Brian Gregory will have to create own excitement for Tech
Brian Gregory coached at Dayton for eight seasons. (AP photo)
(UPDATED: 8:56 a.m.)
Sometimes you don’t get the buzz hire (and in this case we don’t mean Buzz Williams). Sometimes you don’t sell tickets or get anybody to run through a wall at the news conference. But sometimes all of that is overrated.
Georgia Tech has hired Brian Gregory of Dayton as its next basketball coach, and we’ll find out soon enough if it was the right decision.
Does he get a lot of people excited? Judging by the reaction when his name leaked out on Twitter a few days ago, no. But that really doesn’t mean anything, unless athletic director Dan Radakovich was hoping to sell season tickets this week.
Georgia didn’t get buzz with Mark Fox. The Falcons didn’t get buzz with Mike Smith.
Excitement from coach hiring last only until the open tipoff or kickoff. After that, you have to win. Gregory has done that. He was 172-94 in eight seasons at Dayton, including 97-46 in the last four. He went to the NCAA tournament in his first season in 2003-04 and lost, and five years later went 27-8 but lost in the second round.
His greatest postseason success: Dayton won the NIT last year.
In the Atlantic 10, Dayton went 22-10 in conference play in Gregory’s first two seasons, but only 48-48 in the next six years.
Shaka Smart, Chris Mooney – and certainly the sudden king of the hill, Brad Stevens — probably would have gotten more people excited. But that doesn’t mean Gregory can’t win everybody over.
By Jeff Schultz
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103 comments Add your comment
mowreck
March 28th, 2011
10:00 am
I love Craig Neel and Mark Price, just like most GT fans that saw them play. Hell, I had tickets ON THE FLOOR when they whipped up on NC in the ACC championship game. I am happy with the hire, because this guy is a COACH. We needed someone with a proven record. Neel and Price have neither been a head coach. But, would love to see one of them as an assistant next year.
mowreck
March 28th, 2011
10:01 am
Don’t worry Jeff, Buzz will show up for the games, he always does.
JB
March 28th, 2011
10:02 am
I’d also mention that this is a guy that is leaving a school where the fans and some of his players aren’t happy to see him go.
HBTD!!!
Glenn
March 28th, 2011
10:15 am
Just went to a Dayton blog . They are pretty excited he’s gone . They feel this move could clear the way for either Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens . Whenever I see Shaka Smarts name that Shaka Con song from the 80’s keeps going though my head . I need to dig up that 45 .
Old Yella'
March 28th, 2011
10:18 am
Dayton Flyer fans welcomed Gregory into the fold when Oliver Prunell left Dayton for Clemson. Gregory recruited well for UD (states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana), won a decent number of games but never took the program to that proverbial next level. No real post-season success, although the Flyers did beat North Carolina for the NIT championship last year (is the NIT success?). Summary of Gregory-he can recruit but not the best with Xs and Os. Sound familiar? Thanks to Dave Braineless, Tech got a decent coach but could not afford a great one.
The gold is way off the Paul Johnson rose. He cannot recruit the number of good players necesssary to be a national program. His style of play, particularly after seeing it a number of times, is just plain boring. Tech will be in the middle of the pack in the ACC as long as he’s at the helm, not terrible but not very good. Probably where the basketball team will be. Mediocre is the word for years to come in both programs.
Yurtle_the_turtle
March 28th, 2011
10:20 am
…and, for prospective viewing, I WAS excited when we initially hired Phewitt and looked how that turned out. So, I’m withholding judgement until year 2 or 3 and see where this leads. All in all still, not very exciting!
down the tubes
March 28th, 2011
10:29 am
why are Dayton fans on their blogs celebrating? Gregory has a 64% winning average, Cremins has a 66% at C of C and beat Gregory in the NIT.
Could DRAD picked up a phone and ask Cremins back?
Football was letdown enough with a fired Groh running the defense and a IAA quarterback running the offense.
This is sad.
doc
March 28th, 2011
10:32 am
traded a guy who couldnt win in the acc the last 6 years for a guy who only did .500 in the atlantic 10 the last six years? who boy, not good. maybe he will be steady and “win” against the lesser talented teams to keep his team at 20 wins a year. enough cream puffs like ksu that hewitt stumbled on should pad things well and give the “impression” of a winner.
ormewood
March 28th, 2011
10:34 am
Dayton has no shot, zero, of luring Smart or Stevens. Those guys are not going to go from one mid-major to another.
MikeB
March 28th, 2011
10:38 am
Dayton alum here…. Gregory is a good coach and a great guy. At a minimum, you got a great ambassador for your program and someone that is easy to root for.
As a coach, Gregory’s teams play well defensively and at times can be dominating on that end of the court. Offensively he’s a little hit or miss as he stresses his system for better or worse. He will field a team that will be competitive and stay in games… but there were few blowout wins for UD in recent years. If GT’s roster is average for the ACC then Gregory is a good pick to get the most out of those guys. But if you were looking for a rock star coach who’d pull in the type of recruits who are on to the NBA after a year or two, then he is probably not your guy.
glsjunior
March 28th, 2011
10:40 am
Who would have thought that Ga. State would make the better coaching hire?
headley lamar
March 28th, 2011
10:51 am
But we learned that CPJ is a winner and that he is the PERFECT coach for Georgia Tech
Perfect for Tech must mean losing to UGA every year, losing the bowl game, and being mediocre in the worst BCS conference.
Wow you guys really do have low standards with regards to Football.
Hal
March 28th, 2011
10:54 am
He sounds good to me. Good LucK CBG
bascogcjs
March 28th, 2011
10:59 am
reality check, the socalled pitiful sec is better than your has been, overrated acc.
These aren’t the 1960’s any longer.
dyslexicbunny
March 28th, 2011
11:01 am
I’ll post this on Doug’s and Mark’s articles too but hopefully one of you will get a chance to do this. Doug had an article about Tech fans having unrealistic expectations. Any chance you could interview Gregory to see what his expectations are for his contact length?
gdawginkalamazoo
March 28th, 2011
11:01 am
What is his last name?
Bill
March 28th, 2011
11:01 am
Welcome Coach Gregory to GT…..now kick some a@@ and put GT’s BB program back on the map.
ANTOINEFORD
March 28th, 2011
11:06 am
The only way Price and Neil are ever coming back to the school is if DRAD hires them to tutor mathmatically-challenged players.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 28th, 2011
11:07 am
Just heard Smart interviewed on the Dan Patrick show. Sounded like he would have been looking for a step up after the tourney. Oh well. Gregory at least had the same job for the past 8 years. He beat UNC last yeat to win the NIT. Face it Dayton isn’t the recruiting bonanza that the Southeast is so he may have a better chance to do well at Tech. He graduates kids. I have seen a lot of positive things on the blogs regarding his character.
rob
March 28th, 2011
11:11 am
Enough with the Noodles/Price deal. Having a guy who has actually run a program as head coach is somewhat desirable when you have a big time program to be run is it not?
PureEvil
March 28th, 2011
11:14 am
This is a very good hire when you consider most people wanted Mark Price or Craig Neal.
Tech Fan
March 28th, 2011
11:23 am
Agree with some other commenters here. Paul Johnson is a dubious yardstick to measure D-Rad by. He won with Gailey’s players, but will not likely be able to recruit many starts into his gimmick offense.
Also, comparison to the Mike Smith hire is inaccurate. Mike Smith was unexciting, but had a clear track record of success in the NFL. Gregory is unexciting as well, but doesn’t have near the resume that Coach Smith had.
Hoping for the best, but not hugely optimistic.
Tech Fan
March 28th, 2011
11:24 am
“recurit many stars”, not “starts”
mountain_jim
March 28th, 2011
11:27 am
Dayton folks says he is offensively challenged, needed an OC, and his offense was rebound and run. No recruiting connections in south. So I have my doubts this will work out.
Now we have a football coach who can’t coach one or recruit for and does not believe in a passing game and a bball coach who supposedly can’t coach offense. Go Tech….
Auburn Tiger
March 28th, 2011
11:29 am
Tech and the word “excitement” should never be used in the same sentence….
ANTOINEFORD
March 28th, 2011
11:30 am
Shaka Smart is as sexy as a hire can get.
mountain_jim
March 28th, 2011
11:32 am
Agree with Tech Fan that the bloom is off of Paul Johnson – his best season was with Gailey’s players and with no passing offense and no decent WR recruits his gimick offense gets beat up by good dlines and teams with plenty of time to prepare. Plus Johnson believes he does not need a passing game or a shotgun package.
Okeefe/Bob
March 28th, 2011
11:45 am
From what I am hearing from some of you people, this guy shouldn’t even unpack his bags. Give the guy a chance.DRad has done an excellent job for Tech so far and I do not expect a letdown.Give Gregory a chance for crying out loud.
UGADawg83
March 28th, 2011
11:46 am
This guy will do okay in a watered down ACC. Basically it is the Big Two (Coach K and Roy Williams) with Gary Williams a level down and everyone else struggling for recognition. The ACC is really a shadow of its former self. It has a couple of great programs but everything else is weak as dishwater.
Luke
March 28th, 2011
11:58 am
To everyone beating this guy down,
He hasn’t stepped through the doors and he’s already going to suck? Come on now guys. We don’t have room to be picky, let alone room to talk about Brad Stevens or Shaka Smart (shaka khan). Let it be and cheer on our program. We have a solid coach and only time will tell where our program will be.
To those beating down CPJ,
Last time I checked he is 36-14 (.720). Let him go this year with his recruits before you judge him too hard.
Ramblin Wreck
March 28th, 2011
12:04 pm
I don’t think DRad was planning on selling many season tickets for next year anyway, given the whole Gwinnett Arena/Philips Arena arrangement. This is nice because it essentially gives Gregory a low-pressure year to establish himself and win over the fan base.
And good grief, people, no excitement with the hire? Big whoop. Excitement fades, and everyone is a crap shoot, no matter the hire. I’ll give him a chance. Just not a lifetime contract.
FullMetalJacket
March 28th, 2011
12:08 pm
Welcome to Georgia Tech and Atlanta, Coach Gregory. We hope you and your family will find the Institute and the city a great home for a long time to come. You’ll have to pardon some of the naysayers here; they’ve obviously forgotten why we were hiring a new coach in the first place. It’s been mighty easy to be down on basketball and basketball coaches around here for some time. You start winning games and you’ll win back the fans. And Mr. Radakovich, good job except for all that awkwardness on Friday.
gte
March 28th, 2011
12:09 pm
why do the Delberts of the world as well as Jacket2011 and Full MetalJacket constantly on all these AJC blogs guarding all post and condemning all those that oppose them? Why not just make your points and get off and shut up.
No, you 3 cannot because you are cyber bullies. And not one of you could possibly attend any games even if they were in your backyards because you have to be on these blogs 24/7 in case someone says something that doesn’t agree with you people.
Guess this is your new profession. Makes you feel good about yourselves.
Nothing against Gregory even though most of the Dayton people seem estactic he is leaving, but why you 3 would bash Mark Price is beyond me. What did he do to any of you? Sorry bunch of losers
FullMetalJacket
March 28th, 2011
12:10 pm
I could care less about making a big splash. I want us to win basketball games in the Atlantic Coast Conference and so far Coach Gregory is undefeated as an ACC coach. Unproven, yes, but undefeated.
FullMetalJacket
March 28th, 2011
12:15 pm
gte: I’ve never “bashed” Mark Price. I am often critical of AJC blogs. My current profession allows me time to swap ideas here. I would contend that anyone who uses the term “cyber bully” is spending way too much time online himself/herself… And, just like the rest of your wretched little existence you must feel incredibly inferior in the “cyber neighborhood”, too, if you see me as a bully.
Belcher
March 28th, 2011
12:19 pm
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Tech vs. Georgia: Has balance of power shifted in hoops? | Jeff Schultz
March 28th, 2011
12:20 pm
[...] without Travis Leslie (who may follow him); 2) As much as the Georgia Tech fan base appears split on Brian Gregory — much like the Dayton fan base was split on Gregory — we have no idea what kind of job he’ll do on The [...]
Placenta Eater
March 28th, 2011
12:26 pm
I would have taken Gregory over Hewitt five years ago and I’ll take him today. It is pointless to compare Gregory to the other prospects at this stage: he is the coach, not a prospect, and he starts with a clean slate. I think he will be a good one, but if he’s not, then Ga. Tech will be in truly dire straits, along with DRad. So, let’s get behind him and see what he does on and off the court for Georgia Tech.
Placenta Eater
March 28th, 2011
12:29 pm
Jeff, you are probably an expert at “creating your own excitement.” But if you don’t stop, you’ll go blind. All seriousness aside, you make a good point.
ANTOINEFORD
March 28th, 2011
12:36 pm
I popped a boner in the waning moments of that VCU game yesterday. Shaka Smart will make a sexy hire for some fortunate program.
UGA=YAWN
March 28th, 2011
12:50 pm
I, for one, am excited for a new change and a new positive attitude. Be patient. He will take us back to the top of the ACC!!!
scary statistic
March 28th, 2011
12:53 pm
In 5 of his 8 seasons at Dayton, his team finished 7th or worse in the Atlantic 10.
Actually, it’s 5 of his last 6 seasons. Wow.
UGA=YAWN
March 28th, 2011
12:58 pm
Your point scary? Ah…we finished in 11th this year !!!!
scary statistic
March 28th, 2011
1:08 pm
If you don’t see the problem with that stat, I can’t help you.
Steve
March 28th, 2011
1:14 pm
UGA did create buzz with Mark Fox. He was one of the bigger hires that year. That being said, the team underperformed this year. Maybe not on the scale of GaTech, and maybe not based on our recruiting rankings, but the simple fact is we let a half dozen games slip away in teh secodn half that should have easily been wins. Fox has a couple more years to get that corrected, as the expectations have already risen.
As for GaTech, I like this hire. He is rumored to be a coach that does not tolerate primadonnas or players unwilling to play team ball. Will that hurt Tech getting the prized short term player .. I think so. Will it make Tech a more consistent team by focusing on the team and not the self .. I believe so.
It’s a good hire for Tech. They will be more consistent, but maybe not as high profile. He will get lesser marks for recruiting, but do more with those recruits. And if, IF, there just happens to be any big time player out there who is willing to lose a little be of the ‘ME’ time in ESPN in search of a championship .. then this is the right coach for that type of player.
I am a UGA fan, but I really see this as being a very solid hire.
BehindEnemyLines
March 28th, 2011
1:30 pm
re: CPJ — I’d say the jury is very much still out on whether he can recruit & win in a BCS conference. So far he’s proven that the system can be successful with someone else’s players. Based on what we’ve seen so far, I’m very uneasy to say the least about the eventual answer to the question.
Rudy
March 28th, 2011
2:53 pm
GREAT HIRE!!! GREAT HIRE!!! Now, let’s go DAYTON FLYERS!!!
)
Glenn
March 28th, 2011
3:31 pm
The more I look at this hire I believe this guy will atleast make his kids go to class & will probably graduate atleast half of them . You can’t say that about the last two coaches . Tech could have never afforded Shaka Smart even if he was interested & Brad Stevens can coach any where he chooses . It wouldn’t be Tech . This is probably as good a hire as Tech could have hoped for .
Price/Neal era alum
March 28th, 2011
6:57 pm
While Mr Schultz is correct that “[e]xcitement from coach hiring last only until the open tipoff or kickoff”, that’s true only if it ever starts — and it doesn’t seem to have done so this time. Not knocking Gregory — maybe he’ll turn out to be a great fit. But considering the absolute void of interest that Hewitt left, it seems that it would be wise to generate *some* excitement going into the open tipoff. Perhaps it was wise for DRad not to kiss the glutes of alumni too much by hiring Neal or Price as head coach. But it seems it would be even wiser to hire one as an assistant. Otherwise, we may hit late January before anyone is buying tickets again (assuming Gregory does well).
BTW, for those saying that neither has been a head coach, you are misinformed. Price was the head coach of an Australian professional team before one of his players sabotaged him (and then went on to be a huge failure himself).
BUZZ 2011
March 28th, 2011
7:32 pm
This hire may give Mark Fox the lead in at NC State.
This would get him into a more competitive ACC
conference.. He would however, need to learn when
to call timeouts and get a team to play two entire
halves of ball..