. He made everybody on the squad feel great about themselves and the team" would be a starter. Checking graduation rates would be a quick way to get a clue about this. Very many transfers out and he doesn't make the cut. Next watch his games, does he stress fundamentals and does his team not only hustle but play with and within a plan? Thirdly, has he won games within his level of competition and occasionally upset a favored team? We're probably not going to get very many one and done guys that stop by Auburn on the way to the NBA. We don't need them to win. We do need a capable coach that can teach basketball and keep a team together until they mature into a winning college team. We may disagree about Bruce Pearl, but I definitely agree with this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfernoOrangeSS 321 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 My only input would be after seeing who JJ hired for softball and baseball coaches last year I think he may be looking for a big time hire if possible instead of an up and coming guy Or at least I hope so I was thinking the same thing. He really went all out on those hires and picked up established winners. I can see him doing the same thing for BB. Whether any of the people he would want would be willing to come coach Auburn is another story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey 16,576 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 A school can hire a baseball and softball coach without breaking the budget. They are universally underpaid when compared to football and basketball. A guy with credentials similar to the softball coach we hired would already be at the top of the basketball heap and making multi-millons a year. Once a guy is making several million a year the money stops being a big factor. It would be hard to pry such a person away unless he is having some difficulty with his current school. JJ may know of a proven winner that's unhappy where he is, but the tired old "open the pocketbook" won't get it done. That guy will already be making plenty of money. It will have to be a guy that, for whatever reason, wants to move from his current job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berrytgr 0 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Well the guy I want isn't a big name but he's also not an up and comer coach. He's established and taken multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament. Stan Heath at South Florida. I think he would be a good fit for Auburn. I think his recent coaching background would help in recruiting at Auburn. He coached at Arkansas and took them to the NCAA Tournament his last 2 years there. He took South Florida to the NCAA Tournament 2 years ago and is trying to build them back up again. He's the type of coach that's going to recruit players that stay a few years. He's recurited at Arkansas and at South Florida, so he knows the Southeast. Also, South Florida uses UnderArmour. So we wouldn't be bringing in someone who hasn't had to recruit with UnderArmour. One of South Florida's assistant coaches, Donnie Marsh, was at UAB under Mike Davis a couple of years ago. That would be another plus having someone on his staff that's recruited in the state of Alabama. I like that suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubaseball 2,592 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'm of the opinion of going after tommy ameker. He is currently working at Harvard. Comes from the coach k method of coaching, very smart and seems to get the most from players. Works a system offense and stresses defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berrytgr 0 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'm of the opinion of going after tommy ameker. He is currently working at Harvard. Comes from the coach k method of coaching, very smart and seems to get the most from players. Works a system offense and stresses defense. I like this suggestion too, but I heard that he declined to interview with us during the search when we hired Cliff Ellis. He was still an assistant at Duke then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douggwilliams 61 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'm of the opinion of going after tommy ameker. He is currently working at Harvard. Comes from the coach k method of coaching, very smart and seems to get the most from players. Works a system offense and stresses defense. I like this suggestion too, but I heard that he declined to interview with us during the search when we hired Cliff Ellis. He was still an assistant at Duke then. And Coach K advised him against going to AU. I dont think we have a shot with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'm of the opinion of going after tommy ameker. He is currently working at Harvard. Comes from the coach k method of coaching, very smart and seems to get the most from players. Works a system offense and stresses defense. I like this suggestion too, but I heard that he declined to interview with us during the search when we hired Cliff Ellis. He was still an assistant at Duke then. And Coach K advised him against going to AU. I dont think we have a shot with him. JMO but probably no top coach would suggest to one of their protegees that AU would be a good career stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubaseball 2,592 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I thought that was the other guy from Duke, coached at vcu and oklahoma. Maybe go after one the assistants from Michigan, they run a team oriented offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoALtiger 3,850 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Y'all are thinking about Capel I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BirdofPrey76 0 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Y'all are thinking about Capel I believe. Mike Brey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Brey went to Notre Dame...the Duke guys usually end up with the up-scale private schools don't they? Meanwhile, it's going to take some serious salesmanship to convince any currently successful coach to ignore about 40 years of mediocre basketball results...and that AU has the potential to be a basketball power. Every recent AU coaching hire has inherited an empty cupboard...and that's going to be the case again if TB gets tossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey 16,576 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Of course TB will be leaving an empty cupboard when he's fired at the end of this season. 3/4 of the kids he signed bailed out on him well before their junior year even started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Of course TB will be leaving an empty cupboard when he's fired at the end of this season. 3/4 of the kids he signed bailed out on him well before their junior year even started. And Tebo's kids bailed on TB before he even arrived. That's life.....with AU basketball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfernoOrangeSS 321 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I don't know what the answer is or who we could reasonably get. What I do know is I am sick and tired of our team always being so bad. Every year I have to pick a team to pull for in the Tournament because my school isn't anywhere near getting close to going. We aren't even seeing minor improvements year to year. I had high hopes for Barbee when he was hired. He did well at his previous school, if I am not mistaken. I don't think we will be able to get any "name" coach. Our best bet is to get another young up and comer and cross your fingers that he is different from the last few. It's so depressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravejd 3,270 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Larry Brown at SMU Why you ask? 1. He would take our money which is the only thing we have to attract BB coaches to AU at the moment. 2. He has an established name in BB circles and could attract players on his name alone. 3. He has experience in the NBA which he could also use to attract players EDIT: 4. He has coached for many years and likely doesn't have many left in him. So he will not be afraid of the AU coaching curse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 The problem with SEC basketball, there are but a few SEC coaches (Cal, Donavan and maybe Haith or Stallings) that any other FCS or FBS school would take. http://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/ranking-secs-basketball-coaches JMO but none of them appear to have any upward mobility though a few that were fired from SEC teams have eventually landed OK I guess. It's not just AU..it's the SEC that is a career killer with the exception of the ones mentioned. Fire TB...that's fine but I sense it will be more of the same for whoever follows. Sorry to say it but I just see no light at the end of this tunnel....not even a glimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douggwilliams 61 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Larry Brown at SMU Why you ask? 1. He would take our money which is the only thing we have to attract BB coaches to AU at the moment. 2. He has an established name in BB circles and could attract players on his name alone. 3. He has experience in the NBA which he could also use to attract players EDIT: 4. He has coached for many years and likely doesn't have many left in him. So he will not be afraid of the AU coaching curse! Good Idea. If we could swing that, I would be in completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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