according to the news, Lickliter is the front-runner to be introduced as head coach. if this is the case, what can we expect?

here are some things i've found from a cursory review of articles about him:
- high academic achievement
- emphasis on community engagement
- emphasis on defense
- patient offense
- emphasis on fundamentals

what else do people know about the man? does anyone watch big ten games? i don't remember those Butler teams well enough to draw any conclusions from them.

That all sounds promising.

I wonder what assistants he will bring on.

I wonder about the $$$$ in terms of amount.

What are his recruiting skills and what was his favorite recruiting territories at Iowa and Butler?

At Butler, he had an offense that shot a lot of 3 balls. 3 perimeter shooters and two post players. Hoosier basketball! Most Butler players were Indiana HS products.

In regards to assistants, I've suggested (everyone has an opinion) that Andy Moore be retained, he would help in the transition since he knows all the players, old system etc. He also has a lot of recruiting contacts in Oh, IL and yes even in IN. Also has Michigan contacts as well.

Lickliter would also need to hire someone with recruiting contactys in the state of Michigan so that we can compete with other state schools for talent.

I'm sure he has some people in mind.

Comments are welcome.

I also believe that in addition to 9 years of HC experience, Lickliter is very much a straight shooter and very honorable person.

Regarding assistants:

One of the negotiating points, I'm sure, between any prospective head coach and any university is the number of dollars for assistant coaches salaries.

Whether he gets good assistants or if he has to hire inexperienced ones may, in large part, be a function of the number of salary dollars he has.

Some coaches might be leary of taking a position if there isn't enough dollars to hire a good set of asst coaches.

WHERE WILL LICKLITER GET THE SHOOTERS FROM FOR HIS OFFENSE? PLENTY OF BALL ROTATION, 3 SHOOTERS AND 2 BOARDMEN = BUTLER OFFENSE DURING HIS TENURE THERE. CAN'T SPEAK FOR HIS TENURE AT IOWA, MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE CAN. I'M SURE HE CAN BE SOMEWHAT FLEXIBLE.

P.S. SOME KIDS DON'T LIKE TO PLAY IN 3 POINT SHOOTING OFFENSES. MORE SLASHERS OUT THERE THAN SHOOTERS.

WE'LL SEE, NOW LICKLITER NEEDS TO GET SOME PLAYERS AND NEEDS TO ADJUST TO WHAT HE HAS.

BTW, one thing which Todd has going for him and it is a big + to me is his age.

He turned 56 yesterday.

Hopefully he will our 'Jim Larranaga' (George Mason).

Larranaga is in his early 60s, I believe, and is content to coach at Mason until he retires. He isn't interested in moving on at his age.

If Lickliter turns around EMU he could be tempted to stay say 10 years. Doubt at age 60+ he'd look to move to a new rebuilding job.

The biggest problem I'd see with a Fife is that many young coaches will look for the next step up the coaching ladder and only stay a few years at a mid-major school.

Is Lickliter our next head coach? No confirmation to date!

Other viable candidates?