Possible coaching scenarios

[gmubrian]

Spot on here, GSII. There's no way Cabrerra allows TOC to make the next hire, so the next step is either dismissing our AD or waiting for him to retire. Our next AD is going to want to put his stamp on the program, and that will entail hiring our next basketball coach (if he/she thinks a change is warranted).

So here is my depressing analysis of this scenario. If TOC is out (and I have no info to say it is going to happen) then it is likely to happen when his current contract is up in, I believe, June of this year. At that point, it seems to be too late to make a coaching replacement as the coaching musical chairs will done. So, that means we have to wait until next year. He really has only left the program one direction to go next season given how bad this season has been. So, let's say the record shows a modest improvement next season. 15-16 wins, 7 in conference (or something along those lines). The "wait till he has his own guys" crowd will say that is proof it is going to work. Since you don't want to have a lame duck in year 5, if you are going to let him have year five, then you need to extend him at the end of year 4.

I am not saying it is the most likely scenario, but I could see a decent chance that he is here for at least 8 years...

 

[gmutom]

Brian, I'm assuming our next AD will have no ties to our program or Hewitt, so the leash will be very short. Unless Hewitt shows remarkable strides — which I don't see with next year's team — I'm guessing he is here at a minimum of one more year. If TOC remains after this season, then it's very possible things play out like the scenario you are dreading.

 

[GSII]

Unless Caberra shows us his inner Matador self and whips up something quick for this year or next...... Like ..."TOC, if you want another year or two, then let the committee have final say on next coach, but you fire Hewitt now, credit for next coach can be yours as much as you want to be...or adios amigo!"

TOC doesn't want to retire right now. I think 3 more years is what he'll do if he can. Even if they have to promote McNamee to keep TOC on to oversee mens bball stablization. He's very respected in the college basketball world and has done alot for this program, including wrecking it with the Hewitt hire. But he wants to see it stable before he goes.

so many ways to skin a cat!

 

[Pablo]

Unless Caberra shows us his inner Matador self and whips up something quick for this year or next...... Like ..."TOC, if you want another year or two, then let the committee have final say on next coach, but you fire Hewitt now, credit for next coach can be yours as much as you want to be...or adios amigo!"

TOC doesn't want to retire right now. I think 3 years more is what he'll do if he can. He's very respected in the college basketball world and has done alot for this program, including wrecking it. But he wants to see it stable before he goes.

so many ways to skin a cat!

GS,

The search committee does not have final say under any circumstances. The purpose of the search committee IMO is to have an independent panel who can review the resumes and other information pertaining to the applicants and rank the top candidates for the position via its analytical process. The AD would then assist the President, who has the final say on the selection.

 

[gmubrian]

Brian, I'm assuming our next AD will have no ties to our program or Hewitt, so the leash will be very short.

I was interested to see if there was any track record for new AD's replacing their basketball coaches, but I was not able to find many results.

Anyone know of examples of new AD's coming in and replacing a basketball coach before his contract expires? Any where the coach obviously deserved to be fired, and yet the new AD let it play out.

 

[Vurbel]

I sure hope the next coach wants a raise every year! That means he's been out performing his contract. I'll take that problem over "our coach isn't living up to expectations" any day!

 

[mkaufman1]

I was interested to see if there was any track record for new AD's replacing their basketball coaches, but I was not able to find many results.

Anyone know of examples of new AD's coming in and replacing a basketball coach before his contract expires? Any where the coach obviously deserved to be fired, and yet the new AD let it play out.

Oddly enough GW had a new AD come in (old one retired) in 2011, and Karl Hobbs was let go in the same year. According to my cousin (I haven't found any other info on this) who is a GW season ticket holder, they let Hobbs go with 1 year remaining, and obviously hired Lonergan.

 

[gmutom]

Anyone know of examples of new AD's coming in and replacing a basketball coach before his contract expires? Any where the coach obviously deserved to be fired, and yet the new AD let it play out.

I don't know the exact details of his contract, but I believe our friend James Johnson might be in that situation at Virginia Tech. He was hired by the former AD to replace Seth Greenberg, so I believe it's only a matter of time before the current AD cans him and makes his own hire.

 

[gmujim92]

I don't know of any college ADs who have unilateral hiring/firing power.

Now, do they get a lot of say in those decisions? Yes.

But it's ultimately the president's call, and I expect it to be no different at Mason whether TOC or someone else inhabits the AD's office.

 

[Walter]

I don't have time to look it up, but just off the top of my head, an under performing coach usually gets one year after a new AD is hired. That gives the new AD one year to get a feel for the job and do a coaching search while he has a dead-man-walking coach who no one blames him for. So, best case scenario is TOC retires in June but is hired as a consultant to help with the transition and to help with sending him on his way. I am against any such role for TOC but I could see it happening. The new guy then starts the search behind Hewitt's back.

 

[gmutom]

But it's ultimately the president's call, and I expect it to be no different at Mason whether TOC or someone else inhabits the AD's office.

Great, so Hewitt's eventual replacement will be a soccer coach. Sweet!

 

[Walter]

If El Presidente hires an aggressive up and coming AD then we should expect he will go after an aggressive up and coming coach.

 

[Walter]

An aggressive up and coming university deserves an aggressive up and coming AD who hires an aggressive up and coming coach.

 

[Walter]

Qustion is, Is El Presidente an aggressive up and coming college president?

 

[gmujim92]

Great, so Hewitt's eventual replacement will be a soccer coach. Sweet!

Bruce Arena couldn't do any worse than Hewitt. At least we'd know our games would be low-scoring for a change.

 

[gmujim92]

Qustion is, Is El Presidente an aggressive up and coming college president?

He certainly seems to fit the image of a young, dynamic leader.

But I think the most critical question is whether he cares at all about sports -- if not, hiring a new AD and men's basketball coach isn't going to be a priority for him, no matter how much we lose.

 

[gmutom]

But I think the most critical question is whether he cares at all about sports -- if not, hiring a new AD and men's basketball coach isn't going to be a priority for him, no matter how much we lose.

He doesn't have to care about sports as the president, he just needs to care about making money. And I think there's no question that is a top priority for him given his background at Thunder Road University (or whatever it was called).

All he has to do is look at all the money vcu is raking in from its hoop program to realize he is sitting on an untapped gold mine.

 

[A.-Siegfried]

While I love the idea of having Cherry at Mason - we could be making the same mistake TOC made with Hewitt - going with an idea instead of looking at the selection more critically. I would prefer a more comprehensive coaching search that would identify a young, smart, aggressive coach around which the program could build an identity based on success.

In the last two seasons under Cherry, High Point has made post season tournaments for the first time in their D-1 (short) history. He has won the division the last two seasons. His best players are still underclassmen.

The mistake Mason would be making is NOT taking a good, long look at Cherry if our position of head coach becomes available. The guy is going to win at a higher level than High Point. It's a big mistake if it isn't at Mason.

 

[Five Two]

Oddly enough GW had a new AD come in (old one retired) in 2011, and Karl Hobbs was let go in the same year. According to my cousin (I haven't found any other info on this) who is a GW season ticket holder, they let Hobbs go with 1 year remaining, and obviously hired Lonergan.

this was the one example I knew of.
On Feb 18, 2011, the Washington Post ran an article that GW AD, Jack Kvancz (who was our AD for years) was retiring and his last day was to be June 30, 2011

On April 20, 2011, GW announced that Patrick Nero would become the next AD at GW.

Mike Lonergan was named head coach on May 6, 2011.

Jack did GW a favor by announcing his retirement early enough to allow the school time to find a new AD. Hobbs was on the hot seat and thus, by getting Nero on board in April, he was able to hire a new coach in early May.

As Brian has pointed out, if TOC waits until the end of the season (April) or the end of the school year (May), the new AD will be stuck with Hewitt for another year, if in fact the new AD doesn't want Hewitt as the coach.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Paul Westhead has been fired as the head coach of the Oregon women's program.