Drake Bulldogs
- Thread starter Spirito76
- Start date
15 players on that 2024 Drake team
12 transferred out
2 graduated
1 quit basketball
2025 rotation is MVC regular season and MVC tourney champs, sits at 30-3 and includes 4 D2 players and 2 frosh on a team he assembled last spring.
He's been a head coach for 15 years with a career winning percentage better than 4 out of 5 games.
This year he set a record for wins at Drake in his first year of D1 and currently has the most wins this season in all of Division 1.
He has NEVER HAD A SEASON WITH DOUBLE DIGIT LOSSES.
In one 3 yr span he went 97-3 with an undefeated season.
IU might do different, but they won't do better than BM.
If he’s interested…he’s the right choice, at the right time. The timing didn’t line up like this for Stevens. There are other great candidates. And I’m sure there are others that would have really good success. But there aren’t any like this guy.
Completely different world for Knight and K’s transition. A P4 coach today has way more on their plate and also, Cig had a long past as an assistant in key positions at D1 football schools like Alabama. Speaking of Cig and his type, great for IU Football, but Basketball is a different monster and takes a completely different type to be successful. Just ask Davis, Crean, Arch and Woody.
How would those guys know?
Also, doubt basketball is different. The qualities that make a highly successful coach are probably 90% the same across all sports.
Fran said earlier this week he wasn’t going anywhere. He has a contract thru 2028. Now, the AD might be thinking otherwise, but Fran says he is staying at Iowa…
Since I didn't watch Drake all season (Big win today!), I like to look at the season stats for comparison. Drake is the first line below and IU is the second. The biggest difference not below is the wins/losses, but we're comparing MVC and the Big. Considering their level of competition and the stats, I don't see a huge upgrade from IU for 2024-2025. No doubt the guy can win at that level. I'm just not overwhelmed.
FG% FT% 3Pt% Pts. Reb Assist Steals Turnovers
48.2 70.7 35.4 70.3 31.0 13.4 9.0 11.2
46.2 70.9 32.3 75.2 36.5 15.7 5.8 11.6
FG% FT% 3Pt% Pts. Reb Assist Steals Turnovers
48.2 70.7 35.4 70.3 31.0 13.4 9.0 11.2
46.2 70.9 32.3 75.2 36.5 15.7 5.8 11.6
I know you were. But I noticed he lost more games every year than McCollum did in year one. (Actually they'll tie with one year of four most likely.)
I doubt it means Drake is so easy to win, just means he's a good coach. He's doing well year one at West Virginia.
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Did you see what I posted or not? That’s an average of 25 wins a year for a 6 year period. How possible is that in the B1G or SEC?
Conference SOS Ranking
IU 25
Drake 158
Non-conference SOS Ranking
IU 130
Drake 246
Yeah, again apples and oranges
He had to replace an entire roster.
He did so with a bunch of solid D2 guys, a couple freshmen, and a couple Wyoming transfers.
Drake is an established contending program in the Valley. So it’s not like he stepped in the the “Minnesota” of the Valley. He stepped in to one of the top 3-4 programs year in and year out…but without a roster.
And he’s won 30 games, school record I believe…again, good Valley program… he won regular season championship, 12th straight season his teams have won at least a share of conference title. And then he proved it in the Valley tournament.
You’re right McCollums performances of late are VERY apples to oranges to IUs.
Read some stuff and listened to some interviews of him today. I see the Cig comparisons, winning at lower levels, he could say the, "Google me, I win," line but it has already been done. Listening to him I got a lot of RMK in how he teaches and prepares and puts his team in position to win.
accept that he teaches the game really well and teaches his player to do what they do best
Sorry, but stupid comment if that’s your best thought for the coach we need. How about a coach who is one of the best in teaching HIS players and the players WANT to represent. Braylon saga is over.
I was just gonna post about keeping an eye on the IU planes the next week or so. But I kinda doubt Dolson sees any of these candidates in person, or at least not in a way that could so easily be noticed as an IU plane going to Des Moines.
So…he’s probably currently sitting middle seat coach on a flight from Ohare to Des Moines!!!
I’m sure feelers have been put out and future interview requests have been made, but don’t see any real action until after those coaches are done in the tournament.
At least the coaching choices BETTER be in the tournament.
