Name the next head coach (a GMUJim tribute album)

[dr. gunnie]

The more I read about Kenny Johnson, the more I like him... but then I just read that he makes $375k currently and has a buyout of $150k if he should leave U of L. That hurts. Maybe we can just agree to play at Louisville and not take a guarantee?

He's my favorite current assistant at the moment.

 

[psyclone]

If Big Dick Brad lands the coach, I'm extremely confident that means he has the donor funding to pay him.

I know we assume that Mason can't fundraise for basketball because TOC's nuts were stuck in Merten's man-purse, but this is a new day.

Plenty of corporate whales in Mason's backyard. Who knows whose door BDB has been knocking on since last summer?

Hope so. Haven't heard any buzz about bringing in the big bucks, but maybe he's keeping it under cover until he needs to be more public about it.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

The more I read about Kenny Johnson, the more I like him... but then I just read that he makes $375k currently and has a buyout of $150k if he should leave U of L. That hurts. Maybe we can just agree to play at Louisville and not take a guarantee?

He's my favorite current assistant at the moment.

Do you really think that is too steep for us? After what we paid the last guy?

 

[gmujim92]

My only concerns with hiring any current assistant is the uncertainty about whether he can actually implement a system of play, teach the game and handle X's and O's under pressure.

I have zero doubt that Kenny Johnson would be able to bring big-time talent to Mason. He is an absolute aces recruiter. Same for Caputo, Boals or any of the other oft-mentioned assistants.

Maybe it's just my PTSD from Hewitt-pocalypse, but the thought of another four years of talented teams looking completely befuddled on the court makes me want to vomit.

 

[dr. gunnie]

After what we paid the last guy I'm expecting us to go cheep this time - maybe around $400k a year.

I have no inside info and I could be wrong - just my gut feeling.

 

[psyclone]

After what we paid the last guy I'm expecting us to go cheep this time - maybe around $400k a year.

I have no inside info and I could be wrong - just my gut feeling.

I was thinking the same. Archie Miller started around that number, with incentives adding to the base. We should be so lucky!

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Johnson at least is a smart guy. Majored in bio a something.

Would up our chances to retain Rudy.

 

[Harry]

Just because I know nothing, why has Howland not coached for the past two years? And UCLA fired him...does that not make him a retread too? Also, he's a California guy (although he was successful at Pitt).

 

[TweederGMU]

Good for BDB to get to know some of our legends in March.

https://twitter.com/bradedwards5

 

[JimP]

I find it curious that George Mason and Paul Hewitt aren't listed in cbssports.com
coach tracker.

 

[ODUCoach]

More names from "Coaching Changes" on twitter:

Kenny Johnson - asst at Louisville. From Oxon Hill, coached at Paul VI.

Martin Ingelsby - asst at Notre Dame

Scott Spinelli - asst at Boston College

Jeff Capel - asst at Duke

Pat Skerry - Head Coach at Towson

I think Johnson would be a great hire. I was a little surprised that his name never gained any attraction when the ODU job opened a few years back.

Ingelsby is a young up-and-comer, but I think ND's other assistant, Anthony Soloman would be an even better fit at Mason. He's more experienced and has plenty of Virginia ties (including a stint as a Jeff Jones assistant at UVa.)

Capel could also make sense.

Just say no to Skerry. What has he done to earn the Mason job?

 

[gmujim92]

A hearty "no thanks" to Solomon, Capel and Skerry. None of those guys have had any sustained success as head coaches, and none are particularly well-regarded for their X's and O's.

If we're going to hire a current head coach, and it isn't Howland, we'd better be looking at young guys on the way up like B. Hurley, Cherry, Prohm or Toole.

Otherwise, we're better off trying to hit a home run with a P-5 assistant like Johnson, Boals or Williford.

This is a huge hire. It will determine whether we can credibly say the last four years were a TOC and Hewitt-inspired aberration, or whether we remain mired at the bottom of the A10 and the Larranaga years start to look more and more like a stroke of luck.

No more half-measures, Big Dick Brad.

 

[GSII]

Pete Gillen?

 

[gmujim92]

Pete Gillen?

I'll take "Who is the only college basketball coach who used his timeouts worse than Paul Hewitt?" for $1,000, Alex.

 

[CLP]

I'll take "Who is the only college basketball coach who used his timeouts worse than Paul Hewitt?" for $1,000, Alex.

I believe Gillen would also fit under the Jeopardy category "Serial Underachievers"

 

[GSII]

just making sure.

 

[dr. gunnie]

If we are throwing names out there that are a little outside the box:

Rick Stansbury - Did really well as the head coach at Miss St (293-165), showed interest last year in coaching again and is currently an assistant at Texas A&M.

 

[Masonfan55]

I mentioned this name a while back but now I think he is a legitimate candidate. Will Brown from Albany. He has won 3 straight conference championships and 5 out of the last 10. In a 1 bid league that is flat out dominant. Obviously this guy can coach.

 

[Pablo]

This will be my fourth head coaching change as a Mason season ticket holder. Did anyone on this board correctly predict the hiring of Paul Westhead, Jim Larranaga, or Paul Hewitt?

 

[GSII]

I'm going off what gmujim is reporting. A guy who isn't currently coaching. If true, IMO, its Howland only if we are going retread again. And I'm not that sold on Howland. Lots of AD's stayed away from him past few years. Must be a reason.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncb/...rol-highly-recruited-players-according-report

http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2014/05/george_dohrmann_qa_sports_illu.html