OT: Jerry Stackhouse Out at Vanderbilt

Submitted by BursleyHall82 on March 14th, 2024 at 6:23 PM

This would be the place to point out that NBA stars with no head coaching experience coming back to coach in major college basketball doesn't seem to be working. Both sides say this was a mutual parting of the ways, which is, of course, not the case.

Stackhouse had a much worse record than Juwan over five seasons (they never made the tournament), but he did have that win over us in the NIT last season. Vandy was 9-23 this season. Michigan was 8-24.

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GLORY

March 14th, 2024 at 9:04 PM ^

Since Holtman firing, OSU's 7-1 (20-12) including a win over Purdue and on the verge of making the tournament -- new coach, change of energy, different results.  On the contrary, we don't even consider firing Juwan because well, we're Michigan.  And apparently, it's a death sentence to fire a coach mid-season despite obvious signs that change's necessary.  Now, here we are, at the end of the season, 8-24 (worst in program history) and have no idea what's next.  

I don't give a fuck what we've done historically, Juwan should've been fired mid-season.

bronxblue

March 14th, 2024 at 6:48 PM ^

This would be the place to point out that NBA stars with no head coaching experience coming back to coach in major college basketball doesn't seem to be working

I get the point to an extent but Hubert Davis has done pretty well at UNC, and Penny Hardaway has taken Memphis to the tourney for 3 straight years (and would likely have been 4 during the COVID season had that been played).  The jury is still out on Mike Woodson and I know he was a pro coach as well but he's been...fine at IU before this season.  

Juwan has been bad for a couple years now but I don't think that should preclude future former players being coaches.

I will add as it relates to Stackhouse, he's had 5 years at Vandy and last year was the one "good" season he's had and that was with an old, peak roster and, per Kenpom, the 25th-"luckiest" team in the country.  He also had a 9-win year some seasons ago and actually rebounded from it to have his only 2 winning seasons (admittedly earlier in his tenure than Juwan), so if we're being "optimistic" that's an argument to see if Howard can be squeezed for some recovery before the inevitable final firing.  Not saying that's a good idea by any means, but just putting it out there.

bronxblue

March 14th, 2024 at 8:31 PM ^

Sure, but then Bobby Hurley has the 3rd-most wins in ASU history, Johnny Dawkins has winning records at both Stanford and UCF, Kevin Ollie won a national title at UConn before getting fired for what was, honestly, stuff most programs do in terms of impermissible benefits. 

And there are a ton of non-former players who suck as coaches.

My larger point is that saying "former players make bad coaches" is wrong; former players seem to be basically the same as any other type of coach.  

Blue Noise

March 14th, 2024 at 7:30 PM ^

I wouldn’t put Hubert Davis in this category, though. He was an assistant under Roy Williams at UNC from 2012-2021 before promotion to head coach upon Williams’ retirement. He’s only coached in college. He was also a TV analyst for ESPN college hoops coverage in his post-NBA career before joining the UNC staff. All to say, he had extensive post-pro career experience in the college game prior to being HC at UNC.

bronxblue

March 14th, 2024 at 8:25 PM ^

I guess, but the argument is that "see, former players shouldn't be college coaches" is refuted by the fact that guys like Davis and Hardaway have been successful in college.  Howard was also an assistant for 7 years with the Miami Heat, one of the best-run organizations in all of professional sports.  That's gotta count for something when it comes to being prepared to run a program.

Blue Noise

March 14th, 2024 at 10:33 PM ^

In no way was I supporting an argument that “former players shouldn’t be college coaches.”…I have no clue where you pulled that from. The original post said (in essence) that there is now an established pattern of (1) former NBA stars (2) with no head coaching experience failing badly as first time HCs in college hoops. You used Hubert Davis as a counterexample to that, so I pointed out he doesn’t fit that pattern because he had extensive experience both coaching and broadcasting college ball. Don’t twist my words around, please. 

jmblue

March 14th, 2024 at 7:34 PM ^

Hubert Davis was an assistant coach at UNC for a decade before he was promoted to the top job.  That's quite a bit different.  I think we're talking more about guys who not only have no HC experience, but have been away from the college game for a long time (25 years, in Juwan Howard's case).

bronxblue

March 14th, 2024 at 8:23 PM ^

Howard was a valued assistant for the Miami Heat for 7 years while Davis had been an assistant at UNC for 10 years, and the parts of college ball you'd assume Juwan would be lacking experience with in the NBA (i.e. recruiting) haven't necessarily been huge problems for him, or at least not any more than they'd be for most coaches. 

And I'll still point to Hardaway as another example of a former player with no HC experience stepping in. 

Casco Goat

March 15th, 2024 at 11:50 AM ^

"Admission restrictions" is a debatable point. Yeah, UM is stricter on letting athletes in, but it didn't prevent other UM coaches from having success. 

 

"Beating up on Tulane, ECU, Tulsa, UTSA." Unless I am mistaken the Big Ten also has dregs in their conference. This year UM Is one of them.

CityOfKlompton

March 14th, 2024 at 7:50 PM ^

Also Jerry Stackhouse had head coaching experience in the G-League. He even won Coach of the Year and a championship, as well as had several years as an NBA assistant.

There are also several coaches who were former players with little or no head coaching experience who have been very successful. OP is grasping at low-hanging fruit.

Hotel Putingrad

March 14th, 2024 at 7:12 PM ^

Look for Chris Mack to land at Vandy. His daughter starts there next year as their first volleyball recruit.

Also, for those of you into such things, Apple Martin (Gwyneth's daughter) is currently a Vandy student (and, unsurprisingly, kappa kappa gamma).

BuddhaBlue

March 14th, 2024 at 9:36 PM ^

Seems a stretch what one has to do with the other, there's way more differences than similarities here. Completely different programs, different expectations, alumnus vs. non, records as pointed out... I just don't get it. I mean, Penny Hardaway exists