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Possible Wake Forest Coaching Candidates Analysis

Last year, Odom had a player, Jarius Lyles, that was far above the UMBC/America East level, and to Odom's credit, he rode Lyles to last second upset over Vermont in the America East conference tourney and an epic tourney upset over #1 UVA. With Lyles gone, Odom has a long way to go to prove that he build a program and win on a consistent basis. At some point, Odom may prove that he is Power V conference worthy, but he is not close to establishing his chops yet.

The Frank Martin candidacy makes me chuckle. Yes, he looks like his head is going to explode sometimes. I guess that would provide more solace when WF suffers another loss, but a coach's sideline demeanor should not be a material selection criterion.

Nate Oats should be on the short list. He is coaching at Buffalo; think about the inherent disadvantages. A school with no tradition, no local pool of talent and has to recruit to Buffalo. No one wants to spend their winters in Buffalo. Each year they have improved. Last year, Buffalo beat Arizona in the NCAAs and gave Kentucky a battle (BTW, I just looked at the Buffalo box score from the AZ and KY games and Ikenna Smart started both those games had 8 rebounds and shot 4 for 6 from the field in 28 minutes in those two games against NBA players - hard to believe). This year, Buffalo is 9-0 with a win over WV. Oats knows what he is doing, and will be a solid Power V coach soon.
 
Last year, Odom had a player, Jarius Lyles, that was far above the UMBC/America East level, and to Odom's credit, he rode Lyles to last second upset over Vermont in the America East conference tourney and an epic tourney upset over #1 UVA. With Lyles gone, Odom has a long way to go to prove that he build a program and win on a consistent basis. At some point, Odom may prove that he is Power V conference worthy, but he is not close to establishing his chops yet.

The Frank Martin candidacy makes me chuckle. Yes, he looks like his head is going to explode sometimes. I guess that would provide more solace when WF suffers another loss, but a coach's sideline demeanor should not be a material selection criterion.

Nate Oats should be on the short list. He is coaching at Buffalo; think about the inherent disadvantages. A school with no tradition, no local pool of talent and has to recruit to Buffalo. No one wants to spend their winters in Buffalo. Each year they have improved. Last year, Buffalo beat Arizona in the NCAAs and gave Kentucky a battle (BTW, I just looked at the Buffalo box score from the AZ and KY games and Ikenna Smart started both those games had 8 rebounds and shot 4 for 6 from the field in 28 minutes in those two games against NBA players - hard to believe). This year, Buffalo is 9-0 with a win over WV. Oats knows what he is doing, and will be a solid Power V coach soon.
Yep. Lyles was that dude last year. I remember watching the ending to that upset over Vermont. They don't even make the NCAAs without that guy's heroics.

Buffalo has two games against good teams next week that I'll be keeping an eye on -- Syracuse on Tuesday (12/18) and Marquette on Friday (12/21).
 
Kind of funny to see Ryan Odom poo pooed by some because a G-Leaguer went off and led them to a history win over a #1 seed. Yet people thought Manning is a legit coach because he made the First Four with John Collins.
 
We can just stop all this potential coaching possibility nonsense now. Rumor has it Ronnie just extended Danny another 6 years for a total 12 year contract due to the resounding pummeling we gave the 300+ RPI 49ers.

Ronnie is just a step ahead of everyone else here and Maestro Manning is here to stay so just let it go.

did rj steal your password?
 
Last year, Odom had a player, Jarius Lyles, that was far above the UMBC/America East level, and to Odom's credit, he rode Lyles to last second upset over Vermont in the America East conference tourney and an epic tourney upset over #1 UVA. With Lyles gone, Odom has a long way to go to prove that he build a program and win on a consistent basis. At some point, Odom may prove that he is Power V conference worthy, but he is not close to establishing his chops yet.

The Frank Martin candidacy makes me chuckle. Yes, he looks like his head is going to explode sometimes. I guess that would provide more solace when WF suffers another loss, but a coach's sideline demeanor should not be a material selection criterion.

Nate Oats should be on the short list. He is coaching at Buffalo; think about the inherent disadvantages. A school with no tradition, no local pool of talent and has to recruit to Buffalo. No one wants to spend their winters in Buffalo. Each year they have improved. Last year, Buffalo beat Arizona in the NCAAs and gave Kentucky a battle (BTW, I just looked at the Buffalo box score from the AZ and KY games and Ikenna Smart started both those games had 8 rebounds and shot 4 for 6 from the field in 28 minutes in those two games against NBA players - hard to believe). This year, Buffalo is 9-0 with a win over WV. Oats knows what he is doing, and will be a solid Power V coach soon.

I'm with you on this.

I'd say Nate Oats and Earl Grant are my top choices, with Lavall Jordan being in the next teir of realistic options.

Also, I just added Lavall Jordan and I'm planning on adding Danny Manning as a comparison point for everyone to look at.
 
Kind of funny to see Ryan Odom poo pooed by some because a G-Leaguer went off and led them to a history win over a #1 seed. Yet people thought Manning is a legit coach because he made the First Four with John Collins.

A little simplistic and not accurate. Easy to bash the Manning hire at this point and impossible to defend the hire given where we are at year 5, but Manning had credentials when hired that Ryan Odom lacks.

Tulsa a high mid-major program, with a solid history, hired Manning after his nine-year stint at Kansas where Manning worked his way up the coaching ladder in an elite program. Then at Tulsa, he had two winning seasons, and in his second, he took Tulsa to the NCAA tourney beating La Tech, coached by board fave Mike White in the finals. Manning had a record of recruiting HS all-americans at Kansas, developing them and winning on a reasonably high level at Tulsa. I understand, and still understand that Manning is/was highly thought of by many (Bill Self, Larry Brown) of the best in college hoop.

In retrospect a bad hire, but it's not like Manning's credentials are equal to guys coaching for one year in the America East.
 
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Kind of funny to see Ryan Odom poo pooed by some because a G-Leaguer went off and led them to a history win over a #1 seed. Yet people thought Manning is a legit coach because he made the First Four with John Collins.

He had us AHEAD OF SCHEDULE?!?!?!!!!!!
 
A little simplistic and not accurate. Easy to bash the Manning hire at this point and impossible to defend the hire given where we are at year 5, but Manning had credentials when hired that Ryan Odom lacks.

Tulsa a high mid-major program, with a solid history, hired Manning after his nine-year stint at Kansas where Manning worked his way up the coaching ladder in an elite program. Then at Tulsa, he had two winning seasons, and in his second, he took Tulsa to the NCAA tourney beating La Tech, coached by board fave Mike White in the finals. Manning had a record of recruiting HS all-americans at Kansas, developing them and winning on a reasonably high level at Tulsa. I understand, and still understand that Manning is/was highly thought of by many (Bill Self, Larry Brown) of the best in college hoop.

In retrospect a bad hire, but it's not like Manning's credentials are equal to guys coaching for one year in the America East.

I wasn’t talking about his time at Tulsa.
 
I know; that's why the comparison was askew.

I was comparing how we view Manning at Wake compared to Odom at UMBC.

Tulsa has nothing to do with that.
 
If Buffalo remains in the Top 25 this year and has another NCAA tournament appearance then Wake has no chance to get him. Our chance to get him was last spring.
 
Why would we have no chance? They can't come close to paying him what we can. Unless UCLA or another Top 15 program opens up, where would be better?
 
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So we need for him to flame out in conference and not make the tournament to get him? Catch 22 indeed.
 
Buffalo up to 14 in the top 25 poll. I'm in on this Oats dude.

Oats will be one of the great college basketball coaches twenty years from now. I'm all in on him and def want him over Miller. I'm fine with Earl Grant but recruiting to Buffalo is hell of a lot harder than recruiting to Charleston.
 
If Buffalo remains in the Top 25 this year and has another NCAA tournament appearance then Wake has no chance to get him. Our chance to get him was last spring.

One of the reasons to go ahead and fire Mannining now is so we can go ahead and get in on a coach like this before everyone else does. We could approach him early and work out something in principal that could be announced as soon as his team is done in the tournament.

If we wait until the season is out, we will have to hope we are the best choice he has(not likely).
 
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