OT: Loyola Chicago's Porter Moser to Oklahoma
Really nice landing spot for him. Smart move not to take a job after their final 4 run.
FYI - there is also word that Loyola has put in a strong counter offer.
Maybe not a done deal yet.
https://mobile.twitter.com/MattNorlander/status/1378095256223285252
If a school's level of prosperity can be measured through the appearance of its campus, there's plenty of money floating around Loyola.
It’s a better job but frankly it seems like a strange landing spot for him. He’s a Chicago guy through and through and then moves to Oklahoma?
Good step up for him, and should make Oklahoma an interesting team in the Big 12.
whoa... that was a bit unexpected?
I didn't think Moser would have left Chicago, unless it was a perfect opportunity...not sure I would label Oklahoma as that kind of job.
As if you have more insight about that job and him than him?
I think he wanted the Marquette job but Shaka beat him to the punch. So now you have OU.
I think it's a good move for him. Oklahoma is -- obviously -- a football school historically, so he won't be under the spotlight as much as he'd be at UNC (or Marquette). Culturally? Not a *huge* leap.
That's the job he left for?!? Weird.
Rough for Loyola.
That’s the life of a mid-major. They were very lucky to keep their coach for three more years after their Final Four run.
I wouldn't say Loyola was sleeping *giant* pre-Porter, but it's in a great recruiting location. There are lots of Catholic schools in Chicagoland and lots of players in general. Get a few of those every year and you'll always have a decent talent pool.
I've always thought of DePaul as the Chicago school with most potential. Loyola won a championship 60 years ago and of course recently they've been good, but DePaul was a really strong program under Meyer Sr. and pretty strong under Joey, and they're in a better conference than Loyola.
Feels like DePaul:Georgetown, Loyola:George Washington. Either school could have a big year, but one is better positioned for big-time success.
It's surprising to me how bad many formerly great big-city schools are at basketball these days. You'd think St. John's, Georgetown, DePaul, Temple, UNLV, even Detroit and San Francisco could use your formula to be good most of the time. Marquette, 'nova, Xavier and Louisville have stayed relevant (and of course Gonzaga's reached new heights), but many of the formerly great Catholic/big city programs have fallen off.
Georgetown may be coming back, maybe Memphis too; maybe there's hope for some of the others. Scrappy city schools are fun to root for.
Other huge pluses:
- great Lake Michigan shore campus
- Flying Dutchman as an alum
I'l be surprised if he sees a year 7.
He has a career .573 record in the MVC while getting his pick of the catholic boys in chicago who can rain threes and then some under-looked kids who want to stay home but don't get offered by Illinois or DePaul.
Northern Iowa and Drake were his main competition and neither had the recruiting benefits of Chicago.
He also lucked into a generational college center (Krutwig) who is a matchup nightmare with elite YMCA talent and legit handles for a big.
Now he'll have to compete with Bearded Texas, Lifetime Lawrence, Huggy Bear, a surging Oklahoma State who finally got themselves a bag man, and Baylor which is now becoming a conference power.
I think he'll regret leaving Loyola, but I've been wrong before.
And you'll be wrong here, the guy has some serious coaching chops. His undermanned teams outplayed more talented teams in tournaments.
His teams remind me of Beilein teams.
Did they? I think they were just as talented as many of the tournament teams they faced in both runs. This season, Kenpom had them top 10 pretty much the whole way, but they were definitely shafted with an 8-seed.
Where were his coaching chops when a less talented Oregon State team (according to Kenpom) made them look like a potato on the perimeter? When Krutwig got schemed out of the game they got no ball movement and went with the classic mid-major strategy of die by the 3.
“ I think they were just as talented as many of the tournament teams they faced in both runs. This season, Kenpom had them top 10 pretty much the whole way, but they were definitely shafted with an 8-seed.”
If you believe Loyola is anywhere as talented as Illinois based on Kenpom ratings, then you are not understanding the role of a very good coach.
You forget that team success is not directly correlated with having the most talented roster. Thus, Moser is a really good coach isn’t negated by your stated evidence of team rankings. How many 4-stars and 5-stars did Moser have? NBA level talents? His team did get a seed shaft, but that’s because the committee saw their talent level as not as strong. Very unlikely that any of those Loyola guys will be a pro, not even just NBA, but any kind of pro.
I could easily say that you don't understand variance and how sometimes less talented teams with worse coaches win games.
I'm surprised I would have to tell someone that who surely just watched UCLA beat Michigan?
Wait you are using "the coach had a top 10 kenpom team at Loyola Chicago" as the knock against him? Im very confused.
It's not a knock against him. He's obviously a good coach, he just had a huge geographical advantage in the MVC that he won't have in the Big12.
He had a record of 89-105 in his first 6 seasons at Loyola. He'll be looking at a similar rebuild in Norman against stiffer competition while Reaves and Harmon head to the NBA and 3 additional players so far have hit the portal.
This. Guy can coach. It’s a good landing spot. He will have resources, job security, less pressure than at say an Indiana, and good quality of life in Norman. Maybe he goes to the NBA in a few years.
Too old and no 3 pointer to speak of.
Thas a niiiiice
Good quality of life in Norman? Wow, we do not share the same criteria for QoL.
I'd take Chicago>>>>>>>>Norman, Oklahoma.
Different strokes, for sure. Some love cities, some don't.
Eh. We'll see. His career is mostly mediocre-to-decent minus the overlap with Krutwig. No doubt his teams have been good lately, but I'm betting it won't pan out in Norman
Wow, not the place I thought he would choose to go to.
Oklahoma got lucky here, I see them becoming a perennial top 10-15 program.
I see this as definitely not happening. I think he's fool's gold.
I had basically the same reaction. I'm not shocked he left Loyola but for Norman? Just doesn't seem like a natural fit but it's a fantastic hire for the Sooners! Will be interesting for sure!
I'm surprised that UNC didn't go after him.
Moser's clearly a good coach, but no one knows if he can lure big-time recruits.
I'll be shocked if UNC doesn't hire someone with known recruiting chops, and/or direct connection to Carolina.
Dean Smith -> Roy Williams -> ....Porter Moser? Nah, they want a bigger fish.
You forgot Matt Doherty.
wow. Great get for the sooners.
Wow. Interesting. I honestly think he could’ve done better. Oklahoma isn’t a bad program by any stretch, but I still think he’s at or near the caliber of being able to lead a blue blood based on his results. I almost would’ve waited to see if UNC had any interest, or if IU would’ve been willing to go after him. Or maybe they did and he turned it down.
He’s certainly a better option than Mike Woodson.
I actually think he could've done better. OU has had a few good seasons over the years, but it's still a second-rate program.
Plus he's giving up living in Chicago for living in...Oklahoma.
How can he do this to Sister Jean....during Holy week no less?????
J/K
Proof that Northwestern doesn't mind sucking. He currently lives with his family 20 minutes from the NW campus.