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Short List for Next HC of Utep

nattybry

MI Miner Maniac
Jul 7, 2003
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This has all happened very suddenly and various names have just been thrown out there. We all have different views of what Utep needs, but I've had a second to really examine the potential new HC candidates and here's a list of 8. Unless someone comes out of no where, I believe it'll be one of these.

1. Joe Golding- Successful coach at small D-1 Texas School, that never really had success before him arriving. (However took awhile)

2. Jerome Tang- Part of an amazing rebuild from Shambles to National Champions. Also has great experience under a great coach.

3. Bryce Drew- Hot name before Vanderbilt. Didn't go his way there, but got Grand Canyon to the NCAA and finally unseated NMSU as the champs of the WAC. Plus he's a Drew!

4.Kyle Keller (Did the research, and the penalties and vacated wins was more on the University's oversight than Coach Keller's) If that didn't happen he'd be number 1 though.

5. Billie Gillespie- The resume, The History, The Passion. That alone makes him a Hell of a choice. He made mistakes, but is older and wiser and could be a final stop for him this time a round.

6. Chris Jans- Successful rival coach and a nice steal from the Scarlet Naggies up the road that have out performed Utep the last 9 or 10 years. Not a Splash hire at all though.

7. Tony Barbee- Wasn't well liked and not sure he liked El Paso or Utep Fans, but he was a winner and if he stayed one more year, Utep would've made the Sweet 16 or farther in 2011, I believe.

8A/8B. Greg Foster/Tim Hardaway- Only due to the fact that they're former Miner Greats and will have that fire in their belly to right the ship to the good Ol Days. Lacking Coaching experience is a huge issue though and they would have to bring in experienced assistant's
 
Would be thrilled with any of the top 4, happy with top 7.

Curious to see Bryce Drew on there. Doubt we could lure him away from a Christian school with loads of money. Have you heard something?

Agree 100% that Keller should/would be #1 if not for the vacated victories. Would be smart to move on him now if he's interested.
 
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Good list.

I don't think Drew would be interested. It's a lateral move at best. Ton of money at GCU. One of the best atmospheres n college basketball.

I don't think Golding leaves his alma mater for UTEP. Lateral move. If we can get him great. I just don't see him leaving ACU to take a huge career risk at UTEP. I think he holds out for a power job. SMU is probably looking for a coach next year.

Billy has a great a great relationship with Lonn Rieissman the AD at Tarleton. I think that's the only reason he's in D1 coaching. I don't see him leaving especially during their transition period. He's 61 and Stephenville is the perfect place for Billy.

I think Foster or Hardaway would an absolute disaster. It's time to cut ties with past and build a new future.
 
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What Golding has accomplished at ACU, is nothing short of a miracle. IMO, (said this yesterday) the search should begin and end in Abilene, TX. He’s won more games the last three years than any coach in the state of Texas. He’s made the tournament two of last three years (beating UT this year) and vey likely they would’ve advanced in the 2020 year lost to COVID. No small feat. The new coach here will have to retool this roster and forge a team with a strong identity to regain the footing to get back to playing basketball in March. Don’t see any better option. The article linked below that I found online, lays it all out pretty clearly.

“Everything he touches turns to gold,” Ted Crass, a former ACU assistant under Golding, says. “Everything I’ve ever seen Coach Golding do—he has found a way to win at it. Abilene Christian should build a statue for Joe Golding.”

 
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I like a lot of the names mentioned so far, and would consider several of them as great hires. With that said, Golding is who I’d go with first.

I really liked the style and non-stop intensity he requires of his guys. I miss the tenacious defense that Haskins’ teams used to play and I think Golding would bring that back.

While I’d love to have him at UTEP’s guy, I’m not convinced he’d come to UTEP though. Unless ACU will be “down” this next year, which I doubt being that everyone has the opportunity to come back. UTEP could either really vault him to another level, or he could bury himself. Not sure if he’ll see enough reason to make the move.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Golding entertains an offer but backs out.

Just bring Barbee back. He can win here and he wants to be here.
Barbee will just use us again to get a better job all I know is we better get this done with some urgency too
 
I'm actually in the minority that believe we can land Golding. He's had three solid years and still hasn't landed anywhere better.

If he had those types of years here a P5 school would have poached him already.

They can renovate moody coliseum all they want but the support is still lacking. Averaged less than 1500 during a 27 year win season the year before covid. At UTEP that type of year would equal 10 - 12k. Time for him to step up to big boy basketball.
 
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This has all happened very suddenly and various names have just been thrown out there. We all have different views of what Utep needs, but I've had a second to really examine the potential new HC candidates and here's a list of 8. Unless someone comes out of no where, I believe it'll be one of these.

1. Joe Golding- Successful coach at small D-1 Texas School, that never really had success before him arriving. (However took awhile)

2. Jerome Tang- Part of an amazing rebuild from Shambles to National Champions. Also has great experience under a great coach.

3. Bryce Drew- Hot name before Vanderbilt. Didn't go his way there, but got Grand Canyon to the NCAA and finally unseated NMSU as the champs of the WAC. Plus he's a Drew!

4.Kyle Keller (Did the research, and the penalties and vacated wins was more on the University's oversight than Coach Keller's) If that didn't happen he'd be number 1 though.

5. Billie Gillespie- The resume, The History, The Passion. That alone makes him a Hell of a choice. He made mistakes, but is older and wiser and could be a final stop for him this time a round.

6. Chris Jans- Successful rival coach and a nice steal from the Scarlet Naggies up the road that have out performed Utep the last 9 or 10 years. Not a Splash hire at all though.

7. Tony Barbee- Wasn't well liked and not sure he liked El Paso or Utep Fans, but he was a winner and if he stayed one more year, Utep would've made the Sweet 16 or farther in 2011, I believe.

8A/8B. Greg Foster/Tim Hardaway- Only due to the fact that they're former Miner Greats and will have that fire in their belly to right the ship to the good Ol Days. Lacking Coaching experience is a huge issue though and they would have to bring in experienced assistant's


I would add Nick Matson to the list. I have spoken a few players and they have said that they are all advocating for his name to be at the top of the list. A couple of them asked for Senter's number so they could personally put a good word in for him.

Also, I have been told personally that Jason Hooten (SHSU) really wants the job.
 
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I feel like Golding would be the biggest splash, but also the biggest flight risk. He's already interviewed with TT and OU...if he has similar success here he would absolutely be gone in 1-3 years and we would be starting all over again.

I honestly feel like Barbee would be the safest bet. He's seen that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and the fact that he wants to return says a lot to me. I could see him staying a longer than the others ir he were to turn the program around. I dont think that ANY of the current candidates could be expected to be a lifer...we were extremely spoiled by Haskins.
 
Barbee will just use us again to get a better job all I know is we better get this done with some urgency too
We cannot think like this. This mentality has brought us a slew of crappy coaches with at best mediocre results over the last decade. I don't want a coach who wants to be the coach of UTEP in 5 years. I want someone who wants to be the coach of Duke in 5 years.

It's the one negative legacy that Coach has left us. We have this belief that our coach should hang around for 40 years. To be honest, it's a miracle it happened back then, and it's simply not feasible now.

If Barbee wants to use us to prove he can still coach and run a program so he can succeed Calipari, so be it. Because that means he's going to have bust his ass, win a ton, and probably make a run or two in the tournament.
 
Patrick Beilein is someone I would call. He's got lots of connections, is young and knows how to build the right way from the ground up.
 
We cannot think like this. This mentality has brought us a slew of crappy coaches with at best mediocre results over the last decade. I don't want a coach who wants to be the coach of UTEP in 5 years. I want someone who wants to be the coach of Duke in 5 years.

It's the one negative legacy that Coach has left us. We have this belief that our coach should hang around for 40 years. To be honest, it's a miracle it happened back then, and it's simply not feasible now.

If Barbee wants to use us to prove he can still coach and run a program so he can succeed Calipari, so be it. Because that means he's going to have bust his ass, win a ton, and probably make a run or two in the tournament.
Ok. So in that case Billy G. should be off the list too.
 
8A/8B. Greg Foster/Tim Hardaway- Only due to the fact that they're former Miner Greats and will have that fire in their belly to right the ship to the good Ol Days. Lacking Coaching experience is a huge issue though and they would have to bring in experienced assistant's
Greg Foster has plenty of experience.
 
Joe Golding interview being worked on for Friday or Saturday. Utep is awaiting approval from NMSU to interview Jans as early as tomorrow and Menzies is trying to work out an interview as we speak. I'm sure there's more in the works, but these 3 I heard today. Hope Utep and Golden can work out a deal that convinces him, he's Uteps Top Target by far!
 
Joe Golding interview being worked on for Friday or Saturday. Utep is awaiting approval from NMSU to interview Jans as early as tomorrow and Menzies is trying to work out an interview as we speak. I'm sure there's more in the works, but these 3 I heard today. Hope Utep and Golden can work out a deal that convinces him, he's Uteps Top Target by far!
Nice insight. As far as I'm concerned he is the only target from this list.
 
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