@gthomas I would like to see Devries coach a talented team before I throw him under the bus. Problem is, he is not recruiting a talented team. In my estimation, every talented team needs a talented front court and I don't thind Acimovic, Sisley are going to cut it, and I haven't even seen Harris play. I realize he still has the portal to rummage through, but I am not encouraged.

When Devries didnt contact Woodson recruit Zrno to confirm, yeah we want to move on, I found that downright weird. Sure Zrno had decommitted, and there was no need to. But also no need for any negative ideas getting out there with recruits about whether to trust this staff. Zrno deal, hes the one who left, but a few minute phone call seems like a first 24 hours thing. I guess just have an assistant email if you already think his film sucks.

I guess DeVries has his own ideas on how to build his program, hopefully they will prove out.

,

@openwheel Something interesting I found as I was reading about Zrno's decommitment was that CDD said at the time that he'd ideally want to build his roster from high school up, but would have to rely on the portal "this first year." IDK if building from high school up can work in this era, but if that was the understanding with Dolson, he may well get at least three or four years as that's what it would take.

I'm not desiring Cronin.  But something is off to me about DD.  No one followed. Zrno... forgot about that one .. and now this years performance.  One thing he can have an influence on and the players can control is effort and attitude.  Now I don't see to bad of attitudes for the most part.  But I do see a lack of effort and on more than one occasion. That to me is inexcusable... I didnt see that once for the entire football season.  So despite our talent level or lack of talent those 2 things shouldn't be in question ever   
many of you think he's a good coach.  He's better than Big foot. But that's not saying much.  Just better than Bigfoot isn't what we were looking for.. 

For the record, I'm certainly not advocating for Cronin. But, if I had choose IU's coach from him or Knob, I'd choose the demented elf. 

Posted by: @hoosiers94

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I'm not desiring Cronin.  But something is off to me about DD.  No one followed. Zrno... forgot about that one .. and now this years performance.  One thing he can have an influence on and the players can control is effort and attitude.  Now I don't see to bad of attitudes for the most part.  But I do see a lack of effort and on more than one occasion. That to me is inexcusable... I didnt see that once for the entire football season.  So despite our talent level or lack of talent those 2 things shouldn't be in question ever   
many of you think he's a good coach.  He's better than Big foot. But that's not saying much.  Just better than Bigfoot isn't what we were looking for.. 

I'm not sure why ppl are acting like Zrno was some big loss all of a sudden. He was a random guy that Bigfoot tried to overpay so that he could claim he could recruit (a player he never had to leave his wine cave to go see or keep in touch with who had to travel here, once, and accept his enormous NIL offer). The guy wasn't staying here no matter who was hired once Bigfoot was sent packing.

@surjay

Well he wasnt without being offered. We all know that.

I think it was a little weird, thats all. Clearly DeVries didnt want him.

Posted by: @openwheel

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@surjay

Well he wasnt without being offered. We all know that.

I think it was a little weird, thats all. Clearly DeVries didnt want him.

 

Not for the price Bigfoot was giving him. He'd offer nothing to this team we don't already have. Just another rando that Bigfoot overpaid for last minute knowing he'd not actually have to spend more than 10s 'recruiting' him.

I'm not saying he's all that and a bag of chips. I'm wondering why he wasn't at least called etc.  maybe he was. I was just going with what open wheel was saying 

@arioznahoosier4554 Yes, Brownell seems to have figured out how to manage the portal.

@hoosiers94 Weird if he wasn't.  I'm sure he was.  Even if it was very brief, and maybe not from CDD directly.  But who knows? 

My best guess on how his roster came to be what it was... CDD thought he knew the challenges he'd have building an entire roster, with a fixed budget.  But when he got handed the keys, he quickly figured out how difficult it was going to be.  If the consensus rumors are anywhere near true, and he had a roughly 10 million dollar fixed budget.  And he didn't have much of any leeway to spread that budget for the right players.  Then I think, for the most part, he deserves a lot of credit, rather than criticism, for the team he built.  

10 million seems like a lot of money, until you start hearing the numbers that guys like Flory, Conwell, etc... let alone higher level yet guys like Landeborg, Robert Wright, etc... were getting.  When you have a 10 million dollar total budget... and someone like Flory, who you thought you could maybe get for a million or so, based off past portal values for similar players... when his asking price more than doubles that number... And then the same thing happens with Ryan Conwell... I'm sure CDD was like "uh -oh", this isn't gonna go well.  To me, it also explains reaching with the million on Bailey (others were offering him more).  He seemed to be on an upward trajectory, he was skilled with the ball, he's bouncy and overall a versatile athlete... getting him for 1 million, compared to asking prices for some of the other tall players, probably seemed like something he should do.  And then he "protected" him with getting guys like Alexis and Harris.  I still wonder what we'd look like with a healthy Harris, able to come in and play 10-15 minutes alongside either Bailey or Alexis, and provide that energy and motor we lack, at times.    

As I've been saying for weeks now... lets see what he does to finish the year, and then what he does this next offseason.  I'd be shocked if Dolson doesn't realize the mistakes he made, and how much CDD was handcuffed.  He'll have a larger budget, and hopefully some flexibility to reach on an impactful player or two.  Combine that with having probably 4-6 guys in the fold, with returning guys and incoming freshmen, that are always less expensive than portal guys are... and logic says next years roster should be a lot better than this years was, talent wise.  

Now... none of this accounts for his current team's lack of consistency with things like effort and focus...  That's the frustrating thing, for me, right now.   

They will need to work the 3rd party endorsement arena for additional compensation... the Ken Nunn's of the world.  Those that like to see their names in lights.  50k here 50k there.  100k over yonder.  And I would even if they haven't already be setting up a way to get even 25 bucks from anyone to disperse 

the "salary cap" of the 20.5 will not cover even football, let alone both.

@hoosiers94 You don't know if that's true...  The mood IU football has created in Bloomington, very easily could spill over to basketball.  Mark Cuban becoming more involved, by himself, could change our budget dramatically.  He sure seemed pretty jacked about IU the last month or so.  All it takes if for a couple of those guys to be marginally more excited about the direction IU athletics is going.  A small percentage of collectives contributions from guys like Cuban, for basketball, could move the needle dramatically.

And I've referred to this before... but I really think its more of a matter of "elasticity"  Zero chance Dusty May had a fixed budget where he ended up landing this past offseason.  When it got down to the point of closing and landing guys like Landeborg and Cadeau... I'm sure he was able to go to a Larry Ellensen like person, to get the packages put together.

Our football successes dramatically increase the chances of our big donors being in the charitable mood towards bball, in my opinion.  Not all of them, I'm sure, but for bball, it only takes one or two. 

I'm not disagreeing with anyone.  I think the 3rd party endorsements are a viable way to approach in addition to. Why would we not use every avenue at our disposal.  

and I would agree with you the momentum that football has created should be seized but having a second level option in addition to is wise as well.  Those donors are like subscriptions.. believe me I was one. It just seems to renew annually and before you know it it's been a decade.  
and you now have proven my point as to why it's possible that DoorKnob could be let go at seasons end ... the money is flowing.  

Posted by: @hoosiers94

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I'm not disagreeing with anyone.  I think the 3rd party endorsements are a viable way to approach in addition to. Why would we not use every avenue at our disposal.  

and I would agree with you the momentum that football has created should be seized but having a second level option in addition to is wise as well.  Those donors are like subscriptions.. believe me I was one. It just seems to renew annually and before you know it it's been a decade.  
and you now have proven my point as to why it's possible that DoorKnob could be let go at seasons end ... the money is flowing.  

Wouldn't it make sense for the big donors to kick in on next year's roster and see how that goes vs 30+ million for another coaching change? Seems like a better short-term investment.

You'd also have to wonder at the donor willing to throw away 30 million for a do-over to let the same AD pick another candidate. I'd also worry about any donor throwing down that much cash having contingencies (ie, I'll do it but you must hire my good buddy joe mediocre).