Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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04-18-23 10:21 PM - Post#355804
Griffin added two coaches to his staff a couple of weeks ago, although I have been waiting to post pending further confirmation. Both are familiar names: (1) Branden McDonald, who replaced Joe Meehan at Bucknell this past August when Meehan left the coaching profession; and (2) Jesse Flannery, a name that will resonate with Bison fans. I presume Flannery will be the #3 assistant and McDonald #2, although there is a possibility that the final coaching hire might be someone equivalent to McDonald. Still waiting on news about the final hire and also about the DOBO. Here is some bio info on both McDonald and Flannery for those not familiar with their backgrounds:
McDonald :
• Played guard at Virginia Union, graduating in 2011.
• Played HS ball in a Maryland suburb outside of D.C.
• First coaching jobs were with Team Takeover (D.C. AAU) and with a local HS.
• Then worked two years (2013-15) as a grad assistant under Jamie Dixon for Pitt teams that won 45 games in total.
• From 2015-17 he was an assistant at Manhattan for Steve Masiello who is now the Associate Head Coach at St. John’s under Pitino.
• Was assistant for four years (2017-21) at Towson working for Pat Skerry in the CAA.
• Left for a higher level assistant job at Northern Illinois for new coach Rashon Burna. Served a year, plus the following summer, before coming to Bucknell as the #2 assistant. I can only speculate why he left NIU but it was clearly his decision. Possibly he and his wife, who was a college athlete in Northern Virginia, wanted to be closer to home, especially with two small kids.
Jesse Flannery:
• Played PG at Johns Hopkins for four years, graduating in 2018.
• Two years (2018-20) as a grad assistant for very successful VCU teams under Mike Rhoades (now the PSU coach), where he earned a master’s degree in sport leadership.
• Served as an assistant at Amherst 2021-22.
• Was an assistant at Army this past season, working under Jimmy Allen, who was in the process of building a strong team at West Point.
There have been rumors about the new DOBO possibly being one of this past season’s grad assistants at St. Joes, but no official word.
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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Re: Griffin's Coaching Staff
04-19-23 05:52 PM - Post#355815
In response to Bison137
There have been rumors about the new DOBO possibly being one of this past season’s grad assistants at St. Joes, but no official word.
Goodman reports that the new DOBO is Mike Walley, who was a grad assistant at St. Joes the past two years. Prior to that he was a forward for The College of New Jersey and also a star pitcher. Stands 6-6. He is a native of Yardley PA and attended Notre Dame High School just across the river in NJ.
https://twitter.com/HHHardwood/status/164 878730881...
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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Griffin's Coaching Staff
04-28-23 08:34 PM - Post#355996
In response to Bison137
Apparently the third assistant coach is going to be brother Matt Griffin. That would explain some of the holdup since he would require special permission from the top due to the sibling rule. Griffin has been an assistant at Albany and most recently FGCU. Prior to that he was one of the state’s top high school coaches at Roman Catholic in Philly.
https://twitter.com/jensenoffcampus/statu s/1652101...
Matt played collegiately at both Rider and Boston U.
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BisonRoadWarrior
Professor
Posts: 5203
Loc: Where the Bison Roam
Reg: 08-16-06
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Griffin's Coaching Staff
04-28-23 10:21 PM - Post#355999
In response to Bison137
More on Matt Griffin:
--96-29 as head coach at Philly power Roman Catholic, with four Philly Catholic league championship appearances and two championships; 1 state championship (for 2 of his five years, the state tournament either cut short or not held due to Covid hysteria)
--Assistant coach at Albany
--Assistant coach at Florida Gulf Coast (under Pat Chambers, whom he played for at Boston University)
We're certainly going to be positioned to recruit in basketball-rich Philadelphia!
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BisonRoadWarrior
Professor
Posts: 5203
Loc: Where the Bison Roam
Reg: 08-16-06
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04-28-23 10:25 PM - Post#356000
In response to BisonRoadWarrior
Neat article profiling Matt Griffin, from his time at Roman:
https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2017/02/matt_g riff...
Our coaching staff is going to be intense and energetic.
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Bucknellbisonfan21
Masters Student
Posts: 548
Loc: Bloomsburg
Reg: 11-12-15
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04-29-23 10:25 AM - Post#356009
In response to BisonRoadWarrior
This coaching staff has to be in the running for youngest in the country. No one over 37 I believe.
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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04-29-23 11:26 AM - Post#356019
In response to Bucknellbisonfan21
One other thing that about this staff that may not be true of any other in the country: Three of the four coaches have fathers who were successful D1 head coaches for 10+ years.
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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04-29-23 12:12 PM - Post#356024
In response to Bison137
A TV anchor who covers FGCU basketball had this to say:
"Assistant coach Matt Griffin is leaving the nest to work with his brother at Bucknell. A big loss for the Eagles. Griffin has a great basketball mind and seemed to always be connected with the players."
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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04-29-23 01:08 PM - Post#356029
In response to Bucknellbisonfan21
This coaching staff has to be in the running for youngest in the country. No one over 37 I believe.
Ages of the new staff:
John Griffin 37
Matt Griffin 33 (turns 34 in May)
Branden McDonald 33 or 34
Jess Flannery 26 or 27
While this staff is young, Pat Flannery's staff was significantly younger when he took over as head coach. And the average age of Dave Paulsen's assistants was younger than that of the new staff as well. Two of ND's assistants were under the age of 30 but one was a lot older.
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res
Masters Student
Posts: 839
Reg: 03-21-06
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Re: Griffin's Coaching Staff
04-29-23 05:37 PM - Post#356043
In response to BisonRoadWarrior
We're certainly going to be positioned to recruit in basketball-rich Philadelphia!
Yes, but that hasn't much helped a number of the Philly schools, and they don't have our admission standards. Our best teams have had players recruited from all over the US and beyond. Minnesota, Germany, Canada, Emporium, PA...
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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Re: Griffin's Coaching Staff
04-29-23 06:03 PM - Post#356045
In response to res
We're certainly going to be positioned to recruit in basketball-rich Philadelphia!
Yes, but that hasn't much helped a number of the Philly schools, and they don't have our admission standards. Our best teams have had players recruited from all over the US and beyond. Minnesota, Germany, Canada, Emporium, PA...
Yes, I'm sure they will need to continue to recruit from all over. But there have been a lot of Bison scholarship players from the Greater Philly area:
John Griffin
Jason Vegotsky
Bryan Cohen
Cam Ayers
Andrew Funk
Paul Newman
Deuce Turner
Jack Forrest
Nana Foulland (not quite Philly area, but within 60 miles of Philly center).
You could win a lot of games with that roster.
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res
Masters Student
Posts: 839
Reg: 03-21-06
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Griffin's Coaching Staff
04-29-23 07:35 PM - Post#356047
In response to Bison137
If they were all on the same team, then yes.
My point is that Griffin's ultimate success, or lack thereof, is not going to be primarily, perhaps not even greatly, dependent on his Philly connections.
Edited by res on 04-29-23 07:38 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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HoleinOne
Masters Student
Posts: 596
Loc: Bluffton, SC
Reg: 02-15-09
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04-30-23 07:57 AM - Post#356057
In response to res
Hopefully Griffin and his staff have the skills able to sell both the basketball program and Bucknell the University. Bucknell grads do very well relative to their professional achievements - good jobs, high salaries over the course of their career, etc. In the current age of immediate gratification, not easy, but instead of trying to be all things to all prospects, Bison basketball has several unique diffentiators that could be assets, not speed bumps.
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BisonRoadWarrior
Professor
Posts: 5203
Loc: Where the Bison Roam
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04-30-23 02:20 PM - Post#356064
In response to HoleinOne
Griffin's already working to foster students' basketball enthusiasm and fill those bleachers:
https://twitter.com/JohnGriffinIII/status /16527199...
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Paulie777
PhD Student
Posts: 1767
Reg: 11-11-07
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04-30-23 02:55 PM - Post#356068
In response to BisonRoadWarrior
Free cake pops? He's in touch with the students, but offering free cake pops might be more than even he can handle. There might be a run on downtown if this gets out.
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river rat
Sophomore
Posts: 187
Reg: 12-01-06
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04-30-23 08:21 PM - Post#356070
In response to Paulie777
Seems like a decent staff. The criticism I could see is that the staff seems a little insular, with Griffin's brother, Flannery's son, the strong prep/private high school connections (and less public school connections) and the connections to the Philly area. Does anyone else think this could be an issue?
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BreakinBison
Sophomore
Posts: 146
Reg: 01-23-06
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04-30-23 09:54 PM - Post#356073
In response to river rat
Not sure if this was posted earlier but Quin Berger is transferring to Bucknell.
https://twitter.com/tobias_bass/status/16 506056699...
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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04-30-23 10:51 PM - Post#356075
In response to BreakinBison
There was a post about it a few days ago in the thread on Griffin being selected for coach. But for those who did not see it there, here’s what it said:
There were two openings when Griffin took over, one due to Screen's departure and the other because the current recruiting class only consisted of two players even though there were three openings.
However one of the spots has now been filled - a transfer that has been rumored for a couple of weeks: 6-1 PG Quin Berger who played sparingly for St. Joes this year. Berger was a frosh at SJ but could possibly become part of Bucknell's Class of 2027 depending on how many credits carry over and how Griffin wants to orchestrate things.
Berger was lightly recruited while playing for his father at powerhouse Westtown in West Chester (PA). He had one offer (Charleston) prior to the end of his senior season - and that may have subsequently been off the table - but then picked up a late offer from NJIT and a later offer from St. Joes, which he accepted. At Westtown, he averaged 15 ppg, 4 rpg, and 3 apg. Was 3rd team All-State for private schools. I think he may be a contributor, but I don't see him as a real difference maker. His brother plays for Lafayette, btw, after having played first for Georgetown and then for San Diego.
Here's an article on Berger from when he committed to St. Joes: https://www.cityofbasketballlove.com/news_article/...
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DoCtoR62
Masters Student
Posts: 463
Reg: 05-18-08
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05-01-23 07:32 AM - Post#356080
In response to river rat
Seems like a decent staff. The criticism I could see is that the staff seems a little insular, with Griffin's brother, Flannery's son, the strong prep/private high school connections (and less public school connections) and the connections to the Philly area. Does anyone else think this could be an issue?
I think this is a fair question, but I do not think it is an issue with this staff. Yes, the Philadelphia connection is strong, but John and Matt are different personalities with different backgrounds. The private schools in Philly recruit public school kids which Matt did extremely well. Moreover, the connections are less about schools and more about people, and the Griffin name has an many strong ties to the Philadelphia basketball community as any.
I did think it was important to have a presence in the DMV which McDonald has with his experience with Team Takeover, the top AAU program in the area.
More importantly to me is what holeinone said previously. We need a passionate group that will sell Bucknell for what it is and bring players who will thrive in this environment. There has been a lot of heartache and agonizing over bad losses, poor game plans, etc. the last few years. The biggest gut punch to me was when Khalil Spears transferred to Robert Morris. He was a talented player, this is not a critique of him. But, to transfer from Bucknell to Robert Morris means we either made a big error in recruiting someone who wasn't a fit, or we did a poor job once he arrived on campus selling him on what Bucknell is. That will not happen with this staff, and we will all be the better for it.
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Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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05-02-23 01:59 PM - Post#356101
In response to Paulie777
Free cake pops? He's in touch with the students, but offering free cake pops might be more than even he can handle. There might be a run on downtown if this gets out.
https://twitter.com/joelmoersch/status/16 534585662...
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