Wow!

I think there’s little doubt that Syracuse will offer their job to McNamara.

The coach that McNamara reminds me most of is Billy Donovan. Would you have hinted Billy Donovan as a young coach if you had a shot at him? Florida did after he had only 2 years as a head coach at Marshall. It paid off with 4 Final Fours + 2 national championships. The difference between Donovan and McNamara? Billy the Kid was only 30 years old when Florida hired him, had limited experience as an assistant , and had not won a conference championship or gone to an NCAA tournament at Marshall where he won 18 games in his best year. McNamara is 42 years old, has extensive experience as an assistant and associate head coach, and has completely turned the Siena program around, taking them from 4 wins to 23 wins, a conference championship, and an NCAA tournament in just 2 years.

Congratulations to Syracuse if they hire Gerry. He’s one of their own. They’ll have gotten a winner and a very promising coach. If they don’t hire him, Providence should snap him up.

(03-11-2026 07:25 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(03-11-2026 05:40 AM)Nameless Wrote:  

(03-10-2026 10:33 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Siena just upset defending conference champs Merrimack to win the MAAC tournament and its NCAA bid.

Our old friend, Gerry McNamara, took over the Siena program 2 years ago after 15 years as an assistant at Syracuse. The year before McNamara was hired, Siena won just 4 games. In his first year, Gerry improved that win total by 10 wins to 14. This year they improved by 9 wins on that number to 23.

Gerry McNamara is one of the fiercest competitors and most clutch players the Big East has ever seen. If I had a chance to hire him, I would do it in a heart beat. But unless Siena has a St. Peter’s-like run to the Elite 8, Providence will not hire another coach with minimal head coaching experience. I wouldn’t either - unless that guy was Gerry NcNamrara. The guy is just a winner.

I've heard a lot of Cuse fans want their coach fired. I wonder if they do it and go after Gerry after the conference tournament win

maybe....

They could certainly do worse. I think that hire would excite the fan base too

(03-11-2026 08:26 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Wow!

I think there’s little doubt that Syracuse will offer their job to McNamara.

The coach that McNamara reminds me most of is Billy Donovan. Would you have hinted Billy Donovan as a young coach if you had a shot at him? Florida did after he had only 2 years as a head coach at Marshall. It paid off with 4 Final Fours + 2 national championships. The difference between Donovan and McNamara? Billy the Kid was only 30 years old when Florida hired him, had limited experience as an assistant , and had not won a conference championship or gone to an NCAA tournament at Marshall where he won 18 games in his best year. McNamara is 42 years old, has extensive experience as an assistant and associate head coach, and has completely turned the Siena program around, taking them from 4 wins to 23 wins, a conference championship, and an NCAA tournament in just 2 years.

Congratulations to Syracuse if they hire Gerry. He’s one of their own. They’ll have gotten a winner and a very promising coach. If they don’t hire him, Providence should snap him up.

They would be fools not to hire him. The Cuse job isn't as attractive as it was when they were at their peak and I could see him not only being successful but also coaching the rest of his career there if he does win a lot.

I guess that English hangs on for another day. I favored Butler in this one, expecting a close game but Providence won by 10 and after they took control, they pretty much hung on. We never know which Providence team is going to show up.

Corey Floyd was back but he played limited minutes. They seem to play better with him in the lineup. If his hamstring isn’t barking after playing last night, maybe they can get more out of him today.

official-

Now we’ll wait for the other shoe to drop. If Providence hires some journeyman like Herb Sendak, I’ll be extremely disappointed, yet that’s the rumor. I can’t imagine a more blah hire. They must hire someone who can win over the players and excite the fan base.

In their Big East Tournament game the other day, along with Sellers they started Mela, Erhunmwunse, Vaaks, and Jones. All four made the Big East All Freshman team over the past 2 years. That is their core going forward. They are this team’s immediate future. They absolutely must keep all four going forward. That is Job One for the new coach. So, they must get the hire done quickly. We’ll know if he can be successful if he accomplishes Job One.

Wonder if a Hurley (HC)/Burno (AC) combo might be a possibility for Providence.

Bobby spent a year at Rhode Island with Danny, and both are from Jersey. Burno was known as a strong recruiting for Hurley at ASU, and before he left (and before COVID), Hurley had ASU making three straight NCAATs in first five seasons. I think there was a direct correlation to Burno leaving for NIU and ASU/Hurley struggling the past several seasons.

Just like the Pitino/Pitino games, a Hurley/Hurley combo would be outstanding for TV and the NE in general.

That would be cute, but Bobby hasn’t exactly set the world on fire at Arizona State. I don’t think I could stand another Hurley’s temper tantrums and abusive behavior on the side lines. I would love to see them get lucky and have Syracuse hire someone like Luke Murray (the current rumor) and leave Gerry McNamara for the Friars. I don’t expect that, so I’d settle for Joe Gallo.

Josh Schertz has agreed to a contract extension and will stay at St. Louis.

(03-13-2026 11:13 AM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Josh Schertz has agreed to a contract extension and will stay at St. Louis.

Good for SLU's Big East aspirations. Respectively, with how few big jobs are open this cycle, he will likely have better and bigger job opportunities next cycle.

(03-13-2026 10:17 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  Wonder if a Hurley (HC)/Burno (AC) combo might be a possibility for Providence.

Bobby spent a year at Rhode Island with Danny, and both are from Jersey. Burno was known as a strong recruiting for Hurley at ASU, and before he left (and before COVID), Hurley had ASU making three straight NCAATs in first five seasons. I think there was a direct correlation to Burno leaving for NIU and ASU/Hurley struggling the past several seasons.

Just like the Pitino/Pitino games, a Hurley/Hurley combo would be outstanding for TV and the NE in general.

Bobby has said he doesn't know if he would want to coach against his brother twice every season. But he has also said he doesn't want to stop coaching... If he doesn't have any other opportunities and the Friars come calling he may not be able to pass the offer up.

It would be even better for TV than Pitino vs Pitino, since UConn Providence is much more of a rivalry than St Johns Xavier. I do think the Friars could do better than Bobby though.

I honestly think Martelli Jr would be a better hire but idk if he makes the move one year after joining VCU.

Nap ( the PC AD) has to make a smart choice to please the fans or else his head will be on the chopping block. The USF coach is also rumored with Sendek (blah),
i havent done any research about who would be better but i would not be excited about Sendek

(03-13-2026 08:30 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  Nap ( the PC AD) has to make a smart choice to please the fans or else his head will be on the chopping block. The USF coach is also rumored with Sendek (blah),
i havent done any research about who would be better but i would not be excited about Sendek

Hodgson seems like he can coach but I'm not sure he has enough experience to warrant real consideration. Only 3 seasons as a HC, could be another English

Providence loses 4 star, signed recruit in wake of English firing.

https://www.on3.com/rivals/news/4-star-s...ecruitment

(03-15-2026 07:55 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Providence loses 4 star, signed recruit in wake of English firing.

https://www.on3.com/rivals/news/4-star-s...ecruitment

I guess this is expected when you fire a coach. I hope PC is able to time it right to get a good coach and limit defections

(03-15-2026 09:37 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  

(03-15-2026 07:55 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Providence loses 4 star, signed recruit in wake of English firing.

https://www.on3.com/rivals/news/4-star-s...ecruitment

I guess this is expected when you fire a coach. I hope PC is able to time it right to get a good coach and limit defections

247 has him rated as a top 50 recruit. At 6’6”, he brings good size to a wing position. Since he’s already shown interest in coming to Providence, it should be a top priority for a new coach to re-recruit him. He’s from New Jersey, so Providence makes sense for him geographically.

(03-15-2026 10:27 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  

(03-15-2026 09:37 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  

(03-15-2026 07:55 PM)Bill Marsh Wrote:  Providence loses 4 star, signed recruit in wake of English firing.

https://www.on3.com/rivals/news/4-star-s...ecruitment

I guess this is expected when you fire a coach. I hope PC is able to time it right to get a good coach and limit defections

247 has him rated as a top 50 recruit. At 6’6”, he brings good size to a wing position. Since he’s already shown interest in coming to Providence, it should be a top priority for a new coach to re-recruit him. He’s from New Jersey, so Providence makes sense for him geographically.

Or he can go play for Shaheen

I just finished my brackets. I’ve picked Arizona to win it all. That got me thinking about Arizona coach Tommy Loyd, you know, the guy who replaced Sean Miller at Arizona.

Tommy Loyd was an assistant at Gonzaga for 20 years. Has never coached anywhere else. He played his college ball at D3 Whitman College. Most people have never heard of Whitman College although it’s a very good small liberal arts college in Walla Walla, WA. Loyd has put together an .804 winning % in 5 years at Arizona. In his previous 4 years, he has taken Zona to 3 Sweet 16’s. This year they are favored to go to a Final Four and could win a national championship. The point is that he’s had a very successful 5 years in his first job as a head coach.

I bring up Tommy Lloyd because there are those who say that a power conference job shouldn’t be a coach’s first job as a head coach. Whether it’s Providence, ir Butler, or Syracuse, or any of the other schools looking for a head coach, they should look at Tommy Lloyd if they think that you have to have head coaching experience before you take on a big time job. Brad Stevens of Butler and Celtics fame is another coach who took his team to the highest levels in his first college coaching job.

Luke Murray’s name has been thrown out there as a top assistant who might be considered for one or more of the head coaching vacancies out there. I don’t know Luke Murray from a hike in the wall. I have no idea whether he’d be a good head coach. But I don’t think his lack of head coaching experience should be the reason why he gets eliminated from consideration. I just use Luke as an example. Thise doing the hiring should depend on their ability to evaluate people. Or hire a consultant who can do that for them. If someone has the right stuff, then they will succeed.

Rumor has it Hodgson turned down Syracuse. 2 things that surprised me, if true, they would "make an offer' while his season isn't over and that McNamara wasn't their first choice

Hodgson is apparently still in running for Providence, which I personally never would have believed ten years ago (against Syracuse). He is a NE guy and has done well at each of his previous stops. USF and Arkansas State are tough, tough jobs IMO. Those are not basketball-first schools.

I don't think Syracuse can afford to get another hire wrong after Boeheim. Not sure what McNamara will bring that Autry did not. Within the ACC, you'd have to rank at least five, maybe six, programs, ahead of it (UNC, Duke, Louisville, Virginia, NC State) and that doesn't even account from an NIL spending standpoint.