Lutz Thoughts

[SteveInBaltimore]

1) Some success in a strong mid-major conference (A10/CUSA) -- good

2) I like to look at how teams did before and after a guy was there. UNCC had been to 4 NCAA tournaments in 6 years before he was there, and he took them to 4 in his first 7, so he didn't significantly improve the program, but they stayed at a good level. Then, however, they missed for 5 years straight (which is the same thing Greenberg did and which had many people howling for his dismissal). It did lead to his dismissal. The team has been awful since he left, though. So that basic evaluation yields mixed results.

3) 54 years old -- would have liked to see someone a bit younger because I'd like to see someone who is going to be here a long time.

4) Experience recruiting NC area definitely a plus.

5) His last year there the team had a complete collapse at the end of the season, going from a likely NCAA invite to a losing season, capped by a huge blunder where he had 6 guys come out of the huddle in a tight game and was called for a technical which helped lose the game. For those who were concerned about frequent late season losses to teams we should ahve beaten in hte Greenberg era, that isn't good news.

6) I hope someone posts a picture of this guy so I stop picturing Lutz from "30 Rock".

7) Said to be known for his teams' defensive intensity (similar to Greenberg) and uptempo offense (not similar to Greenberg). Certainly sounds like he passes the Erick Green "no-Princeton-offense-or-I-will-transfer" problem.

8) Unknowns: what is his scheduling philosophy? Does he recruit "athletes" like Greenberg, or better pure shooters? Has he been able to find the rarest commodity, the true big man in the middle?

Overall, I had hoped for someone who could be described as young, and "up-and-coming". I don't think we have made any type of huge mistake here, but I am not sure we have improved at the head coaching position either. Obviously we have improved in what matters to Weaver, as Lutz will play well with others in the Athletic Department and boosters. My worst fear is that we might have another Bill Foster, who wanted one last coaching job, had on great recruiting class, rode those guys to an NIT championship and NCAA, then left the cupboard bare.

It's not a hire that is going to put fans in the seats in Cassell, so the only way to do that is to be winners in the ACC.

Bottom line. Eight years of Greenberg in the ACC, will the Hokies do better or worse in the next 8 years:

1) NCAA tournaments -- 1 -- I hope we can do better. I personally believe Greenberg would have done better in his next 8 years had he stayed, but I know others disagree. If Lutz doesn't do better he will have failed.

2) Winning seasons -- 6 -- that might be tough to top

3) Top 4 finishes in the ACC -- 5 -- even if you adjust this to "Top 6" finishes once Syracuse and Pitt join, I honestly think Lutz will have a tough time topping this.

So in my opinion, if we hire Lutz, we probably haven't improved significantly in quality of results except MAYBE in terms of NCAA appearances (which is the most important), but he's going to have to do it. Obviously there were non-basketball reasons for the change, but from a pure basketball point of view I'm not sure we are that much better off.

Hope I'm wrong. Hope he hits the ground running, invigorates the team with a an offensive style that has been lacking, and gets us to the tournament next year and several more years.

[AshburnFarmHokie]

You said you were hoping for a coach who would be around for a long time. I'm about that age and thanks to the stock market the last couple of years, I plan to work for the next 30 years. 54 these days is the middle of your career, particularly if you've got kids to put through college...

[SteveInBaltimore]

You said you were hoping for a coach who would be around for a long time. I'm about that age and thanks to the stock market the last couple of years, I plan to work for the next 30 years. 54 these days is the middle of your career, particularly if you've got kids to put through college...

The stress and travel involved in recruiting in bigtime college hoops is brutel. It killed Prosser. You have to go to these all star things and spend 14 hours a day eating junk food and not only watching kids but making sure they know you are watching them.

Now, sure, Rollie Massimino can coach Cleveland State into his 70s and Lefty can hang arounda t Georgia State. But trying to get bigtime college players to come to a school in one of the nation's top conferences -- it's a brutally tough job.

[hokiebob01]

The stress and travel involved in recruiting in bigtime college hoops is brutel. It killed Prosser. You have to go to these all star things and spend 14 hours a day eating junk food and not only watching kids but making sure they know you are watching them.

Now, sure, Rollie Massimino can coach Cleveland State into his 70s and Lefty can hang arounda t Georgia State. But trying to get bigtime college players to come to a school in one of the nation's top conferences -- it's a brutally tough job.

How old are Roy and Mike?
You think college football is a walk in the park how about 64 year old Frank Beamer.

BTW the NCAA has severely limited coaches at those all star games. Like they can't go anymore.

[SteveInBaltimore]

How old are Roy and Mike?
You think college football is a walk in the park how about 64 year old Frank Beamer.

BTW the NCAA has severely limited coaches at those all star games. Like they can't go anymore.

I don't think there is as much going out and observing the players in college football, and more of it is done by assistants (and there are more assistants). Not that football recruiting isn't a lot of work too. But I think basketball, especially for a team like VT that is going to have to identify diamonds in the rough, andwork hard to convince kids to come here, is absolutely brutal. There isn't a whole season where football players are playing on AAU teams that you need to see them and evaluate them, not to mention kiss their butts and make sure you make them feel wanted.

Williams and K? They have it a bit easier. The pool they recruit from is much smaller -- 5*s and McDonald's AAs. A lot of times all they have to do is offer and a player they covet will come. I'm not saying they don't work hard. But I think the kind of schedule that a guy like Prosser, or Greenberg, kept in July when all those tournaments were going on -- I think that is pretty brutal.

[hokiebob01]

I don't think there is as much going out and observing the players in college football, and more of it is done by assistants (and there are more assistants). Not that football recruiting isn't a lot of work too. But I think basketball, especially for a team like VT that is going to have to identify diamonds in the rough, andwork hard to convince kids to come here, is absolutely brutal. There isn't a whole season where football players are playing on AAU teams that you need to see them and evaluate them, not to mention kiss their butts and make sure you make them feel wanted.

Williams and K? They have it a bit easier. The pool they recruit from is much smaller -- 5*s and McDonald's AAs. A lot of times all they have to do is offer and a player they covet will come. I'm not saying they don't work hard. But I think the kind of schedule that a guy like Prosser, or Greenberg, kept in July when all those tournaments were going on -- I think that is pretty brutal.

College coaches can't go to theose tournements in July anymore. New NCAA rules.

[hokiebob01]

here's the picture you asked for:

[BayHokie]

This will be another "budget" hire by Jim Weaver and if we are lucky, we will get marginally better results than we had with Seth. At a minimum I think it will be easier for him to recruit talent with an up tempo offense as opposed to the "Globe Trotter High Court Weave" that Greenberg had installed.

A major factor in this coach recruiting cycle has to be the fact that anyone considering the job has to consider that they will be working for a new boss in two years or less. The administration should have taken this opportunity to move Weaver along as well. I was never a Jim Weaver fan and I feel horrible about his illness, but his time to move aside is here and now.

I wonder how many Hokie Club contributor's have to slow play this years donations to make that point?

[hokiebob01]

This will be another "budget" hire by Jim Weaver and if we are lucky, we will get marginally better results than we had with Seth. At a minimum I think it will be easier for him to recruit talent with an up tempo offense as opposed to the "Globe Trotter High Court Weave" that Greenberg had installed.

A major factor in this coach recruiting cycle has to be the fact that anyone considering the job has to consider that they will be working for a new boss in two years or less. The administration should have taken this opportunity to move Weaver along as well. I was never a Jim Weaver fan and I feel horrible about his illness, but his time to move aside is here and now.

I wonder how many Hokie Club contributor's have to slow play this years donations to make that point?

Bobby Lutz's salary will not be near the "Bargain" as an assistant with no head coaching experience or one of the MAC Coaches. He will make at least as much as what Greenburg is making and perhaps a bit more. It depends upon what the BOV said last Friday when they discuss the salary range.
Jim Weaver will retire in December of 2015 when his current contract runs out. There is no interest among Steger or the BOV to move him out. They like him and love how he runs our Athletic Department.
Of the 11,000+ Hokie Club members there are about 100 or so that have the clout to make a difference. They are the ones you see having the private pregame party thrown for them and hosted by Weaver. Then they cross the street and go up the elevators to their boxes. Those guys aren't ready for Weaver to go either.

[133743Hokie]

BOV discussed tuition last Friday, not bball coaches!