Coach Search Options after Autry

[cliftonparksufan]

I'm going to break this down, beacuse I think you are right. But let's see. Here are the teams Siena has beaten this year, with their 2025-2026 record to date:

Bryant 8-19
Brown 9-15
Albany 10-18
Holy Cross 10-19
Longwood 15-15
American 16-13
Maine 7-21
Niagara 7-21 -beat them twice
Canisus 9-20 -beat them twice
Rider 4-23
Mt. Saint Mary's 14-15
Manhattan 12-17
Fairfield 18-11
Marist 18-10 -beat them twice
Iona - 16-13
St Peter's 15-11

I stand corrected about it only being one team. Still...

Fortunately, no one is on the GMAC train. Gerry's good, but not ready yet to go P4 dancing. They have a respectable net of 188 and only two MAAC schools are better than that. And, for reference, Cuse 77, USF 52, SLU ( I believe before their last loss) 24.

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[phil77]

Who knew Melo was an old, white guy?

Outside of Syracuse, I wonder how much college basketball Melo watched this year? I mean, he is the expert making the coaching hire, so I imagine he has gone through hours of tape and watched all the up-and-coming coaches to give Syracuse the best coaching hire he could. He can tell me what kind of offensive and defensive systems everyone runs etc. I am sure he has done this homework.

And his homework led him to Hopkins, a coach who was fired from his P4 job with a .527 winning percentage and the tournament only once in 6 years despite multiple NBA players on his roster. That coach was so heavily thought of in the college ranks, he didn't get another job, so he went to be an assistant NBA coach where that NBA team was awful and then was let go from that position and now is in charge of player development for a losing team. After doing a national search, Melo said yes man, that is the guy for sure to lead Syracuse. I know it.

 

[Cappy3]

Yup. Except we are not talking about a reduction. If I make $100 (close) and you make 555% more than me, do you make nothing?

So you’re saying the average assistant coach makes less than 100,000? Not in power 4 conferences.

 

[RedtheGOB]

i don’t know fellas. I’m at crossgates in Albany at the Apex Arcade for a kids bday party.

Gmac is on the TVs here and a big time sponsor. I’m not sure we can afford to get him back.

 

[Consigliere]

we significantly increased the budget for football assts and also added budget for additional staff.

Yes, but why don’t they spend some of that $50MM surplus that Athletics just sits on every year. Because they’re CHEAP!

Sorry. Can’t find the sarcasm font.

 

[RF2044]

Fortunately, no one is on the GMAC train. Gerry's good, but not ready yet to go P4 dancing. They have a respectable net of 188 and only two MAAC schools are better than that. And, for reference, Cuse 77, USF 52, SLU ( I believe before their last loss) 24.

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Agreed.

Kudos to Gerry for getting to 19 wins, with a couple of games left to go.

But as you point out, this record has context -- and I think some are only looking at the win total and interpreting through that lens only.

 

[sufan59]

Think of this from the Mike Hopkins standpoint. He probably thought his time in College Basketball was done after an unsuccessful Washington stint which he took and probably thought he sacrificed any chance of being the successor at Syracuse that he was named for and being prepared for. Then one day, Melo approaches you and is like I am going to tell the board to make you the head coach and give you 30 plus million dollars, hopefully approaching 40 to 45 million when it's all said in done to build a roster over the course of two years. We need major cushions people.

 

[Fly Rodder]

You are entitled to your opinion. Others are entitled to theirs. Time will sort of tell.

Yup. And the basketball alums and family have had their way for the last decade plus. JAB avoided any fallout from the NCAA infractions, got to play family ball, coach well past his prime and get one of his assistants the head coaching job. Then after two lackluster seasons, they all got together and said, wait, wait, no, we'll fix it. So they gave Red a bunch of money and the team still failed to meet expectations. So, in light of the last decade of decisions that they've campaigned for, their next bright idea is yet another family coach and giving him lots of money.

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. At some point, things need to be decided on merits. And the basketball alumni JAB circle of trust hasn't exactly crowned themselves in glory. Here or elsewhere. So, they are entitled to their opinion, but based on results, their opinion should be valued about as well as mine.

 

[CuseFan]

Or we have no lives…

both could be true

 

[kjb120]

Hodgson is company/stock with a lot of potential. Hopkins is basically throwing money at a failed start up . Oh well

Oh well sums it up perfectly, the admin and school are not serious about winning why should fans care.

 

[CuseTroop]

I'm on page 182 with no end in sight.
Seriously guys, I'm currently in a non legal state. I'm gonna run out of pot wayyy before I get caught up on this thread. Either help me find a connection in Fort Myers, or hire a basketball coach already

 

[cliftonparksufan]

I implore others to do the same - Wildhack, while having a pulse of the fanbase, isn't sitting around sourcing message boards (anymore). This fanbase is the program; make yourselves heard.

Yup, I emailed him a few weeks ago and received a response in 15 minutes. However, he's got a lot on his plate, so I appreciate the quick response, but hopefully he's not just sitting around answering mail from every townie with a smart phone.

 

[VikesCuse84]

Yup, I emailed him a few weeks ago and received a response in 15 minutes. However, he's got a lot on his plate, so I appreciate the quick response, but hopefully he's not just sitting around answering mail from every townie with a smart phone.

Well… what did he say!?

 

[sufan59]

If Hopkins gets the support that's being mentioned in this thread and it keeps going up. I give up, this is some unprecedented stuff. Like

Have personal backup plans in mind in case this fails and you want a new team to follow or new hobbies. Enjoy the ride in the meantime I guess lol.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Outside of Syracuse, I wonder how much college basketball Melo watched this year? I mean, he is the expert making the coaching hire, so I imagine he has gone through hours of tape and watched all the up-and-coming coaches to give Syracuse the best coaching hire he could. He can tell me what kind of offensive and defensive systems everyone runs etc. I am sure he has done this homework.

And his homework led him to Hopkins, a coach who was fired from his P4 job with a .527 winning percentage and the tournament only once in 6 years despite multiple NBA players on his roster. That coach was so heavily thought of in the college ranks, he didn't get another job, so he went to be an assistant NBA coach where that NBA team was awful and then was let go from that position and now is in charge of player development for a losing team. After doing a national search, Melo said yes man, that is the guy for sure to lead Syracuse. I know it.

There’s no way Melo is watching college basketball. He’s got an NBC job dedicated to the NBA.

 

[sweetpea]

Does Hodgson know how to navigate the complexities with the Dome being multi purpose with Football, Lacrosse, and Women's Basketball. Potentially having to wait till gameday to do walkthroughs. Hopkins does. This is another argument in the pro Hopkins camp. Doesn't the away team also deal with this when they come to play us?

My daughter also reminded me that Hop knows our Syracuse weather here as well. No need to remind people that Hodgson in from Western New York.

 

[PoppyHart]

Why would Kingz, or any "targeted" player, sign on when they know Kiyan will be featured? It would be the same as a guard signing on in 2020-21 with Buddy guaranteed 38 mpg and a perpetual green light.

 

[Consigliere]

The big question is are there players going to be in the portal worthy of this kind of money? If they’re all like Freeman, good luck with that. I hope whoever the next coach is they have European contacts. Those kids come in ready to play.

It’s college sports. Every player is in the portal if the offer is right. Just some portal pre offer and others do post offer.

 

[phil77]

There’s no way Melo is watching college basketball. He’s got an NBC job dedicated to the NBA.

I know that lol That was my point

 

[sufan59]

It’s college sports. Every player is in the portal if the offer is right. Just some portal pre offer and others do post offer.

I would assume everyone that has or may have a head coaching job in College Basketball for the 2026-2027 season are working the back channels already to build their roster.

 

[kingtidge]

I must admit, I didn't see this heading this way. The mo for Hopkins is real. And I wouldn't have seen that coming a few weeks ago.

There was obviously an "old guard" fiscal prop-up plan for him in the works for a while, as I'm sure this just didn't materialize out of thin air, particularly if it's the amount of money being hinted at...

Just sad that we may squander another opportunity to modernize the program just so we can can keep it in house and and see if we can recapture 1995 again or something... It seems so ludicrous and a complete lack of forward thinking and strategic program management.

Only thing that is a little surprising is that Wildhack would stay on to set the table for this... I wouldn't want my wagon legacy hitched to this in the slightest... I would have already handed over the keys to the new AD to own this one outright, LOL. If it goes bad (which is a high probability) things will get toxic.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Well… what did he say!?

Actually it was a month ago. Among other things, he said we should be competing at the highest level in the ACC and be a consistent NCAA performer.

 

[pearl31]

already one of the more impressive threads in recent memory, perhaps since the fine mess days, and we're only in the early part this playing out

 

[LAorange44]

Mods, please don’t ban me for this (since one person hilariously asked for me to be banned already) BUT:

If we hire Hop, do we also get JB as part of the package???? Are we really getting two coaches for the price of one + $30M????

Sorry couldn’t resist. Relax people. It’s college basketball and the internet. Have some fun!

 

[Consigliere]

So has anyone reported that Melo’s support would be contingent on Hop being the coach? His primary motivation has always been what is best for Syracuse and that is compounded by what is now best for his son. I have very little doubt that he will be part of the selection process once the decision to not retain Red is formalized and that, unless he has major issues with the successor, he will support the program with all the resources he can muster.