ADVERTISEMENT

Rhoades to PSU?

at least one person also said VCU is a better job than PSU

probably one of the same people now saying we should have hired someone better
VCU isn't the better job but VCU has had far more success in basketball than Penn State. This won't be easy for Rhoades.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bison13
Bc we have barely any players left if you didnt notice.
if he can keep Njie and Clary that's two starters. If he can re-recruit Booth that's three. Mahaffey could stay too, don't know if he's a starter

so yes he has to go very heavily into the portal but i don't think it's going to be for the whole lineup

also some of the portal could be coming from his current team, so he would have a head start there
 
  • Like
Reactions: bison13
VCU isn't the better job but VCU has had far more success in basketball than Penn State. This won't be easy for Rhoades.
i think it was someone named TexasLion

they flat out stated that VCU is a better job and we couldn't get him. another post, maybe the same person, said it wasnt even realistic to talk about him as a candidate
 
Last edited:


Penn State has offered Mike Rhoades at or north of 3.5 million annually and will be the next head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, according to very plugged in VCU sources.
So is this actually happening? All we got is one guy with second hand info from plugged in sources. How confident is anyone?
 
So is this actually happening? All we got is one guy with second hand info from plugged in sources. How confident is anyone?
i will say this, if it doesn't happen now Kraft is seriously in the L column on this process.
 
The last two VCU coaches were hired by Texas and LSU. This is exactly the type of coach, and program, PSU can realistically recruit from.

Do some you of you forget that PSU basketball is one of the 2 or 3 worst programs in the conference historically? The top guys aren’t coming to coach PSU basketball.
Too many forget this fact about historical mediocrity. We are Penn State has had a much different meaning in bball! This is a good hire.
 
There are a few guys that I’d take ahead of Rhoades, but not many. He’d be a solid choice if this ends up happening.

Interesting that Jamal Brunt (VCU’s top assistant) coached with Adam Fisher for a few years at Miami. Don’t usually see many coaches hang around during turnover, but assuming that Brunt came with Rhoades, at least there is some connection there with Adam (who I’d love to keep, just not as a head coach).
 
Too many forget this fact about historical mediocrity. We are Penn State has had a much different meaning in bball! This is a good hire.
Yes, I’m my lifetime we’ve had Parkhill, Dunn, DeChellis, Chambers and Micah. Rhoades is more accomplished than any of these guys, some significantly so. Realizing of course the pre Big 10 days were a different era.

But Rhoades is arguably the “biggest name” PSU basketball has ever hired.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fairfaxlion2
  • Like
Reactions: The Spin Meister
Yes, I’m my lifetime we’ve had Parkhill, Dunn, DeChellis, Chambers and Micah. Rhoades is more accomplished than any of these guys, some significantly so. Realizing of course the pre Big 10 days were a different era.

But Rhoades is arguably the “biggest name” PSU basketball has ever hired.
IMO

Rhoades > Shrewsberry > Chambers > DeChellis

went in the right direction but took a hell of a long time

the frustrating thing is, they could've started making hires like this as soon as Parkhill left. Certainly after Dunn. But finally we got here

for the record, I think Parkhill was on track to be one of the best coaches in the entire northeast, and it was a shame that ended and got followed up with years of badness
 
Pretty uninspired hire, (if true), IMO.

IMO

Rhoades > Shrewsberry > Chambers > DeChellis

went in the right direction but took a hell of a long time

the frustrating thing is, they could've started making hires like this as soon as Parkhill left. Certainly after Dunn. But finally we got here

for the record, I think Parkhill was on track to be one of the best coaches in the entire northeast, and it was a shame that ended and got followed up with years of badness

I'll aways be sad that things didn't work out better with Parkhill. He suffered some bad luck when PSU went to the NCAAs in 1991 and then had to play as an independent in 1992 - he had most of his key players back from the '91 season, and the team won 20+ games, but playing as an independent meant that the scheduling numbers were terrible, so no at large bid. That team would probably have won the A10 again and then the lions would be entering the B1G with 2 straight NCAA bids.
 
I've been to Rhodes. It's a very cool walled city but there isn't even a plaque or shrine to where the colossus once stood. A missed opportunity IMO.

There's two deer statues at where they think the legs of the Colossus were:

34657.jpg
 
I'll aways be sad that things didn't work out better with Parkhill. He suffered some bad luck when PSU went to the NCAAs in 1991 and then had to play as an independent in 1992 - he had most of his key players back from the '91 season, and the team won 20+ games, but playing as an independent meant that the scheduling numbers were terrible, so no at large bid. That team would probably have won the A10 again and then the lions would be entering the B1G with 2 straight NCAA bids.
It was such a shame. Lots of people are too young to remember. there was a real program being built

That 95-96 team, who knows what it would have done if he was the coach. and the 96-97 team would have been back to the tournament if not for injuries

I've heard two different stories about why he left, it doesn't matter.

After he left it was just bad. I am convinced the AD had no idea what he was doing. And if he did know what he was doing, that's even worse.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: OzLion and bison13
I know it doesn't work this way but you'd like to think you could get the second or third best coach in the BiG if you pay the 2nd or 3rd highest salary
In a season that stood PSU fans on their collective "ears"....didn't basketball finish about 9th in the conference? PSU is far from a destination school for the top coaches in the nation. A good salary will attract an excellent coach laboring at a university that doesn't possess the resources to pay him millions....and has the potential to win . This sounds precisely like that type of hire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: doctornick
Rhoades was recruiting Njie's brother who ended up at SMU. Not sure if that helps or hurts with keeping Njie

If Fisher wants to remain an assistant and isn't getting a HC job, I would hope the next guy keeps him
What's wrong with Fisher, btw? Lack of head coaching experience? His resume just improved IMO with Miami's win over Texas. If you can't get the guy you want someone who coached under the guy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: martypsu
What's wrong with Fisher, btw? Lack of head coaching experience? His resume just improved IMO with Miami's win over Texas. If you can't get the guy you want someone who coached under the guy.
yes that's what's keeping him from getting a high major job.

Larranaga going to a final 4 without him doesn't boost his standing like you are saying. Larranaga also went to a Final 4 while this guy was still in college
 
Carr, Stevens, Lundy and Funk all from Philly area--Does Rhoades have any Philly connections? Doesn't seem to have any Power 5 experience> It could work but...
 
Last edited:
The fact that Shrews was an assistant coach for the Celtics is attractive to recruits.
Yeah, it probably is. Plus he went to 2 national championship games as an assistant. The players may not remember that, but it's something he can sell. I hope Rhoades is a great hire if that's the pick, but I can't say it moves the needle for me because I'd never heard of him to my recollection prior to this search. But I'm not a huge basketball fan, so maybe everyone else knows about him.
 
well he has actually been a coach before, for more than 20 years, and had multiple tournament appearances and conference championships. so kind of yeah
Prior HC experience means little though. Kirby Smart was one of the best hires in college football before he ever even coached a game. He could have had numerous HC jobs over the year but waited for the right one. Winning at Penn State is way harder than VCU and the appeal of Shrew can't be underestimated.
 
yes that's what's keeping him from getting a high major job.

Larranaga going to a final 4 without him doesn't boost his standing like you are saying. Larranaga also went to a Final 4 while this guy was still in college
My point is he's been an assistant under 2 guys who have been to Final Fours. Shrewsberry had trouble getting a head job before PSU, as I understand it. Some people don't interview well. I don't even know if Fisher is interviewing anywhere, just pointing that out. I guess from where I sit I'd have been fine with Fisher being promoted as it's about the same level of splash to me as hiring Mike Rhoades. Hopefully, in a year or two I'll be singing Kraft's and Rhoades's praises.
 
My point is he's been an assistant under 2 guys who have been to Final Fours. Shrewsberry had trouble getting a head job before PSU, as I understand it. Some people don't interview well. I don't even know if Fisher is interviewing anywhere, just pointing that out. I guess from where I sit I'd have been fine with Fisher being promoted as it's about the same level of splash to me as hiring Mike Rhoades. Hopefully, in a year or two I'll be singing Kraft's and Rhoades's praises.
Or Shrew didn't want a mid-major job knowing that he'd have to take a lower level job in the Big Ten/ACC/etc he likely waited until he thought it was a good opportunity.
 
so he has won almost 70% of his games. and took over an impossible Rice program that had won 3 games, and had a winning team in three years. sounds terrible
Looks like a good coach, but has had 3 NCAA tournament bids and lost in the first round all 3 times (not counting the D3 stuff at Randolph-Macon, where he made the Sweet 16 a couple of times).
 
My point is he's been an assistant under 2 guys who have been to Final Fours. Shrewsberry had trouble getting a head job before PSU, as I understand it. Some people don't interview well. I don't even know if Fisher is interviewing anywhere, just pointing that out. I guess from where I sit I'd have been fine with Fisher being promoted as it's about the same level of splash to me as hiring Mike Rhoades. Hopefully, in a year or two I'll be singing Kraft's and Rhoades's praises.
The only reason we hired Shrewsberry instead of someone like Rhoades in 2021 is because we were too cheap to hire someone like Rhoades. We got a discount because Shrewsberry had no D1 coaching record.
 
Looks like a good coach, but has had 3 NCAA tournament bids and lost in the first round all 3 times (not counting the D3 stuff at Randolph-Macon, where he made the Sweet 16 a couple of times).
Lost in the first round twice…other game was cancelled due to COVID.
 
The only reason we hired Shrewsberry instead of someone like Rhoades in 2021 is because we were too cheap to hire someone like Rhoades. We got a discount because Shrewsberry had no D1 coaching record.
Not necessarily true…I would have hired Micah over Rhoades with everything else being equal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: martypsu
What's wrong with Fisher, btw? Lack of head coaching experience? His resume just improved IMO with Miami's win over Texas. If you can't get the guy you want someone who coached under the guy.
Shrews had no head coaching experience--Rather go with Fisher who has recruited this area for 2 power 5 schools and has roots in Philly than someone who has neither.
 
Lost in the first round twice…other game was cancelled due to COVID.
Ok, that's fair. My impression right now, and I'd love to be wrong, is that he's the kind of coach who after some time can get us to a place like Iowa - make the tournament consistently, but bow out early. I hope I'm selling him short.
 
said nobody ever
So Georgia hiring Smart wasn't a great hire? HC experience is great but isn't an indicator of future success. Look at all the big name college football programs that went to guys without HC experience. Georgia Oklahoma Notre Dame...the list is never ending. Then look at all the guys that had success as a HC, especially at a smaller school who flopped. Again you're overselling this by ignoring facts.
 
Ok, that's fair. My impression right now, and I'd love to be wrong, is that he's the kind of coach who after some time can get us to a place like Iowa - make the tournament consistently, but bow out early. I hope I'm selling him short.
That might be fair if college basketball success was a direct result solely of a coach's ability to coach. But we all know that NIL, assistant coaches salary structures and funding, the impact the game crowds have due to the playing venue, and even univeristy BOD support among other things also impacts the success of a university's basketball program.

So it seems to me that to reach a higher level of success Kraft must take the reins and improve the support structure for the new BB coach. And if the university does not do that, or doesn't do it to the extent of the competition, the level of which we may not really ever know, judging the success of this or any PSU basketball coache is an inexact science........
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT