Marquette Coaching Search: Greg Marshall?

[ElDonBDon]

I can't believe that we haven't introduced Howland yet. IMO, it's an absolute, 100% no-brainer. I would have had him on campus helping Buzz move out!

[MackNova]

Think it will be Marshall or Howland. Either would be a good hire.

Buzz leaving for Va Tech is a really bad look for the league. Would not be surprised if Marshall bolts. He might be waiting for a better opportunity than Marquette, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't leave within the next 3 years.

[marquette]

Think it will be Marshall or Howland. Either would be a good hire.

Buzz leaving for Va Tech is a really bad look for the league. Would not be surprised if Marshall bolts. He might be waiting for a better opportunity than Marquette, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't leave within the next 3 years.

There are programs with a better pedigree out there, but few who will spend like marquette. If we get him , great. Otherwise, I am more than happy with Howland.

[cu blujs]

I don't think his leaving looks bad for the league at all. McDermott left the Big Twelve for a MVC job. Before going to UCLA Alford left Iowa for a job in the WAC or WCC (cant remember which NM school he was at). Neither was forced out and no one worried about how either move looked for either league. Coaches move for various reasons, and it isn't always up. Maybe he couldn't take the pressure of coaching at MU any longer. Maybe none of the other coaches would sit next to him at lunch. Maybe he doesnt think he can continue to compete with the other great coaches in this league. The real question is whether MU can hire a high level replacement. Who they can attract interest from and who they can hire will say more then his leaving IMO.

[Bill Marsh]

I think it's important that Marquette hire someone who's a good fit, someone who wants to be there. The last 2 coaches used it as a stepping stone to a job they wanted more. Time to get someone who won't be looking for a better deal elsewhere.

[chicagojayfan]

I think it's important that Marquette hire someone who's a good fit, someone who wants to be there. The last 2 coaches used it as a stepping stone to a job they wanted more. Time to get someone who won't be looking for a better deal elsewhere.

Very true. I think the a couple of things that may keep Marshall away from Marquette are that it may limit his ability to recruit some of his old stomping grounds in the JUCO ranks and throughout the south, and that Marquette might have more trouble getting kids enrolled than Wichita. Finally, Marshall has carte blanche from the administration in Wichita and I suspect he wouldn't have that in Marquette. I see Marshall eventually taking a B12 job where he can regularly humiliate Kansas and Kansas State.

A guy like Howland, who had to deal with all the tsuris that comes from coaching at UCLA may think that Marquette is the most open minded, welcoming place on the planet. One of the knocks on Howland at UCLA was the mass transfer issue, but part of that is the unrealistic expectations that a lot of top recruits have these days. UCLA is a place that can attract the best/worst of that attitude (players that know more than the coach, players that can't play a role, players that won't give up their own shot for a better shot, players that won't play D... but players that are exceptionally talented nonetheless. Honestly, it's a special set of skills needed to manage that type of program and the X's and O's are likely less important than alumni/HS coach/player relations)... I notice that Howland didn't have those problems on his Pitt teams, and I think the type of players he'd be finding and recruiting at Marquette would be more like those Pitt players than the UCLA players. That may not mean as much high level talent, but it might mean a better team made up of veteran, experienced players who are willing to buy into his concepts. If he did it at Pitt, he can certainly do it at Marquette.

[ElDonBDon]

I think it's important that Marquette hire someone who's a good fit, someone who wants to be there. The last 2 coaches used it as a stepping stone to a job they wanted more. Time to get someone who won't be looking for a better deal elsewhere.

This seems to be what we're trying to avoid. IMO Howland gets us that. He's older and thus more realistic. What I mean by more realistic is that younger guys like Marshall, Masiello, etc., probably think they will replace Coach K one day (much like every recruit with 4 or 5 stars thinks they're the next Jordan).

If Howland were to stay at MU for, say, 4 or 5 years, would a blue blood want such an old coach?

[Bill Marsh]

I think it's important that Marquette hire someone who's a good fit, someone who wants to be there. The last 2 coaches used it as a stepping stone to a job they wanted more. Time to get someone who won't be looking for a better deal elsewhere.

This seems to be what we're trying to avoid. IMO Howland gets us that. He's older and thus more realistic. What I mean by more realistic is that younger guys like Marshall, Masiello, etc., probably think they will replace Coach K one day (much like every recruit with 4 or 5 stars thinks they're the next Jordan).

If Howland were to stay at MU for, say, 4 or 5 years, would a blue blood want such an old coach?

Howland's a west coast guy except for his stint at Pitt. He has no experience with Catholic schools or private schools of any sort. His style of play is ugly and it never attracted top recruits at Pitt. UCLA attracts top recruits just because of who it is, not because of the coach. I don't see him as a good recruiter if you're looking to bring in top athletes.

Howland is a name, but I don't see him bringing much else at this point. Coming from LA, is he really going to be happy in Milwaukee?

[HoosierPal]

Greg Marshall has been named the Basketball Writers Coach of the Year. Congrats to Coach Marshall.

In the extensive coverage in the Wichita Eagle, there is zero talk of the Marquette job. One of his assistants has accepted the Bowling Green job.

[Irishdawg]

This would be HUGE for Marquette and the league. Much bigger than Howland if true.


Jerry Meyer
‏@jerrymeyer247
Hearing from multiple sources that Shaka Smart to Marquette is after all very likely to happen and happen soon.