Mid Major head coaches vs. High Major assistants

M

MarcMaggard

Well-Known Member
I think some people are missing a valid point about the difference in the two types of hires a school like Iowa could make.

A mid major coach has spent the past few years as a head coach with 3 assistants who are doing most of the legwork in recruiting players to mid major schools. The head coach (if he is a recruiting head coach..... some are not) is dealing with lesser AAU programs and lesser high school players. They aren't as "hot" due to the status of the school they coach at. When their assistants call the top kids in the nation, sometimes they return the call..... many times the call is ignored.

The top assistant has spent the past few years getting lobbied day after day by top AAU programs to "take a look at my kid". This assistant makes 30 recruiting phone calls a day to the top players in the nation and has formed PERSONAL relationships with 2010, 11 and 12 players....the best ones in the country. His entire job is to be so connected to the players, families and coaches, that they love him and want to be at his school. (how do you think Josh Paster landed the #1 recruiting class in the nation to Memphis having never called a TO as a head coach).

So, when you are talking about the difference between a mid major head coach and an assistant from a top program, there is an advantage in recruiting to the assistant....by far. It's not even close.

Sure, the mid major has more experience being "the man" heading up the program..... but as I've said many times, it's mostly the players you get to come..... You can polish a turd........

mm
 
Thanks for the info. Good information. Do you have any insight as to what high school players think of Iowa or even the big 10 in regards to basketball? What are the biggest challenges our new coach will have with recruiting to Iowa? Thanks again.
 
That makes a lot of sense,MM. Neither SA nor Lick were recruiting big talent at the schools they leaped to Iowa from...and while SA had the name recognition to have some early success, he never really had a steady recruiting formula...more hit or miss.
Lick was even more isolated at Butler in terms of recruiting the top AAU programs...or talent. Howard was a local kid who came because he loved Butler...otherwise,Lick never brought in a top 100 player.

I could see the long slow climb again with most of these mid-major guys...altho Gregory put talent on the floor.
 
Isn't that why it's important that ANY head coach hire a great assistant coaching staff? Of course the people you surround yourself with makes a difference to the level of success the leader will have. If you were to hire an assistant coach as your head coach, it would still be critical that he hires a great staff with recruiting connections. The exact same thing could be said if you hire a mid-major or major conference coach.
 
2boys said:
Isn't that why it's important that ANY head coach hire a great assistant coaching staff? Of course the people you surround yourself with makes a difference to the level of success the leader will have. If you were to hire an assistant coach as your head coach, it would still be critical that he hires a great staff with recruiting connections. The exact same thing could be said if you hire a mid-major or major conference coach.
Click to expand...


Of course. The MAIN REASON to hire an assistant is for the players they can get..... But again, hiring a head coach who is intimately connected is better than hiring an assistant that is intimately connected because the head man is the main man. I refer you again to a guy like Josh Pastner...... those kids in his #1 recruiting class had all been talking to HIM every day. When he got the job, they felt like they had a strong connection to the main man who would be making the final decisions......

mm
 
ctbond said:
What if the Mid Major coach's previous job was as a assistant at a BCS conference school?
Click to expand...

He still probably was recruiting mid major players while he was a head coach and wouldn't be so connected to the 2011, 12 and 13 class stud players.

mm
 
Thanks again Marc. This point is especially important at Iowa where we need some good news rather quickly. Unfortunately with the way our fanbase is we need some signs of life in the first year, whether it is post season or at least bringing in some top 100 players via transfer or recruiting. We need somebody who will come in connected not take 2 years to establish contacts (see Lick). If we have two more years like the last two there will be nobody left in Carver.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top