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Why not Coach Layden?

jindy

Redshirt Freshman
Oct 17, 2007
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Was just reading an article about her going for her 6th State Championship and got to thinking, why not her as a possibility for the Purdue job? I know the normal concerns would be lack of college experience (especially at a P5/Big Ten program) and lack of recruiting background, so just looking for others feedback. The plusses that I can see include her ability to coach and lead and what I would speculate is a pretty good handle on in-state talent(not just at her current school) as well as her general ties and reputation within the state. Make no mistake, I'd love for the current staff to finish really well and earn more time but things don't seem to be trending that way so just wanted the opinions of Purdue fans. Thanks all in advance.
 
I bet our next coach is already on staff. Why else would Balcomb have been brought in?

Could be. I had thought (hoped) that her presence on the bench this year would have made a difference in the offense(style and results) but that doesn't seem to have been the case. I'm sure that the AD has been watching and possibly may feel the same way, though she certainly has a solid history as a HC. The way I see it, the choices are to pay to snag a proven(current) P5 level coach, find an up and coming MAC(or other G5) level coach who's got a couple of successful years' experience or pilfer a good young assistant from a good/great P5 program. Wildcard would be an outside the box choice like a WNBA coach or(dare I say) Ivey(yeah Des, I already know your response :) ).
 
Want to know why not? The Illinois wbb Coach Nancy Fahey is in the HOF. She won FIVE NCAA Division III titles. She has won over 750 games and had won 85% of her games in more than 30 seasons at Washington University if St. Louis. She is struggling mightily at Illinois. There is coaching basketball at high school and college Division III. And then there is Division I women’s college basketball. Night and day folks.
 
Yes Fahey is probably a great coach but she has no cred and can’t recruit. Purdue is better because it can get some better than Illinois. Till you have a coach who can recruit and coach you’re going nowhere. Versyp is not that coach. Whether Bo wants to and can get such a coach is the issue. He did with Brohm.
Soon we will know where our AD stands—
Continue with the mediocre or aim for an upgrade.
 
Yes Fahey is probably a great coach but she has no cred and can’t recruit. Purdue is better because it can get some better than Illinois. Till you have a coach who can recruit and coach you’re going nowhere. Versyp is not that coach. Whether Bo wants to and can get such a coach is the issue. He did with Brohm.
Soon we will know where our AD stands—
Continue with the mediocre or aim for an upgrade.

I would encourage Purdue (Mike, Mitch, Mike, et al) to think like the national program that it once was and seeks to return to being. A national program would seek out -- and properly compensate -- an already successful Power Five coach with a proven record (i.e., 5+ years of successful HC experience with regular rankings in the Top 10 nationally, maybe even FF experience) who is the right cultural fit at our university.

Unless we think like a winner and act like a winner, we cannot be a winner. Let's go big or go home...
 
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The AD has shown that he cares about all of the programs, and most are in very good shape as a result. I am very confident that a coaching change will take place, and I feel sure that the person he chooses will be a high quality coach.
 
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I believe she is coming but she may have to wait in the wings as an assistant until Coach Versyps contract expires.
 
Yes Fahey is probably a great coach but she has no cred and can’t recruit. Purdue is better because it can get some better than Illinois. Till you have a coach who can recruit and coach you’re going nowhere. Versyp is not that coach. Whether Bo wants to and can get such a coach is the issue. He did with Brohm.
Soon we will know where our AD stands—
Continue with the mediocre or aim for an upgrade.

I cited her as the reason you do not look at a high school coach, no matter what the record.
 
Could be. I had thought (hoped) that her presence on the bench this year would have made a difference in the offense(style and results) but that doesn't seem to have been the case. I'm sure that the AD has been watching and possibly may feel the same way, though she certainly has a solid history as a HC. The way I see it, the choices are to pay to snag a proven(current) P5 level coach, find an up and coming MAC(or other G5) level coach who's got a couple of successful years' experience or pilfer a good young assistant from a good/great P5 program. Wildcard would be an outside the box choice like a WNBA coach or(dare I say) Ivey(yeah Des, I already know your response :) ).

Muffet missed the tourney for the first time in 25 years. At 63 does she stick around?
 
I can't imagine her quitting after a bad year---too much pride and the likelihood of redemption..

Of course. What a story that would make. Once proud national program goes down the tubes because they were reluctant to fire her from her $700,000 a year job.
 
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Want to know why not? The Illinois wbb Coach Nancy Fahey is in the HOF. She won FIVE NCAA Division III titles. She has won over 750 games and had won 85% of her games in more than 30 seasons at Washington University if St. Louis. She is struggling mightily at Illinois. There is coaching basketball at high school and college Division III. And then there is Division I women’s college basketball. Night and day folks.

Thanks Des. To be clear, I wasn't advocating for her hire - see my 2nd post in this thread describing from where I believe the next coach could/will come. I was just beginning a discussion based upon the fact that most coaches(in most sports) seem to come up through the ranks from high school. The leap from high school directly to head coach at a major program would be unusual and fraught with huge risks. I do believe that she'd be a good assistant candidate for whomever will(or may?) become the new head coach. Ideally it wouldn't be an issue but this year's results, especially in the last 7 or 8 games, has me on the side of believing that it's definitely time for new leadership.
 
Of course. What a story that would make. Once proud national program goes down the tubes because they were reluctant to fire her from her $700,000 a year job.

This shows the pitfalls of hiring a former player and alumnus. There are 'dual loyalties' in a hire like that; one dealing with performance while the other is rooted in nostalgia. Nostalgia does not win games or recruits. What really matters is performance: produce or perish. I think all coaches know what the stakes are and are well paid for it.

What is really sad is if SV had no past link to Purdue, she would have been gone years ago.

It is time for a change.
 
This shows the pitfalls of hiring a former player and alumnus. There are 'dual loyalties' in a hire like that; one dealing with performance while the other is rooted in nostalgia. Nostalgia does not win games or recruits. What really matters is performance: produce or perish. I think all coaches know what the stakes are and are well paid for it.

What is really sad is if SV had no past link to Purdue, she would have been gone years ago.

It is time for a change.

True, I believe it's time to look outside of the family. Was just reading a little about Nikki McCray, head coach at Old Dominion. She's pretty young (48), played at Tennessee under Summitt, played multiple years in the pros(including a year with the Fever) and was an assistant in a highly successful program at South Carolina for multiple years prior to her current gig. She's also improved ODU's record in each of her 3 seasons there. Just a thought.
 
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