Possible coaches that have been identified

[Panther Parrothead]

I think some people need to be reminded that Jamie was not fired. He left voluntarily.

Pitt is getting a lot of money from TCU because Jamie...was...not...fired.

 

[WoadBlue]

CHRIS BEARD of Arkansas-Little Rock
****You'll like what you read about this guy.****

1) As you said, he took over a 13-18 Trojans team and turned them into 30-5 in one season, including a 1st round upset over Purdue last weekend. We can all agree that is an unbelievable turnaround.
2) He took over a 9-17 Angelo State team (D2) in the summer of 2013, then immediately turned them around to 19-9, then followed that up with 28-6 (going to the 3rd round of the D2 tourney, losing by 2 to a Tarleton State team that went to the F4). Again, another unbelievable turnaround.
3) His Ark-LR team's style: Phenomenal overall defense (notably horrible 3FG% and very poor overall FG% by opponents), force a lot of turnovers, great ball control (very low turnovers), and they shoot very well from 3.
4) How much of that identity existed last year, before he was the coach? None of it except the good ball control. Their D last season was actually horrible, so going from that to one of the best in the nation is pretty crazy. They also had numerous efficient 3-pt shooters this year, but none last year.
5) Can he recruit? He convinced a 4* player to commit to UALR over Kansas, Texas, and NCState (seriously, read that again), although that had a lot to do with that player's relationship with an assistant, but he is the best recruit ever committed to UALR (the school where Derek Fisher played). It's really hard to find anything beyond that, but it appears they have a ton of first-year JUCO's and transfers on the squad this year (I count 5), so Beard is more than willing to go that route to fill a roster in a hurry.
6) The overall team roster geographic-footprint of UALR is in the south and southern mid-west (TX, AR), but there are two international players, so I have no idea if he can recruit Pittsburgh's typical PA-NY-NJ-VA-MD-OH-DC area, but I guess that's a big part of who your assistants are (again, see 5 above regarding their best recruit ever).

I agree. The guy took over a losing team and in his 1st year produced the best team in school history.

If I were an AD in the southwest/Plains/western SEC, I'd have him on my short list to talk to. Pitt and the ACC?

 

[PITT92DOG]

Really?

You ready for criticism? I hope you have your eyes open and ears unclogged.

-The leadership of the Pitt basketball program is a flat out disgrace. Jamie Dixon cant get along with Barnes. Players skipping practices, going to casinos and parties. Knight blaming Dixon and the staff he was handcuffed and couldnt recruit or coach correctly because of Dixon and others. Everyone blaming each other.

-This team took a shot on the chin by Purdue and eventually got knocked out. Jamie Dixon couldnt get any type of rotation set for the entire season, and no one understood that piss poor lack of execution and rotation in the NCAA Tournament. Maybe he wanted to lose on purpose to get out of town, since he already knew he was done here. Everyone blamed everyone. Zero accountability or responsibility, only finger pointing. The way this team folded like a cheap tent the back stretch of the season, once again mind you, is the result of piss poor leadership from the coaches on this basketball team.

-Barnes already showed the door to one of them. Dixon is done. Knight should shut his mouth right now instead of blaming people for his shortcomings. Excuses are for losers, and right now, he is in the loser circle. He did nothing to elevate this program unless we are talking about coming in 2nd place for recruits.

-And you want to blame me for the team folding under Dixon's leadership and coaching ability? Who coaches the basketball team here, me or Jamie Dixon? Thank You Barnes, for reducing the buyout and getting this guy the heck out of Pittsburgh. He has no heart for Pitt basketball or winning Championships any more. And good riddance to that. Goodbye Dixon.

-Ill tell you one thing right now. Kevin Keatts does not put up with bullshit. He will throw your ass right off the team. I saw that message delivered to Isiah Epps at Hargrave when he was talking about being a 1 and done player and breaking rules. Keatts suspended that idiot faster than snapping fingers for stepping out of line. That's what a leader does. That's why Keatts is a Champion. That why Keatts will turn Pitt into a Champion. And I hope Barnes has an open mind to flush out anyone that doesnt understand the concept of team play. The letter i does not exist in the word team. Dixon doesnt get that, Im not sure Knight does either.

90% fiction and zero to back it up and I am ok with JD leaving.

 

[LookLeftForBuses]

I am both a Jamie Dixon fan and happy that he has moved on to TCU. I think it's a win-win. Further, I find discussion of exactly what happened in the past week or two irrelevant and pointless.

If people looked at Pitt's record from 2004-2016, and then heard there was a coaching change after the 2011 season, and that this coach was being replaced at this time, they would be asking very few questions about why a change was occurring and what the chances are for an improvement over the past five seasons. It's a very different perspective to have.

 

[thebadby2]

I want to see that too ..but it has become pretty clear that whoever is hired likely has a significantly worse resume than Dixon.

That doesn't mean the new guy can't do great , but whether it is drew, keates, wade, or enfield, it is a total crapshoot.

Honestly, at this point I put drew on top for me, but would strongly consider knight over guys like wade and keates.

but it has become pretty clear that whoever is hired likely has a significantly worse resume than Dixon.

Really? Exactly how has that "become clear"? You have no idea who the serious candidates are for this job, none of us do.

And I'd be willing to bet whoever it is had a better last 5 years than Dixon. The Dixon glory days are way in the rearview. This had become a lackluster program with no significant improvement on the horizon. Some posters can't seem to face that fact. They think the man worked miracles just to get Pitt to the NCAA tournament because "it's Pitt, it's a hard job, we were bad forever, etc".

We're only a good hire away from better baskeball. Barmes is a college basketball guy. He knows what he's doing. We don't know $hit. Let's see what happens.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

-Perhaps you should look up the definition of savant the next time you use it. The point is, no one saw this tidal wave of failure coming back in September. Now with facts out in the clear, and who knows what else has been going on behind the scenes, enough is known already to understand why the complete failure happened at Pitt this season.

I think you need to look up the word "facts" in a dictionary. That post you made was all conjecture and opinion on your part to suit your agenda, nothing else. No facts are out in the clear because no one on this board has the facts and no one ever will.

This is why message boards are one of the curses of 21st century humanity. That and twitter and facebook. All give people with limited information the ability to state lies and fabrications as if they are factual, while they're not even close to the truth.

But keep it up. The more you post, the deeper your hole gets.

 

[upj87]

Am I the only one that finds this list woefully unimpressive? Could we find any more square pegs for this position? None of them seem to have a tie to Pitt or a region we recruit. None of them have any experience coaching at this level....or recruiting at this level. Maybe I'm missing something......but there is not a single name on this list (save possibly the Butler guy) that I would be excited about. This just looks like we're trying to cheap our way on this one.

yeah, reminds me of the list 16 years or so ago....who the hell is this Howland guy?

 

[OhnoBilly!]

yeah, reminds me of the list 16 years or so ago....who the hell is this Howland guy?

You really can't see the difference between now and 16 years ago?

 

[upj87]

You really can't see the difference between now and 16 years ago?

sure (I guess the implication is that now Pitt is a major ACC power), but the point being the impressiveness of the name of the candidate may or may not have anything to do with the results on the court....

 

[OhnoBilly!]

sure (I guess the implication is that now Pitt is a major ACC power), but the point being the impressiveness of the name of the candidate may or may not have anything to do with the results on the court....

I agree the new guy might be great.

However, when you are in pitt's shoes 17 years ago, you have to go for one of those guys. You also didn't just have the winningest coach ever at pitt leave.

The standard of replacement now is MUCH higher.