Rank the Coaching Candidates
I've created a poll where you can rank the coaching candidates in order of desirability. There are a lot on the list so I suggest you just rank down to Yaklich. This will allow us to create a community "Yachlich Line."
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YWQLGB2
Once this has enough data I will post a diary with some results. Feel free to share with other Michigan fans. Maybe we can provide Warde Manuel a pulse of the fan base.
My only beef with going this route is this feels like what a Nebraska or a Penn State would do. We're pretty clearly somewhere in the top 10-15 programs in the country and shouldn't have to settle. I know some of this is timing and circumstance but you think Duke, Carolina, MSU, etc. are going to hire an assistant with no head coaching experience?
Outside of that, I'm not against taking a gamble but it does feel like a gamble we don't need to / shouldn't need to take.
For someone to be above my Yak line, I need to have seen something that makes me want them over the guy who’s 3rd- and 2nd-ranked defenses the last two years led Michigan to back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time in program history and a Final Four appearance.
Many folks would rather have Juwan Howard than Steven Prohm at Iowa State or Mike White at Florida. I'm honestly not sure how to feel about that. Perhaps I need to come around more to Juwan, I just have a hard time getting past the whole 'no record to go off' thing. Yes, I know many NBA teams are interested in him but NBA coaching is more management and less Recruiting and Talent Development.
The Juwan pick feels nostalgic to me and if that makes folks feel better, I'm willing to give it a shot. Just feels like a gamble that a top tier team doesn't need to make but I'll support whoever is hired no matter what.
Not many are rating him highly but beyond the pipe dreams, Randy Bennett at St Mary's is near the top of my list.
I think there's tiers right now:
HOME RUN: Beard, Wright, Bennett, Stevens, Donovan
Donovan is probably the only legitimate candidate.
SOLID: Gregg Marshall, Juwan Howard, Randy Bennett, Oats, Prohm, Bobby Hurley
ASSISTANTS: Yaklich, Saddi
MEH: Ed Cooley, Mike White, Lavall Jordan, Wojo
DISASTER: Moser, Wardle
What about Leonard Hamilton....
Ugh. So much for being a basketball school.
Whoa, this is pretty surprising to me. People would rather Yaklich than Buzz Williams or Mike White? Both have had a decent amount of success at the high major level.
You forgot to put John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, Red Auerbach, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson on your list.
Wright, Stevens, Bennett = 0%
Donovan, Beard, Buzz = < 25% chance
Everyone else on list is a scrub
Whoever voted Porter Moser first, go to your room. He ain’t nobody’s dream hire
Surprised Ben Howland is not on the list. He's used to coaching at a top public university (UCLA) and won there. Howland cannot have a contract beyond 4 years in the State of Mississippi. Rumors were swirling that he's looking to escape Starkville and whether this is still the case is unknown.
I should add that stylistically, on the offensive end Ryan Odom of UMBC is the closest match to John Beilein among incumbent Head Coaches. On the defensive end, Randy Bennett of Saint Mary's and Kyle Smith of Washington State (from his time at San Francisco) are the closest matches to John Beilein among incumbent Head Coaches.
Stared in another thread but it fits here.
1. Donovan
2. Holtman
3. Beard
As for Holtman, offer him $5-6M/year. If he takes it we get a great coach and weakened OSU. If he turns us down it prob costs OSU another $1-2M/year and creates a little pain for them. Fire a shot at them. They take our assistant coaches, we take their head coaches.
Get howard off the list. Should not be entertaining that.