MSUDuo wrote:Blers wrote:Kyle@MOState wrote:That is exactly how I felt last year. It was so disappointing after being picked to finish number 1 and having to play in the play in round. It was especially demoralizing realizing that we did that with an NBA draft pick on the team. That is ultimately what it took to get Lusk out of town, so in the long run it was definitely worth it. I'm sure Lusk was a nice guy. I only met him a handful of times. He just could not get his kids to progress as they went along. We had kids coming in and contributing as freshmen, and they couldn't see the floor as the years went on. It also wasn't even due to us recruiting over them... I saw regression in players. I know sample size isn't there, but I have seen more progression in the team this year, than I saw under Lusk's tenure.
Do you think Ford stays if he gets offers after this year? It'd suck to have a Niko situation in Springfield. I feel like Devries really wants to be at Drake, but don't know enough about Ford to read his future at MSU.
He's going to be our best shot of finding our Marshall or Jacobsen. He and his family are laying down serious roots in Springfield, he knows the Valley, and he can tell he's building something special here already. I would be VERY surprised to see him bolt after one year.
Redbird fans can attest to this after knowing him as a player and coach. He is not one to jump at the first chance he gets. He is a loyal guy and wouldn't Niko it after one year. If Dana improves every year and takes the Bears from a consistent PIG team to the NCAA Tournament in 3 seasons, then he's gone. If he continues on this path, he'll be gone by the 21-22 season. Say what you will about Muller, but his assistants go places.
He has Dana Ford as HC at MoState, Luke Yaklich and DeAndre Haynes at Michigan (John Beilein credited Yak for their Final 4 run), Dean Oliver at Wisconsin, Chad Dollar was hired, had a cup of coffee then went to Auburn and might be a Georgia now, Penny Collins is HC at Tennessee State, and Torrey Ward was interviewing for several HC jobs before his death. Muller knows talent when it comes to assistant coaches. A lot of Redbird fans are expecting Brendan Mullins to join his brother Bryan at SIU next season as associate HC, too. I don't think Duhon will be at ISU for long, and it is about time Brian Reese moved on to a P6 bench too (he's been at ILST for 3 seasons).
