Assuming they don’t make the NIT, I’m willing to roll the dice. He likely would not command a huge salary. Cummings is so pro Pitt he would likely stick especially with a Pitt legend coming on board and be a nice starting piece for BK. Get things in motion for the 2025 class and pony up NIL for the loaded class. I like Capel, but he just isn’t going to get in done here.
Make the move to Brandin after this season
- Thread starter Pitt2006
- Start date
NOOOOOO
The risk is enormous. Kenny Payne ruined it for guys like Brandin. Not saying he'd be anywhere near as bad as him but any AD now has to consider how bad it could possibly be hiring an alum career assistant. Brandin may be an excellent HC one day but he has to go prove it somewhere first. He cant just keep his cushy, no-pressure job at a lower level B10 schools with no expectations until a P6 comes calling. He needs to go prove it
Lower level B10 schools? So now schools in one of the best conference is not good enough to get a coach from? Oh and you talk about not hiring former players? Well ask Duke and Syracuse.
Not sure why people get on the message boards and make these statements. If a guy can coach its not about where he comes from. Look at all the bad coaches that are not alums. Its simply because they are not good coaches. Look no further than our last 2 coaches, neither is a Pitt alum.
Rutgers has made 2 NCAA Tournament appearances since 1991.
Brandin Knight has been with them since 2016 and Rutgers has 2 NCAA Tournament appearances in that time frame. And yes, that program was a complete train wreck when Eddie Jordan got fired.
Is this school worth the hoopla? They didn't make the NCAA Tournament last year and are not going to make it this year either.
They have 2 complete 5 star studs coming into the program in 2024. Is this any different than Pitt getting Meleek Thomas and a stud filled 2025 class? That's up for debate,. They certainly are not some up and coming powerhouse school that is going to get 5 star kids yearly. Rutgers has a paltry 2 four star recruits in the last 5 combined recruiting classes. The ranking system is not the be all end all, but their recruiting leaves a lot to be desired despite the 2024 success.
I in no way expect BK to become a power house over night. I would expect more passion and x and o sets than we are seeing right now though. The current team had a bad set of opponents to start ACC play this year. They could pick things up, but just doesn’t seem JC has that passion to really coach them to that point. A fresh start for both him and Pitt is likely needed. But I also don’t want Stallings part two. Financially, he is what they can afford and then go all in on NIL. It could very well be a major bust, but BK would go down swinging more than KS.
Yes, of course you dont hire an assistant from one of the worst programs in a good conference. His resume is terrible. He has worked for 2 HC's.
Duke and Syracuse? We can question those moves but they were hand-picked guys from the previous HOF'ers staff. If BK was an assistant with Capel these last 6 years and we were really good, then ok, hire Brandin to keep continuity. But Heather cant afford a huge risk here.
You do understand that the coaching salaries come from Pitt and NIL cannot come from Pitt, right? Reducing the cost of the coaching staff doesn't provide a single cent for NIL.
I honestly think Brandin is the best way can even do. We aren’t going anywhere with Capel. At least with BK we would gain back some fan base and if he brings in a hard nosed team and we have minor success all the better. Those who don’t want him are still thinking we are the perennial 1-4 protected teams from back in the day.
Ricardo Greer has better resume at Dayton
Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Knight and Jamie leave behind a recruiting class of Corey Manigault, Damon Wilson and Crisshawn Clark or something like that?
I’m so torn on how much I like the idea of Brandin. I agree with all the points you’ve made here and I’ve always said that I think he certainly check lots of important boxes.
But it does bother me that he’s never been a head coach.
My biggest problem is here we are taking about other coaches again. It was nice that this kind of talk went away for a while.
But with the way the team looks right now, I can certainly understand why it’s back on the table.
Really? Please enlighten us. Because that seems pretty easy for the NCAA to determine.
Let me say - Brandin may succeed as a HC
But I’d feel better if he runs his own program a few years first
But I’d feel better if he runs his own program a few years first
If nothing else, and if it was just a one year wonder, at least we got to save $5-10M in the process by whittling two more seasons’ worth of the buyout.
When he takes Iona to a few NCAA Tournaments, ok. Wait, he's never applied for a MM job and never will. If he wants Pitt, he needs to prove it.
I don’t understand how being the head coach at Lasalle helps him prepare to be the head coach at Pitt. He is basically co-running the Rutgers program right now and has best recruiting class in Rutgers history signed. Same as being first chair at Duke after flaming out?
Not saying he’s the best they could do or that they should even hire him, but there are way more red flags on someone like Kenny Payne than BK. And for every Payne, there’s a Shrewsberry. Taking over a school like Iona, where everyone wins doesn’t make him a better candidate. If he were to take a head job, he’d have to take one with worse resources to prove he could be successful at Pitt, imo.
Not saying he’s the best they could do or that they should even hire him, but there are way more red flags on someone like Kenny Payne than BK. And for every Payne, there’s a Shrewsberry. Taking over a school like Iona, where everyone wins doesn’t make him a better candidate. If he were to take a head job, he’d have to take one with worse resources to prove he could be successful at Pitt, imo.
Are you joking? First of all, you need him to prove he isnt Kenny Payne. What if he goes 4-28 and 6-26 at LaSalle? On the contrary, if he takes them to the NCAAT or even NIT, he's probably a good coach.
I’m not joking. Does every mid major lottery ticket as you call them work out? The best coach in Penn State in my lifetime was a lifelong assistant. You either have it or you don’t. Going to Fairleigh Dicksonson or the like proves nothing. There’s more flameouts at every level then there are successes. Going somewhere and winning doesn’t ensure anything more than if he was a lifelong assistant. There’s simply no blueprint for hiring a coach to ensure success.
Also, Hubert Davis seems to be doing fine again.
Knight is an unusual case though because his resume is as bad as it gets for a P6 hire. Has worked for 2 coaches at 2 mediocre programs (he was there at the end of Dixon I however). Enormous risk. Moreso than the mid-major lottery ticket.
I am holding out hope for Cal coming home. What does he have left to prove at Kentucky?
So it seems like he has already proven exactly what he would need to prove to be head coach at Pitt? Unless you’re getting the best MM guy who is winning at place that doesn’t traditionally win, you’re taking a giant risk. Taking a guy with more resources in a smaller league is just as big of a lottery ticket as taking an assistant.
It’s all a moot point. Capel will be here through next year and Heather just cannot hire another assistant unless the boosters push for Brandin and they take responsibility. If there were Vegas odds, I’d put Cal as having better odds than Bk.
20/1 Cal
100/1 BK
3/2 some MM lottery ticket that took over an already good program with more resources.
I’m a big Ryan Odom guy and think he’s a huge risk. Even look at a guy like Keatts. He’s been fine, but not black Pitino like NC State thought. It’s just so hard to predict and Keatts was no more ready for NC State because he went to UNCW for 2 years. Pikiell is good and will have BK ready for whenever he takes over a program.
There's not nearly the resources for neither Cal nor the NIL funds available for players that he'd need to come here.
Shrewsbury was at least a D3 head coach at one point, worked in the NBA and worked at an infinitely better Big Ten program than BK. Does anyone really know Knight? I’m sure someone on here knows him, but he doesn’t seem to have a head coaching presence to him—kind of like Kenny Payne actually.
Payne and BK could not be more different personalities and people.
Take away last year it was really good. Could Knight honestly be worse than Capel? I doubt it. We have seen what Capel is. After Blake Griffin it has been a disaster. The staff he has assembled is trash as well. I'd be more than willing to see what Knight could do.
I’ve personally flipped so many times on the Pitt HC situation.
1) I loved Dixon and what he did here, but like many diehard fans, I wanted MORE —including deeper tourney runs and a Natty banner. So I was not sad to see him go at the end, particularly with his last few recruiting classes (not very good.) the fxxxxxx AD/—1Stallings disaster will get a mention but nothing more…
2) So HL goes hard after Hurley (home run in my opinion) but he uses us as a bargaining chip.
3) HL pivots to Capel and again, I was a big fan of her move to Capel and thought he’d be great. Big time HC experience (I know he flamed out), worked in ACC for one of best college HC’s of all time, recruited at highest level (and knew how to play the game.)
A) Lots of drama and failures first few years
B) We had a fun year last year, transfers were “men in college bball years” which had a lot to do with our success and youth served their roles nicely (Fede, twins)
4) this year is certainly a disappointment
A) backcourt good but very young (physically & experience) and losing Dior and Leggett’s recent shoulder injury has hurt.
B) Fede’s regression and Kante’s injury kills us inside w/ no strength/bulk (was hoping twins improved more as well.)
Last night I flipped to the TCU/Houston game mid/late in 2nd half (I know Houston took over & won at end). It took me back to how much I loved watching Dixon’s offense and sets. Since it was 2nd half @ home, his O was on his side of court. He would instruct his kids exactly what he wanted and was a chess master (would move his kids where he could create best matchup w/ double screens, off ball pick/rolls, to get the ball where he wanted it.) It truly was masterful, even tho Houston made some unbelievable O plays/D plays at end & pulled away.
This had me thinking (not pleasantly) about the O we are watching w/Capel and it nauseated me. It’s like an AAU game with 1 on 1’s, high ball screens, pick and rolls (ie. 2 man game) w/ others standing, etc.
Long narrative to get to my way too amateur conclusions:
1) Dixon was “great” D & X/O offensive coach. Marginal recruiter to win at highest level
2) Capel is bad/ave X/O coach which after sitting beside Coach K astounds me, but it is what it is. Can he recruit studs at Pitt, which he needs to “roll the ball out”? So far, the answer is no, and I’m not overly optimistic.
So where does Lyke go?? I honestly don’t know but I’m sick of seeing the success of UConn/Marquette/Xavier/Houston/(soon to be Rutgers w/ Pitino) & others. Hate to admit it, but I’m nowhere near the diehard fan I was only a few short years ago and my interest continues to wane. What is the answer???
1) up and coming mid major HC good at X&O’s
2) Great Recruiter (think Pearl/Pitino) who can bring in studs (do we have financial support)
3) other options??
Lyke has a hard decision to make and I don’t envy her. This is a really tough position to be in but she makes the big bucks. She’s botched both HC extensions, so we should see if she can pull a rabbit out of the hat—I’m afraid that’s what’s needed- some executive skill/decision making & a lot of LUCK!
PS - I love Brandon and what he did for us at Pitt, but come on guys, he hasn’t been a HC anywhere. Stop the nonsense…
Pretty sure TCU won. Their second straight W over a Top 10 team. They played 3 consecutive Top 10 teams (@Kansas, v. Oklahoma, v. Houston).
Expanding on this thread.
1) Dior Johnson is averaging just under a triple double in juco college. He keeps this pace he will be a 1st team all american. This was supposed to be our starting point guard.
2) There seems to be a lot of pining for and how great the Pikiell / Knight combo has been. Ive said it 100 times in the past, the first 3 years of the Capel era was going to be rough with zero expectations. And that should have been the expectation regardless of who the coach was because the program was a train wreck. This is the first 3 years of the Pikiell / Knight era at Rutgers. And NJ and the NY tri area has far more talent to work with and recruit than Pittsburgh.
Rutgers and Knight
15-18 (3-15 conference record)
15-19 (3-15 conference record)
14-17 (7-13 conference record)
Does this look good to anyone here? 3 losing seasons in a row, 3 terrible conference records in a row. And the coach and assistant coach should not get any blame, since this program was also a train wreck when they started.
Rutgers went to the NIT last year. They are going to the NIT or worse this year. They have 2 four star kids on the entire roster, something that would be totally unacceptable at Pitt right now. They do have 2 five star kids coming in next year. So Rutgers is hoping on incoming talent. That sounds like Pitt with all the 4 star underclassmen on the roster, the 2 four stars coming in next year with Cummings and Kante, and Meleek Thomas and the stud filled 2025 waiting in the wings.
What I typed above is not some excuse for Capel. Its brutal honesty of how bad of shape this program was in the 1st three seasons and how difficult it is to get out of the massive hole. The same thing happened at Rutgers.
1) Dior Johnson is averaging just under a triple double in juco college. He keeps this pace he will be a 1st team all american. This was supposed to be our starting point guard.
2) There seems to be a lot of pining for and how great the Pikiell / Knight combo has been. Ive said it 100 times in the past, the first 3 years of the Capel era was going to be rough with zero expectations. And that should have been the expectation regardless of who the coach was because the program was a train wreck. This is the first 3 years of the Pikiell / Knight era at Rutgers. And NJ and the NY tri area has far more talent to work with and recruit than Pittsburgh.
Rutgers and Knight
15-18 (3-15 conference record)
15-19 (3-15 conference record)
14-17 (7-13 conference record)
Does this look good to anyone here? 3 losing seasons in a row, 3 terrible conference records in a row. And the coach and assistant coach should not get any blame, since this program was also a train wreck when they started.
Rutgers went to the NIT last year. They are going to the NIT or worse this year. They have 2 four star kids on the entire roster, something that would be totally unacceptable at Pitt right now. They do have 2 five star kids coming in next year. So Rutgers is hoping on incoming talent. That sounds like Pitt with all the 4 star underclassmen on the roster, the 2 four stars coming in next year with Cummings and Kante, and Meleek Thomas and the stud filled 2025 waiting in the wings.
What I typed above is not some excuse for Capel. Its brutal honesty of how bad of shape this program was in the 1st three seasons and how difficult it is to get out of the massive hole. The same thing happened at Rutgers.
Rutgers - Years 4, 5, and 6 they made the NCAA tournament. (Covid Year they would have)
Cal has great players year in and year out and the reason is simple , they have the resources to acquire most of the guys they want .
What head coach is ever going to come to Pitt that will be able to do that ? ( A … no one )
Changing coaches might yield slightly better results , but unless Pitt finds the NIL funds to compete with the big boys they will never be one .
