...then, they are obviously doing everything they can to land him as the next HC. The athletic department and university are stepping up BIG TIME, if true (as just reported by CBS's college hoops insider, Jon Rothstein). I'm fine with this, they shouldn't pay him a penny more as they're probably offering over approximately 500k more than he's worth at this point, given his coaching resume. I WOULD NOT WAIT LONGER THAN TOMORROW MORNING FOR A DECISION FROM HURLEY.
If Hurley isn't confident enough in himself to take the post at Pitt and coach against the sport's best in the ACC, then they should let him walk.
If Hurley doesn't happen (it wouldn't be the administration's fault just Hurley looking for an easier way out against lesser competition), then I would certainly hope they would land Matta (health pending) or Miller (major violations pending).
If those aren't possibilities due to the additional dynamics involved with health and potential violations, then the choice is obvious, get Nate Oats from Buffalo for approximately $2 million/year and make the contract heavily incentive based.
Musselman and Grant are also great options, I just don't believe they're geographical fits, recruiting-wise and lifestyle-wise (they've adapted to the regions they're currently living in).
I'm lukewarm —at best— on Willard (he's doing decent at Seton Hall and there are some questions of violations surrounding Isaiah Whitehead), and I believe many others are also just lukewarm with him being the next Pitt HC.
Older guys like Becker and Schmidt would be PR disasters and an abject failure for this coaching search.
Too much is being made of Odom's historic victory with UMBC over Virginia. Their regular season results in the America East were underwhelming and they were a missed buzzer-beater in the America East Conference Tournament from not even making the field. Hiring Odom would be a very knee-jerk reactionary thing to do.
EXCELLENT HIRE: 1. Hurley 1A. Miller 1B. Matta
Very Good Hire: 2. Oats (and maybe Musselman or Grant)
So-so Hire: 3. Willard
Bust Hire: Becker, Schmidt or ANY guy lacking head coaching experience.
If Hurley isn't confident enough in himself to take the post at Pitt and coach against the sport's best in the ACC, then they should let him walk.
If Hurley doesn't happen (it wouldn't be the administration's fault just Hurley looking for an easier way out against lesser competition), then I would certainly hope they would land Matta (health pending) or Miller (major violations pending).
If those aren't possibilities due to the additional dynamics involved with health and potential violations, then the choice is obvious, get Nate Oats from Buffalo for approximately $2 million/year and make the contract heavily incentive based.
Musselman and Grant are also great options, I just don't believe they're geographical fits, recruiting-wise and lifestyle-wise (they've adapted to the regions they're currently living in).
I'm lukewarm —at best— on Willard (he's doing decent at Seton Hall and there are some questions of violations surrounding Isaiah Whitehead), and I believe many others are also just lukewarm with him being the next Pitt HC.
Older guys like Becker and Schmidt would be PR disasters and an abject failure for this coaching search.
Too much is being made of Odom's historic victory with UMBC over Virginia. Their regular season results in the America East were underwhelming and they were a missed buzzer-beater in the America East Conference Tournament from not even making the field. Hiring Odom would be a very knee-jerk reactionary thing to do.
EXCELLENT HIRE: 1. Hurley 1A. Miller 1B. Matta
Very Good Hire: 2. Oats (and maybe Musselman or Grant)
So-so Hire: 3. Willard
Bust Hire: Becker, Schmidt or ANY guy lacking head coaching experience.
