Collins to Villanova rumors
- Thread starter Baz=Heisman
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Seems like things are moving quickly. Mark Jackson needs to make this happen. Collins has all the leverage. You are building the richest football stadium in college sports. The money has to be there. Pay the man. Please. Don’t want to see where this programs heads if he leaves. Would love to know what is actually going on. X Guru always seems to know.
A great way for Mark Jackson to become the most disliked AD since Gragg! Hopefully he isn’t out of town…..
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It would be an unreal fail for Jackson. Seeing his last hire at Villanova is concerning.
At this point it is likely about more than money. CCC likely has enough of that and can get more if he decides to move (or in a contract renewal. At this point it likely depends more on CCCs goals and where he feels he can accomplish them. Does he want to stay in Chicago area and build a solid program? Does he want to try for NCAA Championship? If he wants to stay in Chicago and having job security and potentially putting together a solid perennial tourney team is what he wants to develop then he needs the accommodations to accomplish that but it can be done at NU.. But if his goals are higher and he yearns for lifting Championship trophy it becomes a lot tougher at NU unless some really significant accommodations (not sure that he can get them at NU)are made. He is 50 years old so this is one of the last times he would have to make a move that could accomplish that, If that is his goal, he is gonna be hard to keep.
For all the talk of greatness, I think CCC has gone from subpar to a very good coach flirting with greatness. Seems like a HOF former coach really built his career and his reputation by taking an inconsequential academic school in a power conference and turning them into an annual national powerhouse. So, if he has enough money, then looks like a great time to leverage his power for other things.
I would think it would be quite compelling to approach AD for a modest extension with little in pay raise. Rather a demand of a certain number of academic exemptions. As a former schollie athlete, I know the ad closely monitors academic progress and has tons of support in place. So if ccc starts producing bad STUDENT athletes, then at next turn, you reduce those exemptions and dare him to go.
But for now, I think it wise to trust ccc and the impressive athletic educational support system in play. And for ccc, this and some more nil opens the opportunity to achieve his mentor’s level.
I would think it would be quite compelling to approach AD for a modest extension with little in pay raise. Rather a demand of a certain number of academic exemptions. As a former schollie athlete, I know the ad closely monitors academic progress and has tons of support in place. So if ccc starts producing bad STUDENT athletes, then at next turn, you reduce those exemptions and dare him to go.
But for now, I think it wise to trust ccc and the impressive athletic educational support system in play. And for ccc, this and some more nil opens the opportunity to achieve his mentor’s level.
If I’m CCC, I want more NIL $$ and more academic leniency on transfers.
I think if you checked you would find that DUKE had a pretty good history even before coach K. Not necessarily National Championships but final fours and runner ups under Bubas and even our own Bill Foster (a bunch of that time was during the period of UCLA dominance)
First serious smoke from a verified source that I've seen in this article, the headline of which is about UCLA's Mic Cronin becoming a dark horse contender for Villanova
www.nj.com
The article goes on to say Cronin and Collins are viewed as the top two contenders for the job, according to multiple close sources, then lists a several options under consideration but behind Collins/Cronin. Cronin has a contract over $4 million with a $16 million buyout, so if Villanova is truly serious about being able to land him then Jackson needs to be prepared to up Collins' contract substantially.
There are few details beyond that regarding Collins, including if he is interested or not, how serious talks are, etc., other than just those are the coaches that the school is currently most interested in.
So there is a very real threat here.
A big-name dark horse is in the mix for the Villanova coaching opening
A big-name dark house is in the mix for the Villanova coaching opening
The article goes on to say Cronin and Collins are viewed as the top two contenders for the job, according to multiple close sources, then lists a several options under consideration but behind Collins/Cronin. Cronin has a contract over $4 million with a $16 million buyout, so if Villanova is truly serious about being able to land him then Jackson needs to be prepared to up Collins' contract substantially.
There are few details beyond that regarding Collins, including if he is interested or not, how serious talks are, etc., other than just those are the coaches that the school is currently most interested in.
So there is a very real threat here.
So why would a guy leave UCLA to go to NOVA???First serious smoke from a verified source that I've seen in this article, the headline of which is about UCLA's Mic Cronin becoming a dark horse contender for Villanova
A big-name dark horse is in the mix for the Villanova coaching opening
A big-name dark house is in the mix for the Villanova coaching opening
The article goes on to say Cronin and Collins are viewed as the top two contenders for the job, according to multiple close sources, then lists a several options under consideration but behind Collins/Cronin. Cronin has a contract over $4 million with a $16 million buyout, so if Villanova is truly serious about being able to land him then Jackson needs to be prepared to up Collins' contract substantially.
There are few details beyond that regarding Collins, including if he is interested or not, how serious talks are, etc., other than just those are the coaches that the school is currently most interested in.
So there is a very real threat here.
Cronin complains about the west coast big ten team having to travel so much. He complains about it all the time.
So it seems like we just wait for news to drop now? This is an uncomfortable position (for us fans)
Damn right we did.
Our admin apparently does not.
Unfortunately even after disabling my ad blocker I cannot read the Collins article. Hope NU can convince him to stay !
Everything I've read from Nova fans is that the guy writing it is not particularly reliable, anyway.
Doesn’t seem like the people who cover Northwestern are keeping close tabs but a lot of the national guys have had it on their paid premium sites for a few days.
Nova’s first choice is Cronin and he desperately wants out of the UCLA job. The move to the Big Ten made that job a lot harder. He wants Nova. UCLA is expecting to take a reduced buyout to let him walk so they can replace him with someone who’s more content with coaching a West Coast team in the Big Ten (Not Collins… expectation is Todd Golden. Golden wants out of Florida and would be happy at Texas or UCLA). Obviously things could change but that’s the expectation for all involved - will happen as soon as UCLA’s season ends.
Nova’s fallback option is Ryan Odom. That’s who the boosters are behind if they can’t get Cronin.
IU has DeVries in their back pocket, but they’re making some final big swings at their top targets. Since DeVries is available now that his season is over, that is expected to put time pressure on IU. They’ll likely wrap up in the next day and announce him if they get turned down by their final Hail Mary chances (no, Collins is not on that list. Theyre going after a couple of really big names still coaching in the tourney).
Disclaimer: obviously things can change and these are very fluid situations but that’s the consensus on the current status among national reporters who cover the sport.
Nova’s first choice is Cronin and he desperately wants out of the UCLA job. The move to the Big Ten made that job a lot harder. He wants Nova. UCLA is expecting to take a reduced buyout to let him walk so they can replace him with someone who’s more content with coaching a West Coast team in the Big Ten (Not Collins… expectation is Todd Golden. Golden wants out of Florida and would be happy at Texas or UCLA). Obviously things could change but that’s the expectation for all involved - will happen as soon as UCLA’s season ends.
Nova’s fallback option is Ryan Odom. That’s who the boosters are behind if they can’t get Cronin.
IU has DeVries in their back pocket, but they’re making some final big swings at their top targets. Since DeVries is available now that his season is over, that is expected to put time pressure on IU. They’ll likely wrap up in the next day and announce him if they get turned down by their final Hail Mary chances (no, Collins is not on that list. Theyre going after a couple of really big names still coaching in the tourney).
Disclaimer: obviously things can change and these are very fluid situations but that’s the consensus on the current status among national reporters who cover the sport.
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1) Thanks to @Vassar69 for the nice summary.
2) The ok-but-not-great NU source tells me Jackson and Collins get along well. He believes this is a play for an extension by CC's agent and it will work out in the end.
3) But if Mick Cronin is in play ... hmmmmm? Don't ask me if I'd sacrifice CC for Cronin. You may not like the answer. If I were Jackson, I'd put in a call juuuuuuuuuuust in case.
2) The ok-but-not-great NU source tells me Jackson and Collins get along well. He believes this is a play for an extension by CC's agent and it will work out in the end.
3) But if Mick Cronin is in play ... hmmmmm? Don't ask me if I'd sacrifice CC for Cronin. You may not like the answer. If I were Jackson, I'd put in a call juuuuuuuuuuust in case.
Mick Cronin is a midwestern guy. He grew up in Cincinnati where his dad was a HS basketball coach. He got his start at the University of Cincinnati as their film guy before becoming an assistant at Louisville and then back to UC as head coach where he did a really nice job. The last time UC was really relevant was under Cronin.
Losing CC would suck, but if we turned right around and got Cronin to come here, that wouldn't be so devastating. Would be a long shot though...
I think the TLDR is: potential landing spots listed by NU fans seem unlikely as he’s not near the top of their wishlists. So in the event that he was interested in a new opportunity, there may not be a good opportunity available that wouldn’t be a lateral move or step down.
Obviously coaching carousel is dynamic. More jobs will open up, and candidates will come off the board, etc. So that could theoretically impact Collins, but seems unlikely.
Think Cronin is not in play for NU. Allegedly he’d like to go to Nova. He’s interested in IU but I think they’re not interested. If Florida opens up as expected, I’d imagine he will want to go there. I don’t think Cronin would leave UCLA unless he was getting one of his top choices.
But why would Cronin come to NU? Wouldn't same issues be in play or just fewer because we are more centrally located? And at UCLA, they have a history of success and pathway to trophies that NU would have a hard time duplicating, THat said if he were to come, that Spanish center that they have would be an interesting addition.
Yeah I mean this time of year I think every AD is always updating his short list of replacements and back channeling with agents just in case.
Sports talk radio in NY was talking about Will Wade as a candidate for both IU and Nova. Heck LSU probably regrets letting him go over infractions that were not all that big time.
Just repeating what I head this morning....
www.outkick.com
www.sports-reference.com
Just repeating what I head this morning....
What Will Wade Is Accomplishing At McNeese Is Absurd, And The Numbers Prove It
Will Wade has accomplished a ton in just two seasons since taking over McNeese, which isn't exactly the most-storied program in college hoops.
www.outkick.com
Will Wade Coaching Record | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
Will Wade Coaching Record
www.sports-reference.com
I know Mick Cronin. Former neighbor and occasional golfing partner at our local Club during his time in Cincy.
Terrific basketball mind. Endless energy. Dynamic personality. Very short and sometimes problematic fuse waiting to ignite.
GOUNUII
This is a day old, but thought it was interesting to get John Fanta's take on the coaching carousel since he's been doing the Big East beat since 2017 . He speaks directly about Collins to Villanova at 1:36 here. My interpretation of his nuanced comments: "Chris Collins would be a good hire, but should not be the first choice that Villanova makes."
However, pair that with the Guru's latest tweet:
Yes, on players. But how would he know on coaches? He’s in college so I’m sure his source is a student manager he grew up with who now works for the team. Either way, Cronin is an interesting ideas but I see zero ways he deals with our academic restrictions. I really like him as a guy and a coach but he’s only dealt with the phrase “minimum qualifier” in recruiting over the years…
If that's the criteria there might be like 5 guys who have experience outside the NCAA minimums!
Yeah I was thinking it makes sense for him to have player info, but unless his source is CC’s kid or CC’s agent slid into his DMs I’m not sure where he’s getting the coaching info.
Wonder if in a situation like this, the coach keeps his players updated. Nick Martinelli just sitting around with no more info than we are? I would think that would be unlikely. The portal opens in a few days.
I think it's clear that Guru has some inside knowledge, but he is totally over his skies if he thinks he knows shit about what's going on regarding Collins and his agent scheming for extensions.
Same can be said about us
Truth is, Cronin and DeVries and other candidates in this cycle have made it clear that NIL is the biggest factor. If they don’t have NIL, they can’t convince an in demand coach to come.
DeVries walked from Iowa because they didn’t have the NIL he needed. That’s why he’s at IU.
If Collins were to leave, NU would have to come up with 5x the NIL they have available today if they wanted to hire a Cronin-esque coach as replacement. Otherwise, it’s someone from a mid major or a first time head coach who has no better options.
what is our NIL situation? somehow it seems other schools have alot more money than we do, however somehow we have brand new very expensive facilities, costlier than at other schools.
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