Does he stay or does he go?

[TrueGriz]

Kent gave Shannon an extra one year to do what she couldn't do in three. How'd that turn out? How long has this 'national search' gone on? Or, is this just another cliche' that ADs use to deflect attention/criticism? Just questions, no statements.

The national search hasn't gone on at all so far. Based on what was reported after Shannon was let go was they made Petrino the interim coach and a national search was going to be done at the end of this season. I guess we will find out soon enough as the season just ended which I believe was premature. But upsets do happen.

 

[tourist]

:thumb:

 

[maroonandsilver]

Kent gave Shannon an extra one year to do what she couldn't do in three. How'd that turn out? How long has this 'national search' gone on? Or, is this just another cliche' that ADs use to deflect attention/criticism? Just questions, no statements.

The national search hasn't gone on at all so far. Based on what was reported after Shannon was let go was they made Petrino the interim coach and a national search was going to be done at the end of this season. I guess we will find out soon enough as the season just ended which I believe was premature. But upsets do happen.

Just because the national search has not officially started (if it is to happen) doesn't mean that possible candidates have not contacted Haslam, or that he has not made inquiries as to interest.

 

[hunt-ducks]

I think we all know the results at UM of a "national search". In almost every case, they supposedly conduct a national search, then just hire the coach who has connections to UM in some matter. I have never seen so much nepotism in hiring coaches as is seen here.

 

[TrueGriz]

The national search hasn't gone on at all so far. Based on what was reported after Shannon was let go was they made Petrino the interim coach and a national search was going to be done at the end of this season. I guess we will find out soon enough as the season just ended which I believe was premature. But upsets do happen.

Just because the national search has not officially started (if it is to happen) doesn't mean that possible candidates have not contacted Haslam, or that he has not made inquiries as to interest.

I know. Haslam likely has a list of candidates in his pocket that he always carries around with him at all times.

 

[Mousegriz]

I think we all know the results at UM of a "national search". In almost every case, they supposedly conduct a national search, then just hire the coach who has connections to UM in some matter. I have never seen so much nepotism in hiring coaches as is seen here.

In the sports of men's and women's basketball and football, has UM had more than 3 "national searches" in the past 40 years.......and were they 3 true national searches? They resulted in hiring of Read, Kennedy and Stitt. Other than that all hires have had significant UM connections or were current assistants.

 

[Sport]

Good point Mouse Griz. Having said that who would be the potential candidates for the women’s job? Any Griz former players who are assistants at mid major programs with connections to recruits? Not sure we would want a high school coach even with an outstanding record. Without recruiting credentials I don’t think the fan base can wait 4 or 5 years to get the program turned around.
Someone on this board mentioned that our current roster is pretty much made up of players that are more Div II candidates than Div I. I tend to agree. Our ladies just seem to be a step slower and don’t have the shooting skills other teams have. As much as I like Carmen and Sophie they would be All Conference in the Frontier Conference but not so much in the BSC.

 

[Mousegriz]

Good point Mouse Griz. Having said that who would be the potential candidates for the women’s job? Any Griz former players who are assistants at mid major programs with connections to recruits? Not sure we would want a high school coach even with an outstanding record. Without recruiting credentials I don’t think the fan base can wait 4 or 5 years to get the program turned around.
Someone on this board mentioned that our current roster is pretty much made up of players that are more Div II candidates than Div I. I tend to agree. Our ladies just seem to be a step slower and don’t have the shooting skills other teams have. As much as I like Carmen and Sophie they would be All Conference in the Frontier Conference but not so much in the BSC.

Interesting you immediately ask "Are there former players who are assistants at other programs?" Maybe there are assistants at other programs who are good coaches, interested in the MT job but not former UM players. Maybe with "recruiting credentials". Does a former UM player have better recruiting credentials than a non-player?

Isn't it Katy Baker who is a top assistant at Oregon State? Not saying a candidate but a name that fits.

 

[PlayerRep]

I think we all know the results at UM of a "national search". In almost every case, they supposedly conduct a national search, then just hire the coach who has connections to UM in some matter. I have never seen so much nepotism in hiring coaches as is seen here.

Would you take Stitt and Kennedy over Hauck, Glenn, DeCuire, Tinkle and Krystko?

 

[Mousegriz]

Schweyen over every possible interested candidate when she was hired?

 

[TrueGriz]

Schweyen over every possible interested candidate when she was hired?

Yeah, there's risks in almost everything you do. But there are more unknowns to bringing in someone with no prior connections to the program. Kennedy and Stitt for example. More success with coaches that came within the program.

But, I do believe they need to do a national search. I figure if you do not do a national search, and Petrino doesn't succeed, then there will be a lot of fans really upset. I figure Petrino will have a stronger advantage now than any other candidate.

I am kind of glad that Haslam did wait a year to do a national search (if they are going to do it). I mean Laurie (sp) Payne, current coach of NAU, was mentioned a lot because how well she did with NAU. Well, currently NAU which was expected to be a top 3 team in the league this year, under-performed maybe more so than the Lady Griz. Great player just like Shannon, maybe not so good a coach as many people were thinking. I would choose Petrino over Payne. Montana finished pretty much right where all the coaches predicted. NAU finished 4 spots lower.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

I don't care whom the coach is next season, it is going to be rough sleddin'.

 

[citygriz]

I don't care whom the coach is next season, it is going to be rough sleddin'.

Jeez, HHB, keep your hopes up! We bring in a couple of potentially nice players next year, Dani Bartsch , 6'2" from Helena Capital, and Haley Huard, the daughter of ex-QB Brock Huard, who was rated the fourth top recruit in the state of Washington as a junior before the family moved to Colorado for her senior year.

This is basketball. Two players can make a big difference. Substantial changes still need to be made, especially in casting a wider recruiting net, but the situation with the lady Griz is not as dire as everybody makes it out to be.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

the situation with the lady Griz is not as dire as everybody makes it out to be.

We can agree to disagree.

 

[citygriz]

Okay

 

[MikeyGriz]

I feel they performed better than last year's team with a less talented roster. Look at who left the team during the year and afterwards. Less serious injuries. Kept fighting (mostly) instead of giving up when the were down. Those things alone gives Petrino another chance.

 

[hunt-ducks]

I think we all know the results at UM of a "national search". In almost every case, they supposedly conduct a national search, then just hire the coach who has connections to UM in some matter. I have never seen so much nepotism in hiring coaches as is seen here.

Would you take Stitt and Kennedy over Hauck, Glenn, DeCuire, Tinkle and Krystko?

I didn't say that we have made great hires when we actually hired outside of the Griz network. You listed two bad hires, but left out Don Read. Kennedy never wanted to be here from the get-go. He was looking for a job back East from the moment he took the Griz job. Stitt was just a poor choice, and clearly over his head when he was hired. Should you also list Holst?

 

[Grizfan-24]

Like or hate Haslam, he's been pretty tactical in his coaching hires. The one wart is obviously Stitt, but there were a lot of issues that conspired to make that hire fail including Stitt himself. That being said he's had his hand forced with the Women's program twice (first with how late Robin chose to retire) and the issues that led him non-renewing Schweyen last year. For the most part, considering the hands that have been dealt, Haslam has his work cut-out with the women's program.

This isn't a hire and re-load situation anymore. Schweyen bottomed the program out in one way or many, but Petrino like it or not did a decent job with a roster replete with Freshmen, transfers and with few players that were anything more than average BSC womens players. Petrino has the support of staff and the locker-room which was priority number one and unless my read is completely wrong we aren't going to see key members of its roster transfer to a conference rival to finish out their careers this year. Petrino likely earned a shot at trying to transform results on the floor in a year that wasn't completely blown apart by Covid-19 restrictions.

There will be a few Pac-12/MWC types that Haslam likely will listen to if they call. They may or may not have ties to the program or the state, but there is some interest in the program because of what it is historically and the support it has from the AD and the community. But for me, considering the situation and dealing with the hot mess that was the last year was for the women's program, Petrino likely earned another one year contract. Maybe under circumstances that he can manipulate the roster, actually recruit, and use the summer and fall to develop what he has in the roster for a better run at 2021-22 season.

 

[maroonandsilver]

Like or hate Haslam, he's been pretty tactical in his coaching hires. The one wart is obviously Stitt, but there were a lot of issues that conspired to make that hire fail including Stitt himself. That being said he's had his hand forced with the Women's program twice (first with how late Robin chose to retire) and the issues that led him non-renewing Schweyen last year. For the most part, considering the hands that have been dealt, Haslam has his work cut-out with the women's program.

This isn't a hire and re-load situation anymore. Schweyen bottomed the program out in one way or many, but Petrino like it or not did a decent job with a roster replete with Freshmen, transfers and with few players that were anything more than average BSC womens players. Petrino has the support of staff and the locker-room which was priority number one and unless my read is completely wrong we aren't going to see key members of its roster transfer to a conference rival to finish out their careers this year. Petrino likely earned a shot at trying to transform results on the floor in a year that wasn't completely blown apart by Covid-19 restrictions.

There will be a few Pac-12/MWC types that Haslam likely will listen to if they call. They may or may not have ties to the program or the state, but there is some interest in the program because of what it is historically and the support it has from the AD and the community. But for me, considering the situation and dealing with the hot mess that was the last year was for the women's program, Petrino likely earned another one year contract. Maybe under circumstances that he can manipulate the roster, actually recruit, and use the summer and fall to develop what he has in the roster for a better run at 2021-22 season.

I agree with you except for the 1-year extension. One year just kicks the can down the road. If you have confidence in Mike, give him the max 3 years. You can't recruit a kid if they don't know who their coach will be when they get to school, if that kid also has offers from a school where the coaching staff is stable, i.e. : multiple year contract. If you only have enough confidence to give Mike another 1-year trial, it's time to go a new direction.

 

[Grizfan-24]

I agree with you except for the 1-year extension. One year just kicks the can down the road. If you have confidence in Mike, give him the max 3 years. You can't recruit a kid if they don't know who their coach will be when they get to school, if that kid also has offers from a school where the coaching staff is stable, i.e. : multiple year contract. If you only have enough confidence to give Mike another 1-year trial, it's time to go a new direction.

I don't disagree. I wouldn't be averse to the idea of them granting Mike 3 years to get things done. Doesn't seem at first glance as the sexy move, but it might be considering all that has gone on might be the right move. I do believe he's earned another run, and if that is 1 year or 3, I wouldn't have much of a beef.

The real challenge is to find that transformational talent that the womens program has been lacking for close to 5 years now. Whether Petrino has that type of recruiting ability, that remains to seen. Everyone else in the conference seems to have found those players, and the ones that 'appear' to be those types of players under Shannon or even Robin just haven't panned out. The team doesn't at first glance have a game changing talent waiting in the wings, and I think the covid marred season played a role in some of that. Neither Keller or Dixson seemed to convert opportunities, and the host of other newcomers were all limited in the their impact.

Whomever has the program is going to have a bloated roster, whether that is Mike of someone else (Faulkner, Payne, etc) is going to have their hands full trying to figure out where to mine for gold.