Should Johnnie get a shot? A precautionary tale..

[thekimmer]

Pat Summitt built an unquestionable WBB powerhouse at tennessee out of whole cloth. When she retired, UT hired Pat's long time assistant on her recommendation as her hand-picked successor. Let's just say it did not work out well for the lady vols. There has also been several similar moves over the years that ended the same way.

Not saying we should not hire Johnnie but I think we should cast a wide net before we go that route immediately.

 

[57stratdawg]

I'm all for shooting for the moon, but it shouldn't take us very long to work our way down to her, IMO.

 

[8dog]

I think thats an apples and oranges comparison. No pun intended

 

[patdog]

Along those lines, you have to wonder why no mid-major program has hired her as their head coach by now.

 

[civildawg88]

I agree. I think you have to swing big and then you can “settle” for her if none of the big options come

 

[MSUDC11]

I agree. I think you have to swing big and then you can “settle” for her if none of the big options come

I think that’s the plan. And I think Kelly Graves is Cohen’s top choice. No idea if he’d come (probably not), but you’ve gotta shoot your shot.

 

[Dawgg]

I think she should get a shot. As much as Vic has relied on her, her bonafides as a recruiter, and based on her relationships with the players, she's your best shot at keeping the momentum going.

Look, we can throw out pie in the sky names all we want, but the chances of Kelly Graves, Tara Vanderveer, Geno Auriemma, or Ross Bjork's clone Walz jumping ship are pretty slim.

 

[The Peeper]

I don't think so. She's been an assistant everywhere she's ever been. I don't think she gets enough credit for what she did but I don't think you have to hire a coach that has never been the person in charge of ANY program, much less a high profile nationally known program.

 

[Cooterpoot]

She deserves a look. But she goes through the same process as other coaches.

 

[MSUDC11]

She deserves a look. But she goes through the same process as other coaches.

Correct. She deserves an interview at least, but we are going to get interest from sitting head coaches and that’s something she’s never been. A lot of things to consider here.

 

[My Bru]

Absolutely. If a good thing is working, keep doing it until it stops working.

We should have done the same thing when Mullen left.

 

[maroonmania]

Cohen went inside the program for softball and I don't think our softball coach has anywhere near the resume Harris has. I realize softball is a program where MSU fans have less investment but our program in softball did not scream for keeping the same culture like our basketball program does. Now yea, if you can get the Oregon coach that would be great but you are asking a coach of an already elite program to move across the country and coach a different elite program. Why would we think he would make that move? Is he significantly underpaid or something? I mean Vic is a Texas guy, does MS have any connection to Graves?

 

[BulldogBillyCrash]

I think that’s the plan. And I think Kelly Graves is Cohen’s top choice. No idea if he’d come (probably not), but you’ve gotta shoot your shot.

Kelly Graves made 700K at Oregon this season...we can double that and he’ll still be making less than Vic did

 

[rynodawg]

It’s been said on this board before (and I agree) that there aren’t elite programs in WBB, only elite coaches. Really worried about our program if we can’t hire away any of the coaches that are consistently Top 15. Need to offer all of those established coaches that are either underpaid, or have minimal fan support, before going the assistant route. If this hire isn’t a home run, we are headed back to the days of not caring about WBB.

 

[8dog]

We can double that and he will make 1.4 million at oregon

 

[Dawgg]

Kelly Graves made 700K at Oregon this season...we can double that and he’ll still be making less than Vic did

Also, it's currently set to raise $50,000 every year between now and 2026, which means that, yes, he could max out that contract at $1,000,000 in 2026 and still not match what Vic was making last year.

His buyout is $500,000 until April 2021 when it drops to $250,000. With Texas paying us $1.25 million to buy out Vic, we'd come out well ahead on that deal.

 

[MSUDC11]

Cohen went inside the program for softball and I don't think our softball coach has anywhere near the resume Harris has. I realize softball is a program where MSU fans have less investment but our program in softball did not scream for keeping the same culture like our basketball program does. Now yea, if you can get the Oregon coach that would be great but you are asking a coach of an already elite program to move across the country and coach a different elite program. Why would we think he would make that move? Is he significantly underpaid or something? I mean Vic is a Texas guy, does MS have any connection to Graves?

Pretty underpaid. He’s only making $650,000 at Oregon. We would offer close to $2 million. I’m sure Oregon will offer him a pay raise soon or he will try to use us as leverage for more money. But we could certainly offer him more than he’s making now.

 

[civildawg88]

Like I said in another thread even if we don’t get him, make someone else pony up the money to keep him. I would make him a godfather offer and make him say no

 

[Slow Natives]

I know we are afraid of losing players to the portal, but promoting Johnnie to head coach isn't the answer. She's great on Vic's staff as an assistant and mother figure to the players, but she's not the X and Os coach and she has not had to run the day to day activities of a program. Plus, talking to another coach who knows her, she doesn't want to be a head coach.

 

[ezsoil]

Yeah but Oregon will have a huge drop off this year with graduation...

 

[13thEagle]

Along those lines, you have to wonder why no mid-major program has hired her as their head coach by now.

Likely because she makes more as your ast than a mid major hc. Just a few examples.
Above ave salary for a wbb hc is around 250k at a mid major.

We had an asst leave usm a few years back, 2nd chair was making just under 50k. She is the 3rd chair at akry and makes 150k

A former lady bulldog Brooks donald williams left the head job at McNease several years ago to the an asst at Bama.

Womens bb recruiting is more about building relationship than any other sport.

If i were your ad I would be naming her hc tomorrow.

She has ment alot more to Vic than Holly did to Pat.

 

[Irondawg]

I’m not worried about transfers unless the NCAA voted to waive making them sit out a year. Those girls aren’t going to want to sit out a year