Coaches to watch in 2023-24; Hotseat edition

[bennyskid]

In fairness to Graves, UO is 2-2 against unranked Pac12 teams, and 11-5 overall. Has any team in history ever had ten games against top-12 teams in one regular season?

 

[LETTERL]

I don’t think Charmin will be let go after this season. The team is better and she did well with portal. Has a some good recruits coming in and will be looking to add a point guard the portal this round…I imagine she’ll have a couple years in ACC to further improve things. I’m curious to see whether Cal will be able to expand its recruiting footprint with more play in the East. One of the recruits is from Brooklyn. I’m a long time fan and season ticket holder and support keeping Charmin as coach for now. She does a lot for these kids off the court and is a good role model. Cal Adds Four Signees To 2024 Class - California Golden Bears Athletics

She seems like a nice lady and perhaps, any other year, Cal would be an upper-half team in the Pac 12. But this year, the top of the league is so tough...what could have been a breakout year for Cal has turned into an above average, but not great, year.

 

[Figurehead]

In fairness to Graves, UO is 2-2 against unranked Pac12 teams, and 11-5 overall. Has any team in history ever had ten games against top-12 teams in one regular season?

How would he do taking over for Wayne Tinkle?

 

[JellyBean]

Yeah! Right! Get one 5 star recruit to replace the ones that will leave. If it was only that simple. Graves gotta go!

Coach Graves ain't going anywhere, unless he decides to go on his own accord.

 

[JellyBean]

Kelly Graves isn’t going anywhere. He just got a commitment from 5* point guard Janiyah Williams.

I agree. Coach Graves will be at Oregon until he decides to step down. Coach Graves is well loved around the campus, he is a solid coach (despite what the naysayers say), decent recruiter, he connects well with players, and he is just that dude. He will be on the sideline until he decides to step down.

 

[JellyBean]

I don’t think Charmin will be let go after this season. The team is better and she did well with portal. Has a some good recruits coming in and will be looking to add a point guard the portal this round…I imagine she’ll have a couple years in ACC to further improve things. I’m curious to see whether Cal will be able to expand its recruiting footprint with more play in the East. One of the recruits is from Brooklyn. I’m a long time fan and season ticket holder and support keeping Charmin as coach for now. She does a lot for these kids off the court and is a good role model. Cal Adds Four Signees To 2024 Class - California Golden Bears Athletics

I am with you 100%. I don't think Coach Smith will be let go after this season. Other than, I believe that Covid year, where Cal went 1-12 in the conference, Coach has slowly improved Cal each season. Plus she is one heck of a coach. I love the way she coaches. The details that she goes into with her instructions of a drill. It is next level. I think Coach Smith will be at Cal for a few more years.

 

[Dillon77]

I agree. Coach Graves will be at Oregon until he decides to step down. Coach Graves is well loved around the campus, he is a solid coach (despite what the naysayers say), decent recruiter, he connects well with players, and he is just that dude. He will be on the sideline until he decides to step down.

Hmmm. Regarding the comments in green:
- I'd say he's an excellent recruiter.
In 2020, his entire class were McDonald's All-Americans.
- He might "connect well," with his players, but not enough for any or all five, who transferred:

• Point guard Te-Hina Paopao (California) Now: Starts for South Carolina
• Off guard Sydney Parrish (Indiana) Now: Starts for Indiana
• Combo guard Maddie Scherr (Kentucky) Now: Starts for Kentucky
• Forward Angela Dugalic (Illinois) Now: Starts for UCLA
• Post/forward Kylee Watson (New Jersey) Now: Starts for Notre Dame

Outside of Kentucky, all four of these teams are going to be playing well into March.

Graves will continue to recruit well, as brought up. However, I suggest taking a look at the exit door. Some degree of retention is necessary to succeed. Why the exits? If a few members of this year's team exit, I'd say there's an issue with the guy manning the enter/exit doors.

 

[BRS24]

So while in a few tedious meetings this morning, I jotted down a list of names who, in my view fall under 1 of 3 categories
1. Need to Retire (had great careers but the performance has slipped mightily)
2. Should be fired as the performance is spiraling and no sign of recovery is seen but the contract or "optics" of the role will save them for another year or so.
3. Will be fired (performance is egregious enough and contract is either due to expire or close enough to warrant any buyout). Any AD who keeps this category should also be fired.

Category #2. Performance is showing the spiral is not recoverable even if the AD doesn't want to admit it.
#1. Kyra Elzy, Kentucky 4 years. mass defections, poor performance, no recrutiing but her contract is until 2027.

 

[Dillon77]

Highly doubt she's going anywhere for another year or two....

 

[Dillon77]

So while in a few tedious meetings this morning, I jotted down a list of names who, in my view fall under 1 of 3 categories
1. Need to Retire (had great careers but the performance has slipped mightily)
2. Should be fired as the performance is spiraling and no sign of recovery is seen but the contract or "optics" of the role will save them for another year or so.
3. Will be fired (performance is egregious enough and contract is either due to expire or close enough to warrant any buyout). Any AD who keeps this category should also be fired.

Category #1. Need to Retire
1. Joe McKeown, Northwestern 13 yrs. He will be 68 in May and frankly his team is terrible.
2. Doug Bruno, DePaul 36 years. Doug is 73 and has had a great career but his team is terrible and he has suffered mass defections the past two years. It's ok to retire and enjoy a broadcasting career.
3, Kelly Graves, Oregon 10 years. Techinically he will be 62 in July and is a little young to retire but I am trying to let him "bow out gracefully" and let the school off the hook from having to fire him. Oregon moves to the Big 10 next year and I am not thinking he is up to the challenge. He has had MASS defections the past 4 years- the who recruiting class of 2020 (Scherr, Parrish, Watson, Dugalic, Paopao); class of 2021 Bigby, 2022 Jennah Isai, plus tranfers in of Rogers and Prince who transferred out. Mallory McGwire same recruiting class as Sabrina, transferred out after 2 years. And Yes, @Bigboote Sabrina WAS EVERYTHING for that program, she made everyone better and was the face of not only Oregon, the PAC12 and WCBB as well. While Satou is a nice player, she's not a star and neither is Hebard. That said, Thanks Kelly but please bow out gracefully as it's clear players do not want to play for you.
#4. Nell Fortner, Georgia Tech 5 years. She will be 65 in March and while GT needed her due to the abuse allegations and she is a class act, the fact is the program is mediocre at best and below what the school should expect.

Category #2. Performance is showing the spiral is not recoverable even if the AD doesn't want to admit it.
#1. Kyra Elzy, Kentucky 4 years. mass defections, poor performance, no recrutiing but her contract is until 2027.
#2. Kellie Harper, Tennessee, 5 years, zero HS recruiting, mediocre performance and dropping attendance from this once mighty program. Again, her contract is $1.1 mil per year and is until 2028.
#3. Christa Gurlich, Texas Tech 4 years. Another hire who had to "right the ship" after abuse allegations but this once attendance stalwart needs to improve and Christa is not up to the challenge. She will not make the NCAAT but may make the WNIT for the second time. She will not be fired but the writing is on the wall.
#4. Natashia Adair, Arizona State 2 years. Zero chance of her being fired but NOTHING looks like improvement is coming here. It is inevitable she have issues in the new league next year.
#5. Joe Tartamello, St. John's 12 years. One of Geno's buddies that may be severely hampered by the school but it's been 12 years and what exactly has his built? He won't be fired but he will be middle of the pack AGAIN in a conference with 4 really bad teams.
#6. Tina Langley Washington, 3 years. While I do think this is better than Jody Wynn, as NWHoop would say, how could it not be? Tina has been a disappointment but she's down on this list as doing better than the 5 ahead of her and her school will not fire her this year. She too is headed into new territory next year and will be eaten alive by the Big 10.
#7. Coquese Washington, Rutgers, 2 years. I have no idea what possessed the RU AD to hire her without her proving her HC abilities at a mid-Maor. Her last 5 years at PSU were an abject failure. Why the AD thought spending 2 years at ND as an assistant enabled her to run a progam is odd. There have been a few coaches who failed at a P5, rebuilt their brand at a mid-major and then had or are having success at a P5 in the second go round, Kellie Harper, Felisha Legette-Jack to name 2. I think that is what Coquese needed to do but if the AD at P5 offers....
#8 Megan Gebbia, Wake Forest 2nd year. Starting 6-25 in conference play including 1-12 this year is a rough start to a career. The evidence is enough to tell me she's in over her head but it is only year 2 so she will not be fired.
#9. Billie Chambers, Xavier 1st year. I know she has had injuries but man, is this team bad. This is by far the worst team in the P6. She is making Melanie Moore look good by comparison. But she too is #8 for a reason, it's her first year and she will be given the length of her whole 5 year contract....

Category #3. The list of coaches who really have shown very little to warrant keeping. This is not fair from a "wanting someone to be fired perspective" and is no way an indictment on their person, only a reflection of their job performance given their circumstances.
#1. Amanda Butler, Clemson 6 years. She's 31-71 in the ACC. She made the NCAAT her first year and has done very little since.
#2. Robin Pingeton, Missouri 14 years. She was on the clock to have to make the NCAAT but as noted, her AD has left. Will the new AD keep her? Probably not as her contract expires next year and from what I have is a reasonable buyout at $400K.
#3. Joanne Bernabei-McNamee, Boston College 6 years. She showed initial promise but still hasn't made an NCAAT and she keeps losing her best players to the portal for whatever reason. The performance is getting worse, not better and it has been 6 years now.
#4. Anthony Bozzella, Seton Hall, 11 years. Yes, he's another of Geno's friends and yes, I am sure many of my BY colleagues like the guy but face it, he has never made an NCAAT, he can't recruit, he gets marginal portal players and he's not all that great with the media. 11 years is enough time to know what you got and SHU knows what they have, will the AD do something?
#5. Carolyn Kieger, Penn State, 5 years. She was definitely on the hot seat before the year and up until recently looked safe but her latest spiral may cause the AD to rethink.
#6. Charmin Smith, California 5 years. She too was on the hot seat before the year and I don't think she's done enough to warrant more years, especially moving to the ACC next year but her team is playing better now. I will potentially update my view after the PAC 12 Tournament and hear what @Plebe has to say after he has lunch with her in Vegas....

I am not trying to be harsh or mean but using W/L record or lmited success to justify my inclusion on the "hot seat". What say you?

Some Quick Hitters, Going (mostly) by your categories:

Category 1: Need To Retire

1 & 2) Joe McKeown and Doug Bruno should arrange to have lunches often after two stellar careers.
I'm very intrigued if and when the Wildcat post opens up, what Northwestern officials will be willing to pay to get a top-notch coach (or if they will).

4) Everyone likes/respects Nell Fortner and she can coach, no doubt. However, her best years in Atlanta have come with players MaChelle Joseph recruited, both domestically and internationally. Don't know what the length of her contract is, but she needs to get more top-notch talent in there.

Category 2:

Think you've been a bit harsh so early for two coaches hired late in the process:

8) Beg to differ: Megan Gabbia is not "over her head" after a stellar career building American -- yes, American -- into one of the better Patriot League teams the last few years. If there's any crime done in Winston-Salem, it was the idiotic move by the AD who fired Jen Hoover a month or so after the season. She went 17-17 her first season and then Jewell Spear decided to follow a siren song to -- of all places -- Tennessee. She's not going anywhere, but I'd give her a few more years before making a judgement.

#7) Speaking of that, Coquese Washington was also hired late in the process, too, after Coach Springer stretched out the "will she, won't she" late into spring. You've always pointed to Coach Q's 67-89 her last five years at Penn State, but neglect to bring up the 5 NCAA and 2 NIT performances. And a 12-year coach doesn't have to go back to the mid-majors to prove herself. Coach Q simply has to get more talent via the portal (like Destiny Adams) or high school (such as Kiyomi McMiller).

Category 3:

#5) Carolyn Kieger: Ashley Owusu is back, but the transfer who was helping the most -- Taylor Valladay -- is out for the rest of the season, and if Penn State doesn't stop turning the ball over, that could be it for Kieger.

Category 2 & 3 Combo:

- Joe Tortamello & Anthony Bozella: Your points are well taken: both programs seem to be subsisting on the portal . However, I'm not certain there will be that kind of pressure on either of these two coaches, simply because I don't think expectations are all that high (plus so much of the school's resources, rightly or wrongly, seemingly are thrown at the men's programs).

 

[cancontent]

Comments from Kentucky's AD regarding Coach Elzy.

 

[GamecockFam]

Comments from Kentucky's AD regarding Coach Elzy.

Looks like we'll have to deal with her for another year in the SEC. They did defy expectations this season... instead of last place, they're currently 3rd from last in the SEC with remaining games against Ole Miss and LSU.

 

[JstVisiting]

Looks like we'll have to deal with her for another year in the SEC. They did defy expectations this season... instead of last place, they're currently 3rd from last in the SEC with remaining games against Ole Miss and LSU.

She had them running clock with 4 minutes to go to try to keep us under 100. Once we hit 100, went back to their normal offense. That’s worse than the late FG on 4th and 1 to avoid a shutout.

 

[Dillon77]

"#3. Joanne Bernabei-McNamee, Boston College 6 years. She showed initial promise but still hasn't made an NCAAT and she keeps losing her best players to the portal for whatever reason. The performance is getting worse, not better and it has been 6 years now."

So, I held off on this one until after ND and BC played the 2nd of their ACC matchups at Chestnut Hill yesterday.
ND went down to a 6-person rotation when Nat Marshall became ill prior to the game. And then they played perhaps the worst quarter of basketball all season, being outscored by BC 21-11. That was the high point for BC, who were outscored the rest of the way, 68-34, losing 79-55. Those are 24-pt. and 50-pt. losses to an ACC rival. And, according to Benchers, there were just as many rabid ND fans in the gym as Eagle supporters.

If not for Dontavia Waggoneer, who had 25 points and 15 rebounds (12 offensive), this would've been even worse.

You keep hearing how good a coach Benabei-McNamee is, but as @DefenseBB noted, retention is a real issue with this team. Hard to keep a consistent approach with so much churn. Is it institutional? Something about Joanne (she is from the Brenda Freese/Jeff Walz coaching tree...two other noted roster churners)?

In any case, I'd check Raoul after the season's end about Coach B-M and the portal about Waggoneer, who has one more year of eligibility.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

You keep hearing how good a coach Benabei-McNamee is, but as @DefenseBB noted, retention is a real issue with this team. Hard to keep a consistent approach with so much churn. Is it institutional? Something about Joanne (she is from the Brenda Freese/Jeff Walz coaching tree...two other noted roster churners)?

It is not just that retention is an issue, it is her top players are now starters on other ACC teams.

• Maria Gakdeng (11.3 ppg and 6.5 rpg for BC in 2022-23) is a starter at UNC.
• Taina Mair (11.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, and 6.6 apg for BC in 2022-23) is Duke's starting point guard.

 

[LETTERL]

. And, according to Benchers, there were just as many rabid ND fans in the gym as Eagle supporters.

Well, it wouldn't take more than 15 or 16 Notre Dame fans to outnumber the regular attendance in the Conte Forum. Just an awful venue for basketball.

 

[Dillon77]

It is not just that retention is an issue, it is her top players are now starters on other ACC teams.

• Maria Gakdeng (11.3 ppg and 6.5 rpg for BC in 2022-23) is a starter at UNC.
• Taina Mair (11.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, and 6.6 apg for BC in 2022-23) is Duke's starting point guard.

Yup ...that would be retention/extraction/opposition and they're just the latest:

• Taylor Soule to Va. Tech's Final Four team
• Leading scorer Cameron Swartz to Ga. Tech.

Boston Globe just ran a piece hinting that NIL -- or lack thereof -- might be contributing to this (but I'm not a subscriber). In that's the case, it really hamstrings a program and any coach trying to succeed.

 

[DefenseBB]

Well, it wouldn't take more than 15 or 16 Notre Dame fans to outnumber the regular attendance in the Conte Forum. Just an awful venue for basketball.

So, BC is averaging 1,104 fans per game before ND. Dead last in the ACC and 5th among the 23 New England D1 schools. That's right, New England has 23 D1 Basketball schools and but only ONE P5 School-BC. Besides UConn, Rhode Island-1,691, UMass-1,206, Harvard-1,154 and UMaine at 1,095 are ahead of close enough to BC in game attendance. So sure, blame NIL if you want but something tells me there are other issues going on.

 

[DefenseBB]

With the latest news coming out of Arizona about Kailyn Gilbert being removed from the team, it added to my random (and scary) thoughts about program turnover, how the program proceeds and what should an AD do.
As I mentioned in the Coaches on the HOT SEAT thread, one of the telltale signs any AD should be monitoring is how many good players are leaving his athletic programs and going on to contribute to direct competitors or other relevant programs.

Immediately, coming to mind is Brenda Frese who has always seemed to have a cavalcade of players who left her program and go on to great success else where. While I would be concerned as her AD, the fact is she has usually done well in the years following those departures and had great success so she seems to manage this situation well. How sustainable is it is up for debate as this years team is kind of brutal to watch.

Next up is Kelly Graves who had great success with his 2016 HS class led by Sabrina Ionescu. However, after that stellar class and the addition of the Satou sisters, Eugene has been a revolving door of players and his results have spiraled down. With the transfer portal, a remarkable turnaround is always possible but my perspective on his latest portal activity, his current team, his pending HS recruits and his joining a new league has me suspect of his future success and why I thought his “retirement” is best for him and the school. Kelly is not Dawn, Tara or Geno as an untouchable coach who can do “no wrong”. Eventually, 2-16 records catch up with you.

The latest addition to the “fire concern” brigade is Adia Barnes, since her Cinderella run a few years ago which garnered her a huge contract raise, her team has become a revolving door of drama. Look at this list of players who have left in the last 2 years

• Lauren Ware 2020 #26 to Texas A&M
• Paris Clark 2022 #21
• Lemyah Hylton 2022 #85 to Miami
• Kailyn Gilbert 2022 #31 TBA
• Aaronette Vonleh 2021 #100 to Colorado
• Madison Connor 2021 #71 to TCU

That’s 6 players in just 2 years. Also leaving is Maya Nnaji 2022 #9 prospect who left due to wanting to focus on her pre-med degree. Add in the fact Shaina Pellington left for her 5th year to OSU and that’s 8 players who chose elsewhere to go. She may make the NCAAT this year but she is soon to be 8-10 in conference and 16-14 overall and is that really what the AD is paying her to achieve-slightly above .500 and just making the NCAAT? She is one of the top 15 paid coaches and now down to 8 players on the roster this year.

Having one, two or three players leave is a concern which could be understandable but given the numbers and star quality that Frese, Graves and Barnes are turning over has me thinking there is a personality concern and a big one.

 

[LETTERL]

With the latest news coming out of Arizona about Kailyn Gilbert being removed from the team, it added to my random (and scary) thoughts about program turnover, how the program proceeds and what should an AD do.
As I mentioned in the Coaches on the HOT SEAT thread, one of the telltale signs any AD should be monitoring is how many good players are leaving his athletic programs and going on to contribute to direct competitors or other relevant programs.

Immediately, coming to mind is Brenda Frese who has always seemed to have a cavalcade of players who left her program and go on to great success else where. While I would be concerned as her AD, the fact is she has usually done well in the years following those departures and had great success so she seems to manage this situation well. How sustainable is it is up for debate as this years team is kind of brutal to watch.

Next up is Kelly Graves who had great success with his 2016 HS class led by Sabrina Ionescu. However, after that stellar class and the addition of the Satou sisters, Eugene has been a revolving door of players and his results have spiraled down. With the transfer portal, a remarkable turnaround is always possible but my perspective on his latest portal activity, his current team, his pending HS recruits and his joining a new league has me suspect of his future success and why I thought his “retirement” is best for him and the school. Kelly is not Dawn, Tara or Geno as an untouchable coach who can do “no wrong”. Eventually, 2-16 records catch up with you.

The latest addition to the “fire concern” brigade is Adia Barnes, since her Cinderella run a few years ago which garnered her a huge contract raise, her team has become a revolving door of drama. Look at this list of players who have left in the last 2 years

• Lauren Ware 2020 #26 to Texas A&M
• Paris Clark 2022 #21
• Lemyah Hylton 2022 #85 to Miami
• Kailyn Gilbert 2022 #31 TBA
• Aaronette Vonleh 2021 #100 to Colorado
• Madison Connor 2021 #71 to TCU

That’s 6 players in just 2 years. Also leaving is Maya Nnaji 2022 #9 prospect who left due to wanting to focus on her pre-med degree. Add in the fact Shaina Pellington left for her 5th year to OSU and that’s 8 players who chose elsewhere to go. She may make the NCAAT this year but she is soon to be 8-10 in conference and 16-14 overall and is that really what the AD is paying her to achieve-slightly above .500 and just making the NCAAT? She is one of the top 15 paid coaches and now down to 8 players on the roster this year.

Having one, two or three players leave is a concern which could be understandable but given the numbers and star quality that Frese, Graves and Barnes are turning over has me thinking there is a personality concern and a big one.

Wes Moore has had a lot of churn in his roster too in the past few years. Just this past year, Diamond Johnson (Norfolk State), Sophie Hart (Minnesota) and Jessica Timmons (Alabama) left...and Jakia Brown-Turner and Camille Hobby chose to transfer than use their COVID year with the Wolfpack. Plus, Genesis Bryant (Illinois) and Dontavia Wagonner (BC) also donned the Red and White at one time. I expect more exits to the portal after this year.

But Coach Moore isn't on the hot seat but has principles and knows how he wants to run his program and if players don't like it, they can leave...and as we have seen, they have. I suspect some coaches just have "my way or the highway" mentalities, which can be unappealing to the younger generations.

 

[nwhoopfan]

The latest addition to the “fire concern” brigade is Adia Barnes, since her Cinderella run a few years ago which garnered her a huge contract raise, her team has become a revolving door of drama. Look at this list of players who have left in the last 2 years

• Lauren Ware 2020 #26 to Texas A&M
• Paris Clark 2022 #21
• Lemyah Hylton 2022 #85 to Miami
• Kailyn Gilbert 2022 #31 TBA
• Aaronette Vonleh 2021 #100 to Colorado
• Madison Connor 2021 #71 to TCU

That’s 6 players in just 2 years. Also leaving is Maya Nnaji 2022 #9 prospect who left due to wanting to focus on her pre-med degree. Add in the fact Shaina Pellington left for her 5th year to OSU and that’s 8 players who chose elsewhere to go.

That was Bendu Yeaney, not Pellington.

I think Lauren Fields also grad transferred out.

Anna Gret Asi has been at Oklahoma St. for 2 years, not sure if she fits in your timeline, she's one of OSU's better players.

 

[Bigboote]

So, BC is averaging 1,104 fans per game before ND. Dead last in the ACC and 5th among the 23 New England D1 schools. That's right, New England has 23 D1 Basketball schools and but only ONE P5 School-BC. Besides UConn, Rhode Island-1,691, UMass-1,206, Harvard-1,154 and UMaine at 1,095 are ahead of close enough to BC in game attendance. So sure, blame NIL if you want but something tells me there are other issues going on.

Well, UMaine is part of the Quad Cities (Bangor, Brewer, Orono, Old Town), which probably have a good 10% of the population of Boston (city, not metro).

I wonder how the respective men's hockey teams draw -- I know folks who drive well over 2 hours to see UMaine hockey games.

 

[jake0414]

That was Bendu Yeaney, not Pellington.

I think Lauren Fields also grad transferred out.

Anna Gret Asi has been at Oklahoma St. for 2 years, not sure if she fits in your timeline, she's one of OSU's better players.

Koi Love transferred from Vanderbilt to Arizona, played one season and then transferred to USC, played one season for the Trojans and then left.
Taylor Chavez transferred from Oregon to Arizona, played one season and then quit basketball.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Koi Love transferred from Vanderbilt to Arizona, played one season and then transferred to USC, played one season for the Trojans and then left.
Taylor Chavez transferred from Oregon to Arizona, played one season and then quit basketball.

Regarding Bendu Yeaney - mentioned in the post you quoted for transferring out - she tweeted after Arizona's win praise for Arizona.

Most - not all - of the players who left simply didn't get the minutes they wanted, Adia recruited over some of them, and in general, as she has admitted, expected star players to sit on a bench and develop while she brought in portal players over them.

She has admitted multiple times at multiple fan events that she "screwed up". Changed her philosophy.

Gilbert had to go.

 

[huskeynut]

A few general comments to address the status of several coaches mentioned.

1. Mostly no mention of the AD and school support their women's programs. And are they content with middle of the pack or do the really want a top 25 program?
2. No mention of the college/ university in general. Do curriculum offerings match the recruit? Size of the school. Location of the school. There are recruits who will not play for an urban school and their are those who don't want to be in the middle of nowhere.
3. What is the status of the facilities? New or old? It makes a difference. For most it's not just basketball.

Now a few specifics.
1. Xavier's new head coach, Chambers, needs time to build the program up. She was left with nothing and injuries have been a problem. Any new coach needs a minimun of 3 years to make some progress.
2. Don't see either Seton Hall or St. John's firing the coaches. Remember when Seton Hall was the ulimate door mat of the Big East?
3. Doug Bruno will retire when he chooses. He's an icon/ legend at DePaul. He does so much more than just coach basketball. He does a lot of work in Chicago.

Final comment. The portal and NIL have changed the face of college sports forever. There is money out there to pull in recruits. Player doesn't like the program, not getting playing time, off to the portal they go. The NCAA has made it easy to "transfer" out.