The OSU leadership has a very interesting choice in regards to the next basketball head coach at Oklahoma State. This starts with the desired attributes, perceived longevity in the position, etc. and extends to anticipated compensation package that will be tied to the position now and going forward.
Obviously, there is a huge part of the fan base that wants to see a person with OSU connections come home, and that has only been heightened in light of being jilted by Coach Underwood. This is why every discussion of the coaching vacancy begins with Bill Self and Doug Gottleib.
Bill Self is now 54 years old and has been at Kansas for 14 seasons, winning 13 consecutive Big 12 titles. This is probably his last opportunity to come home as head coach, and the feeling around those that know him is that he has come to grips with not coming back. Lawrence, Kansas is home now, and he really wants to win another national title at Kansas before it is all said and done. No other coach in Kansas history has accomplished that feat. Besides, It would take well north of $4 to 4.5 million to get consideration (probably Pitino-level money), and that in unlikely, and probably not in either party's best interest right now. Undoubtedly, this is the lone grand slam hire from OSU's perspective as Bill checks every box on the wish list, but it's not realistic at this point.
Doug Gottleib is probably going to get a lot more support this time around due to the emotional gut-shot that OSU alums and fans are feeling right now. His candidacy is unique and provides the most risk-reward of any of the options available. To this point in his career, Mike Holder has not chosen many high-risk reward options as athletic director, so the odds are against Doug getting the job; however, if enough donors are won over, he could get his opportunity. Doug brings undeniable passion for Oklahoma State, media savvy, quality networking, and great verbal skills to the table. His national platform in the media could help create an early buzz that could help in recruiting. The biggest question marks regard his ability to manage an organizational structure, something that is very important in major college sports. Could he surround himself with a couple of former head coaches to help mentor him in that regard? Sure. Is he humble enough to accept and follow their counsel? That is unknown. The risk side of a potential Gottleib hire is self-evident, the upside is not. Although I have significant questions about the timing for taking such a risk, I readily admit that if he could build a quality support structure and recruiting staff, he could be a Calipari-esque type of coach at OSU with lesser exposure to talent.
Moving away from OSU connections, does the school pursue proven coaches in their prime or try to identify an up & comer? Only one of those strategies has worked so far at OSU in basketball.
Here are a list of coaching veterans that could garner a look with Final Four/Elite Eight Experience:
1) Tom Crean--Although he did not achieve as expected in Indiana, he did get the Hoosiers to 3 Sweet 16s and took Marquette to the Final Four. At 51 years old, he has a lot of coaching years ahead of him. He would be a solid hire and is currently out of a job. He is a former Tom Izzo assistant. In a conference where Tubby Smith and Lon Kruger got strong rebounds, this is a possibility. Tom is not a perfect candidate as his teams have lacked defensive consistency over the years and is personality can be a bit grating, but he has NCAA success on his resume.
2) Gregg Marshall--The Koch brothers are bankrolling the effort to keep him in Wichita (more than $3 million per year), and an argument can be made that he is one of the very elite coaches in college basketball. He has taken the Shockers to 6 straight NCAA tournaments, including 3 Sweet 16s and a Final Four. He made the NCAA tournament in 7 of his 9 seasons at Winthrop. This man knows how to coach winning basketball. In all honesty, due to on-court success and geography, he would probably be the best possible basketball hire that OSU could make. That said, the situation with his wife absolutely does not play well with decision makers. Power Five conference jobs are pressure cookers and the head coach and his family are some of the most prominent faces of the school to the world. There have been some rumblings that he might be looking to entertain offers to move. Is the time right?
3) Buzz Williams--He just finished his third year at Virginia Tech and is under contract through the 2022-23 season with a $2.7 million base salary and a $1.25 million buyout. There is mutual interest here as he is a Texas native. He has turned around the Hokie program earning an invite this year. Virginia Tech has a difficult upward climb in the ACC in basketball, so a move to a power five school with a better chance of winning conference championships would be welcomed. He is a Texas native. He was highly successful during his years at Marquette with 3 Sweet 16s and an Elite 8 appearance. His move from Marquette to Virginia Tech raised a lot of eyebrows. He is definitely a person of interest.
4) Archie Miller--He is clearly the youngest guy on this list at 39, but he has taken Dayton to four straight NCAA appearances, including a run to the Elite 8. He is the brother of Arizona coach, Sean Miller and a former NC State point guard. His salary is approximately $1.5 million per year and the Flyers have promised to continue raising the compensation levels to keep him. He is a hot commodity that is going to get strong consideration for the Indiana job if Alford and Marshall decline. His frustration with the NCAA seeding process has been well documented. He will be moving on to a Power Five program in the near future.
Mid Major Guys:
1) Ben Jacobson--He has gone 219-118 at Northern Iowa with 4 NCAA appearances and 1 Sweet 16 when they knocked off top ranked Kansas. Although not a current 'hot name' in the coaching carousel, he is well respected and among the top mid major coaches in the country. At 47 years old, he is entering the prime of his career and is ready for the challenge of a Power Five opportunity. A native of North Dakota would be at home at a school in the plains.
2) Chris Mack--He is the current head coach at Xavier with deep ties to Ohio. No discussion of quality mid-major coaches can be had without his inclusion. He has compiled a 186-80 record in his 8 seasons with 7 NCAA bids including 3 Sweet 16s.
3) Will Wade--It is probably a bit too early to put him on this list, but he comes from VCU where coaches regularly make the jump to Power Five conferences. He is young and energetic, but void of much of a track record.
WILD CARDS:
1) Chris Collins--The Chicago native and former Duke player has lit enthusiasm for Northwestern basketball. He believes that he can create a Duke-north school in Evanston, so he is not likely to budge; however, his pedigree, extensive recruiting connections, and on-court success makes him a high quality person of interest for almost any search. He doesn't seem like a natural fit at Oklahoma State, but his name needs to be here.
2) Andy Enfield--If you are looking for a risk-reward candidate like Gottleib with some coaching experience, this is the guy. Currently in the midst of rebuilding the Trojan basketball program, Andy is a guy that is quickly building a reputation for himself as a program architect. Like Doug Gottleib, he gave up a lucrative career in another industry to become a basketball coach. He spent time in the NBA and exploded onto the scene with his work at Florida Gulf Coast. Joe Dooley's name has been floated a bunch (the man that replaced him at FGC), but Andy was the one that built the program. His wife is from Oklahoma and would love to be closer to family. He will be considered.
Others: Mark Fox, Scott Cross, Dan Muller, Kermit Davis, etc.
Obviously, there is a huge part of the fan base that wants to see a person with OSU connections come home, and that has only been heightened in light of being jilted by Coach Underwood. This is why every discussion of the coaching vacancy begins with Bill Self and Doug Gottleib.
Bill Self is now 54 years old and has been at Kansas for 14 seasons, winning 13 consecutive Big 12 titles. This is probably his last opportunity to come home as head coach, and the feeling around those that know him is that he has come to grips with not coming back. Lawrence, Kansas is home now, and he really wants to win another national title at Kansas before it is all said and done. No other coach in Kansas history has accomplished that feat. Besides, It would take well north of $4 to 4.5 million to get consideration (probably Pitino-level money), and that in unlikely, and probably not in either party's best interest right now. Undoubtedly, this is the lone grand slam hire from OSU's perspective as Bill checks every box on the wish list, but it's not realistic at this point.
Doug Gottleib is probably going to get a lot more support this time around due to the emotional gut-shot that OSU alums and fans are feeling right now. His candidacy is unique and provides the most risk-reward of any of the options available. To this point in his career, Mike Holder has not chosen many high-risk reward options as athletic director, so the odds are against Doug getting the job; however, if enough donors are won over, he could get his opportunity. Doug brings undeniable passion for Oklahoma State, media savvy, quality networking, and great verbal skills to the table. His national platform in the media could help create an early buzz that could help in recruiting. The biggest question marks regard his ability to manage an organizational structure, something that is very important in major college sports. Could he surround himself with a couple of former head coaches to help mentor him in that regard? Sure. Is he humble enough to accept and follow their counsel? That is unknown. The risk side of a potential Gottleib hire is self-evident, the upside is not. Although I have significant questions about the timing for taking such a risk, I readily admit that if he could build a quality support structure and recruiting staff, he could be a Calipari-esque type of coach at OSU with lesser exposure to talent.
Moving away from OSU connections, does the school pursue proven coaches in their prime or try to identify an up & comer? Only one of those strategies has worked so far at OSU in basketball.
Here are a list of coaching veterans that could garner a look with Final Four/Elite Eight Experience:
1) Tom Crean--Although he did not achieve as expected in Indiana, he did get the Hoosiers to 3 Sweet 16s and took Marquette to the Final Four. At 51 years old, he has a lot of coaching years ahead of him. He would be a solid hire and is currently out of a job. He is a former Tom Izzo assistant. In a conference where Tubby Smith and Lon Kruger got strong rebounds, this is a possibility. Tom is not a perfect candidate as his teams have lacked defensive consistency over the years and is personality can be a bit grating, but he has NCAA success on his resume.
2) Gregg Marshall--The Koch brothers are bankrolling the effort to keep him in Wichita (more than $3 million per year), and an argument can be made that he is one of the very elite coaches in college basketball. He has taken the Shockers to 6 straight NCAA tournaments, including 3 Sweet 16s and a Final Four. He made the NCAA tournament in 7 of his 9 seasons at Winthrop. This man knows how to coach winning basketball. In all honesty, due to on-court success and geography, he would probably be the best possible basketball hire that OSU could make. That said, the situation with his wife absolutely does not play well with decision makers. Power Five conference jobs are pressure cookers and the head coach and his family are some of the most prominent faces of the school to the world. There have been some rumblings that he might be looking to entertain offers to move. Is the time right?
3) Buzz Williams--He just finished his third year at Virginia Tech and is under contract through the 2022-23 season with a $2.7 million base salary and a $1.25 million buyout. There is mutual interest here as he is a Texas native. He has turned around the Hokie program earning an invite this year. Virginia Tech has a difficult upward climb in the ACC in basketball, so a move to a power five school with a better chance of winning conference championships would be welcomed. He is a Texas native. He was highly successful during his years at Marquette with 3 Sweet 16s and an Elite 8 appearance. His move from Marquette to Virginia Tech raised a lot of eyebrows. He is definitely a person of interest.
4) Archie Miller--He is clearly the youngest guy on this list at 39, but he has taken Dayton to four straight NCAA appearances, including a run to the Elite 8. He is the brother of Arizona coach, Sean Miller and a former NC State point guard. His salary is approximately $1.5 million per year and the Flyers have promised to continue raising the compensation levels to keep him. He is a hot commodity that is going to get strong consideration for the Indiana job if Alford and Marshall decline. His frustration with the NCAA seeding process has been well documented. He will be moving on to a Power Five program in the near future.
Mid Major Guys:
1) Ben Jacobson--He has gone 219-118 at Northern Iowa with 4 NCAA appearances and 1 Sweet 16 when they knocked off top ranked Kansas. Although not a current 'hot name' in the coaching carousel, he is well respected and among the top mid major coaches in the country. At 47 years old, he is entering the prime of his career and is ready for the challenge of a Power Five opportunity. A native of North Dakota would be at home at a school in the plains.
2) Chris Mack--He is the current head coach at Xavier with deep ties to Ohio. No discussion of quality mid-major coaches can be had without his inclusion. He has compiled a 186-80 record in his 8 seasons with 7 NCAA bids including 3 Sweet 16s.
3) Will Wade--It is probably a bit too early to put him on this list, but he comes from VCU where coaches regularly make the jump to Power Five conferences. He is young and energetic, but void of much of a track record.
WILD CARDS:
1) Chris Collins--The Chicago native and former Duke player has lit enthusiasm for Northwestern basketball. He believes that he can create a Duke-north school in Evanston, so he is not likely to budge; however, his pedigree, extensive recruiting connections, and on-court success makes him a high quality person of interest for almost any search. He doesn't seem like a natural fit at Oklahoma State, but his name needs to be here.
2) Andy Enfield--If you are looking for a risk-reward candidate like Gottleib with some coaching experience, this is the guy. Currently in the midst of rebuilding the Trojan basketball program, Andy is a guy that is quickly building a reputation for himself as a program architect. Like Doug Gottleib, he gave up a lucrative career in another industry to become a basketball coach. He spent time in the NBA and exploded onto the scene with his work at Florida Gulf Coast. Joe Dooley's name has been floated a bunch (the man that replaced him at FGC), but Andy was the one that built the program. His wife is from Oklahoma and would love to be closer to family. He will be considered.
Others: Mark Fox, Scott Cross, Dan Muller, Kermit Davis, etc.
