Candidates to Replace LE back in 2003

Since a lot of us are talking about LE, I think it’ll be interesting to imagine how things will turn out if someone else than WM ended up getting the job:

Here are the 4 top candidates to replace Eustachy according to Iowa State Daily that time:

Creighton coach Dana Altman, Wyoming coach Steve McClain, Fresno State coach Ray Lopes, Tennessee-Chattanooga coach Jeff Lebo, and ISU assistant Wayne Morgan. Altman and Lopes removed themselves from consideration before interviewing. McClain was interviewed but didn't get the job.

Here's where they are now:
Dana Altman: still at Creighton. People say that he likes to stay as big fish in a small pond. Since 2003 until end of last season: 134-65, 4 NIT and 2 NCAA. NCAA and NIT appearances ended in either 1st or 2nd round, 1 regular season championship

Steve McClain: fired from Wyoming in 2006. Now an associate HC at CU

Ray Lopes: resigned from his position at Fresno State in 2005 based on his involvement in NCAA rules violations in the recruiting process. Now assistant coach with U of Idaho Vandals.

Jeff Lebo: now at…..Auburn after leaving UTC after 2003-2004 season. Record at Auburn: 81-76 with 1 NIT appearance.

Interesting, isn't it ?

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Originally Posted by cyclone13

Since a lot of us are talking about LE, I think it’ll be interesting to imagine how things will turn out if someone else than WM ended up getting the job:

Here are the 4 top candidates to replace Eustachy according to Iowa State Daily that time:

Creighton coach Dana Altman, Wyoming coach Steve McClain, Fresno State coach Ray Lopes, Tennessee-Chattanooga coach Jeff Lebo, and ISU assistant Wayne Morgan. Altman and Lopes removed themselves from consideration before interviewing. McClain was interviewed but didn't get the job.

Here's where they are now:
Dana Altman: still at Creighton. People say that he likes to stay as big fish in a small pond. Since 2003 until end of last season: 134-65, 4 NIT and 2 NCAA. NCAA and NIT appearances ended in either 1st or 2nd round, 1 regular season championship

Steve McClain: fired from Wyoming in 2006. Now an associate HC at CU

Ray Lopes: resigned from his position at Fresno State in 2005 based on his involvement in NCAA rules violations in the recruiting process. Now assistant coach with U of Idaho Vandals.

Jeff Lebo: now at…..Auburn after leaving UTC after 2003-2004 season. Record at Auburn: 81-76 with 1 NIT appearance.

Interesting, isn't it ?

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I believe that Lebo made the NCAAs in his 5th season at Auburn. I was reading about him a couple of weeks ago and saw just that.

you could almost make the point that we ended up with the best guy. aside from altman of course

Not exactly great company. But that was BVDV for you...

Altman would have been good. But in hindsight, I would take Wayne Morgan over those other 3.

Altman also left for Arkansas, then returned to Creighton...Hard to say why.

How long was BVDV the AD at ISU?

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Originally Posted by kg-cyclone

Altman also left for Arkansas, then returned to Creighton...Hard to say why.

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He remembered he has a good thing at Creighton, and has tried the bigger program (K-State).

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Originally Posted by kgreeny

He remembered he has a good thing at Creighton, and has tried the bigger program (K-State).

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Thought about that, but IMO, he didn't like what he saw when he got down there

I don't know about Altman. He didn't do much at K-State and seemed a little afraid to step back into the big time when he backed out at Arkansas. I'm really not confident he would have done much at ISU.

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Originally Posted by kg-cyclone

Altman also left for Arkansas, then returned to Creighton...Hard to say why.

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He actually left very briefly - announcing he'd take Arkansas job and changed his mind 24 hours later. It's more like Billy Donovan's Florida-Magic flip-flop

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Originally Posted by kg-cyclone

Altman also left for Arkansas, then returned to Creighton...Hard to say why.

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The Soooooo Pig Cheer...... it Creeped him out.

Also, after getting hammered at K-State, he decided it is much easier to win in the Valley and not worried about getting fired every other year. :eek:

This is/was a pathetic list. Being a few years removed from back to back championships, a rapid fanbase, decent tradition....coming off a scandal or no scandal this list is pathetic and should have included some real up and coming names and maybe a few quality established coach. I mean you telling me we could land Johnny Orr a few years from a championship game in the early 80's but we couldn't land someone of his caliber after what LE and Floyd AND Orr accomplished? BVD himself is who set us back 10 years.

Losing LE didn't set us back 10 years....not going out and finding a quality 'long haul' coach did.

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Originally Posted by mustangcy

This is/was a pathetic list. Being a few years removed from back to back championships, a rapid fanbase, decent tradition....coming off a scandal or no scandal this list is pathetic and should have included some real up and coming names and maybe a few quality established coach. I mean you telling me we could land Johnny Orr a few years from a championship game in the early 80's but we couldn't land someone of his caliber after what LE and Floyd AND Orr accomplished? BVD himself is who set us back 10 years.

Losing LE didn't set us back 10 years....not going out and finding a quality 'long haul' coach did.

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You know, come to think of it, that's a real good point. We really aimed low with that list.

Wasn't Rob Jeter from UW-Milwaukee the front-runner for a while, at least media-wise? Or was that after Morgan?

I think WM did fine. Couldnt coach all that well but if you get a bunch of talent on the floor then you can win games.

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Originally Posted by mustangcy

Losing LE didn't set us back 10 years....not going out and finding a quality 'long haul' coach did.

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Like who? Nobody would touch the job with a 10 ft pole. The head coach of Wyoming and Tennessee Tech turned us down for heaven's sake.