My first choice...as with many of you...kinda, sorta, maybe...was the guy from Morehead State. I was hesitant because my belief was and still is that he is a "Kentucky Boy" and would return to Kentucky as the first good opportunity.
Given where we are now, I like Calhoun. Seems to be a good, solid choice. We could do a lot worse.
Calhoun's record may not look too obviously great, but you have to look where he is coaching. Youngstown State is a terrible basketball school. In the 43 years since they moved to DI, they have had a total of 13 winning seasons, and 5 of those are the last five years in a row under Calhoun. So prior to that they had 8 winning seasons in 38 years. I'd say he is doing a hell of a job.
so the goal is winning seasons ?
Nothing is ever as bad as it seems or as good as it seems. It is fact that Spradlin was offered and at the last minute turned it down. That in itself defeats the argument that it was always KS. Hard to say what happens next , but this inane drivel serves no useful purpose.
Cite your sources, please.
Nothing is ever as bad as it seems or as good as it seems. It is fact that Spradlin was offered and at the last minute turned it down. That in itself defeats the argument that it was always KS. Hard to say what happens next , but this inane drivel serves no useful purpose.
Cite your sources, please.
Nobody is going to reveal their sources or they won't have sources anymore. I've been told by multiple people, national and local, that SIU thought they had a deal done with Spradlin but it fell apart due to a change of heart whether that be SMU's job opening and Western Kentucky maybe becoming open or something else.
Calhoun's record may not look too obviously great, but you have to look where he is coaching. Youngstown State is a terrible basketball school. In the 43 years since they moved to DI, they have had a total of 13 winning seasons, and 5 of those are the last five years in a row under Calhoun. So prior to that they had 8 winning seasons in 38 years. I'd say he is doing a hell of a job.
so the goal is winning seasons ?
So now supposedly we are on PlanB.
whatever that is? According to our “search committee” we have set up points of emphasis to make sure our next is better than our previous one. So we have here is a conundrum. With our original plan A we had those markers to supposedly get us to a better standing in the MVC. ( based on his previous work at his school) Now for PlanB are our expectations the same (top of the valley) or are we going to lower them a wee bit to get a coach into the SIU fold?
https://mvcmusings.substack.com/p/who-should-lead-the-salukis-next
Some information from Eli Hoover when the search first began.
Jerrod Calhoun just finished his 8th year at the top step for the Youngstown State Penguins in the Horizon League and has done a fantastic job turning around that program. When Calhoun started, Youngstown State had lost 20+ games 3 years in a row. Now, Youngstown State has won 20+ games for the first time in program history. Calhoun is also the first coach in program history to win a conference championship, which he did in the 2022-2023 season. Calhoun has taken the Penguins to multiple postseason tournaments in the past few years, including the 2023 NIT and the 2022 The Basketball Classic, the first coach to do so in Youngstown State history. He also has experience leading a proven winner at the Division 2 level, as he averaged nearly 25 wins per year at Fairmont State, taking them to the NCAA Division II Tournament 4 times in 5 years. I would be very excited with this hire, and he should be one of two finalists
It's a good point to not just look at what Calhoun has done at Youngstown State but look at what he did in the D2 ranks at Fairmont State. Youngstown State is probably the hardest job in the Horizon and he's turned them into a conference contender there. The thinking is, in a better league with an increase in resources, he could be even better. He also has extremely good pedigree playing and coaching for Bob Huggins.
7 years and no NCAA Tournaments is a bit scary for sure, especially after Hinson but Brian Wardle didn't hit any NCAA Tournaments at Green Bay and turned into a good coach for Bradley.
certainly true of the OVC as well.
Hearing very good thing about Calhoun!
https://twitter.com/samurai_hoops/status/1771889021460840511?s=46&t=7s0hTttieSER8wqRSA0LoA
Calhoun would be a good hire, hope they get this one done
This would be more in line with what Leonard said he wanted. He doesn’t have as close a regional connection or quite as much conference success as Spradlin, but with the right staff, he could be an encouraging hire.
He’s certainly not a wow hire, but I would prefer him to most of the others that I’ve heard mentioned.
The irony here is that he probably wouldn’t have made it to his successful 6th season here b/c his first five were pretty rough.
In fairness, though, it’s much tougher to win at Youngstown than at SIU, even given the malaise in Carbondale. YSU has never been a basketball school.
I think the Horizon league is much easier to win than the Valley…maybe a bit harder to recruit to, but I think the talent level needed at the Valley to compete year in and year out is much higher.
Agreed, but Spradlin actually won the OVC more than once and made it to the tournament…and his last four years he finished 2, 3, 1, 1.
Like I said, I don’t think Calhoun is a terrible hire, he would be 3rd or 4th on my list of names we heard were discussed. Personally, if that is the best we can get, I’m not super excited.
One way to look at is if Calhoun had won the Horizon tournament once or twice, it’s doubtful Southern would be able to get him. See the Spradlin situation.
Hell, we still don’t know if Calhoun will take the job as is. I hope he does.
I know of one other occasion when SIU hired someone who had been a head coach at Youngstown State (albeit not in basketball), and it worked out pretty well. That would be Rey Dempsey.
DeVries to WVU
I know it’s not good for the conference, but I can’t say I’m upset to see this finally happen.
https://mvcmusings.substack.com/p/who-should-lead-the-salukis-next
Some information from Eli Hoover when the search first began.
Jerrod Calhoun just finished his 8th year at the top step for the Youngstown State Penguins in the Horizon League and has done a fantastic job turning around that program. When Calhoun started, Youngstown State had lost 20+ games 3 years in a row. Now, Youngstown State has won 20+ games for the first time in program history. Calhoun is also the first coach in program history to win a conference championship, which he did in the 2022-2023 season. Calhoun has taken the Penguins to multiple postseason tournaments in the past few years, including the 2023 NIT and the 2022 The Basketball Classic, the first coach to do so in Youngstown State history. He also has experience leading a proven winner at the Division 2 level, as he averaged nearly 25 wins per year at Fairmont State, taking them to the NCAA Division II Tournament 4 times in 5 years. I would be very excited with this hire, and he should be one of two finalists
This guy, Eli Hoover, is an SIU fan and a really good read. Head and shoulders better than any local beat writer.
