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(04-09-2021 09:50 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  I don't have a lot of confidence in the folks handling this decision, but this could make the job more desirable if true:

We'd actually have a talented base to build upon.

I guess a 1% chance is still a chance.

For the pro on Gates he was a long time assistant at Florida St. when they just consistently had a ton of talent so I'm guessing he is a recruiter and seems to have had experience all over the country. Con will be he's a 2 year Horizon league head coach...hmmmm. I'd probably take B. Drew first over the older guys. His Valpo teams were very good and he knows the area. His Vandy situation was beset by bad injuries which cost them critical kids. I believe 2 of his 3 years there he had top 20 recruiting classes which at Vandy is nuts. I'd rate Archie a close second. He wasn't bad at IU. It's just one of those jobs to avoid unless you have an AAU pipeline like Cal or Duke. Hard to win big every year. Jakus is interesting just because he seems to be incredibly adaptive when you look at his history, but i'd also say the same with Kimani Young. Still think they go with a guy with head coaching experience though, and i don't see an ex Huggins or Cronin guy unless they get rebuffed elsewhere. I'm curious when they narrow it down if they get input from the remaining players.

Annnd, here we go...

Quote:Several former University of Cincinnati men's basketball players have spoken, and the consensus is they want longtime West Virginia assistant and fellow former UC player Erik Martin to be the program's next head coach.

After only two seasons at Cincinnati, men's basketball coach John Brannen on Friday was relieved of his duties effective immediately, UC Director of Athletics John Cunningham announced, following the university's review into unspecified allegations related to Brannen and the men's basketball program after six of Brannen's players entered the transfer portal.

Brannen's termination sparked reactions from all over, as fans began clamoring for former Bearcats point guard and longtime NBA player and assistant coach Nick Van Exel to take the reins.

Former UC players have another plan in mind.

"Nick is working on his degree, so as Bearcats hoops alumni, we are promoting Erik Martin," Bearcats basketball radio color analyst and former UC player Terry Nelson told The Enquirer. "Erik will bring Nick on staff so he can finish his degree by the summer and help with recruiting and all the other day-to-day operations."

Nelson, who along with Martin and Van Exel, helped lead the Bearcats to the Final Four in 1992 and the Elite Eight in 1993 under then-UC coach Bob Huggins, formerly served as the director of the C-Club, the University of Cincinnati alumni group comprised of former student-athletes. Nelson also was the head of the basketball alumni.

James White, who played for the Bearcats from 2003-06 before becoming a second-round pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, also backed Martin as Cincinnati's next men's basketball coach.

"I like Erik," said White, who now coaches and trains high school and Division I men's basketball players. "He was around a lot when I was there. He has the passion to make the Bearcats what we were. He's going to care about the players and the school. I want someone who is a part of Bearcat history to get the job. I know they're going to care more than anyone else."

Martin, who has spent the past 15 seasons as an assistant under Huggins, the all-time winningest men's basketball coach in UC history, said it would be a "dream" to come back and coach at his alma mater.

"To be given the opportunity to coach at Cincinnati, what can I say? You can't put it into words," the 49-year-old Martin said. "I haven't been a head coach before, but I've been learning from a hall of famer and I've spent enough time with him, and he's spoken about some of the things that are a challenge at Cincinnati. I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to be that guy that leads the university."

Huggins, one of six coaches in Division I men's basketball history with 900 career wins, spent 16 seasons at Cincinnati before being forced to resign in August 2005 following an arrest and conviction of drunken driving in 2004 and a rift with then-UC President Nancy Zimpher.

Martin was Cincinnati's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer (trailing only Van Exel) during the 1992-93 season. The 6-foot-7 forward was one of the first players Huggins brought in at UC to provide the toughness that has become the longtime brand of the Bearcats program.

After stints as an assistant at Jacobs Center and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Martin joined Huggins at Kansas State in 2006. Martin then followed Huggins to West Virginia the following season where Martin has been responsible for post-player development for the Mountaineers as well as assisting with game scouting, recruiting, fundraising and community outreach.

While in Morgantown, West Virginia, Martin continues to recruit the Cincinnati area. Martin helped the Mountaineers land former Moeller High School standout Miles McBride. The 6-foot-2 sophomore guard recently declared for the 2021 NBA Draft after averaging 15.8 points, 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals and earning second-team All-Big 12 honors. McBride had 30 points, six rebounds and six assists against Morehead State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

"I'm still very much connected to Cincinnati," Martin said. "Great city, great university. What they've done with the campus since I've left is unbelievable. I barely recognize it when I do come back. It would be an honor to call that place home again."

Cunningham said the university will "work quickly but judiciously in finding a new head coach."

Former Players

Is Martin a serious candidate? He seems like a great guy, but does he have the coaching chops to be a head coach at a D1 basketball power?

Erik Martin is one of the reasons that I'm a Bearcats fan, so I love the guy. If he wanted to be UC's coach, he should have become a head coach years ago. Maybe he'd be great, but, much like Nicky V, he is not a legitimate candidate. Never heard him mentioned as a top assistant or as an option for other head jobs, and I don'tthink he'seven Huggs's top assistant. His main qualification is that he's a former player. That's not enough.

(04-10-2021 09:06 AM)levydl Wrote:  Erik Martin is one of the reasons that I'm a Bearcats fan, so I love the guy. If he wanted to be UC's coach, he should have become a head coach years ago. Maybe he'd be great, but, much like Nicky V, he is not a legitimate candidate. Never heard him mentioned as a top assistant or as an option for other head jobs, and I don'tthink he'seven Huggs's top assistant. His main qualification is that he's a former player. That's not enough.

Yeah, let him cut his teeth at Marshall first.

(04-10-2021 08:50 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Annnd, here we go...

Quote:Several former University of Cincinnati men's basketball players have spoken, and the consensus is they want longtime West Virginia assistant and fellow former UC player Erik Martin to be the program's next head coach.

After only two seasons at Cincinnati, men's basketball coach John Brannen on Friday was relieved of his duties effective immediately, UC Director of Athletics John Cunningham announced, following the university's review into unspecified allegations related to Brannen and the men's basketball program after six of Brannen's players entered the transfer portal.

Brannen's termination sparked reactions from all over, as fans began clamoring for former Bearcats point guard and longtime NBA player and assistant coach Nick Van Exel to take the reins.

Former UC players have another plan in mind.

"Nick is working on his degree, so as Bearcats hoops alumni, we are promoting Erik Martin," Bearcats basketball radio color analyst and former UC player Terry Nelson told The Enquirer. "Erik will bring Nick on staff so he can finish his degree by the summer and help with recruiting and all the other day-to-day operations."

Nelson, who along with Martin and Van Exel, helped lead the Bearcats to the Final Four in 1992 and the Elite Eight in 1993 under then-UC coach Bob Huggins, formerly served as the director of the C-Club, the University of Cincinnati alumni group comprised of former student-athletes. Nelson also was the head of the basketball alumni.

James White, who played for the Bearcats from 2003-06 before becoming a second-round pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, also backed Martin as Cincinnati's next men's basketball coach.

"I like Erik," said White, who now coaches and trains high school and Division I men's basketball players. "He was around a lot when I was there. He has the passion to make the Bearcats what we were. He's going to care about the players and the school. I want someone who is a part of Bearcat history to get the job. I know they're going to care more than anyone else."

Martin, who has spent the past 15 seasons as an assistant under Huggins, the all-time winningest men's basketball coach in UC history, said it would be a "dream" to come back and coach at his alma mater.

"To be given the opportunity to coach at Cincinnati, what can I say? You can't put it into words," the 49-year-old Martin said. "I haven't been a head coach before, but I've been learning from a hall of famer and I've spent enough time with him, and he's spoken about some of the things that are a challenge at Cincinnati. I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to be that guy that leads the university."

Huggins, one of six coaches in Division I men's basketball history with 900 career wins, spent 16 seasons at Cincinnati before being forced to resign in August 2005 following an arrest and conviction of drunken driving in 2004 and a rift with then-UC President Nancy Zimpher.

Martin was Cincinnati's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer (trailing only Van Exel) during the 1992-93 season. The 6-foot-7 forward was one of the first players Huggins brought in at UC to provide the toughness that has become the longtime brand of the Bearcats program.

After stints as an assistant at Jacobs Center and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Martin joined Huggins at Kansas State in 2006. Martin then followed Huggins to West Virginia the following season where Martin has been responsible for post-player development for the Mountaineers as well as assisting with game scouting, recruiting, fundraising and community outreach.

While in Morgantown, West Virginia, Martin continues to recruit the Cincinnati area. Martin helped the Mountaineers land former Moeller High School standout Miles McBride. The 6-foot-2 sophomore guard recently declared for the 2021 NBA Draft after averaging 15.8 points, 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals and earning second-team All-Big 12 honors. McBride had 30 points, six rebounds and six assists against Morehead State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

"I'm still very much connected to Cincinnati," Martin said. "Great city, great university. What they've done with the campus since I've left is unbelievable. I barely recognize it when I do come back. It would be an honor to call that place home again."

Cunningham said the university will "work quickly but judiciously in finding a new head coach."

Former Players

He's got a point there.

I never really got the impression Brannen was really on board with the UC tradition thing.

...especially with how soft his teams were.

I think they should interview Martin. Plenty of assistants make the jump to head coach. Hell Hubert Davis is doing it now an unc. I'm skeptical he's the best candidate but maybe he blows them away in the interview. Even if he doesn't and you hire someone else you treated him as a real candidate.

(04-10-2021 09:06 AM)levydl Wrote:  Erik Martin is one of the reasons that I'm a Bearcats fan, so I love the guy. If he wanted to be UC's coach, he should have become a head coach years ago. Maybe he'd be great, but, much like Nicky V, he is not a legitimate candidate. Never heard him mentioned as a top assistant or as an option for other head jobs, and I don'tthink he'seven Huggs's top assistant. His main qualification is that he's a former player. That's not enough.

That is correct. Larry Harrison is the WVU Associate Head Coach. Several other names on the rumor list are Associate Head Coaches [Savino, Scheyer].

(04-10-2021 09:23 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(04-10-2021 09:06 AM)levydl Wrote:  Erik Martin is one of the reasons that I'm a Bearcats fan, so I love the guy. If he wanted to be UC's coach, he should have become a head coach years ago. Maybe he'd be great, but, much like Nicky V, he is not a legitimate candidate. Never heard him mentioned as a top assistant or as an option for other head jobs, and I don'tthink he'seven Huggs's top assistant. His main qualification is that he's a former player. That's not enough.

That is correct. Several other names on the rumor list are Associate Head Coaches [Savino, Scheyer].

Scheyer would certainly be an outside the box and interesting hire.

Wanting to do something is not the same as being able to do something. I agree you interview him, but I would say Martin would have to be down toward the bottom of your list.

JUST SAY NO to former UC players and assistants. That's for the nostalgia crowd.

It's hard for a program in UC's position to recruit and land really good players consistently, so the next coach better be a hellava in game coach who has a good system. IMO that was the issue with Mick, he really couldn't land the big recruits on a regular basis we hoped he would when he was hired. He turned out to not be a very good x's and o's guy (other than defense). The results were that he could only take this team so far and a lot of fans weren't happy with that. I don't want to go back to that. Bottom line is that my vote is to bring in another experienced guy.

(04-10-2021 09:09 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I think they should interview Martin. Plenty of assistants make the jump to head coach. Hell Hubert Davis is doing it now an unc. I'm skeptical he's the best candidate but maybe he blows them away in the interview. Even if he doesn't and you hire someone else you treated him as a real candidate.

Hiring an assistant coach at another school is not the same as hiring one from your program.

(04-10-2021 09:23 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(04-10-2021 09:06 AM)levydl Wrote:  Erik Martin is one of the reasons that I'm a Bearcats fan, so I love the guy. If he wanted to be UC's coach, he should have become a head coach years ago. Maybe he'd be great, but, much like Nicky V, he is not a legitimate candidate. Never heard him mentioned as a top assistant or as an option for other head jobs, and I don'tthink he'seven Huggs's top assistant. His main qualification is that he's a former player. That's not enough.

That is correct. Larry Harrison is the WVU Associate Head Coach. Several other names on the rumor list are Associate Head Coaches [Savino, Scheyer].

What's the big deal about being the "top" assistant?

Does Huggins tell him to leave the room while he discusses the high level coaching stuff with the "top" assistant?

(04-10-2021 09:31 AM)levydl Wrote:  

(04-10-2021 09:09 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I think they should interview Martin. Plenty of assistants make the jump to head coach. Hell Hubert Davis is doing it now an unc. I'm skeptical he's the best candidate but maybe he blows them away in the interview. Even if he doesn't and you hire someone else you treated him as a real candidate.

Hiring an assistant coach at another school is not the same as hiring one from your program.

I could be wrong, but wasn’t Davis sort of being groomed to be the next HC at UNC? Erik Martin is not even being groomed at WVU.

UC has to go with a proven winner name coach or maybe Martin. Up and coming Horizon guy or really anyone else is going to cause a PR problem.

Sean Miller or Pat Kelsey, LOL (if UC can afford them.)
After running Brannen off, that's what the Bearcats deserve.

The only bad news from Brannen was that he wasn't talking to Cunningham and CLF didn't like him.

I'm for Darren Savino.

How about Bobby Brannen?

My short list would be for a current head coach or someone with head coaching experience. No problem to interview an assistant but there isn't a track record of hiring an assistant to coach the UC program - and for good reason.

BTW, what time is it?

Just sayin...

Why does anyone think Erik Martin or NVE would be any better than Tony Yates? Yates was also an assistant on two HOF coaches staff's and he was also known as a good recruiter. He didn't have any head coaching experience, but the locals were excited to have a former player return to coach UC. We all know the rest of the story.