In the last 21 years combined (including this year) the Texas A&M Aggies won 434 games - an average of 20.6 wins per year.

In the last 21 years combined (including this year) the Indiana Hoosiers won 391 games - an average of 18.6 wins per year.

I don't really have a good reason for it, but I can't say I particularly trust Alberts with a basketball hire, so here's to hoping he doesn't have to make one.

In this day and age though, I think it is clear schools just need to go out and get the best basketball coach they can. Recruiting is important, but that can be handled by a staff and NIL. Getting someone who is damn good at coaching the game is more important now than I feel like it has been in a long time.

As mentioned, there are no clear cut guys ready to make the jump up, but in no particular order I'd be thinking about the following group, with the note that for most of these you'd have to be willing to have a quick hook, which isn't exactly something we are good at with basketball coaches:

Chris Mack - Only one year back in the game, would he want a lower key, lower stress job like A&M?
Richard Pitino - is it UNM or is he ready to make that leap again with more experience this time
Ben McCollum - limited D1 track record, but the guy can clearly coach
Ross Hodge - want nothing to do with this style of play, but is well respected by other coaches

Listing here, but not sure I actually like:
Bryan Hodgson - limited track record, not sure his actual coaching acumen yet
Bucky McMilan - I'm not convinced his style works at the power conference level
Alan Huss - again limited track record and may need someone to help coach defense

Could a guy that moved last year be lured, like a DeVries or Byington?

This is all just weird to me.

This started as a coaching carousel thread, then Mike Woodson decided to step down from Indiana. The Aggies are in the midst of one of the best seasons ever and we're talking about potential coaches to come to College Station if Buzz leaves. LOL

It's just something to talk about. If you don't like the Buzz part of it then just think of it as trying to identify the next wave of coaches likely to jump up to major programs.

rlb28 said:

---

This is all just weird to me.

This started as a coaching carousel thread, then Mike Woodson decided to step down from Indiana. The Aggies are in the midst of one of the best seasons ever and we're talking about potential coaches to come to College Station if Buzz leaves. LOL

---

recency bias

ags baseball team played for a national title all the while their head coach was negotiating his move to our arch rival.

personally i do not think buzz is going anywhere but if your wondering how this topic could come up i would say this is how.

Completely disagree on the recruiting aspect. I think when interviewing prospective coaches, them having a modern proactive strategy to recruit at a high level and engage our fanbase on NIL is the number one thing we're looking for.

Good x's and o's coaches are easier to find as assistants than guys that are going to really move the needle on your ability to recruit.

It's also not like we're just making it up. There's several articles that list him as a potential candidate.

Oh no, don't get me wrong. I love to talk about anything and everything basketball. It just hit me weird, hence the laughing emoji.

I suppose you're right about engaging the fanbase when it comes to getting NIL, especially here where it isn't as easy to pull in for basketball. I just view it as if you have NIL or we're revenue sharing, you can get players without being some elite recruiter. I look at guys like Otzelberger or McCasland who don't present as elite recruiters, but they can really coach. Compare that to a guy like Rodney Terry who can build a hell of a roster, but the guy can't coach. Get off to a hot start by being a damn good coach and the money is easier to get flowing and will make recruiting a lot easier.

Obviously you'd love someone that can do both, but those aren't exactly easy guys for A&M basketball to hire.

This is all hypothetical, as I go back and forth on if I really think Buzz would go anywhere but off into the sunset.

I honestly think off into the sunset is as good of a possibility as him going to Indiana.

Except that I think if he does that he's going to pull a Bennett so we have to at least try out one of his assistants for a year.

Like Bennett, he wouldn't be doing his assistant any favors. I'd get over it eventually if this season continues its trajectory, but that would really frustrate me. It is a trend, like hiring inexperienced former players, that needs to die.

The interesting wrinkle there is we need at least 5, probably 6 high-level portal players to have even a roster that can practice next year. If Buzz is staying, I'm fully confident (and actually kind of excited) about who he could bring in.

But if he ends up leaving, doing it the Tony Bennett way might be the worst way possible. He'd have to spend all spring and summer recruiting portal guys and basically lying to them and their parents, get them all to sign, get them to campus, go through "Buzz Camp" or whatever he calls fall camp and then peace out 3 weeks before the season starts.

I just can't see him doing that and leaving all those portal guys in the lurch like that. If he leaves, I bet it's quick.

I'll be disappointed if he leaves, but I won't be surprised. History shows he builds a program up and then moves on when it's about to turn over, roster-wise.

I just read Olin B. 's article here at Texags. Typically, Texags does not get very involved in rumors this early, so perhaps there is some real noise about Texas or Indiana. Am I reading too much into Olin's article? Also, I asked this before, but how involved or how much does Trev Alberts post or talk about the men's basketball team? I am off Twitter, so I have no idea, but in the past, Alberts was very enthusiastic about women's volleyball, baseball, and even softball. Still, I don't recall him talking much about basketball.

Belton Ag said:

---

Do you think we could pry McCasland away from Tech?

---

In a word, no.

Quote:

---

Am I reading too much into Olin's article

---

Yes.

Literally, what you read was that if we keep winning, keep expecting to hear Buzz's name on lists.

That's all that was said.

Jai Lucas supposedly taking over at Miami.

That's an interesting move, wondered if he might be a second tier candidate if Texas opens. Still might I guess.

Seems really early for reports to already be getting out, can't imagine Duke will love that.
Really thought Miami might be a Will Wade kind of spot.

Topher17 said:

---

Seems really early for reports to already be getting out, can't imagine Duke will love that.
Really thought Miami might be a Will Wade kind of spot.

---

Wade should be ours when Buzz bails to Indiana.

I'd be absolutely shocked if we hired Will Wade. More shocked than I would be that Indiana actually wants Buzz.

Meh. I don't love his style and everyone can buy players now. We could do worse, but I wouldn't love it and don't really think we'd do it anyway.

Is there a job open that we actually think would want Buzz yet?

Indiana is the only one that sorta makes sense. I could see them investing in a developmental strategy that buzz could sell.

I don't really think so.
A program like FSU could do a lot worse, but I don't really see the fit and it wouldn't make a ton of sense. Not that Buzz's career moves have previously made a lot of sense. But all in all, I just don't know that there's anywhere that would conceivably open that would want him and he'd be willing to go.

Oklahoma is one I thought could talk themselves into it if they can Moser. Arizona State would be interesting if it comes open.

Not a bad thought and I think they should ditch Moser, but as you've mentioned before it is a weird time to be looking for a coach, so they may stick it out another year.

If Buzz wanted to keep up his reputation of making some really wild career moves, Cincinnati would probably love him. Would be an insane move, but I could see them pining for the days of hard nosed basketball.

Iowa, Villanova, and Boston College are the ones I'd think there's a match with Buzz.

You think Boston College is gonna drop 5 mil on a basketball coach?

I don't think Buzz is gonna cost $5M.

He gonna take a pay cut to leave? I highly doubt that. Maybe not 5 but he's making 4.5 now.

Iowa would be interesting. Not sure they're down for a rebuild either but maybe.

You remember he took one Marquette to Va Tech, right?!?

When at the time, making $3M was top tier for a bball coach.

It was like $500K though, and that was a weird situation anyway, but unless he's willing to take a huge pay cut I just don't see it.

Also think Nova is a bad fit. I don't see that one.

I could see Boston College wanting him I just can't imagine them paying enough.

Can't convince me Nova would have any interest and BC might be one of the worst power conference jobs there is. I'd imagine he'd be looking for somewhere with more support, not even less.

BTW I've still been trying to figure out what our list would even look like if the job came open, I typed up a search string of requirements into Google Gemini earlier and it spit out Bryce Drew. Yikes.