nychoops
Junior
Posts: 243
Reg: 11-23-04
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10-23-20 08:36 AM - Post#315286
Their are very well connected ppl floating stories around that he is on a short list of potential replacements.
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palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32834
Reg: 11-21-04
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Re: Donahue to Penn St?
10-23-20 10:04 AM - Post#315289
In response to nychoops
That would make some people here very happy (not moi)
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Silver Maple
Postdoc
Posts: 3777
Loc: Westfield, New Jersey
Reg: 11-23-04
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10-23-20 10:46 AM - Post#315290
In response to palestra38
While Steve Donahue may not be the second coming of John Wooden, I really do think he's a very good, and improving, coach. Him leaving for PSU would be very unfortunate. Anybody who'd like to seem him go is being foolish.
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TheLine
Professor
Posts: 5597
Age: 60
Reg: 07-07-09
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Donahue to Penn St?
10-23-20 11:04 AM - Post#315292
In response to Silver Maple
It would be bad timing for Penn. Plus being the basketball coach at Penn St is as bad a position, if not worse, than the BC gig Donahue had. Penn St reserves its money and resources for football so while the salary goes up, it's not as much as one might expect. I don't see it happening.
I read some blurb from a Penn St writer trying to drum up interest in Tommy Amaker, which I found laughable.
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Silver Maple
Postdoc
Posts: 3777
Loc: Westfield, New Jersey
Reg: 11-23-04
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10-23-20 11:12 AM - Post#315293
In response to TheLine
It does raise this question: if Donahue was unable to be successful at BC, what's different about him now or the PSU job that would lead to a different result this time around? I've heard and read interviews with him over the years in which, reading between the lines, he seemed to be suggesting that maybe a high major job doesn't play to his strengths.
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SomeGuy
Professor
Posts: 6413
Reg: 11-22-04
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10-23-20 12:16 PM - Post#315299
In response to Silver Maple
Well, coaches do change. Donahue has been a far better defensive coach at Penn than his past history would suggest. So he may have learned things that would help him if he got another shot at a high major position.
Agreed that, like BC, PSU isn’t necessarily a step up.
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rbg
Postdoc
Posts: 3057
Reg: 10-20-14
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Donahue to Penn St?
10-23-20 02:43 PM - Post#315323
In response to SomeGuy
PSU student paper weighs in:
https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/men_basketbal...
Jim Ferry (interim coach), Phil Martelli, Tommy Amaker, Avery Johnson, Joe Crispin (Rowan coach)and Brett Brown (former 76ers coach)
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CBS Sports:
https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/ne ws/...
- The Penn State job is a hard job — arguably one of the most difficult jobs in any Power Five conference. The school has only been to four NCAA Tournaments since 1965, only two since 1996. And when you combine that fact with the fact that Pat Chambers was reportedly making just $900,000, it's reasonable to assume the candidate pool will be limited to assistants and mid-major coaches.
So where should Penn State look?
In my opinion, the goal should be to hire somebody who has already been a consistent winner at whatever level because, at a place like Penn State, you're never going to have better players than most of the other programs in the Big Ten, which is why you better have somebody who can really, really coach. It's an approach currently working at Rutgers, where Steve Pikiell was hired away from Stony Brook after finishing first or second in the America East four straight seasons. -
John Becker (Vermont), Jeff Boals (Ohio), David Cox (Rhode Island)
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Well, we know the one Ivy coach it won't be is Jerome Allen.
I guess I understand why Steve Donahue's name has been mentioned, but it just doesn't seem like a realistic choice. Not only did it not work out well at BC a number of years ago, but there are a number of mid-major coaches who have had more consistent recent success.
Also, as has been noted on this board on more than one occasion, SD has not been able to outrecruit Harvard, Yale and Princeton (and it is debatable if he can outrecruit Brown). He's been a good teacher of lesser ranked recruits, but probably not the best in the conference.
Amaker has had his name mentioned at more high profile jobs than PSU and didn't seem to pursue them. It would be shocking if this was actually a thing.
If PSU (or any similar high major program) is going to look for an Ivy coach, how could they not look at James Jones? The guy is a proven consistent winner at the league and national level, recruits really well and has the respect of coaches throughout the country.
I think he was runner-up at St. John's few years ago. I don't know enough about these two schools to know if PSU is better or worse than St. John's, but I would think that Sandy Barbour would be wise to at least see if he was interested.
Edited by rbg on 10-23-20 03:08 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Jeff2sf
Postdoc
Posts: 4466
Reg: 11-22-04
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10-23-20 03:41 PM - Post#315327
In response to rbg
Next man up. This would be ideal. No one gets fired and a coach who's going nowhere leaves. Plus we have a year to conduct the search. It's THE BEST TIMING.
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Jeff2sf
Postdoc
Posts: 4466
Reg: 11-22-04
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10-23-20 03:43 PM - Post#315328
In response to Jeff2sf
Sandy, offer him the deal. He offers you analytics and adequacy. Oh and consistency too!
Steve, take the deal.
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SRP
Postdoc
Posts: 4911
Reg: 02-04-06
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10-23-20 04:14 PM - Post#315332
In response to Jeff2sf
Donahue would a fool to put his head in that noose.
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SomeGuy
Professor
Posts: 6413
Reg: 11-22-04
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10-23-20 05:01 PM - Post#315334
In response to Jeff2sf
I’ll say the same thing I said when you guys started tripping over yourselves to wish Dunphy out the door — be careful what you wish for.
Agreed that we would have time to search, because nobody is going to be lining up to come coach in a league that isn’t playing while everyone else is. But what do you think happens to recruiting during that time? A long search means a big pause in recruiting, particularly if Donahue were to take staff with him.
I don’t think this is really a thing anyway, but if it were to transpire, I see a lot of downside.
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Jeff2sf
Postdoc
Posts: 4466
Reg: 11-22-04
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10-23-20 05:03 PM - Post#315335
In response to SomeGuy
you're too risk averse, we fired andy reid, it worked out.
oh no, we're KenPom 225 for a year instead of 175. the point is, nothing ventured, nothing gained. mediocrity is unbecoming
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13otto
Masters Student
Posts: 779
Loc: Philadelphia, PA
Reg: 11-22-04
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10-23-20 05:26 PM - Post#315337
In response to Jeff2sf
you're too risk averse, we fired andy reid, it worked out.
oh no, we're KenPom 225 for a year instead of 175. the point is, nothing ventured, nothing gained. mediocrity is unbecoming
It took more than a decade and three head coaches after Bob Weinhauer left in 1982 till we won another Ivy title with a winning record. It took more than a decade and three head coaches after Fran Dunphy left (aside from Glenn Miller winning his first year with Fran's guys) till we won another Ivy title. Do you seriously think it's going to happen quicker this time if Steve Donahue leaves? If so, you must have us confused with Duke. If Steve leaves, you'll be less happy with his replacement.
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Streamers
Professor
Posts: 8257
Loc: NW Philadelphia
Reg: 11-21-04
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10-23-20 05:41 PM - Post#315338
In response to 13otto
I really have trouble thinking SD would get the offer from Happy Valley let alone take it. OTOH, I hope Dr. Grace has Langel's phone #.
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SomeGuy
Professor
Posts: 6413
Reg: 11-22-04
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10-23-20 06:18 PM - Post#315339
In response to Jeff2sf
Well, the Eagles are 16 games over .500 with 4 playoff appearances in 7 years, and one Super Bowl since Andy left. Meanwhile, Andy is 46 games over .500 with 6 playoff appearances in 7 years and one Super Bowl. The Eagles second best season under Pederson resulted in the same win total as Reid’s worst season in KC.
I’m not sure how you can look at that and say the Eagles won out.
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mrjames
Professor
Posts: 6062
Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
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10-23-20 06:51 PM - Post#315340
In response to SomeGuy
If Donahue were to leave for this gig, which I find to be unlikely, though I'm always inclined to put a lot of stock in nychoops tips...
THE ANSWER IS NOT MATT LANGEL. Langel is clearly a fantastic coach, but as we discussed in hiring Donahue, you're not trying to win the 2000s Ivy League, but the Ivy League of today. And the current Patriot League is in line with the 2000s Ivy League not today's edition of the Ivy.
Penn needs a former high-major coach that can really recruit but just couldn't sustain the wins at that level. Gotta recruit with HYP to beat HYP.
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Jeff2sf
Postdoc
Posts: 4466
Reg: 11-22-04
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10-23-20 08:15 PM - Post#315341
In response to SomeGuy
Because 1. he was out of ideas. and 2. we've been horrendously unlucky.
I love Andy. My favorite football coach and a true genius. Steve Donahue is mediocre.
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nychoops
Junior
Posts: 243
Reg: 11-23-04
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10-23-20 08:54 PM - Post#315342
In response to Jeff2sf
I have heard Penn St quite obviously between what happened in the past with the athletic department and now this needs a “clean†hire. The list of names I’ve heard this far do indeed included Donahue( and a few boosters not getting the message actually advocating for Pitino!!).. I have absolutely no idea if the interest is mutual.
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TheLine
Professor
Posts: 5597
Age: 60
Reg: 07-07-09
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10-24-20 08:39 AM - Post#315345
In response to nychoops
Even if the was a true interest on Penn State's part in Pitino, which seems farfetched, there's no chance Pitino would accept what the job would pay.
Heck, I don't think the job pays enough for Donahue to jump ship given all the baggage.
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Streamers
Professor
Posts: 8257
Loc: NW Philadelphia
Reg: 11-21-04
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10-24-20 08:58 AM - Post#315347
In response to mrjames
THE ANSWER IS NOT MATT LANGEL. Langel is clearly a fantastic coach, but as we discussed in hiring Donahue, you're not trying to win the 2000s Ivy League, but the Ivy League of today. And the current Patriot League is in line with the 2000s Ivy League not today's edition of the Ivy.
Penn needs a former high-major coach that can really recruit but just couldn't sustain the wins at that level. Gotta recruit with HYP to beat HYP.
I get your somewhat overworked point here but you are cliff-diving to the conclusion that Langel could not assemble a first rate recruiting staff and be a high level recruiter himself. You also assume that your vision of the League emerges from Covid. Indeed, despite his recent extension, we may find out anyway if Langel keeps it up at Colgate and lands a high major gig.
In the likely event SD leaves, I know Penn needs a proven coach who gets the traditions and advantages of the program and sure to be clean. Given the resources, good coaches can attract the personalities needed to be ace recruiters.
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