Who is likely to become the new Penn State Head Basketball Coach?

RCBeta79

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Jun 7, 2013
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Who is likely to become the new Penn State Head Basketball Coach?

My guess is that Adam Fisher, Assistant Coach for Penn State or another Assistant coach from College or NBA is likely to get the job.
Fisher can retain most of the existing players and recruits by being named now.

Penn State is not a top destination for young, successful basketball coaches from smaller schools.
It can be a steppingstone for high profile basketball programs.

The problem as I see it.

The Big Ten is a tough basketball conference from top to bottom and Penn State's main focus is on Football.
Why would a young successful head coach at a smaller program want to risk mediocrity early in their career by coaching in the Big Ten?
 

RUsojo

Heisman
Dec 17, 2010
28,289
26,875
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Who is likely to become the new Penn State Head Basketball Coach?

My guess is that Adam Fisher, Assistant Coach for Penn State or another Assistant coach from College or NBA is likely to get the job.
Fisher can retain most of the existing players and recruits by being named now.

Penn State is not a top destination for young, successful basketball coaches from smaller schools.
It can be a steppingstone for high profile basketball programs.

The problem as I see it.

The Big Ten is a tough basketball conference from top to bottom and Penn State's main focus is on Football.
Why would a young successful head coach at a smaller program want to risk mediocrity early in their career by coaching in the Big Ten?
Probably because they just saw a coach parlay the job into a 7yr monster deal in two seasons even though he came into a relatively empty roster and still made the big ten final and won a NCAA tournament game.
 

bitnez

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Jan 18, 2006
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PSU has huge money but none of it is dedicated to the hoops program. It’s a tough job to take on because if you don’t break through early like Shrew you could be stuck at a place that doesn’t really value your services. What about someone like Tom Creen? Old B1G coach who probably wants back in and would be happy to take $5m+ per year. Not saying I love the hire but I think PSU would be better with that than an up and comer who won’t stick around
 

scarletnewyorker2006

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Sep 2, 2012
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Why would a young successful head coach at a smaller program want to risk mediocrity early in their career by coaching in the Big Ten?
1. Money

2. Because successful people believe in themselves. They proved to themselves at a mid-major that they can arrive at a place not known for hoops winning and change the culture as they did at their previous stop. Ex. Steve Pikiell (PSU today is in better shape than RU when he arrived).

3. Money

4. PSU is not a bad job. It’s not a destination job, but it’s a chance to coach at the most prominent level of the game behind only the NBA.

5. Money
 

PSU_Nut_rivals17625

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NLI and transfer pool has changed the game. If Penn State can put together a good NLI pool then they can grab a few portal guys and build the program quickly. That the difference for a coach at a mid major and Big Ten even if it a basketball wasteland like Penn State. If they show commitment to NLI they will come. If not the rotating door will continue. If they show a commitment to funding an NLI a midwestern guy like Dusty May at FAU might be interested.
 

BigRnj

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Nov 20, 2012
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The biggest drawback for a big name or a rising star could be that they have to live in that insular cultville called 🤮 Happy Valley. For those that drink the Kool-Aid and make the cult their life and identity, I understand. But for normal folks it has to be tough living in that isolation.
 
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StevieB160

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bac2therac

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do you think the NIL is being spent on football and wrestling at Penn state or basketball
 

bac2therac

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LOL at McDermott. Why not just go for Mark Few?
Thad Matta is an interesting name though he just got there at Butler. Would be a safe hire but they would have to pay a shitload to get assistants. I think they end up going a very small time route with either their assistant or the Colgate coach and hope for the best
 

RU-AGK

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Do you want an honest answer to this question or do you want the "because they compete head-to-head with Rutgers in games and for recruits and because their fanbase is pond scum that deserves to never smile again"? If it's the latter I expect Michael Jordan to announce any day now. Because that's how it works.
 
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Rutgers36

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The Penn State job is far from a bad job. Although they don't normally have what is considered a rabid home court advantage, their record there is typically very good and it is beautiful, modern facility. Transfer portal allows you to turn things quickly if you can recruit. Shrewsbury did. The AD found and convinced Shrewsbury so that suggests he knows what he is doing. They have money. It's the Big Ten. They aren't pulling a Mark Few but they'll get at least a solid up and comer. Langel is a good coach and that would be similar to a Pike hire. He's worked out for us. You don't always have to hire Rick Pitino. That isn't the only way to succeed although it increases your odds for success.
 
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ru66

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I hate to say it but for many, PSU is a wonderful place to live and to go to school. Just look at all those jersey kids who go there. And don't kid yourself they have many boosters that will ante up money. Some on here are acting like they're some no name.
 
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RU-AGK

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I hate to say it but for many, PSU is a wonderful place to live and to go to school. Just look at all those jersey kids who go there. And don't kid yourself they have many boosters that will ante up money. Some on here are acting like they're some no name.
Yes, just look at those Jersey kids that go there. I'd be willing to bet if you polled Rutgers students on people they know from high school that went to Penn State more than 75% would say, "Yeah, that kid was one of the biggest douche nozzles in my class".

I'm not arguing the validity of your post, I'm just adding the science.
 

ru66

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Yes, just look at those Jersey kids that go there. I'd be willing to bet if you polled Rutgers students on people they know from high school that went to Penn State more than 75% would say, "Yeah, that kid was one of the biggest douche nozzles in my class".

I'm not arguing the validity of your post, I'm just adding the science.
Don't know about that . I'm glad my grandkids who got into their quite good business school decided otherwise, but they do have good friends that went there who were quite popular and well liked.
 

bac2therac

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Facts because some here do not have them....in 22 years, Penn State has just 6 above 500 seasons and 2 ncaa tourney appearances despite tons of advantages over RU who has only 7 above 500 seasons themselves and 2 ncaa appearances

of course RU has 4 straight above 500 and 2 ncaa appearances in the past 4 years and has a head coach.

Rutgers was the worst job in the country and Pike succeeded here. It took a long time. Penn State now has to figure that out. Its the worst job in the Big 10 still with the least support
 

RUsojo

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Dec 17, 2010
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Facts because some here do not have them....in 22 years, Penn State has just 6 above 500 seasons and 2 ncaa tourney appearances despite tons of advantages over RU who has only 7 above 500 seasons themselves and 2 ncaa appearances

of course RU has 4 straight above 500 and 2 ncaa appearances in the past 4 years and has a head coach.

Rutgers was the worst job in the country and Pike succeeded here. It took a long time. Penn State now has to figure that out. Its the worst job in the Big 10 still with the least support
What are those advantages?
 

bitnez

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I hate to say it but for many, PSU is a wonderful place to live and to go to school. Just look at all those jersey kids who go there. And don't kid yourself they have many boosters that will ante up money. Some on here are acting like they're some no name.

They are a basketball no name. They have zero history. They just had their best basketball season in 30+ years and it ended in the round of 32. Simply because NJ kids and their parents have convinced themselves that a rural school rated in the high 70s is a great school doesn’t make their basketball team something it isn’t. And to be clear, I am a big Shrew fan and thought he could really make noise there. Of course, once the ND job opened up it was obvious he was going (even before the late season run they made).
 
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RUsojo

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They are a basketball no name. They have zero history. They just had their best basketball season in 30+ years and it ended in the round of 32. Simply because NJ kids and their parents have convinced themselves that a rural school rated in the high 70s is a great school doesn’t make their basketball team something it isn’t. And to be clear, I am a big Shrew fan and thought he could really make noise there. Of course, once the ND job opened up it was obvious he was going (even before the late season run they made).
Is this about RU or PSU?
 

RUsojo

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lol that they have been in the big 10 for 30 years reaping windfalls at a school that makes tons on the football brand while RU has been in the big ten for less than 10 years running defecits

you convinced yourself that Shrews would stay at PSU because they had somehow surpassed RU in your eyes.
Again, what advantages does their basketball program have?
 

Skull83

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I'm surprised Keith Urgo of Fordham isn't listed in that article. RU72 had him in his short list in another thread. He was a long time assistant at PSU and IMHO would be a very good hire for them.
 
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Lawboy12007

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Three top choices that are realistic:
1. Stay in house and top assistant gets it
2. Urgo who did a great job at Fordham
3. Langel who turned Colgate into a winner.

PSU is as much of a coaching graveyard as Rutgers was prior to Steve. They play in a facility that has always been half empty. Like OSU it is a football school but OSU supports their hoops program a lot more.

Micah left to go home and ND perception wise is better at all levels including monetary support to the program and fan attendance. Another factor was that ACC isn’t what it used to be and you can rise up faster and stay there.
 

SHUSource

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I don't see why either of them would leave where they are to go to Penn State.
I don't either. I don't see why any established head coach from a major program would, with very few (so to speak) exceptions. Conference notwithstanding, it's not an attractive job. Tough to recruit, no home footprint, no tradition in the sport, and, from what I understand, not well funded considering how the athletics department prints money.

It's a good prove-it job for an established low-major coach like Matt Lengel or a power-conference assistant. Their own Adam Fisher has a chance to do well there.
 

RUDiddy777

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Feb 26, 2015
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What does one have to do with the other? I agree that RU isn’t a bball destination either but a lot has changed in the last 4-5 years. It’s getting very close to being one … a lot closer than PSU.

Definitely agree. This is a prolific basketball area with disappointing pro teams. We are definitely becoming a destination.
 

RUsojo

Heisman
Dec 17, 2010
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Facts because some here do not have them....in 22 years, Penn State has just 6 above 500 seasons and 2 ncaa tourney appearances despite tons of advantages over RU who has only 7 above 500 seasons themselves and 2 ncaa appearances

of course RU has 4 straight above 500 and 2 ncaa appearances in the past 4 years and has a head coach.

Rutgers was the worst job in the country and Pike succeeded here. It took a long time. Penn State now has to figure that out. Its the worst job in the Big 10 still with the least support

What are those advantages?

none..thats the point, no one cares about them and they do not even have fan support...its a terrible job...next
“Despite tons of advantages” to “Penn state basketball has no advantages”