Hurley, Crean, Pikiell

[BOGDANOVICH]

According to two separate sources in Connecticut (Corey Evans , Brad Graves) these are the three top candidates to replace UConn's Ollie.
Let's hope that Rutgers does whatever it can to keep the Pike because it sounds like Uconn may go after Pikiell hard in spite of the $5 million buyout.

 

[Kbee3]

I'm not liking this.

 

[TDIrish27]

UConn is a bad job now an I cannot see any of these guys going for it.

Maybe Crean because there just aren't any other options but I think he'll attract interest from better programs.

 

[Mr Magoo]

I could see Hurley taking a long look at it but he has a great class coming in, the American isn’t that much better than the A10, and I think he will ultimately land at a P5 school soon.

Crean wouldn’t be a bad choice. He’s a great recruiter but his teams always underperform and he’ll have less talent at UConn.

I think the UConn fan base would lose it if they went after Pikiell. They are thinking much higher than him and it wouldn’t make sense for Pikiell to leave the B1G for the league of misfit toys unless they throw heaps of money at him....which also makes no sense.

It’s not a great job. There are high expectations for a non P5 school and the program is sinking. Also, Wichita, Houston, and Cincinnati, and possibly others have already passed them by in their own league.

 

[MadRU]

Give Geno the gig

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Bad info....Crean may now consider UGA and Pitt.....Not sure he is at top of either list.....Hurley and Pike are not considering the UConn job (there are better jobs open or that will open vs UConn for Hurley in a year or so)....if anything were to change and gets passed along, it will get filtered through to the right people.

 

[knights1212]

I don't think he goes to U Conn. Where is a link for this?

 

[dpwhite]

Carino thinks Pikiell is way down on UConn's list.

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

Crean is the logical choice since he has no buyout and Uconn is main board poor

 

[shields]

Could UCONN get sanctions also because they are being investigated? May not be that attractive because of that.

 

[RUJMM78]

Carino thinks Pikiell is way down on UConn's list.[/QUOT
How could that be the case when the title of this thread lists Pikiell as one of the three top choices?Rutgers fans are naturally getting nervous because of Pikiell's prior connections to Uconn.

 

[soundcrib]

Give Geno the gig

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn...geno-auriemma-kevin-ollie-20180310-story.html

 

[TRU2RU]

UConn fans think they deserve Billy Donovan, Mark Few, Rick Petino, Frank Martin, Tony Bennett, Tom Crean or John Thompson III, after all UConn is a top job, in their minds. lol

 

[DHajekRC84]

I don't think Pike is going anywhere. I just think his character and what he preaches suggest he is a man of commitment and he has that at RU right now and would want to finish the job before ever thinking of leaving Just my perspective.

 

[Kbee3]

I realize that UConn is not the job it once was. But Pikiell is an ex-Husky and that usually carries the day IMO.
I sure hope he stays. This program has a long way to go and he looks like the guy who might be able to get us there.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

I realize that UConn is not the job it once was. But Pikiell is an ex-Husky and that usually carries the day IMO.
I sure hope he stays. This program has a long way to go and he looks like the guy who might be able to get us there.

Kevin Ollie was also one of their guys....not necessarily how this is going to work, especially when Calhoun is a viable option to patch things through.

 

[RUMBA-JK]

It would seem that if the "issues" that UCONN is leaning on to attempt to go down the "For Cause" path are serious enough to truly warrant such action (and are recruiting / operational violations & not some personal behavior issue) - then UCONN is also going to have an NCAA mess that will likely have them tangled up in sanctions for some number of seasons.

On the other hand - If it is all a bunch of weaseling BS and UCONN quickly is exposed as simply trying to squeeze through some technicality loophole in order to "dine & dash" on Ollie's contract, it is going to make any potential coaching candidate hesitate - be wary - especially in the context of the challenges / uncertainties surrounding their athletic program's & the basketball program's current situation.

Pikiell has strong Huskie roots - and is fond of his old school - but he is a realist - he knows he is in a promising spot and he is focused on building his career - and while there is a bit of history, UCONN is probably not quite like .. Duke or Kentucky or Kansas or Notre Dame or Indiana or NC where a loyal son might feel an almost spiritual 'calling' to drop everything and reroute their career to return to the alma mater if the phone rings.

 

[RocktheRac]

Please....this reminds me of the rumors that Gary Waters was on his way to Ohio State.

 

[ru66]

uconn has problems and their state is financially even worst off than nj---$ people and industries leaving state in large numbers---unless you are a women bball player what star bball player makes them a choice--talk about a rebuild that's now may be the hardest job around--and as we all know , pikiell's mentor is no longer a fan of the school

 

[bac2therac]

Carino thinks Pikiell is way down on UConn's list.

but the concern is UConn is most likely not to get anyone on the top of their list, now the good thing is if there is an investigation why would Pike or any other quality coach want to step into that mess. I am sure that Calhoun is advising him

 

[vascosg]

Pike has everything he needs here. Just like Calhoun, he can build Rutgers.

 

[jerzeyguy]

If it came to it- I think Brandon Knight could be a good head coach

 

[Kbee3]

Kevin Ollie was also one of their guys....not necessarily how this is going to work, especially when Calhoun is a viable option to patch things through.

I never said they wouldn't FIRE a guy who was an alumnus. It just seems irresistible to wanna coach the school you played for. Let's hope it doesn't happen in this case.
Also, I agree about the Calhoun option. His return would make this whole thing about Pikiell moot.

 

[MADHAT1]

Kevin Ollie was also one of their guys....not necessarily how this is going to work, especially when Calhoun is a viable option to patch things through.

I'm thinking Calhoun might be UConn's short term solution and a way to get great PR for thee MBB program, helping get the type of recruits it needs to rebuild UConn MBB's image as a top program.
Calhoun wants to get back into the College Basketball scene as shown by his accepting an unspecified position ( consultant for now , but wouldn't rule out being HC) with Division III St Joseph while their starting a Mens Basketball Program.

If he does becomes the UConn HC , that will just prove Ollie was fired for performance not NCAA infractions.But I think the whole basketball world know that already and hiring Calhoun will just support what is already felt the true cause of Ollie being fired.

The NCAA found Calhoun guilty of failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance and failing to monitor the program in areas of phone calls, text messages and inducements provided by a booster.
Also the NCAA handed UConn a three-year period of probation , a reduction in scholarships through 2012-13, All for violations that happened under Calhoun.
But if UConn feels Calhoun can get the program back on track, the NCAA punishment he caused in the past won't matter. The glory UConn had under him will be the only thing that matters to the UConn AD ,President, Fans and major donors.

 

[linzalonic]

Coaching an ascendant RU in the Big Ten is far better than the shell of UConn in the AAC. In my opinion, it's not even close.

 

[BoroKnight]

Connecticut could again be a decent program, but NOT as things stand right now -- instability, the American, expectations. Politi is right, as has been discussed here, pull the plug on FBS football and ask the Big East to have them back. Make basketball your primary sport and compete at a high level in FCS football.

But, since that will not happen any time soon, UConn is not a good job, much less a great one.

But let's not kid ourselves here. Unless you are a Rutgers fan paying a great deal of attention, Pike is hardly a top-tier candidate. A couple of good days at MSG does not a career make. Or did I miss Kemba Walker's string of NBA championships?

Coach has a chance to build something here, and the expectations are exceedingly low. Being in Jim Calhoun's shadow at a school that doesn't have the allure it had when Calhoun was there is career suicide.

 

[sct1111]

The AAC isn't a bad basketball conference TBH. It's not nearly as deep as the Big Ten but it might be better or at least comparable to the SEC or the PAC12. They perennially have 2-4 ranked teams. The bottom of the conference stinks but the top of the conference is solid basketball. It's probably the right place for UConn.

 

[ruman]

I bet Mark Schmidt gets that job

 

[King of S]

No chance any of these three go to UCONN - not the job it use to be. Moving out of the Big East killed them.

 

[koleszar]

Could UCONN get sanctions also because they are being investigated? May not be that attractive because of that.

I think this is what they are trying to fire Ollie for "with cause" to try and weasel out of that huge contract he signed. So while UConn may get some money back to hire a new coach. They basically just admitted they expect sanctions to be coming soon.

 

[ruready4somefootball]

Could rumors of conference expansion again, and a possible move to the ACC for Uconn make the job more attractive?

 

[King of S]

Could rumors of conference expansion again, and a possible move to the ACC for Uconn make the job more attractive?

Nope

 

[ruman]

Could rumors of conference expansion again, and a possible move to the ACC for Uconn make the job more attractive?

Those rumors probably started by UConn.

 

[MikeR0102]

Could rumors of conference expansion again, and a possible move to the ACC for Uconn make the job more attractive?

ACC won't expand until Notre Dame goes all in, or all out.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Could rumors of conference expansion again, and a possible move to the ACC for Uconn make the job more attractive?

Ain’t happening

 

[DHajekRC84]

I would hope that Pike would come out with something as well so as not to muddy his recruiting efforts and MO he has right now...

 

[Scarlet Knut]

AAC is not a bad league when it comes to quality of teams. Their problems are more due to money and lack of TV exposure.

 

[KnightTerrors]

No chance he leaves.

 

[koko2315]

Could rumors of conference expansion again, and a possible move to the ACC for Uconn make the job more attractive?

ACC won't expand until Notre Dame goes all in, or all out.

And BC will fight tooth and nail to keep them out

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

4 things we don't know
1. How much interest UCONN has
2. what Pikiell's feelings are regarding how hard it is getting quality players to come to RU
3. Pikiell's true feelings about current roster
4. Pikiell's feelings about moving family

I don't know thew answer to these so i don't know whether him leaving is feasible.