OT: Marquette MBB closing in on hiring Texas coach Shaka Smart
I mean, kudos to Shaka for getting out of Austin before he's fired in the next year or two but boy this feels like a gamble by Marquette. Just my take but Shaka seems like a great Recruiter but I have not been impressed by the in-game coaching or the player development. Be interesting to see what this does for Recruiting, as we've lost some battles the last few years with Marquette and Texas both.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:28 AM ^
YES! I successfully uploaded an image! What a great day.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:32 AM ^
I thought the same thing. Tex-->Marq is not even a lateral move, it's a step down. I think he might be from Milwaukee, IIRC (don't know why I know that).
March 26th, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
He's from Madison actually, grew up and went to HS in Wisconsin.
I actually think it makes sense for him. He was potentially a few days from being run out of town anyways, might as well leave before you get fired. Getting to go back home and still ending up at a P6 school you can compete at is a pretty solid landing spot all things considered.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:47 AM ^
I wonder if he'd go back to his havoc defense.
Although if you get fired, don't you get your buyout, instead of having to pay one?
Typically yes, but it can always be negotiated down. Smart could have gone to the AD knowing the writing is on the wall, proposed a mutual split so neither of them have to pay a buyout.
Shaka isn't paying his buyout. His new employer is.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:41 AM ^
Uncle Leo,
March 26th, 2021 at 11:51 AM ^
CBS Sports app just announced he is the new coach at Marquette
March 26th, 2021 at 11:54 AM ^
John Beilein and that 2013 team broke Shaka and gave everyone the recipe to beat his teams. That game was only close at tip off
March 26th, 2021 at 12:13 PM ^
At the Palace of Auburn Hills! Great game and atmosphere that day. That was a huge step for Michigan basketball, finally returning to the Sweet 16. Now we expect it.
March 26th, 2021 at 12:33 PM ^
That was a good team - Mitch McGary had 21 points, Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway were in command.
Totally busted that VCU defense.
March 26th, 2021 at 12:59 PM ^
Somebody explain this image uploading simply.
Please.
If you spent as much time as sifting through garbage cans for broken watches and discard wallets as media tricks you would have been a pro at this by now.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:29 AM ^
If JB was going anywhere I was hoping it’d be Marquette
March 26th, 2021 at 11:30 AM ^
Well he was awesome at VCU and then underachieved at Texas. I think this would be a good move for Shaka.
He needs a change of scenery and will get to coach in his home state.
Although, if I am Marquette, I would do whatever I possibly could to hire Porter Moser.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:34 AM ^
He probably saw the writing on the wall and is leaving while he has a chance to do it on his own, as opposed to being fired.
I will be shocked if Moser isn't coaching DePaul or Northwestern next season.
Why take either of those jobs? He's probably got a better thing going at Loyola.
$ and access to talent. Nobody talks about LC until the tournament. Big East and Big Ten are on TV several nights times a week.
He already has a better program than either of those. If he's willing to leave Chicago, he could probably land a program that is a legitimate upgrade.
But he might also want to try to build Loyola into another Creighton.
I predict Poser to IU.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:33 AM ^
His system was great at VCU. Small conference, smaller team- reminds me of a poor man's Syracuse zone.
But when it boils down to it, he's not a good Xs and Os guy.
He's still living from his 2010 run to the F4. I just don't see him being anything other than a decent head coach.
IIRC, wasn't he one of the guys that was being discussed for Michigan after Beilein left? It was like him, Cooley, and Porter Moser (who, it looks like actually may have worked out! but still very happy with Howard).
March 26th, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
Great analysis. Pretty much spot on what I'm thinking.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:39 AM ^
I am more than very happy with Howard. He may already be one of the top 5 college coaches in the country. Small sample size, but still.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:46 AM ^
Oh I am too. He's been nothing short of spectacular.
But Porter Moser is a good coach in his own right apparently lol. He's in a good spot.
March 26th, 2021 at 12:00 PM ^
VCU's been a really good mid-major program for about 20 years now. Every coach has won there. Then they go on to a bigger program and fail. I don't know what it is exactly (the proximity to DC?) but they seem to have some institutional advantages against their mid-major peers. High-major ADs should be cautious about hiring VCU coaches.
March 26th, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
Not sure if it's the same in hoops, but the Hampton Roads area of Virginia has been a hotbed for D1 football talent over the years. That could explain their success as well.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:34 AM ^
Why? Dude just rolls the ball out.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
I find him to be a brilliant tactician.
Sincerely,
Will Wade
March 26th, 2021 at 12:09 PM ^
Funny enough, Wade was Smart's successor at VCU.
March 26th, 2021 at 12:32 PM ^
Did Will give any "strong ass offers" while he coached there?
March 26th, 2021 at 11:36 AM ^
Will Carton be hitting the portal or is he where he wants to be regardless of who the coach is?
March 26th, 2021 at 11:37 AM ^
Every time Texas makes a hire I seriously think “wow, that’s a great hire. Maybe Texas is back.” I’m pretty happy about being wrong..... every time.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
Maybe they'll be back with Beilein.
Football and basketball both.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:38 AM ^
Great strategic move by him. Not fired, goes home. Smart guy to do this. He might be able to make some noise there with less of a spotlight.
Big East isn't exactly anonymous tho.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:41 AM ^
Shaka Smart is way overrated. Seems like a good guy. But I wouldn't want him to coach a team I followed and wanted to win big games.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:49 AM ^
Is he? Who really thinks he's a great coach? Apparently not Texas.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:41 AM ^
He's Steve Wojiechowski with better hair.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:45 AM ^
I cant believe Shaka chose to shave his head in years past. He has a tremendous head of hair.
That's like someone who is ripped wearing a shirt at the beach.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:48 AM ^
Probably one of my single greatest parts from any Seinfeld:
"How long do I have?"
"14 months. Maybe 10."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Yes. Live DAMMNIT LIVE!"
March 26th, 2021 at 12:06 PM ^
Really threw me off seeing him with hair.
March 26th, 2021 at 12:25 PM ^
Shaka needs to go back to the buzz. I can't take him seriously with this hair and you could definitely force some correlation=causation with Shaka's hairdo vs. tourney wins
March 26th, 2021 at 12:27 PM ^
I think it's fine for him to have hair, but that particular haircut is weird on him.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:41 AM ^
Shaka Smart is way overrated. Seems like a good guy. But I wouldn't want him to coach a team I followed and wanted to win big games.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
You can say that again!
March 26th, 2021 at 11:41 AM ^
Shaka Smart is way overrated. Seems like a good guy. But I wouldn't want him to coach a team I followed and wanted to win big games.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
You can say that again!