The clock on Capel

[JD1976]

I would bet that Brandin will be considered 1 of the top candidates once Capel is gone.

I would too if he was Brandin Knight, head coach of MAAC champion Rider or Colonial champion Delaware — not Rutgers 2nd assistant Brandin Knight.

P.S. I still support Capel and think he needs 5 years. I do think he needs to be talked to about making an adjustment to his coaching staff.

 

[NTOP]

Yeah no way 3-4 years. I definitely think he gets 2 more though no matter what. If Pitt still looks this bad in 2 more seasons or worse there is NOOOO WAY Heather can justify bringing him back for a 6th year.

If he doesn't get an extension before next year he'll be a lame duck. We'll be back at square one with players leaving. We let Wlat and Evans swing in the breeze.

 

[Pittx9]

Terrible analogy. There are 360+ D1 programs. There is a gigantic pool of candidates who have been the CEO, face of the franchise, top X’s and O’s guy, whatever you want to call it. It would be foolish and laughable for an ACC program to hire a guy sitting in the 3rd chair somewhere.

So it’s because Memphis is only in the AAC that Penny Hardaway was considered a great hire despite never coaching past the HS level? Once you get into the P6 conferences is when only previous D1 head coaches and associate head coaches are qualified for the job?

 

[JD1976]

So it’s because Memphis is only in the AAC that Penny Hardaway was considered a great hire despite never coaching past the HS level? Once you get into the P6 conferences is when only previous D1 head coaches and associate head coaches are qualified for the job?

Then why do you rarely see a sitting assistant hired by another school at the P6 level? The only guys in recent memory are Coach K guys. Why in your opinion is BK qualified to be one of those rare examples?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Are we all forgetting that the head coach of the number three ranked team in the country was never a head coach before he got the job, and not only that was never a college coach even as an assistant before he got hired as a head coach?

Or is it just that we don't consider Michigan to be on as high a level as Pitt?

 

[Pittx9]

Then why do you rarely see a sitting assistant hired by another school at the P6 level? The only guys in recent memory are Coach K guys. Why in your opinion is BK qualified to be one of those rare examples?

I’m not saying BK is definitely the way to go. You’re right, most P6 head coaches had previous head coaching experience. The most often used route is guys from smaller schools. But you do see guys get hired occasionally that don’t have head coaching experience.

Would you rather take a chance with BK or hire a retread like Stallings? Yeah there’s a ton of guys out there with experience, but even sillier than hiring an assistant would be hiring a guy who has coached at the D1 level and never been more than mediocre.

 

[DT_PITT]

I’m over it
He reshuffles his staff he buys 2 years
He goes ride or die with brother and brown -
He needs to go after next season

I have no idea if changing the staff will make any difference, but we are just about at the point where he better at least "do something" to change the course or it will flat out appear as if he's not even trying.

 

[DT_PITT]

I would bet that Brandin will be considered 1 of the top candidates once Capel is gone.

I agree that Brandin would be a top candidate.

 

[DT_PITT]

That is the most realistic. He certainly isnt getting Year 6 after 5 straight losing seasons.

I agree.

 

[BFo8]

Guarantee Brandin produces a team that gives great effort.

That would be a good place to start.

Gotta feel Brandin can identify and recruit what we need at the point.

Place to go next.

Holy crap, if we are clamoring for Brandin Knight to be the next head coach this program has really fallen dramatically.

Hell, Orlando Antigua was way, way more highly regarded as an assistant than Knight is and he was a total flop at USF. If it ends up Capel can’t get it done Pitt should and will be able to attract someone with a lot more qualifications than Brandin Knight.

 

[BFo8]

So it’s because Memphis is only in the AAC that Penny Hardaway was considered a great hire despite never coaching past the HS level? Once you get into the P6 conferences is when only previous D1 head coaches and associate head coaches are qualified for the job?

As it turns out Penny is a great recruiter, but literally can’t coach his way out of a paper bag.

Juwan Howard is a much better example, so far it looks like he can both coach and recruit.

Chris Mullin and Patrick Ewing can do neither, both are/were bad coaches and hopelessly overmatched.

 

[pittjas]

I have no idea if changing the staff will make any difference, but we are just about at the point where he better at least "do something" to change the course or it will flat out appear as if he's not even trying.

One silver lining to this season IMO is that I think it’s going to force Capel into being desperate. When he came here, he was coming off of 0-18 and I think went the “comfort” route.

Well, next year is Year 4 with your senior PG. If you don’t get it going then, forget ever getting another P5 job let alone the Duke job.

I keep holding out hope that somebody that recruited as well as he did at VCU, Oklahoma, and Duke, will find a way to make something happen in a year that literally will likely determine the rest of his career’s patj.

 

[gary2]

Holy crap, if we are clamoring for Brandin Knight to be the next head coach this program has really fallen dramatically.

Hell, Orlando Antigua was way, way more highly regarded as an assistant than Knight is and he was a total flop at USF. If it ends up Capel can’t get it done Pitt should and will be able to attract someone with a lot more qualifications than Brandin Knight.

Brandin led us out of the wilderness once, who is to say he can’t do it again?

One thing I am sure of: He will re-establish our identity.

He will demand effort, defense and toughness. Not bad places to start.

 

[BFo8]

Brandin led us out of the wilderness once, who is to say he can’t do it again?

One thing I am sure of: He will re-establish our identity.

He will demand effort, defense and toughness. Not bad places to start.

I question that after all these years as an assistant he hasn’t risen further and has never been a serious contender anywhere, taking over as a head guy at a P6 school is too big a leap.

Im sure St John’s and Georgetown though Mullin and Ewing would restore effort, defense, and toughness as well. Those guys had way more experience and qualifications than Knight and they were absolute busts.

I guess I’d like to see one of the smaller NJ schools say hey we need Brandin Knight here as our head guy and him have at least a modicum of success before he is even considered for an ACC job.

Add Danny Manning as another similar type guy who was bonafide lousy at the P6 level.

 

[pittjas]

I question that after all these years as an assistant he hasn’t risen further and has never been a serious contender anywhere, taking over as a head guy at a P6 school is too big a leap.

Im sure St John’s and Georgetown though Mullin and Ewing would restore effort, defense, and toughness as well. Those guys had way more experience and qualifications than Knight and they were absolute busts.

I guess I’d like to see one of the smaller NJ schools say hey we need Brandin Knight here as our head guy and him have at least a modicum of success before he is even considered for an ACC job.

Add Danny Manning as another similar type guy who was bonafide lousy at the P6 level.

IMO, if you are not at the top of the pecking order in college sports, worrying too much about certain qualifications pretty much guarantees you get someone mediocre.

Like Kevin Stallings has a pretty good resume to be hired by Pitt. But he would never have been anything but average here. Yet Jamie’s resume was terrible and he was a legend here.

Hire the best coach, wherever they are.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Richie Riley checks off a lot of boxes.

 

[BFo8]

Richie Riley checks off a lot of boxes.

You rarely hear his name mentioned for major conference jobs, but I’m a huge Leon Rice fan and think it’s time he gets a shot. Probably will be a serious candidate at UW if/when Hopkins gets canned.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Not sure but still feels like this is year one again.

 

[Ski11585]

I dunno, man. I kinda feel like you can either coach abs recruit or you can’t coach and recruit. An arbitrary one or two year stop at some directional school won’t make a huge difference.

 

[rockypanther]

THREE TO FOUR YEARS? Seriously? Good lord. Can we at least start a golden Pantherlair fund and try to buy some guys?

I hate the thought of it. The two year extension is the problem. Capel is under contract through 2026-27.

I imagine Heather tapped the bank with the donors getting rid of Stallings and getting the money to hire Capel. Plus, you have no
money coming in from football and basketball attendance for a whole year. And what about Narduzzi?

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

3 years ago this site was trying to talk themselves into Jon Scheyer, the second chair with no connection to us, because we didn’t think we could get Capel. Now we think that’s a determining factor on BK?

You interview Brandin, if he wows and has a unique and solid plan including top assistants you consider him. If not you interview elsewhere. He either has it or he doesn’t. But he sure looks the part more than our current coach.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

Richie Riley checks off a lot of boxes.

Unfortunately Clemson will open before us and I expect him to get that.

 

[Pittx9]

As it turns out Penny is a great recruiter, but literally can’t coach his way out of a paper bag.

Juwan Howard is a much better example, so far it looks like he can both coach and recruit.

Chris Mullin and Patrick Ewing can do neither, both are/were bad coaches and hopelessly overmatched.

Agree with all of that. Howard spent a handful of years as an NBA assistant though, and i might be wrong but I believe there was still some skepticism about the hire. My point wasn’t about what Hardaway has done at Memphis, it was that he never coached past the HS level but was still a hire that was pretty universally looked at as a good one.

 

[Gep Dawg]

Capel has to make the tournament next year. Or come damn close. Any regression or even another late season swoon and he's done. And I love the guy and it pains me to say that. The upside is he has the talent to beat top teams in the conference every year. He has done that. He just keeps losing to teams he has no business to as well. And a lot. It's not the rare upset its all the time, and late in the season when it matters the most.

I think Pitt would look for an up and coming head coach who built up and won a lot at a smaller program. I don't think they will go with a coach from a major program again after the last two hires. No way they hire an assistant with no head coaching experience. And that regardless of its someone beloved like Knight or a big name NBA star.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

If he doesn't get an extension before next year he'll be a lame duck. We'll be back at square one with players leaving. We let Wlat and Evans swing in the breeze.

If I remember correctly Evans was offered a contract and turned it down then Pitt came to their senses .

 

[WeaverIsComing]

Whoever plays PG after X determines Capel's future. He's got at least 2 years. If Capel doesn't have quality PG play after X is gone he is out.

 

[rockypanther]

3 years ago this site was trying to talk themselves into Jon Scheyer, the second chair with no connection to us, because we didn’t think we could get Capel. Now we think that’s a determining factor on BK?

You interview Brandin, if he wows and has a unique and solid plan including top assistants you consider him. If not you interview elsewhere. He either has it or he doesn’t. But he sure looks the part more than our current coach.

I have been an assistant and head coach but not at the high levels. But what a difference. As an assistant you are focused on many many fewer things during a game than all the decisions you have to make in game as a head coach. It’s night and day. There are assistants who can do it but it is a huge adjustment. That’s why I don’t think Capel learned much that helped him improve while at Duke as an assistant to come into Pitt after his previous two firings.

 

[rockypanther]

Whoever plays PG after X determines Capel's future. He's got at least 2 years. If Capel doesn't have quality PG play after X is gone he is out.

And I don’t think Femi is the total answer.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

I have been an assistant and head coach but not at the high levels. But what a difference. As an assistant you are focused on many many fewer things during a game than all the decisions you have to make in game as a head coach. It’s night and day. There are assistants who can do it but it is a huge adjustment. That’s why I don’t think Capel learned much that helped him improve while at Duke as an assistant to come into Pitt after his previous two firings.

He wasn’t fired at VCU he was very successful there.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Terrible analogy. There are 360+ D1 programs. There is a gigantic pool of candidates who have been the CEO, face of the franchise, top X’s and O’s guy, whatever you want to call it. It would be foolish and laughable for an ACC program to hire a guy sitting in the 3rd chair somewhere.

And yeah, he was the top guy here during a 3-4 year period when the program fell from its lofty heights. Why didn’t Dixon take him to TCU? Why didn’t some other P6 hire him as a top assistant in the last 5 years? Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

I love Brandin Knight, the player. I would love Brandin Knight the coaching candidate too if and when he goes to Iona, Siena or some MAAC or America East program and proves that he can be a successful coach. The ACC is no place for on the job training.

I agree with you
No learning on the job here , please

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Are we all forgetting that the head coach of the number three ranked team in the country was never a head coach before he got the job, and not only that was never a college coach even as an assistant before he got hired as a head coach?

Or is it just that we don't consider Michigan to be on as high a level as Pitt?

Fair point
But Michigan has a substantial larger institutional support system . So taking their gamble on Howard - was hedged
With A former head coach , a holdover beilein assistant , and a nba coach

Patrick Ewing is a more relevant example -
But both Ewing and Howard are legit celebrities .
Brandin isn’t

 

[WeaverIsComing]

And I don’t think Femi is the total answer.

Exactly. If you watch a Femi led Pitt team for a year and see him shoot around 50-60% from the line, and Capel doesn't have another PG lined up to be 'the guy' there's no reason to keep him. And there'd be no reason to fire him with Hood-Schifino or Davis.

 

[wbrpanther]

Assuming we finish 6-10 or worse, I'm ready to say Year 4 should be his last if:

- we have another bad season
- the 2022 class isnt good

Capel was brought here to recruit and he has done a poor job of that and its getting worse as the 2021 class may be the worst in the ACC (if there is a 2021 class that is). His coaching isnt adding value. If next year is bad and his 2022 class is looking like it wont be good, it may be time to cut bait.

Considering the starting point, 5 years is more appropriate.

 

[Ski11585]

I don't think Ewing or Mullin are good comps for BK. Sure, all three fall into the "Former and beloved alum returns to coach the team" narrative. But Mullin had no coaching experience and Ewing's experience was all limited to the NBA. BK may not have been a head coach somewhere, but he's at least been in the college game. He has recruiting ties.

I think you could easily make a case for BK. Like I said, I think you can coach or you can't. He either gets enough institutional support to succeed or he doesn't.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

He is doing all the right things… Except for recruiting and coaching

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I don't think Ewing or Mullin are good comps for BK. Sure, all three fall into the "Former and beloved alum returns to coach the team" narrative. But Mullin had no coaching experience and Ewing's experience was all limited to the NBA. BK may not have been a head coach somewhere, but he's at least been in the college game. He has recruiting ties.

I think you could easily make a case for BK. Like I said, I think you can coach or you can't. He either gets enough institutional support to succeed or he doesn't.

Hypothetically, if BK was hired with Herrion, Antigua, Rice, and Greer, we'd be dancing in the streets.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

Hypothetically, if BK was hired with Herrion, Antigua, Rice, and Greer, we'd be dancing in the streets.

Herrion is where he should be. Antigua would take a brinks truck. Rice is a non starter for any college. Greer is the lone guy gettable who will be an upgrade.

 

[Ski11585]

Hypothetically, if BK was hired with Herrion, Antigua, Rice, and Greer, we'd be dancing in the streets.

I mean Rice is never going to happen. But if you're concerned about BK's lack of HC experience, then bring on a lead assistant coach with HC experience and then 3 killer recruiters. Boom.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I mean Rice is never going to happen. But if you're concerned about BK's lack of HC experience, then bring on a lead assistant coach with HC experience and then 3 killer recruiters. Boom.

If BK came to the interview and had his coaching staff already all but set and it was as you described, he would and should get the job.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

I mean Rice is never going to happen. But if you're concerned about BK's lack of HC experience, then bring on a lead assistant coach with HC experience and then 3 killer recruiters. Boom.

Herrion will never be a killer recruiter again