LaVall’s Last Season

Who would you guys like to see as our head coach for 2022 and beyond? Assume Brad is off the table…

 

Anyone that understands that you actually have to teach offensive sets and not just stand on the sideline tugging their ear or putting their hand on their chin hoping the team knows what to do....

 

This is a way premature discussion, because there's no way that LJ won't be here beyond this year. Personally, I'd like to see a new batch of assistants and see what difference that could make. To entertain the original question, I'd like to see what Scott Davenport at Bellarmine could do here. Maybe he's too old to be a long term solution though.

 

There are several potential coaches available that I hesitate to name. The possibilty of BC pulling the plug are next to none during the season. It would require LJ walking away. If players start to run for the lifeboat and abandoning ship, it could change the equation.

 

Unfortunately to get rid of LaVall we need a new AD because Collier ain't firing one of his guys, even if we win only 10 or so games this year. We know there are huge problems but loyalty clouds judgment and this is no different. He's a problem, but he ain't going anywhere.

 

I want someone who knows how to create a game plan like Mike Lewis & Terry Johnson. No idea who that is. Going after a name brand for recruiting sure seems appealing to me though.

Somebody call Slick Rick and see if he's ready to leave Iona.

 

I’ve been a critic of LJ for most of his tenure here (even the good year a couple years back), so I’ve been heavily leaning towards the moving on idea for a while. I hate that the guy hasn’t succeeded because he was a favorite player of mine here. As for the candidates, I’ve kind of broken it down into realistic choices and ones I’d think have to be on a lot of program’s shortlist this off-season. I’m not in favor of a lot of these, but I could see these as the most semi-realistic choices. I’ve broken them down into Butler coaching tree and Outside candidates:

Butler Coaching Tree Choices (if they go that usual route):
John Groce (not a great tenure at Illinois, but I could see Barry giving him another shot)

Ronald Nored (maybe too young, but he’s here in Indy now)

Michael Lewis (successful assistant coaching run)

Terry Johnson (Painter’s assistants land head coaching jobs a lot)


Outside the tree:
Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon (not a popular name around here, but an intriguing prospect who has great things going at Grand Canyon after his bad Vandy tenure, maybe just needs new scenery)

Darian Devries, Drake (Maybe last couple years were flukes? Either way, he’s someone to keep an eye on form the Midwest)

Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa (Probably in a lifetime job, but great fundamentals and culture coach that would be worth a call)

Ritchie McKay, Liberty (Tony Bennett disciple and from Indianapolis; has mixed results as a head coach but has been stellar with Liberty)

John Becker, Vermont (consistent coach)

Niko Medved, Colorado State (has found success everywhere he has gone)

Anthony Grant (maybe another guy who needs another high major chance?)

Those are the ones at the top of my head.





Sent from my iPhone using Butler Hoops mobile app

 

Dayton just had back-to-back home losses to UMass-Lowell and Lipscomb, and that’s with a freshman who was by some accounts the highest ranked recruit in program history. But Grant’s in the same position at UD as an alum to where his leash might be longer than a non-alum.

 

I don't think that's true at all. Barry understands firing people is part of the job. Had the timing been different when Holtmann left I am not certain Jordan would have been his first choice. So I don't think he is all in on this situation.

 

True concerning the timing, but BC had several other options.

 

Nored interviewed for an NBA head coaching position this past summer...don't think he's ever going to be a college coach.

 

A few years under someone like Rick Carlisle and he'll easily get a NBA job. The possibility to hire him has come and gone.

 

I hope that's right and my opinion is wrong because I really do think the program needs a "non butler" shake up at the top.

 

I agree Butler can only play this string so long. Xavier is likely facing the same issue.

 

Had Barry not been asleep at the wheel by having a higher buyout clause to protect BU, Boltmann might still be here. Usually most schools do that when they have someone who wins Coach of the Year. That mistake happened on Barry's watch and there's been little accountability for it.

No one was recruiting LJ away from UWM. Barry made the wrong decision choosing Brandon over LaVall the first time. When he had a second chance, it made sense to him to pick LJ (and follow the same path we had in the HL). The reality is Barry hired another unproven alumni HC and it's backfiring. It's time for him to retire. We need new direction.

 

You really think a higher buyout would have given OSU any pause at all? They had struck out on all their initial prospects (including Holtmann) and were beginning to look a bit desperate. They were ready to ante up.

 

People say this about Brandon and I get why-but had Brandon kept his health there’s not a ton to suggest he wouldn’t have done well. The recruits he signed ended up doing spectacularly.


Sent from my iPhone using Butler Hoops

 

If there were to be an opening - and I am not ready to throw the towel in on LaVall - I think a couple of additional names worth mentioning are:

Mike Schrage - I don't really consider him a Butler guy since he was only in Indy the one season, but if he gets Elon to turn the corner this year, as I expect he will, then I think you take a serious look. That's a place with no history and very little alure.

Dennis Gates - He has done a phenomenal job in an absolute dumpster fire of a situation at Cleveland State and I am frankly a little surprised he is still there this year, much like I was surprised it took as long as it did for Wes Miller to move up.

Mark Byington - He has won in places that are extremely difficult to win and I am gonna guess that being excluded from the postseason through no fault of his own, or anyone in his basketball program, this season might make him ripe to lure away from JMU.

Dustin Kerns - Another coach putting together winners in places that are really tough to win - maybe I have a preference for that.

 

Oh and I am a huge, huge fan of LeVelle Moton, I just don't see Butler going after him. Not while BC is there, anyway. There's just no connection to Butler and I don't think he'd be high profile enough for going outside the family. Would be amazing though.