Buzz Williams leaving Marquette for VA Tech

[Dave_2010]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24495020/virginia-tech-targeting-marquettes-buzz-williams-to-be-next-coach

According to CBS, Ben Howland appears to be a strong candidate for the opening. However, this is the first opening over the past few seasons that seems like a very good fit for Bryce. Nationally relevant school in a major conference, basketball-first school (that routinely outdraws the Bucks in Milwaukee), private institution run by the Jesuits, close enough where he can maintain/strengthen his current recruiting relationships.

I was never particularly worried about the rumors re: Mississippi State, Tulsa, or DePaul, nor have seen Bryce's name at all linked to the Marquette job. This just seems like a case where I could see good reasons for interest by both parties.

Hopefully I'm just being paranoid...thoughts?

[usc4valpo]

After this season, I would not be too worried about Bryce leaving.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Especially when the alternative is Ben Howland.

Did I express my disbelief that VA got a 1 seed anywhere yet?  Because I need to have it registered somewhere and soon.

[Chairback]

If he goes, then goodbye. I'm over it.

[a3uge]

I wouldn't worry about it.

[Pgmado]

He isn't going anywhere.

[VU75]

Wonder if  Wardle will be considered?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Good Lord, I hope they consider him.

...I mean, can you imagine what he would say/do to them if they told him no thanks?

[valpotx]

No way that a school with a solid basketball history hires Bryce away after this season.  He will need another season like last year to EVER be considered for a Marquette or Wake Forest

[FWalum]

I know that Baylor was in a different situation, but what in the world had Scott done to be considered for the Baylor job?  And if anybody says he was a great recruiter that will really be funny.  Bryce's resume blows Scott's away if you compare them at the same time in their lives, as first year head coaches.

[wh]

As I've said a few dozen times before, VU men's basketball is living on borrowed time due to the administration's ongoing refusal to address facility needs. Every Valpo fan/alumnus should thank their lucky stars for Bryce and his ability to succeed despite the lack of support he needs and deserves. The day Bryce leaves is the day the music died. Anyone who thinks Greg Tonagel or anyone else can waltz in here and recruit the way Bryce has with a glorified high school gym for facilities is kidding themselves.

Oh, no need to remind me of the never ending, always changing list of critical facility needs "far" more important than upgrading the ARC. I understand. Difficult choices sometimes have to be made. I only hope the the administration understands that remaining competitive is no different for the men's basketball program than for the science program, or a restaurant, or any other business venture.  If you fail to invest in facilities comparable to those of your competitors, you will not remain competitive. This is an indisputable fact.

Thus, like it, don't like it, care, don't care, believe it or don't, it is where we're headed beginning the day Bryce Drew leaves - the day the music died.

[historyman]

I know that Baylor was in a different situation, but what in the world had Scott done to be considered for the Baylor job?  And if anybody says he was a great recruiter that will really be funny.  Bryce's resume blows Scott's away if you compare them at the same time in their lives, as first year head coaches.

At the time Scott was hired by Baylor he was promoted by Tim Floyd who had got to know the Drews when Floyd was head coach of the Bulls and Bryce was playing for the Bulls. It was Tim Floyd who was helping the Baylor decision makers find someone who had the reputation of building a program the "right" way.

[vu72]

As I've said a few dozen times before, VU men's basketball is living on borrowed time due to the administration's ongoing refusal to address facility needs. Every Valpo fan/alumnus should thank their lucky stars for Bryce and his ability to succeed despite the lack of support he needs and deserves. The day Bryce leaves is the day the music died. Anyone who thinks Greg Tonnagel or anyone else can waltz in here and recruit the way Bryce has with a glorified high school gym for facilities is kidding themselves.

Oh, no need to remind me of the never ending, always changing list of critical facility needs "far" more important than upgrading the ARC. I understand. Difficult choices sometimes have to be made. I only hope the the administration understands that remaining competitive is no different for the men's basketball program than for the science program, or a restaurant, or any other business venture.  If you fail to invest in facilities comparable to those of your competitors, you will not remain competitive. This is an indisputable fact.

Thus, like it, don't like it, care, don't care, believe it or don't, it is where we're headed beginning the day Bryce Drew leaves - the day the music died.

Love ya wh, but facilities won't keep Bryce here if he wants to leave.  When you're making say, 250k and somebody offers 2 mil, we could have brand new everything and he would be gone.

[VULB#62]

As I've said a few dozen times before, VU men's basketball is living on borrowed time due to the administration's ongoing refusal to address facility needs. Every Valpo fan/alumnus should thank their lucky stars for Bryce and his ability to succeed despite the lack of support he needs and deserves. The day Bryce leaves is the day the music died. Anyone who thinks Greg Tonnagel or anyone else can waltz in here and recruit the way Bryce has with a glorified high school gym for facilities is kidding themselves.

Oh, no need to remind me of the never ending, always changing list of critical facility needs "far" more important than upgrading the ARC. I understand. Difficult choices sometimes have to be made. I only hope the the administration understands that remaining competitive is no different for the men's basketball program than for the science program, or a restaurant, or any other business venture.  If you fail to invest in facilities comparable to those of your competitors, you will not remain competitive. This is an indisputable fact. Thus, like it, don't like it, care, don't care, believe it or don't, it is where we're headed beginning the day Bryce Drew leaves.

      

And I might add that academic competition does not reveal itself on a nationally televised crawler whenever a VU chemistry professor achieves an academic breakthrough or a VU law professor comes up with a new precedent.  FGCU and Butler are testimonies to the fact that if you win (and being able to recruit to a good facility is an integral part of that), good things happen to the athletic program BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, to the university.  FGCU is still leveraging last year's exposure like we never did when 'the shot' went viral.  But that's water under the bridge.  Hope our present administration sees the value of a Dayton going so deep this year and the PR Mercer (I hate them for what they did in football) got for their upset of Duke.  Those southern schools may appear to be slow, but they know how to leverage athletic publicity.

ADDITION to respond to 72: But an upgraded facility might help to convince Bryce that he should stay longer (or make him think twice).

[milanmiracle]

As I've said a few dozen times before, VU men's basketball is living on borrowed time due to the administration's ongoing refusal to address facility needs. Every Valpo fan/alumnus should thank their lucky stars for Bryce and his ability to succeed despite the lack of support he needs and deserves. The day Bryce leaves is the day the music died. Anyone who thinks Greg Tonnagel or anyone else can waltz in here and recruit the way Bryce has with a glorified high school gym for facilities is kidding themselves.

Oh, no need to remind me of the never ending, always changing list of critical facility needs "far" more important than upgrading the ARC. I understand. Difficult choices sometimes have to be made. I only hope the the administration understands that remaining competitive is no different for the men's basketball program than for the science program, or a restaurant, or any other business venture.  If you fail to invest in facilities comparable to those of your competitors, you will not remain competitive. This is an indisputable fact.

Thus, like it, don't like it, care, don't care, believe it or don't, it is where we're headed beginning the day Bryce Drew leaves - the day the music died.

I completely agree Valpo is living on borrowed time. I can't believe that VU didn't do more to capitalize on the success of the sweet 16 run, but alas, they didn't. 16 years later and they're still in the Mid Con (call it the Horizon if you'd like, but it's all members were in the Mid Con at one point), playing basically the same teams, for a middling league (anybody notice the Summit won a game with N. Dakota St. with the same NCAA tournament results.

Let's call a spade a spade. The reason VU made it to the Sweet 16 was they had Indiana Mr. Basketball on the roster and a future NBA player. Do you see any Indiana Mr. Basketballs waking through that door anytime soon? I don't. They have 2 NCAA tournament wins all time, both of those were because of Mr. Basketball. Additionally, Butler ran with their opportunity (yes, back to back NT games is MUCH better than 1 NCAA Sweet 16) instead of plodding along without ambition to be anything more than what they were in the past. I still say joining the Horizon had much more to do with travel than upgrading the level of competition (whatever the reason it wasn't a bad move).

All that being said, if Bryce does indeed leave, VU has one more answer in Tonagel and then...um.... (insert crickets).

*I don't think the recruiting would drop off any if Greg Tonagel was the coach. The players he's recruited to IWU are amazing considering the level they're competing.

[VULB#62]

I completely agree Valpo is living on borrowed time. I can't believe that VU didn't do more to capitalize on the success of the sweet 16 run, but alas, they didn't. 16 years later and they're still in the Mid Con (call it the Horizon if you'd like, but it's all members were in the Mid Con at one point), playing basically the same teams, for a middling league (anybody notice the Summit won a game with N. Dakota St. with the same NCAA tournament results.

Let's call a spade a spade. The reason VU made it to the Sweet 16 was they had Indiana Mr. Basketball on the roster and a future NBA player. Do you see any Indiana Mr. Basketballs waking through that door anytime soon? I don't. They have 2 NCAA tournament wins all time, both of those were because of Mr. Basketball. Additionally, Butler ran with their opportunity (yes, back to back NT games is MUCH better than 1 NCAA Sweet 16) instead of plodding along without ambition to be anything more than what they were in the past. I still say joining the Horizon had much more to do with travel than upgrading the level of competition (whatever the reason it wasn't a bad move).

All that being said, if Bryce does indeed leave, VU has one more answer in Tonagel and then...um.... (insert crickets).

*I don't think the recruiting would drop off any if Greg Tonagel was the coach. The players he's recruited to IWU are amazing considering the level they're competing.

In today's world commitment is not a verbal thing -- action is what counts.  Announce a two (three?) year fundraising program to upgrade the ARC.  Plan it so that incremental improvements are immediately visible each year.  But get started ASAP.

In retrospect, it's pretty clear why VU didn't get the  MVC bid and Loyola did -- lip service (30 year plan) vs. action (Gentile Center - and of course Chicago).  But what if there was a first class ARC renovation on the drawing boards with a 2-3 year go-live?  Heck, Valpo is practically a Chicago suburb.  The market is there if we win -- and we're getting the Chicago kids. 

[vu72]

I completely agree Valpo is living on borrowed time. I can't believe that VU didn't do more to capitalize on the success of the sweet 16 run, but alas, they didn't. 16 years later and they're still in the Mid Con (call it the Horizon if you'd like, but it's all members were in the Mid Con at one point), playing basically the same teams, for a middling league (anybody notice the Summit won a game with N. Dakota St. with the same NCAA tournament results.

Let's call a spade a spade. The reason VU made it to the Sweet 16 was they had Indiana Mr. Basketball on the roster and a future NBA player. Do you see any Indiana Mr. Basketballs waking through that door anytime soon? I don't. They have 2 NCAA tournament wins all time, both of those were because of Mr. Basketball. Additionally, Butler ran with their opportunity (yes, back to back NT games is MUCH better than 1 NCAA Sweet 16) instead of plodding along without ambition to be anything more than what they were in the past. I still say joining the Horizon had much more to do with travel than upgrading the level of competition (whatever the reason it wasn't a bad move).

All that being said, if Bryce does indeed leave, VU has one more answer in Tonagel and then...um.... (insert crickets).

*I don't think the recruiting would drop off any if Greg Tonagel was the coach. The players he's recruited to IWU are amazing considering the level they're competing.

In today's world commitment is not a verbal thing -- action is what counts.  Announce a two (three?) year fundraising program to upgrade the ARC.  Plan it so that incremental improvements are immediately visible each year.  But get started ASAP.

In retrospect, it's pretty clear why VU didn't get the  MVC bid and Loyola did -- lip service (30 year plan) vs. action (Gentile Center - and of course Chicago).  But what if there was a first class ARC renovation on the drawing boards with a 2-3 year go-live?  Heck, Valpo is practically a Chicago suburb.  The market is there if we win -- and we're getting the Chicago kids. 

Loyola didn't get the MVC bid because of the Gentile Center or their track (they don't have one!). The Gentile Center seats 500 less then our ARC.  They got it because of some research that said that having a present in Chicago would help their league.

As for Butler parlaying their success into much bigger things, I agree.  However, they are at risk of becoming  a bottom dweller in the CATHBUT league and, although they will receive a large amount of money, money alone won't attract winning kids.  Ask DePaul.  Part of, and it may be a big part of, why we have attracted the recruits we have has as much to do with winning and the notion that as a player winning gets you to post season play.  Obviously Coach Drew and Powell et al have been a big part of it, but winning the conference two years running must have helped as well.  Facilities don't win games--ask Loyola. Butler had some pretty old, run down facilities--although historical--which they are currently raising money to improve, but did their winning with a few key recruits and great coaching.

Look, I'm all for cushy seats, more rest rooms and better concessions. I just don't think we should all think if we drop 10 mil on the ARC that it will assure us that Bryce retires at Valpo or that we will be invited to some bigger conference

[usc4valpo]

62 - you are my hero and I agree with your comments, but dude, you need to get off your beef on Mercer leaving the bogus Pioneer football conference.   Mercer used the Pioneer conference as a preparatory experience before moving to better competition.  They built wonderful facilities, have a great product going and moved on.  If football is important to their total portfolio, and they give football scholarship money, then who can blame them.  Remember, football in the Pioneer conference is lowest end of Div I-AA college football.


As for the facilities - is Valpo that strapped for cash?  It's been 30 years and it's time for an upgrade.  Clean up and expand the ARC to 7000.  If Butler, Drake and Evansville can do it, why can't Valpo? In the future, I would like to see Valpo move up to the Valley or a higher level conference.  We should always prepare for bigger opportunities and not think small all the time - when Valpo does this it drives me nuts. 


Also, if Bryce Drew leaves, Valpo is in big trouble.  In reality, this team met expectations - the Senior class was weak, and their best players will return.  Bryce learned a lot this year, which is not a bad thing.

[usc4valpo]

"As for Butler parlaying their success into much bigger things, I agree.  However, they are at risk of becoming  a bottom dweller in the CATHBUT league and, although they will receive a large amount of money, money alone won't attract winning kids.  Ask DePaul.  Part of, and it may be a big part of, why we have attracted the recruits we have has as much to do with winning and the notion that as a player winning gets you to post season play.  Obviously Coach Drew and Powell et al have been a big part of it, but winning the conference two years running must have helped as well.  Facilities don't win games--ask Loyola. Butler had some pretty old, run down facilities--although historical--which they are currently raising money to improve, but did their winning with a few key recruits and great coaching.

Look, I'm all for cushy seats, more rest rooms and better concessions. I just don't think we should all think if we drop 10 mil on the ARC that it will assure us that Bryce retires at Valpo or that we will be invited to some bigger conference "

DePaul problems are very complicated since the late 80's.  Joey Meyer was there way too long and there was a nepotism issue.  The fan base gradually dropped because of this.  They are afraid to face Illinois and for awhile UIC.  The Allstate Arena is a generic dump and is a haul away from campus.  Top kids out of Chicago are leaving the area and Illinois.  And in reality, Chicago is very much a below average college basketball town.

As for dropping 10 mil, assuming Bryce Drew will retire at Valpo is not a wise assumption, especially with the current state of college basketball.  You are certainly correct on the conference - we need to step up to the Valley or an equivalent competitive conference.

[valpopal]

First of all, I agree with Pgmado, who wrote that Bryce "isn't going anywhere." All indications are that Bryce has decided to stay at Valpo for the near future at least.

He feels an affection for Valparaiso. He wants to be close to his parents, who have had their well-known health issues. His wife is expecting their first child. He just signed a long-term contract. He has his own first recruiting class that he would like to develop for the next few years. I think Bryce feels an attachment to this year's group of freshmen. Bryce doesn't seem to be the kind of person for whom the money and prestige an upper-level conference school can offer would be everything. In my admittedly limited dealings with Bryce, I believe he is the type of person who thinks his family, faith, and friends are most important.

Now, could an offer arise that he couldn't refuse, something like the head coaching position of the Boston Celtics (or in Bryce's case, the Chicago Bulls)? Not likely. Would he be the first choice of some large universities close to home, ie. Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame? Not likely.

In any case, as much as I always have admired and liked Tonagel, if Bryce somehow did leave for another opportunity, I believe the university's first choice to replace him is sitting on the Valpo bench—Coach Powell (unless by that time he has already been hired as head coach at another program). Powell is already respected and considered an excellent recruiter by many. He also seems to be a person of high character. After Powell, then Tonagel enters the picture as a possible candidate. 

[a3uge]

As I've said a few dozen times before, VU men's basketball is living on borrowed time due to the administration's ongoing refusal to address facility needs. Every Valpo fan/alumnus should thank their lucky stars for Bryce and his ability to succeed despite the lack of support he needs and deserves. The day Bryce leaves is the day the music died. Anyone who thinks Greg Tonnagel or anyone else can waltz in here and recruit the way Bryce has with a glorified high school gym for facilities is kidding themselves.

Oh, no need to remind me of the never ending, always changing list of critical facility needs "far" more important than upgrading the ARC. I understand. Difficult choices sometimes have to be made. I only hope the the administration understands that remaining competitive is no different for the men's basketball program than for the science program, or a restaurant, or any other business venture.  If you fail to invest in facilities comparable to those of your competitors, you will not remain competitive. This is an indisputable fact.

Thus, like it, don't like it, care, don't care, believe it or don't, it is where we're headed beginning the day Bryce Drew leaves - the day the music died.

I completely agree Valpo is living on borrowed time. I can't believe that VU didn't do more to capitalize on the success of the sweet 16 run, but alas, they didn't. 16 years later and they're still in the Mid Con (call it the Horizon if you'd like, but it's all members were in the Mid Con at one point), playing basically the same teams, for a middling league (anybody notice the Summit won a game with N. Dakota St. with the same NCAA tournament results.

Let's join the Southland because someone in that league won a tourney game!

Seriously what the hell do you expect of Valpo? Magically join the A10? Join the Big East? The B1G 10? Since the Sweet 16 run they jumped up to a 1-2 bid geographically sane league with a much higher conference RPI. The only other option would be to be magically invited to the MVC, another 1-2 bid league. Except travel times would be longer and we'd have to upset Wichita State in the conference tournament to make the dance. Sounds fun!

Its absolutely ridiculous how people on here think we're somehow too good for this league and how terrible it is that the league consists of teams that were in the MidCon 20 years ago. Whats the alternative? We should've stayed in the Summit because North Dakota State won a tourney game? We should've jumped up to the A10 by now? Since the Sweet 16 year Valpo consistently won the league to jump up a conference. Before the Sweet 16 year, Wright State, CSU, UWM, UWGB, etc had already left, so if you're going to be disappointed at our conference situation, you might as well blame the guys from 20 years ago.

As for the facilities - I'd agree with wh, but I'm not 100% convinced the program is screwed forever, but in order to take this program to the next level, were going to have to invest some money in facilities upgrades. Unfortunately we might just need to hope that an alumni is actually a sports fan. The Christophers and the likes aren't the mid major basketball fans like us.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[oklahomamick]

Its absolutely ridiculous how people on here think we're somehow too good for this league and how terrible it is that the league consists of teams that were in the MidCon 20 years ago

I don't think we are too good for the HL, but disappointed in the HL that we lost Butler and Loyola and gained Oakland.  I dislike we are in a league with state-commuter schools who don't share the same academic values, student body, endowment or the same type of fan following as we do. 
(Feels good to get it off my chest....I say it every time we are losing a conference game). 

I like the proximately of the conference and the HL network.  HL is ahead of our old position in terms of travel and rpi.  That's it. 

What can we do about it besides express our displeasure and/or disappointment on our fan blog?

[a3uge]

Its absolutely ridiculous how people on here think we're somehow too good for this league and how terrible it is that the league consists of teams that were in the MidCon 20 years ago

I don't think we are too good for the HL, but disappointed in the HL that we lost Butler and Loyola and gained Oakland.  I dislike we are in a league with state-commuter schools who don't share the same academic values, student body, endowment or the same type of fan following as we do. 
(Feels good to get it off my chest....I say it every time we are losing a conference game). 

I like the proximately of the conference and the HL network.  HL is ahead of our old position in terms of travel and rpi.  That's it. 

What can we do about it besides express our displeasure and/or disappointment on our fan blog?

There is no alternative right now. We're not going to the MVC. We can't replace Butler because there's no more midwestern schools to add. Would it be cool to be in a conference full of Midwestern private schools with 4k students? Sure, but that doesn't exist and never will. So I'm not going to be frustrated we're not in a conference that doesn't exist.

[milanmiracle]

Let's join the Southland because someone in that league won a tourney game!

Seriously what the hell do you expect of Valpo? Magically join the A10? Join the Big East? The B1G 10? Since the Sweet 16 run they jumped up to a 1-2 bid geographically sane league with a much higher conference RPI. The only other option would be to be magically invited to the MVC, another 1-2 bid league. Except travel times would be longer and we'd have to upset Wichita State in the conference tournament to make the dance. Sounds fun!

Its absolutely ridiculous how people on here think we're somehow too good for this league and how terrible it is that the league consists of teams that were in the MidCon 20 years ago. Whats the alternative? We should've stayed in the Summit because North Dakota State won a tourney game? We should've jumped up to the A10 by now? Since the Sweet 16 year Valpo consistently won the league to jump up a conference. Before the Sweet 16 year, Wright State, CSU, UWM, UWGB, etc had already left, so if you're going to be disappointed at our conference situation, you might as well blame the guys from 20 years ago.

As for the facilities - I'd agree with wh, but I'm not 100% convinced the program is screwed forever, but in order to take this program to the next level, were going to have to invest some money in facilities upgrades. Unfortunately we might just need to hope that an alumni is actually a sports fan. The Christophers and the likes aren't the mid major basketball fans like us.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I think you missed my point. It's not that Valpo should have joined any particular league, but the fact that they're playing in basically the same league, with the same facilities, with the same general status quo approach. The brand didn't grow, nor is it going to grow either. The reality is Valpo is in the same spot they were in 1997, with less NCAA tournament exposure and Mr. Basketball isn't walking through that door anytime soon.

There was a lot of trashing of the Summit League and talk of how much better the Horizon League would be for Valpo and seeding in the NCAA's if they got in. Last year Valpo was a 14 seed out of the Horizon League vs. South Dakota State getting a 13 seed. This year it was  12 seed for North Dakota State. Valpo's Sweet 16 run was as a 13 seed. Point being, neither conference is that fantastic and the difference between the two is marginal at best. Mid Con, Summit League, Horizon League, OVC, ect...they're all pretty much the same thing with a different logo.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

and some people also think that walmart and target are the same stores with different logos.