Topic: College basketball coaching carousel

[TigerVols]

Can't believe none of the deskers around here have complained about the "carosel" spelling.

[micropolitan guy]

CAA teams are generally better, and more of them tend to make the tourney than, the A-10.  

Sorry, but that's nowhere even close to being correct.

Since 2005 (inclusive), the A-10 has received 17 NCAA bids (7 auto, 10 at-large). The CAA has received 10 (seven auto, 3 at-large). The CAA has advanced two teams to the Final Four, the A-10 none, but the A-10 has consistently been the superior league over the past seven years, by a long shot, and has been recognized as such by the NCAA Selection Committee.

The CAA got two at-large teams last year, for the first time ever. The A-10 has had two at large bids in each of the past four seasons.

[Ryan_Sonner]

Not sure VCU would ever consider leaving.  They're in a geographically sensible league, and have spent the past few years at the top of it.  Now that the CAA is multi-bid, this time period's version of the MVC, it's in a good place.  CAA teams are generally better, and more of them tend to make the tourney than, the A-10.  Gonzaga wasn't made overnight.  It took years.  If VCU keeps it up, maybe that could happen.  And then I guess the CAA is sort of the east coast version of the WCC.  For college hoopsters, and most of the teams in that league don't play football, that's pretty good.

If the numbers I looked at are correct, the A-10 over the last five years has gotten 3-3-3-3-2 teams in the tournament, while the CAA has gotten 3-1-1-1-2 teams in.

A-10: 14 teams
CAA: 8 teams.

[Ryan_Sonner]

Micro Guy beat me to the punch.

[Flying Headbutt]

Damn, I was way off.  Probably because I don't take into account Temple and Xavier as A-10 teams.  Dayton is usually pretty good, too.

Would I be as wrong to say that, top to bottom, the CAA is generally better than the A-10?  Or should I just STFU?

[zagoshe]

Chris Lowery is out at Southern Illinois.

I'm surprised he survived this long, to be honest, but he is a classic example of a school making a big investment in a guy who turned out to be a bust and then not being able to buy him out when they want to and thus he survives a few extra years longer than he should.

[bigpern23]

Damn, I was way off.  Probably because I don't take into account Temple and Xavier as A-10 teams.  Dayton is usually pretty good, too.

Would I be as wrong to say that, top to bottom, the CAA is generally better than the A-10?  Or should I just STFU?

Others already beat me to the punch, but yeah, the Atlantic 10 is consistently a better basketball conference than the CAA by far. The A10's average conference RPI ranking is around seventh in the nation and the CAA is usually around 12 or 13.

A10 has 161 NCAA Tournament bids, compared to 58 for the CAA.

[bigpern23]

Dayton, UMass, Xavier, Temple and St. Joseph's are all consistently very good programs (Xavier, in particular). George Washington, Rhode Island, Richmond and St. Louis often have teams good enough to reach the NIT or occasional NCAA berth. It's really a good conference.

[Chef2]

Or should I just STFU?

Yes....and have a Happy Randy Edsall is due for a contract extension day.

[Big Circus]

That was just uncalled for, Chef.

[Flying Headbutt]

DTGDTN!!!!!

[Moderator1]

The year Mason got the at-large and hit the Final Four - didn't the CAA have three that year as well?  I can't remember.

A10 is a little stronger, yes, though not as much as it likes to think.  Both leagues, however, have been very top heavy in recent years.  REALLY good at the top, REALLY bad at the bottom.  

Being at the top of the CAA now at least allows a team to think it has an at-large chance.  That didn't used to be the case.  I thought all along the two finalists would go - I haven't looked at Drexel's numbers, though.  Does it have to win tonight?

The CAA's top coaches also stay a while.  Blaine Taylor has been at ODU forever.  Larranaga, I thought, would be at Mason forever.   Bruiser Flint has been at Drexel, what, a decade (and four CAA coach of the year awards).  It's no longer a hit it and run league.

I still think Shaka gets an offer well in excess of $2 mil.

[MileHigh]

I suspect Tim Miles at Colorado State will field a lot of phone calls. He's done a very good job turning around that program.

[micropolitan guy]

A10 is a little stronger, yes, though not as much as it likes to think.  Both leagues, however, have been very top heavy in recent years.  REALLY good at the top, REALLY bad at the bottom. 

Fordham-Towson would be a great matchup. A 2012-13 bracket-buster!

[Ben_Hecht]

A-10's better, but you wouldn't be wrong in saying that the gap has closed, more than a little bit.

A

Damn, I was way off.  Probably because I don't take into account Temple and Xavier as A-10 teams.  Dayton is usually pretty good, too.

Would I be as wrong to say that, top to bottom, the CAA is generally better than the A-10?  Or should I just STFU?

A-10's still better, but you wouldn't be wrong in noting that the gap has closed, more than a little bit.

And when Temple leaves for the Big East . . .

[Piotr Rasputin]

Lowery was a very hot commodity several years ago. How quickly the worm turns.

UCLA beat Washington on Saturday, that has to help, but that SI story certainly wasn't a resume-builder.

Not for Dohrmann, certainly.

[Mizzougrad96]

Lowery was a very hot commodity several years ago. How quickly the worm turns.

UCLA beat Washington on Saturday, that has to help, but that SI story certainly wasn't a resume-builder.

Not for Dohrmann, certainly.

They can't all win Pulitzers.

[dixiehack]

What's left of the UAB fanbase would be thrilled to dump Davis. Question is if the AD is too scared to ask the board for another buyout after cashiering Neil Calloway. If they do, I expect a low-rent replacement.

I don't see any point in LSU switching coaches. They haven't drawn flies for basketball since Dale Brown left, even with Final Four teams. And Trent Johnson has them close to turning the corner again.

Interesting to me is whether Larry Eustachy has done enough time in purgatory to upgrade from Southern Miss.

[Sam Mills 51]

I suspect Tim Miles at Colorado State will field a lot of phone calls. He's done a very good job turning around that program.

Without question. Wonder what kind of money is out there (i.e., will the offers be to the point where there's no point in seeing if the powers-to-be in Fort Collins will match). Regardless, someone isn't paying attention if Miles doesn't at least get a phone call or two.

[franticscribe]

If Stevens doesn't get another bigtime job, he will be kicking himself for along time (i.e. Schiano at Rutgers) for not jumping while the time was right.

I doubt it. He's coaching in his hometown, making more than $1 million a year, at a school where he can consistently produce winners and NCAA tournament teams. Knowing him, I doubt he'd have much regret if he never leaves Butler.

[exmediahack]

And Lowery is, IIRC, still getting two years of pay at 750k for Southern Illinois?!?

See, I don't think Lowery will kick himself over staying. Perhaps, in 2007, he knew he wasn't an elite coach. Maybe he saw the recession coming and knew most mid major salaries would go down. 

If you have the option of "playing it safe" in Carbondale (with Weber's players) and make 750k if you knew, in your heart of hearts, you are a better assistant than a head coach, you do it and count your money later.

[bigpern23]

The year Mason got the at-large and hit the Final Four - didn't the CAA have three that year as well?  I can't remember.

A10 is a little stronger, yes, though not as much as it likes to think.  Both leagues, however, have been very top heavy in recent years.  REALLY good at the top, REALLY bad at the bottom. 

Being at the top of the CAA now at least allows a team to think it has an at-large chance.  That didn't used to be the case.  I thought all along the two finalists would go - I haven't looked at Drexel's numbers, though.  Does it have to win tonight?

The CAA's top coaches also stay a while.  Blaine Taylor has been at ODU forever.  Larranaga, I thought, would be at Mason forever.   Bruiser Flint has been at Drexel, what, a decade (and four CAA coach of the year awards).  It's no longer a hit it and run league.

I still think Shaka gets an offer well in excess of $2 mil.

Flint flamed out of the A10 with UMass, has won 20 games three times at Drexel (including this season) and has not made the NCAA. I'd be surprised if he's turned down any big time jobs to stay in the CAA.

[Mystery Meat II]

The year Mason got the at-large and hit the Final Four - didn't the CAA have three that year as well?  I can't remember.

A10 is a little stronger, yes, though not as much as it likes to think.  Both leagues, however, have been very top heavy in recent years.  REALLY good at the top, REALLY bad at the bottom.  

Being at the top of the CAA now at least allows a team to think it has an at-large chance.  That didn't used to be the case.  I thought all along the two finalists would go - I haven't looked at Drexel's numbers, though.  Does it have to win tonight?

The CAA's top coaches also stay a while.  Blaine Taylor has been at ODU forever.  Larranaga, I thought, would be at Mason forever.   Bruiser Flint has been at Drexel, what, a decade (and four CAA coach of the year awards).  It's no longer a hit it and run league.

I still think Shaka gets an offer well in excess of $2 mil.

Ask BYH if the CAA got a third bid that year (yes, it was THAT year).

Ben brings up a good point re: Temple. Does the A-10 make a move to replace them? Is UMass an option for the Big East eventually now that the football program is FBS? How long is Georgia State staying in the CAA before moving its football program up? Are JMU and Delaware looking to follow suit?

Were I to have the power, I'd rig up a CAA/A-10 working agreement whereupon the A-10 sends Charlotte, Richmond and George Washington to the A-10 and takes on Northeastern, Hofstra and Drexel (maybe Delaware too). Makes the conferences more regional. Then do a CAA vs. A-10 Challenge, maybe.

[D-3 Fan]

Rumor on Twitter is that Charlie Coles is hanging it up, after Miami OH lost tonight.  No news release or story has confirmed it.  

EDIT:  It's confirmed by Jeff Goodman.  Charlie's walking away.  http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/35108530

[Mahoney]

I think Trent Johnson's in some trouble, but I'd expect him to survive this year, though I wouldn't be shocked if I'm wrong in that.

Wonder how much slack Andy Kennedy's leash has left. How about Horn in South Carolina.

You know Horn has to be gone.   Deer in headlights.

From what I hear, Horn's staying. AD doesn't want to admit failure, or pick up the 2.4 million buyout. Will probably try to prop him up with a veteran assistant.