I've read several threads and listened to commentary on people's thoughts on who would be the best hire. It ranges from a hire from within, to up and comers, to established recognized coaches, to blockbuster headline hires.
The last one is the most easily dismissed. The Geno or Staley types are not going anywhere. For the simplest reason there is no real reason for them to come here. They are already well compensated and do not have any ties whatsoever to the state of Texas. There is nothing they can do here they cannot do where they are. Heck, despite all the gabber about conflicts between Kim and the administration, if Kim did not have ties to LA, I doubt we would be having these conversations. She would leave for LSU, but not for other places. She has said that.
Some have mentioned a professional coach. I guess that is possible, but the first thing they have to do walking in the door is bone up and pass the NCAA test or whatever it is to even be able to recruit players. And while they may be quite successful at the professional or country level, they could be terrible recruiters of high school talent. It is one thing to "buy" a player, something else when you can't do that and have to sell yourself and the school.
The up and comers are likely the best place to find the next possible Mulkey, but results may take time....too much time because a down year or two may advertise losing and losing begets losing because of no recruiting draw or a serious loss of current players that results in the same result. The internal hires may have a good chance of retaining the players (or not) but may find it hard to recruit for themselves versus recruiting on the behalf of a HOF coach. The established recognized coaches, even at a high profile program could be the next Gail Goestenkors.
Obviously the sweet spot is to hire someone that can keep this year's team together and still have the ability to be able to recruit at a high level. The established D-1 coach may have the "splash" to keep the current team together and make fans happy that the school didn't go cheap on the hire, but might turn out like a Goestenkors and be a long-term train wreck. The up and comer, someone like Mollie Miller, I think her name is, may be the great long-term hire, but could she be able to gain the confidence of the current players and while, insiders to WBB basketball might consider her or someone like her is indeed a fantastic choice, the fans may see it nothing more than a cheap hire and don't get behind him or her and then neither do recruits or transfers.
Thus the conundrum.....hire what objective review is not the splashiest candidate but has great potential to be the long-term home run or take a "safer" choice at first look that makes the headlines, but turns out to be Goestenkors. I don't envy having to make that decision. I think to not take a major body blow beyond the one already taken at this point it needs to be someone for whom the current players will mostly stick with. How you know that ahead of time is the trick. It is a lot easier to recruit after a great season than one that is mediocre at best. Having to have a "do-over" is disastorous.
I will bet one thing. There will be people here who will greatly praise the hire and others that will denounce it.......and the likely probability of either side being right is pretty much equal. My lingering concern is what the players think about it, because I think that will tell us if we take a minor step back or possibly little at all or we find ourselves in a position that knocks us for a loop that could take years and years to overcome......if the desire to overcome it at that point is even still there.
The last one is the most easily dismissed. The Geno or Staley types are not going anywhere. For the simplest reason there is no real reason for them to come here. They are already well compensated and do not have any ties whatsoever to the state of Texas. There is nothing they can do here they cannot do where they are. Heck, despite all the gabber about conflicts between Kim and the administration, if Kim did not have ties to LA, I doubt we would be having these conversations. She would leave for LSU, but not for other places. She has said that.
Some have mentioned a professional coach. I guess that is possible, but the first thing they have to do walking in the door is bone up and pass the NCAA test or whatever it is to even be able to recruit players. And while they may be quite successful at the professional or country level, they could be terrible recruiters of high school talent. It is one thing to "buy" a player, something else when you can't do that and have to sell yourself and the school.
The up and comers are likely the best place to find the next possible Mulkey, but results may take time....too much time because a down year or two may advertise losing and losing begets losing because of no recruiting draw or a serious loss of current players that results in the same result. The internal hires may have a good chance of retaining the players (or not) but may find it hard to recruit for themselves versus recruiting on the behalf of a HOF coach. The established recognized coaches, even at a high profile program could be the next Gail Goestenkors.
Obviously the sweet spot is to hire someone that can keep this year's team together and still have the ability to be able to recruit at a high level. The established D-1 coach may have the "splash" to keep the current team together and make fans happy that the school didn't go cheap on the hire, but might turn out like a Goestenkors and be a long-term train wreck. The up and comer, someone like Mollie Miller, I think her name is, may be the great long-term hire, but could she be able to gain the confidence of the current players and while, insiders to WBB basketball might consider her or someone like her is indeed a fantastic choice, the fans may see it nothing more than a cheap hire and don't get behind him or her and then neither do recruits or transfers.
Thus the conundrum.....hire what objective review is not the splashiest candidate but has great potential to be the long-term home run or take a "safer" choice at first look that makes the headlines, but turns out to be Goestenkors. I don't envy having to make that decision. I think to not take a major body blow beyond the one already taken at this point it needs to be someone for whom the current players will mostly stick with. How you know that ahead of time is the trick. It is a lot easier to recruit after a great season than one that is mediocre at best. Having to have a "do-over" is disastorous.
I will bet one thing. There will be people here who will greatly praise the hire and others that will denounce it.......and the likely probability of either side being right is pretty much equal. My lingering concern is what the players think about it, because I think that will tell us if we take a minor step back or possibly little at all or we find ourselves in a position that knocks us for a loop that could take years and years to overcome......if the desire to overcome it at that point is even still there.