DraftExpress projections on USF's in BE

[dabull80]

its called coaching... i believe in Mac's ability to coach

I like coach Mac too but do you really believe that with his resume he would even get a shot at coaching any BE team.  I hope we will win some games, after all we play four games against the teams picked to be 15th and 16th.  I wish it were not true but I see us as being outclassed this year and to be realistic we finish last.  Probably the same the following year.  It won't change my support or going to the games so I think my best hope is that one upset of a highly ranked team will make for a good season.  With Macs disciplined style it could happen.  

[Velcro]

Yes, i do believe he would/could have gotten a job in the Big East because he's proven he can coach the game of team basketball.

He's just as good a coach as anything from the mid big east down, so how did they get their jobs?  

Coaching ability comes down to a few topics...

1)  X's and O's... we know Mac is good at this.

2)  Recruiting...  our recruiting struggled early...but signs are now pointing to a promising future under mac in the recruiting category, yet even during those struggles, he's found diamonds in the rough... like Bradley Mosley.

3)  Discipline...  RMC is a no nonsense type of guy.  Its his way or the highway... i like that.

Nothing I have seen to date gives me any reason to be pessimistic (but then, it takes a hell of a lot to make me pessimistic about my Bulls).

[Guest S.  Bien]

I like coach Mac too but do you really believe that with his resume he would even get a shot at coaching any BE team.  I hope we will win some games, after all we play four games against the teams picked to be 15th and 16th.  I wish it were not true but I see us as being outclassed this year and to be realistic we finish last.  Probably the same the following year.  It won't change my support or going to the games so I think my best hope is that one upset of a highly ranked team will make for a good season.  With Macs disciplined style it could happen.  

He was the #1 assistant for Lon Kruger in the SEC, and B10.  Pay his dues and he would have climbed the latter.  Frankly, I think USF caught him on a huge upward trend at WMU.  Have you seen what WMU has done the past two years since his departure- and with a far less savvy and experienced HC leading the way (one of his old assistants)?  

Think of this, USF grabbed him after building WMU into a 2 and done NIT team after building them up from 3-21 in his first year.  Can you guess what type of demand it would have been if he would have just performed exactly as his young assistant who took over the reigns?  I imagine if he had taken WMU to two straight NCAA's, with an NIT before that, won the MAC twice during that time, two wins in the NCAA....I would say that at this time if Mac hadn't come to USF and continued the success he was having at WMU he might have been at a much larger program, certainly making more dollars.

In my mind USF grabbed him at the right time, and got a bit lucky.

[hightechbull]

Here is my prediction for this year:

;D

We can only dream....

[dabull80]

Come on guys, Coach Mac is a good guy and a good coach but we are talking the "BEST" conference in America.  I'll give you some names and you tell me who Mac is better then and which one has a better resume.  Not a "what if" resume or an Oleary resume.

Jim Calhoun(UConn) - HOF coach

John Thompson III(G-Town)

Jim Boeheim(SYR) - HOF coach

Louis Orr(Seton Hall) - a winner

Gary Waters(Rutgars)

Rick Patino(UL) - HOF coach

Tom Crean(Marq) - a proven winner

Jerry Wainwright(DePaul) - cloesest to Mac but more and longer success.

John Beilein(WV)

Mike Brey(ND) Love this guy

Jamie Dixon(Pitt) - strong

Jay Wright(Vill) - great resume

Tim Welsh(Prov) - HOF father coach.

Bob Huggins(Cinci) - new member in AA

I would be glad to disscuss any of these coaches and their accomplishments and what they looked like before they were hired.  This is the BE and every coach in it looks great with a resume to back it up.  I think USF made a good hire with Mac but don't expect him to "out coach" these guys.  We all hope to have success in the BE and we all hope Mac brings it to us but I still say I doubt any of these teams would have gone after him.  For USF it was a good hire and we are hoping for the upside.  He has an extremely difficult job so I just support him and hope for the best.

[Velcro]

great resumes don't equal good coaching NOW.

Mac is as good as half those guys NOW.  Not saying better, but

John Thompson III(G-Town)

Louis Orr(Seton Hall) - a winner

Gary Waters(Rutgars)

Jerry Wainwright(DePaul) - cloesest to Mac but more and longer success.

Mike Brey(ND) Love this guy

Jamie Dixon(Pitt) - strong

Jay Wright(Vill) - great resume

Tim Welsh(Prov) - HOF father coach.

These 8 only have better resumes because of the Big East and the recruiting boost that conference brings, and a couple have been very good recently like Wright.  How were all these coaches upon entry into the big east...what was their first season like?  Even the big names weren't that big prior to entering the big east.  Pitino, before Providence, wasn't anything special.  

I'm not disputing any of those coaches credentials to coach in the big east.  But you make it sound as if Mac shouldn't be in that list because he hasn't earned the right to be there.  He's got all the qualities we need in a coach right here, right now, especially with a team that is only going to win by using good teamwork.

There is no reason to dis mac and say he can't hang with these guys.  He hung with Lutz and Huggins when it counted last year... he is a proven program builder that can win big games.

[dabull80]

But you make it sound as if Mac shouldn't be in that list because he hasn't earned the right to be there.

Velcro I think you hit the nail on the head there.  He hasn't earned the right to be on that list YET.  Mac has a losing record as a head coach and there is no one on that list that does.  You mentioned Wright,who has been hot lately, but before he came came to Nova his last three years at Hofstra where 72-22 with two NCAA post season appearances, coach of year, etc. etc. Hofstra had been awfull for years before he got there.  I don't mean to come off as dising Mac but I also am trying to be realistic in the respect that he doesn't bring the head coach winning tradition that the others do.  You and I both want the same thing and we both agree that Mac was a good choice and a good coach for USF but until he wins in the BE both USF and Mac don't deserve to be given anything including respect as a top notch BE coach or a good basketball program and for that matter I think Mac would feel the same way.  Win and you get the respect.  So we all hope that USF suprises everyone and continues the success they had at year end last year.

[smazza]

we will surprise a few people

[Velcro]

I didn't say Mac had earned the right to be considered a top tier big east coach yet... but he has earned the right to coach in the Big East.  He has excellent pedigree (coached under a great coach in kruger), made something out of nothing at WMU, made a final 4 with UF, and beat ranked teams in March for us... heck... he was a game away from making the NCAA tournament last year, despite the sub 500 record.  He's earned the right to be in the big east, and he'll earn the right, down the road, to be considered a great big east coach, but for now, he is an excellent coach and a perfect fit for us.

[bulls96go]

just win mac