Full disclosure - I've never seen them play, this season or any other. I just checked their stats line from their game against the Belmont Bruins tonight & it looked a little familiar and not impressive. Come from behind win 57-50. 38.6% on field goals, 21.1% 3-pointers, outrebounded 34-27, lost in assists 16-7, and had 11 turnovers. They did pick up 11 steals though. I hope this was just an outlier game!
Drake Bulldogs
- Thread starter Spirito76
- Start date
I think BM is the real deal, but no, today's semifinal game wasn't a total outlier as far as style; the Bulldogs have won quite a few low-scoring games this season ... and they often make full use of the shot clock.
That said, I've watched several Drake games, and the 1st half wasn't indicative of how good they are/can be. Anyhow, it's certainly not pretty basketball ... but it's winning basketball.
I wouldn't not after the last eight years. It's no time to hire someone with only one year of d1 experience no matter if it looks good on paper. We simply cannot fail with this hire.
It’s early Wisconsin Bo Ryan winning basketball with D2 players. In 2 years it’s Indiana winning smart possession basketball with D1 players he’s never dreamed he could have.
It's to big of a risk at this point. Especially if we can get someone who has won at a high level. If we can't well then sure I guess try him but he should not be a top choice.
His Wikipedia page is fn insane. I think jhe just won his 11th straight conference championship an 13 th his 17th year as a head coach. The one thing Coach Knight did that I hope whomever we choose does, and if McCollum did it he would be super. Hit the ground running. Focus on I70 to the Ohio River and embrace the fans, teach the coaches, and invite us back in. McCallum might need a couple of years to get up and running but that's OK as long he does that, we'll be all in with him. I mean he'll be crazy in a couple of years, because we are, then the dream is back.
I don't think most want to wait a few years anymore theywant to win right away. I remember hearing how great archie was and how great his Dayton teams played. I highly doubt he is the hire unless we strike out on bigger names.
His wiki is insane. His stats are insane. It’s got ‘google me’ written all over it. The best thing about him is, we aren’t talking about a 70yr here. Dudes in his 40’s. Obviously knows how to win. I’m all for it.
There's no doubt he's an excellent coach, but jumping from D2 to the MVC to the B1G in two years is ... a lot. And, while I understand the Cig comparison, the basketball program has more high-profile options than football.
But ... a winner is a winner. I'd prefer him to many others mentioned (Cronin, Buzz, etc.). And maybe Dolson does as well. 🤷
I've seen us make a mid major hire everyone said was a home run.
Yes he can win but it's a massive massive jump to the fishbowl. I'm pretty sure in football we had no better options. We stunk in football bad. If we can get Drew or Tommy lyold we would we take the risk.
I agree, he’s not the must hire. He’s better than the past hires but not the right hire at the moment. Outside of Beard, I don’t know who is.
I mean I think he would probably be better than woodson but given our nil and resources I think we can get a proven high level winner. I would have been fine with mccollum 8 years ago but we just wasted 8 years. No time for risky hires.
Indiana Basketball is not a D2 to D1 hire. Never has been, never will be. No program at our level would do that.
Yes they are archie was a proven winner. If he was a proven winner at a high level no. I mean I just don't get the let's hire a d2 guy to take over the top nil team in the big ten. You think any top program would hire a d2 guy. No.
It's like archie never happened. People seem in awe about a guy winning at a d2 level. Sure he won but this is high level d1.
I get the general concern… but he’s 28-3 at a very much D ONE school. And he’s doing it with mostly D2 players. The Valley isn’t the Big Ten, or even the A 10. And the conference metrics show that. But in today’s game, where talent is spread around so much more, and there’s so much parity… what he’s done thus far at Drake is incredible.
My ONLY concern with McCollum, at this point, is why does he have mostly D2 guys on his roster? His choice, not capable of getting portal D1 guys? He ended up having less overall talent than most of his peers this year. He’d have that same challenge this offseason of building a new roster at a bigger school, if he was our choice. If IUs resources allowed him to get B10 level talent, that he wanted and that he thought fit his program…I have zero doubts or questions at that point that he’s the best candidate. But that’s a big IF.
And all you do is focus on Archie when discussing McCollum.
Just because Archie failed isn't a curse and McCollum is destined to failure.
He has over an 81% winning record and won 4 titles.
There is NO 100% pick. Every pick has it downside because like RMK said, the fit has to be right.
I’m not completely sold on any candidate at this point but by your logic, IU should not hire a high-major coach who has only one F4 appearance and just one conference title, despite several years of experience.
Beard and Stevens are the only sure things… one if there’s a miracle, one if he’s not a psycho.
If IU doesn’t move on him, McCollum is likely gonna wind-up at Virginia, and continue to crush it.
I would put the guy very high on the list. That winning % is inarguably the sign of a damn good coach of the game of basketball. It’s downright absurd.
IU is NOT some super marquee job that would never consider such crazy things, it hired freaking Mike Davis after RMK. And Woodson, who had never coached a college game.
One E8 in 32 f-ing years folks… tons and tons of fancy recruits along the way… the program doesn’t know how to WIN.
If IU doesn’t move on him, McCollum is likely gonna wind-up at Virginia, and continue to crush it.
I would put the guy very high on the list. That winning % is inarguably the sign of a damn good coach of the game of basketball. It’s downright absurd.
IU is NOT some super marquee job that would never consider such crazy things, it hired freaking Mike Davis after RMK. And Woodson, who had never coached a college game.
One E8 in 32 f-ing years folks… tons and tons of fancy recruits along the way… the program doesn’t know how to WIN.
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According to his bio, McCollum also played on a 29-3 team. I'm not sure he's familiar with losing.
I don't understand the worry about not being D1. We hired Crean and Archie because they won at D1 level. Trouble is, they didn't really win BIG there. Archie had a few single digit loss years, (but not low single digits...) but his main trouble is his wet dishrag personality.
I'd take a coach who wins big, over a coach who wins OK or almost big. Every time, regardless of the 'class' they did it in.
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I don't understand the worry about not being D1. We hired Crean and Archie because they won at D1 level. Trouble is, they didn't really win BIG there. Archie had a few single digit loss years, (but not low single digits...) but his main trouble is his wet dishrag personality.
I'd take a coach who wins big, over a coach who wins OK or almost big. Every time, regardless of the 'class' they did it in.
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Took Coach Knight 4 years to almost have 2 perfect seasons in a row. Dang Scott May broken arm.
They play at 2 today on CBS. Win or lose, high scoring or low scoring…I think you’d have a better impression, and some context with the close games and lower scores if you watched a little bit of them.
The offense is fun to watch. And I get jacked up watching his teams defend.
And I think from what I’ve now been able to gather, he often matches his offense and pace and such, with the players he has. This year, he has one of the better guards in the country in Bennett Stirtz. And he’s best when he’s dribbling and probing the defense for passes and shots off ball screen actions. But that does bleed shot clocks.
Most of his best teams at NWMS averaged over 80 points per game.
Hes the best candidate…but I’ll be surprised if he’s the guy.
Exactly. McCollum is NOTHING like Archie.. personality wise that is. Archie couldn’t get his players to listen to him, and the rest of us didn’t want to listen to him either.
you don't need a couple of years nowadays. especially with the resources he'll have at his disposal here.
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Here’s a good article regarding McCollum and his roster construction this year.
According to the article, twelve players transferred out, two graduated and one is no longer playing.
D-II Drake? After roster overhaul, Bulldogs are showing they're no joke
The Bulldogs have been one of the biggest surprises of this college basketball season. How'd they do it? By hiring a Division II coach and bringing on a slew of his players to face the big boys of D-I.
sports.yahoo.com
He’s the answer. But obviously don’t know if he’d want to be IUs answer. Or if Dolson sees it the same, and has the balls to pull the trigger on him if he does.Here’s a good article regarding McCollum and his roster construction this year.
According to the article, twelve players transferred out, two graduated and one is no longer playing.
D-II Drake? After roster overhaul, Bulldogs are showing they're no joke
The Bulldogs have been one of the biggest surprises of this college basketball season. How'd they do it? By hiring a Division II coach and bringing on a slew of his players to face the big boys of D-I.
He may not want the job. I'm afraid the crawling over glass to get here, is a thing of the past.
Let's be a bit fair... it is D2 players from HIS previous team ala Cig bringing in guys from JMU. They know the system and know what is expected. Which is maybe why he wanted them versus couldn't get portal D1 guys.
Now with that said, I'm not convinced that guys that move up automatically have success because "now they can recruit better level of players". Some can, some can't. I just hope whoever Indiana ends up with is the right hire. I'm fatigued with what Indiana basketball has become over the last 25+ years.
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After watching the first half of Drake v Bradley game I'm impressed with the defense. Some of IU's current player(s) could not play defense at that level. Popcorn is ready for the second half, so I'm going to pay better attention to the offensive sets.
You don’t hire McCollom for this reason, you hire him for the 12 straight conf chips, 4 nattys, etc… But, he would likely bring 2-3 main rotation guys with him to establish a solid core of leaders. One of them would be one of the better players in the B10 in Stirtz. Again, not a reason to hire him, or anyone. But an added bonus.
McCasland had some younger talent too.
McCollum wins , Google him . People said the guys Cig brought with him couldn’t play at the big Ten level , surprise several made all American . Plus coach McCollum’s teams play D , and Defense wins at any level . They are playing on CBS right now , so watch and see what you think . I’m not saying he should be or will be our next coach , just that winners win , and he is a winner . Dolson should get some creds after his football hire , so I’ll go with his decision for our next basketball coach .
