Hoops: College coaching carousel 2025

[Gerry Hamilton]

A lot of Texas fans will say go hire Nate Oates … 

1. I’m sure there will be a feeler

2. Nate Oates may be at a better job long term for him 

3. Getting a Nate Oates level coach would be a basketball investment Texas has never made.

It would take a 10 million buyout of Oates, plus 7.5-8 mill a year, plus a larger assistant pool that now.

Plus a likely 5-6 million commitment in NIL 

And You have RT and staff’s buyout on top of it. 

Texas has never made that level investment in hoops.

If Texas decided to make that type of investment… then the head coaching pool of candidates looks totally different 

 

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

If Texas is going to pay in the 4.5-5 mill range with a 4 mill NIL range budget 

Texas will still have a quality list of candidates 

But not the dream hot board list 

 

[Bevo92]

It’s time for CDC to start the formal search.  Blowout loss to Gamecocks was final nail in the coffin.   Couple of coaches that would be interesting:

1) Nate Oates (home run hire but massive buyout makes this reach seem unlikely).   Recruiting, coaching, second to none, etc. 

2) Royal Ivey - strong history with UT, deep experience in NBA as player and assistant coach.   Proved to have strong coaching chops as head coach of South Sudan team starting in 2021.   Nearly beat US before 2024 Olympics.   SSD became the Cinderella story at 2024 Olympics.    Love his story as a player and coach.

3) Not a ton of exciting options out there but definitely some solid options that would be big upgrade over current staff.   
    +McCasland has gotten Texas Tech on right track.   
    +Rick Pitino has turned St John’s around.   CDC likely  wants to go younger.  

    + TJ Otzelberger - Has Iowa State playing well the past several years.   

[harveycmd]

12 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

A lot of Texas fans will say go hire Nate Oates … 

1. I’m sure there will be a feeler

2. Nate Oates may be at a better job long term for him 

3. Getting a Nate Oates level coach would be a basketball investment Texas has never made.

It would take a 10 million buyout of Oates, plus 7.5-8 mill a year, plus a larger assistant pool that now.

Plus a likely 5-6 million commitment in NIL 

And You have RT and staff’s buyout on top of it. 

Texas has never made that level investment in hoops.

If Texas decided to make that type of investment… then the head coaching pool of candidates looks totally different 

 

 

We're not getting Nate Oats.

[Gerry Hamilton]

I actually really like the idea of Royal Ivey …  he would just have to have the correct staff around him with zero college recruiting experience.

But NBA offensive mind, guys would play hard for him and the job would mean everything to him. 

But it would require thinking outside the box. 

The Rockets brass believes he’s likely an NBA head coach somewhere in two years. If he’s on the track … I would likely go that route if I were Ivey. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

3 minutes ago, harveycmd said:

We're not getting Nate Oats.

Texas can get someone of that caliber … money and financial commitment to program talks a lot 

Texas would just have to come over the top of whatever the school the coach is currently at with a huge financial commitment 

But Texas has never made that level of commitment in hoops 

[qaertyisthatdude]

9 minutes ago, harveycmd said:

We're not getting Nate Oats.

3 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Texas can get someone of that caliber … money and financial commitment to program talks a lot 

Texas would just have to come over the top of whatever the school the coach is currently at with a huge financial commitment 

But Texas has never made that level of commitment in hoops 

If Texas somehow got Nate Oats, build CDC a statue in Austin ASAP.

Edited 4 hours ago by qaertyisthatdude

[harveycmd]

3 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Texas can get someone of that caliber … money and financial commitment to program talks a lot 

Texas would just have to come over the top of whatever the school the coach is currently at with a huge financial commitment 

But Texas has never made that level of commitment in hoops 

The problem isn't "financial commitment." The problem is that Texas has had really good basketball coaches that they fired for BS reasons. Get Elon Musk to donate $100 mil and it won't change the fact they screw up. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

5 minutes ago, harveycmd said:

The problem isn't "financial commitment." The problem is that Texas has had really good basketball coaches that they fired for BS reasons. Get Elon Musk to donate $100 mil and it won't change the fact they screw up. 

You think a coach would turn down 6-7 mill a year with a 5-6 mill NIL commitment, one of the nations top arenas in one of the two future power conferences because Texas fired Chris Beard for hitting a woman? 

The coaching community knows Rick Barnes stopped recruiting with the same vigor at the end of his time in Austin. 

[harveycmd]

2 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

You think a coach would turn down 6-7 mill a year with a 5-6 mill NIL commitment, one of the nations top arenas in one of the two future power conferences because Texas fired Chris Beard for hitting a woman? 

The coaching community knows Rick Barnes stopped recruiting with the same vigor at the end of his time in Austin. 

What's Oats making now? What would Bama pay to keep him?

[Hashtag]

15 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

A lot of Texas fans will say go hire Nate Oates … 

1. I’m sure there will be a feeler

2. Nate Oates may be at a better job long term for him 

3. Getting a Nate Oates level coach would be a basketball investment Texas has never made.

It would take a 10 million buyout of Oates, plus 7.5-8 mill a year, plus a larger assistant pool that now.

Plus a likely 5-6 million commitment in NIL 

And You have RT and staff’s buyout on top of it. 

Texas has never made that level investment in hoops.

If Texas decided to make that type of investment… then the head coaching pool of candidates looks totally different 

 

 

The people of Surly have broken down CDCs criteria for coaching search which is the following:

Has coached at a P4 school(Big East included for basketball)
Has built a program at at least one P4 school (if not 2 programs, but one does not have to be P4)
Has NCAA postseason success

That criteria was used and added age as well as attainability due to buyouts to the criteria. It rendered the following names:

Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
Mick Cronin, UCLA
Dusty May, Michigan - Can be removed now due to extension but was on the initial list a few weeks ago.
TJ Otzelberger, Iowa St
Grant McCasland, Texas Tech
Pat Kelsey, Louisville
Todd Golden, Florida   
Brad Brownell, Clemson
Chris Jans, Miss St
Sean Miller, Xavier
Kevin Willard, Maryland

 

A name that Trilly Donovan has mentioned is Quin Snyder

 

[pinkman_90]

7 hours ago, Jordan91 said:

He asked what offensive sets they are running. Not much I can do with that. Been decades since I have heard that term in basketball. 

Bahahaha.  You really went with this response twice?   And thought it was a “gotcha”?  You really know less about basketball than you let on.  

[Hashtag]

20 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Texas can get someone of that caliber … money and financial commitment to program talks a lot 

Texas would just have to come over the top of whatever the school the coach is currently at with a huge financial commitment 

But Texas has never made that level of commitment in hoops 

Texas has hired that caliber of coach in most sports since CDC’s arrival. Vic is one of the highest paid women’s coaches only behind Mulkey, Geno, and Dawn if I’m not mistaken. If CDC says he can get Coach X from whatever school, opens up the Rolodex, and rounds up the money it’s doable. But I think Oats buyout is just too much(will be 10+ million)

[Gerry Hamilton]

My current college coaching list … at 4.5-5 mill a year salary and 4 mill NIL commitment

TJ Otzelberger 

Brad Brownell 

Mick Cronin - don’t love the style, but results are there 

Doug McDermott - tremendous offensive coach

Sean Miller 

***Guys like:

Tommy Lloyd

Todd Golden 
Pat Kelsey

Are at better jobs and will all be making 5-6 mill a year in short order with solid NIL backing 

Grant McCaslin (Tremendous coach) will go to Baylor if Scott Drew is the pick at Indiana 

[Gerry Hamilton]

5 minutes ago, Hashtag said:

Texas has hired that caliber of coach in most sports since CDC’s arrival. Vic is one of the highest paid women’s coaches only behind Mulkey, Geno, and Dawn if I’m not mistaken. If CDC says he can get Coach X from whatever school, opens up the Rolodex, and rounds up the money it’s doable. But I think Oats buyout is just too much(will be 10+ million)

I agree Texas can do it … but the brass will have to make a level of financial commitment they never have in hoops 

With salary escalation… it will take 6.5-7 mill a year, larger salary pool than ever at Texas, larger NIL commitment in men’s hoops, plus the coach buyout, etc…

Plus the RT and staff buyout 

Thats a level of financial commitment Texas has never gone to in hoops 

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

17 minutes ago, harveycmd said:

What's Oats making now? What would Bama pay to keep him?

Oates makes 5 and will make 7 long term is he stays. Has a 10+ mill buyout 

Thats what I’m getting at … Texas would have to make a guy like that (Oates, Pearl, etc) a 7-8 mill a year coach plus a large salary pool, 5-6 mill a year NIL commitment etc…

Texas has never gone to that level in hoops 

They would have to make a massive investment in hoops to pull that level coach 

[harveycmd]

1 minute ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Oates makes 5 and will make 7 long term is he stays. Has a 10+ mill buyout 

Thats what I’m getting at … Texas would have to make a guy like that (Oates, Pearl, etc) a 7-8 mill a year coach plus a large salary pool, 5-6 mill a year NIL commitment etc…

Texas has never gone to that level in hoops 

They would have to make a massive investment in hoops to pull that level coach 

I find it hard to believe that Texas would chince out over two million? Two mil is chicken feed to them. 

[qaertyisthatdude]

There’s no reason that Texas can’t be well rounded in the big three sports.  Look at Tennessee.  In the last year they’ve had a CFP appearance in football, elite eight appearance in men’s basketball, and a natty in baseball.  Texas has the money.  The buy in has to be there.  If Texas wants to be well rounded, they will pay up and get a quality MBB HC.  Texas getting Schloss from A&M shows they’re willing to do it for baseball.

[Gerry Hamilton]

2 minutes ago, harveycmd said:

I find it hard to believe that Texas would chince out over two million? Two mil is chicken feed to them. 

Until they do it … they never have before  in hoops 

When Beard was hired … his salary, assistant pool, NIL (which has escalated since then) was likely around 10 mill a year all in … he wanted the job badly. 

This next hire will be a mercenary type hire if it’s one of those very big names. They would force Texas’ hand in a way it never had been before IMO 

It would take 16-18 mill a year all in now to get one of those guys like Oates, Pearl, etc… 

I would love to see the commitment, but it’s never happened before to that level 

[harveycmd]

2 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Until they do it … they never have before  in hoops 

When Beard was hired … his salary, assistant pool, NIL (which has escalated since then) was likely around 10 mill a year all in … he wanted the job badly. 

This next hire will be a mercenary type hire if it’s one of those very big names. They would force Texas’ hand in a way it never had been before IMO 

It would take 16-18 mill a year all in now to get one of those guys like Oates, Pearl, etc… 

I would love to see the commitment, but it’s never happened before to that level 

Get back to CDC on Beard vs. Terry.

[Bevo92]

1 hour ago, Hashtag said:

The people of Surly have broken down CDCs criteria for coaching search which is the following:

Has coached at a P4 school(Big East included for basketball)
Has built a program at at least one P4 school (if not 2 programs, but one does not have to be P4)
Has NCAA postseason success

That criteria was used and added age as well as attainability due to buyouts to the criteria. It rendered the following names:

Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
Mick Cronin, UCLA
Dusty May, Michigan - Can be removed now due to extension but was on the initial list a few weeks ago.
TJ Otzelberger, Iowa St
Grant McCasland, Texas Tech
Pat Kelsey, Louisville
Todd Golden, Florida   
Brad Brownell, Clemson
Chris Jans, Miss St
Sean Miller, Xavier
Kevin Willard, Maryland

 

A name that Trilly Donovan has mentioned is Quin Snyder

 

Even though Florida is playing excellent basketball, you can mark Todd Golden off the list.   His sexual harassment claims last year by UF several female students isn’t a good look.   Especially after Chris Bears incident, character and clean record are important. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

1 minute ago, Bevo92 said:

Even though Florida is playing excellent basketball, you can mark Todd Golden off the list.   His sexual harassment claims last year by UF several female students isn’t a good look.   Especially after Chris Bears incident, character and clean record are important. 

And he’s at a better job too … which will pay big to keep him 

[Assistant Regional Manager]

1 hour ago, Realist Horn said:

I saw Jai Lucas was an option at Miami; would he excite anyone at Texas? 

Nothing fires me up more than a college assistant with no head coaching experience whose reputation is built largely off recruiting.

Maybe it works out for Miami but that job must not be super desirable less than 2 years removed from a final four if that is who they are picking.

[coreyh15]

Do you think Billy Donavan would come back to college? The Bulls have not been so good and I wonder if his time in the NBA is coming to an end. 

[Assistant Regional Manager]

Will Wade and Chris Jans would be no-brainers in my mind, but both carry baggage that make me doubt if they would ever be considered here.