Some publicity on USF regarding MBB Coach

[USFan]

South Alabama's John Pelphrey is a finalist for the South Florida job. If it's offered and the money is right and the contract is long and his family likes Tampa, then he should accept the position and immediately hire movers.

A jump from the Sun Belt to the Big East is a big jump, in both prestige and tax bracket. Plus, it would be fun to compete in a league on national television multiple times a week, and matching wits with mentor Rick Pitino could be special on some level.

Want more reasons Pelphrey should go?

I could list 10, easy.

But there is only one reason that matters, and it's more about Pelphrey's profession than Pelphrey himself. Even if he's unsure whether it would be the right career move -- that's the word, by the way -- Pelphrey should go because he's a college basketball coach, and it's hard to imagine a more fragile business. One day you are lauded, the next day you are loathed. So the smartest thing to do is move while you're hot because you won't stay hot long.............

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10071660

[Bull94]

Pelfrey is NOT an upgrade from Mac. His first 3 years at USA they went 36-48. Hardly a world beater. Compare that to Macs 3 years prior to USF. Same thing. Not an upgrade.

[JoeBulls]

Yeah -- other then his pedigree (pitino, donovan) -- he really didn't do much at South Alabama the first three years.

Can't see how this is a huge upgrade either.

makes no sense what so ever.

[Guest Rueben_Horowitz]

I'm not singing this guy's praises, but let's be realistic.

How can you bash the guys first 3yrs at SOUTH ALABAMA?

Do you have any idea how hard it must be to get kids to play at USA, in the SunBelt?

And the UK legacy talk is freakin hilarious....NO WAY UK hires him in the next 5 years. Even so, it's a stupid reason not to hire someone - For fear they will move on to where the grass is greener.

I think he played his hand well.

[Bull94]

I'm not singing this guy's praises, but let's be realistic.

How can you bash the guys first 3yrs at SOUTH ALABAMA?

Do you have any idea how hard it must be to get kids to play at USA, in the SunBelt?

And the UK legacy talk is freakin hilarious....NO WAY UK hires him in the next 5 years. Even so, it's a stupid reason not to hire someone - For fear they will move on to where the grass is greener.

I think he played his hand well.

so did Mac with his 3 years at WMU.

virtually identical results. If Mac had stayed for his 4th year his recruits took the next coach to the tourney. and the year after they went to the NIT. Identical.

This is NOT an upgrade. The guy has been wallowing in the Sunbelt for 5 years now with an overall record of 80-67. 36-48 his first 3 years.

We need to make the push for Grant now or this is all for not.

Same type coach, same crappy budget, same results.

[Ruger7mmmag]

A few notes.  

1)  His wife won't like Tampa.  So it's going to have to be a pile of money for them to move.  By Pile, I mean at least doubling his current deal bc it cost alot more to live in Tampa than Mobile.  Plus his wife loves the South.  Though Tampa is further south, it's might as well be Jersey with all the yankees down there.  I know, my family is from Michigan and moved down to Tampa and is a perfect example of it.

2)  MOBILE IS A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE PLACE FOR A COLLEGE KID.  I loved going to college in tampa bc there was always something to do and you had a major airport where you could get to anywhere in the country pretty easily if you wanted to get out.  Mobile is a great place for FAMILIES, but nothing to do for college kids.  There's no place even remotely comparable to Ybor, it's more of a commuter school than USF was BEFORE FOOTBALL, the city is big enough to have traffic but not big enough to have a ton of stuff to do and Katrina killed Biloxi and New Orleans just far enough away that you don't go down there for a night.  It gets cold enough to have "winter" but not cold enough to snow.  It gets blazing hot during the summer but always rains bc we're on the "wrong side of the bay".

Add that to who in the heck has ever heard of South Alabama?  The first few years he was playing with kids from the previous regime so really you can only look at his last two years to really get a good feel for what he has been able to do with the guys he can get.

Look at Coach Leavitt.  Everyone here loves him.  But he still doesn't have the name power to get the 5 star guys despite his success.  So you can't levy that kind of criticism on this guy at South.  The difference between what the basketball coach faces vs. the football coach is in the Big East, it's MUCH HARDER to make your mark in basketball than in football with "average recruits".

The only hires USF should be looking at is either getting a solid guy like Pelphrey who has years to build (which JP does not as he will be going to Kentucky, mark my words) or they should've waited to fire RMC until a BIG NAME came up and then sold the house to get him.  They really screwed up by not getting Huggins last year.

[Joe]

so did Mac with his 3 years at WMU.

virtually identical results. If Mac had stayed for his 4th year his recruits took the next coach to the tourney. and the year after they went to the NIT. Identical.

You do know that WMU was in the NCAAs 2 years before RMC was hired and they had 7 winning seasons in 9 years...

Whereas USA had been struggling 6 years without making the tourny (where they had been regulars for years under TAMU-CC coach Ronnie Arrow)

This is NOT an upgrade. The guy has been wallowing in the Sunbelt for 5 years now with an overall record of 80-67. 36-48 his first 3 years.

I mean, he's only gotten Southern Alabama to a decent level. I admit his record isn't great, but your talking about a guy that has been considered "the next Billy Donovan" since late 90s/early 2000s. He's won 20 games at a program like USA the last 2 years. It's not even a "mid major" WMU is at least in a "mid major" conference.

We need to make the push for Grant now or this is all for not.

I agree! However, Grant's price is going to be at least 750k; plus several upgrades. There are several jobs out there that are going to be making a run. I just don't think he's a realistic candidate, especially when a coach from EKU is turning the job down.

[Held_AccountaBull]

so did Mac with his 3 years at WMU.

virtually identical results. If Mac had stayed for his 4th year his recruits took the next coach to the tourney. and the year after they went to the NIT. Identical.

You do know that WMU was in the NCAAs 2 years before RMC was hired and they had 7 winning seasons in 9 years...

Whereas USA had been struggling 6 years without making the tourny (where they had been regulars for years under TAMU-CC coach Ronnie Arrow)

This is NOT an upgrade. The guy has been wallowing in the Sunbelt for 5 years now with an overall record of 80-67. 36-48 his first 3 years.

I mean, he's only gotten Southern Alabama to a decent level. I admit his record isn't great, but your talking about a guy that has been considered "the next Billy Donovan" since late 90s/early 2000s. He's won 20 games at a program like USA the last 2 years. It's not even a "mid major" WMU is at least in a "mid major" conference.

We need to make the push for Grant now or this is all for not.

I agree! However, Grant's price is going to be at least 750k; plus several upgrades. There are several jobs out there that are going to be making a run. I just don't think he's a realistic candidate, especially when a coach from EKU is turning the job down.

SOUTH alabama

[JoeBulls]

I can see the headlines on News Channel 8.

"USF's got a new basketball coach,  John What-the-Hell from South Alabama is the new skipper on Fowler Avenue"

and then the locals change the channel to "Deal or No Deal."

When is USF going to make the big move?

This is depressing.

[Held_AccountaBull]

I can see the headlines on News Channel 8.

"USF's got a new basketball coach,  John What-the-Hell from South Alabama is the new skipper on Fowler Avenue"

and then the locals change the channel to "Deal or No Deal."

When is USF going to make the big move?

This is depressing.

Deal or No Deal is already on news channel 8  ;D