Coach Search Options after Autry

[Scooch]

To be clear, all I want is for SU to make a thoughtful, creative hire.

Fran may turn out to be a bust, but IMHO he was a risk worth taking given where we stand in the college football pecking order (spoiler: near the bottom).

SU hoops *should* be closer to the top of the college basketball pecking order. However, from everything I read, I’m increasingly skeptical that the university has the stomach to do what’s necessary, across a wide range of things, to secure that.

 

[pearl31]

I would be shocked if he gets the call

You use "would" like it's an unlikely as-yet-determined possibility. Re-read the posts in this thread, esp since yesterday, from the posters in the know
And gmac is neither here nor there

 

[Melancer46]

Sorry to be that guy but this thread absolutely exploded in the last 24 hours or whatever it's been and I cannot keep up...

It sounds like some reputable sources saying it's Hop or BH? And what's the deal with the potential new AD?

 

[Scooch]

There are others…

Well sure, boxes need to be checked. It’s a university after all.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Agreed. Although it’ll be funny to read all the accounts of the money pouring in this spring and summer and that we’re flush with cash to sign a great roster. Then when we’re 12-14 in February to read the same people saying that it wasn’t enough, we can’t compete, etc.

Me thinks that will always be the excuse of a few if we aren’t successful. I don’t think this board knows what good coaching can do. I mentioned this earlier, but we would probably be 4th in NIL in the B12 and that conference runs circles in the ACC.

 

[LAorange44]

The decision will be done before that. Per people on the board GMac has already said he doesn't want the job so no need to keep dropping his name. Hodgson winning the conference tournament in his first season in a program will not be a make-or-break on him getting the job.

Wow. Then we’re in worse shape than I thought.

Assuming there are around 45 solid, experienced coaches in the P4 (in addition to the 20 or so goofballs like Red who will inevitably be fired), and we can’t poach one, that’s an indictment of our standing in college athletics.

 

[phil77]

To be clear, all I want is for SU to make a thoughtful, creative hire.

Fran may turn out to be a bust, but IMHO he was a risk worth taking given where we stand in the college football pecking order (spoiler: near the bottom).

SU hoops *should* be closer to the top of the college basketball pecking order. However, from everything I read, I’m increasingly skeptical that the university has the stomach to do what’s necessary, across a wide range of things, to secure that.

I mean if we have all this money now why don't we go get Schertz or someone who can actually coach? Why do we settle for a failed P4 coach? If we can raise this kind of money, then use those funds to attract a real coach from another program. It surely can't be hire Hopkins or I am taking my ball and going home right? I mean they are here for Syracuse, right not for their buddy Hopkins?

 

[ORANGE OATH]

He is here next season so its not even worth discussing

He may be here next year, I can guarantee you if that is the reality I am done with this mess.
There is a point where there is no longer a point.
Either SU becomes serious about the program or I will reach a even lower level of enthusiasm than I currently have, and trust me that would be a real trick !

 

[Newhouser]

So is the bottom line that as some mentioned and a lot thought - the job just isn't nearly as attractive as some think it is.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Wow. Then we’re in worse shape than I thought.

Assuming there are around 45 solid, experienced coaches in the P4 (in addition to the 20 or so goofballs like Red who will inevitably be fired), and we can’t poach one, that’s an indictment of our standing in college athletics.

This is wildly inaccurate. Gmac would take the job in a second, SU isn't going that route for a # of reasons.

 

[TommyA13]

silver lining is that the world could end before next season.

Hiring Lyke as AD and Hop as HC would be worse than the world ending imo

 

[dwilmont44]

Do the people on the BoT care more about winning basketball games or being close to the Head Coach?

 

[richmondcuse03]

For sure. Most of my alumni friends would be thrilled with GMac. They’ll probably be happy with Hopkins.

yea, there's one way to make Gmac look way better to alums -- say you're going to hire Hopkins instead. I guarantee a lot of the casual alums will be wondering why we bypassed Gerry for Hopkins.

 

[LAorange44]

This is wildly inaccurate. Gmac would take the job in a second, SU isn't going that route for a # of reasons.

Not in reference to GMAC but going in on Hodgson who hasn’t made the tournament. I truly believed we had the cultural and financial juice to pull a talented p4 coach who could level up with our resources.

 

[Cappy3]

Would the Nil dry up if we won? That was the basis of my question about the Saudi Prince. If it was Hopkins and the money enabled us to get really great players and we won, would that springboard a lot more Nil money and allow us to continue to be good?

Well, sure. If we win, the nil will likely increase no matter who the coach is. The question is can whoever we hire actually get the best out of the guys the nil provides? Many people thought this team would make the dance easily, but were coached out of it. Hop’s record at UW doesn’t inspire confidence no matter the nil. As previously pointed out he went 15-17 with two first round draft picks. You think any amount of nil will get us talent at that level?

 

[Scooch]

I mean if we have all this money now why don't we go get Schertz or someone who can actually coach? Why do we settle for a failed P4 coach? If we can raise this kind of money, then use those funds to attract a real coach from another program. It surely can't be hire Hopkins or I am taking my ball and going home right? I mean they are here for Syracuse, right not for their buddy Hopkins?

More than a few folks here are suggesting that we don’t have the money to hire a known quantity. They’re saying Both Hodgson and Hopkins would take lesser salaries because they really want to be at SU. And SU lovvvves it when people will take lesser salaries to be there.

The untapped money seems to be contingent on one or the other being hired. And it seems to be about donations to fund the player compensation pool, not for the coach’s salary.

 

[LAorange44]

Do the people on the BoT care more about winning basketball games or being close to the Head Coach?

It’s a business. They care who is going to bring in the most NIL with the lowest amount of risk and keep ticket sales up.

 

[RF2044]

To be clear, all I want is for SU to make a thoughtful, creative hire.

Fran may turn out to be a bust, but IMHO he was a risk worth taking given where we stand in the college football pecking order (spoiler: near the bottom).

SU hoops *should* be closer to the top of the college basketball pecking order. However, from everything I read, I’m increasingly skeptical that the university has the stomach to do what’s necessary, across a wide range of things, to secure that.

Ditto.

Which is why all of the reported infighting / dysfunction we're hearing about vis a vis BoT members and donors is frightening.

We can't afford to screw this hire up. Allowing non-AD folks the ability to hijack the process to fulfill their own personal agendas is bad for the Syracuse basketball program, and bad for the fanbase.

 

[Scooch]

yea, there's one way to make Gmac look way better to alums -- say you're going to hire Hopkins instead. I guarantee a lot of the casual alums will be wondering why we bypassed Gerry for Hopkins.

I suspect a lot of casual alums forgot who Hopkins is.

 

[LAorange44]

More than a few folks here are suggesting that we don’t have the money to hire a known quantity. They’re saying Both Hodgson and Hopkins would take lesser salaries because they really want to be at SU. And SU lovvvves it when people will take lesser salaries to be there.

The untapped money seems to be contingent on one or the other being hired. And it seems to be about donations to fund the player compensation pool, not for the coach’s salary.

There’s the cheap way and the expensive way and the expensive way is the cheap way if you want to win.

 

[phil77]

More than a few folks here are suggesting that we don’t have the money to hire a known quantity. They’re saying Both Hodgson and Hopkins would take lesser salaries because they really want to be at SU. And SU lovvvves it when people will take lesser salaries to be there.

The untapped money seems to be contingent on one or the other being hired. And it seems to be about donations to fund the player compensation pool, not for the coach’s salary.

We were told early on that we couldn't attract the top of the line coaches because their first question is what is our NIL situation and because it wasn't good, they would go elsewhere. Now we are being told if Hopkins is the coach, we will have no problems with NIL because of all the new money coming in from the "Saudi Prince".

So my question is if the good coaches wouldn't come here because, as the insiders said, we don't have the NIL to get them to come, but now we do have the NIL to get them to come. What is the excuse now?

Like you said, I am sure they will pivot to the coach's salary.

 

[Consigliere]

Even lally is just getting behind a personal friend. Clearly nobody in a position of influence up there is interested in doing a proper national search.

Let’s see where this all ends up. If there is a search committee named and they spend the money to hire a search firm you may change your opinion. Nothing should be described as “clearly” until the process moves forward.
And my impression from talking to a few people is that there are a number of candidates, both “internal” and external that will be part of the initial succession plan.

 

[phil77]

Let’s see where this all ends up. If there is a search committee named and they spend the money to hire a search firm you may change your opinion. Nothing should be described as “clearly” until the process moves forward.
And my impression from talking to a few people is that there are a number of candidates, both “internal” and external that will be part of the initial succession plan.

Hiring a search firm is a waste of money and resources.

 

[CuseBlood44]

Is this about Melo being able to control his son’s coach? Huge conflict of interest

 

[Cuse2023]

Do the people on the BoT care more about winning basketball games or being close to the Head Coach?

You cannot say that the administration cares about winning and then at the same time say that Mike Hopkins is a strong candidate to be the next coach and Heather Lyke is a strong candidate to be the next athletic director. That shows the intentions of the administration.

Administrations that care about winning do not consider a coach that was a complete failure and an AD that was disastrous (and worked up a terrible reputation while doing it).

Even if it’s just a small minority that is pushing these ideas, they will absolutely hold us back. You cannot have decision-makers that care more about personal relationships than actually winning games.