Gilbert Search Firm: Replacing Dewayne Stephens
To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t planning on firing up the search firm this cycle. Alas, it appears the success of Miami (OH) has upped expectations in the MAC. As two Michigan mid majors have opened. If you have followed in past years. The methodology remains the same. Analyze the job and what it will take to win. Then a slew of candidates. Followed by a final recommendation.
Is Western a Good Job?
On the whole, I would say it’s an unequivocal yes. Centrally located within multiple fertile recruiting grounds. You can feasibly recruit all of Michigan, Chicago, Indiana and Milwaukee without much of a drive needed. Kalamazoo is not a small town and has plenty of local corporate dollars to tap into (Stryker, Pfizer, Kellog’s etc.) The Hockey team just won a national championship, and the Broncos are building an eye-opening new facility.
That being said, success can be a double-edged sword. Is the Western fanbase big enough to support a nationally relevant Hockey and Basketball team? Most college basketball coaches have adjusted to second place status with football. Do coaches want to play second fiddle with a hockey program they are going to share an arena with? A new sparkling arena is nice, but if you can’t fill it up. It can quickly be an eyesore.
That should not faze the right type of coach. Accordingly, Western needs a big personality to sell this program. He’s not making the list but think Bruce Pearl. Love him or loathe him, by sheer force of will. He elevated moribund and perpetually afterthought programs like Tennessee and Auburn.
The First calls
Wayne Tinkle (Former Head Coach Oregon St) This might seem like an odd fit at first glance. However, it’s not often that a successful head coach with twenty years of experience becomes available. The resume is better than you think. Six years removed from an Elite Eight appearance and five NCAA tournament berths overall in his career. Oregon St is an exceedingly difficult place to win. Especially with its recent conference upheaval. I’m not sure anyone blames him for the recent slide that led to his ouster.
He has worked for Western Michigan Athletic Director Dan Bartholomae. Bartholomae was the assistant AD when the Beavers went to the Elite Eight. After playing in the same state as the Nike funded Oregon Duck behemoth. He’s not going to worry about a successful hockey team. He is a big man with a matching big personality. He will own whatever room he is in.
There are definite concerns. He’s not young (60) but he has indicated he wants to keep coaching. Consequently, I doubt he will be cheap. No experience in the Midwest, and coaching limited to just two schools (Montana) While there are some Jonathan Smith vibes here. I think it is worth the risk to make him say no.
LaVall Jordan (Assistant Coach DePaul) Does this sound familiar? Up and coming young head coach gets a bit of a quick hook at a historically strong Big East program. Then finds redemption in the MAC. Wait, that Travis Steele’s music… You could copy and paste that story for Jordan’s experience at Butler. Made a tournament appearance in his first year. Was probably going to make another before the pandemic cancelled the 2020 version.
The Albion native has local ties and should be extremely connected to all of the recruiting territories listed above. Also served as head coach at Milwaukee and is currently coaching in Chicago. From the John Beilein and Butler coaching trees. Was even at Western for about five minutes before Ann Arbor poached him. Maybe that left a bad taste in the hiring committee’s mouth, but I doubt it. Like Tinkle, I’m not sure a much better resume is going to be up for this job.
Charlie Henry (Head Coach Georgia Southern) With the dismissal of Dewayne Stephens, I can’t see the hiring committee going back into the Izzo coaching tree. That removes some interesting candidates (alum Saddi Washington, Thomas Kelly) What Michigan tree is left? I don’t see the Dusty May guys leaving yet (for a MAC job at least) So…
Despite controversy, Nate Oats is red hot right now. That leads to Charlie Henry the former Alabama assistant and Detroit area native. Beyond just Oats, has experience working with an equally hot name in Fred Hoiberg at Iowa St. Also did a stint in the G League.
The rub here is that he has not gotten off to a great start in the Sun Belt. With a sub .500 record in three years. Would the committee look beyond that to grab a young coach (39) with some Nate Oats pixie dust?
Preston Murphy (Assistant Coach Alabama) Staying in the Oats tree. The Saginaw native has a longer and more diverse resume than Henry. Has also worked at Creighton, Boston College, and his alma mater Rhode Island. Known for his recruiting acumen and is connected in the EYBL circuit as a former coach with Expressions Elite. Was key in the recent commitment of Jaxon Richardson.
However, that AAU detour was necessitated by a two-year show cause penalty from the NCAA. That’s not a great look. That being said, the further college basketball gets from that bizarre FBI led scandal. The more archaic and peculiar those punishments look. Administrators are much less saccharine about it takes to win at the highest levels. Murphy is the only guy on this list without head coaching experience as well. It’s a lot to look past, but Western just might be willing to do it.
The Outside the Boxers
A group of names that are certainly outside the box of a traditional hire. However, if you squint, they make sense.
If you saw at my earlier search firm column about the Eastern Michigan opening. You know I am high on the possible candidacies of Steve Hettinga (Lake Superior St) and Ryan Cottingham (Spring Arbor) I could see both working here as well. They are also former residents of Kalamazoo/Southwestern Michigan areas. I won’t rehash the resumes, just find the link here
Steve Hawkins (Associate Head Coach Southern Illinois) This is certainly not conventional. As Hawkins was let go by Western a mere six years ago. However, it’s a new administration and there were some unique pandemic induced financial circumstances around his dismissal. I mentioned a big personality in the beginning. That is Hawkins, and he already knows the booster and donor network very well. Consistent winner in 17 years in Kalamazoo. The Broncos never finished worse than third under his watch. Made the Big Dance twice.
Does he want the challenge again? Does Western want a to hire a 63 year old head coach? There are definitely questions. But there are also answers as Hawkins is a known commodity in Kalamazoo.
Jon VanderWal (Head Coach Trine-IN) The jump from Division III to Division I is certainly rare. This isn’t your average DIII coach though. Highly successful during a long run at Marietta (OH). Just finished his first year coaching a blue blood in far Northern Indiana. There is some history here. Has been a factor in this job search before. Hasn’t coached in Michigan but is a native who was a standout player at Albion.
I believe he has the support from a group of former players. How much does that matter to the leadership this time around? There isn’t much precedence for this. However, I also mentioned a Division II and NAIA coach at the top of this section. Ben McCollom’s success at Drake and Iowa seem to be challenging the small school stigma. Perhaps VanderWal could be next.
Recommendation
Not that anyone cares, but I just turned 45. This one is hitting and I’m feeling a bit older. Perhaps that is why I am sensitive to the old guys here. Give Coach Hawk a call and see if he wants to get the band back together.
