Searchbits VI: Bunk About Bunk
AT LEAST HE LOOKS LIKE BUNK MORELAND
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[EDIT (Seth): It looks like we got Cooley a raise. He's staying at Providence with a multi-year extension
Staying home. pic.twitter.com/IFB8FbGJmN
— PC Men's Basketball (@PCFriarsmbb) May 21, 2019
Feel free to read the rest of this article as a low-ceilinged future avoided.]
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Ed Cooley moved from the fringes of the search to the dead center of it yesterday. Various media outlets reported that he interviewed with Warde Manuel yesterday, and then a Providence student aspiring to a job in media rushed out to a scoop of questionable veracity:
The rumored deal would be for $6 million.
— Matt St. Jean (@mattstdream) May 21, 2019
That six million dollar number is immediately dubious. What does that even mean? Six million a year? Michigan isn't making Ed Cooley the third-highest paid coach in the country. Six million over any reasonable length of time? Michigan isn't paying Ed Cooley less than Rutgers pays Steve Pikiell.
But when various folks set about debunking the above they picked their words carefully. Sam:
For those asking, I'm told this is premature. I'm told that Warde Manuel is on his way to, or already in Miami for tomorrow's planned meeting with Juwan Howard. Maybe they'll eventually land on Cooley, but they haven't yet. https://t.co/nDOv44As1p
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) May 21, 2019
Interviewing a guy is a serious thing.
[After THE JUMP: I'd rather have a question mark.]
THE COOLEY PROBLEM
I don't know how much upside he has. Providence's rotation this year:
- C Nate Watson, 4*, #100 overall, sophomore
- F Alpha Diallo, 4*, #117 overall, junior
- G Isaiah Jackson, George Mason transfer, senior
- G David Duke, 4*, #47 overall, freshman
- G Maliek White, 4*, #127 overall, junior
- G Makai Ashton-Langford, 4*, #41 overall, sophomore
- G AJ Reeves, 4*, #48 overall, freshman
- C Khalif Young, 3*, #398 overall, junior
That's a lineup with a reasonable level of experience and plenty of talent. Those guys finished 164th in offensive efficiency. Providence offensive efficiency the three years prior: 100, 101, 92. Cooley's best offense, and best team, came immediately before that dismal four-year run of bricks. It featured Kris Dunn, a top 20 recruit who was about to be the fifth pick in the draft. That guy sucked up 30% usage and Providence was 42nd in offensive efficiency. They locked down a 6-seed and got bounced in the first round.
John Beilein had a worse offense than that once in the past decade—the team that lost both Caris LeVert and Derrick Walton. Cooley's teams have finished in the top 100 in turnover rate twice, topping out at 44th. After Beilein's first year his worst TO rate at Michigan ranked 38th.
That's eight years at the same program and all the offensive trends are negative. Cooley's teams are drifting increasingly far away from the new college "everyone's Steph Curry" paradigm. 3PA/FGA over the last four years: 128, 185, 291, 273. And they've been horrible bricklayers from three five of the last seven years, with one average season and a single lonely green blip:
Cooley is an outright bad offensive coach. There's no excuse for his results given the talent on hand. I don't know if I can deal with all that red immediately after the Beilein era. Raise your hand if this makes you want to crawl in a hole:
Want to play for Ed Cooley? Toughness is what he wants! (Via CoachTube) pic.twitter.com/iPYBdRPnSx
— NCSA Team Edition (@NCSA_Team) April 29, 2019
Want to get hired by a fictional Michigan led by a sports blogger? Precision is what he wants.
Cooley would clearly be a good recruiter at Michigan, but with the top 20-30 players all but off limits his hypothetical Michigan rosters aren't going to be leaps and bounds better than those he's had at Providence. So why would his offense suddenly become acceptable?
THE DEEP DIVE
Grantland did an embedded reporter thing with Providence's Kris Dunn team, which ended up in a 13-point round one loss to Dayton. Halftime:
Cooley walks in and steps to the whiteboard. “Here’s what’s going to win the game for us,” he says. “No turnovers, finishing, and better transition D. Just be physical around the rim. We’re complaining about not getting calls. Maybe we don’t deserve the calls. Just finish.
“Honestly,” he says, “I don’t see a need for X-and-O adjustments. Our game plan is working. It’s not our defense. It’s our offense.” He goes through a few minor points — avoid fouls, throw crisper passes, drive when you see a lane. “We gotta be attack dogs,” Cooley says, shaking his head a little as he speaks. “We gotta play with that swag. We need some dog in us.”
Yikes.
THE OTHER COOLEY PROBLEM
His name has come up for a reason other than his coaching acumen:
Remember, Michigan search is being run by Gene DeFilippo (Now at Turnkey Sports) — who was the AD at Boston College when Ed Cooley was an assistant and the Eagles had it rolling. Cooley was at BC from 1997-2006 and DeFilippo was the AD from 1997-2012.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 20, 2019
DeFilippo fired Al Skinner, the head coach when BC "had it rolling" with seven bids in ten years. BC has not had a bid in the nine years since. Skinner's replacement, Steve Donahue, had a Wile E Coyote season the year after Skinner left and then went 9-22, 16-17, and 8-24 before getting fired himself.
So Cooley's name comes up in part because a former BC athletic director who made an incompetent hire knows him. He's no less of a who-you-know hire than Juwan Howard.
THE OTHER OTHER COOLEY PROBLEM
Think of this poor woman.
My mother just reminded me that I literally have the words Heart and Soul in Ed Cooley’s handwriting TATTOOED ON MY BODY
— Courtney Buohl (@courtneybueller) May 21, 2019
I sincerely hope there are no Michigan fans with "We had subs, it was crazy" tattooed on their bodies.
THE INFECTION
We're contagious.
PROVIDENCE — Is Ed Cooley a Providence Man?
Officials at Providence College and Friar fans are about to find out just how wedded Cooley is to the hometown job that he’s elevated to unprecedented levels over the last eight seasons. Cooley has had contact with representatives of the University of Michigan regarding its vacant basketball coaching job and one source close to the situation termed the state of affairs as “fluid.”
Providence doesn't have football, at least.
TODAY IS JUWAN DAY
Juwan Howard is preferable to Cooley. Any NBA system is going to be closer to Beilein's style of offense than Providence's grindball flex. Cooley has eight years at a major conference school in which he's proven he is a below-average offensive coach. Howard is more likely to retain a couple of assistants. And he's interviewing today.
If we can get an offensive assistant to seriously help Cooley out then I think he could be a decent hire. He recruits very well given he's the coach for a barely known school in Rhode Island and is solid defensively
He’s not gonna suddenly change his offensive philosophy at Michigan.
Says who?
... while pointing out I'd rather have Juwan or Yak. Maybe Smart.
Did Rich Rod suddenly realize his defenses suck once he made it big time?
John Beilein made the change 9 years in
What makes you think a guy who's been coaching the same way for more than ten years is going to suddenly change his style out of the blue? It's not impossible but it is HIGHLY unlikely. Especially after hearing him speak in those interviews and reading those locker room quotes. Cooley strikes me as a guy who is set in his ways.
Maybe he adjusts if he sees a need to. But he's not going to a new job intent on doing things differently.
One reason Cooley is a favorite is that Manuel clearly stated that college head coaching experience is one of his, or the, most important criteria. And Cooley is the only finalist that has that. That makes the other two interviews look political to appease the Michigan fan base. If this is true and Manual hires Cooley then he blew it.
We know that (unless you’re Duke or Kentucky and you can get blue chip recruits) the number one criteria is a genius offensive or defensive mind with the ability to lead kids. That along with a Michigan level of integrity. The only thing Cooley has going for him is a clean record, a Providence fan base happy with performing slightly above expectations, and connections to the recruiter.
Too many things about this process already smell bad. This is a far cry from Hackett hiring Harbaugh. This is more like Brandon hiring Hoke
What coach would hire a top assistant to totally change his offensive philosophy at Michigan??? **Looks at Josh Gattis**... Oh...
Ed Cooley would NOT be given the opportunity to revamp his offense after 4 yrs, he'd be shown the door!
So, he ain't coming anyway, but to complete the analogy, he'd need to SHOW UP with his Gattis - were he coming...
Recruiting ability on its own, yes, he does recruit well... but it is totallly meaningless unless he can WIN with the level of recruits he gets...and apparently he underwhelms with them. This is not good.. People need to have perspective, that recruiting is not a standalone attribute... Hoke could recruit very well...and yet he couldn't win with them, and got canned.
Yaklich is a monster coach (brought our D to 2nd in nation), oh, and he can recruit too... Those two together, far outweigh Cooley's experience, which has proven he doesn't cut it. If he gets hired over Yaklich, count me in wanting Warde gone.
Ed Cooley is the flex offense. He's not going to change what he's been doing for his entire coaching career.
Cooley has charisma and deff seems to know what he’s talking about with regards to his Xs and Os judging by these videos. Idk how the flex does in 2019 tho
Providence isn't really "barely known."
Paul Westhead and the run and gun offense from Loyola Marymount please...lol
And I thought I was the optimist around here. Mediocre + is not inspirational. I am about to be sick.
Barely known school? From Wikipedia: “The Friars have made two Final Four appearances in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, in 1973 and 1987. Four former players or coaches—Dave Gavitt, John Thompson, Rick Pitino, and Lenny Wilkens—are enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.”
It’s been a good basketball program for a very long time. Ernie D and Marvin Barnes had good NBA careers in the 70’s. Jalen Rose’s Dad, Jimmy Walker, also played there as well as Billy Donovan. I don’t want Ed Cooley, and neither should you, but don’t sell the school short.
The one thing everyone seems to agree on in this search is that they'd prefer NOT COOLEY compared to Juwan/Smart/Yak. And yet...
I would prefer:
Nathan Davis, Kevin Keatts, Matt McMahon, Scott Drew or Randy Bennett to Cooley. Names I think should be on a list that you’ve had over a year to put together.
Yes, there are good up and coming coaches if we bother to look for them.
I'd scratch Drew from the list, he has a reputation as a dirtbag. And I'd add Craig Smith instead.
John Becker at Vermont would be a fitting addition to your list. All seem to be solid coaches; their resumes are not dissimilar from Beilein's at the time we hired him. The big difference is that the only one on that list who's at a program in a major conference is Drew at Baylor.
Just looked at Prohm's record—he might be a fine coach, but his conference record at ISU is not exactly sparkling.
Kevin Keatts is at NCST. He is 45-23 and 20-16 in conference.
I am personally still on the fence re Cooley. Can we get Dunkin Donuts to come with him?
I'm now even more firmly in the Please God, let it be Juwan camp.
Yikes. Fear level?
Off the charts
Beyond the capacity for rational thought.
Still at zero if you're worried about Cooley.
I can't believe this tweet wasn't mentioned in the post
I got the same scoop. Me and Mr. St Jean were playing Counter Strike when we got the word
Hah!
I first read this as "me and Sister Jean were playing counterstrike" and wondered why Porter Moser didn't join in the fun.
Ink Juwan Howard TODAY forgodsakes, and quit pansying around, Warde!!
On another note, damn do I miss Coach B already...
Agree with this. Let's call it what it is, though - Juwan is the definition of high risk, high reward. His potential floor and ceiling are 100x harder to define vs other candidates.
But I think the men's bball program is a great place to roll the dice at this moment in time. Lots of recent success. Potential candidates 4 or 5 years from now could hardly be worse than what's available today.
And at the end of the day Michigan is a football school and I would argue still on a great trajectory there. Yes, I had to leave the house and drive around for a minute or ten during the osu game last year. But I think we're all gonna be surprised with how the offense looks this year (positively).
One of the cool things with Michigan has always been it's relative success in both fball and bball, but it feels like we're almost playing with house money with bball right now and for better or worse it's football that's gonna be under the microscope for the next several years - time to put up or shut up - so, like I said, roll the dice.
Cheers.
"a Providence student aspiring to a job in media rushed out to a scoop of questionable veracity"
rushing out a tweet of questionable veracity in order to be the one breaking a 'scoop'? Sounds like that student has learned all he needs to know about how a job in the media works. Somebody hire him!
Warde may have a reputation for being on the lazy/sleepy side - but he's not dumb. Tweets are cheap. Cooley stays in Providence.
He has no such reputation. He has internet critics who need to invent something to complain about.
He didn't scream and yell about our football schedule that one time, and that is far more revealing of his character and abilities to do this job than the fact that seemingly every one of the programs in his department are either winning or on the doorstep of a conference championship.
Bob Diaco says hi.
What a depressing state of affairs. I'm going to look for whatever hole Cespedes just broke his ankles in.
Come on Warde, make Howard a done deal today. Cooley is not our guy. What the hell is going on with this coaching search? We can’t throw a stone at someone without them recommending one of their ‘friends’ for the job. If Manuel hires a guy that has strong ties to the person we are paying to conduct this search, then Warde needs to go and an investigation needs to be conducted.
FFS WHY???????????????????
Because you touch yourself!
DeFilippo is also the guy who fired Jeff Jagoff right after the most successful season in recent BC football history because the Jets were interested in him, right? And then that firing put BC in a deep hole that it took Don Brown to bring them out of.
Why is that guy involved in Michigan's search?
This is the million dollar question. He also fired Cooley's mentor Al Skinner and was the catalyst for the wave of conference realignment. He destroys everything he touches.
If Cooley is hired Warde needs to be sent to a gulag. I have so little faith in him doing the right thing I wouldn’t be surprised if he hired that ass hat.
Did someone say, Gulag?
Can you have the FSB pick up Warde before he makes a decision. Please and thank you.
My best bots are on the case!
Reports of hiring Cooley/Bunk premature, or as Bunk said "There you go, giving a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck"
I am definitely on team Not Cooley, but if he got a decent offensive coach it could be a good hire. Sort of like where Beilein realized he needed a good defensive system.
I still think it's Howard's to lose. Cooley was a guy who knows a guy, probably had a fine interview, but this feels like something where he gets a raise and everyone sort of shakes hands and winks.
I will say - people shouldn't shit on that kid too hard about his post. He said this is just what he heard, didn't say he could confirm, etc. Sure, maybe don't run with that alone, but this is also 2019 and sports journalism, so restraint isn't a trait I expect to see.
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