Eustachy to Minnesota?

letsgostate · 12-10-2006, 04:21 PM

Here's what the St.Paul Pioneer Press said in today's edition.

Eustachy worth a look
CHARLEY WALTERS

SUNDAY SUPER SHOOTER CHARLEY WALTERS

The University of Minnesota is researching coaching search firms as the hunt for a new Gophers men's basketball coach begins.

Two possibilities, yet to be publicly discussed, to succeed Dan Monson are Washington State's Tony Bennett and Southern Mississippi's Larry Eustach
Eustachy, 50, is an intriguing prospect. Considered an exceptional recruiter, he has coached Southern Mississippi to a 9-0 start this season. But he was dismissed by Iowa State in 2003 after published photos showed him drinking and partying with college students.Eustachy, 50, is an intriguing prospect. Considered an exceptional recruiter, he has coached Southern Mississippi to a 9-0 start this season. But he was dismissed by Iowa State in 2003 after published photos showed him drinking and partying with college students
(the site is www.pioneerpress.com and Charlie Walter's column)

Wesley · 12-10-2006, 04:30 PM

Great recruiter, but then what?

9seven · 12-10-2006, 04:32 PM

I always considered Eustachy a great X and O's coach, but not a great recruiter! Not a bad one, but Tinsley was his only stud he recruited!

isucyfan · 12-10-2006, 04:45 PM

This columnist is the same one that the day after Monson was fired listed Gmac as a possible candidate, so take this info with a grain of salt. This rumor makes so much more sense to me, though, with a school looking for a proven big-time coach, and a coach looking to get back to the big-time. Personally, as a TC resident, I would love to see LE here.

Kalup · 12-10-2006, 05:00 PM

My first post. LE a great recruiter? After a couple of Big XII championships and elite eight apperarance the recruiting window should have opened. I was disappinted when LE did not cash in on those opportunities.

VII_Fe · 12-10-2006, 05:04 PM

Minnesota is in a pretty good position. Their job is open and they will not fill it until the Final Four next spring. They will have a lot of time to evaluate several opportunities. I would say that LE is a possibility.

Wesley · 12-10-2006, 05:16 PM

Can LE drive to all those Big Te schools in the middle of winter? Chicago can be treachorous. Minnesota can get some bad blizzards.

letsgostate · 12-10-2006, 05:57 PM

His biggest challenge is that U of M is VERY politically correct...might be some opposition.

EggMcClone · 12-10-2006, 06:07 PM

LE recruited some highly regarded players but most of them never made it to campus (Harper) or flamed out (Alexander). That one class was top 5 or so and most of it never did anything if I remember it right.

But, great recruiter isn't the first thing that comes to my mind.

kurimski · 12-10-2006, 06:39 PM

LE recruited some highly regarded players but most of them never made it to campus (Harper) or flamed out (Alexander). That one class was top 5 or so and most of it never did anything if I remember it right.

But, great recruiter isn't the first thing that comes to my mind.

That's right! He can throw one heck of a party too! How many people can say they partied with a universities head bball coach? haha

pulse · 12-10-2006, 06:50 PM

If Minny wants him, go ahead.. good for them and him. I hope they don't read this though, because he isn't really an exceptional recruiter. I know Fizer, Shirley, and Stevie Johnson were all recruited by Floyd.. as well as possibly Rancik and Horton.

isucyfan · 12-10-2006, 06:55 PM

I have posted before that I thought LE was a good, not great, coach for just this reason. He really did what he did for us with mostly Tim Floyd's guys. Granted, he kept the program going and won us championships, so I will always like him. But I don't know if he can lure the big recruits needed to run a big-time program consistently. I think his coaching style can scare off some kids that aren't really thick-skinned.

VII_Fe · 12-10-2006, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by isucyfan

He really did what he did for us with mostly Tim Floyd's guys. Granted, he kept the program going and won us championships, so I will always like him. But I don't know if he can lure the big recruits needed to run a big-time program consistently.

He developed Floyd's players (Fizer, Nurse, Johnson) and brought in Horton and Tinsley which were VITAL to the success of the Elite Eight team. He is a GREAT coach. But like Kinght, if you can't handle his approach you are going to be in for a long experience as one of his players.

isucyfan · 12-10-2006, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by VII_Fe

He developed Floyd's players (Fizer, Nurse, Johnson) and brought in Horton and Tinsley which were VITAL to the success of the Elite Eight team. He is a GREAT coach. But like Kinght, if you can't handle his approach you are going to be in for a long experience as one of his players.

I can see your point, but I tend to rank Floyd above LE as a coach, so LE doesn't quite get the "great" moniker from me. Floyd could recruit as well as develop players and get a lot out of less talented players because of his system, IMO.

alaskaguy · 12-10-2006, 07:52 PM

After defeating Southern New Orleans to up their season record to 7-0 Eustachy had the following comments.....

"I thought we tried. We just don't know what it takes right now. We're were we should be and not were we will be."

"They just don't know what a full out effort is. They don't know how to leave it all on the court because they never have before. I thought we gave as best effort as we could today. But its not the effort we need."