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This leads me to wonder if USF hadn't acted fast once it was decided Gregory was the guy, if Dayton would have gone after him. There is still a sizeable group of Flyer's alums that love Gregory. Many that hold a grudge too. Jon Rothstein‏Verified account @JonRothstein 24m24 minutes ago Indiana will hire Dayton's Archie Miller as its next head basketball coach, per a source. Flyers have just received official resignation.

The Bill Self tree is looking very good right now. I would love for USF to enjoy a similar turnaround to what SMU has enjoyed these last few years. I think Dooley may just take down FSU.

No need to argue about it. No one expected programs like ECU and Tulane to be contenders from the outset. The conference went into expansion with the intent to develop those programs. We can throw around terms like "Major" but EVERY conference has a bottom. Not every conference has Mens and Womens national titles in the last 5 years. The AAC just needs their bellcows to perform to historical levels. Down years by Memphis, UConn, and Temple, were felt more deeply because we've brought in a lot of new coaches (which is still a very good thing). It's all a process. Teams have invested and the AAC boasts a nice roster of coaches. Make no mistake, it's going to be an extremely difficult conference. It's unwise to judge based on a sample size that was taken during extreme upheaval. The SEC has gotten 2 bids at times. Conferences go through cycles.

If Temple was only really good playing in the A10, then logic would say the AAC has been a significant step up from the A10 for them. They are recruiting a much higher caliber athlete now. Dunphy is getting guys in this years class that didn't give him a sniff in the A10. Its an outstanding class.

I agree. Most of the articles about this hire fail to mention that Brian Gregory stepped into a Georgia Tech program with 3 years left on probation. He had zero chance for a quick turnaround there. Per Izzo: "I thought he got fired for some of the wrong reasons when I look back on a guy that took a job, was under three years probation there when he got the job," Izzo said. "And as Mike Krzyzewski told me when he got fired, he did an unbelievable job in the ACC his last year. So I'm proud of him, happy for him, excited and I know our staff is, and I think he'll do a heck of a job there." http://michiganstate.247sports.com/Bolt/Tom-Izzo-happy-for-Brian-Gregory-as-he-takes-new-opportunity-51766464

Temple and UConn have excellent classes coming in. Look at this class: https://connecticut.rivals.com/commitments/basketball/2017 With Cincinnati and SMU winning around 30 games this year, when you figure in a full scholarship roster at UConn, Memphis, Temple, UCF... and when you understand that Haith had a team full of Freshmen this year at Tulsa, and both Houston and UCF made the NIT this year with very thin rosters, this conference is going to be stacked in short order. It's foolish to think that UConn (after winning two National Championships in the last 6 years) is going to stay down. Not when they're still signing Top 50 dudes. Mid majors don't have that pedigree. This is a major conference, and to treat it otherwise would be to the peril of the Bulls. (that's with or without Wichita). Anyone who has watched the Mustangs and the Bearcats will tell you. That kind of talent doesn't play in the A10. Most people who follow the AAC understand that the conference had less than half a handful of teams playing with a full allotment of used scholarships. All of those teams you criticized had no depth. The Bulls wont have the luxury of playing the 2017 versions of the rest of the conference.

The AAC certainly is a high major. Lately, the struggles of UConn, Memphis, and Temple, haven't reflected that but those teams aren't going to stay down. Hell, UConn has won two Nattys in the last 6 years. SMU and Cincinnati are playing as well as anyone in the country. Gregory is going to have to claw his way up that ladder. It's not going to be a cakewalk. A lot of other programs in the conference have already upgraded their staffs, which is going to make it a grind as well.

It's also good to know that Harlan did his due diligence. Gregory may end up being better than Dambrot. His biggest sin is not winning fast enough at GT (even though they finally did surge at the end of his term). It mystifies me that anyone would think it should be a quicker turnaround at Georgia Tech, considering Louisville, ND, Syracuse, and Pitt had just entered the conference when he started. In a zero sum game, some of those coaches are going to lose. Not making excuses, but I rest easier knowing that he finally did get it going and Pastner stepped into a situation that wasn't exactly dire.

I've seen a lot of people panning the Gregory hire but I tend to agree with the Memphis fan and Fran Fraschilla on this one. For a rebuild situation, Gregory may be a sneaky good hire. I think he has a good name amongst his peers, so USF should have the scheduling component down. He's also familiar with the Florida recruiting grounds. While Gregory wasn't my first choice, I like the hire. Especially now that we hear Bartow will be around. I think it's obvious that Pastner inherited a program in better shape than it was thought to be. USF simply couldn't gamble on two inexperienced guys in a row. Did he set the table for Archie Miller too? Probably. I don't know if he'll be the answer. He might be... But, I feel confident in saying that he is going to be part of the solution, even if its just making the job better for the next guy. I'm looking forward to seeing the next recruiting class. I'm keeping an open mind. Fran Fraschilla‏Verified account @franfraschilla 25m25 minutes ago Smart hire of Brian Gregory @USFMBB. Great success at Dayton, won 21 last year at G-Tech & left nice foundation behind for new staff.

Thanks Brad!