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
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
347 comments Add your comment
surfrider
March 27th, 2011
11:28 pm
Price then Neal or the combo would be nice. It’s kind of like when Lewis came in some thought it would be better to go with the O’leary or the Fridge who had worked under Cremins. They understood recruiting and the academics and were good on scheme. They only needed some real time experience like three or four games before they clicked. The same with Price and Neal. It can’t get much worse than current level. Recruiting, attrition, scheme will turn Tech around.
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
11:28 pm
Donnie Tyndall should be affordable, if nothing else. His contract (as of last season) is $182,500 + $27,500 tournament max.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:29 pm
Delbert, I hear you. Fortunately for me and my kids, my wife is responsible for the “good looks” lineage in our family (even though she was a sorry student, haha.)
GT65
March 27th, 2011
11:30 pm
Tech Forever…u probably right on the $$
William Satterwhite
March 27th, 2011
11:31 pm
TomB, ten years worth of job security at a job that’s not much lower than Tech all things considered is something that can’t be undersold. There is more parity and that helps level the field some but the big thing is a ten-year contract, that’s almost Hewitt-like.
GT65
March 27th, 2011
11:32 pm
agree william
Dollar Bill
March 27th, 2011
11:33 pm
Donnie Tyndall re-upped for a 4 year deal with Morehead State. He is not going any where this year probably.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:33 pm
has agreed to terms with coach Donnie Tyndall on a new contract, the school announced Tuesday.
The new four-year agreement will pay Tyndall $230,000 per year, which will place him at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference.
GT65
March 27th, 2011
11:35 pm
are we back to Marshall
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:36 pm
AFter checking out Tyndall’s bio, I think he is worth a look by DRAD and Fogler, and maybe an interview (not that they asked, haha.). He does have a strong resume for rebuilding MSU’s program and strong leadership indicators with grad. rate and campus popularity. He just signed a new 4-year deal with Morehead, but that is more of an endorsement than a hindrance, I would think. If we’re talking about taking chances on a Smart or an assistant, Tyndall is worthy of a look.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:36 pm
I heard the same money-is-no-object proclamation when the Hawks were hiring. Odd that they wound up with Larry Drew.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:38 pm
Dollar Bill
$230 is so beatable for TECH. We can double that and not break a sweat. Again make it for 4 years and He should love that chance, but who knows. Again the Devil you know over the Devil you don’t
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:38 pm
Marshall. Smart. Neal. Wojcik. Gregory. anyone heard about anyone else who is a legit target? Maybe Grant, but a long shot.
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
11:39 pm
Looking at the salaries, “One-Time Bonus” may be in play for some of these hires/rehires. Who knows, Mooney may have gotten considerably more per year, plus a 1-Time Bonus and high incentives for the NCAA tourney results along with the 10 year guaranteed contract. Richmond is private, so we’ll never know.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:41 pm
Can’t wait to read the VENTS this week.
GT65
March 27th, 2011
11:41 pm
I don’t want any home boys..it just never works out.
Agree about Drew..its not working
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:41 pm
Too easy to outsmart ourselves, but was DRad answering a question about money, or did he just volunteer the comment that Hewitt’s payout wouldn’t hinder our next hire? DRad is a shrewd operator, I can’t see him floating out false info unless there was a genuine advantage or angle. Better to use the money as an excuse if things don’t go well, indirectly deflecting it onto Hewitt and his big payout.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:44 pm
I grew up in Kentucky and I know a bit about the Ohio Valley Conference. It’s a very competitive league unto itself. But Tyndall did have one of the best big men in OVC history — Jim McDaniels of Western Kentucky, who led the Hilltoppers to the 1971 Final Four, would be the best — in Kenneth Faried. And the Eagles didn’t win the OVC regular-season title. Murray State did.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:46 pm
Too many reasons for taking or not taking a particular job, for any of us. No use speculating about the past unless it can help with the future. I have no doubt we could offer more money and perks than Richmond, but we couldn’t offer to let he and his family stay in their home, their schools, their church, with their friends and their jobs, etc. And (I know this may be shocking to some of you), he might LIKE Richmond. He might even LOVE it. Bobby Cremins LOVED Tech like that, and now I bet he LOVES Charleston, too. Too many reasons for a man to choose where he works and lives.
Dollar Bill
March 27th, 2011
11:46 pm
I bet we had a deal with Mooney. If he had made a quicker exit from the NCAA – he would be our coach. Would he have come here for 750K before the tournament started?
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:48 pm
I trust your judgment on the OVC and Tyndall, Mark. I just liked what I learned about him, but know nothing of MSU and of his suitability to Tech.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:48 pm
I don’t think Mooney would have taken $750,000 to come here at any point.
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
11:48 pm
FullMetalJacket
Amen. People who are baffled as to why Stevens would stay at Butler at all much less over coming to Tech have been one of the most frustrating parts of this job search for me (enchanges with them that is).
GT65
March 27th, 2011
11:49 pm
Royal was just on 11 alive Sports extra……….waiting on GT coach???
Delbert D.
March 27th, 2011
11:49 pm
Somebody mention Tommy Amaker, currently at Harvard:
Losing conference record:
Big East- 4 years (32-36), Big Ten – 6 years (43-53)
Winning conference record:
Ivy League- 3 years (31-25)
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:49 pm
I was disappointed but not surprised that we did not apparently even get to offer Mooney. His mind was made up to stay at Richmond, who had been putting together this deal for weeks, and who had been able to talk with him about it all along.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:49 pm
I thought Tyndall coached a fabulous game against U of L. But the OVC isn’t the ACC, nor is it the Colonial or the A-10. Not all mid-major conferences are created equal.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:50 pm
That’s one of the perils about banking on hiring a mid-major coach whose team is in the tournament. What if he keeps winning?
Kurt
March 27th, 2011
11:51 pm
Brian Gregory would be a good hire. He is young and energetic and he can win big time with the right athletes. His style is fit for a big program, he just can’t get those type to go to Dayton. Bring him here and he will prove all of he doubters wrong!
GT65
March 27th, 2011
11:51 pm
Mark
Who would you go after…Smart and who ?
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:51 pm
Royal?
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
11:52 pm
Kurt
Rule #3 – Never hire a guy who’s current fanbase is extremely eager to unload.
NoShamSam
March 27th, 2011
11:52 pm
I wonder if the colleges really do talk to the coaches before the season is over, even if they are not supposed to?
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:52 pm
Gregg Marshall, GT65. And I would take an even harder look at Neal.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:53 pm
A H.S. kid is the last person who should decide our next coach.
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:53 pm
Mark you must be right on the OVC. Tyndall is making 230K and Smart in his 2nd year is making $400k that is a big difference compared to each coaches resume.
NoShamSam
March 27th, 2011
11:53 pm
If we wait for Smart and he says no, what then?
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:54 pm
I probably should also report that I touted Brian Gregory for the Georgia job two years ago. (Anthony Grant was my first choice.) So it isn’t as if I’m unfamiliar with his work. The difference is, Gregory had Dayton in the NCAA in 2009. He hasn’t had the Flyers there since.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:55 pm
Well, I’ve just about finished this barrel of rum and sugar two hundred pounds. Good night all.
GT65
March 27th, 2011
11:55 pm
Royal the kid signed by Hewitt ?
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
11:55 pm
NoShamSam
Craig Neal will never say no…..never. I’m not saying he’s my first choice (I’d definitely interview Smart and Marshall…..who I liked more than Mooney anyway), I’m just saying Tech is actually in a pretty good position….if you think Neal is a decent hire, and I do.
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:55 pm
Fold the program, NoShamSam.
In all seriousness, I think Tech could offer Craig Neal the job the Fourth of July and he’d take it.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:55 pm
Yes, only two hundred pounds. I’m on a diet.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:56 pm
Neal did say Tech was his “DREAM” job. IF true, and I think it is, he’ll be there waiting for a while.
NoShamSam
March 27th, 2011
11:56 pm
I would love Neal, especially if Price was his assistant.
Tech Forever
March 27th, 2011
11:57 pm
Mark Bradley
They could offer it to him at Midnight Madness and he’d say yes.
FullMetalJacket
March 27th, 2011
11:58 pm
Good night all. blog on…blog on….
Mark Bradley
March 27th, 2011
11:58 pm
That would, you’d have to think, be a pretty dramatic slice of Midnight Madness: “Come watch as we unveil our brand new coach!”
5150 UOAD
March 27th, 2011
11:59 pm
If I am backing NEAL then I want to know the WHOLE package. When you vote for President you get the VP too. Well if we get NEAL I want the whole package of who Neal wants as his assistants too.
heath
March 27th, 2011
11:59 pm
so let me get this straight, there are now 68 teams who get invited to the NCAA tournament and neither Gregg Marshall nor Doug Wojcik have made it there yet with their current teams and I am suppose to be re-energized? And you laugh at me for wanting GT’s own players.