My preferred choice for Mens BB Head Coach

[snoscythe]

This would be the guy at the top of my list--and I know he's interested in coaching in college.

[snoscythe]

and FWIW, I think Jeff Judkins would be a last-resort hire for the mens top spot.

[hawkwing]

Last resort for you, or last resort for BYU?

[Gunk]

Does Mark have any coaching experience? I'm leery of hiring coaches with no experience.

[byufan4ever]

Does Mark have any coaching experience? I'm leery of hiring coaches with no experience.

He's currently an assistant coach for the Lakers and could be out of a job soon...

[byufan4ever]

This would be the guy at the top of my list--and I know he's interested in coaching in college.

Just curios - what about him do you like and would make him a successful head coach?

[Gunk]

Does Mark have any coaching experience? I'm leery of hiring coaches with no experience.

He's currently an assistant coach for the Lakers and could be out of a job soon...

I had no idea.

Yeah, he should ditch that train wreck before Lebron creates even more of a scene.

[EM_Puma]

Honestly when Dave Rose was hired, I was told by a former college basketball coach that was in my ward at the time that he didn't think much of the hire. I believe Dave proved him wrong and has been great for the program, but I said in a post last week that I don't understand why he doesn't retire (I'm 11 days older). He has a beautiful condo on a golf course in St. George, about 2 or 3 up from my parents. I'd go on to enjoy life more if I had his money.

The 3 names that have been thrown around, Pope, Jensen or Madsen all seem to me to be viable candidates. You need someone who has the hunger more than Dave does of late. Juddy is a good man and descent coach, but I don't see the fire in him either. I don't think you can coach women's BB for so many years and then leap into mens. Not because he doesn't have the knowledge, but more on the issue of being hungry to excel.

[snoscythe]

I don't think Juddy lacks fire, I just think the women's game and the men's game are fundamentally different in strategy and style of play. I also think the amount of time he has spent in the women's arena leaves him with almost zero recruiting, scouting, or pro-level history or connections in the mens game--he would have to build all those relationships from scratch.

There's a reason Geno Auriemma is never leaving UCONN. The only thing common are the basic rules. Other than that, there's too much divergence to make a cross-over anything more than a leap of faith. I also don't think Rose could be as successful with the women's program if he were to jump into Juddy's shoes.

[CrimsonCoug]

Mark Madsen was my AP on my mission. He was a fantastic leader, even as a very young man--I think he served in that position for 15 months or so. I have tons of respect for him.
He's also extremely bright. He got into Stanford in his own merits and excelled there.

My only hesitation is whether he'd be willing to let himself get passionate on the court in front of the cameras. As I've watched his career closely for a long time, I can tell you he's a real sweet man. I honestly don't know if he has the fire to get into a ref's face or to bark at his players. Granted, my closest experiences with him was when he was trying to be more lamb than lion--he refused to play basketball on his mission because he didn't want to get competitive. Hope I'm wrong, but he might be too nice. I feel awful even suggesting that.

But I have personally seen his remarkable natural gifts as a tremendous leader for the age of young men on a basketball team. He'd be a great recruiter. He makes you want to be with him--even for someone with a fierce independent streak. He genuinely cares about people; I think the number of transfers and early exits would go down precipitously. He knows from personal experience how to work back from a mission. And he has a final four and a few NBA rings to his name. Not bad.