Big Ten Discussion

Yes, 2017.

Right. A Northwestern assistant isnā€™t getting a high major head coaching job.

Ah, the shifting sands of internet debate. Not sure if youā€™re making a counter-point, but you didnā€™t specify high-major originally.

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You are correct. I mentioned it at the beginning but not at the end. Let confusion reign.

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Remember, he was head coach at Wright State for six years before his brief sojourn in Ann Arbor. So heā€™s gone from a team with a moderate history of success in the Horizon League to one thatā€™s never done anything but change conferences (itā€™s in the WAC now - who knew?). I assume Donlon thought he was Collinsā€™ successor in waiting at Northwestern; now it looks much less likely that his boss will leave Evanston voluntarily, so heā€™s taking a chance on what may be the only head coaching job offer heā€™ll get.

My understanding is that Donlon has always really wanted to get back to being a head coach. Not surprised at all that he would take a gig like this. I donā€™t think he planned on waiting around to replace Chris Collins at Northwestern.

He did kind of get hosed at Wright State. Everyone but the AD there thought he was doing a good job.

I donā€™t think waiting around was part of the plan - Collins was supposed to get a plum offer in 2018, after leading Northwestern to back-to-back NCAA tournaments. Didnā€™t quite work out that way.

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Not the case that Donlon went to Northwestern to be Collinsā€™ successor. he went for personal reasons. He has always wanted to get back to being a head coach sooner rather than later, and never intended to wait for Collins to leave, or expected to be his successor. I am not speculating or reading tea leaves on thisā€“I know this is the case from an unimpeachable source.

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It does seem like a guy that got hosed at an HC gig he was doing fairly well at could bounce back from that setback better than Donlan has done. No idea why myself.

Okay - so it wasnā€™t the plan, just a remote possibility. Since Donlon evidently no longer has personal reasons to be in Chicago, he and his family have my best wishes and sympathy. Hope he does well in Kansas City.

Billy has gotten married since he moved to Chicago (to someone he met after he got here) and his wife just gave birth to their child last week. Some of the personal reasons he moved here are no longer extant, or are at least under control. Good guyā€“hope it works for him.

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This is interesting because basically everyone is saying that Hoiberg will be the next coach.

I had no idea who that was so I looked at OSUā€™s roster on KenPom and noticed a very interesting thing: this guy shot more FTs (55) than FGs (47) this past season in only 12.2% of available minutes. Dude was a garbage time king!

Also interestingly his highest KP comparison was DeShawn Simsā€™s freshman season.

Was a hyped younger athlete in Houston area. I believe he was offered by Kentucky early in HS career and didnā€™t get a ton better. Was very surprised he signed with OSU in the first place.

Maishe Dailey transferring from Iowa.

Not real surprising there. Didnā€™t play much this year and with only Baer graduating plus the arrival of the second McCaffery brother, PT was probably going to be even harder to come by.

Based on everyone they have coming back for next season, Iowa should be really good. Weā€™ll see, though.

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I swear I think every year they will be real good. Then they donā€™t defendā€¦ever.

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