IF Pastner is fired, who would be a good hire to replace him?

[RonJohn]

Therein lies the conundrum. It's very similar to the decision to fire or keep Geoff Collins. There were MANY donors not willing to put any more money into the football program if Collins was tasked with overseeing the money and how it was spent. Saw some of that with Paul Johnson.

We're at that point with Pastner, unfortunately. It's hard to raise NIL money, or any money, for a coach that supporters have no confidence in. It's not just a matter of what's going on court now, it's also a matter of Pastner becoming a liability with fundraising.

I think it is on Batt to get fans and supporters to understand that a good NIL program is absolutely necessary for basketball regardless of who the coach is. He should make the supporters understand that if Pastner isn't fired this year, the status of NIL will have a major impact on who GT will be able to hire after next year. I believe that is possible. Unlike anonymous fans on a message board, most guys with lots of money will probably listen to and support a well-reasoned plan, even if the gratification isn't instant.

 

[Ramble1885]

I really hope this isn't the way the AD is viewing it. The fire/hire process shouldn't be looked at as punishment for poor performance. It should be looked at as an opportunity for improvement. Pastner should be replaced if the AD believes he can bring in someone who will be better. Regardless of how Pastner does the rest of the way. Likewise, if the AD is not confident that he can bring in someone that there is a good reason to believe is better then he shouldn't make a move regardless. Pastner, at least to me, isn't Gregory where there was effectively no hope of success. We've seen Pastner put it together, and the dynamics of those successful teams wasn't all that different than what we have going forward. To me there is a very real chance that Pastner can ride the core of Smith, Kelly, Coleman, and Moore to some success. It's not guaranteed, and the success may not be high enough to justify keeping him over bringing in a good candidate, but I think it should be enough to dissuade us from just firing Pastner and then going to see what's out there.

That is especially true considering there are non head coaching factors that we also need to address that might be easier to do if we aren't also paying a buy out on top of a new coach.

yeah. I agree with you. I'm just saying I think that's what happens. I hope J Batt proves me wrong. He's a UNC guy so hoops is probably important to him.

 

[Root4GT]

I don’t think you’re wrong. There is an obvious difference around culture between TFG and CJP. CJP’s teams play hard (usually and especially lately) and want to win. TFG’s teams won if the uniforms looked good or they got a lot of social media likes or the playlist at practice was a banger.

I think Pastner could win (and has won) with a solid core of very good ACC players that NIL can buy. But I also understand a lot of big time donors don’t believe this and will withhold money til the new coach comes in.

The results for the past two years have been similar. Coaching is a results driven profession. If CGC won no one would care what he wore or said. Same is true for CJP. He seems much more genuine, however, his press conferences are strange in their own right. It's about winning. 25% win rate in conference games won't garner much monetary support.

 

[RyanS12]

I’ve always been a college of Charleston fan. Was close to playing there under Kresse in 96.
Anyways, I watched their game vs Towson this evening. They are a very well coached, hard nose, physically team! Down 10 and came back late and won by 7. If we make a move, Pat Kelsey needs to get a serious look. C of C might be that 11/12 seed that makes a second weekend trip in the NCAAT.
Maybe Coach Cremins can help a little too with making it happen. He knows both schools pretty well. Lol.

 

[GTbball2016]

I’ve always been a college of Charleston fan. Was close to playing there under Kresse in 96.
Anyways, I watched their game vs Towson this evening. They are a very well coached, hard nose, physically team! Down 10 and came back late and won by 7. If we make a move, Pat Kelsey needs to get a serious look. C of C might be that 11/12 seed that makes a second weekend trip in the NCAAT.
Maybe Coach Cremins can help a little too with making it happen. He knows both schools pretty well. Lol.

When I saw them last year vs UNC, they played at an insane tempo

 

[tbglover]

I’ve always been a college of Charleston fan. Was close to playing there under Kresse in 96.
Anyways, I watched their game vs Towson this evening. They are a very well coached, hard nose, physically team! Down 10 and came back late and won by 7. If we make a move, Pat Kelsey needs to get a serious look. C of C might be that 11/12 seed that makes a second weekend trip in the NCAAT.
Maybe Coach Cremins can help a little too with making it happen. He knows both schools pretty well. Lol.

When I saw them last year vs UNC, they played at an insane tempo

I guess both are true. They're averaging 81 points and 30 3 point attempts a game which is just under half of their field goal attempts a game. They're also outrebounding opponents and clearing 14 offensive rebounds a game.
It'd be best for Tech if College of Charleston doesn't make a run in the tournament. Cheaper to get Kelsey and probably a little less competition for his services.

 

[TheStolenT]

I'm going to throw a name that most of y'all have probably never heard, but I have a feeling in a few years will be a hot name. Bucky McMillian at Samford in Birmingham has taken a program that was slowly dying and in 3 years turned it around quickly with 2 straight 20 win seasons. He went straight from high school coaching in bham to head man at Samford and so far is tearing it up. He's got students and donors excited about a program that hasn't had life in years (sound familiar), has done well recruiting (our own bubba parham is there). More importantly, the guy can flat out coach. Has an up tempo, selfless, exciting style and really gets guys to buy in. I wouldn't take him over somebody like Kelsey right now just due to lack of experience in the college game, but the guy is going to end up doing big things somewhere.

 

[ESPNjacket]

I'm going to throw a name that most of y'all have probably never heard, but I have a feeling in a few years will be a hot name. Bucky McMillian at Samford in Birmingham has taken a program that was slowly dying and in 3 years turned it around quickly with 2 straight 20 win seasons. He went straight from high school coaching in bham to head man at Samford and so far is tearing it up. He's got students and donors excited about a program that hasn't had life in years (sound familiar), has done well recruiting (our own bubba parham is there). More importantly, the guy can flat out coach. Has an up tempo, selfless, exciting style and really gets guys to buy in. I wouldn't take him over somebody like Kelsey right now just due to lack of experience in the college game, but the guy is going to end up doing big things somewhere.

This is a better idea than the "some old guy I heard of" method.

 

[Connell62]

This is a better idea than the "some old guy I heard of" method.

1000% agree... Give me someone like over Ron Hunter or Mark Turgeon any day of the week.

 

[Techster]

I'm going to throw a name that most of y'all have probably never heard, but I have a feeling in a few years will be a hot name. Bucky McMillian at Samford in Birmingham has taken a program that was slowly dying and in 3 years turned it around quickly with 2 straight 20 win seasons. He went straight from high school coaching in bham to head man at Samford and so far is tearing it up. He's got students and donors excited about a program that hasn't had life in years (sound familiar), has done well recruiting (our own bubba parham is there). More importantly, the guy can flat out coach. Has an up tempo, selfless, exciting style and really gets guys to buy in. I wouldn't take him over somebody like Kelsey right now just due to lack of experience in the college game, but the guy is going to end up doing big things somewhere.

Cremins was bit more established, but that kind of reminds me a lot of Hewitt at Sienna in terms of low profile, but an obvious ascendant career trajectory. I'm 100% behind the idea of "money ball'ing" the next coach and getting a young guy that does more with less. GT job would probably fast forwarding his career by a tier or two, but sometime you have to take chances like that.

As others have said, that's a chance worth taking compared to the older guys on the downward end of their coaching careers.

 

[kg01]

I'm going to throw a name that most of y'all have probably never heard, but I have a feeling in a few years will be a hot name. Bucky McMillian at Samford in Birmingham has taken a program that was slowly dying and in 3 years turned it around quickly with 2 straight 20 win seasons. He went straight from high school coaching in bham to head man at Samford and so far is tearing it up. He's got students and donors excited about a program that hasn't had life in years (sound familiar), has done well recruiting (our own bubba parham is there). More importantly, the guy can flat out coach. Has an up tempo, selfless, exciting style and really gets guys to buy in. I wouldn't take him over somebody like Kelsey right now just due to lack of experience in the college game, but the guy is going to end up doing big things somewhere.

I think somebody named him a bit ago. Seems like he's on his way. Alabama kid through and through, it seems. Be a good one to watch progress.

This is a better idea than the "some old guy I heard of" method.

Wait, did somebody suggest you?

 

[lv20gt]

Cremins was bit more established, but that kind of reminds me a lot of Hewitt at Sienna in terms of low profile, but an obvious ascendant career trajectory. I'm 100% behind the idea of "money ball'ing" the next coach and getting a young guy that does more with less. GT job would probably fast forwarding his career by a tier or two, but sometime you have to take chances like that.

McMillian has 3 years of head coaching experience, but that's about where the comparison ends. Hewitt had spent 5 seasons at Villinova in the Big east as an assistant prior to going to Sienna. McMillian was coaching in highschool before Samford and has no experience in a P5 school in any capacity. Hewitt won 70% of his games at Sienna both in conference and overall. McMillan is at 57% in conference and 59% overall. And in case anyone is wondering, Sienna was worse the three years prior to Hewitt than Samford was prior to McMillan.

Not saying McMillan is a bad coach by any means, but he's probably a decade and another stop away from being considered for a P5 job. He's just extraordinarily unproven in the context of a potential ACC coach.

1000% agree... Give me someone like over Ron Hunter or Mark Turgeon any day of the week.

What are you smoking? At state, Hunter took over for Rod Barnes who had won just 36% of his games and 33% in conference in four years prior which is almost identical to where Samford was at under Padget prior to McMillan (slightly worse overall actually). Hunter then proceeded to take that and turn it into 5 out of 6 years finishing either 1st or second in conference. Basically, Hunter already accomplished at State what believers in McMillan think that he could potentially do at Samford. But you'd take the guy who has the potential to do something over the guy who has already done it?

 

[ESPNjacket]

I think somebody named him a bit ago. Seems like he's on his way. Alabama kid through and through, it seems. Be a good one to watch progress.


Wait, did somebody suggest you?

I have heard of me but I haven't suggested me yet. Yet.

 

[Techwood Relict]

I have heard of me but I haven't suggested me yet. Yet.

As long as you don't run some mismatched high post Offense, you can be considered.

 

[ESPNjacket]

As long as you don't run some mismatched high post Offense, you can be considered.

I was thinking it would be a good idea to get the slowest guy possible and run the offense through him. I'll consider other options though.

 

[Techster]

I was thinking it would be a good idea to get the slowest guy possible and run the offense through him. I'll consider other options though.

The Flex Option?

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

The Flex Option?

Cut block the opposing team and they surely can't score...

 

[ESPNjacket]

With Georgia State now last in the Sunbelt, does that move Jonas Hayes up some of these lists?

 

[Ramble1885]

Cremins was bit more established, but that kind of reminds me a lot of Hewitt at Sienna in terms of low profile, but an obvious ascendant career trajectory. I'm 100% behind the idea of "money ball'ing" the next coach and getting a young guy that does more with less. GT job would probably fast forwarding his career by a tier or two, but sometime you have to take chances like that.

As others have said, that's a chance worth taking compared to the older guys on the downward end of their coaching careers.

I agree. Reason I mentioned the older guys is because they at least bring experience to the table but if you look at the most successful coaches in GT history they’re all guys from smaller programs who took a step up. Cremins was from AppState and Hewitt was from Seina.

This would be a crucial coaching search so reason I bring up so many people is because I want to consider all the options. But at the end of the day I’m just some kid on a message board. I don’t make the decisions lol.

 

[orientalnc]

I agree. Reason I mentioned the older guys is because they at least bring experience to the table but if you look at the most successful coaches in GT history they’re all guys from smaller programs who took a step up. Cremins was from AppState and Hewitt was from Seina.

This would be a crucial coaching search so reason I bring up so many people is because I want to consider all the options. But at the end of the day I’m just some kid on a message board. I don’t make the decisions lol.

How old do you consider too old?