Drake Bulldogs

[GThomas]

Great article find, @mushroomgod_1

It seems like the entire basketball world has known about this guy for a while. BM isn't some "hot" mid-major guy who pops up every year; this cat is just ... different.

I know I post with the fervor of a rabid badger--and I know my opinions can change with the snap of a finger as I glean more information--but it's over for me. There's no current coach I'd rather see on the IU sidelines. Yes, that includes Beard. This guy has the chance to be generational ... and I don't think that's hyperbolic.

I have absolutely zero idea who Dolson covets, but if he's following the model that led him to Cig...

 

[IndyMitchell]

Great article find, @mushroomgod_1

It seems like the entire basketball world has known about this guy for a while. BM isn't some "hot" mid-major guy who pops up every year; this cat is just ... different.

I know I post with the fervor of a rabid badger--and I know my opinions can change with the snap of a finger as I glean more information--but it's over for me. There's no current coach I'd rather see on the IU sidelines. Yes, that includes Beard. This guy has the chance to be generational ... and I don't think that's hyperbolic.

I have absolutely zero idea who Dolson covets, but if he's following the model that led him to Cig...

I don’t get all the BM love all of a sudden. I would just hate to go through his growing pains.

If IU can’t get a Beard, I hope Dolson has a secret deal with a Wright, Stevens, or Donovan.

 

[CG Paul]

I don’t get all the BM love all of a sudden. I would just hate to go through his growing pains.

If IU can’t get a Beard, I hope Dolson has a secret deal with a Wright, Stevens, or Donovan.

There’s a reason. Have you researched him at all? Have you read the article posted earlier in this thread, Meet Ben McCollum?

If not, please do.

 

[IndyMitchell]

There’s a reason. Have you researched him at all? Have you read the article posted earlier in this thread, Meet Ben McCollum?

If not, please do.

I actually have watched 3-4 of their games. He’s a fine coach but I don’t see a Cignetti.

However, I’ll read the article. I don’t know more than what I see when I watch Drake. MVC is way down this year. Some years they have 4-5 really good teams but that conference just isn’t good this year. To be honest, Drake's team from last year would be much better.

 

[Big Red Crimson Buffalo]

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.

People don’t realize that this guy has been a head coach for 15 seasons. Started as a head coach at age 28. All the other guys we got (excluding Sampson) had no more than 8 years as a head coach. And, the guy we just had spent 0 seasons as a college coach. Opposing coaches say BM’s a brilliant basketball mind.
I could ride or die with BM, if he is selected.

 

[CG Paul]

I actually have watched 3-4 of their games. He’s a fine coach but I don’t see a Cignetti.

However, I’ll read the article. I don’t know more than what I see when I watch Drake. MVC is way down this year. Some years they have 4-5 really good teams but that conference just isn’t good this year. To be honest, Drake's team from last year would be much better.

Please, read the article.

He has a completely new team this year versus last season’s Drake team. Every player.

One of his D2 players that followed him was named conference player of the year. They won regular season conference champs by two games. They won the conference tournament. His first in D1.

Prior to that he had the most successful run of any coach, any division, men or women. Ever.

Hopefully Dolson has the courage to hire him.

 

[CG Paul]

I actually have watched 3-4 of their games. He’s a fine coach but I don’t see a Cignetti.

However, I’ll read the article. I don’t know more than what I see when I watch Drake. MVC is way down this year. Some years they have 4-5 really good teams but that conference just isn’t good this year. To be honest, Drake's team from last year would be much better.

So you knew about Cignetti prior to being hired by IU and were recommending we hire him?

 

[GThomas]

I don’t get all the BM love all of a sudden. I would just hate to go through his growing pains.

If IU can’t get a Beard, I hope Dolson has a secret deal with a Wright, Stevens, or Donovan.

I think most of us have been learning about BM since we knew there'd be a coaching change ... but the hoops world has known for a while.

I'm still aboard the Stevens Express and the SS Jay, but McCollum is the real deal. Would Beard be a good hire? I think so. But, imo, BM could be THE hire.

Given the massive importance of this hire, I understand the reservations about BM since he was coaching D2 not that long ago. But he's a winner ... and it's now or never.

Jmo.

 

[IUNorth]

So you knew about Cignetti prior to being hired by IU and were recommending we hire him?

I actually did. Not to pat myself on the back or anything. I didn’t push him like I am McCollum. But I mentioned him a few times early in the search process. His age scared me away though from continuing to push him.

 

[CG Paul]

I actually did. Not to pat myself on the back or anything. I didn’t push him like I am McCollum. But I mentioned him a few times early in the search process. His age scared me away though from continuing to push him.

That’s great. I would like to hear from the OP, too.

Point being, basically nobody here knew Cignetti was a Cignetti prior to last season.

 

[Big Red Crimson Buffalo]

I think most of us have been learning about BM since we knew there'd be a coaching change ... but the hoops world has known for a while.

I'm still aboard the Stevens Express and the SS Jay, but McCollum is the real deal. Would Beard be a good hire? I think so. But, imo, BM could be THE hire.

Given the massive importance of this hire, I understand the reservations about BM since he was coaching D2 not that long ago. But he's a winner ... and it's now or never.

Jmo.

What happens if we don’t find ourselves aboard the SS Stevens and actually wind up in the inflatable life raft known as SS Alford?

 

[abraxis]

All this McCollum talk makes me think he’s our man… for better or worse, til firing we part.

 

[IndyMitchell]

So you knew about Cignetti prior to being hired by IU and were recommending we hire him?

Good article and he is a good young coach. Totally agree. I just think the jump to playing top 25 teams every other game would require a learning curve. He is better prepared than Archie but it just makes me nervous.

Yes, I think most people saw Cignetti on gameday with James Madison a couple years ago. The same exact confidence and swagger as he showed at the basketball game when he first came to IU! He also had them ranked and had a special year. He and Willie Fritz were the two guys I wanted from the list of candidates. Of course he has been even better than I would have expected. I have liked him since the day they announced him!

I get some of the comparisons with Cignetti and BM but remember than Cignetti knew big time football VERY well. He coached at the highest level under Saban. That is a big difference. James Madison wasn’t his biggest school. It just happened to be his biggest thus far as a head coach.

 

[IndyMitchell]

I think most of us have been learning about BM since we knew there'd be a coaching change ... but the hoops world has known for a while.

I'm still aboard the Stevens Express and the SS Jay, but McCollum is the real deal. Would Beard be a good hire? I think so. But, imo, BM could be THE hire.

Given the massive importance of this hire, I understand the reservations about BM since he was coaching D2 not that long ago. But he's a winner ... and it's now or never.

Jmo.

Fair enough. That’s the beauty of message boards. 😊

I’m just 100% on the Chris Beard train. Agreed about the now or never part. IU needs to stop being a soft program that talks about how good it used to be.

 

[GThomas]

Fair enough. That’s the beauty of message boards. 😊

I’m just 100% on the Chris Beard train. Agreed about the now or never part. IU needs to stop being a soft program that talks about how good it used to be.

Both are strong candidates ... we just have different preferences. If it's Beard, I'll be ready to roll in '25-'26 and beyond.

 

[CG Paul]

Good article and he is a good young coach. Totally agree. I just think the jump to playing top 25 teams every other game would require a learning curve. He is better prepared than Archie but it just makes me nervous.

Yes, I think most people saw Cignetti on gameday with James Madison a couple years ago. The same exact confidence and swagger as he showed at the basketball game when he first came to IU! He also had them ranked and had a special year. He and Willie Fritz were the two guys I wanted from the list of candidates. Of course he has been even better than I would have expected. I have liked him since the day they announced him!

I get some of the comparisons with Cignetti and BM but remember than Cignetti knew big time football VERY well. He coached at the highest level under Saban. That is a big difference. James Madison wasn’t his biggest school. It just happened to be his biggest thus far as a head coach.

Thanks.

I haven’t compared him to Cignetti. Their situations do have a lot of similarities, but personalities are different.

Regarding your concern with the jump in competition, what gives me confidence is McCollum’s management style. His ability to get each player playing to their strengths and his ability to adjust his approach to fit those strengths and succeed as a team. Sounds simple but obviously it’s not.

The ability to get a team, in sports or the business world, to believe and operate successfully in the direction of their leader is rare, let alone doing it on an elite level.

This is what he’s doing. I hope he gets the chance to do it at IU. Next season.

 

[ndhuntington]

No to McCollum watch the pod

 

[Pryght]

Per @Tyme on X:

Oh this is hilarious Drake fan on Curry PodSays BM searches social and regularly goes at fans in press conferences on their attacks of players, sub patterns, etcThat he also has very adversarial relationship with media.


If true, then he's not equipped to be IU's coach.

 

[mohoosier]

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.

Because they were all fired for the reasons we are discussing. They, of all people, should know why. Except for Woody, he still seems confused.

On the court/field you are correct, not off though. A head coach at Butler vs a head coach at Indiana? Apples and oranges.

 

[GThomas]

No to McCollum watch the pod

View embedded media

That's the same guy who said IU should throw $10M at Painter. His word means shit.

 

[GThomas]

Per @Tyme on X:

Oh this is hilarious Drake fan on Curry PodSays BM searches social and regularly goes at fans in press conferences on their attacks of players, sub patterns, etcThat he also has very adversarial relationship with media.


If true, then he's not equipped to be IU's coach.

Sounds credible to me ... Tyme would never lie.

What a f***ing joke. I'm sure a guy who's won everywhere he's coached is worried about what some keyboard warrior says.

 

[MTBRider22]

Per @Tyme on X:

Oh this is hilarious Drake fan on Curry PodSays BM searches social and regularly goes at fans in press conferences on their attacks of players, sub patterns, etcThat he also has very adversarial relationship with media.


If true, then he's not equipped to be IU's coach.

Is this the same Tyme that's a certified sunshine pumper for Woodson? There's a few of them out there and I can't keep them straight, but it's widely believed that Tyme is either a family member or played for CMW...so not going to be a real objective view.

 

[IUNorth]

No to McCollum watch the pod

View embedded media

I think he's often one of the more realistic, level headed IU related Pod casters. And I think his concerns with McCollum are valid. But I would question how much of McCollum's games he's actually watched? Maybe he has? I've had a lot of these same concerns in the last few months about how "slow" they play. Now I've watched a half a dozen of their games, and watched some clips of various NWMS teams, and while the numbers are the numbers... they certainly don't come across as "slow" when you watch them. And further with the metrics numbers they have...they have one of the best defenses I've seen in college basketball in a while...and they're ranked 47 in KenPom net D effic. That's good...but not a lot different than the 80 they are on offense. And I think they're one of the best defensive teams in the nation.

And even further on the numbers... his schedule is obviously impacting his metrics numbers. And while the Valley has a couple other decent teams this year, namely Bradley... they don't have a team like ISU, or Northern Iowa from a few years ago, or Wichita State back in the day, to help them boost everyone's numbers.

Also...he's doing all these things that are attracting attention to him, with a lot of D2 kids. That brings another viable concern in to play with McCollum (can he recruit B10 level talent?)...but you HAVE to include that in to the analysis.

Finally...its pretty obvious he's out on McCollum, and has been for a fair bit. I think he's looking for reasons to knock McCollum down. And to piggy back one of his own main points. None of us KNOW which candidates are best for IU. None of us KNOW if McCollum would keep winning at the high major level. This fella doesn't know any more than any of us do on those things.

What I see is an exciting possibility. What I've read is that very successful, young coaches, like Grant McCasland, think he's brilliant.

Nothing the Podcast said did anything to convince me that McCollum isn't the best candidate. But like I've said a bazillion times, there are many others that would probably be great too.

 

[mohoosier]

I think he's often one of the more realistic, level headed IU related Pod casters. And I think his concerns with McCollum are valid. But I would question how much of McCollum's games he's actually watched? Maybe he has? I've had a lot of these same concerns in the last few months about how "slow" they play. Now I've watched a half a dozen of their games, and watched some clips of various NWMS teams, and while the numbers are the numbers... they certainly don't come across as "slow" when you watch them. And further with the metrics numbers they have...they have one of the best defenses I've seen in college basketball in a while...and they're ranked 47 in KenPom net D effic. That's good...but not a lot different than the 80 they are on offense. And I think they're one of the best defensive teams in the nation.

And even further on the numbers... his schedule is obviously impacting his metrics numbers. And while the Valley has a couple other decent teams this year, namely Bradley... they don't have a team like ISU, or Northern Iowa from a few years ago, or Wichita State back in the day, to help them boost everyone's numbers.

Also...he's doing all these things that are attracting attention to him, with a lot of D2 kids. That brings another viable concern in to play with McCollum (can he recruit B10 level talent?)...but you HAVE to include that in to the analysis.

Finally...its pretty obvious he's out on McCollum, and has been for a fair bit. I think he's looking for reasons to knock McCollum down. And to piggy back one of his own main points. None of us KNOW which candidates are best for IU. None of us KNOW if McCollum would keep winning at the high major level. This fella doesn't know any more than any of us do on those things.

What I see is an exciting possibility. What I've read is that very successful, young coaches, like Grant McCasland, think he's brilliant.

Nothing the Podcast said did anything to convince me that McCollum isn't the best candidate. But like I've said a bazillion times, there are many others that would probably be great too.

Arch 2.0

 

[IUNorth]

Arch 2.0

Unlikely

 

[mohoosier]

Arch had a much better resume, much better

 

[Myhurricane]

Recruiting is not a concern at IU due to NIL and profit sharing ect.... the only concern is talent evaluation, can the coach evaluate talent and character that fits the way he wants his team to play.? We are in an era where the money IU has to compete is on a level with the best in the country...............simply put, if we cannot compete nationally with the best then we can point to poor coaching. A coach who knows the X's & O's is important but they also need to manage or have others who manage nutrition, physical training, mental preparation.......ect.....
My opinion only

"Mental is to physical as 4 is to 1" - Bob Knight

 

[ANOTHERBANNERYEAR]

Per @Tyme on X:

Oh this is hilarious Drake fan on Curry PodSays BM searches social and regularly goes at fans in press conferences on their attacks of players, sub patterns, etcThat he also has very adversarial relationship with media.


If true, then he's not equipped to be IU's coach.

Sounds just like a former IU coach that was one of the best ever.

 

[IUNorth]

Arch had a much better resume, much better

Nope

 

[Pazhoosier85]

Arch had a much better resume, much better

I must have missed where Arch had 4 D2 national
championships.

 

[ANOTHERBANNERYEAR]

I actually did. Not to pat myself on the back or anything. I didn’t push him like I am McCollum. But I mentioned him a few times early in the search process. His age scared me away though from continuing to push him.

After I saw Cignetti on the Pat McAfee show live from JMU (with students/fans next to stage) a couple months before Dolson nabbed him, I liked everything about him. Especially his forward personality. As soon as he was hired, my fraternity brothers and I bought season football tickets. What an incredible change for IU football. Time for Dolson to get the right guy to change the IU basketball culture back to the wonder years.

 

[ANOTHERBANNERYEAR]

Arch had a much better resume, much better

What resume are you looking at?

 

[IUNorth]

Recruiting is not a concern at IU due to NIL and profit sharing ect.... the only concern is talent evaluation, can the coach evaluate talent and character that fits the way he wants his team to play.? We are in an era where the money IU has to compete is on a level with the best in the country...............simply put, if we cannot compete nationally with the best then we can point to poor coaching. A coach who knows the X's & O's is important but they also need to manage or have others who manage nutrition, physical training, mental preparation.......ect.....
My opinion only

"Mental is to physical as 4 is to 1" - Bob Knight

I think recruiting is certainly a concern. I think what IU's resources will do for the next coach is similar to what it did for all our previous coaches...it'll get anyone and everyone's attention. And like all our previous coaches, it'll allow them to land elite level players. RMK, Davis, Sampson, Crean, Archie, and Woodson were all able to land their fair share of elite talent. Obviously, their ability to win with them was varied, and has progressively diminished throughout the years.

The keys will be... 1)How engaged and active is the new coaching staff with ALL the various recruiting pools (Elite HS, portal kids, foreign kids, JUCO maybe with the new rules, etc...) 2)Will the new program's style of play be appealing to the masses? Or will it be very specific in the types of players it attracts? And if its the latter, how good is the staff at landing the very best and most talented players that are fits?

 

[mohoosier]

Nope

You know that’s not even possible, right? Just a simple look will tell you it’s so lopsided you can’t even compare the two.

Conference level
Years in D1
NCAA Tournament

Not even close

 

[mohoosier]

What resume are you looking at?

Have you ever heard of Dayton?

What’s going on here? It’s like a bunch of McCollum agents have joined the thread. 😂

 

[IUNorth]

You know that’s not even possible, right? Just a simple look will tell you it’s so lopsided you can’t even compare the two.

Conference level
Years in D1
NCAA Tournament

Not even close

They're different resumes...that's the only thing certain about the comp...

And if Archie's resume is so much better...why is McCollum Archie 2.0?

 

[mohoosier]

They're different resumes...that's the only thing certain about the comp...

And if Archie's resume is so much better...why is McCollum Archie 2.0?

Mid-major, no P4 experience. Major risk. And if Arch was a major risk, what’s that make McCollum?

This argument is so reminiscent of 8 years ago when we all convinced ourselves that Arch was a grand slam hire. And, that was a guy that had major success in the A10, 4 years straight NCAA tourney appearances with an Elite 8.

 

[ANOTHERBANNERYEAR]

They're different resumes...that's the only thing certain about the comp...

And if Archie's resume is so much better...why is McCollum Archie 2.0?

I went to see Archie his first year when he came to Evansville on his “tour”. I knew then IU was in trouble. A total dweeb.
I’ve listened to McCollum in interviews, and watched him coach live during Division II finals in Evansville.
Not saying McCollum is definitely the answer, but a “resume” is just written. Total night and day between McCollum and Archie. I’m assuming Dolson is smart enough to see that. He ain’t no Fred Glass though.

 

[frikkenfrakken]

Josh Schertz-

In his 13 years coaching, the Railsplitters posted 11-straight 20-win seasons, including four 30-win seasons, en route to 10 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament appearances.[4] Schertz was also named South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year a record seven times, while also having the highest overall winning percentage among all active NCAA head coaches at any level in a 10-year period.

Plus 32-7 last year at ISU.

And with that record, as good as it is, it isn't comparable to CBM. He has 4 30-win seasons? Okay, CBM has 6 30-win seasons, an undefeated season, and 4 D2 national titles.

Lots of people would be happy with McCasland. McCasland went to McCollum for advice about offense.

I'm in. Pay him what he wants. We have a little leverage, coming from Drake. After the hilarious Woodson presser when they hired him, let's stop trying to win press conferences and start winning games.

 

[GThomas]

Arch 2.0

That's EXACTLY what I said when his name was first mentioned on here. Then I started learning about this guy and watching Drake games. McCollum stands above other mid-major coaches, including Archie ... and I don't think it's that close.

All that said, I get the concerns ... and they're valid. But, imo, this would actually be a low-risk hire--high floor, high ceiling. I don't know if IU is interested in BM, and I don't know if BM is interested in IU ... but I hope the answer is "yes" on both counts.

I admit, on the surface it wouldn't be a sexy hire. But you know what IS damn sexy? Consistent winning.