IU could do (and has done) a lot worse than Chris Collins. His ability to develop guards who can not only score, but get the ball to the open man, as well as getting his teams to defend at a high level is evident. X and O-wise, we saw exactly who they were attacking time and again last night and IU was helpless in stopping it.
While it may not be the NU Admissions Office of the 80’s and 90’s, he still has to deal with a much smaller pool of potential students who can get into school than any other coach in this league. Not a lot of 4* and 5* Woody-type recruits can get in there. Without looking at any star ratings, I imagine their avg star rating is not higher than 3.2-3.3, or so. What’s IU’s currently? Probably 4+, I’d say. Supposed other highly difficult schools to get into like Duke, UVA, UM, Cal and others make plenty of exceptions that Northwestern does not.
He may not be the initial home run hire (you know, like all the experts told us Archie was) folks around here desire, but I really think, having played at Duke, being a coach’s son, he would “get it” what IU basketball means to fans, the school, the pressure the job brings etc. His enthusiasm is just like his dad’s without Crean-like creepiness.
I’m on record for Pearl or Otzelberger, but as we’ve long learned, we often can’t get the shiny new prize. Besides, maybe there is room for another CCC at IU? Just my .02.
