Barnes looks like he is headed to Tenn- Shaka to Texas

[Coach34]

interesting...might be Marshall at Bama afterall

[msstate7]

Wonder how much drive Barnes has left. That could be a strike out or homerun

[Coach34]

If Barnes can get fired up for the next 3-4 years and put together a good staff- he'll be solid. I dont think he'll be a 10 yr guy at Tenn though.

[smootness]

Barnes is a decent hire, but nothing more. He won't have tons of success there.

I still say Marshall should stay at Wichita for another year or two. Get a raise, then take an elite job. He risks hurting his stock by going to Bama.

[maroonmania]

Barnes is a decent hire, but nothing more. He won't have tons of success there.

I still say Marshall should stay at Wichita for another year or two. Get a raise, then take an elite job. He risks hurting his stock by going to Bama.

I've already felt Marshall would end up at Bama. All of the Bama eggs are pretty much in his basket so whatever his asking price is they will meet it. He would just have to really want to stay at WS for non-financial reasons to pass up the Bama job.

[Bucky Dog]

The Barnes hire is questionable IMO. Although he went to NCAA in 16 of 17 years I thiught UT would make a run at Shaka or another young successful coach.

[smootness]

It's not about wanting to stay at Wichita, to me. It's about staying at a place where he knows he can win so that he's in position to take a top job when it's available.

Bama isn't an easy job. He may be good enough to take them where he wants to go, but it could also force him down a peg.

For a guy who has been intentional in staying at Wichita State rather than just taking the 'next' job, it would be weird to now just take the next job, regardless of what they're offering.

[yjnkdawg]

interesting...might be Marshall at Bama afterall


It may be that Marshall is staying at Wichita State and getting a good raise.

[yjnkdawg]

It's not about wanting to stay at Wichita, to me. It's about staying at a place where he knows he can win so that he's in position to take a top job when it's available.

Bama isn't an easy job. He may be good enough to take them where he wants to go, but it could also force him down a peg.

For a guy who has been intentional in staying at Wichita State rather than just taking the 'next' job, it would be weird to now just take the next job, regardless of what they're offering.


According to the CBS sports analysts, if he left Wichita State, it would be to Texas and not Bama, so it looke like he may be staying.

[Coach34]

It may be that Marshall is staying at Wichita State and getting a good raise.

He makes about 1.7 at Wichita- at what point do they price themselves out? I'm one that realizes money isnt everything- but I think Wichita tops out at 2.5- Bama will pay him 4.5 for 4-5 years- that 8-10 million dollars. Thats hard to pass up. Especially in a major conference with resources.

None of the top jobs are coming open in the next 2-3 years- so it may be his time to bite.

[woozman]

$4.5 million over 4 years is $18 million, not $8 million. Not being a smartass, just pointing that out.

[yjnkdawg]

I just saw an article where Texas never offered Marshall and that Smart was who they wanted, so that could be the reason that Marshall is talking with Bama. Sounds like he was expecting an offer from TX and would have considered it very strongly and probably have taken it..

[civildawg]

He was saying that it's 8-10 million more

[MabenMaroon]

Who knows, maybe one or both of the Koch brothers wll step up to the plate and help WSU match or better any Bammer offer, they certainly have the interest and means to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Koch_Arena

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/18/us/koch-brothers-donate-heavily-in-kansas.html

http://www.forbes.com/profile/charles-koch/

[Goat from MSU]

Marshall is staying put .He is top man there why would he want to compete with Saban. Koch Bros. can match Bama price if they want.
He makes about 1.7 at Wichita- at what point do they price themselves out? I'm one that realizes money isnt everything- but I think Wichita tops out at 2.5- Bama will pay him 4.5 for 4-5 years- that 8-10 millions dollars. Thats hard to pass up. Especially in a major conference with resources.

None of the top jobs are coming open in the next 2-3 years- so it may be his time to bite.

[Coach34]

He was saying that it's 8-10 million more

yes- 8-10 million more than he would make at Wichita

[Coach34]

Marshall is staying put .He is top man there why would he want to compete with Saban. Koch Bros. can match Bama price if they want.

He wouldnt be competing with Saban- he would be competing with Cal, Donovan, and Howland

[War Machine Dawg]

He wouldnt be competing with Saban- he would be competing with Cal, Donovan, and Howland

That's bullshit and you know it, Coach. There's a reason Marshall has said he doesn't want to go to a football first school. He wants to be The Guy. He could run off a John Wooden-like streak of domination at Bama, but he'd still never be The Guy there over their football HC - especially not over Saban.

[smootness]

Indiana will come open next year, and Syracuse will in 3. You also never know what will happen. If Indiana takes Alford, then UCLA is open.

While I think it's unlikely, the UNC faithful may get a bit restless if they don't pick it up soon. Roy Williams has 2 titles there, so it's hard to see them running him off, but you never know at a place like that.

Also, how many of these guys will coach past 70?

I might take a job like UConn if it came open rather than wait on a bigger job, but Bama? Nah.

[Goat from MSU]

Looks like he just told Bama to take a hike.The Alabama job is one big fat turd no ones wants it it will take them 3 million to get any coach now.
He wouldnt be competing with Saban- he would be competing with Cal, Donovan, and Howland

[Coach34]

Bama is probably going to end up with a guy like Prohm- who will do a good job

[msstate7]

Will Michael white get a call?

[Coach34]

Prohm is a Bama alum- would think he would get the nod

[Goat from MSU]

He may not take it either ,money is not everything .The Bama job is not a great one just saying.
Prohm is a Bama alum- would think he would get the nod

[engie]

I haven't seen anything to say Marshall declined interest in Bama at all. They felt good about landing him as of an hour ago....
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/03/monday_was_a_good_day_in_alaba.html#incart_2box_sp orts_index.ssf

[BulldogDX55]

I haven't seen anything to say Marshall declined interest in Bama at all. They felt good about landing him as of an hour ago....
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/03/monday_was_a_good_day_in_alaba.html#incart_2box_sp orts_index.ssf

Haha. That article referred to Marshall as potentially the biggest hire of the offseason. Sure buddy.

[Irondawg]

I'm not dissing shaka but why would Texas choose him over Marshall?

[notoriousdog]

I agree on Prohm. He just won 29 games and didn't make the NCAAT. A coach's legacy is built on NCAAT appearances and success. I don't see him spending another year at Murray where he has to win his conference tournament to get into the Dance. It's time for him to take a job in a Power 5 conference for money and prestige sake.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I'm not dissing shaka but why would Texas choose him over Marshall?

I think Shaka is just a good a coach as Marshall. Also with his personality & style of play I think he'd be a better recruiter too.

[Political Hack]

I think Shaka is just a good a coach as Marshall. Also with his personality & style of play I think he'd be a better recruiter too.

If he goes to Texas, they are going to be a powerhouse. His brand of play & their facilities and resources will attract the best talent in the country. They'll start recruiting with Kentucky within a year or two. Great athletes want to play in that non-stop defensive havoc and that run and gun style offense. He could win championships there with great athletes... they don't all have to be great basketball players.

[smootness]

I think Prohm is a bit overrated, or at least an unknown. That program has been really good since the late 80s. Gottfried, Cronin, and Billy Kennedy all had a lot of success there and didn't exactly light the world on fire once they left.

They looked like a really, really good team his first year there, but didn't make it past the 2nd round and now haven't been back to the Tourney in the 3 years since.

It's just a risky hire.

[smootness]

I haven't seen anything to say Marshall declined interest in Bama at all. They felt good about landing him as of an hour ago....
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/03/monday_was_a_good_day_in_alaba.html#incart_2box_sp orts_index.ssf

I love the part about them embracing the fact that Saban speaks his mind. Uh yeah...because he wins a ton. If a coach isn't winning at an elite level and speaks his mind, the Bama fanbase will turn on him in a heartbeat.

Although, when has Saban ever really said anything that could anger his fanbase? He knows what he's doing on that front.

[Irondawg]

I do like Shaka and think he's a really good coach but I'd still take Marshall I think. Maybe it's Anthony Grant's time at Bama that is tainting Shaka for me.

It's going to be interesting to see how some of this pans out. I'm still curious why TN was so gung ho about Barnes. He's not terrible but I've never been that impressed with him.

[Political Hack]

I do like Shaka and think he's a really good coach but I'd still take Marshall I think. Maybe it's Anthony Grant's time at Bama that is tainting Shaka for me.

It's going to be interesting to see how some of this pans out. I'm still curious why TN was so gung ho about Barnes. He's not terrible but I've never been that impressed with him.

If he couldn't put together top classes at Texas, I don't see how he's going to be expected to do that at Tennessee. He's replacing Kansas with Kentucky too, and the gap there is much, much wider. He's going to have a hard time competing in the SEC in the near future, but he could offer them some solid years and platform to build on moving forward.

[Dawg61]

I do like Shaka and think he's a really good coach but I'd still take Marshall I think. Maybe it's Anthony Grant's time at Bama that is tainting Shaka for me.

It's going to be interesting to see how some of this pans out. I'm still curious why TN was so gung ho about Barnes. He's not terrible but I've never been that impressed with him.

Shaka's Havoc style doesn't really go in slumps but its not a style for 5* prima donnas either. If Shaka sticks to recruiting high motor athletes with high character he should do well at Texas but things change when he's suddenly pressured to land all the top talent in that state. Some of those 5* players don't fit well in his system.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

If he couldn't put together top classes at Texas, I don't see how he's going to be expected to do that at Tennessee. He's replacing Kansas with Kentucky too, and the gap there is much, much wider. He's going to have a hard time competing in the SEC in the near future, but he could offer them some solid years and platform to build on moving forward.

Getting talent has never been his problem at Texas. He's brought in 14 McDonald AA there. Only Kansas, UK, UNC, & Duke have had more during that time. Problem is he's not a good coach. Now like you said if he can't get that level of talent to TN then he definitely has a problem bc he's not coaching anybody up.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Shaka's Havoc style doesn't really go in slumps but its not a style for 5* prima donnas either. If Shaka sticks to recruiting high motor athletes with high character he should do well at Texas but things change when he's suddenly pressured to land all the top talent in that state. Some of those 5* players don't fit well in his system.

Any guard in Texas will love to play in that system. 5* down to no star. He gives his guys a lot of freedom on offense as long as they put out effort on defense. He'll do great recruiting in Texas.

[Dawg61]

If he couldn't put together top classes at Texas, I don't see how he's going to be expected to do that at Tennessee. He's replacing Kansas with Kentucky too, and the gap there is much, much wider. He's going to have a hard time competing in the SEC in the near future, but he could offer them some solid years and platform to build on moving forward.

Barnes is the safe play for Tennessee. 16 of 17 years in the NCAA and no trouble with the NCAA ever that I know of.

[Political Hack]

Getting talent has never been his problem at Texas. He's brought in 14 McDonald AA there. Only Kansas, UK, UNC, & Duke have had more during that time. Problem is he's not a good coach. Now like you said if he can't get that level of talent to TN then he definitely has a problem bc he's not coaching anybody up.

There's no doubt he's had some great kids, but like you said, it's not UK, Duke, UNC, Kansas, etc... And that was at TEXAS. They have everything they want and a huge state to do it in. If he can't land top 5 classes every year there, he's going to struggle to land top 20 classes consistently at Tennessee IMO.

[smootness]

Barnes will recruit fairly well, and he'll be a decent coach. He'll get Tennessee in the Tournament some, and he'll get them in the NIT the other years.

He's the kind of guy who will take your program and consistently have you just a little short of your ceiling. He won't really ever take your program to what it's truly capable of, and he also won't crash and have you subpar for several years in a row.

Tennessee will be a decent, beatable team under him pretty much every year.