Georgia Tech’s thinning search: Is anyone left? Why, yes
Shaka Smart and his astounding VCU victors: Can Tech afford to wait on him? (AP photo)
We’ve been saying for a while that Georgia Tech would have to focus on a mid-major coach due to money, or the lack thereof. Trouble is, this looks more and more like the wrong time to be hiring a mid-major coach. Because Chris Mooney just re-upped at Richmond. Because Cuonzo Martin just made the leap from Missouri State to Tennessee. And this leaves the Jackets … where?
Maybe with Gregg Marshall of Wichita State, whose Shockers are still playing in the NIT. Maybe with Brian Gregory of Dayton, although the reaction Friday night to a series of Tweets indicating Tech had already offered Gregory the job was so negative it had to give pause. Maybe even with Doug Wojcik of Tulsa, although I can’t believe he’d be received any more positively than Gregory would.
And what of Shaka Smart? The VCU wonder — no coach in NCAA history has ever had to win five times just to reach the Final Four — has at least one more game on his calendar, and waiting to interview Smart would not only put Tech far behind its April 1 target but would also leave the school open to being turned down at a very late date.
The loose consensus — on the outside, if not the inside — was that Tech had been waiting on Mooney. He apparently interviewed Sunday and then went home and said, “More money to stay in place? I’ll take it.” That he’s no longer available and that Martin, whom I’ve trumpeted for six weeks, is moving to Knoxville limits the Jackets’ options but doesn’t mean they still can’t find the right coach.
Last week I thought it would be Mooney or Marshall, in that order. Now I think it will be Marshall. But I’m also thinking the candidacy of Craig Neal — the former Jacket who’s a New Mexico assistant — is growing longer legs with every day.
By Mark Bradley
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347 comments Add your comment
boots
March 27th, 2011
10:34 pm
A New Mexico assistant coach is no step forward, even if he did play for the Jackets. Ray Goff for the Jacket’s hardwood.
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
10:35 pm
AlabamaRamblinwreck –
“This is an excerpt from the Dayton Daily News”
Maybe the Daytonians are soliciting funds to help Georgia Tech to hire Gregory.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 27th, 2011
10:37 pm
5150: I gotta say that I have no idea what you just said…did you say we only plan to pay a top notch coach 900K to 1.3 mil? Or did you say that we are going to pay more than this? I’m not sure I can make out what you are trying to say. THAT IS VERY LITTLE FOR AN ACC SCHOOL TO PAY A HEAD COACH.
GaCracker
March 27th, 2011
10:37 pm
Hey the former Tennessee coach is available.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
10:39 pm
Delbert D that doesn’t sound good for their coach or our choice.
I don’t think Tech is looking to over pay for a coach just to get a coach. Maybe we didn’t offer enough to steal away a coach, but it was more than some of the coaches are making right now.
gomabman2
March 27th, 2011
10:39 pm
You are right 5150. More like 1.3-1.5. Otherwise they can call off the search now and call PH.
atlrambler
March 27th, 2011
10:42 pm
Mark Gottfried was a solid coach at Alabama for years, multiple ncaa bids….just sayin’
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
10:43 pm
I don’t see Mark Gottfried as a fit at GT.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
10:44 pm
AlabamaWreck
these mid-major or assistants are not going to get huge money from TECH is they do not have a better resume than 2 years or just an assistant. SHAKA is making $400k he has not done enough to get $1.5 mil just yet. contract has to be back loaded if he meet some lofty goals.
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
10:48 pm
I think Tech will slow down and hold out for an interview with Shaka which will be inquired about this week through Shaka’s agent. Then depending on how that goes, if it goes, Tech will hire Shaka or Craig Neal.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
10:50 pm
AlaWreck I also don’t think you offer more than 5 yrs. More like 4 yrs. The coach coming in will have a pretty good core group of players and a good recruit. The NO HOME COURT sucks. So a 1st yr is ifybut winable. That is 3 yrs in a new home with the ACC and ATL recruiting market for the new coach to prove himself. Don’t pay a ton with little expectations.
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
10:51 pm
As far as funds go for a new coach and his staff, people keep saying Tech has plenty of money and there’s no way the Hewitt buyout could be hurting us. Well I firnly believe Drad stretched the truth if not flat out lied when he said hwat he said about money not being an object. and one thing eveyone is forgetting, we are playing in Philip’s and Gwinnett for every home game next year…..THOSE AREN’T FREE. We have to pay those facilities a huge amount of money to use them.
Hat/LawVol - Page 6 - VolNation
March 27th, 2011
10:53 pm
[...] Georgia Tech's thinning search: It there anyone left? Why, yes | Mark Bradley Good read in the ajc….bradley had wanted Martin at Ga Tech. [...]
Dadgum.....
March 27th, 2011
10:55 pm
If I was Drad, I would at least extend a feeler to Smart to gauge any interest by tomorrow. The VCU plane touches down here in Richmond in about an hour. Showing Smart that GT is interested in him can’t hurt.
Whoever coaches GT must light a fire under this program and get the fans back. They want to return. Marshall and Gregory might be good coaches but I don’t see the enthusiasm. Is Anthony Grant totally out of the picture?
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
11:00 pm
For example:
Brian Gregory made $541,891 in 2009.
Roy Williams just over $1.5 Million + $83k tournament bonus.
Source is coaches who made the 2009 NCAA tournament (best I could do in a hurry.)
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2010-coaches-salary-database.htm
GT65
March 27th, 2011
11:03 pm
Rads said money was not a problem..u got to believe him. Mooney stays for many reasons….it didn’t mean GT was not a good job are bad place to work, money etc….he had what he wanted there and the 10 years was extra …good luck Mr Mooney. GT will get a good coach bet on it.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:03 pm
NC State is all aflutter about luring Donovan away from Florida, as unlikely as that sounds.
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
11:04 pm
Shaka Smart in 2009, $401 thousand + $236,979 max tournament bonus.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:04 pm
No way Donovan leaves Florida again. And I’m not sure I’d want him off the strength of his coaching Saturday.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:06 pm
When Radakovich said money would be no object, I believe he meant to say that a reasonable amount of money would be no object. But that’s the thing about trying to hire in a month when two mid-majors have made the Final Four: Their asking prices are going up, up, up.
Supersize that order, mutt
March 27th, 2011
11:06 pm
NC State is welcome to Donovan if they’re that stupid.
GTFAN
March 27th, 2011
11:06 pm
I would make Grant a offer he couldn’t turn down.I’ve heard all the BS he wouldn’t come but I would be knocking his door down.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:07 pm
It would be hard to ask Grant to take a nosedive in pay.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:09 pm
Regardless of who State gets (and they’re hinting at a Tuesday presser), they’re not going after the same guys we are apparently. What other connections does Fogler have that might come into play? I think he was behind the Gregory interview (not the bogus story, but the interview) as they coached together before.
WnE
March 27th, 2011
11:10 pm
All you smart GT folks realize that one part of GT’s problem is DRad himself:
DRad over-reacted and re-upped CPJ from $1.6MM to $2.3MM after CPJ’s first(?) season when he beat ug@, plus he threw in Bonuses that allowed Coach Fish Fry to get a $75K bonus for making it to the Shreveport Bowl and ending up with a losing season.
In summary, GT & DRad would have a much easier time finding a HC for B-Ball had DRad not over-spent and gave Coach Kung Fu Panda that extra $700K per/yr. when no one else wanted him.
DRad bids “against himself” 2 years ago and over-pays CPJ an extra $700K when no one else “seriously” wanted him and now GT is having to make crappy offers to mid-major HCs in a market where all of our competitors can out-bid us.
With that extra $700K that went to coach Fish Fry in pocket GT would already have the best candidate out there and this thing would be over already.
Not one GT fan has mentioned that extra $700K that went to CPJ when no one else was seriously bidding for his services.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:11 pm
Grant is not leaving BAMA money. He would just use TECH’s offer in to a raise. We could talk to him, but I don’t think the ACC, a new Arena in 2 years and a downgrade in Pay is going to sell the guy. I think he will take the Bama money and know he is not going to beat the Gators and Kentucky while getting rich. You know the Paul Hewitt Plan.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:12 pm
I don’t believe Gregory and Fogler coached together. Where would it have been?
GTFAN
March 27th, 2011
11:14 pm
I have no problem with Rads are Coach Johnson.. Braine was the problem giving PH that un-godly contract.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:14 pm
WnE
Go and Marry HEWITT FAN and y’all can be happy in your Tech hating misery.
Dollar Bill
March 27th, 2011
11:14 pm
Way too much chatter that Dayton coach is our guy. It’s scary.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:15 pm
I want to like Grant but what I see are three very good years at VCU and two decent years at Bama, with no NCAA appearances at Bama. His SEC record is 18-14 in a couple of seasons where the division was down. Somebody sell me on him. I realize that Smart is coaching Grant’s recruits. He seems to have reached his peak level of performance, or at least it is too early to tell. So, please, sincerely, somebody sell me on Grant as a good fit for Tech. (A school which is nothing like VCU or Bama.)
Ralph
March 27th, 2011
11:15 pm
N.C. State Wolfpack holding out for VCU coach Smart. Unless they get somebody else, Tech has little chance to get him.
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
11:15 pm
GT65
I’m not equalting my money comment to Mooney staying. I’m saying the math isn’t that hard…..GT has money issues. We had money issues when Drad got here, we’ve spent more the last 3 years on facilities than maybe in the previous 25 combined when you add in the debt and interest for the BDS expension we’ve paid over that time frame, and we have two coaches currently getting huge buyouts. We have small fanbase, small alumni base, and even smaller alumni base who actually care about the athletics department. Money is an object at Georgia Tech…..especially now.
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
11:16 pm
With a decent relocation bonus, I’d take a little bit less to relocate from Tuscaloosa to a nice little place (semi-mansion) on Northside Drive.
TomB
March 27th, 2011
11:16 pm
There must be other reasons beside money that a mid major coach at Richmond would not be attracted to an ACC job like Gt’s. I mean I could see it if say Mooney was from Virginia, and he didn’t want to leave. But that isn’t the case here. Is there so much parity now in college basketball that an ACC job like Tech is no longer attractive to the head coach of Richmond. I believe there is more to the story than is being reported….just sayin.
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
11:17 pm
Mark Bradley
You might be right regarding his money is no object comment, but what he should have done is kept his mouth shut altogether about money.
Dollar Bill
March 27th, 2011
11:17 pm
Oh yea and NCSU is hiring Epic Win. They are talking a BIG monumental hire. We shall see.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:19 pm
I stand corrected. They did not coach together. I thought that their paths crossed at Wichita State but I was wrong. Gregory was never there.
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
11:19 pm
FMJ – “So, please, sincerely, somebody sell me on Grant as a good fit for Tech. (A school which is nothing like VCU or Bama.)”
He graduated magna cum laude. Not summa, like you, my wife, and a couple of buddies, but close.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:20 pm
and it’s been 20 yrs since Fogler was there so probably little advantage with Marshall either.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:22 pm
I like magna cum laude (how did you know I was summa?), but want to know more about his coaching style. I’ve heard his teams play disciplined, but that’s all.
GTFAN
March 27th, 2011
11:22 pm
what about Beilein . Is he to high? 2 mills a year
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
11:23 pm
GTFAN
Yes.
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
11:24 pm
FMJ – Good instincts . Oops, I forgot to list my son. My wife is responsible for the brains in our lineage.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:24 pm
Delbert D
You did enjoy the 60 min piece on Hurley too. I though it was great too. Odd to see a man of Character these days I guess. Can’t believe he does so much for so little pay. He is a Basketball SAINT for sure.
GTBob
March 27th, 2011
11:24 pm
Not one GT fan has mentioned that extra $700K that went to CPJ when no one else was seriously bidding for his services.
There were some pretty serious rumors that Auburn was offering him a ton of money to come over there. Nobody knows the truth except those involved but there is obviously some reason that he got the pay raise that fast.
Tech86
March 27th, 2011
11:25 pm
I’m not stopping on the Donnie Tyndall train here, read his bio, see what he has done at other schools and how each school has improved after he got here, maybe we need to step back and re-think our position and look outside the box, maybe look for a coach who is not this weeks flavor of the month and all he wanted to be is a college Basketball coach. Yes the mid majors winning ups the price, but maybe we need to say, yes money is a problem and let’s not over pay just because. Read Donnie’s bio you should be impressed that his kids graduate. And on this years team an All-American and quite possibly a lottery pick. Don’t discount the OVC, where did Bobby Cremins come from App State, Coach Rat face came from Army, so it can be done. Just look him up, 29-3 last 2 years at home. Just saying..
heath
March 27th, 2011
11:25 pm
before TN announced who they hired, some of their fans were calling for Shaka..and said please get him before GT does. The Tn fans did not mention NC St as if GT is the biggest competition.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:25 pm
Well, my “inside” snitch in the Biology dept. says it will be a few more months before they get Brad Stevens cloned and then we’ll have to wait 18 years until he’s old enough to sign a contract…so we can afford to wait a few more days to interview other guys.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:28 pm
Didn’t Tyndall just get a raise or extension last week or so ago? I think I read that on ESPN.com