Ok, so the Terps are sitting at 6-5 with 4 of their next 6 vs. teams ranked inside the KenPom top 10 and a 5th vs. Minnesota who's 21. Being real here, I'll be shocked if they win any of those. Lets say they do beat Nebraska, that would have their record at 7-10 with 9 games left. There's a real good chance this team finishes with a losing record overall and wins less than a 1/4 of its Big Ten games. If that happens, they gotta fire Turge. So the question is, who's next? Here are some names I've put together...
Tom Crean - Hear me out. Took Marquette to a Final Four with Dwayne Wade. Won multiple Big Ten titles at Indiana. Plays exciting, fast paced style. Recruited and coached a ton of big name NBA players: Wade, Cody Zeller, Vic Oladipo, OG Anunoby, Yogi Ferrel, Juwan Morgan, Noah Vonleh, Anthony Edwards, etc. Has deep recruiting ties in the DMV. Brother in law coaches Ravens, etc. Would have to up pay slightly to get him. But I bet Evans could get him to listen and he'd be interested in the job.
Steve Pikiell - Turnaround job at Rutgers that probably no one thought was possible. Knows the league, has recruited the DMV. Played for and coached under Calhoun. And his current salary is cheap.
Kelvin Sampson - Got in trouble at Oklahoma for phone calls. Led Sooners to Final Four in 02, was killing it at Indiana before they pulled the plug. Spent a couple of seasons as an NBA assistant and now has Houston in the top 10.
Kevin Willard - Son of a former coach, worked under Pitino. Has NBA experience. Has won a couple of Big East titles and has taken the Hall to five straight NCAAs. Knows how to recruit at an Under Armour school and has a staff with strong local ties to the DMV.
Ed Cooley - Was a finalist for the Michigan job. Took the Friars to 5 straight NCAAs. Has recruited the DMV well. Also has experience coaching in the ACC as an assistant at BC. Providence native.
Shaka Smart - Given the season they are having right now, this is probably a non-starter. If they make a deep NCAA run, his contract in guaranteed for another 2 years, so probably not going anywhere.
Wes Miller - Best young coach in the game. Only 37 years old, took UNC Greensboro to first NCAA appearance in 20 years a couple of seasons ago. Had Duane Simpkins on his staff for a few years and would likely bring Simpkins with him to Maryland. Could help end the DeMatha drought.
Richard Pitino - I Know, mixed results at Minn., but like Miller he's really young (37). Has won recruiting battles in the DMV, knows the Big Ten and would have a lot more to work with at Maryland. Might have his best team yet this season.
Mike Rhoades - East Coast guy who worked his way up through DIII. Was part of Shaka's staff when VCU went to the Final Four. Really nice turnaround job at Rice before getting the head gig at VCU. Again, has done a nice job of recruiting the DMV the past couple of years. An affordable optoin.
Anthony Grant - Was in the mix last time around when Turgeon was hired. Historic season last year at his alma mater Dayton. Hasn't proven himself as a head coach at the HM level, just one NCAA appearance at Alabama.
Mike Brey - DeMatha alum with deep roots in the DMV. Coached at Delaware and still has a house in Rehoboth. Turned Maryland down last time around, but after some major success in the ACC, has had several down years. Maybe time to make a clean break and start over.
So thoughts? Any names you'd add to the list? I left a few guys off that I think MD has no shot with. Just wanna get excited about hoops again!
Tom Crean - Hear me out. Took Marquette to a Final Four with Dwayne Wade. Won multiple Big Ten titles at Indiana. Plays exciting, fast paced style. Recruited and coached a ton of big name NBA players: Wade, Cody Zeller, Vic Oladipo, OG Anunoby, Yogi Ferrel, Juwan Morgan, Noah Vonleh, Anthony Edwards, etc. Has deep recruiting ties in the DMV. Brother in law coaches Ravens, etc. Would have to up pay slightly to get him. But I bet Evans could get him to listen and he'd be interested in the job.
Steve Pikiell - Turnaround job at Rutgers that probably no one thought was possible. Knows the league, has recruited the DMV. Played for and coached under Calhoun. And his current salary is cheap.
Kelvin Sampson - Got in trouble at Oklahoma for phone calls. Led Sooners to Final Four in 02, was killing it at Indiana before they pulled the plug. Spent a couple of seasons as an NBA assistant and now has Houston in the top 10.
Kevin Willard - Son of a former coach, worked under Pitino. Has NBA experience. Has won a couple of Big East titles and has taken the Hall to five straight NCAAs. Knows how to recruit at an Under Armour school and has a staff with strong local ties to the DMV.
Ed Cooley - Was a finalist for the Michigan job. Took the Friars to 5 straight NCAAs. Has recruited the DMV well. Also has experience coaching in the ACC as an assistant at BC. Providence native.
Shaka Smart - Given the season they are having right now, this is probably a non-starter. If they make a deep NCAA run, his contract in guaranteed for another 2 years, so probably not going anywhere.
Wes Miller - Best young coach in the game. Only 37 years old, took UNC Greensboro to first NCAA appearance in 20 years a couple of seasons ago. Had Duane Simpkins on his staff for a few years and would likely bring Simpkins with him to Maryland. Could help end the DeMatha drought.
Richard Pitino - I Know, mixed results at Minn., but like Miller he's really young (37). Has won recruiting battles in the DMV, knows the Big Ten and would have a lot more to work with at Maryland. Might have his best team yet this season.
Mike Rhoades - East Coast guy who worked his way up through DIII. Was part of Shaka's staff when VCU went to the Final Four. Really nice turnaround job at Rice before getting the head gig at VCU. Again, has done a nice job of recruiting the DMV the past couple of years. An affordable optoin.
Anthony Grant - Was in the mix last time around when Turgeon was hired. Historic season last year at his alma mater Dayton. Hasn't proven himself as a head coach at the HM level, just one NCAA appearance at Alabama.
Mike Brey - DeMatha alum with deep roots in the DMV. Coached at Delaware and still has a house in Rehoboth. Turned Maryland down last time around, but after some major success in the ACC, has had several down years. Maybe time to make a clean break and start over.
So thoughts? Any names you'd add to the list? I left a few guys off that I think MD has no shot with. Just wanna get excited about hoops again!
