(4) Saturday Big east Games 1/23/21

[GoldenWarrior11]

Is Wojo on tie hot seat yet?

If you go to MUScoop people are calling for his head like crazy. That was one of the worst performances by a healthy Marquette team I've ever seen in my 12 years of fandom.

I have argued in support of the coaching staff for all seven years, whether it was a 13-19 first season (that started with two NBA players in Anderson and Burton, as well as Wilson and Carlino), a 24-10 fifth season (that saw the team lose six of its final seven games, got embarrassed by a #12 seed Murray State AND saw the Hausers leave after voicing frustrations within the program) or even last year (18-12, likely a tournament team, but, again, lost six of its final seven games (and likely would have lost to Hall at BET).

The harsh reality is that despite all of the accomplishments on the surface (solid recruiting, multiple 20-win seasons, clean and competitive program) there are substantial cracks (and I would say red flags) within the program. Zero tournament wins is a glaring and alarming concern. The multiple high level players that have transferred out/left over the years is a concern (Burton, Wilson, Cheatham, Hausers, Bailey). The continued nose dive that our teams have to close a season is GRAVELY concerning (multiple six out of seven game stretches that end in an L).

However, Saturday's performance might very well have overtaken all of them. The mistakes not only continued, they got worse (turnover after turnover, bad defensive play after another, no fight, no eagerness). Wojo now owns more losses to the last place BE program (in DePaul) than Crean and Buzz did combined in over 14 years of coaching (in half the time). And Saturday's game was a must-win on the home court over a winless conference team in order to keep pace towards the tournament - and we played the absolute worst game all year.

Our program is no better than it was when Buzz left his last season. I now fully support a change after the season. What we have just isn't working, and that happens. But doing nothing and having the same leadership return would only delay the program getting back longer. Perhaps Wojo can return to Duke and be K's associate head coach again, build up his resume and get another high major gig in a year or two. I have no doubt he gets another shot somewhere else. He's a great guy and strong ambassador. But something here is clearly off.

[MUBoxer]

I'm right there with you. Have been backing Wojo till the collapse last year. I felt like he was always on the cusp Ellanson was just a buzzer away from Depaul and Belmont from the tournament, Rowsey was a mathmatical correction (RPI to NET) from making the tournament over Providence. But you're right we're literally where we were with buzz's last season. Good enough for .500 in BE play and to play with good teams occasionally but head scratching coaching and lack of balance is killing us.

I do think I'd genuinely enjoy Wojo as a person, seems like a nice relatable ethical guy. But he's not going to get it done.

[Xuperman]

Unless pressure from important alumni/donors becomes too much to bear, one would think that he gets one more year. A really good arguement can be made that your 3 best players are 2 frosh and a soph. If Wojo can hold on to them (no reason to think otherwise) and keep the outstanding incoming class intact, mass success would seem inevitable.

With the key recent transfers and graduation, you haven't had the luxury of reloading but you are basically in rebuild mode as we speak. To cut Coach loose this off season would be a colossal mistake, as the probability of mass departure of the young talent would most likely follow......UNLESS there is a key assistant that has a tight connection with all this young talent. Do you have a HC quality assistant in waiting? Because I can't visualize any available HC with enough clout to keep all the youngsters rostered.

So, I get the frustration but MU is basically playing like predicted by most preseason prognosticators. IMO, one more year and then start constructing the Hallows.

[MUBoxer]

Unless pressure from important alumni/donors becomes too much to bear, one would think that he gets one more year. A really good arguement can be made that your 3 best players are 2 frosh and a soph. If Wojo can hold on to them (no reason to think otherwise) and keep the outstanding incoming class intact, mass success would seem inevitable.

With the key recent transfers and graduation, you haven't had the luxury of reloading but you are basically in rebuild mode as we speak. To cut Coach loose this off season would be a colossal mistake, as the probability of mass departure of the young talent would most likely follow......UNLESS there is a key assistant that has a tight connection with all this young talent. Do you have a HC quality assistant in waiting? Because I can't visualize any available HC with enough clout to keep all the youngsters rostered.

So, I get the frustration but MU is basically playing like predicted by most preseason prognosticators. IMO, one more year and then start constructing the Hallows.

How many freshmen former MCDAAaveraging almost 13ppg and 7 rpg that are 6-11 and capable of stretching the floor and driving stay after their freshman year?

Lewis I could see staying because he has zero range and that's a premium in the NBA. It's pretty much widely accepted that Carton wasn't going to stay if the season was canceled so I'm not keen on him sticking around next year either, especially not after a few boneheaded MU Twitter idiots got into an argument with his mother.

It's not like this hasn't been seen before:

2013: great class: Jajuan Johnson, Duane Wilson Deonte Burton plus transfer Luke Fischer. Burton transferred, Wilson was injured, rarely used then transferred, Johnson was average at best Fischer was slightly above average on Offense. 1 NCAA to show for it

2015 Ellenson, Haaniff Cheatham, Matt Heldt. Henry leaves after his freshman year, haaniff transfers, Heldt is below average for four years. Matt had two ncaas but was barely used the other two had nothing to show.

2016 Howard Sam Hauser Brendan Bailey. Howard was Howard for both better and worse. Hauser was phenomenal and transferred, Bailey went on his mission was average and transferred. Two ncaas maybe three but even the "flagship season" ended on a whimper with the second and third best players leaving.

Seeing a trend? These weren't scrubs they were all top 100 by at least 1 service most were unanimous top 100s so forgive me for not having faith in his ability to turn last years phenomenal class of Osa Lewis Garcia and DJ into a powerhouse.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Unless pressure from important alumni/donors becomes too much to bear, one would think that he gets one more year. A really good arguement can be made that your 3 best players are 2 frosh and a soph. If Wojo can hold on to them (no reason to think otherwise) and keep the outstanding incoming class intact, mass success would seem inevitable.

With the key recent transfers and graduation, you haven't had the luxury of reloading but you are basically in rebuild mode as we speak. To cut Coach loose this off season would be a colossal mistake, as the probability of mass departure of the young talent would most likely follow......UNLESS there is a key assistant that has a tight connection with all this young talent. Do you have a HC quality assistant in waiting? Because I can't visualize any available HC with enough clout to keep all the youngsters rostered.

So, I get the frustration but MU is basically playing like predicted by most preseason prognosticators. IMO, one more year and then start constructing the Hallows.

Wojo might very well get another year, but it will have nothing to do with having Garcia, Lewis and/or Carton next year. Make no mistake, any decision to keep Wojo (if the season continues to go south, as projected by the advanced statistics) will come down to the school's financial stability moving forward. The university is projected a major shortfall, with many severe financial restrictions projected in the coming years thanks to COVID. Firing the most expensive coach with his buyout, each of his assistants, and paying for a brand new staff, can easily cost over $10 million (especially when this particular coach continues to have a four-year extension every year). That is definitely not a good look for the administration to the staff.

No athletic department should retain a head coach because of a freshmen class, or a recruiting class, etc. Players come and go (and will stay only four years, in theory). A head coach, if the right one is hired, could be there for many years - and no one class is more important than the next one. A successful head coach will undoubtedly be able to attract any number of recruits he desires, especially if one hires away a head coach from another program (likely taking any number of recruits with him).

If a head coach is not the right fit now, he won't be a year from now either; thus, there should be no hesitancy to make a change if it is determined it isn't working. From a financial perspective, the cost of not making a change might very well (in the long run) be more expensive than hanging onto a coach for another year. We will see in the coming weeks and months ahead.