Cluess

[quote="Matty Hoops" post=339788]It's not quite apples to apples as this coach had more NCAA tournament success at his small conference school, but Larranaga is a decent comparison for Cluess. Both are winners. Larranaga posted a .625 overall winning % at George Mason with a .676 conference mark. At Iona, Cluess has coached his teams to a .648 overall and .729 conference winning percentage. Larranaga took that Miami job at the age of 62 or so and has gone 175-97 with two Sweet 16 performances. He's made post-season play 6 out of 8 seasons (2 NIT and 4 NCAA). I think we'd all sign up for similar success with Cluess.[/quote]

That is a good one. The only difference (and I understand you said it was not a perfect comparison) is the style of play.

One is speed ball, and the other preaches defense. I wonder if that makes a difference in how much success Cluess would have as compared to Larranga.
 
[quote="Tha Kid" post=339796][quote="Matty Hoops" post=339788]It's not quite apples to apples as this coach had more NCAA tournament success at his small conference school, but Larranaga is a decent comparison for Cluess. Both are winners. Larranaga posted a .625 overall winning % at George Mason with a .676 conference mark. At Iona, Cluess has coached his teams to a .648 overall and .729 conference winning percentage. Larranaga took that Miami job at the age of 62 or so and has gone 175-97 with two Sweet 16 performances. He's made post-season play 6 out of 8 seasons (2 NIT and 4 NCAA). I think we'd all sign up for similar success with Cluess.[/quote]

That is interesting but we also need to keep in mind Larranaga made a final four at George mason (and the round of 32 a few years later) and cluess hasn’t won a single ncaa game.[/quote]

It's a really good apples to apples for me.
Jimmy did 14 years at GM, 5 tournaments. 1 magical year with the FF and 1 other year he got out of 1st round.
 
[quote="kranmars" post=339799][quote="Matty Hoops" post=339788]It's not quite apples to apples as this coach had more NCAA tournament success at his small conference school, but Larranaga is a decent comparison for Cluess. Both are winners. Larranaga posted a .625 overall winning % at George Mason with a .676 conference mark. At Iona, Cluess has coached his teams to a .648 overall and .729 conference winning percentage. Larranaga took that Miami job at the age of 62 or so and has gone 175-97 with two Sweet 16 performances. He's made post-season play 6 out of 8 seasons (2 NIT and 4 NCAA). I think we'd all sign up for similar success with Cluess.[/quote]

That is a good one. The only difference (and I understand you said it was not a perfect comparison) is the style of play.

One is speed ball, and the other preaches defense. I wonder if that makes a difference in how much success Cluess would have as compared to Larranga.[/quote]

What does Coach K preach? That will give some insight into Cragg’s thought process IMO.
 
[quote="mkras99" post=339865]https://nypost.com/2019/04/11/tim-cluess-momentum-to-st-johns-grows-amid-bobby-hurley-obstacles/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons[/quote]

If this happens, I'm going to be one of the few guys left on this board. I'd love this hire.

We've got to be Providence or Seton Hall, before we can become Villanova, and this move would get us on that track.
 
I will be here with you. He is not the home run everyone expected, but a very solid choice. Has won everywhere. Knows all the local coaches and AAU guys. Can recruit locally (hopefully for our level) and has a plan. Works hard. NOT a Norm re-run.

[quote="SJU61982" post=339871][quote="mkras99" post=339865]https://nypost.com/2019/04/11/tim-cluess-momentum-to-st-johns-grows-amid-bobby-hurley-obstacles/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons[/quote]

If this happens, I'm going to be one of the few guys left on this board. I'd love this hire.

We've got to be Providence or Seton Hall, before we can become Villanova, and this move would get us on that track.[/quote]
 
Didn't we just try this approach under Mullin??

[URL]https://www.rumbleinthegarden....7/st-johns-coaching-search-profile-tim-cluess[/URL]

Will the Iona style translate up? The offense might, but Iona’s defenses have consistently been in the bottom half of adjusted efficiency numbers. Iona plays fast, but often plays games where defense is cursory. The defensive and offensive rebounding numbers have not been great.

Another big issue is talent acquisition. Cluess’ teams have consistently had more mature talent than other programs in the MAAC.

Can he win without recruiting freshmen in the Big East? How many teams in the Big East (or other major conferences) have a rotation of junior college players? Rosters are made of four-year players for a reason — that is the talent that has a ceiling high enough to compete, and few high-level players seem to spend time at junior colleges in the last ten years. (LJ Figueroa may be an exception.)
 
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Cluess would be my choice. He could open up the local recruiting pipeline again and with winning will be able to get better at national recruiting. I don’t want to hear about factions at StJ being against him for transferring to Hofstra during louie’s tenure. That’s ancient history (like me) and those factions have kept us from moving forward.
 
[quote="jackfll" post=339876]Cluess would be my choice. He could open up the local recruiting pipeline again and with winning will be able to get better at national recruiting. I don’t want to hear about factions at StJ being against him for transferring to Hofstra during louie’s tenure. That’s ancient history (like me) and those factions have kept us from moving forward.[/quote]

if that was truly a factor it would be truly disgraceful and embarrassing
 
[quote="P Simmons" post=339874]Didn't we just try this approach under Mullin??

[URL]https://www.rumbleinthegarden....7/st-johns-coaching-search-profile-tim-cluess[/URL]

Will the Iona style translate up? The offense might, but Iona’s defenses have consistently been in the bottom half of adjusted efficiency numbers. Iona plays fast, but often plays games where defense is cursory. The defensive and offensive rebounding numbers have not been great.

Another big issue is talent acquisition. Cluess’ teams have consistently had more mature talent than other programs in the MAAC.

Can he win without recruiting freshmen in the Big East? How many teams in the Big East (or other major conferences) have a rotation of junior college players? Rosters are made of four-year players for a reason — that is the talent that has a ceiling high enough to compete, and few high-level players seem to spend time at junior colleges in the last ten years. (LJ Figueroa may be an exception.)[/quote]
If it was just their NCAA tourney opponents such as North Carolina lighting them up, I’d dismiss it as a talent differential. When MAAC teams score at alarming pace against his teams, it worries me. The Big East will be improved next year and in subsequent years. I try to remain positive, however the potential for disaster exists.
 
Cluess has certainly been successful at every level that he has coached at and has a lot of experience. My only concern is that his teams don't appear to be strong defensively. The Big East is more of a defensive minded, grind it out type of league. Cluess would have to be able to adapt his style of play to some extent to be able to compete with the teams in our league.
 
If Cluess is the next coach, I don't see Heron coming back. I think the transfers that sat out last year stay, but it would be a rough season. I know he's a good coach, I know he wants the job, has the local scene covered, but if the best we can do is the 60 year old current coach at Iona, I think we're looking at the bottom half of the Big East for several years. I see more positive energy by taking a chance on Odom.
 
Someone has to prove to me that Cluess can't coach. He seems to have succeeded everywhere he's been. He's been criticized for recruiting transfers to fill his roster with players. So? How many 5-Star kids stay 4 years these days? The lack of a defensive focus is the only thing that troubles me.
I'm trusting that Cragg knows what he is doing.
 
[quote="Knight" post=339886]Someone has to prove to me that Cluess can't coach. He seems to have succeeded everywhere he's been. He's been criticized for recruiting transfers to fill his roster with players. So? How many 5-Star kids stay 4 years these days? The lack of a defensive focus is the only thing that troubles me.
I'm trusting that Cragg knows what he is doing.[/quote]
Have same concern about the defensive issue and KC is not my first choice, but if Hurley negotiations are unsuccessful, I could support Cluess, not that he needs it. :). He has flat out won everywhere and if he hires two skilled recruiting guys, why not?

The dart board hopefully narrows in the near future. Hoping Cragg gets this one as right as you can in an unpredictable world. He obviously has a lot riding on this.
 
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The MAAC is one of the lowest conferences in D-1 ball. It is a revolving door for coaches these days. It’s not like he’s coaching against Ruland and Magarity.

Cluess was 5-11 v non-MAAC schools this year. 0-3 against the Ivy League.

Iona was #193 in assists and #269 in offensive rebounding. They were too 50 in threes pt attempts per game.
 
[quote="Monte" post=339665]Since going to Iona, has Cluess's name ever been mentioned for any other coaching vacancies?[/quote]
Hofstra wanted him before hiring Mihalich, but didn’t want to pay the buyout.
 
I think we are all concerned about the defense and rebounding issues. I don’t want to see more Mullin-ball. His record though speaks for itself. He’s not my first choice either, hr he has some positives too.

I’m also not totally convinced that this is Hurley or Cluess alone in this. I think that none of these writers really know who’s on Cragg’s list and is a lot of speculation. I do agree that Cluess won’t energize the fan base and with good reason. Still hope we can grab Hurley or maybe something will come out of left field.
 
[quote="Knight" post=339886]Someone has to prove to me that Cluess can't coach. He seems to have succeeded everywhere he's been. He's been criticized for recruiting transfers to fill his roster with players. So? How many 5-Star kids stay 4 years these days? The lack of a defensive focus is the only thing that troubles me.
I'm trusting that Cragg knows what he is doing.[/quote]

He gets better players than his competition at all his stops. That won’t happen at St. John’s. He can’t tap his resources for enough high major talent to fill a Big East roster.

There were 39 d-3 teams in the country when he was at Suffolk and 20 of them are awful. He has the opportunity to take a handful of area JUCO jobs any year so his timing was no accident. A coach with his access to players at CW Post is just unfair. He also brought over players from Suffolk. He inherited a 21-win tournament team from Willard at Iona (and Machado and Michael Glover). Then he was gifted Momo after we were prohibited from signing him.

He’s never built a team like he’d have to do here.
 
If Cluess is the next coach, do you think Hsu & Borman will be part of his staff?
 
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