Dwayne Stephenson or Saul Phillips?

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At this point, why not target either Stephens or Phillips? Stephens is a huge reason Izzo can get almost any recruit's attention (aside from on court sucsess, which is sort of the chicken or egg debate in college hoops), and Phillips comes from a winning pedigree. I think either of these guys would be more exciting than a hot coach like Enfield or a pricey guy like Buzz. I would like to see something get built organically with a guy on his first shot, maybe we can catch lightning in a bottle. I'd rather that then get a retread (Tubby) who feels they can coast at Minn
 


I'd way rather have Buzz, but I can see them over a guy like Enfield.

Another guy is Antigua from Kentucky. He is under 40, he is the main recruiter for Calipari, he's worked with Jamie Dixon at Pitt and Cal at Memphis and Kentucky. I think if we went with an assistant, Orlando Antigua has to be that guy.
 

Wasn't Brewster a recruiting specialist?
 

I'd be fine with identifying the best assistant coach in the country (all facets combined - knowledge of the game, ability to relate to players, ability to develop players, and recruiter) and hiring that guy. Why can't we have the next Shaka, Buzz, Williams, Izzo, etc? They all started somewhere (as HC) and getting your first start at a Big Ten school would be pretty amazing.

The reality is - we pretty much have the pick of the litter. We just need to make sure we know who that guy is.
 


JMWZ said:
Wasn't Brewster a recruiting specialist?
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Yep, I talked about Antigua last night on here and I said the same thing. It's why I'd rather have an experienced coach, the Brewster stuff scared me. I do think basketball is a lot different than football (more about the Jims and Joes), and he's been a top assistant at Kentucky and Memphis (so it's more like hiring a coordinator who can recruit). But yeah, that is the dangerous angle with a guy like Antigua.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Yep, I talked about Antigua last night on here and I said the same thing. It's why I'd rather have an experienced coach, the Brewster stuff scared me. I do think basketball is a lot different than football (more about the Jims and Joes), and he's been a top assistant at Kentucky and Memphis (so it's more like hiring a coordinator who can recruit). But yeah, that is the dangerous angle with a guy like Antigua.
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My thoughts exactly. I want the U to take a swing here, look at the sucsess "recruiting" HC are having: Buzz, Crean, Cal, Pastner, etc. Crean can't draw up a play but he's got players that can compete with anybody. That's the first step
 

Saul Phillips I wouldn't be excited about, and that's coming from a guy who graduated from NDSU when Saul was there. Tim Miles recruited the Woodside class that Saul brought to the tournament in 2009. Since then, NDSU is 36-33 in the Summit League with zero tourney appearances, although they will be favored to win the conference next year. They play sloooowwwwww. NDSU ranked 335th in the country in pace this year (61.4 possessions per game). That's slower than Northwestern and Nebraska. I know wins are all that matters but I don't think that would excite the average fan.
 

jaymil said:
Saul Phillips I wouldn't be excited about, and that's coming from a guy who graduated from NDSU when Saul was there. Tim Miles recruited the Woodside class that Saul brought to the tournament in 2009. Since then, NDSU is 36-33 in the Summit League with zero tourney appearances, although they will be favored to win the conference next year. They play sloooowwwwww. NDSU ranked 335th in the country in pace this year (61.4 possessions per game). That's slower than Northwestern and Nebraska. I know wins are all that matters but I don't think that would excite the average fan.
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Yeah, I wouldn't want Saul.

I'd consider Stephenson or Antigua.
 



Bob_Loblaw said:
Yeah, I wouldn't want Saul.

I'd consider Stephenson or Antigua.
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I didn't know more than Antigua's name when you brought him up Bob, and after digging up some info on his credentials he would really excite me, but if you couldn't tell I love the recruiting aspect of NCAA ball.
 

"At this point,..."

I take issue with this. The search is a week old. It's hardly time to panic. If no one has accepted the job in another week then I might start to worry. Illinois took 20 days to hire Groce last year UCLA took over a week to hire Alford. Some people in the media are mad because they don't have a clue what's going on. Teague and Ellis are well-connected basketball people. They aren't going reach and whoever they hire they're staking their reputations on so you know they aren't going to let them fail like Maturi did with Tubby.
 

JMWZ said:
Wasn't Brewster a recruiting specialist?
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I understand the concern and don't necessarily disagree with it. But the difference is Brewster wasn't even a coordinator anywhere before he was hired.
 




bigticket1 said:
Just to clarify here , are we talking about Dwayne Stephens from Michigan State ?
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Ha. Yeah, good catch. That's who I was talking about but maybe there is a Stephenson somewhere that the OP is talking about.
 

I'd take Nagy over Phillips...just sayin'.
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
Ha. Yeah, good catch. That's who I was talking about but maybe there is a Stephenson somewhere that the OP is talking about.
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Haha no definitely talking Dwayne....My phone autocorrects though and is quite annoying :)
 

Assistant Dwayne Stephens from Michigan State would be like a doulbe win for the Goph

Hurt's Izzo the most and his poaching of recruits in Minnesota, and gets a coach with a chip that want's to prove himself against his mentor and the rest of the Big10 coaches. This is actually one of the better ideas I have seen on this board since Tubby got let go. Some would say this would be like hiring Brewster but I would disagree, Stephens is well thought of by Izzo and Big 10 coaching circles, Brewster was never more than an after thought on the Mack Brown staff, with mostly NFL experience. In fact when Brestwer received the Minnesota job, Brown was said to have laughed out loud as he was never even a coordinator.
Why not take a shot on an assitant from a coaching staff that knows what it is like to get to the final four?
If there are others like the Duke, Louisville, and Kentucky staffs, let the poaching begin. Head coaches why try someone else's guy, get a new guy and let's run with it. That and an assistant will work cheaper than an established head coach.
 

Upon further consideration, I think Dwayne Stephens is the ideal choice for the next coach of the Gophers, as he would continue to uphold the fine tradition of GH posters butchering the spelling of his name. Luminaries such as Mo Hargrove, Jeff Hagan, Brett Lawson, Maverick Ahanmesi, Colton Iversen, Justin Cobb, Jason Stamper would finally have a coach worthy of their misspelling. Consider the possiblities!
Duane Stephens
Duane Stevens
Dewayne Stevens
Dewayne Stephens
Dwyane Stephens
Dwyane Stevens
Duane Stephenson
Dwayne Stephenson
Dewayne Stepheson
Dwyane Stephenson
Dwight Stephenson (a nod to the Hall of Fame center for the Miami Dolphins, who first came to mind when I saw this thread)
;)
 

Coaching vs Recruiting

They need to be able to do both well - not perfectly but well - demonstrated success as a recruiter then real on court coaching experience and hopefully both very recently at the D1 college level.

Can those assistants show that? I have no idea but that is the question our man Norwood is paid the big bucks to fund out.

Now carry on!
 

coolhandgopher said:
Upon further consideration, I think Dwayne Stephens is the ideal choice for the next coach of the Gophers, as he would continue to uphold the fine tradition of GH posters butchering the spelling of his name. Luminaries such as Mo Hargrove, Jeff Hagan, Brett Lawson, Maverick Ahanmesi, Colton Iversen, Justin Cobb, Jason Stamper would finally have a coach worthy of their misspelling. Consider the possiblities!
Duane Stephens
Duane Stevens
Dewayne Stevens
Dewayne Stephens
Dwyane Stephens
Dwyane Stevens
Duane Stephenson
Dwayne Stephenson
Dewayne Stepheson
Dwyane Stephenson
Dwight Stephenson (a nod to the Hall of Fame center for the Miami Dolphins, who first came to mind when I saw this thread)
;)
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Well done, Coolhand. I am sure your Peruvian students of English will be master spellers after they are done with you!
 



Antigua, being an ex-Globetrotter, could bring back Sweet Georgia Brown for our pregame introduction.
 

50PoundHead said:
I'm holding out hope for Urkel.
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I'm not really a big fan of Steven Urkel, but I'd love the smooth talking Stephan Urkele'. He's just the kind of charismatic figure head this university needs.
 


forestlaker said:
Antigua, being an ex-Globetrotter, could bring back Sweet Georgia Brown for our pregame introduction.
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An ex-Globetrotter? Sign me up! The look on Bo Ryan's face when the Gophs pull the bucket full of confetti on him while the other players bring out a ladder to put in front of the basket would be difficult to top...
 

50PoundHead said:
Urkel does know his hoops.

Link: http://www.nba.com/blog/blog22.html
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Amelia's next column:

Jaleel White to Coach the Gophers? Not Impossible

Common sense would tell you that the Gophers would not hire Jaleel White to fill their coaching vacancy. He has no coaching experience and he is merely a professional actor. However, the University of Minnesota hired Norwood Teague for his ability to think outside the box. That's exactly what he did when he hired unknown assistant Shaka Smart at VCU and those kinds of bold moves might be needed at the University. Again, this is not going to happen, it's absurd to even talk about it.

But Jaleel White doesn't seem to have a lot going on right now. He could be had at a cheap price and he might be just the kind of charismatic face that this program needs. He could energize the boosters and give the program the national exposure needed to get a practice facility built and put them over the top. As unlikely as it is that the Gophers next basketball coach would be Steve Urkel, it's not impossible.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Four days later, TMZ interviews Jaleel White where he says he's an actor and not a basketball coach.

Shooter: The U Rejected by Urkel
 

Who would you hire?

Okay, we are one week into the search for a new men's Gopher basketball coach. We have been unable to get Shaka, Brad Stevens, Flip, Hoiberg, Buzz and I'm sure some other established coaches on the dotted line. I'm not a Marshall or Grant guy. I'd understand the hiring of Enfield but I don't think he will accept. I'm also not sure he is the best choice overall. Maybe the best of available, realistic head coaches for me, though.

If I am Teague and Ellis, I would hire the best college assistant coach. Is that how a Big Ten
school would normally do it? I don't think so. But these two guys are way more plugged into basketball than most hiring AD's. That has the upside to be spectacular. A retread coach is a known quantity and sorta safe but also very likely there is also a ceiling of good not great.

I don't know if Antigua and Stephens are the two best assistants but I'd interview them and
the others on my list and choose one. I'd put my reputation on the line with the hire because I'm confident I know basketball and people. My vision is winning the national championship not just the Big Ten title. A retread guy is unlikely to do that after I struck out on my top five safer choices. (including Flip somewhat intentionally to get to this point)

That's my hope. The best assistant coach. We virtually have our pick of the entire USA college basketball scene.
 

60's Guy said:
Okay, we are one week into the search for a new men's Gopher basketball coach. We have been unable to get Shaka, Brad Stevens, Flip, Hoiberg, Buzz and I'm sure some other established coaches on the dotted line. I'm not a Marshall or Grant guy. I'd understand the hiring of Enfield but I don't think he will accept. I'm also not sure he is the best choice overall. Maybe the best of available, realistic head coaches for me, though.

If I am Teague and Ellis, I would hire the best college assistant coach. Is that how a Big Ten
school would normally do it? I don't think so. But these two guys are way more plugged into basketball than most hiring AD's. That has the upside to be spectacular. A retread coach is a known quantity and sorta safe but also very likely there is also a ceiling of good not great.

I don't know if Antigua and Stephens are the two best assistants but I'd interview them and
the others on my list and choose one. I'd put my reputation on the line with the hire because I'm confident I know basketball and people. My vision is winning the national championship not just the Big Ten title. A retread guy is unlikely to do that after I struck out on my top five safer choices. (including Flip somewhat intentionally to get to this point)

That's my hope. The best assistant coach. We virtually have our pick of the entire USA college basketball scene.
Click to expand...

I'd go with Enfield over the assistants.

Slight correction. We were able to get Flip. AD chose not to make a deal.
 

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