Mark Few?

[RoatanCuse]

Not as well- versed as most of you guys here, but how is it that no one brings up Few's name when Boeheim's possible successor is mentioned? Discuss.

 

[Marsh01]

Not as well- versed as most of you guys here, but how is it that no one brings up Few's name when Boeheim's possible successor is mentioned? Discuss.

He will never leave spokane

 

[realorange]

He will never leave spokane

Agree. You might call him the JB of the West.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Because I don't like him.

They consult with me on that stuff.

 

[tbonezone]

a FEW good men. he's done very well with what he's had. but his situation is somewhat limited. the aura of Syracuse and the ACC could finally punch his ticket.

 

[RoatanCuse]

I think he is a talented coach. Seems he knows how to recruit white kids that can play. Doesn't he use mainly zone? Does he run more offense than JB?

 

[dasher]

I think he is a talented coach. Seems he knows how to recruit white kids that can play. Doesn't he use mainly zone? Does he run more offense than JB?

Scott, what East coast recruiting ties does he have?

 

[jgeorge322]

Some thought peterson would never leave boise state.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Why would he leave Spokane. It has been brought up. It is pure fantasy. He has absolutely zero recruiting ties east of about Bozeman, Montana, he is in a similar situation to Boeheim where he feels personal ties to the program he runs and knows it will be his legacy, and he is in a league where is absolutely assured of an NCAA berth every single year like clock work, and he probably makes more money than SU would pay him to boot. It isn't discussed seriously because it is so far outside any reasonable chance of happening that it doesn't bear discussion.

 

[stuckinbig11]

simple answer: Mike Hopkins

 

[Briancuse]

Hes done a great job, but at some point you would think he is going to get bored of spending two months coaching against the san diegos and pepperdines of the world.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

Not as well- versed as most of you guys here, but how is it that no one brings up Few's name when Boeheim's possible successor is mentioned? Discuss.

He hasn't yet been able to capitalize on all of the inflated seeds he has enjoyed. Good coach, but he gets too much credit for just making the tournament ever year, and has yet to make any noise while enjoying favored brackets. I think SU could do better, and I would rather see Hop get a shot over Few.

 

[jncuse]

If you throw them somewhere in middle America with a new job I think Few would probably do a better job than Hopkins.

But these are two coaches who in part will excel because they know and are comfortable with the formula to win at the schools they coach at currently. No need to move them around.

I view Few's relationship with Gonzaga very similar to that of JB with Syracuse. It's a bit of shame for the Zags that there is a lack of basketball schools in the West. Nothing like the Big East or the A-10, which would serve them much better in the January and February each year.

 

[pfister1]

I would have no interest in bringing Few in over Hopkins. Few has done a good, not great, job in the situation he is in. I think he is almost as big an uknown in terms of whether he could replicate his success on the East Coast as Hopkins is in terms of whether he can be successful as the head guy.

Even assuming Few could replicate that success, has he really been all that successful? Yes he's dominated the WCC, but so what...we don't play in the WCC.

Since 2000 when he took over he's gotten Gonzaga to the NCAA tournament every year (16 times) , but only advanced to the Sweet 16 - 5 times and the Elite Eight once with no final fours. He is 20-41 all time vs. the AP Top 25.

It's not as though he is achieving the success he is with untalented players. He's had a national player of the year - Adam Morrison and three first team All Americans - Morrison, Dan Dickau and Kelly Olynyck.

I wouldn't invest the dollars that it would likely take to bring him East (if it could even be done) to hire him. Too high risk.

 

[cuseincincy]

Hes done a great job, but at some point you would think he is going to get bored of spending two months coaching against the san diegos and pepperdines of the world.

Yeah, its gotta suck traveling to San Diego and Malibu and notching victories along the way.

 

[moqui]

I've been mentioning him as my top pick for several years now

 

[moqui]

Scott, what East coast recruiting ties does he have?

he recruits exceptionally well in our secondary recruiting territory of Canada, and he can hire plugged-in assistants for the east coast. I would hope he'd elevate Autry to associate head coach and keep him, but I think Red will be getting a head job sometime in the near future.

 

[Eric15]

Hes done a great job, but at some point you would think he is going to get bored of spending two months coaching against the san diegos and pepperdines of the world.

Having to travel to San Diego and Malibu in the winter does seem pretty awful.

 

[CusefanATL]

Hes done a great job, but at some point you would think he is going to get bored of spending two months coaching against the san diegos and pepperdines of the world.

Well, it sure is nice to visit those campuses at San Diego and Pepperdine.

 

[jncuse]

I would have no interest in bringing Few in over Hopkins. Few has done a good, not great, job in the situation he is in. I think he is almost as big an uknown in terms of whether he could replicate his success on the East Coast as Hopkins is in terms of whether he can be successful as the head guy.

Even assuming Few could replicate that success, has he really been all that successful? Yes he's dominated the WCC, but so what...we don't play in the WCC.

Since 2000 when he took over he's gotten Gonzaga to the NCAA tournament every year (16 times) , but only advanced to the Sweet 16 - 5 times and the Elite Eight once with no final fours. He is 20-41 all time vs. the AP Top 25.

It's not as though he is achieving the success he is with untalented players. He's had a national player of the year - Adam Morrison and three first team All Americans - Morrison, Dan Dickau and Kelly Olynyck.

I wouldn't invest the dollars that it would likely take to bring him East (if it could even be done) to hire him. Too high risk.

I think you also have to compliment him at the same time for recruiting that level of player to a school like Gonzaga. He has a very strong international recruiting network and does well in the northwest as well.

Recruiting is a big part of the coaching game. Ask John Calipari or Roy Williams. And relatively speaking, given what Gonzaga has to sell he has done one hell of a job on the recruiting front.

And you must also remember that Gonzaga took the risk of sitting Olynyk between his Junior and Senior season so he could work on his body and post game. If Few makes a short sighted decision he is not an All-American and not a first round pick.

No doubt his tourney performance has left room to be desired. Be it his style or the fact that they can't prepare in Feb and Mar I also think you are making 20-41 vs top 25 make much worse than it is. That would actually clearly make you a legit top 25 school year in, year but in that lower third on average,

 

[cuseincincy]

No doubt his tourney performance has left room to be desired. Be it his style or the fact that they can't prepare in Feb and Mar I also think you are making 20-41 vs top 25 make much worse than it is. That would actually clearly make you a legit top 25 school year in, year but in that lower third on average,

His tourney performance is really the only thing that matters since he has never competed in a major conference. Gonzaga fans may bristle when they are called a "mid major" and rightly so. But there is no disputing that they have always competed in a "mid- major conference." If his Gonzaga teams had historically played in the Big East or ACC we would be talking about Mark Few in the same manner as we do Bruce Weber, Mark Gottfried, Jamie Dixon. Good but not "great" coaches. And he would have 8-10 NCAA appearances, not 16.

 

[Briancuse]

Well, it sure is nice to visit those campuses at San Diego and Pepperdine.

They are, but I doubt he gets much time to go to the beach when hes there.

 

[Briancuse]

Yeah, its gotta suck traveling to San Diego and Malibu and notching victories along the way.

Do you want to visit nice cities, or do you want to have a chance to go up against the big boys? If he goes to the acc, he can go to Miami, if he goes to the Pac 12, he can go to La, and Arizona.

 

[jncuse]

His tourney performance is really the only thing that matters since he has never competed in a major conference. Gonzaga fans may bristle when they are called a "mid major" and rightly so. But there is no disputing that they have always competed in a "mid- major conference." If his Gonzaga teams had historically played in the Big East or ACC we would be talking about Mark Few in the same manner as we do Bruce Weber, Mark Gottfried, Jamie Dixon. Good but not "great" coaches. And he would have 8-10 NCAA appearances, not 16.

Why so do you say tourney performance is the only thing that matters? Only if you want to argue that they should be a top 10-15 program. Which I would then agree -- they are not. They are in the tier below that. But how is that a fair expectation and evaluation for a coach for a school in the middle of nowhere?

The fact that he has brought Gonzaga to the tier below that is pretty damn amazing. He is taking a school from a non major conference -- not even the MWC or the A-10, and making it relevant for an at large seed almost every year, and bringing in quality players all over the world to accomplish it. Its a heck of a recruiting feat.

 

[RoatanCuse]

Interesting answers with much information. Thanks. Seems he deserves a ton of credit for creating a top-twenty team at a smaller school. Reminds me a bit of how Duke came into prominence years ago...and Uconn. Out of the woodwork. Never knew his ties to Gonzaga were so strong. Commendable loyalty. However, with the national brand we enjoy at SU, I can see continued success for us in several ways, were he to get the nod over everyone else. (Ps: this thread is just for chat. I really want Hop to succeed)
1) he obviously knows how to coach.
2) our brand and league would aid greatly in recruiting US and Canada
3) his Elite Eight appearance this year would help silence naysayers
4) this is more of a question: Doesn't he coach primarily zone? If so, would continue our Brand. Thoughts?