Has what you are looking for in a HC changed?

[Sean Miller Fan]

We're going to have an opening in less than a year so with what's going on in today's college basketball, hasn't the qualities you're looking for in a HC changed? What would you be looking for?

- I'm not sure someone who is a strong HS recruiter matters as much anymore. Plus, there's no guarantee that a MM coach's strong recruiting at a MM will translate to the P6 level. Plus, as we know, most of the HS players you sign are going to transfer. That happens everywhere, not just at Pitt.

- I think transfer recruiting has become the most important thing. But that's a very hard thing to be looking for in a prospective HC since the portal phenomenon is so new. Does Musselman have a right-hand man?

- I think more than anything, and this sounds simplistic, you have to look at the best X and O coach available. You look at Mike Young winning the ACC with 5 MM transfers starting. He had a long history of winning at a non-traditional MM program.

A guy to keep an eye on is Tulane's Ron Hunter. Might fit the Mike Young mold. Won at IUPUI after they moved up from D2. Won at Georgia State when they had never done so before. Took over a terrible Tulane program and had them finish tied for 4th (on wins) in the American this year and made the semifinals. If he has a good season, next year, that would be a great sign. The downside to him is that he will be 58 next month.

I would be looking for someone with a longer track record of success whether they started in JUCO, D2. Someone who has won a lot. That would be more valuable to me that the hot young name like a Valentine who would have been a HC for only 2 years.

 

[JD1976]

I’m sorry but HS recruiting always has to be A-Number 1. Yes, we have free agency in college basketball, but a good coach who knows how to build a good culture and takes care of players is going to be able to retain most of their roster year-to-year. Anyone who owns or manages a business knows that culture and personnel development/growth are essential to sustained success. There is nothing more important. You can’t have that by punting HS recruiting because you have 1-2 years to build a relationship before they arrive on campus.

This may be an average example, but it is the one that pops into my head— Notre Dame. Brey recruits a certain type of student-athlete and retains them. Some of that is ND’s strict academic policies, but you see that over 20 years they have an identity and more often than not have a good team. Even when they fell to the bottom of the ACC 3 years ago, he stuck to his plan and look what they did this year.

Capel punting HS recruiting the last 2 years, is nothing more than this realization that he doesn’t have time to develop players — and also a realization that he stinks at building a true team culture.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I’m sorry but HS recruiting always has to be A-Number 1. Yes, we have free agency in college basketball, but a good coach who knows how to build a good culture and takes care of players is going to be able to retain most of their roster year-to-year. Anyone who owns or manages a business knows that culture and personnel development/growth are essential to sustained success. There is nothing more important. You can’t have that by punting HS recruiting because you have 1-2 years to build a relationship before they arrive on campus.

This may be an average example, but it is the one that pops into my head— Notre Dame. Brey recruits a certain type of student-athlete and retains them. Some of that is ND’s strict academic policies, but you see that over 20 years they have an identity and more often than not have a good team. Even when they fell to the bottom of the ACC 3 years ago, he stuck to his plan and look what they did this year.

Capel punting HS recruiting the last 2 years, is nothing more than this realization that he doesn’t have time to develop players — and also a realization that he stinks at building a true team culture.

Fair response. Couple things though. ND is a really bad example because the ND education/alumni networking is a huge selling point to go there. They get kids who choose ND over a coach, conference, playing style, etc.

I don't think anyone should punt on HS recruiting but I also don't think most programs can build a program around HS recruiting. Transferring isnt just a Pitt think. 50% of all players transfer at least once. You can develop the greatest culture in the world but that doesn't matter as much anymore unfortunately. Kids are going to transfer. You try to prevent it but there's only so much you can do. I feel portal recruiting is more important now because they are probably less likely to transfer a 2nd time.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

I think Evans, Willard, and to my surprise, Capel, have struggled to build positive relationships and team chemistry. With the portal, keeping a team together is harder than ever. We're never going to routinely out recruit Louisville, Duke, UNC...I want someone who will keep and develop his players like Jay Wright or Jamie Dixon haha.