If Hewitt goes, who might Tech target? Glad you asked
Both of these men are Tech legends, but they're not on my list. (AJC file photo)
I believe Georgia Tech will be in the market for a basketball coach within the month. I do not know this for a fact, but I work today on that assumption. But before I offer a half-dozen (or so) candidates I’d consider to replace Paul Hewitt, I should explain why some major names aren’t on the list.
• Brad Stevens isn’t on it because I’ll believe he’ll leave Butler only when I see it, and maybe not then. The same goes for Mark Few of Gonzaga.
• Tubby Smith isn’t on the list because the Tubby’s-coming-back-to-Georgia-to-coach-somebody rumor has become such an annual occurrence as to be discounted. (Didn’t take the Hawks job back in 2004, did he? Didn’t return to UGA in 2009, did he?) And Tubby Smith — who is, I should stipulate, among my all-time favorites as both a man and a coach — will turn 60 in June. I’m not sure you start over with a 60-year-old.
• Mark Price isn’t on the list because he hasn’t been a collegiate head coach and isn’t currently working in college basketball. (He’s the shooting coach for the Golden State Warriors.)
• Lon Kruger of UNLV isn’t on the list because he’s 58. Fran Dunphy of Temple isn’t because he’s 62. Blaine Taylor of Old Dominion isn’t because he’s 53. (Which is younger than I am, for the record.)
• Bobby Cremins isn’t on the list because you can’t go home again.
• Bobby Knight isn’t on the list because the great lure of Georgia Tech basketball — it plays in a prestigious conference and is based in the capital of a state that produces a slew of big-time basketball players (Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, Derrick Favors, Trey Thompkins) — would be rendered null and void. Because no big-timer would play for Bobby Knight.
• Randy Bennett of Saint Mary’s isn’t on the list because he has never worked east of the Mississippi. (Though he did spent two years as Lorenzo Romar’s assistant at St. Louis, which is pretty darn close to the Mississippi.)
• Jamie Dixon of Pitt and Jay Wright of Villanova aren’t on the list. I’d love it if they were, but they have better jobs. And the Big East is a hotter conference than the ACC.
Which leads me to this: Three ACC programs hired new coaches last spring, and none elicited a “Wow!” Clemson hired Brad Brownell of Wright State. Boston College hired Steve Donahue of Cornell. Wake Forest hired Jeff Bzdelik of Colorado. This isn’t to say any were bad hires — Brownell and Donahue have done well — but none had the sizzle of Bob Huggins heading to West Virginia or John Calipari going to Kentucky. (FYI, Calipari was interested in the Tech job back in 2000.)
There’s the preface. Here’s my list:
That's Mike Anderson is on left. On the right is Tony Greene, the Atlantan who's the best ref in the business. (AP photo)
Mike Anderson, Missouri: He’s close to Dixon/Wright status in that he presides over a Top 25 program in a major conference. (And Missouri can throw money at him to stay.) But he grew up in Birmingham and coached at UAB and worked under Nolan Richardson at Arkansas, and he might have a hankering to return to the South. And I for one would love to see his full-tilt style shake up the rather staid ACC.
Scott Drew, Baylor: He coached under his famous dad Homer at Valparaiso and has worked since 2003 in Waco, where he inherited a program leveled by a scandal involving the murder of a by a former player. He’s 84-43 over the past three-plus seasons. Last spring he took the Bears to the Elite Eight, after which he signed a 10-year extension. Not sure he’d leave for Tech, but how much longer is a coach this young (40) and skilled apt to stay in Waco?
Brian Gregory, Dayton: He doesn’t fit the definition of a Hot Young Guy. He’s 44, which isn’t that young, and his Flyers are 5-6 in the Atlantic 10, which isn’t hot. But he’s 167-89 in seven-plus seasons at a mid-major that takes the sport seriously, and he apprenticed under Tom Izzo at Michigan State.
Cuonzo Martin, Missouri State: Here’s your Hot Young Guy. Martin was Glenn Robinson’s wingman at Purdue when the Big Dog was the best player in college basketball. Martin played in Europe and survived non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has become a coach of growing portfolio. He won 24 games last season at Missouri State, which as Southwest Missouri State perpetrated a memorable NCAA tournament upset of Clemson at the old Omni. Martin’s latest Bears are 20-6, tied with Wichita State atop the Missouri Valley Conference. Another reason to like Martin: He worked under Gene Keady at Purdue, and Keady assistants do well. Think Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt, Bruce Weber at Illinois and now Matt Painter with the Boilermakers.
Chris Mooney, Richmond: Good young coach — he’s 38 — at another pedigreed mid-major. He played under the legendary Pete Carril at Princeton, which means, surprisingly enough, that he runs the Princeton Offense. Mooney led the Spiders to the NCAA tournament last season, but they were upset (Richmond was actually the better seed) by Bennett and Saint Mary’s. Richmond is 20-6, tied with Temple for second in the Atlantic 10 . Possible disqualifier: Richmond played Tech in December and lost. If you go by RPI, that’s the Spiders’ worst loss of the season.
Mark Turgeon, Texas A&M: Played under Larry Brown at Kansas, coached under both Brown and Roy Williams there. Turgeon also signed a contract extension after last season, in which he took the Aggies to the NCAA tournament for the third time in three tries. This appears to be his best A&M team — it’s 19-5 and ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press poll. Not sure he’d leave for Tech, either, unless he just wants out of College Station and into the ACC. (A&M is rumored to be bound for the SEC, which might or might not be a consideration.)
OK, there are six candidates, three of whom would surely see Tech as a step up. And you’ll notice I included only current head coaches. This kept me from including assistants Mark Montgomery of Michigan State, Steve Masiello of Louisville and Joe Dooley of Kansas, all of whom should be head coaches soon. But there’s one assistant coach who bears special consideration, and he is …
Good ol' days: That's Craig "Noodles" Neal in the background, his hand on Mark Price's head. (AJC file photo)
Craig Neal, New Mexico: Known as Noodles when he played at Tech, where he first served as Price’s backup before becoming an outstanding point after Price departed. He has been Steve Alford’s chief assistant in Albuquerque since 2007, and last season the Lobos were 30-5 and entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 3 seed. This year they’re 17-8. I cannot imagine a circumstance in which Neal would not crawl to Atlanta for a chance to coach his alma mater.
Oh, and one more name, this one a long shot but nonetheless intriguing:
Herb Sendek, Arizona State: He’s the dullest guy in the world, and he’s not a great recruiter. He left N.C. State in a snit because Wolfpack fans weren’t satisfied with five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. But things haven’t gone great for him in Tempe — he’s 85-70 in four-plus seasons and has reached the Big Dance only once — and his Sun Devils are 9-15 and hold last place in the Pac-10. There’s a chance Sendek could get fired this season. It’s not often a big-time program hires a coach who has just been canned at another school, but Sendek does have a history of winning in the ACC. He was 46-34 in league play his final five seasons at State.
And that’s it — a long post regarding a short list. And if you’re asking which of these names fascinates me the most, I’d think really hard and say:
Cuonzo Martin.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
387 comments Add your comment
Tech'84
February 15th, 2011
10:04 pm
I like Andy Kennedy from Ole Miss, who’s about 90-40 over the past few years, mostly with inferior talent in a pretty tough conference. He’s a former player in the ACC and has the fire to win. He also has a little baggage from a couple of years ago which may lower his value, but he seems to have put it all behind him now.
NCJacket
February 15th, 2011
10:04 pm
Hewitt Fan,
On one point I agree…there are SOME games the refs become the problem and cause the issues. But that is not Hewitts career. ALL of the fans complain (except Duke). His results are his results and they are POOR. Its time to move on. Anyway, IF the officiating is as bad as you say…its not even worth watching the sport. That is worth considering BUT its no excuse for Hewitts 11 year results
GT89MEAW
February 15th, 2011
10:05 pm
Hewitt Fan
I don’t know where you get the if Hewitt were white, we’d complain about the refs. We’ll complain about the refs no matter the color of our coach just like any fan at any school from rec league to the pros.
What is amazing is citing refs as an excuse when the numbers over the long haul of Hewitt’s career at GT and in the ACC scream failure (as cited in Mark Bradley’s article today and as summarized by Paul in RDU above).
You are correct when you state “even though GT has more talent”. Good coaches work talent, develop talent, orchestrate talent, and be successful when provided talent. You don’t blame the refs over a career. Hewitt can’t get the production out of the talent we have had at GT and that’s just plain inability to be a complete coach which doesn’t cut it in the ACC.
As far as the big red head goes, I have attended GT games for about 13 years and do recall fans cheering him on. Maybe his first two years when he resembled a match stick they didn’t, but he had a good fan base as he developed.
Hewitt seems to be a nice guy. I withheld casting my vote much longer than a lot of GT fans I know, but after the last couple of years I jumped on the Hewitt has to go bandwagon. He should have take the SJ offer and left last year. This has got to be an embarrassing time for him. I know it’s embarrassing for GT and GT fans.
Hewitt Fan – my seats are the ones on the front row center court, the ones that have been empty most of the season, maybe I will let you borrow them so you can get an up close look at your guy and how not to coach a basketball team. Hey – you can see the refs up close as well, see who loses the game for us, will you.
Tech Forever
February 15th, 2011
10:08 pm
Paul in RDU
Simple….the refs are meaner to Tech than everybody else.
William Satterwhite
February 15th, 2011
10:08 pm
“How does a national title caliber team, full of NBA players not be over 500 in the ACC”
Because the team underachieved during the regular season, as has just about every other Paul Hewitt coached GT team? When Maryland had talent they have no problem winning in the ACC, when Wake Forest had talent they had no problem winning in the ACC, when NC State had talent and a competent head coach they had no problem winning in the ACC- how is it possible that every other ACC team can find ways to win in the ACC except for Georgia Tech under Paul Hewitt?
Paul in RDU
February 15th, 2011
10:09 pm
Dereck
Give it a rest on Mark Price. HC in the ACC is not an entry level position.
Tech'84
February 15th, 2011
10:11 pm
Of Mark’s suggestions, I think Noodles Neal may be our best choice: familiar, accomplished, and affordable. I agree with MB that Price, as much as I love and admire him and his place in Tech history, just doesn’t have the Div. I Head coaching experience. Also, to be honest, many of the upstanding qualities I respect in Price might hinder as much as help him as a HC. Finally, Price seems to have bounced around a good bit, for whatever reason, since his NBA retirement.
Derek
February 15th, 2011
10:17 pm
Paul, the case is rested. Price will be named GT coach in the next month. Far from an entry-level candidate. I want a guy that used to shoot 500 free throws before bedtime everynight–with that kind of discipline–to be the GT coach. Tech will show some vision in hiring MP–young, talented, experienced, ready for the big-time.
vidalia kid
February 15th, 2011
10:21 pm
jon barry comes to miond.
Charles
February 15th, 2011
10:21 pm
Mike Anderson wouldn’t give Tech a second look – the Jackets are too broke to lure him, and Mizz is a better situation by far. Better program, better facilities, better conference, etc. Georgia Tech is going to have to pay someone just north of a mill and hope they find a great, unproven coach.
Schlazz
February 15th, 2011
10:34 pm
I second the vote for Gregg Marshall. John Kresse assistant. Did great at Winthrop, brought Wichita St back.
He may want to come back to the Southeast.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
10:43 pm
Derek, none of what you listed as previous positions for Mark Price qualify him in any way whatsoever to be a Division 1 NCAA college basketball coach—not at Tech, not anywhere. The fact is he hasn’t paid his dues; he hasn’t done anything to indicate that he would be good at anything other than an assistant coach.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
10:47 pm
Hewitt Fan, if you have, as you said, attended Tech basketball games the past several years, then please tell us how an inability to inbound the ball (5 times against Miami), atrocious free throw shooting (although somewhat improved this year), an inability or unwillingness to drive the lane and at least attempt a layup, settling instead for pulling up at the 3-point line and hoisting a brick….how does poor officiating relate to any of those things? All of them are TRADEMARKS of Hewitt-coached teams. Yeah, Coach K gets all the calls, so did Dean Smith; it’s always been that way. But it didn’t prevent Cremins from beating them. And what does the fact that Duke and UNC get the breaks have to do with the fact that we can’t beat anybody else in the ACC either?
reality
February 15th, 2011
10:51 pm
GT would do better to try and convince an asst coach from a proven program to come to Atlanta. No head coach worth a darn would be willing to take over with the pathetic shape our program is in right now. Throw in how tough the ACC is in basketball and how horrible a city the Atl is with its high crime rate and sprinke in the non existance fan base GT is known for and thats a serious recipee for career suicide. Ask Hewitt. At least we made him a really rich man for not producing. This whole fiasco has made our once proud program into the biggest joke in the ACC.
Tweets that mention If Hewitt goes, who should Tech target? Funny you should ask | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
February 15th, 2011
10:52 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, Jeffrey Fann. Jeffrey Fann said: If Hewitt goes, who should Tech target? Funny you should ask | Mark Bradley http://t.co/IVw2jZ3 [...]
slobberknocker
February 15th, 2011
10:54 pm
Don’t forget about Harrick’s. Jim might be kind of old now but he’s a proven recruiter who could deliver players and build a winning program for Jim Jr. to takeover in 3-5 years or just before the NCAA steps in. Oh, and Jim Jr. graduates his players.
MiamiJaCKET
February 15th, 2011
10:55 pm
If we include another $7 million buyout for the next coach, we might be able to get Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, or Jim Boeheim.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
10:55 pm
There is enough (undeveloped) talent on that team right now to beat every team in the conference except Duke on a consistent basis. Just because they don’t play worth a damn as a team because of Hewitt’s inability to coach doesn’t mean that a smart coach can’t come in here and build a winner from the start…..NOT a national championship contender, but certainly one that wins all the home games and enough of the away games to be above .500, AND to get back to beating the mutts every year, like we used to do.
Thomas
February 15th, 2011
10:56 pm
Bradley, I would recommend you for the Job or another of the Hewitt haters on this blog. You have had a full press on for Hewitt to be fired for more than a year so your stupid article is not surprising.
If the AJC was of any worth you would have been fired long ago.
Beesball Jacket
February 15th, 2011
10:57 pm
Just GO! Even with no plan in place we’re better off. This guy has no incentive to win. He gets paid regardless. His record proves it. Thanks Dave Braine.
No Haters
February 15th, 2011
10:59 pm
No one here hates Hewitt. He’s like Gailey – a nice guy just in the wrong job. He’s a victim of his own devices. He isn’t or won’t coach to win.
reality
February 15th, 2011
11:02 pm
Supersize that order. You are a perfect example of that idiot fan base I mentioned. Morons like you who never attended a class at Tech much less graduated who are more concerned with beating the morons in Athens than with teams in the ACC.
Do you even understand what conference we are in genius? Your silly little online name was slightly funny the first time I saw it, but now it’s just pathetic. The puppies own us in football and basketball right now and with your pitiful comments you make the real GaTech fans look as stupid as you are.
GT BB Fan
February 15th, 2011
11:04 pm
I’m all for Cuonzo Martin being the new man at GT because I’m a graduate of MO ST and it would be good to see his style of BB in person rather than on ESPN!
slobberknocker
February 15th, 2011
11:07 pm
For real, if Mark Price would take the job, give it to him ASAP.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
11:10 pm
reality, here is the actual reality. I have a BS and an MS degree from Tech. I have been a season ticket holder in football for the past 45 years, and in basketball for 10 years (until this current year). THUGa has won more games in football than have we in the past 35 years, but I do NOT concede that they OWN anybody; that, my friend, is a totally defeatist attitude. As far as “owning” us in basketball, nothing could be further from the truth; just look at the series record. They have Hewitt’s number, but Cremins’ teams had a winning record against them, as, obviously, did Hyder. The failure to win in Athens since 1976, although inexcusable, overlooks the fact that for several years we didn’t even play them in Athens; we either played at the OMNI or (if I remember correctly) not at all. Now, what exactly was it that I said in my last two posts that would indicate that I am more interested in beating the mutts than anybody else? I said we currently have enough talent, though undeveloped, to beat all the ACC teams AND THUGa on a consistent basis, with the possible exception of Duke.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
11:11 pm
and HELL NO, we don’t need Mark Price !!!!!
sports
February 15th, 2011
11:11 pm
I told you Hewitt is on his way out…and one of the main reasons is Mark Fox. The “techies” can’t stand it because Georgia is having some success and Georgia Tech is going down the sewer.Your haughtiness is hilarious blowflys!
Supersize that order, mutt
February 15th, 2011
11:14 pm
sports, actually it is you mutts who are being rather prematurely haughty. Fox has been there two years, and is currently having an OK season—certainly not a great one. He may well succeed, but even if he does, he will jump ship just like Tubby did. No decent basketball coach will stay in Athens, given a chance to move on. It’s always been like that, and it always will be.
MtnWasp
February 15th, 2011
11:19 pm
It won’t be Price so fans should put that out of their heads right now. He was an assistant here briefly and he never went out to recruit. He has no practical experience in recruiting. Like a surgeon who only has experience doing half an operation, he simply isn’t qualified for an ACC level head coaching job.
If he has aspirations he needs to take on a full duty assistant coaching job and move up the way it is done.
Paul in RDU
February 15th, 2011
11:20 pm
sports
I agree that Fox is a good coach and that UGA appears to be on the rise. However, that is not the reason why the GT fanbase wants CPH replaced. In basketball, we want GT to be competitive in the ACC. That means having some degree of success against Duke, UNC, MD, NCSU, Clemson, FSU, VT and the rest. The first 4 teams I mentioned have something in common – care to guess what?
techster
February 15th, 2011
11:39 pm
Enter your comments here
techster
February 15th, 2011
11:41 pm
I vote Noodles or Drew. Scott has done a miraculous job at Baylor and is well connected.
ToccoaDawg
February 15th, 2011
11:52 pm
Keep Hewitt
ToccoaDawg
February 15th, 2011
11:54 pm
GT is too hard of a school for dumb players to get into
reality
February 15th, 2011
11:54 pm
Supersize It’s amazing how many people hold multiple degrees on msg boards. I never doubted you held a BS degree but I’m sure everyone here knows it’s the type associated with bulls and not with any college.
ToccoaDawg
February 15th, 2011
11:55 pm
GT players have to go to class its not Hewitts fault
Supersize that order, mutt
February 16th, 2011
12:04 am
reality, sorry to disappoint you, but I, for one, do not lie. I doubt that you have a degree from anywhere, however. And you certainly haven’t said anything to make anyone think that you know anything about college athletics. And you didn’t respond to my question about what was wrong with what I said either. You’re just a typical mutt posing as a Tech fan but ignorant of facts.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 16th, 2011
12:10 am
S’paw. Noodles was fun to watch, because of his enthusiasm, but he was sometimes very undisciplined. He had an easy layup in some game at the OMNI (either THUGa or a NCAA regional), but instead of laying it up, he tried to slam it, and it came out. Cremins was livid.
S'paw_99
February 16th, 2011
12:20 am
Thanks for the insight. I don’t know much about him, but I have a gut feeling that assuming Hewitt is gone he’ll be the top target b/c he has Collegiate coaching experience (only as an assistant) & he’ll be fairly cheap, he may even be willing to take a hometown discount to come back to your alma mater.
I think Shooter is another intriguing one b/c of the alumni factor, can teach fundamentals like shooting, etc. But he would need to be an assistant for a few yrs, it’d be an impossible situation to come in as an ACC HC w/ NO Coll. experience, especially on the recruiting trail.
Paul in RDU
February 16th, 2011
12:24 am
Supersize
I think you are thinking of the GT-Duke ACC final in 1986.
The following year in Cameron the Duke students held up a sign saying “Thanks for the Championship, Neal”
Jim in Murray
February 16th, 2011
12:25 am
Marlon
The problem with the OVC is that it is three decent teams (Murray, Morehead, Austin Peay) and then lots of flotsam and jotsam. The flotsam drags down the RPI of the top teams, even though the top teams are competitive with the other conferences.
I do not know why Kennedy did not move up after last year’s season. (And I agree the Morehead team last year was very good.) I have not asked him why he did not leave, though it was reported that he had offers. Here is my speculation: (a) he got a raise for himself and his assistants at Murray so it would have taken a *big* offer from somewhere else for him to move; (b) none of the “higher” openings were in places he wanted to go (my guess is he wants a program in a top 10 conference like ACC, SEC, Conference USA that is in the South – preferably near Louisiana); (c) he knew Murray would be good for the next two or three years so he could be patient and wait.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 16th, 2011
12:26 am
who do you mean by Shooter? Mark Price? I’ve never heard that nickname applied to him, although he was definitely a shooter. And because of his inexperience at doing any coaching at the collegiate level, he should not even be considered. I’m undecided about Neal (Noodles); he COULD be a good choice, but personally I would rather have a current head coach from somewhere. Tech has more money than the mutts who post on here think, and an ACC school in Atlanta that already has a basketball tradition is pretty attractive to most affordable current coaches.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 16th, 2011
12:28 am
Paul, you may be right, but I THOUGHT I was at the game in question, and I’ve never been to an ACC tournament game. Too many years ago now lol
cattle dawg
February 16th, 2011
12:36 am
How bout hire the head coach at Milton High? He seems to recruit really good,and think of all the transfers tech would get.
S'paw_99
February 16th, 2011
12:54 am
When I say “Shooter” I mean Mark Price. I thought that’s what his nickname was, I know John Salley was “Spider”.
I definitely understand preferring someone w/ HC experience, taking someone w/o it is High Risk, high reward.
A few are successful, in the NFL Mike Tomlin w/ the Steelers has done great, but many great assistants fail as HC’s.
Of anyone on Bradley’s list, I like Mike Anderson from Mizzou. He’s a proven winner, good recruiter, & I love his up-tempo style, I think that’d be a breath of fresh air & get people excited.
jiggy
February 16th, 2011
12:57 am
Where’s the article on Buff re-signing?
cattle dawg
February 16th, 2011
12:57 am
Was Anderson a candidate for the UGA job? I remember his name coming up I think.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 16th, 2011
1:07 am
S’paw, those were great days to be a Tech fan. And it was really incredible when Tech played the mutts at the soldout 15000 seat OMNI, and the Tech fans outnumbered the mutts by probably 3-1.
foster joiner
February 16th, 2011
1:49 am
I would recommend the Tulsa coach. He is a former Duke player and assistant so he knows how to recruit this territory.
Kenneth M. Potter
February 16th, 2011
2:33 am
Chris Mooney of Air Force and Richmond is one smart coach! He runs the Princeton Offense when it is called for, but he runs when the opportunity is there. On top of all that he is a gentleman. This is something lacking in many of these candidates! Ayerst-Robins in Richmond is one of the leading employers of Tech graduates in the Mid-Atlantic region. There has been a long standing connection here!