Kevin Willard

[Dehere]

He wants out, because he knows this is the best he is going to do at Seton Hall, he thinks that USF has resources that he can use and the conference is much easier to be good in.  

 

Thamel came out and named him today.  It is going to happen.  If Angel Delgado is going pro, then he has nothing left at Seton Hall to not go into a tailspin next year, and he knows it.  If USF offers, he is here.

[Triple B]

51 minutes ago, Dehere said:

He wants out, because he knows this is the best he is going to do at Seton Hall, he thinks that USF has resources that he can use and the conference is much easier to be good in.  

Thamel came out and named him today.  It is going to happen.  If Angel Delgado is going pro, then he has nothing left at Seton Hall to not go into a tailspin next year, and he knows it.  If USF offers, he is here.

Interesting if accurate ... as long as he comes in eyes wide open and would know what he would be getting himself into here.

[goldenbrahm1996]

16 hours ago, Dehere said:

He wants out, because he knows this is the best he is going to do at Seton Hall, he thinks that USF has resources that he can use and the conference is much easier to be good in.  

 

Thamel came out and named him today.  It is going to happen.  If Angel Delgado is going pro, then he has nothing left at Seton Hall to not go into a tailspin next year, and he knows it.  If USF offers, he is here.

Considering the position we're in currently, this would be an absolute Home Run of a hire if it happens. He has ties to the area and frequently visits and plays golf in the off-season. I had the chance to spend some time with him a couple years ago, and despite being a Pitino disciple, he's a stand up dude. 

Edited February 27, 2017 by goldenbrahm1996

[Triple B]

46 minutes ago, goldenbrahm1996 said:

Considering the position we're in currently, this would be an absolute Home Run of a hire if it happens. He has ties to the area and frequently visits and plays golf in the off-season. I had the chance to spend some time with him a couple years ago, and despite being a Pitino disciple, he's a stand up dude. 

Again, it depends on what your definition of a home run hire is. To me, it's someone who just by his name/reputation would immediately breathe life into the program, exciting the casual USF fan base, students and possibly the community ... and I can't think of any like that who would be realistic candidates. Willard may well be a home run hire in that he eventually turns the program back around which would be awesome.

FWIW, your description, "has ties to the area and frequently visits and plays golf in the off-season", would have probably described Skip, too.

[bullsbucsfan426]

23 minutes ago, Triple B said:

Again, it depends on what your definition of a home run hire is. To me, it's someone who just by his name/reputation would immediately breathe life into the program, exciting the casual USF fan base, students and possibly the community ... and I can't think of any like that who would be realistic candidates. Willard may well be a home run hire in that he eventually turns the program back around which would be awesome.

FWIW, your description, "has ties to the area and frequently visits and plays golf in the off-season", would have probably described Skip, too.

I think it would take hiring someone like Jim Calhoun or Rick Pitino themselves to get people that excited. Those are proven, high quality coaches who have long track records of success in basketball. 

USF is not in the position to hire those types of coaches. We will need a program builder who is willing to put in the hard yards to get USF successful. 

Chris Caputo has been on Larranaga's staff for the last 15 years and those two have turned Miami into a men's basketball power. It's a very similar environment to USF, Miami was essentially "meh" before they came in (yeah, they won games, but they were an NIT program on their best years). 

He's an excellent recruiter and a defensive mind. All grit, not a ton of flash, but wins will get people in the seats, and that's what I want. He's also going to be motivated to win quickly-Larranaga is 67 and unless they want to promote Caputo up next year while Larranaga retires, I think they will lose him. Win in three years, he's gone, we have a buyout for our next coach. 

EDIT: I should also point out that nine of those years were at the mid-major level at George Mason. While the AAC will be essentially a high major conference once Memphis and UConn rebound to their normal high levels, someone like Caputo will have the networks and resources to go after the right types of players that we can get rather than being dependent on transfers and home run longshots. 

Edited February 27, 2017 by bullsbucsfan426

[CousinRicky]

Or we should hire Larry Brown according to Tom Jones of the TBT  

[Triple B]

13 minutes ago, Bourbon Bull said:

Or we should hire Larry Brown according to Tom Jones of the TBT  

Saw that this morning and did think he'd fit my criteria .... but at 76, I don't think he'd survive a year of USF MBB. 

[NJBull]

Wow if this happens - he did clean up an absolute S Show that Gonzalez left.  King Rice needs to get a look too, he will be a very hot name if not the hottest if Monmouth gets in and wins a tourney game.

[bullsbucsfan426]

1 hour ago, Bourbon Bull said:

Or we should hire Larry Brown according to Tom Jones of the TBT  

That was Martin Fennelly. 

And to no one's surprise, he came off as an absolute moron. 

Martin Fennelly's destination: Garden writing. 

 

[CousinRicky]

40 minutes ago, bullsbucsfan426 said:

That was Martin Fennelly. 

And to no one's surprise, he came off as an absolute moron. 

Martin Fennelly's destination: Garden writing. 

 

It was in Tom Jones' Two Cents column on p 2.