Ben Johnson to Xavier

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Ope3 said:
Along with the aforementioned Dutcher-Fisher SDSU:

Bill Guthridge for Dean Smith - North Carolina
Kevin Ollie for Jim Calhoun - UConn
Craig Esherick for John Thompson - Georgetown
Joey Meyer for Ray Meyer - DePaul
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Bill Gutheridge was older than Dean Smith!

We need someone with strong ties to the area, who can help us recruit kids. What is Khalid up to these days?
Maybe Trent Tucker could help out? Isn't he already at the U?
Someone from Howard Pulley?
Hopkins or Apple Valley's head coaches?
 

Otis said:
Bill Gutheridge was older than Dean Smith!

We need someone with strong ties to the area, who can help us recruit kids. What is Khalid up to these days?
Maybe Trent Tucker could help out? Isn't he already at the U?
Someone from Howard Pulley?
Hopkins or Apple Valley's head coaches?
Click to expand...

Jeter doesn't have strong ties? Like High School coaches and AAU guys wouldn't make new friends with a different coach? Relationships can be made and developed. We don't want Apple Valley or Hopkins head coaches either (Not ripping them, but not college guys imo). We are most likely missing out on Hurt and it doesn't seem like Zeke from Hopkins is interested. Our biggest guys to go after is Suggs (not holding my breath) and Garcia.
 

Otis said:
Bill Gutheridge was older than Dean Smith!

We need someone with strong ties to the area, who can help us recruit kids. What is Khalid up to these days?
Maybe Trent Tucker could help out? Isn't he already at the U?
Someone from Howard Pulley?
Hopkins or Apple Valley's head coaches?
Click to expand...

We just need to win. That is the #1 thing you can do to get local kids with talent to stay here. Another season like last year and you can expect a terrible recruiting class the year after. Recruiting is more about having a program that wins. Any dingbat can recruit kids to come play if they see a chance to play and win.
 

I've been a fan of Ben Johnson, but there is nothing here that alarms me. I expect to see a probable upgrade in his replacement. Don't pull the plug on this team. If the PG position is solid this year we should have a great season.
 

Otis said:
Bill Gutheridge was older than Dean Smith!

We need someone with strong ties to the area, who can help us recruit kids. What is Khalid up to these days?
Maybe Trent Tucker could help out? Isn't he already at the U?
Someone from Howard Pulley?
Hopkins or Apple Valley's head coaches?
Click to expand...

If you are going local the obvious choice is Damian Johnson, familiar with the U, knows High School basketball, knows the area.
 


What positions did Ben Johnson coach? Also, what is the basis for all the praise for him? Not saying it's unsubstantiated, just curious why we are calling this a huge loss.
 

What world do some of you live in?

Xavier has been to the NCAA tourney 26 of the past 33 years. They've been to the NCAA tourney more times in the past decade than Minnesota has officially been to the tourney in its entire existence as a program. Xavier has placed a few assistant coaches into high level head coaching positions in just the past 15 years. Xavier has elevated the No. 1 assistant coach to its head coaching job in each of the last three openings, which covers about 15 years.

If you're Ben Johnson and you're offered the job to be the No. 1 assistant coach at Xavier, you take the job.

Anyone else reading anything else into it, is just silly.
 

Ope3 said:
Along with the aforementioned Dutcher-Fisher SDSU:

Bill Guthridge for Dean Smith - North Carolina
Kevin Ollie for Jim Calhoun - UConn
Craig Esherick for John Thompson - Georgetown
Joey Meyer for Ray Meyer - DePaul
Click to expand...

Another:

Tony Bennett for Dick Bennett at Washington State.
 





manderson1984 said:
It could truly be that he was given more money and a promotion!!! Guys, people leave their hometowns for those things. Not always a sign of negative stuff, could be he was approached by Steele and offered the position because he is a nice up and comer? Stop being so doom and gloom, some things are as simple as they seem. Plus other experience for him to take the MN job someday.

What I am interested in seeing now is if we hire another guy out on the East coast again to keep that pipeline. Would still love to have McHale back since Thorson did take the asst. job at CSU. Wonder if someone like Ryan Saunders would be willing to come back from the NBA if we are looking for a young former Minnesotan. Erik Crawford from Northern Iowa?

Good luck Ben and hope to have you back someday!!
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You got your wish!

Go Gophers!!
 

Winnipegopher said:
It is a good move for Johnson. Moreover, it also makes him a more likely candidate to be Gophers head coach if Pitino leaves/ is fired (next year is too soon but 2 or 3 years is possible) and Xavier has success. Moreover, as others have said, Gophers haven't really looked well coached. All good for me.
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Nailed it!!

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
You got your wish!

Go Gophers!!
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Man that's some deep digging. I certainly was wrong that it was just a promotion, but it is what it is. I wish Ben the best of luck, but I do think we missed an opportunity with Smith. Ben's well thought of here and hopefully the "one of us" will carry as much weight as so many want it too. I just want to win. If Ben gets Thorson and they D up, I think he will be successful here. I wasn't really excited for another learning on the job hire, but that is what it is now.
 




Winnipegopher said:
It is a good move for Johnson. Moreover, it also makes him a more likely candidate to be Gophers head coach if Pitino leaves/ is fired (next year is too soon but 2 or 3 years is possible) and Xavier has success. Moreover, as others have said, Gophers haven't really looked well coached. All good for me.
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How prophetic Winnipegopher. Let's hope that Ben Johnson is astute enough to surround himself with good assistant coaches.

IMHO, we need an exciting brand of high octane basketball. That will attract players who would want to play and have fun doing it.
 

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