Ryan Miller.

[Cavanagh]

First off, what a jackass.

Miller has been on my mind this glorious 2025 morning. He tainted the minds of so many, but the smart brains in the room need to learn from mistakes. Archie had the resume and exact age we wanted to target, he just lacked a very key component of the IU job. The only qualifying quality that woody actually possesses.

The IU men’s basketball job is the biggest job in the state of Indiana. Or atleast it was. Was a higher profile job than any head coach of the colts or pacers post Knight for the last 25 years. Archie just failed so miserably in being in the spotlight. He hid and gained like 20 lbs for god sake. Wtf.

Got to go after the young vibrant coach. Coach cig is great, but that’s one in a million. Please don’t fall into that trap. We need a guy in his 30s to young 50s. Want a 20 year potential guy.

And screw Ryan. You should have been great, but you are a scared little girl. Happy new year though!

 

[hookyIU1990]

Stop using their nicknames. Nicknames are for winners.

Ryan and Woodson haven't earned the nickname. Hell, Ryan's nickname was given to him by his mommy.

 

[.Gerdis]

Stop using their nicknames. Nicknames are for winners.

Ryan and Woodson haven't earned the nickname. Hell, Ryan's nickname was given to him by his mommy.

I thought he was just trying to be confusing?

 

[stollcpa]

First off, what a jackass.

Miller has been on my mind this glorious 2025 morning. He tainted the minds of so many, but the smart brains in the room need to learn from mistakes. Archie had the resume and exact age we wanted to target, he just lacked a very key component of the IU job. The only qualifying quality that woody actually possesses.

The IU men’s basketball job is the biggest job in the state of Indiana. Or atleast it was. Was a higher profile job than any head coach of the colts or pacers post Knight for the last 25 years. Archie just failed so miserably in being in the spotlight. He hid and gained like 20 lbs for god sake. Wtf.

Got to go after the young vibrant coach. Coach cig is great, but that’s one in a million. Please don’t fall into that trap. We need a guy in his 30s to young 50s. Want a 20 year potential guy.

And screw Ryan. You should have been great, but you are a scared little girl. Happy new year though!

The crazy thing is Ryan seemed like that hire.

To get that young 20 year type guy we have to risk failing again. I am fine with the risk. If we miss most likely I will be dead before IUMBB is great again.

 

[birdforbogey]

Ryan has a smoking hot wife.

 

[Cavanagh]

The crazy thing is Ryan seemed like that hire.

To get that young 20 year type guy we have to risk failing again. I am fine with the risk. If we miss most likely I will be dead before IUMBB is great again.

Program is dead.

 

[hookyIU1990]

Ryan has a smoking hot wife.

Who just disappeared at Indiana. Never saw her after the first social media post with candy stripes at the union.

 

[Cavanagh]

Who just disappeared at Indiana. Never saw her after the first social media post with candy stripes at the union.

I’m telling you they went hermit mode and never went out. Super weird.

 

[hookyIU1990]

I’m telling you they went hermit mode and never went out. Super weird.

Big stage isn't for everyone. He could barely get through pressers. Did he do the Huber type events? I honestly don't remember.

 

[frikkenfrakken]

Big stage isn't for everyone. He could barely get through pressers. Did he do the Huber type events? I honestly don't remember.

He did. He temporarily held off the dogs by mentioning that no one was more unhappy about the losing than him.

It did bother him. Remember when he lost his shit on Bruiser Flint, maybe because Josh Smith was possibly uncoachable and wouldnt do anything they told him to do. Maybe. Not entirely sure about that.

 

[birdforbogey]

Big stage isn't for everyone. He could barely get through pressers. Did he do the Huber type events? I honestly don't remember.

I think so. Was it there that he said I know where New Albany is?

 

[GeorgeStrait IU]

He did. He temporarily held off the dogs by mentioning that no one was more unhappy about the losing than him.

It did bother him. Remember when he lost his shit on Bruiser Flint, maybe because Josh Smith was possibly uncoachable and wouldnt do anything they told him to do. Maybe. Not entirely sure about that.

Josh Smith?

 

[Sobchak_Security]

Josh Smith?

He’ll always be part of the family

 

[Sobchak_Security]

Program is dead.

Cav totally off subject but curious if you know the true identity of Tyme and ScottDolsonsBurner on Twitter??

 

[GeorgeStrait IU]

He’ll always be part of the family

I'll never forget that week in recruiting when it started to become obvious MD needed a talent influx when he landed DJ White and Josh Smith within four or five days apart. This after flipping Robert Vaden from Purdue... I really wish Josh Smith had played one year at IU but that $1.5-2million first year NBA couldnt be turned down.

 

[UncleMark]

Ryan has a smoking hot wife.

Who just disappeared at Indiana. Never saw her after the first social media post with candy stripes at the union.

My absolute biggest issue with the Miller regime. If she had gotten half the TV time as Joni did I would have been happy to give him another year.

 

[frikkenfrakken]

Josh Smith?

Sorry, Justin Smith.

 

[GeorgeStrait IU]

Sorry, Justin Smith.

I should have figured that but forgot all about him.

 

[hookyIU1990]

I should have figured that but forgot all about him.

What a leaper. Can't believe he didn't lead us to a natty with that sweet vertical.

 

[Cavanagh]

Cav totally off subject but curious if you know the true identity of Tyme and ScottDolsonsBurner on Twitter??

No idea, I don’t follow that stuff at all.

 

[ams66]

Archie had the resume and exact age we wanted to target, he just lacked a very key component of the IU job. The only qualifying quality that woody actually possesses.

Agree, I liked the hire at the time. I would argue though that the key component he lacked was winning games. His personality would have been a non-issue if he had won or even finished highly in the conference and made a few good tournament runs.

 

[frikkenfrakken]

I should have figured that but forgot all about him.

When I typed it, I was thinking, "did we get a kid from Chicago with the same name as the Mike Davis recruit that never came here? That doesn't seem right."

Then I was like, F it.

 

[ThreeToMakeTwo]

He’ll always be part of the family

Has he even been back to visit?

 

[dbmhoosier]

Has he even been back to visit?

I don’t think he ever visited.

 

[BA47591]

We won't gamble on another up and coming guy.

 

[Pryght]

We won't gamble on another up and coming guy.

I guess it depends on how one defines “up-and-coming.” Blue blood programs often prioritize hiring rising stars over established coaches from other Power Conferences, and I expect IU to take a similar approach. Had Woodson been fired last spring, it seems highly likely that another rising star, Dusty May, would now be our coach.

 

[IUNorth]

First off, what a jackass.

Miller has been on my mind this glorious 2025 morning. He tainted the minds of so many, but the smart brains in the room need to learn from mistakes. Archie had the resume and exact age we wanted to target, he just lacked a very key component of the IU job. The only qualifying quality that woody actually possesses.

The IU men’s basketball job is the biggest job in the state of Indiana. Or atleast it was. Was a higher profile job than any head coach of the colts or pacers post Knight for the last 25 years. Archie just failed so miserably in being in the spotlight. He hid and gained like 20 lbs for god sake. Wtf.

Got to go after the young vibrant coach. Coach cig is great, but that’s one in a million. Please don’t fall into that trap. We need a guy in his 30s to young 50s. Want a 20 year potential guy.

And screw Ryan. You should have been great, but you are a scared little girl. Happy new year though!

Prototype is 45 ish year old…15 ish years college head coaching experience…has won multiple conf championships, at multiple schools…has had postseason success…has never had mediocre seasons (anywhere near .500 or less)…has recruited well versus his peers…has the personality you mention…and runs an exciting style and brand of basketball. Scour all college divisions for such a coach. Start the search today if you haven’t already.

I know many will say something about not caring about the style, as long as we win. And obviously winning is the primary goal…but I, for one, would NOT be excited about watching Tony Bennett style basketball. Let’s strive for an exciting brand. Up tempo maybe. Appealing to everyone, including all potential recruits.

I like McCollum right now.

 

[frikkenfrakken]

Prototype is 45 ish year old…15 ish years college head coaching experience…has won multiple conf championships, at multiple schools…has had postseason success…has never had mediocre seasons (anywhere near .500 or less)…has recruited well versus his peers…has the personality you mention…and runs an exciting style and brand of basketball. Scour all college divisions for such a coach. Start the search today if you haven’t already.

I know many will say something about not caring about the style, as long as we win. And obviously winning is the primary goal…but I, for one, would NOT be excited about watching Tony Bennett style basketball. Let’s strive for an exciting brand. Up tempo maybe. Appealing to everyone, including all potential recruits.

I like McCollum right now.

Is there any coach that actually checks off all those boxes? McCollum went 22-31 in his first two years as a coach at NW Missouri State.

 

[IUNorth]

Is there any coach that actually checks off all those boxes? McCollum went 22-31 in his first two years as a coach at NW Missouri State.

Probably not many. I know I violated my own criteria when I listed him as my favorite. And there are other question marks too, like Drake is only his 2nd head coaching position. So it remains to be seen if he can have similar success to what he had at NWMS…at a different school. But his losing seasons were his first two as a coach. And he has a pretty overwhelming record since, including conf championships, NCOY awards, tournament success…and it sure does appear his program approaches are translating to D1 level now too. And as an added bonus, he could bring Stirtz with him to get things going at IU.

 

[Chicago-bound Hoosier]

Is there any coach that actually checks off all those boxes? McCollum went 22-31 in his first two years as a coach at NW Missouri State.

There was this one guy….coached at Butler about 10 yrs ago, and…..never mind.

 

[IUNorth]

There was this one guy….coached at Butler about 10 yrs ago, and…..never mind.

If Drake wins their conference, and makes a deep tourney run, and IU doesn’t move on Woodson and go after McCollum hard…I actually might contemplate suspending my fan status.

 

[dbmhoosier]

We won't gamble on another up and coming guy.

Highly doubtful. Stevens is the only sure thing our administration would hire and he very likely isn’t leaving Boston. May is the most likely hire. Could be a home run but also very risky much like Archie.

 

[IUNorth]

Highly doubtful. Stevens is the only sure thing our administration would hire and he very likely isn’t leaving Boston. May is the most likely hire. Could be a home run but also very risky much like Archie.

May is starting to = Crean...to me. But with an IU tie in. He's building a career on 1 miraculous tourney run. Michigan is only his second job, and he was only the FAU coach for 6 years. In those 6 years, his first four were mediocre, non NCAA tournament, non conf titles...then he had the miraculous tourney run, then followed that up with a lackluster year, ending with a first round NCAA loss.

Its becoming clear the ONLY reason he's on any IU lists, at this point, was that he was a manager for RMK. I'd like to think we're past making decisions based off things like that.

Now...5 years from now...if he wins a couple B10 titles, goes to another Final Four or two...THEN...sure. But I suspect that isn't going to happen.

 

[frikkenfrakken]

There was this one guy….coached at Butler about 10 yrs ago, and…..never mind.

Nope, Stevens doesn't even qualify by those standards, because he doesnt have 15 ish years in college and his 6 years were all at one school.

Nate Oats doesn't qualify, nor does Mark Few.

Coach K, at age 45, coming off back to back championships in 90-91 and 91-92, doesn't meet those criteria.

I'm not going to search every coach in America to check, but I'm pretty sure North thinks we should hire a unicorn.

 

[IUNorth]

Nope, Stevens doesn't even qualify by those standards, because he doesnt have 15 ish years in college and his 6 years were all at one school.

Nate Oats doesn't qualify, nor does Mark Few.

Coach K, at age 45, coming off back to back championships in 90-91 and 91-92, doesn't meet those criteria.

I'm not going to search every coach in America to check, but I'm pretty sure North thinks we should hire a unicorn.

"ish"...

"prototype"...

You have to start searches, for anything, with some sort of direction. Otherwise you end up with guys like...well, like the last 5 IU basketball coaches.

 

[IU FAN IN W. NC]

Prototype is 45 ish year old…15 ish years college head coaching experience…has won multiple conf championships, at multiple schools…has had postseason success…has never had mediocre seasons (anywhere near .500 or less)…has recruited well versus his peers…has the personality you mention…and runs an exciting style and brand of basketball. Scour all college divisions for such a coach. Start the search today if you haven’t already.

I know many will say something about not caring about the style, as long as we win. And obviously winning is the primary goal…but I, for one, would NOT be excited about watching Tony Bennett style basketball. Let’s strive for an exciting brand. Up tempo maybe. Appealing to everyone, including all potential recruits.

I like McCollum right now.

Take a look AGAIN at that fellow several miles south at Louisville who I talked about a lot before they snatched him up.
Meets all the criteria, boat raced IU out of the gym and beat Carolina last night.
Mark my words he will highly succeed at the Ville. Pat Kelsey is the name. Look him up. I have watched him coach for years. He gets it!!

 

[IUNorth]

Take a look AGAIN at that fellow several miles south at Louisville who I talked about a lot before they snatched him up.
Meets all the criteria, boat raced IU out of the gym and beat Carolina last night.
Mark my words he will highly succeed at the Ville. Pat Kelsey is the name. Look him up. I have watched him coach for years. He gets it!!

He's an example of the type of coach IU should search for, locate, and hire...yes. Doesn't match all my criteria, I'm sure, but fits the general overall prototype fairly well. Kelsey isn't leaving Louisville, I'm sure. But there are others out there that would, that are similar.

I hadn't ever heard of Pat Kelsey before they destroyed us in the Bahamas. And he's turned a completely dead Louisville program, more dead than IU is right now, very nearly completely around to an NCAA tournament team with a seemingly bright future, in year 1. And he has a proven track record that he'll sustain, if not build, on that success at Louisville going forward.

 

[steelyvan]

Kelsey is another example of what can be done quickly with a dedicated college coaching staff.
But beating UNC is not that significant this season so far as they are struggling to be relevant.

 

[kkott]

Prototype is 45 ish year old…15 ish years college head coaching experience…has won multiple conf championships, at multiple schools…has had postseason success…has never had mediocre seasons (anywhere near .500 or less)…has recruited well versus his peers…has the personality you mention…and runs an exciting style and brand of basketball. Scour all college divisions for such a coach. Start the search today if you haven’t already.

I know many will say something about not caring about the style, as long as we win. And obviously winning is the primary goal…but I, for one, would NOT be excited about watching Tony Bennett style basketball. Let’s strive for an exciting brand. Up tempo maybe. Appealing to everyone, including all potential recruits.

I like McCollum right now.

Age is the least of the qualifications that should be considered to me, at least up to a point. I'd much rather have someone like Cig, who's a young 60ish, than someone like Woody, who's essentially the same age, but appears "old" in their actions and thinking. It does seem like bball is more of a physical grind than fball and churns guys up. I dated a woman who's Dad and brother were both pretty well known college coaches and she said it's accepted within the profession that college bball is just a grinder and where's coaches out, and that's why most jump to the pros, because they don't have to recruit, do the AAU stuff, deal with kids and their families and handlers, NCAA, and admin. Pros are just bball all the time. So in that regard, a younger guy is probably more likely but if there's a 60 something candidate who thinks and acts young, I think that shouldn't disqualify them.

 

[IUNorth]

Age is the least of the qualifications that should be considered to me, at least up to a point. I'd much rather have someone like Cig, who's a young 60ish, than someone like Woody, who's essentially the same age, but appears "old" in their actions and thinking. It does seem like bball is more of a physical grind than fball and churns guys up. I dated a woman who's Dad and brother were both pretty well known college coaches and she said it's accepted within the profession that college bball is just a grinder and where's coaches out, and that's why most jump to the pros, because they don't have to recruit, do the AAU stuff, deal with kids and their families and handlers, NCAA, and admin. Pros are just bball all the time. So in that regard, a younger guy is probably more likely but if there's a 60 something candidate who thinks and acts young, I think that shouldn't disqualify them.

I have been listing Jim Crutchfield in my various random lists of coaches to look at. He's in his...late 60s maybe...and honestly, I do think that's too old for this next search. But man, he sure is an intriguing guy the more I read about him. His first head coaching job was actually as a tennis coach at a D2 college. He won big at that, then became the mens bball coach at the same school, immediately started winning big. Then went to a different D2 school, is winning big there. That's a guy that obviously has a handle on leading college aged athletes. I just think there are probably enough guys like Kelsey, or McCollum, that are 20 "ish" years younger than him, that Dolson and company should focus more on.