College Basketball

[rebmus]

Rumors of Jans and Beard both on Arkansas' list... Beard's name more in the rumor. 

 

IF either happens, I would bet on Will Wade coaching in MS next year. 

 

 

[Insideradvantage]

54 minutes ago, rebmus said:

Rumors of Jans and Beard both on Arkansas' list... Beard's name more in the rumor. 

 

IF either happens, I would bet on Will Wade coaching in MS next year. 

 

 

Nothing but rumors. 

[Dawg83]

2 hours ago, rebmus said:

Rumors of Jans and Beard both on Arkansas' list... Beard's name more in the rumor. 

 

IF either happens, I would bet on Will Wade coaching in MS next year. 

 

 

I think Beard is a far more serious candidate than Jans right now. Jans may be on the list but he’s several names down it.

 

Beard is who Arkansas wants from all indications. If that doesn’t work out, I would watch for Jerome Tang at Kansas State. I just know there is a lot of smoke around Beard right now.

 

Regarding Wade, I think there is a far greater appetite for him in Oxford than there would be in Starkville. If Jans ever leaves I think someone like Bucky McMillan from Samford would be pretty high on the list. But I don’t see Jans leaving this cycle. Maybe eventually not yet.

Edited April 5, 2024 by Dawg83

[Dawg83]

Having said that, Arkansas in hoops is a far superior job to Ole Miss and State. I don’t think there’s much question about it. They will have some high quality names interested.

[Dawg83]

Welp, I will be a man and admit I was wrong. Beard apparently staying put. Good day for Ole Miss.

 

We will see where Arkansas goes next. Jerome Tang and Will Wade seem to be the next two in line.

[Insideradvantage]

I told y’all nothing but rumors. 

[Dawg83]

2 hours ago, Insideradvantage said:

I told y’all nothing but rumors. 

Oh I think it was definitely a possibility. Arkansas wanted him. Kudos to OM for making a strong offer to keep him. A lot of people expected him to be Fayetteville bound.

[rebmus]

I'm wondering how many coaches are seeing "the grass isn't always greener at better jobs". 

 

Different sport, but the point remains... Florida football is definitely a better job than Mississippi State (and Ole Miss before any of you get mad). Mullen would still be employed by MSU with the same results he had at Florida. Florida paid more but the job security wasn't nearly as good. 

 

An Ole Miss basketball coach is safe getting into the NCAAT once every 3 (maybe 4) years. 

An Arkansas basketball coach will be expected to get into the NCAAT 2 out of 3 (if not 3 out of 4) years. 

The pay, support, facilities, etc. are better... but the expectations are MUCH higher. 

 

 

[Dawg83]

Maybe something to that. But I also think you’ve gotta say that some AD’s are just better at their jobs than others. Keith Carter has pretty much been a home run for Ole Miss at AD and this is another example of why. Meanwhile, Arkansas fans are all over Yurachek right now.

 

If a lesser AD was in Oxford, Beard might be house hunting in Fayetteville right about now.

[Bulldogs4]

I think you are right about Carter. Hopefully Selmon will be similar at State. 
 

I also think Reb is right that the grass is not always greener else where especially when the expectations are unrealistic in a particular sport. 
 

Case in point. Mullen was making $4 million at State and then he was making $6 million at Florida. Which is relatively equal when you compare cost of living. I thought at the time he might last four years at Florida unless he was wildly successful. 
And we saw what happened there. 
 

 

[Dawg83]

Elephant in the room now is does Jans get a call from Arkansas since they appear to be several names down the list? (Tang said no as well). And how interested would Jans be if Arkansas does call?

 

I have not been given the impression that Jans wants out but his contract extension has not been signed yet. Could at the very least see him use Arkansas as leverage for a better contract from State.

 

My gut tells me Arkansas is not hiring Jans but hey, who really knows?

[Bulldogs4]

Reality says when a coach is successful his name will be bandied about when job openings occur. 
He could certainly go there but I get the sense that he is enjoying his time at State and is not really looking to go anywhere. 
While State does not have all the hardware that Arkansas has,  our Men’s Basketball has had some pockets of success (late 50’s - early 60’s, late 70’s-early 80’s, 1990-2012 and then over the last 7 years the team has been moderately successful). 
I think he is more than capable to taking a team on some deep Tournament runs here, maybe even win a conference title. Those are certainly obtainable. 
 

We will see. 

[Dawg83]

Well it’s awkward now:

 

https://x.com/arkansasonline/status/1776826778536882287?s=46&t=IJxJ67A7clYGRo5a6ZP_2A

[Dawg83]

Holy smokes. John Calipari is leaving Kentucky for the Arkansas job. Wow wow wow.

[Bulldogs4]

Kentucky was ready to get rid of him so I am sure they are thrilled. Cal still gets to coach a few more years. But if I am Arkansas I am not sure that I am thrilled about this. 
He has certainly had success but I wonder how successful he will be at Arkansas…

 

Now the domino of who KY will go after? 

[Dawg83]

9 hours ago, Bulldogs4 said:

Kentucky was ready to get rid of him so I am sure they are thrilled. Cal still gets to coach a few more years. But if I am Arkansas I am not sure that I am thrilled about this. 
He has certainly had success but I wonder how successful he will be at Arkansas…

 

Now the domino of who KY will go after? 

I actually don’t know that it’s a very good hire for Arkansas. He’s 65 and hasn’t made a Final Four in almost a decade AT KENTUCKY. I think they have one NCAAT win since 2019. I realize he’s a big name and will probably recruit well but was talent ever really an issue for Arkansas?

 

I dunno. I just don’t feel nearly as positively about Calipari in 2024 as I maybe did 10 years ago.

[Dawg83]

One of the greatest two year runs ever by UConn. Won back to back championships and never came close to losing in the tourney. In fact, the last team to beat them in the tourney was Jans’ last team at New Mexico State.

Edited April 9, 2024 by Dawg83

[Bulldogs4]

Yawn. I completely forgot about the game last night. Didn’t even realize it had been played until I signed into my computer at work this morning. 
83 you nailed it. The most uneventful Final Four in recent memory. Really the only excitement in the tournament was the very first round of games. After that it was pretty mundane for the most part. Alabama had a nice run. 

[Dawg83]

2 hours ago, Bulldogs4 said:

Yawn. I completely forgot about the game last night. Didn’t even realize it had been played until I signed into my computer at work this morning. 
83 you nailed it. The most uneventful Final Four in recent memory. Really the only excitement in the tournament was the very first round of games. After that it was pretty mundane for the most part. Alabama had a nice run. 

Coaching carousel is far more interesting right now than the actual games, especially with Kentucky seemingly involved.

[hasbeen67]

Sometimes a change remotivates a guy. But I guess you'd say he's been trending down for some time now. Is it possible that by recruiting slightly lesser players at Arkansas vs. Kentucky, they'll be there longer and have a chance to be better as a team?

[Bulldogs4]

IMHO, this is great news for KY and quite frankly terrible news for Arkansas. 

I am not sure that he has the wherewithal to floor coach again. He has not had to coach in 15 years. Which was the problem at KY. 
 

My prediction is that he will have moderate success at Arkansas but will not do any better than any of the recent coaches there. 

 

For KY, it is a chance for a fresh start. The problem for them is that there a great amount of basketball talent around the country and many teams have talent that is close to equal to them. 
So the last two years of Connecticut winning the Natty withstanding the state of college basketball is very wide open and competitive.

Even if they come up with a home run hire, it is hard to see them or any team dominating in the years ahead. The wild, Wild West of transfer portal and NIL will prevent that from happening.

 

Again my opinion only. 

[rebmus]

3 minutes ago, Bulldogs4 said:

IMHO, this is great news for KY and quite frankly terrible news for Arkansas. 

I am not sure that he has the wherewithal to floor coach again. He has not had to coach in 15 years. Which was the problem at KY. 
 

My prediction is that he will have moderate success at Arkansas but will not do any better than any of the recent coaches there. 

 

For KY, it is a chance for a fresh start. The problem for them is that there a great amount of basketball talent around the country and many teams have talent that is close to equal to them. 
So the last two years of Connecticut winning the Natty withstanding the state of college basketball is very wide open and competitive.

Even if they come up with a home run hire, it is hard to see them or any team dominating in the years ahead. The wild, Wild West of transfer portal and NIL will prevent that from happening.

 

Again my opinion only. 

We'll see, but I lean towards you're right. 

 

 

[Dawg83]

9 minutes ago, rebmus said:

We'll see, but I lean towards you're right. 

 

 

And my thing is, at 65, how long is this even going to last even if it does go well? This feels like one last move and pay day before he goes to the house in a few years.

[rebmus]

83, Houston Nutt at Ole Miss results... at best. 

 

[Dawg83]

3 hours ago, rebmus said:

83, Houston Nutt at Ole Miss results... at best. 

 

Gonna be interesting, I saw where Arkansas has zero returning players for next year at the moment. And not like he can just bring his best players from Kentucky as most of those will be going pro. Maybe he brings a recruit or two with him, I dunno.

 

It looks like the odds on favorite for the UK job at the moment is Scott Drew. Now that would be an outstanding hire. That guy has been dang near a miracle worker at Baylor.