How Many New Coaches Will We have in the MVC Next Year?

[unipanther99]

With Jacobson's long term contract in place, I think UNI's financial issues would only serve to help keep him at UNI, not drive him away. Like SIU, UNI would be hard pressed to buy him out if the program went down the crapper.

Just to be clear, when I brought the financial situation up, it wasn't to imply that they couldn't pay him, but rather that future raises may not be available. Likewise, it makes pay raises for assistants difficult, could have an impact on recruiting budget, etc. all of which could have an impact on the ability to compete at a high level over time.

Those are fair comments to make. It is my hope that our administration understands the importance of allowing the basketball program to operate free of these larger financial considerations, understanding that the continued long term success of the program is crucial if the rest of the athletic department wants to thrive.

[DUBulldog]

I think your percentage on Phelps is a little low, maybe 25-30%

I would disagree....I think his number on Phelps is too high. There is zero chance that another school would hire him away, and virtually zero chance that Drake will fire him.

[DUBulldog]

Phelps did a heck of a job this year considering the adversity he faced. He's starting to "get it". I'm not in tune with the DU fanbase. I know they want something better than a perennial mid-level finish (the Jim Les curse), but I think Phelps can get that for them.

Problem is, Phelps had never produced a "mid-level" finish until this year.....and he still hasn't avoided Thursday. Drake fans don't have grandiose aspirations, but I don't think even the most pessimistic fan would have expected 4 straight Thursday nights immediately following a 28-5 season.

[valleychamp]

Phelps aint going anywhere. I think there is a 99% chance that he returns.

Lowery, lord have mercy on us all, hopefully is finally gone. Saluki fans have suffered enough.

I have always been surprised by all the "Marshall to USC" talk. I don't get it. That is not a good job by any means, and is certainly not a better job than Wichita State, IMO. It would be one thing if it were his alma mater or something, but I think it would be pretty silly for him to leave WSU for that situation. Does he have any other connection to that university? If he just wanted to go back to the Carolinas, it sounds like he could have had that NC State job last year, which is a FAR better job than USC.

Coach Jake, I don't see him going anywhere this year unless something great pops up. He had a chance to take that A&M job last year, which is a pretty damn good job, but decided against it. It will have to be something really good to get him away from UNI, especially considering UNI could have a really good team next year.

Minnesota? That has always worried some Panther fans because it would seem to make total sense and be a great fit, being that he grew up in the region, it is a good job, and he already recruits the area very successfully. But, quite frankly, I don't know that there is anything there to substantiate him being potentially interested in that job other than message board speculation. Also, I have a hard time seeing Minn fire Tubby Smith, who is a great coach. And, Minn has went the mid-major way before hiring Monson and that did not work out well at all, so maybe they will not go that route next time they need a coach anyway.

But who knows, as I said a few weeks ago, nobody should be surprised if you lose your coach. It happens to anybody and everybody, regardless of situation.

[Wufan]

I know for a fact that money is the No. 1 motivator for at least one of those guys. But let's not get carried away with the loyalty stuff anyway. Coaches will jump to a "better" job, or at least a higher paying job, when they have a chance. And by chance, I don't mean their agents putting their names in the media for turning down jobs.

They all determine what a better job is, but let's not act like our guy is the one who is different.

1) I don't think you "know for a fact" that money is the no. 1 motivator.
2) I don't think money is the number one motivator.

I think what drives these ultra-successful Type A coaches is ego. These guys BELIEVE they can do it ANYWHERE and they want the job where they can compete against the best and prove it. If you believe that a job in the MVC allows you to get to the NCAA most years then that might be enough, but you've also got to win a few in the dance. If you were like Dana and kept losing, you might chalk it up to an inability to get the recruits you need to be competitive, and over time that might drive you to a middling team in the worst BCS conference in the country.

Money is also important, for the same reason that it's important to all of us, but I think that compensation for these guys also plays into the ego. It helps to show their value as a coach when compared to their peers. I'd give Marshall a 50/50 chance this year, and probably again next. If he does leave, I hope he leaves early and allows Jans to stay behind as the new head coach. I think the WSU Associate head coach is about 80/20 gone (or at least a head coach) this season.

[Khan4Cats]

With Jacobson's long term contract in place, I think UNI's financial issues would only serve to help keep him at UNI, not drive him away. Like SIU, UNI would be hard pressed to buy him out if the program went down the crapper.

Just to be clear, when I brought the financial situation up, it wasn't to imply that they couldn't pay him, but rather that future raises may not be available. Likewise, it makes pay raises for assistants difficult, could have an impact on recruiting budget, etc. all of which could have an impact on the ability to compete at a high level over time.

Those are fair comments to make. It is my hope that our administration understands the importance of allowing the basketball program to operate free of these larger financial considerations, understanding that the continued long term success of the program is crucial if the rest of the athletic department wants to thrive.

The big thing to remember is that all of Jake's raise was arrived at through private contributions. The financial issues at UNI may impact the program in other ways (travel, uniforms...) but Jake is being covered with private funding for the bulk of his contract.

And yes, Minnesota would be a job I would worry about losing Jake to.

[TylerDurden]

I know for a fact that money is the No. 1 motivator for at least one of those guys. But let's not get carried away with the loyalty stuff anyway. Coaches will jump to a "better" job, or at least a higher paying job, when they have a chance. And by chance, I don't mean their agents putting their names in the media for turning down jobs.

They all determine what a better job is, but let's not act like our guy is the one who is different.

1) I don't think you "know for a fact" that money is the no. 1 motivator.
2) I don't think money is the number one motivator.

I think what drives these ultra-successful Type A coaches is ego. These guys BELIEVE they can do it ANYWHERE and they want the job where they can compete against the best and prove it. If you believe that a job in the MVC allows you to get to the NCAA most years then that might be enough, but you've also got to win a few in the dance. If you were like Dana and kept losing, you might chalk it up to an inability to get the recruits you need to be competitive, and over time that might drive you to a middling team in the worst BCS conference in the country.

Money is also important, for the same reason that it's important to all of us, but I think that compensation for these guys also plays into the ego. It helps to show their value as a coach when compared to their peers. I'd give Marshall a 50/50 chance this year, and probably again next. If he does leave, I hope he leaves early and allows Jans to stay behind as the new head coach. I think the WSU Associate head coach is about 80/20 gone (or at least a head coach) this season.

I agree with a lot of what you wrote about what drives coaches and that there are various motivating factors to consider and also that money may not be at the top of that list for a lot of guys.

You listed two things: 1) You can certainly have that opinion 2) For some it is. For some it's not.

Regardless of that, the concept of loyalty between schools and coaches is pretty much a thing of the past. I think the 20+ years-at-one-school guys will be few and far between after guys like Coach K, Boeheim, McKillop and some other small-school coaches are finished.

[NEI Panther]

Money is also important, for the same reason that it's important to all of us, but I think that compensation for these guys also plays into the ego. It helps to show their value as a coach when compared to their peers. I'd give Marshall a 50/50 chance this year, and probably again next. If he does leave, I hope he leaves early and allows Jans to stay behind as the new head coach. I think the WSU Associate head coach is about 80/20 gone (or at least a head coach) this season.

If Coach Jake were to leave, I believe that Jans would be in UNI's top 5, I don't know if Chris would have any desire to move home, but he did grow up about 20 miles from Cedar Falls.

[NEI Panther]

Money is also important, for the same reason that it's important to all of us, but I think that compensation for these guys also plays into the ego. It helps to show their value as a coach when compared to their peers. I'd give Marshall a 50/50 chance this year, and probably again next. If he does leave, I hope he leaves early and allows Jans to stay behind as the new head coach. I think the WSU Associate head coach is about 80/20 gone (or at least a head coach) this season.

If Coach Jake were to leave, I believe that Jans would be in UNI's top 5, I don't know if Chris would have any desire to move home, but he did grow up about 20 miles from Cedar Falls.

[DoubleJayAlum]

I wonder if Creighton assistant Darrien DeVries would be a candidate as well. He's from nearby, an alum and has been on the CU bench for a long time.