Coaching changes

According to a poster on the Mississippi State message board who is from Starkville but lives in Virginia, a local news station is reporting that Nikki McCray has been offered the job at Mississippi State.

 

I don't know I just get the feeling that some players might transfer from Mississippi state if Walz is not offered the job but who knows maybe Nikki might grown on them. Happy for her though she is a great person.

 

Starkville newspaper reports McCray is the new coach. I’m surprised they did not offer job to Johnnie Harris for obvious reasons. But, perhaps, their loss will be our gain.

 

It's risky to offer the job to someone with no head coaching experience. Even then, it's not like McCray comes with a lot of skins on the wall.

 

This hire has got to be disappointing for Mississippi State. Jeff Walz, a known elite commodity, would have been an exciting and excellent replacement given the situation.

According to Walz, "I was never going anywhere,” Walz said. “I’ve been working harder than I’ve ever worked trying to build the best team we’ve ever had at Louisville. Our staff has been recruiting like crazy."

Interesting statement to repair any damage since he interviewed for the Mississippi State position. Either 1) Walz received concessions from Louisville to remain or 2) Walz was demanding more than Mississippi State was willing to offer.

BOZICH | Jeff Walz will coach powerful Louisville women's basketball team next season, ends Miss. State speculation

 

I didn't want to say it but I was thinking the same thing. I know some fans are really disappointed. Given Walz resume I thought he would be perfect to replace Vic since he coaches an elite program already and Nikki does not. With all that being said and now they have found there coach hope Vic's entire staff makes there way here especially Harris. Hopefully some players follow as well

 

I believe we will see pretty much the entire Mississippi State staff come to Austin. I could be wrong, but the gut feeling is telling me that's what will happen. Harris, Jackson-Durrett, and Lavato are key figures on his team as is daughter Blair.

 

Lavatory?

 

Damn spell check got me and I didn't notice it!

 

Goodbye from Coach Washington. I'm not sure about his overall contribution to player development, but he was always a great human being.

 

Karen brought George Washington in directly from the AAU scene when he operated DFW in Houston to jump start recruiting. Many of his AAU players eventually joined him at Texas, including Kelsey Lang, Brooke McCarty...the one that got away was Brianna Turner to Notre Dame.

 

And, of course, Lashann Higgs. I think Brianna Taylor and Jordan Hosey also had connections to George.

 

Mississippi State will be saving almost $1M a year with McCray...

 

Texas bought Vic's buyout which cost 1.25 million. When CDC wants someone money is no problem

 

Based on all the Kansas Jayhawk twitter accounts Terry Nooner is following, I'm guessing he will fill their recent assistant coaching vacancy.

 

Interesting and shocking

 

Not wanting to start another thread, just will stick this thought into a "coaching changes" thread. In fact, it is a coaching change thought but not about old/new coaches. My question is do we think that Schaeffer will "change his recruiting approach?? I highly doubt he will change what he wants in a player, but will he go after higher ranked recruits now? Starkville might have limited him somewhat in that the top 10 might would rather reside in more illustrious cities/colleges. I read somewhere that the Hayes girl going to Miss State who is ranked 28th was his first top 30 recruit in the 8 years at Miss State. So being at Texas, will we see him going after the top 10 players in 2021-2023? His success at Miss State plus now with the name identity and resources of Texas, will he change? Too early to say, but who he goes after in the 2022-2023 classes may give an indication. In 2022, S'Myla Smith and Amina Muhammed both from DeSoto are ranked 15th and 24th. Ashlon Jackson from Hardin Jefferson is 19th. Those 3 are from Texas. So going after those 3 still leaves a lot of players at the top. For 2021 the players he was offering were all highly ranked but still not in the very top echelon. A. Moore at 7 is certainly someone he might not have gone after but may now. A lot of others are in the teens and low 20s so that is better. I hate to just give those top players to the big successful programs and not try. I am just going to be watching to see if the kids he is going after slowly(quickly would be better) rises in the next 1-3 years. I hope so. Regardless though, we have the comfort that the players that choose to come will rise in the viewpoints of everyone once Schaeffer and staff coaches them.

 

They have already named her replacement, Ivey. Wow

 

Word is this has been the plan since winning the national title in 2018. It was long speculated to be the plan for Ivey to take the top job once MM retired and it is said that Muffet wanted to absorb the hardships that this season would bring and give Niele a chance to make a running start. If thats the case, it speaks volumes of her character. There is no other top tier coach that I can think of off the top of my head that would willingly endure a season like last year in order to help their successor. WOW

 

Rickea Jackson was his first highly ranked recruit at Mississippi State.

 

I thought Vivians was his first highly ranked recruit.

 

Vivians was #24 in ESPN Hoopgurlz rankings. Rickea Jackson was #4.

 

She was also ranked much higher in other rankings.

 

I should have clarified... Rickea was his first HS All-American. Vivians was a great player

 

Good topic, worthy of a thread.

 

My twitter stalking skills are starting to impress even me!

 

This sounds like a fantasy dreamed up by the deluded Notre Dame fans.

First of all, some of the developments that made this such a horrible season for Notre Dame were not foreseeable in 2018: the transfers of Patterson and Nixon; the injuries to Prohaska, Vaughn, and Peoples; and I doubt they knew a year in advance that Jackie Young would be leaving a year early.

Muffet had a horrible season and she emotionally just couldn't handle it. So she quit.

 

I don't know that you or anyone can definitively say WHY she decided to retire. Given her resume and all she has accomplished, I highly doubt she is the quitting type!!! It really doesn't matter because it was her choice. I for one appreciated and respected what she did. Her half-court offensive sets were a thing of beauty. She gave alot to WBB in general. I wish her well.

 

She was planning on retiring after 2018 NC...held on for transition purposes....not because she couldn’t handle it...

 

Not really a change as Stacy was the interim head coach last season but cool to see her get the official job.