Shaka to Texas?
- Thread starter DukeDenver
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I saw this too but I think it's an April Fools joke. Last I heard was that Texas hired a firm to find a coach and they only offered Gregg Marshall and Smart $3mill. In Texas money that's pathetic.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
No joke. According to ESPN, Texas was sending a jet to fly Smart to Texas for an offer, they really want him. Marshall supposedly has signed a new contract to stay at Wichita State.
Go Duke!!
JC-OFC
Go Duke!!
JC-OFC
If it happens I think its a great fit.
I think he could have the Longhorns as the premier team in Texas in two seasons, and a Big 12 contender maybe just as soon.
I think he could have the Longhorns as the premier team in Texas in two seasons, and a Big 12 contender maybe just as soon.
The move to Texas would be smart for Smart....no pun intended. What he's been able to do at VCU is impressive, and I think this is the major (school-wise) kind of jump he should take. He has credibility and I think this immediately helps the Longhorns. Barnes was good too, but I think the operation just got stale on both sides.
Yes, but the deal only increased his salary, and didn't change his buyout. Right after the deal was announced, SI's Mark Stein published an article saying that the deal does not shed any light into Donovan's thinking and everyone in the NBA expects that he will be seriously listening to offers this season.
As for Smart, I think you take the Texas job. Florida's had more recent history of success b/c Donovan is a better coach than Rick Barnes, but, institutionally, I think they are very similar programs -- i.e., big state schools that prioritize football first, but have decent facilities and lots of money / resources and play in big conferences. If anything, I think the UT job may be arguably more intriguing b/c Texas basketball is better than Florida basketball. While I guess you could argue the UF job is marginally better than the UT job, I just don't think somone like Shaka risks a guaranteed offer at UT on the hope that the UF job becomes available.
Yeah it is, the article mentioned that one of his players was seen crying after he left the team meeting that Shaka called to tell his players that he was taking the job with Texas.
ESPN just did a piece on Smart and his relationship with players, serving as a father figure for more than half the team. How does him leaving play into this? I mean, I don't blame him for taking the job, but that story makes no sense now.
Quite a few highly rated players in the incoming class and leftover freshmen. VCU better make a good hire, quickly, before a mass exodus occurs.
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Anthony Grant? Would seem like the obvious choice. The guy had a decent amount of success there before, he's still in his prime coaching years (48), and he's obviously familiar with the school / program. He was never quite able to break through at Alabama (1 NCAA tourney, 3 NITs in 6 years), but he's still a very high-level coach IMO.
Though, frankly, the other intriguing option for them would be Capel. In view of what Shaka's done there and VCU's jump to the A-10, it may not actaully be a bad job for Capel to consider. Arguably a little easier to success than an ASU-type job and allows him to continue recruiting in the ACC region.
This post was edited on 4/3 12:35 PM by aah555
I didn't know Grant was on the VCU staff. If so, you make a good point. The transition would be smooth and the recruits would already be familiar with him. I would go with him as well, unless there's some big name hiding out there in the weeds. Capel? Nah, a step backward IMO.
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