2019 Coaching Changes

[quote="ron " post=335944][quote="redmannorth" post=335924][quote="NCJohnnie" post=335922]Imho, disappointing results came primarily from being too small, having no bench and players not bringing it every night rather than from any "system" we employed. Hopefully we will be bigger and deeper next year although that obviously remains to be seen. As for Mullin be willing to (i) listen to new staff members and (ii) learn from hard lessons of this year only time will tell. I'll wait and see and hope for the best.[/quote]

Very accurate post and in addition for the first time in his coaching career Coach Mullin has an AD looking closely at what he is doing and or not doing. Many other programs at SJU do well and I have to believe that the real purpose Mike Cragg was hired is to improve the men’s bball program which is the biggest revenue producing sport by far at SJU. A coach being absent during key recruiting periods will be noticed and hopefully not tolerated. As Paultzman has often pointed out Cragg is observing , taking notes, reflecting and hopefully will act when the time is right.[/quote]

Pretty sure it is the only revenue producing sport.[/quote] My section 114 friends and myself eat a lot of hot dogs at the baseball games we go to on campus so that might be a profitable sport also :)
 
[quote="Marillac" post=335925][quote="Knight" post=335908][quote="Marillac" post=335907][quote="austour" post=335904][quote="Marillac" post=335902]

What “system”’did you see this season? Hang on and pray with a 6’7 center and 6’6 195 PF? That’s clearly not what he wants going forward. Steere is built the hulk and they went out and got 6’10 Manuel as well with Roberts, Keita, and Earlington on the roster.[/quote]

Yeah, can't wait to see those guys playing ree form 5 out standing outside the arc and jacking up the occasional or not that occasional three.[/quote]

I think it’s pretty obvious that we played “5 out” out of necessity. Mullin would have loved to have a big man to post and draw double teams. It opens up the whole court offensively.[/quote]

Should have recruited a serviceable Big. But its tough to recruit when you only have one recruiter covering the world.[/quote]

Even tougher when that one recruiter doesn’t know a thing about basketball. Hopefully that will change with his replacement. Hsu would run laps around Matt.[/quote]

A few weeks ago you were raving about our team , our team that was recruited entirely by Matt. Now you are stating he knows nothing about bbball but yet Will Wade went after him 2 years ago and possibly Hoiberg will try to get him on staff. Which one is it because it can’t be both. Your two opinions are diametrically opposed. SMH at some of your comments. I understand you like your friend Hsu but statements like this cause you to lose the shred of credibility you may have with some posters on this board.
 
[quote="Chicago Days" post=335949][quote="RedStormNC" post=335936]Someone had exchange w/ Mullin's wife about his effort and engagement and recruiting

..she makes it seem he actively recruits and is always on the clock for the program

Replying to
@BernieBonds
@DextersServant
and 2 others
No doubt a lot of work.....like non stop, 24/7. I know, I witness it. There is never a disconnect .....✌?[/quote]

Interesting, RedstormNC.
That view sure the heck runs contrary to the prevailing view on this Board!
Gotta laugh.[/quote]

We think every coach is lazy. Lavin, Jarvis, Mullin. Norm was too bad to have his ethic questioned...the examination never got further than his poor performance.
 
Chicago Days wrote: While you nailed it regarding our lack of depth and ‘bigs’ I disagree a little bit, NCJ, about why the ‘system’ failed.
It’s the Warriors’ system that did not work because we had neither the talent nor the depth to make it go.
That system calls for great shooter, plus mobile/athletic ‘bigs’ who can run and shoot with less emphasis on rebounds or boxing out or typical
ABC fundamentals.
We did not have the shooters nor the ‘mobile’ PFs for that ‘system’ to work.
Few college teams do.
Hence, we need to change to a different system that is in better sync with th capabilities of the roster.


Chicago, we'll just have to agree to disagree a bit here. Our problem for most of the year was not scoring/offense, but stopping teams that were so much bigger than us. When we were hitting our shots and weren't getting dominated inside the system worked very well against the Marquettes and Creightons of the world. As our team wore down over the course of the year from playing too many minutes against bigger stronger guys, our shooting percentages also suffered. Anyway, I'll leave it up to staff to decide what system to use and system may need tinkering, but it is clear to me that we will not win consistently unless we get a little bigger, stronger & deeper. All of these teams making good runs (except perhaps Duke who are unique) have a couple of solid bigs and have 7 or 8 guys they can play with little dropoff.
 
Last edited:
[quote="Chicago Days" post=335950][quote="Paultzman" post=335939]Hsu is a quality candidate for sure. Of course there may be another guy in the mix media guys have not yet identified, happens often obviously.[/quote]

I think redken commented that he was hearing Pecora was one of the leaders for an AC spot. Is Hsu the other...and /or a ‘mystery’ candidate?
Hope we have better luck with the ‘mystery’ AC than we did with snaring last year’s ‘Mystery’ Big!
Lol.[/quote]

I don't think Hsu is a leading candidate, but I'm hoping to change that. He is a MONSTER. He will be a head coach somewhere in the future. He knows everyone from prep to juco to high school. He's way to good (and available) for us to consider. Too much of a no-brainer.
 
[quote="Marillac" post=335925][quote="Knight" post=335908][quote="Marillac" post=335907][quote="austour" post=335904][quote="Marillac" post=335902]

What “system”’did you see this season? Hang on and pray with a 6’7 center and 6’6 195 PF? That’s clearly not what he wants going forward. Steere is built the hulk and they went out and got 6’10 Manuel as well with Roberts, Keita, and Earlington on the roster.[/quote]

Yeah, can't wait to see those guys playing ree form 5 out standing outside the arc and jacking up the occasional or not that occasional three.[/quote]

I think it’s pretty obvious that we played “5 out” out of necessity. Mullin would have loved to have a big man to post and draw double teams. It opens up the whole court offensively.[/quote]

Should have recruited a serviceable Big. But its tough to recruit when you only have one recruiter covering the world.[/quote]

Even tougher when that one recruiter doesn’t know a thing about basketball. Hopefully that will change with his replacement. Hsu would run laps around Matt.[/quote]

C'mon, the Matt A bashing needs to stop. The guy worked his ass off at St. John's for 4 years and tried to put together a roster with an absentee head coach.

For what it's worth, when both Will Wade and Fred Hoiberg try to steal you away, you must be doing something right.
 
[quote="DoodyNY33" post=335972]
C'mon, the Matt A bashing needs to stop. The guy worked his ass off at St. John's for 4 years and tried to put together a roster with an absentee head coach.

For what it's worth, when both Will Wade and Fred Hoiberg try to steal you away, you must be doing something right.[/quote]

Those guys can afford to have a non-coach on the bench because they are much better coaches than Mullin. Matt doesn't do any coaching at all. Not sure how much Hoiberg is involved in recruiting, but Wade is (especially the cheating part). And at Iowa St. Fred had Otzelberger, who coached and recruited.

Matt also submarined Slice. Yes, he was the only one working his ass off here, but that doesn't mean he's above criticism, especially since he's now out the door.
 
[quote="DoodyNY33" post=335972][quote="Marillac" post=335925][quote="Knight" post=335908][quote="Marillac" post=335907][quote="austour" post=335904][quote="Marillac" post=335902]

What “system”’did you see this season? Hang on and pray with a 6’7 center and 6’6 195 PF? That’s clearly not what he wants going forward. Steere is built the hulk and they went out and got 6’10 Manuel as well with Roberts, Keita, and Earlington on the roster.[/quote]

Yeah, can't wait to see those guys playing ree form 5 out standing outside the arc and jacking up the occasional or not that occasional three.[/quote]

I think it’s pretty obvious that we played “5 out” out of necessity. Mullin would have loved to have a big man to post and draw double teams. It opens up the whole court offensively.[/quote]

Should have recruited a serviceable Big. But its tough to recruit when you only have one recruiter covering the world.[/quote]

Even tougher when that one recruiter doesn’t know a thing about basketball. Hopefully that will change with his replacement. Hsu would run laps around Matt.[/quote]

C'mon, the Matt A bashing needs to stop. The guy worked his ass off at St. John's for 4 years and tried to put together a roster with an absentee head coach.

For what it's worth, when both Will Wade and Fred Hoiberg try to steal you away, you must be doing something right.[/quote]

LOL please tell me this was sarcastic. In the same post you plead for me to stop "bashing" Matt A (by simply saying Hsu is better btw) you call Mullin an "absentee coach." WTF?

How did we make the tournament if Mullin was absent? Matt couldn't coach a drill in practice let a lone prepare for a game. Mitch? Was St. Jean just a beast?
 
[quote="L J S A" post=335983][quote="DoodyNY33" post=335972]
C'mon, the Matt A bashing needs to stop. The guy worked his ass off at St. John's for 4 years and tried to put together a roster with an absentee head coach.

For what it's worth, when both Will Wade and Fred Hoiberg try to steal you away, you must be doing something right.[/quote]

Those guys can afford to have a non-coach on the bench because they are much better coaches than Mullin. Matt doesn't do any coaching at all. Not sure how much Hoiberg is involved in recruiting, but Wade is (especially the cheating part). And at Iowa St. Fred had Otzelberger, who coached and recruited.

Matt also submarined Slice. Yes, he was the only one working his ass off here, but that doesn't mean he's above criticism, especially since he's now out the door.[/quote]


We think Matt was busting his ass because Zach was his hype man. Do you think St. Jean was sending Zach selfies of him in the film room at 3 AM?

I'm glad Matt is gone and so should all of you. I'm not sure how Matt gets credit for being the architect of Iowa St. That is just not accurate.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=335965]Chicago Days wrote: While you nailed it regarding our lack of depth and ‘bigs’ I disagree a little bit, NCJ, about why the ‘system’ failed.
It’s the Warriors’ system that did not work because we had neither the talent nor the depth to make it go.
That system calls for great shooter, plus mobile/athletic ‘bigs’ who can run and shoot with less emphasis on rebounds or boxing out or typical
ABC fundamentals.
We did not have the shooters nor the ‘mobile’ PFs for that ‘system’ to work.
Few college teams do.
Hence, we need to change to a different system that is in better sync with th capabilities of the roster.


Chicago, we'll just have to agree to disagree a bit here. Our problem for most of the year was not scoring/offense, but stopping teams that were so much bigger than us. When we were hitting our shots and weren't getting dominated inside the system worked very well against the Marquettes and Creightons of the world. As our team wore down over the course of the year from playing too many minutes against bigger stronger guys, our shooting percentages also suffered. Anyway, I'll leave it up to staff to decide what system to use and system may need tinkering, but it is clear to me that we will not win consistently unless we get a little bigger, stronger & deeper. All of these teams making good runs (except perhaps Duke who are unique) have a couple of solid bigs and have 7 or 8 guys they can play with little dropoff.[/quote]

NP NCJ. We see it differently.
Our 'system' imo requires consistent outside shooters from deep and athletic and mobile bigs.
Camping outside and hurling long 3s and the team scampers back on D left us a 1-n-done offensive regularly.
We lacked that capability in many games, particularly the last 9 games, but also in the Seton Hall 'loss' and the G-Town and Nova losses.
And because we lacked outside shooting consistency, our size mismatch against Depaul, Providence, and Xavier was magnified.
Lack of 'depth' was definitely a part of that but I'm also down on Mullin's system for the talent level we have or are likely to have.
But that's me.
 
Last edited:
I don't know the composition of Wade's staff, but I took a look at Hoiberg's Iowa St run given the comparisons to Mullin and criticism on here.

In addition to TJ, who has become an accomplished HC and can recruit, he had Cornell Mann an assistant with significant college experience and in the recruiting game. And when TJ jumped he had Doc Sadler, a former high major head coach. When you have guys like that you can get away with an AC like Matt who focuses on only recruiting and even there has a specific niche with the transfer market. Far cry from what Mullin surrounded himself with.


[quote="L J S A" post=335983][quote="DoodyNY33" post=335972]
C'mon, the Matt A bashing needs to stop. The guy worked his ass off at St. John's for 4 years and tried to put together a roster with an absentee head coach.

For what it's worth, when both Will Wade and Fred Hoiberg try to steal you away, you must be doing something right.[/quote]

Those guys can afford to have a non-coach on the bench because they are much better coaches than Mullin. Matt doesn't do any coaching at all. Not sure how much Hoiberg is involved in recruiting, but Wade is (especially the cheating part). And at Iowa St. Fred had Otzelberger, who coached and recruited.

Matt also submarined Slice. Yes, he was the only one working his ass off here, but that doesn't mean he's above criticism, especially since he's now out the door.[/quote]
 
Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t get the idea of praising someone for “working hard”. I mean, aren’t you supposed to “work hard”? In any event, I always felt like Matt had one foot out the door and was going to jump at the first better opportunity that presented itself. Never felt like he was truly committed to rebuilding his alma mater. I mean, there ain’t enough money in all of Nebraska to get me to leave my Alma Mater and hometown, and uproot my family. Certainly not just a few years after coming back home to be part of a rebuilding process. But, to each his own. Not going to bash the guy, but count me amongst those who feel that we’ll be much better off in the long run without him. Maybe even in the short run.
 
[quote="Monte" post=336037]Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t get the idea of praising someone for “working hard”. I mean, aren’t you supposed to “work hard”? In any event, I always felt like Matt had one foot out the door and was going to jump at the first better opportunity that presented itself. Never felt like he was truly committed to rebuilding his alma mater. I mean, there ain’t enough money in all of Nebraska to get me to leave my Alma Mater and hometown, and uproot my family. Certainly not just a few years after coming back home to be part of a rebuilding process. But, to each his own. Not going to bash the guy, but count me amongst those who feel that we’ll be much better off in the long run without him. Maybe even in the short run.[/quote]

Monte, with all due respect, I disagree with your characterization of Matt's M.O. I don't know what more he could have done as a lone recruiter when the HC seemed disinterested and clueless like much of the time on the sidelines. Who ran the TO huddles? Who defined the roles that each staff member played? PT allotment? It's all on the HC. Question should be what was his role this season?
 
mat probably saw the writing on the wall. as for our saying here " If you don't want to be here, We don't want you here" and that goes for the whole staff too. Not in Cali, HERE!!!
 
[quote="Knight" post=336039][quote="Monte" post=336037]Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t get the idea of praising someone for “working hard”. I mean, aren’t you supposed to “work hard”? In any event, I always felt like Matt had one foot out the door and was going to jump at the first better opportunity that presented itself. Never felt like he was truly committed to rebuilding his alma mater. I mean, there ain’t enough money in all of Nebraska to get me to leave my Alma Mater and hometown, and uproot my family. Certainly not just a few years after coming back home to be part of a rebuilding process. But, to each his own. Not going to bash the guy, but count me amongst those who feel that we’ll be much better off in the long run without him. Maybe even in the short run.[/quote]

Monte, with all due respect, I disagree with your characterization of Matt's M.O. I don't know what more he could have done as a lone recruiter when the HC seemed disinterested and clueless like much of the time on the sidelines. Who ran the TO huddles? Who defined the roles that each staff member played? PT allotment? It's all on the HC. Question should be what was his role this season?[/quote]

Respect your opinion Knight, but do you know for a fact that Matt was unhappy with his role as the sole recruiter? And do you know whether or not a change was coming to the staff that would brought on someone who would have also helped with recruiting? We all expect that Cragg is going to make changes. We all assume those changes will include at least one other asst who will be doing some recruiting. That being the case, why would Matt leave now, when help seemed to be on its way?
 
Can't blame Matt for securing his financial future for him & family.
 
Last edited:
[quote="Monte" post=336041][quote="Knight" post=336039][quote="Monte" post=336037]Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t get the idea of praising someone for “working hard”. I mean, aren’t you supposed to “work hard”? In any event, I always felt like Matt had one foot out the door and was going to jump at the first better opportunity that presented itself. Never felt like he was truly committed to rebuilding his alma mater. I mean, there ain’t enough money in all of Nebraska to get me to leave my Alma Mater and hometown, and uproot my family. Certainly not just a few years after coming back home to be part of a rebuilding process. But, to each his own. Not going to bash the guy, but count me amongst those who feel that we’ll be much better off in the long run without him. Maybe even in the short run.[/quote]

Monte, with all due respect, I disagree with your characterization of Matt's M.O. I don't know what more he could have done as a lone recruiter when the HC seemed disinterested and clueless like much of the time on the sidelines. Who ran the TO huddles? Who defined the roles that each staff member played? PT allotment? It's all on the HC. Question should be what was his role this season?[/quote]

Respect your opinion Knight, but do you know for a fact that Matt was unhappy with his role as the sole recruiter? And do you know whether or not a change was coming to the staff that would brought on someone who would have also helped with recruiting? We all expect that Cragg is going to make changes. We all assume those changes will include at least one other asst who will be doing some recruiting. That being the case, why would Matt leave now, when help seemed to be on its way?[/quote]

Thanks Monte. Glad to have a civil discussion as the board has become a little irritated lately, with people barking at each other.
I do not know anything here for a fact, just my best guess on my observations. Also, I thought I read Matt worked for Hoiberg for 5 years before signing on with CM. Competing loyalties?
 
[quote="Knight" post=336044][quote="Monte" post=336041][quote="Knight" post=336039][quote="Monte" post=336037]Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t get the idea of praising someone for “working hard”. I mean, aren’t you supposed to “work hard”? In any event, I always felt like Matt had one foot out the door and was going to jump at the first better opportunity that presented itself. Never felt like he was truly committed to rebuilding his alma mater. I mean, there ain’t enough money in all of Nebraska to get me to leave my Alma Mater and hometown, and uproot my family. Certainly not just a few years after coming back home to be part of a rebuilding process. But, to each his own. Not going to bash the guy, but count me amongst those who feel that we’ll be much better off in the long run without him. Maybe even in the short run.[/quote]

Monte, with all due respect, I disagree with your characterization of Matt's M.O. I don't know what more he could have done as a lone recruiter when the HC seemed disinterested and clueless like much of the time on the sidelines. Who ran the TO huddles? Who defined the roles that each staff member played? PT allotment? It's all on the HC. Question should be what was his role this season?[/quote]

Respect your opinion Knight, but do you know for a fact that Matt was unhappy with his role as the sole recruiter? And do you know whether or not a change was coming to the staff that would brought on someone who would have also helped with recruiting? We all expect that Cragg is going to make changes. We all assume those changes will include at least one other asst who will be doing some recruiting. That being the case, why would Matt leave now, when help seemed to be on its way?[/quote]

Thanks Monte. Glad to have a civil discussion as the board has become a little irritated lately, with people barking at each other.
I do not know anything here for a fact, just my best guess on my observations. Also, I thought I read Matt worked for Hoiberg for 5 years before signing on with CM. Competing loyalties?[/quote]

Same here Knight. Maybe competing loyalties, but honestly I never felt Matt was all in here. Just my gut, and some things I’ve heard along the way. He had to know full well when he took the job here that there would always be opportunities to earn more money at a state school. So why come back to your alma mater, allegedly to help with the rebuild, knowing full well a better opportunity is right around the corner and that you’d jump at it? Anyhow we were mediocre with Matt as our lead recruiter and, since I’ve always considered mediocrity around the same level as failure, no great loss to me.
 
Last edited:
I lost respect for him when he pulled that LSU bullshit knowing damn well it was to shake the University down for more money because we were in no position to lose our only recruiter at that point. I wish he would take Zach B with him, I hear the Lincoln Journal Star needs a sports writer.
 
[quote="L J S A" post=335894][quote="Section9" post=335885]After one year on the job I don't think Cragg has the juice to force Chris to do anything, including mandating staff choices or asking Chris to step down. I think this is a critical year for both of them. Chris has the opportunity to revamp his staff with ma leaving and St.Jean supposedly going too. How he does this and how the recruiting goes, along with how the team does will be the deciding factors.

If we strike out in all three areas then we'll see if Cragg has the backing of the administration to make the big move.[/quote]

He didn't leave Duke to be a juice-less, ball-less figurehead.[/quote]

Ok, hypothetical question, Cragg demands final approval of staff changes, Chris balks, who do you think Gempesaw and his cronies back?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top