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The St V crowd is gone. Let's make a move on the Hoban contingent.

It's been awhile since we discussed KD winning 20 games. Feels nice

Dambrot inherited a 10-22 program who for 1-2 years didn't even have a home arena because it was under renovation. He had 1 disastrous year immediately following covid. Other than that year he was consistently hitting his 20 wins and going 10-8 in conference. Dru inherited a team coming off its first NCAA win in decades. Optimism for the program was never higher. Edit: Also, it's worth noting the A10 is weaker now compared to 5-10 years ago as can be evidenced by fewer at-large bids. Edit 2: I am not completely against Dru as the next coach. He would just be down my list if other options failed.

Notably though, he won his only NCAAT game there too. That's where we all want to be but with the conference track record of Groce.

You're saying he's Gannon's "Stan Heath"?

Not advocating for Dru, but without looking at numbers, I am pretty sure KD was a middle of the road coach (maybe slightly above .500) at Duquesne over his career as well.

Kehres! or that guy from Hoban.

@Captain Kangaroo Jordan Fee deserves the Gannon credit - he's off to Lamar for his first D1 head coaching gig next year too.

This feels like a rare opportunity for all parties to elevate. Groce gets what he wants, Dustin gets his shot, and Akron can possibly take another step forward.

Which high-major teams did we beat during the JG Era? Personally, and I can't speak for others, I'm OK with being a program that is at or near the top of the MAC every year. A tourney win would be incredible and while I don't agree with people who say it isn't possible anymore, I do think it is far less likely than the pre-NIL era of college basketball. Being one of the last two teams left standing in Cleveland on Saturday night is still a thrill to me, and I think turning the program over to Ford - if he wants it - may be the best way to do that.

AFAIC, make Bud the HC and GM. He can hire assistants to do the actual coaching.

Ugh

My replacement hot list - Leader - Dustin Ford. Positives: He's paid his dues as the top assistant under the most successful coach in UA history. Culture stays in place. Bud likes him. Negatives: Coleman Crawford paid his dues under Bob Huggins, and that didn’t work out so well. We need to interview at least 3 candidates. Bobby Hurley: Positives – Won big in the MAC with Buffalo. Available. Nationally recognized “splash” hire (AD’s like this kind of hire). Negative – Wholly unlovable crybaby…but people tend to overlook that if you win. And at the mid-major level he's a proven winner. Dru Joyce: Positives: Lebron's buddy...although in 20 years Lebron hasn't given the Zips program much, other than some shoes and a logo patch. Dru will be championed by favorite son Keith Dambrot. He's a former Zips point guard with extensive professional playing experience. Presently Duquesne's HC with "moderate" success. He's a formidable opponent to Ford for this opening...should he want it. Negatives: The Lebron association doesn't seem to produce any tangible help to the Zips program. Dru hasn't exactly caught lightning in a bottle at Duquesne. His hire would take the Zips in a completely different direction. Long Shot Outside-the-Box Hire – Easton Bazzoli HC at Gannon Positives – Coaching Gannon in the D2 finals this Sunday. “Local-ish” guy. Took Gannon from a 3-23 record 2 years ago to 32-3 this season. Negatives – Not a “splash” hire. New culture install. Is he worthy of a D1 "high mid-major" job like Akron’s? This is where the rubber meets the road and we see what Goodrich is made of!

Agree wholeheartedly with my guy @Hilltopper. Both have been fantastic stewards of our favorite program. Appreciation is my first and last instinct here. IMHO, program maintenance should not be the goal of the upcoming hire. While I understand the desire for rapid resolution and continuity, now might also be the time to really examine the opportunity to adjust the approach so as to break through the NCAA "ceiling." We wouldn't have thought or been seriously motivated to make a change solely for this reason, but now that the program is facing the need to replace a coach, it's a chance to really define the goals for the next regime. After KD did the heavy lifting to make the program a leader in the MAC, JG further moved the the program to sustained conference dominance. The Zips benefited from his experience at a High Major .. and how to beat High Major teams. Miami has benefited from Steele's time at a High Major. This is a time to evaluate what the program needs to keep ascending. For me, this means a coach with High Major experience. If they've also had success at a mid-major, that's a bonus. Not the only coach that would fit the bill, but I think we should make a few calls ...

who?

Thanks for the reminder. I try to forget. 🤢

I have no idea whether Ford would be a good choice or not. He's never been a head coach. See Coleman Crawford. 😬

As a Bobcats lifer, all I can say is I/we know the feeling. Groce being wildly successful from Day 1 at Akron unfortunately puts the writing on the wall that he will be hired away.

At least he won't have to play his brother 1-3 times a year.

FWIW it's rumored there's a good chance LBJ will be living and playing full time in NEO again this fall.

Not really.

I wish JG well in his new endeavor. We survived Dambrots departure. We will survive this one too.

Zips basketball fandom has passed through denial and bargaining, and are most of the way through anger. Depression and acceptance ahead.

I’d go hard after Hubert Davis!!!!

It might not have just been salary. It likely takes more NIL to be competitive in the AAC compared to CAA. It could be that wherever he went he wanted to make sure they were the top spenders in their conference.