Georgia Tech’s coaching search: Won’t be much longer, folks
Gregg Marshall in his Winthrop days. I'm guessing he's high on Radakovich's list. (AP photo)
Perhaps you have questions about Georgia Tech’s coaching vacancy. You’re not alone. I do, too. The man who could answer them all — athletic director Dan Radakovich — isn’t talking, but in his stead I’ll offer what I know and what I’ve been given reason to believe. And, as a bonus, even a wild guess.
What’s taking so long?
Paul Hewitt was fired nearly two weeks ago. If Tech hasn’t interviewed anyone — and as of Wednesday morning, it hadn’t — it hasn’t been to heighten the drama. Most of the coaches in whom Tech has interest have teams still playing, which would only make sense. Wouldn’t want to hire someone whose team didn’t reach the postseason, would you?
When will interviews begin?
As soon as those coaches’ teams lose.
Does Tech have a short list? Is there a leading candidate?
Yes to the first. And if there’s a leading candidate, he hasn’t been identified by any outsider in position to know. Though it seems fair to guess that Chris Mooney of Richmond and Gregg Marshall of Wichita State — both of whose teams were still alive as of Wednesday – are obvious top-of-the-list possibilities, with Tommy Amaker of Harvard, Shaka Smart of VCU and Chris Mack of Xavier mixed in.
Why didn’t you include Brad Stevens of Butler?
He could have his pick of almost any job almost any year. There’s no guarantee he’ll ever leave Butler, and if he does there’s no reason to think Tech will be the destination.
What about Mark Price? What about Craig Neal? What about Kenny Anderson?
Tech has to know those distinguished alums have expressed interest in the job, and there would seem no percentage in not making some sort of contact with each. That said, it’s difficult to conceive of a scenario in which Radakovich’s first look wouldn’t be at candidates who are head coaches.
Is money a factor for Tech?
It is. Hewitt made $1.3 million; in hiring his successor, the Institute can’t go much above that. (Anthony Grant, by way of contrast, is making $1.8 million at Alabama. The big football schools can also afford to spend on basketball.) A key reason to focus on mid-major coaches is that they’re more apt to fall in Tech’s price range.
Will the searches of North Carolina State/Oklahoma/Missouri/Tennessee squeeze Tech?
All four will aim higher than a mid-major coach. (As did Arkansas, which just lured Mike Anderson from Missouri.) Rumored targets at N.C. State include Pitt’s Jamie Dixon and Arizona’s Sean Miller; Buzz Williams of Marquette is thought to be on Oklahoma’s list. Tennessee is looking to make a splash in finding Bruce Pearl’s replacement — AD Mike Hamilton has his own job to save — but might not be as attractive as Tech. The Vols, as you’ve heard, have NCAA issues.
Some have questioned whether Tech is a good job. Is there reason to believe no worthwhile candidate will say yes?
It’s in the ACC. It’s in the capital of a state that produces a ton of basketball talent. It can pay more than a million dollars a year, and in 2012 it will open a refurbished arena. More than a few accomplished mid-major coaches would take a charge from Shaquille O’Neal for the chance to work here.
Does Radakovich know what he’s doing?
Let’s recall his admission that he’d reached the decision to fire Hewitt three weeks before doing it. Does anyone think those three weeks were spent not mulling replacements? Let’s note that Radakovich made the considered decision not to employ Parker Executive Search, the Atlanta-based firm that does almost everyone’s coach-hunting now (including N.C. State’s and Georgia State’s), but to seek the counsel of Eddie Fogler, a former coach and a basketball lifer. Let’s also note that D-Rad’s first big hire — Parker Search assisted in that process, FYI — was Paul Johnson, and two years later the Jackets were playing in the Orange Bowl.
Radakovich has said he wants a coach in place by the Final Four, which convenes April 1 in Houston. Why?
Three reasons. First, it has become difficult for a high-profile AD to interview coaches in a city overrun by coaches — their annual convention is held concurrent with the Final Four — and media. Second, the convention would give the new Tech coach a chance to hire his staff, should the need occur. Third, Tech would like to take advantage of that media glut to get a little buzz going regarding its new man.
When should we expect D-Rad to have his man?
By this time next week, give or take a day.
Last question: Who will it be?
Just guessing, I’d say Mooney or Marshall. Just guessing, you hear?
By Mark Bradley
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382 comments Add your comment
Tech Fan
March 23rd, 2011
1:27 pm
LOL, I think so Mark.
DawginLex
March 23rd, 2011
1:28 pm
The funniest list is the “top 5 candidates” to be pursued by Tennessee.
Jamie Dixon
Jay Wright
Anthony Grant
Gregg Marshall
Mark Turgeon
Can you see any of them leaving where they are to go to that crapfest with an AD who has numbered days???
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:29 pm
Not trying to pick on Gotlieb, you understand. I think there’s a good chance it will be Mooney.
Dollar Bill
March 23rd, 2011
1:30 pm
On a side note – Gregg Marshall and Bobby Cremins match up tonight in the NIT at 7:00 PM.
I believe they share a common dubious distinction of accepting a job at another school – Marshall at College of Charleston and Cremins at University of South Carolina – and then backing out after they woke up the next morning.
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:30 pm
No way on Dixon or Wright, DawginLex. Can’t see it re:Grant and Turgeon. Maybe Marshall.
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
1:30 pm
Mark
I’d rather have Marshall over Mooney. And I don’t count Guthridge. He was 60 when he got the UNC job and I’ve always felt he just bit his time under Dean wishing for the opportunity….even if it was for only a seasons or two. As it turned out he got his dream job for 3 very successful seasons and retired on his terms. I’ve always respected coaches like him, Dick Lebeau, Bud Foster, guys who are happy right where they are.
T3
March 23rd, 2011
1:31 pm
Wes Durham made an interesting comment yesterday on 790 that
when he asked a well-informed and well-connected friend who KNOWS college sports;
Durham’s friend said the that GT is a better job than NCSU by a very wide margin.
Durham said his friend stated that if you asked 100 D1 B-Ball coaches which job
they would prefer, only 30% would say the NCSU job is better than the GT job. I agree.
At NCSU, it will be VERY tough to have to compete IN-STATE
with Roy Willaims at UNC and Coach K at Duke.
GT doesnt have that problem.
And besides, Atlanta > Raleigh.
The “TOP” candiate I have been referring to is Jamie Dixon at Pitt.
Dixon’s resume is simply incredible. Just do a Wiki search for Jamie Dixon at read his accomplisments. WOW !
So, why would Jamie Dixon even consider leaving PItt for another job?
What “future” does PItt have?
Pitt can be considered “second-tier” in the Big East, when compared to the
rest of the Big East like UConn, Georgetown, Syracuse, Villanova, Louisville.
Pitt is desparately trying to hold on to Dixon. But they cant. Dixon has reached the ceiling on
what he can accomplish at Pitt, and what Pitt can afford to pay him. Dixon is actually paid by the State of Pennsylvania (which in case you havent noticed) is bankrupt.
Just like I said EXACTLY 2 years ago (before the people of Wisconsin began revolting over budget cuts) the Upper Midwest, from Pennsylvania to Minnesota, is in SEVERE economic crisis.
That means, the BIG10 Conference has a MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR financial crisis coming.
Sure the BIG10 makes lots of money. Well, today they do.
Next year,, the year after that, not really..
You can not support a PUBLIC university system very well, if your STATE is going bankrupt.
If the STATE is going down, it will take its public university system down with it.
And, citizens of bankrupt states, by FEWER tickets, and usually TURN OFF their cable.
Result: Bye Bye BIG10 revenue.
Doesnt matter how much money the BIG10 is making, if their member universities
are in STATE BUDGET CRISIS, then slowly but surely the member universities will begin
cutting back in EVERY SINGLE AREA, including Athletics.
Need proof? Just look at the states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
and Wisconsin. ALL in MAJOR STATE BUDGET CRISES.
So, back to Jamie Dixon…..
Why would ANY D1 coach in the Upper Midwest (BIG10 country)
NOT want to leave that area of the country for a new, more promising, and MORE SECURE
opportunity, for the SAME or even only slightly better money??
Why do hundred of people move FROM those states every single day to the South.
Better opportunities. Coaches are no different.
This also fits with rumors that D-Rad might be interested in Michigan’s B-Ball coach, Jim Beiline.
I, for one, think both Dixon and Beiline would definitely jump to GT if offered the job.
Think this all sounds crazy? It’s not.
BIG10 Comissioner Jim Delaney stated the EXACT SAME THING
in 2010 during all the conference alignment “mayhem.” That the “growth” of the country was definitely SOUTH.
So, here’s where the jaw-dropping bombshell gets dropped:
When a Jamie Dixon at PItt or a Jim Beiline at Michigan, or another D1 B-Ball coach from BIG10 or BIG EAST country “abandons” their current coaching job for (at the SAME or SLIGHTLY BETTER pay) for a B-Ball coaching job much further south, then it will mark a WATERSHED MOMENT is college sports, as the “exodus” of coaching, talent, and other university talent begins the wholesale abandonment of the Upper Midwest for warmer opprtunities in the Southern US.
It will be a CULTURAL LANDMARK event in almost every way.
So, we wait……for the future to present itself..
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:31 pm
That’s true, Dollar Bill.
I believe Dana Altman did the same at Arkansas a few years ago. And Larry Brown at Davidson many years ago.
Tech Fan
March 23rd, 2011
1:32 pm
Gotleib does have an awesome ring tone, so you have to cut him some slack
Sonny Clusters
March 23rd, 2011
1:34 pm
We was asked to reserve the banquet room at the Dairy Queen for the big announcement and welcoming party. We aren’t supposed to tell who Tech is hiring, though.
Money is off
March 23rd, 2011
1:34 pm
Yo do not even begin to understand the money situation. Certain GT Alumni most certainly can and will provide for whatever cash is needed in a situation such as this.
Having said that, if GT had it’s pick of Dixon, Miller, Buzz, and Mooney, I think DRad might still perfer Mooney over those other guys regardless of the money. And FWIW it is going to be Mooney who gets the job.
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:34 pm
I’m not sure Georgia Tech has the monetary resources North Carolina State does. That’s a school that has a rich basketball heritage — two NCAA titles — and isn’t afraid to get excited about the sport.
William Satterwhite
March 23rd, 2011
1:35 pm
DawginLex, if Marshall didn’t get one of the other big jobs out there and Tennessee offered him their position, he would take it. As crappy a situation as it might be right now, you simply don’t turn down an opportunity to move from Wichita State up to a big time school.
juvenal
March 23rd, 2011
1:36 pm
3 simulblogs on this…wish football would get here……
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:36 pm
Let’s recall that Georgia Tech also has to pay Paul Hewitt $7 million not to coach. That’s got to some from some of those alums, does it not?
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
1:37 pm
Jamie Dixon? No way. We’d win a lot of games November through February and then become exactly what Pitt has become; the worldbeater who can’t close the deal in March. No thanks. Jamie Dixon gets outcoached nearly every season come tourney time when his team has to perform on the road and he’d not seeing the same teams over and over again.
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
1:38 pm
Now Dixon’s mentor Howland? I’d be all about getting Ben Howland!!!
steve brown
March 23rd, 2011
1:39 pm
Is there something medically wrong with you today? First you say Josh Smith is one of the NBA’s most talented players (this comment makes me physically ill) and now you state that the Hewitt only made $1.3 million. You have failed to include his firing bonus over the length of his tenure. I’m sure this puts Hewitt somewhere near $2 million per year but I don’t want to tax your brain today.
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:39 pm
I like Jamie Dixon. (Saw him in Mass last year in Milwaukee with his wife.) I think he’s a fine coach. But he has become a March jinx.
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:40 pm
Hewitt’s annual salary was $1.3 million. To fire him, Tech had to pay him roughly five times that — ergo, $7 million. He was not, however, earning $2 million a year.
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
1:42 pm
steve brown
Hewitt’s buyout is $7.2M over 5 years…..$1.44M per year.
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:42 pm
But you know, Tech Forever, UCLA fans are getting antsy because Ben Howland hasn’t won a national championship. Different perspective there.
Jimmy
March 23rd, 2011
1:44 pm
Any mention of Donnie Tyndall from Morehead State? He would fit well in GT Price range and is a proven recruiter and winner?
Delbert D.
March 23rd, 2011
1:45 pm
Pitt is 2nd tier in the Big East? In 8 years under Dixon, they’ve finished 1st twice and tied for 2nd twice. 3 times to the Sweet Sixteen and once to the Elite Eight.
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
1:47 pm
Mark
I know. And I’ll say right now the same thing I’ve said for years; if Wooden had to coach through a 64 team field back then his record today is nowhere near what it is and the UCLA expectation is more down to Earth. Which is also why I think Kentucky fans are far further off the reservation with their expectations than Duke or UNC fans.
Paul in RDU
March 23rd, 2011
1:47 pm
I don’t count Bill Gutheridge in the list of assistant coaches who were promoted to HC. Dean Smith retired in October 1997, not long before practice started. UNC had no choice but to promote Gutheridge – which is exactly why Dean resigned at that time.
NCSU has more money to spend on b’ball than GT – much, much, bigger arena, more passionate fans, more important local bragging rights
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:48 pm
Regarding Donnie Tyndall: Here we get into the difference between a mid-major and a high mid-major. Richmond and Wichita State are among the latter; Morehead State is among the former. I can see an ACC program hiring from Richmond; I can’t see it hiring from Morehead.
And I mean no disrespect to Morehead. I spent a lot of time on that campus growing up — Maysville was 45 miles away — and have covered a game there.
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
1:48 pm
Mark
I’ll add that those people at UCLA have also forgotten that Wooden was the HC at UCLA for 15 or 16 seasons before he won his first National Championship.
Dollar Bill
March 23rd, 2011
1:49 pm
Tyndall has been discussed on here but school is on probation under his watch – one more year I believe – minor stuff – and he owned up to it even though it may have been an assistant.
He also just upped with Morehead State for another 4 years at $230,000 a year. If he was going anywhere, I don’t think he would have signed the contract.
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
1:49 pm
I can’t see Jamie Dixon leaving Pitt for Georgia Tech. Maybe for N.C. State, but that’s a big maybe.
Paul in RDU
March 23rd, 2011
1:51 pm
@T3
Interesting socio-econominc post you have there.
If I follow your logic on what’s going to happen to the Big 10 and Big East, I guess when Norm Sloan left NCSU to go to Florida it demonstrated that the ACC was doomed.
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
1:53 pm
Going by the numbers Jamie Dixon is the 11th WORST active coach when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. Ben Howland is the 11th best.
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
1:53 pm
Paul in RDU
And Barnes from Clemson to Texas.
T3
March 23rd, 2011
1:53 pm
Delbert:
Thank you fo rmaking my point about Jamie Dixon.
It’s Jamie Dixon that brought Pitt those resutls when he arrived in 2003.
PItt was a relatively B-Ball back-water in the Big East…..UNTIL…..Jamie Dixon arived.
As for Dixon having a “March jinx,” how about K-A-N-S-A-S as a “March jinx?”
Chris
March 23rd, 2011
1:55 pm
For those clamoring for Price or Neal, consider what just happened at NCSU. Beloved point guard, this one with a national championship and NBA head coaching experience, did not work out. And, given the special relationship, they had to wait 5 years to fire him.
So, like a lolipop, hiring the hometown hero is sweet on the way in and sticky on the way out.
Delbert D.
March 23rd, 2011
1:56 pm
Tech once hired a guy from Siena College. Are they a low mid-major, or mid-mid-minor, or what?
William Satterwhite
March 23rd, 2011
1:58 pm
Siena is a true mid-major, they are square in the middle of the non-power 6 leagues.
Paul in RDU
March 23rd, 2011
1:58 pm
Tech Forever,
Good point on Barnes going from Clemson to Texas, but a case can be made that making that move was a step up. Going from NCSU to UF in 1980 was definitely not.
T3
March 23rd, 2011
2:00 pm
Paul in RDU
Dont be a doofus.
We’re talking MAJOR, UNDENIABLE soci-economic trends…already in motion.
Jobs and opportunity are leaving BIG10 country in DROVES to move the the South.
Tampa and Atlanta have the LARGEST collection of BIG10 alumni clubs, anywhere in the country.
THAT by itself should tell you just about everythng.
BTW, want to know who Dixon’s boss was at PItt? Ben Howland.
Delbert D.
March 23rd, 2011
2:01 pm
Name a head coach on Tech’s short list that set a school record for assists and graduated magna cum laude.
Braves Fan
March 23rd, 2011
2:02 pm
Who cares?
Paul in RDU
March 23rd, 2011
2:02 pm
There’s an interesting article in the Raleigh N&O this morning on coaches in the ACC.
In 1980 NCSU hired V and Cuke hired K. Since their hires there have only been 7 coaches who won 90 ACC regular season games – K, V, Dean Smith, Roy Williams, Gary Williams, Dave Odom and Bobby Cremins.
Skip Prosser (52-44 when he died) would have made it and Leonard Hamilton will likely make it (68-76), but that’s a pretty short list.
Paul in RDU
March 23rd, 2011
2:03 pm
T3
Why are you posting on this blog? With your supernatural powers of reading the future you should be on E-Trade.
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
2:03 pm
Shaka Smart, Delbert.
WnE
March 23rd, 2011
2:04 pm
Using Coach Kung Fu Panda and his team getting man-handled in the Orange bowl by a Big-Ten Team is no indicator that DRad can make a great hire for an ACC B-Ball coach.
The ACC in B-Ball is a much different animal than is the ACC in FB which is about a scintilla above the Big (L)East as a FB Conf.
It is also greatly over-stated about the GT B-Ball job being a great one due to the great Talent in Ga.
Great HS B-Ball talent in Ga. doesn’t have any connection with GT sports, an occasional one-and-done doesn’t prove that GT can take advantage of the local HS talent in the Atl. Area.
Even if Dwight Howard or Josh Smith had gone to College neither of them would have gone to GT, Howard was headed to UNC-Chapel Hill had he gone to College.
GT Sports are about #7 or #8 in the pecking order of perceived importance among the big-time Recruits in both B-ball and in FB, this is WHY guys like Mike Anderson would rather stay at Mizzou or go to Arkansas rather than come to GT and try to Recruit here in Atl., the B-Ball players out of Memphis pine to go to Arkansas to play B-Ball, but the that same phenomenon does NOT exist with most elite B-Ball players that come out of Atlanta in most cases they only choose GT as a fall-back rather than the College they grew up dreaming to play for.
Most of the up-and-comers, even at the mid-major level KNOW this about GT, which is why so many of these HCs are slow to react to GT’s job opening.
Delbert D.
March 23rd, 2011
2:05 pm
Blurb on CNN last night about Detroit having lost 25% of its population during the recession. I’m guessing they didn’t move to Ann Arbor or East Lansing.
Tech Forever
March 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm
Jamie Dixon’s NCAA record is a JOKE….not a jinx.
Three Sweet 16s??? Nope….only two; 2004 with Howland’s team and 2007. In both tourneys he was 3 seed so a Sweet 16 is respectable.
In 2009, he was the 4th #1 seed and made the Elite 8…..respectable.
2005 – 9 seed; 1st round loss….no problem with that
2006 – 5 seed; 2nd round loss to a 13 seed…….nice
2008 – 4 seed; hammered by Michigan State in the second…..vs. Izzo? Almost not even a fair fight.
2010 – 3 seed. 2nd round loss to 6 seed……mid-major 6 seed.
2011 – 1 seed; 2nd round loss to an 8 seed……vs. Stevens? Again, not a fair fight.
Paul in RDU
March 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm
Delbert
They didn’t move to Flint or Midland either
gdawginkalamazoo
March 23rd, 2011
2:14 pm
Hey Mark, Just curious. Are you related to Gregg Marshall? From that picture and your photo above…..
Mark Bradley
March 23rd, 2011
2:15 pm
We’re not related, kalamazoo. I’m old enough to be his dad, though.