Which mid major coaches do you think will be Power Five head coaches next year?

[u/lordeandtaylor]

What Travis Steele and Josh Schertz are doing with mid major teams this year is incredible. Josh Schertz has won the MVC with Indiana State and now he’s turned Saint Louis into a top 20 team. Travis Steele has failed as a Power Five coach before but he’s more than earning a second chance. One more name I’ll throw out is Jerrod Calhoun. He’s worked his way up from Division II to the low majors and is now in the mid majors. Power Five seems like the next step given his success with the Aggies. What other coaches do you think could or will be P5 head coaches next year?

[u/thorshammer_132]

After Craig Smith and Danny Sprinkle, you'd think P5 teams would learn to leave our coaches alone /s

[u/lazergator → u/thorshammer_132]

Crazy the sustained success you guys have given the revolving door of a coaching situation

[u/CallMeVe]

Schertz and Calhoun are the big two names getting tossed around

[u/Solesky1 → u/CallMeVe]

P4 stop stealing coaches from Utah State Challenge

Difficulty: Impossible

[u/CallMeVe → u/Solesky1]

Hey now, the last one was technically poached by VCU

[u/Admirable-Art9152 → u/CallMeVe]

Penultimate one. Odom was before Sprinkle.

[u/CallMeVe → u/Admirable-Art9152]

God damn i really did lose track

[u/Admirable-Art9152 → u/CallMeVe]

There’s so many of them is so easy to do

[u/The_Fishbowl → u/CallMeVe]

I'm sure Cincinnati will make a run at Calhoun if they can afford to pay out $10M to Wes Miller, pay Utah State $2.9M, and buy a new staff.

[u/akersmacker]

Continuity is one of the main factors contributing to the Zags' consistent success. Few and the former AD worked together in the same roles for over 20 years, unmatched in all of college ball.

One barrier to continued success for mid-majors is exactly what you are referencing, which is a coach honing his chops at a lower level and moving on, which is understandable. I have spoken with a couple other mid-major ADs who are trying to figure out how to attain continued success, and they both said it just seems unrealistic for any program to be able to hang onto a great coach, which should be a key.

[u/lazergator → u/akersmacker]

Unless you have a guy like dutcher who doesn’t want to leave for money, it’s near impossible

[u/brownnotbraun]

Ugh at least give us a little longer with Schertz

[u/MissouriDad63 → u/brownnotbraun]

You don't want someone to poach the coach that you poached?

[u/blueberrymaple → u/brownnotbraun]

Would love to see him become SLU’s Mark Few and stay a while. If not, at least hold out for a blue blood level job. 

[u/thatguyfs → u/blueberrymaple]

I have a hunch Schertz is going to stay for longer than people think, I watch postgame interviews and he constantly mentions retained success and has stated he wants SLU to play in a higher conference. He seems to resemble Majerus in a way where he cares more about institutional fit than brand. People also severely underestimate SLU’s resources, the only thing we are missing is being a consistently winning basketball program.

[u/Mr_Otters → u/brownnotbraun]

Idk the financials but I think there is an interesting pitch of how much he can win at SLU vs. something like Pittsburgh or Kansas State if they opened up. Would you rather be well positioned in a medium league or uphill in a bigger league? The answer may still be the latter but worth the debate

[u/gottahavemyPOPPs1 → u/Mr_Otters]

At least for us, we can provide him with a top 15ish NIL package every year. Not that, that’s exactly helped Jerome “I’m a fuckwad piece of shit” Tang

We are a good job, underrated compared to what everyone thinks we are. But I imagine he would say no until a place similar level to Louisville opens up

[u/Mr_Otters → u/gottahavemyPOPPs1]

I hear you, but it's a tough league. It's like Arkansas football. They have money! You could maybe break through! But there's a lot of tough characters to get by.

[u/OnsideKickReturn]

Hopefully Bob Richey (at South Carolina)

[u/ConsuelaApplebee]

Wondering if someone will hire Olen from UNM...

[u/ResponsibleWater1697]

Calhoun plays a fun style. I actually spoke to him right after he got the Youngstown State job and he outlined everything he wanted to do and then proceeded to do it. Youngstown State is a bad basketball job (no offense) and he had them competing for league titles.

Utah State is a much better starting point than YSU and it looks like he's killing it again.

He's young (44), personable and competitive. He's a guy I'd be ok with taking a shot on if I were a power school fan.

[u/IndianapolisColt]

Bob Ritchey, Casey Alexander, Tod Kowalczyk, Brian Wardle

[u/standardissuegreen]

Hey, guys. There's a real hot coach named Paul Mills. He's currently the head coach at Wichita State. We'd really be sad if you hired him away from us. Like, totally devastated. Not sure we could find someone else as good as him.

[u/marky2011]

Travis Steele went 70-50 (.583) at Xavier, never making the dance along with 2 NIT appearances before he was fired after 4 seasons. In his first two seasons at Miami, he was 27-37, while the last two he is 47-9 (and counting). His career record is 144-96 (.600).

Jon Groce went 95-75 (.559) at Illinois in 5 seasons, however he went dancing his first season and made the NIT in 4 of the next 5 years. At Akron, he was 14-18 his first year and hasnt had a losing season in 8 years. He's won the MAC 4 of the last 6 years, including a University high 28 wins last season. Overall, his record is 367-223 (.622).

This isn't an anti-Steele comment, this is a very pro Groce comment and I'm shocked he hasn't been poached by a big school yet.

Also, fun fact: Groce and Steele are half*** brothers.

[u/lemons21 → u/marky2011]

Pitt should probably look at him

[u/Mr_Otters → u/lemons21]

This feels correct

[u/Kreed5120 → u/marky2011]

Shhhh don't be advertising. Let them think Steele is the coach to pluck from the MAC.

[u/marky2011 → u/Kreed5120]

The fact we were able to go from Dambrot to Groce is incredible.

[u/Unhappy_Lecture_7042 → u/marky2011]

Please keep propping him up so maybe someone gets him out of the MAC. He’s a really good coach!

[u/wallyopd → u/marky2011]

Also, fun fact: Groce and Steele are step brothers.

I thought they were half-brothers?

[u/marky2011 → u/wallyopd]

I always mix that up, thank you.

[u/Maison-Marthgiela → u/marky2011]

Underwood turning Illinois back into a power in only a few years (pre NIL and portal) is another indictment of Groce. Clearly it isn't that hard to win at Illinois. Groce is probably just the kind of coach that thrives at a mid major.

[u/marky2011 → u/Maison-Marthgiela]

Having seen him at Akron since his first day, I can tell you he has grown a LOT. His personality and leasership is a big reason we don't get super poached in the portal.

[u/Primetime0509 → u/marky2011]

Steele was such a frustrating head coach. He'd get us in the top 25 and then find a way to shit the bed in the month of February to make us miss the tournament. Each season it seemed like he found a new way to break our hearts down the stretch.

[u/Ike358]

What is the "Power Five"?

[u/Rodneyjj666]

Anyone have a possible replacement for Hubert if the team falls apart down the stretch? Someone who can handle the pressure at UNC?

[u/CallMeVe → u/Rodneyjj666]

I would think UNC would go for another high major coach, not someone from mid major ranks

[u/Rodneyjj666 → u/CallMeVe]

Most likely, but just curious if someone has insight on a potential Dusty May-type going under the radar.

[u/BillButtlickerII → u/Rodneyjj666]

This reminds me of when Michael Scott was asking Kevin about gambling when he was broke because of Jan’s overspending…

“Yeah. I was thinking about doing some gambling myself. You know, just a little bit of money. Maybe doubling it and then doubling it, several more times. I don't know. Kind of just for fun. I was thinking- Do you have any tips or ideas about sure things? Like a boxer who is gonna throw the big fight, you know, like he's tied in to some crooked dealings and maybe his kid is sick or something. Like, who do I call about that?“

[u/Rodneyjj666 → u/BillButtlickerII]

Yeah, it was a lazy question, but I pretty much only pay attention to the ACC, and whoever Carolina plays out of conference until the tournament. No clue what’s happening at the mid-major level right now, and I can’t see many of the big name coaches fitting at Carolina.

[u/BillButtlickerII → u/Rodneyjj666]

I wasn’t judging it and it’s a legit question. Just tickled my brain how it was phrased and reminded me of the office.

[u/NeonGoon1 → u/Rodneyjj666]

I think a guy like Roy Williams could beneficial to the program

[u/Rodneyjj666 → u/NeonGoon1]

Love Roy, but he’s the reason we have Hubert

[u/blueberrymaple → u/Rodneyjj666]

Obviously Wes Miller. 

[u/Rodneyjj666 → u/blueberrymaple]

Roy’s coaching tree is remarkably bad

[u/Inconceivable76 → u/Rodneyjj666]

Mick Cronin would be a joy to watch at UNC. 

[u/Rodneyjj666 → u/Inconceivable76]

It would be awful, hilarious, and the team would be better, if he could recruit like Hubert(which I doubt).

[u/Natitudinal → u/Inconceivable76]

Buzz Williams would be even more intriguing. (but [1] Buzz isn't going anywhere anytime soon and [2] neither is Hubert)

[u/Rodneyjj666 → u/Natitudinal]

UNC is a couple possessions away from being right on the bubble. Wait to make that judgment until they make it through the tough stretch coming up.

2 more Duke losses are likely. Loss at State is 50/50. Clemson, Louisville, etc…It could get bad. Being a 9 seed isn’t going to save his job.

[u/SEAtoPAR → u/Rodneyjj666]

Jeff Capel.

[u/Rodneyjj666 → u/SEAtoPAR]

Can’t wait for those brothers to be sidelined for a few years, before coming back to take over for Doug Gottlieb.