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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.

I'm not hating on him for not donating. I'm not going to tell anyone how they should spend their money. I'm just pointing out that I find it unlikely he'd ever contribute in a meaningful way and we shouldn't really factor that into the hiring discussion. I agree, nothing about Dru excites me. If we were an EMU, Ball State, etc getting a .500 coach who was a former player to excite the fanbase might be a decent move. We instead need someone who keeps the engine moving. To me that's Ford.

Makes me think the Butler ones weren't either..

it seems crazy to me that he supposedly priced himself out of the USF job so they settled for the CoC coach, but CoC as able to then meet his demands. Maybe the USF rumblings weren't as real as we thought

Shammah's grandfather.

I'm w/ you on this. I could see Butler, but CoC is a puzzling.

Been trying to figure out what I am more upset about. Losing Coach Groce or losing him to College of Charleston. It's the latter. This is an insult.

I was angry when KD left. I'm sad with Groce's departure. What a great ride it was. I wish him the best. We just lost a top 25 coach in the country. All that being said, let's get behind Dustin. He's really earned this opportunity.

The LeBron hate is so tired. The man does tons of wonderful work in the Akron community. I'm not going to hate on him for not donating to our NIL fund. I would be surprised to see Dru leave Duquesne, too. And honestly, while I respect him as a great Akron player, I'm not really impressed with him as a head coach.