Gator Basketball Realistic options to replace Mike White

Double Gator Dad · Jan 17, 2021

I mentioned a couple of years ago that several SEC schools such as Bama and Arkansas gave us perfect examples of one type of coach ( young drivers like Oats and Musselman) a program should go after if you are serious about competing, while Missouri and Miss State went the other direction (veteran winners like Conzo Martin and Howland).

Each of these programs improved their program immediately and only time will tell which approach and/or which coach was the best choice but meanwhile they are all moving in the right direction.

Meanwhile Florida made an insider move and took a coach that fit into neither category mentioned. Our status in the league was slowly declining but now it’s happening faster as a result of the coaching moves made around the league.

In five short years Florida has gone from the top program in the league, or second at worst, to a program that isn’t in the top half of the league anymore.

No top flight veteran coach currently employed is going to take this job anymore so we can forget about the Chris Beard type coach. The current hire has destroyed the attractiveness of the job

We’re left with the same two directions followed by the other SEC programs and the realization that this administration is not likely to make the right move.

Towels 'N Sporks · Jan 17, 2021

I consider myself a big uf basketball fan... I'm not convinced this is white's last year. If covid hadnt cancelled the tourney last year then we probably would have gotten knocked out in the first round and then I think this definitely would have been his last chance this year... But I'm not so convinced that he doesn't get a pass for last year and a pass now for this year because of Johnson's injury.

Anyway, whoever we do hire isn't going to be a sure thing and we are probably going to have to go with our second or third or fourth choice... That's because for some reason after our program was one of the best in the country and the first or second best program in the SEC, we went out and hired a coach who had never, I emphasize NEVER, made the tournament.

No matter who we end up going with there's no way it will be more underwhelming as our last basketball hire.

t-gator · Jan 17, 2021

Double Gator Dad said:
I mentioned a couple of years ago that several SEC schools such as Bama and Arkansas gave us perfect examples of one type of coach ( young drivers like Oats and Musselman) a program should go after if you are serious about competing, while Missouri and Miss State went the other direction (veteran winners like Conzo Martin and Howland).

Each of these programs improved their program immediately and only time will tell which approach and/or which coach was the best choice but meanwhile they are all moving in the right direction.

Meanwhile Florida made an insider move and took a coach that fit into neither category mentioned. Our status in the league was slowly declining but now it’s happening faster as a result of the coaching moves made around the league.

In five short years Florida has gone from the top program in the league, or second at worst, to a program that isn’t in the top half of the league anymore.

No top flight veteran coach currently employed is going to take this job anymore so we can forget about the Chris Beard type coach. The current hire has destroyed the attractiveness of the job

We’re left with the same two directions followed by the other SEC programs and the realization that this administration is not likely to make the right move.

This

VirginiaGator · Jan 17, 2021

In no order

Brad Underwood Illinois (Has turned Illinois around, talented team)
Steve Forbes Wake Forest (Going to be stuck recruiting behind UNC, Duke, and NC State in his own state)
Travis Steele Xavier (I would like to see more before making a judgment)
Casey Alexander Belmont (needs some more experience, but has potential)
Craig Smith Utah State (would be my pick, need to move on him soon or he'll be snatched up)
Kelvin Sampson Houston (Buyer Beware, but has success wherever he goes.....probably against the rules)
Travis Ford St Louis (Has shown to build programs, but hasn't been able to take them over the top)

I would say my number 1 is Craig Smith and we need to pick him up this year. I don't seem him staying put for too long.

78 · Jan 17, 2021

Crazy rumor going around that Phil Jackson may be interested. He has a granddaughter enrolled at UF.

CGgater · Jan 17, 2021

78 said:
Crazy rumor going around that Phil Jackson may be interested. He has a granddaughter enrolled at UF.

Was he spotted in Gainesville looking at real estate? Or in a boot?

t-gator · Jan 17, 2021

VirginiaGator said:
In no order

Brad Underwood Illinois (Has turned Illinois around, talented team)
Steve Forbes Wake Forest (Going to be stuck recruiting behind UNC, Duke, and NC State in his own state)
Travis Steele Xavier (I would like to see more before making a judgment)
Casey Alexander Belmont (needs some more experience, but has potential)
Craig Smith Utah State (would be my pick, need to move on him soon or he'll be snatched up)
Kelvin Sampson Houston (Buyer Beware, but has success wherever he goes.....probably against the rules)
Travis Ford St Louis (Has shown to build programs, but hasn't been able to take them over the top)

I would say my number 1 is Craig Smith and we need to pick him up this year. I don't seem him staying put for too long.

Outside of travis Ford and Kelvin Sampson, I like your list. The exact kinda guys we'd be looking at. I forgot about underwood and his Stephen F.Austin teams. Smith is probably my favorite too .

Jbossgator8 · Jan 17, 2021

Some great lists and hopefully we can get a good one in here next season. I guess we have to kinda of hope we tank the season and end up with a 12-18 type record so it leaves no doubt that they have to Fire MW.

78 · Jan 17, 2021

CGgater said:
Was he spotted in Gainesville looking at real estate? Or in a boot?

He was looking at purchasing a square block off University.

Jbossgator8 · Jan 17, 2021

Looking at the rest of the schedule, I don't see 4 more wins to finish the season so White will definitely be GONE without a doubt. Worst record in 50 years will get him fired. How do you think we finish the season?

FireFoley · Jan 17, 2021

Porter Moser.

Waltzed into the O'Dome and schooled Mike on fundamental bball a few years ago on his way to the Final Four. One game does not make a difference, but he learned under one of the top fundamental coaches of all time (Rick Majerus). Tony Bennett should be the coach at UF had Fooley hired him from WSU as I suggested then the first time Billy quit, but Fooley was/is an idiot. Be that as it may Bennett has had UVA at the top of the ACC for years and no one else could have done that against the likes of Duke and UNC like Bennett has. Like his style of play or not, you will not find a better fundamental team year in, year out than UVA.

MertzJay26 · Jan 17, 2021

Foley’s last 3 hires were Muschamp, Mac and White

:lol:

rogdochar · Jan 17, 2021

Towels 'N Sporks said:
No matter who we end up going with there's no way it will be more underwhelming as our last basketball hire.

Just staying away from a "no-energy" coach will be a positive first step. Inconceivable that an HC cannot energize super-young players. White seems to make coaching seem irrelevant to all concerned, even his players?? certainly to fans. UF needs a regular-real coach.

Our top performer, Castleton, learned under non-White coaching. Castleton is keeping that fire that he's developed elsewhere, but for how long? Enough is enough. Past time for a change. White is 'quicksanding' the Gator basketball program = years of future sinking. Sadness Longterm for GatorNation.

Can't blame just White. UF's higher-ups hire wrongly.

CGgater · Jan 18, 2021

Jay26 said:
Foley’s last 3 hires were Muschamp, Mac and White

rogdochar · Jan 18, 2021

Jay26 said:
Foley’s last 3 hires were Muschamp, Mac, and White

Yep, we've had too many sloptions.

MidwestChomp · Jan 18, 2021

FireFoley said:
Porter Moser.

Waltzed into the O'Dome and schooled Mike on fundamental bball a few years ago on his way to the Final Four. One game does not make a difference, but he learned under one of the top fundamental coaches of all time (Rick Majerus). Tony Bennett should be the coach at UF had Fooley hired him from WSU as I suggested then the first time Billy quit, but Fooley was/is an idiot. Be that as it may Bennett has had UVA at the top of the ACC for years and no one else could have done that against the likes of Duke and UNC like Bennett has. Like his style of play or not, you will not find a better fundamental team year in, year out than UVA.

Would be an upgrade in X and O's. I wonder if he is a midwest guy and would go south. I've mentioned this before, but Ritchie McKay at Liberty is legit. He would be a solid hire. He was an assistant with Tony for a while, but runs his own style at Liberty which is more up tempo (from what I have seen).

MidwestChomp · Jan 18, 2021

Jay26 said:
Foley’s last 3 hires were Muschamp, Mac and White

gatorev12 · Jan 18, 2021

I love that the team is not quitting out there despite the adversity (losing your best player early in the season definitely hurts, no matter what); but good coaches adjust and especially when there's talent to be had on the roster (several 5* recruits and a legit scoring option down low in Castleton should be more than enough to win most of your games). This season is truly the exclamation point that White isn't the guy for the program.

I honestly don't see a reason why we have to go after "up and coming" coaches from mid-majors just because that's whats Foley did in the past. Florida Basketball is a program that's won NCAA Championships and routinely gets to the Tourney; along with attracting top recruits and grad transfers. The brand name is strong, even if our results haven't been the best the past few years.

Chris Beard's name has been mentioned--but he's one I could see us going after and realistically getting. Does well in a strong bball conference, proven tournament success, and a strong Xs and Os guy. Let's face it: Texas Tech will never be the premier bball school in the Big 12--that's Kansas and Baylor is routinely #2 with Texas having a strong team this year (and the resources to invest in any sport they want to be competitive in). Florida could easily--easily--be duking it out with Kentucky year in and year out as the best program in the SEC IF we put money into it. The upside is far higher here than TTech and everyone knows it.

Beard wouldn't be cheap, but he'd be a winner and someone I could see us going out to get. The dream would be Bennett at UVA, but honestly doubt he'd leave. Bottom line for me is that Florida offers an attractive proposition to a good coach: a solid program with history of success and able to get top recruits; and in a less competitive basketball conference (compared to the ACC or Big 12). The SEC has good programs, for sure, but it's extremely rare for there to be 4-5 Top 25 teams in-conference, year in, year out.

Double Gator Dad · Jan 18, 2021

gatorev12 said:
I love that the team is not quitting out there despite the adversity (losing your best player early in the season definitely hurts, no matter what); but good coaches adjust and especially when there's talent to be had on the roster (several 5* recruits and a legit scoring option down low in Castleton should be more than enough to win most of your games). This season is truly the exclamation point that White isn't the guy for the program.

I honestly don't see a reason why we have to go after "up and coming" coaches from mid-majors just because that's whats Foley did in the past. Florida Basketball is a program that's won NCAA Championships and routinely gets to the Tourney; along with attracting top recruits and grad transfers. The brand name is strong, even if our results haven't been the best the past few years.

Chris Beard's name has been mentioned--but he's one I could see us going after and realistically getting. Does well in a strong bball conference, proven tournament success, and a strong Xs and Os guy. Let's face it: Texas Tech will never be the premier bball school in the Big 12--that's Kansas and Baylor is routinely #2 with Texas having a strong team this year (and the resources to invest in any sport they want to be competitive in). Florida could easily--easily--be duking it out with Kentucky year in and year out as the best program in the SEC IF we put money into it. The upside is far higher here than TTech and everyone knows it.

Beard wouldn't be cheap, but he'd be a winner and someone I could see us going out to get. The dream would be Bennett at UVA, but honestly doubt he'd leave. Bottom line for me is that Florida offers an attractive proposition to a good coach: a solid program with history of success and able to get top recruits; and in a less competitive basketball conference (compared to the ACC or Big 12). The SEC has good programs, for sure, but it's extremely rare for there to be 4-5 Top 25 teams in-conference, year in, year out.

I appreciate your enthusiasm and 3-4 years ago I would have agreed with you completely but unfortunately our program has been in decline since 2017.
The program you described was the program White inherited in 2016 but that was then.

In 2021, UF isn’t even the best program in Florida since Leonard Hamilton has filled the Donovan void.
FSU was close to firing Hamilton in 2017 until their program received the boost they needed which was Mike White.

Now FSU gets the best players in Florida that used to be guaranteed gators. The good news for us is that Hamilton isn’t that great of a coach so he has accomplished very little with all the newfound talent but he could make a couple of final four runs and then he will own the state completely.

My fear is that if we were to approach a coaching search as if we are UF circa 2017 that we would come off like Tennessee football and face the humiliation of settling for our fourth or fifth choice.

Regardless, this is nothing but speculation since the reality is that we are stuck with the coach that the Duke mafia recommended with no hint of a change from the AD’s office that seems content with a mediocre program that they wasted $65 million dollars on just 4 short years ago.

The basketball program may be a precursor to the future of the football program now that athletics aren’t important apparently.

gatorev12 · Jan 18, 2021

Double Gator Dad said:
I appreciate your enthusiasm and 3-4 years ago I would have agreed with you completely but unfortunately our program has been in decline since 2017.
The program you described was the program White inherited in 2016 but that was then.

In 2021, UF isn’t even the best program in Florida since Leonard Hamilton has filled the Donovan void.
FSU was close to firing Hamilton in 2017 until their program received the boost they needed which was Mike White.

Now FSU gets the best players in Florida that used to be guaranteed gators. The good news for us is that Hamilton isn’t that great of a coach so he has accomplished very little with all the newfound talent but he could make a couple of final four runs and then he will own the state completely.

My fear is that if we were to approach a coaching search as if we are UF circa 2017 that we would come off like Tennessee football and face the humiliation of settling for our fourth or fifth choice.

Regardless, this is nothing but speculation since the reality is that we are stuck with the coach that the Duke mafia recommended with no hint of a change from the AD’s office that seems content with a mediocre program that they wasted $65 million dollars on just 4 short years ago.

The basketball program may be a precursor to the future of the football program now that athletics aren’t important apparently.

White's one redeeming quality has been the ability to bring in decent talent (thus far) via recruiting and transfers. He's had at least 2 top 15 classes--another in the top 20--and landed a few instant-contributors via the transfer market.

That level of recruiting *should* be good enough for sustaining a Top 20 team most seasons; yet, unfortunately, his utter lack of player development and in-game coaching ability has led us to where we are now: multiple years with--at-best--bubble bids to the Tourney. He got lucky the Tournament was canceled last year bc it was by no means certain we'd get in...and unless things change rapidly, we won't get in this year (at which point, we'll likely lose all our best talent to the NBA...no way Mann, Lewis, and KJ stay another year).

You're right that Hamilton has established f$u as the better in-state program for right now; but it's still a program that has never won anything of note--ever. If I were a coach considering a move between Florida, f$u, or scUM...there's no question what the more prestigious job is (Florida) or where it'll be easier to win (Florida again). We ought to take advantage of that...

Gator Basketball Realistic options to replace Mike White

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