Messages

Good Form and College Athletics aren't compatible.

College Football and College Basketball are the most corrupt sports top to bottom maybe other then FIFA. That being said Bryce Drew and Alec Peters are two class act individuals. But I think its not out the realm of possibilities that Peters or others may transfer. Hoping not. My gut says Alec will stay, especially if Powell gets the job.

If Peters leaves I will become a very bitter person. I see why he'd do it and I wouldn't be mad but wow it would be a serious kick to the gut. I really hope he stays.

Alec is a senior and I believe he's eligible to transfer anywhere he wants but I think the new HC will be able to restrict where he transfers too (so for example: no where in conference). I could be wrong though.

I think Powell is the logical choice being safe recruiting stand point and being able to entice guy like Skara, Peters, T Walker, Hammink and Smitts not to transfer.

But I actually think Tonagel has proven the in game HC experience and a high level success at least one level of Basketball. I'm not sure he could prevent guys from not transferring. Also not sure he has the ability to recruit Chicago or all over the midwest.

If Tonagel could convince the current roster not to transfer that I'd go with him over Powell and role the dice and hope he has the recruiting chops. 

I have a ton of friends who are Illini alum who been screaming for Bryce Drew. Groce has been unlucky with injuries to his team the last 2-3 years but that program is out of control. 4 arrests of players in the last 5 months or something. Groce is one of those guys whose system works better in a mid-major conferences than in the Big10.

I actually really like John Groce as a recruiter. I think he'd high risk high reward bryce drew replacement candidate if he'd get fired right away because he's had success at Ohio before leaving for Illinois. He's been recruiting Chicagoland that he has connections to all the high school coaches which is huge. He sort of has the excuse that his players have injured. Only thing is that arrests pretty much rule him out from a chance with a gig at Valpo. I don't think AD Mark LaBarbera would want to bring that baggage in, even though I think it wasn't all Groce's fault. But in the end its all on the HC. I think Groce is going to be a very good career rebound coach for whichever mid major hires him or maybe he goes back to Ohio State as assistant where he was the lead recruiter of mike conley and greg oden back in the day. But this is all hypothetical and not going to happen anyways.

Greg Tonagel is not going to leave to become an assistant. Plus I'm not sure if Powell has a relationship or any connection to Greg Tonagel. Greg Tonagel left before Powell came to the program. It's going to be one or the other.

McClain has actually recruited extremely well. UIC will be a force in the HL with this years recruiting class. McClain has always been a lights out recruiter. I don't want to be rude but I don't think he's anything close to an elite X's & O's coach. If McClain lands Marcus Ottey (Canadian guard) then that team will probably be a top the Horizon in a year or two. Ottey actually has an offer from Valpo but he eliminated us already. I actually think he's going UIC because his teammate just signed with UIC and their in his top 3. Ottey has the makings of kahlil felder 2.0. 

This is the moment Valparaiso AD Mark LaBarbera truly earns his pay check. This is going to be his most difficult and crucial hire of his career. The Valpo Men's Basketball team is the breadwinner for the rest of the athletic department and is huge for school morale and bring in donations from alumni. Praying he makes the right choice for the future of the program.

It would be wise for him to start raising funds for a new facility. Valpo has sort of been riding the coattails of the Drew family success for the last few decades and we've been able to have success with sub-par facilities but now it probably won't be a quite as easy for whoever the new coach is.

I think Gore deserves to be "considered" because he's been with the program so long but he'd be about option f. Powell is extremely important for maintaining current roster without guys like Peters, Jubril, maybe even Hammink from transferring. Plus he was by far our programs best recruiter. He's served 4-5 years as assistant.

Greg Tonagel is an alum and from everything I've heard is very smart coach and had success at D2 level. But can he recruit? Can he handle the D1 level right away? Most importantly, if we do higher him will we lose guys like Peters, Hammink, Smitts, Walker and lose our very good commitment in Micah Bradford. Micah Bradford's main reason for signing with Valpo was because he wanted to work with Bryce Drew. Would the athletic department release him from his commitment and look elsewhere now that Bryce is gone. I think they would and I hope we can hold onto him because he looks like a really good player and extreme underrated in the state of Illinois.

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/717019539763032064

We need to start talking succession plan. Is this Powell's job if he wants it? Does he follow Bryce? Does he take all his assistants with him to Vandy? If Powell doesn't want the job who do we get to replace him?

I'm happy for Bryce but I'm starting to get pretty bummed we're losing our Alumni coach who has been huge for our program... . https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/717011261314052096

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/715724541172035584

This is a depressing thread.... but I think it will be Powell if he doesn't go with Bryce to GT or Vandy. Powell has paid his dues as an assistant and has been a huge recruiting asset in Chicago. Apparently he was the one who really connected initially with Alec Peters, Jubril, and Keith.

If we're look elsewhere I think:
-MARTIN INGELSBY (ND assistant)
-Marty Simmons (Evansville HC) probably wouldn't take the job because its a conference demotion
-Jon Coffman (IPFW HC)- Not sure he'd take the job, but it would be a conference step up and he's a pretty underrated coach.
-Scott Cherry (High Point HC)
-Andrew Toole (Robert Morris HC)
-Rob Murphy (eastern Michigan HC)

I was hoping in the past that if Bryce left us that Linc Darner (green bay HC) would still be available. He's a darn good coach.

Anyone else see Paul Oren's tweet about a potential spanish big man being recruited by Valpo? And any chance he still potentially signs if Bryce leaves

Was thinking about the same exact thing. Every time I hear another school hired a new coach I kinda sucks because maybe they could have been a bryce replacement option. Apparently Detroit landed a Very good up and coming assistant from Michigan

I think the formula to getting into a better (multi-bid) conference is "simple".
-First and foremost we has to keep winning and pray we hold onto Bryce for another year or two (looking less likely).
-A big second is that we need MUCH better facilities. I love the ARC for all its character and its a really fun place to watch games but its a joke when conference exc's, other coaches, and recruits come to visit. We need a new building and leave the ARC as a intramural sports center for students.
-I know my third point is already in the process, but increasing the student body population. I forget what the University's student body population target # is for the future but the plan is to grow. That has more to do with the macro-college landscape to help reduce costs and tuition, for the long-term health of the university more then anything. But an increasing to the student body would help increase attendance to games which would be much more appealing to larger conferences.
-Another factor that the MVC, A-10 and Big East (never going to happen unless Valpo really grows) is the TV ratings. Valpo doesn't have the huge draw for the area in terms of TV ratings. It compete's with ND, IU, Purdue, etc. for fanbase and eyeballs. We'll never win that battle, but we can chip away at it if we somehow become a true Mid-Major powerhouse that is a perennial NCAA conference bid team and make a ton of deep runs in the Tourney like WSU, Dayton and Creighton has and our marketing department can create a brand of "Northwestern Indiana's College Basketball team". 

Just a couple of my thoughts. I know some of my suggestion maybe a little out there but a fan can dream.

Should be a great learning experience playing in international competition. Only could make him better.

New facilities doesn't buy us NCAA appearances but it certainly is a HUGE selling point for recruits. I love the ARC but it is not a very good facility and doesn't help with the recruit pitch. We really do need a new building or at least sweeping renovations. I'm not optimistic we'll get the renovations or a new arena anytime soon. They really should be sinking more $ into the Men's Basketball program and investing for the long term health of the program, which equals into higher school morales which, equals more donations to the school. But first and foremost it starts with a great coach and we have one now, but if Bryce leaves I think Powell would be a solid replacement but no guarantee. Praying we can hold onto Bryce for at least 1 more year and by some miracle another 2 years.