My sources are telling me that mark Fox is no longer a viable candidate. He recently told his McD's AA recruit at Nevada, Luke Babbitt, that he is not leaving and will be at Nevada next year. While this is far from definitive, it doesn't inspire confidence.
Jay Wright has a large buyout from Villanova which is not making it easy for Cal to close the deal. It's time for Cal alums to step up and land a coach who would instantly vault the Bears into the upper echelon of college programs. Wright's three sweet sixteen appearances, his three McD's AA recruits and mostly the fearless and back down from noone attitude that his teams play would be a perfect fit in Berkeley.
If Fox is indeed out of the mix and Cal alums cannot find the dough to land Wright, it may come down to Randy Bennett and Mike Dunlap. Both would be risks and neither is likely to establish the immediate credibility you want to energize potential recruits and bring fans back to Haas.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
A few other schools fill their openings - Jay Wright?
It's been a busy day in college basketball coaching circles and one that directly involved two of the candidates highlighted below as potential Cal head coaches. Tom Crean is the next coach at Indiana University and Bill Grier has left USD after only one season to take over at Oregon State. The openings created at Marquette and USD are not likely to negatively impact the Bear search but one new opening might. Oklahoma State parted ways with Sean Sutton after only two years. Lingering bitterness between Eddie Sutton and the AD and OSUs patron saint, T Boone Pickens, gave Sean very little rope and apparently missing the NCAAs this year used up what little he had. OSU is a big time college program. Fantastic facilities, a storied history and a rabid fan and alum base make this a very attractive opening. Cowboy fans are clamoring for former alum Bill Self to come back to Stillwater, but that seems like a long shot. As a result, guys like Jamie Dixon, Sean Miller and Jay Wright could be on their wish list.
Speaking of Jay Wright. His name has come up as a finalist for the Cal job. He would be a BIG time catch. As excited as I would be to see Mark Fox move down from Reno, Wright is in another league. He has taken Villanova from the abyss to a perennial top 20 program. While the Wildcats have a great basketball heritage, it is a tiny school with mediocre facilities and limited resources. Still, they are a regular to the NCAA tourney and three years ago went to the elite eight as a #1 seed. Wright has recruited exceptionally well and his teams play a tough minded brand of basketball that has been missed in Berkeley. The opening could be attractive to Wright because of Cal's size and natural recruiting advantages. Keep your fingers crossed.
Speaking of Jay Wright. His name has come up as a finalist for the Cal job. He would be a BIG time catch. As excited as I would be to see Mark Fox move down from Reno, Wright is in another league. He has taken Villanova from the abyss to a perennial top 20 program. While the Wildcats have a great basketball heritage, it is a tiny school with mediocre facilities and limited resources. Still, they are a regular to the NCAA tourney and three years ago went to the elite eight as a #1 seed. Wright has recruited exceptionally well and his teams play a tough minded brand of basketball that has been missed in Berkeley. The opening could be attractive to Wright because of Cal's size and natural recruiting advantages. Keep your fingers crossed.
Contra Costa Times on Coaching Search
Clearly Sandy has been reading the blog. :)
Bennett and Monty not on the radar, Fox is very much in the forefront of the recruiting effort.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/cal/ci_8768220?nclick_check=1
Bennett and Monty not on the radar, Fox is very much in the forefront of the recruiting effort.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/cal/ci_8768220?nclick_check=1
Monday, March 31, 2008
The latest on the search - Mark Fox and Trent Johnson
Not a lot to report other than scuttlebutt and rumors at the moment. In terms of making direct contact, as of last night based on what I've heard neither Mike Dunlap, Mark Fox, nor Randy Bennett have heard from Cal. That doesn't mean there aren't intermediaries having offline conversations but nothing has risen to the level of a formal conversation.
There may also be conversations happening with some of the long distance prospects like Tom Crean and potentially even Mike Brey, whom Sandy knows well.
My guess at this point is that Cal will land on Mark Fox as the choice to be the next head coach. Fox is young at 38 years old, he's had experience in the Pac 10 as an assistant, he was part of the rebuilding work at Nevada and has accelerated their progress since Trent Johnson left. As compared to Bennett, he is a proven recruiter who can land highly sought after preps and he has dominated his own conference over the past four years. Bennett should get credit for turning around a moribund St. Mary's program but that is far less relevant in my eyes as Cal is not that far down at the moment and the challenges are of a very different nature than what Bennett faced in Moraga. Fox is also a polished and charismatic personality who will play well with the press and alums.
The rumors around Mike Montgomery won't die. Many Old Blues who claim to be in the know believe there is an ongoing conversation happening between Monty and the Bears. The sticking points likely revolve around Monty's choice of assistants, most importantly his insistence that his son inherit the program when he retires and the size of his compensation package.
As I shared below, I don't see the fit with Montgomery and the Bears even without his demand to bequeath the program to his son. I hope this is just hopeful speculation on the part of some of the bigger donors and not substantive.
The one crazy rumor regarding Montgomery that won't go away is the one that involves Trent Johnson. Johnson has but one year left on his deal with Stanford and has been told he will be renewed but by all accounts, Stanford isn't in a huge hurry to get it done. The conspiracy theorists opine that Bowlsby (Stanford's AD) doesn't mesh well with Johnson and would prefer to have Monty come back rather than sign Johnson to a long term deal. Johnson, unlike Montgomery, has gone out of his way to praise Cal to folks off the record, citing the native recruiting advantages and the depth of talent currently on the Bears roster. Johnson feels like a better fit for Cal than for the Cardinal. All of this is a long shot but it could explain the lack of contact between Cal and other candidates and the rumors around Montgomery. It also gets credence from Barbour's recent quote that Cal would need to wait until certain prospects exited the tourney. She said this last week and speculation was that she was talking about Sean Miller (Xavier), but Johnson frankly makes more sense.
There may also be conversations happening with some of the long distance prospects like Tom Crean and potentially even Mike Brey, whom Sandy knows well.
My guess at this point is that Cal will land on Mark Fox as the choice to be the next head coach. Fox is young at 38 years old, he's had experience in the Pac 10 as an assistant, he was part of the rebuilding work at Nevada and has accelerated their progress since Trent Johnson left. As compared to Bennett, he is a proven recruiter who can land highly sought after preps and he has dominated his own conference over the past four years. Bennett should get credit for turning around a moribund St. Mary's program but that is far less relevant in my eyes as Cal is not that far down at the moment and the challenges are of a very different nature than what Bennett faced in Moraga. Fox is also a polished and charismatic personality who will play well with the press and alums.
The rumors around Mike Montgomery won't die. Many Old Blues who claim to be in the know believe there is an ongoing conversation happening between Monty and the Bears. The sticking points likely revolve around Monty's choice of assistants, most importantly his insistence that his son inherit the program when he retires and the size of his compensation package.
As I shared below, I don't see the fit with Montgomery and the Bears even without his demand to bequeath the program to his son. I hope this is just hopeful speculation on the part of some of the bigger donors and not substantive.
The one crazy rumor regarding Montgomery that won't go away is the one that involves Trent Johnson. Johnson has but one year left on his deal with Stanford and has been told he will be renewed but by all accounts, Stanford isn't in a huge hurry to get it done. The conspiracy theorists opine that Bowlsby (Stanford's AD) doesn't mesh well with Johnson and would prefer to have Monty come back rather than sign Johnson to a long term deal. Johnson, unlike Montgomery, has gone out of his way to praise Cal to folks off the record, citing the native recruiting advantages and the depth of talent currently on the Bears roster. Johnson feels like a better fit for Cal than for the Cardinal. All of this is a long shot but it could explain the lack of contact between Cal and other candidates and the rumors around Montgomery. It also gets credence from Barbour's recent quote that Cal would need to wait until certain prospects exited the tourney. She said this last week and speculation was that she was talking about Sean Miller (Xavier), but Johnson frankly makes more sense.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
More rumors on the hire
The Chronicle has some interesting thoughts:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/28/SP4TVSP0J.DTL
Let's discuss the two new names:
Tony Bennett (Washington State):
Pro: One of the first of the very popular trend of a father passing his coaching job to his son, Tony took over for his hall of fame father Dick and took WSU to heights it never imagined. While Dick laid the groundwork of rebuilding the Cougars, Tony was the recruiter who landed Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver, et al. Prior to WSU, Bennett was at Wisconsin, again under his father where he helped lead the Badgers to the final four and again was the recruiter responsible for Devin Harris and company. A defensive dynamo, WSU plays as tough a brand of half court defense as anyone. Young, high energy and respected for his ability to mentor and connect with players, Bennett has been equally successful in getting his kids to work hard in the classroom with several P10 All Academic team honors
Con: Only two years in the head chair, Bennett inherited a strong foundation from his father. His defensive approach has been flatteringly called ugly and may not impress fans or recruits. Will Bennett, who has played and coached in rural locations adapt to the Berkeley culture.
Bottom line: It's very rare to see a head coach make an inter conference job move but WSU has limited upside for Bennett both in salary and in what he can do with the basketball program. Bennett has shown so much in a short period of time, you can't help but be impressed. His recruiting acumen, his youth and his defensive smarts would all be welcomed at Cal. The challenge is the culture fit. Indiana may also be calling on Tony and that may end up being a better fit for his rural background and slow down system.
Mike Dunlap: (Denver Nuggets Assistant)
Pro: Known as one of the great teachers in the game, Dunlap has coached all over the world and at virtually ever level. He started his career as a head coach in the Australian professional league before getting assistant gigs at some big time D1 college programs including Iowa and USC. He then had a 12 year stint at two D2 programs as their head coach, nine at Denver's MetroState which he turned into a national powerhouse winning two national championships and losing one other in the finals. He spent the last year as an assistant for the Nuggets in the NBA.
Con: No D1 head coaching experience, his recruiting acumen has to be a major question mark. With his resume, you have to wonder why he hasn't been tapped as a mid major head coach to this point.
Bottom line: Perhaps Dunlap is a hidden gem, if he's interviewed and comes across as a dynamic personality, leader and recruiter, he could be worth the gamble. However, it feels high risk. He's not a spring chicken and is unknown as a recruiter. I think Sandy has better options.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/28/SP4TVSP0J.DTL
Let's discuss the two new names:
Tony Bennett (Washington State):
Pro: One of the first of the very popular trend of a father passing his coaching job to his son, Tony took over for his hall of fame father Dick and took WSU to heights it never imagined. While Dick laid the groundwork of rebuilding the Cougars, Tony was the recruiter who landed Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver, et al. Prior to WSU, Bennett was at Wisconsin, again under his father where he helped lead the Badgers to the final four and again was the recruiter responsible for Devin Harris and company. A defensive dynamo, WSU plays as tough a brand of half court defense as anyone. Young, high energy and respected for his ability to mentor and connect with players, Bennett has been equally successful in getting his kids to work hard in the classroom with several P10 All Academic team honors
Con: Only two years in the head chair, Bennett inherited a strong foundation from his father. His defensive approach has been flatteringly called ugly and may not impress fans or recruits. Will Bennett, who has played and coached in rural locations adapt to the Berkeley culture.
Bottom line: It's very rare to see a head coach make an inter conference job move but WSU has limited upside for Bennett both in salary and in what he can do with the basketball program. Bennett has shown so much in a short period of time, you can't help but be impressed. His recruiting acumen, his youth and his defensive smarts would all be welcomed at Cal. The challenge is the culture fit. Indiana may also be calling on Tony and that may end up being a better fit for his rural background and slow down system.
Mike Dunlap: (Denver Nuggets Assistant)
Pro: Known as one of the great teachers in the game, Dunlap has coached all over the world and at virtually ever level. He started his career as a head coach in the Australian professional league before getting assistant gigs at some big time D1 college programs including Iowa and USC. He then had a 12 year stint at two D2 programs as their head coach, nine at Denver's MetroState which he turned into a national powerhouse winning two national championships and losing one other in the finals. He spent the last year as an assistant for the Nuggets in the NBA.
Con: No D1 head coaching experience, his recruiting acumen has to be a major question mark. With his resume, you have to wonder why he hasn't been tapped as a mid major head coach to this point.
Bottom line: Perhaps Dunlap is a hidden gem, if he's interviewed and comes across as a dynamic personality, leader and recruiter, he could be worth the gamble. However, it feels high risk. He's not a spring chicken and is unknown as a recruiter. I think Sandy has better options.
Scratch Dixon from the list
But at least we know Sandy has her aim set high.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3318598
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3318598
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Candidate List
The cream of the crop:
Jamie Dixon (University of Pittsburgh):
Pro: Dixon’s first four years as a head coach have been incredibly successful. He picked up where Ben Howland left off and if anything Pitt has become an even stronger program. Having learned from Howland, arguably the top coach in the country at the moment, Dixon knows what it is to recruit and win in a BCS conference. Dixon has a system and recruits players to fit that system.
Con: Dixon’s Pitt teams are built around rough and tough defense and have never been described as having a fan or recruit friendly offense. Not known as a great recruiter, he finds kids who fit his system and rarely goes after elite national players
Bottom Line: Dixon is the most proven commodity who is likely to be interested in Cal. He should be right at if not at the very top of Sandy’s list
Anthony Grant (Virginia Commonwealth University)
Pro: – Has taken VCU from a middle of the road mid-major team to one of the most feared smaller schools in the country in two short years. His record is startlingly good: 52-15 overall and 31-5 in conference games. Was a longtime assistant to Billy Donovan at Florida and briefly was Florida’s head coach when Donovan announced he was headed to the NBA before quickly changing his mind. Known as a marvelous recruiter and a great offensive coach, his VCU teams play a very crowd and recruit pleasing fast paced style
Con: Limited experience as a head coach creates question marks as to how he will project as a head man at a BCS conference program. Will his up and down style work well in the defensive minded Pac 10 conference?
Bottom Line: He would be a great fit for Cal. His experience at Florida gives him the roadmap for success in Berkeley. He’s the type of pied piper recruiter who can pull the best talent from LA and Seattle while keeping NorCal’s finest at home. His style of play would put butts in the seats at Haas. Rumor has it that LSU wants him and he is asking for big money. A lifetime resident of the East Coast, it’s unclear how attractive Cal would be to him.
Jay Wright (Villanova University)
Pro: Proven winner as a head coach at both Hofstra and now Villanova. Has won 60% of his games at Villanova and 65% overall. His teams play a tough, gritty style of play that allows them to compete with anyone in the country. A proven recruiter who has landed three McD's All Americans.
Con: Wright struggled early to acclimate to a new level of talent as the program was hit by a phone card scandal and several players had to be dismissed. His style of play would fit well in the P10 alongside Herb Sendek, Tony Bennett and Ben Howland but his defense first approach is not likely to win over fans or recruits. A lifer on the East Coast, he may not be attracted to the Bay Area
Bottom Line: He’s a big time coach and Cal would win and win consistently with him. Unclear whether he could take the Bears to “elite” status given his recruiting deficiencies and the cultural fit with Berkeley may not be there
Tom Crean: (Marquette University)
Pro: One of the most respected X’s and O’s coaches in all college basketball. His in game decision making skills are as good as it gets. Has done a good job recruiting talent to a Marquette program that hasn’t historically attracted big time prep players. Has won 66% of his games over eight seasons including a Final Four run. A Tom Izzo protégé who was the top assistant at Michigan State during their heyday.
Con: Crean hasn’t been able to get Marquette from a good program to a great one. Some question whether he can recruit as well as his former mentor, Tom Izzo
Bottom Line: Marquette is not a AAA destination in college basketball and Cal offers Crean a more fertile recruiting base, a stronger academic profile and a more desirable place to live. Expect Sandy to inquire about his interest as he could be a great fit for the Bears.
Sean Miller – (Xavier University):
Pro: The son of a coach, Miller has made steady progress with Xavier during his first three years, including this years Elite Eight (and perhaps beyond) appearance. His Xavier teams have consistently exceeded expectations. A Thad Matta (perhaps the best lesser known coach in the country) protégé, Miller is known as a fiery competitor whose teams never back down or give up. Miller has served as an assistant at some of the better programs in the country including Wisconsin, NC State and Pitt.
Con: He inherited a healthy Xavier program and has yet to face the type of program building challenge he would have in Berkeley. His recruiting success to date has been modest. Limited experience as a head coach, especially since he has won with players inherited from Thad Matta.
Bottom Line: Miller is likely to benefit from the coaching carousel at bigger programs like Cal, LSU, Indiana, etc. If Dixon or Crean were to leave Pitt or Marquette, expect Miller to be those schools top choice. His age, background and competitive style would suit him well at Cal and I hope he gets a chance to meet with Sandy.
Mark Fox: (University of Nevada)
Pro: Took over for Trent Johnson when he left for Stanford as has continued the Wolfpack’s winning ways. He has won more than 75% of his games at Nevada including three NCAA appearances in four years. A stellar recruiter, Fox is finding hidden gems and landing the big fish including incoming McD’s AA Luke Babbitt.
Con: Nevada took a step back this year and even with the unexpected departure of PG Ramon Sessions, they underperformed relative to expectations. Fox took over a healthy Nevada program and it’s unclear how much of their recent success was built on the back of Trent Johnson
Bottom Line: Despite the obvious upgrade in jobs, Fox may be loathe to leave Nevada as he welcomes Babbitt and returns a wealth of talent next season. Fox is a year or two away from picking his job. He’s a perfect fit for Cal in terms of his youth, recruiting chops and knowledge of the west coast.
Mike Montgomery (See Previous Blog Post)
The second tier:
Mark Grier – (University of San Diego)
Pro: Spectacular first year success story with USD, giving them their most successful season ever. A long time Gonzaga assistant who has been inside a top flight program and a respected defensive specialist.
Con: Very limited experience as a head coach. Gonzaga was never known for their defense while Grier managed that side of things for the Zags. An unknown commodity as a recruiter of elite prep talent (although Gonzaga has of late recruited at that level)
Bottom Line: Timing doesn’t feel right. Grier is likely going to spend a few more years at USD honing his craft and waiting for Mark Few to move on to Oregon so that he can go back to Spokane and take over the Gonzaga program
Randy Bennett: (St. Mary’s University)
Pro: Took an awful St. Mary’s program (2-26 the year before he arrived) and built it into one of the better teams in the WCC. Has won over 55% of his WCC games and led the Gaels to two NCAA tournament appearances in his seven year tenure
Con: After getting back to respectability with the Gaels, Bennett has failed to establish a level of consistency on par with the elite mid major programs. A longtime assistant at other mid majors, Bennett has no experience recruiting or coaching at a BCS conference
Bottom Line: Bennett deserves an opportunity to coach at a P10 school, however, it’s Oregon State that should be excited to get him and not Cal.
Keno Davis (Drake University)
Pro; Son of legendary college coach Tom Davis, Keno has had a wonderful first year as the head man at Drake. He took over a 17-12 Drake team that lost four starters and led them to a 28-5 record.
Con: A very limited track record as a head coach with only one year. His career as an assistant was all at smaller schools. The biggest question would be his ability to recruit and motivate top prep talent
Bottom Line: A name to watch in the future but at this point in his career, he’s too much of a risk for Cal
Lon Kruger – (UNLV)
Pro; A proven winner who has done well at Florida, Illinois and now UNLV. Kruger has as impressive a resume as any mid major coach. The job he has done turning around UNLV has been just short of miraculous.
Con: Kruger is in the 8th inning of his career and despite his turnaround of UNLV, it’s doubtful he has the energy in doing it for the Bears. He never was able to make Florida or Illinois consistent winners so there are questions about his head room as well.
Bottom Line: Doesn’t feel like a good fit as the Bears need someone who wants to make their name at Cal and not make a final pit stop before heading off to retirement
Eric Musselman – (Former Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings head coach)
Pro: In his early twenties became one of the most successful head coaches in the NBAs minor leagues. He was exceptional at taking lesser known talents in the CBA and working with them to get to the NBA. Is known for his tremendous energy and enthusiasm
Con: Was not successful as an NBA head coach. Has no experience in the college game and has had a few off the court challenges (DUI)
Bottom Line: Musselman is actively campaigning for the Cal job. My guess is that his pro resume and relative youth and high energy level will translate into success as a recruiter in college. However, his lack of experience at this level and his off the court problems likely make him a second tier choice for the Bears.
Steve Lavin – (Former UCLA head coach)
Pro: Led UCLA to four sweet sixteen appearances in six years. Landed almost every top recruit in SoCal during his tenure with the Bruins. A very bright and charismatic person. Lavin is a Bay Area native with a deep knowledge of the Pac 10
Con: Pushed into the head coaching seat too early, Lavin was over his head at UCLA and his teams played inconsistently, underperforming relative to their talent level. A far better motivator than X’s and O’s coach, it’s difficult to know whether he has the chops as a teacher to succeed.
Bottom Line: Arguably the best college basketball television analyst around, Lavin’s future may be in front of cameras and not roaming the sidelines. If Lavin was willing to take an assistant job for a top flight college coach for a few years, he might be a good pick, but right now, he’s a high risk candidate.
There are likely to be more names that surface as the search continues so check back for updates on the list above
Jamie Dixon (University of Pittsburgh):
Pro: Dixon’s first four years as a head coach have been incredibly successful. He picked up where Ben Howland left off and if anything Pitt has become an even stronger program. Having learned from Howland, arguably the top coach in the country at the moment, Dixon knows what it is to recruit and win in a BCS conference. Dixon has a system and recruits players to fit that system.
Con: Dixon’s Pitt teams are built around rough and tough defense and have never been described as having a fan or recruit friendly offense. Not known as a great recruiter, he finds kids who fit his system and rarely goes after elite national players
Bottom Line: Dixon is the most proven commodity who is likely to be interested in Cal. He should be right at if not at the very top of Sandy’s list
Anthony Grant (Virginia Commonwealth University)
Pro: – Has taken VCU from a middle of the road mid-major team to one of the most feared smaller schools in the country in two short years. His record is startlingly good: 52-15 overall and 31-5 in conference games. Was a longtime assistant to Billy Donovan at Florida and briefly was Florida’s head coach when Donovan announced he was headed to the NBA before quickly changing his mind. Known as a marvelous recruiter and a great offensive coach, his VCU teams play a very crowd and recruit pleasing fast paced style
Con: Limited experience as a head coach creates question marks as to how he will project as a head man at a BCS conference program. Will his up and down style work well in the defensive minded Pac 10 conference?
Bottom Line: He would be a great fit for Cal. His experience at Florida gives him the roadmap for success in Berkeley. He’s the type of pied piper recruiter who can pull the best talent from LA and Seattle while keeping NorCal’s finest at home. His style of play would put butts in the seats at Haas. Rumor has it that LSU wants him and he is asking for big money. A lifetime resident of the East Coast, it’s unclear how attractive Cal would be to him.
Jay Wright (Villanova University)
Pro: Proven winner as a head coach at both Hofstra and now Villanova. Has won 60% of his games at Villanova and 65% overall. His teams play a tough, gritty style of play that allows them to compete with anyone in the country. A proven recruiter who has landed three McD's All Americans.
Con: Wright struggled early to acclimate to a new level of talent as the program was hit by a phone card scandal and several players had to be dismissed. His style of play would fit well in the P10 alongside Herb Sendek, Tony Bennett and Ben Howland but his defense first approach is not likely to win over fans or recruits. A lifer on the East Coast, he may not be attracted to the Bay Area
Bottom Line: He’s a big time coach and Cal would win and win consistently with him. Unclear whether he could take the Bears to “elite” status given his recruiting deficiencies and the cultural fit with Berkeley may not be there
Tom Crean: (Marquette University)
Pro: One of the most respected X’s and O’s coaches in all college basketball. His in game decision making skills are as good as it gets. Has done a good job recruiting talent to a Marquette program that hasn’t historically attracted big time prep players. Has won 66% of his games over eight seasons including a Final Four run. A Tom Izzo protégé who was the top assistant at Michigan State during their heyday.
Con: Crean hasn’t been able to get Marquette from a good program to a great one. Some question whether he can recruit as well as his former mentor, Tom Izzo
Bottom Line: Marquette is not a AAA destination in college basketball and Cal offers Crean a more fertile recruiting base, a stronger academic profile and a more desirable place to live. Expect Sandy to inquire about his interest as he could be a great fit for the Bears.
Sean Miller – (Xavier University):
Pro: The son of a coach, Miller has made steady progress with Xavier during his first three years, including this years Elite Eight (and perhaps beyond) appearance. His Xavier teams have consistently exceeded expectations. A Thad Matta (perhaps the best lesser known coach in the country) protégé, Miller is known as a fiery competitor whose teams never back down or give up. Miller has served as an assistant at some of the better programs in the country including Wisconsin, NC State and Pitt.
Con: He inherited a healthy Xavier program and has yet to face the type of program building challenge he would have in Berkeley. His recruiting success to date has been modest. Limited experience as a head coach, especially since he has won with players inherited from Thad Matta.
Bottom Line: Miller is likely to benefit from the coaching carousel at bigger programs like Cal, LSU, Indiana, etc. If Dixon or Crean were to leave Pitt or Marquette, expect Miller to be those schools top choice. His age, background and competitive style would suit him well at Cal and I hope he gets a chance to meet with Sandy.
Mark Fox: (University of Nevada)
Pro: Took over for Trent Johnson when he left for Stanford as has continued the Wolfpack’s winning ways. He has won more than 75% of his games at Nevada including three NCAA appearances in four years. A stellar recruiter, Fox is finding hidden gems and landing the big fish including incoming McD’s AA Luke Babbitt.
Con: Nevada took a step back this year and even with the unexpected departure of PG Ramon Sessions, they underperformed relative to expectations. Fox took over a healthy Nevada program and it’s unclear how much of their recent success was built on the back of Trent Johnson
Bottom Line: Despite the obvious upgrade in jobs, Fox may be loathe to leave Nevada as he welcomes Babbitt and returns a wealth of talent next season. Fox is a year or two away from picking his job. He’s a perfect fit for Cal in terms of his youth, recruiting chops and knowledge of the west coast.
Mike Montgomery (See Previous Blog Post)
The second tier:
Mark Grier – (University of San Diego)
Pro: Spectacular first year success story with USD, giving them their most successful season ever. A long time Gonzaga assistant who has been inside a top flight program and a respected defensive specialist.
Con: Very limited experience as a head coach. Gonzaga was never known for their defense while Grier managed that side of things for the Zags. An unknown commodity as a recruiter of elite prep talent (although Gonzaga has of late recruited at that level)
Bottom Line: Timing doesn’t feel right. Grier is likely going to spend a few more years at USD honing his craft and waiting for Mark Few to move on to Oregon so that he can go back to Spokane and take over the Gonzaga program
Randy Bennett: (St. Mary’s University)
Pro: Took an awful St. Mary’s program (2-26 the year before he arrived) and built it into one of the better teams in the WCC. Has won over 55% of his WCC games and led the Gaels to two NCAA tournament appearances in his seven year tenure
Con: After getting back to respectability with the Gaels, Bennett has failed to establish a level of consistency on par with the elite mid major programs. A longtime assistant at other mid majors, Bennett has no experience recruiting or coaching at a BCS conference
Bottom Line: Bennett deserves an opportunity to coach at a P10 school, however, it’s Oregon State that should be excited to get him and not Cal.
Keno Davis (Drake University)
Pro; Son of legendary college coach Tom Davis, Keno has had a wonderful first year as the head man at Drake. He took over a 17-12 Drake team that lost four starters and led them to a 28-5 record.
Con: A very limited track record as a head coach with only one year. His career as an assistant was all at smaller schools. The biggest question would be his ability to recruit and motivate top prep talent
Bottom Line: A name to watch in the future but at this point in his career, he’s too much of a risk for Cal
Lon Kruger – (UNLV)
Pro; A proven winner who has done well at Florida, Illinois and now UNLV. Kruger has as impressive a resume as any mid major coach. The job he has done turning around UNLV has been just short of miraculous.
Con: Kruger is in the 8th inning of his career and despite his turnaround of UNLV, it’s doubtful he has the energy in doing it for the Bears. He never was able to make Florida or Illinois consistent winners so there are questions about his head room as well.
Bottom Line: Doesn’t feel like a good fit as the Bears need someone who wants to make their name at Cal and not make a final pit stop before heading off to retirement
Eric Musselman – (Former Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings head coach)
Pro: In his early twenties became one of the most successful head coaches in the NBAs minor leagues. He was exceptional at taking lesser known talents in the CBA and working with them to get to the NBA. Is known for his tremendous energy and enthusiasm
Con: Was not successful as an NBA head coach. Has no experience in the college game and has had a few off the court challenges (DUI)
Bottom Line: Musselman is actively campaigning for the Cal job. My guess is that his pro resume and relative youth and high energy level will translate into success as a recruiter in college. However, his lack of experience at this level and his off the court problems likely make him a second tier choice for the Bears.
Steve Lavin – (Former UCLA head coach)
Pro: Led UCLA to four sweet sixteen appearances in six years. Landed almost every top recruit in SoCal during his tenure with the Bruins. A very bright and charismatic person. Lavin is a Bay Area native with a deep knowledge of the Pac 10
Con: Pushed into the head coaching seat too early, Lavin was over his head at UCLA and his teams played inconsistently, underperforming relative to their talent level. A far better motivator than X’s and O’s coach, it’s difficult to know whether he has the chops as a teacher to succeed.
Bottom Line: Arguably the best college basketball television analyst around, Lavin’s future may be in front of cameras and not roaming the sidelines. If Lavin was willing to take an assistant job for a top flight college coach for a few years, he might be a good pick, but right now, he’s a high risk candidate.
There are likely to be more names that surface as the search continues so check back for updates on the list above
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