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Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/college/fau/sfl-walters0414,0,7778331.story

Ex-FAU coach Walters wanted to get back home
By Ted Hutton | Sun-Sentinel.com
9:35 PM EDT, April 14, 2008
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Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo  Print Reprints Post comment Text size:  Former Florida Atlantic men's basketball coach Rex Walters may have left California to attend college, but he said getting back home was a major reason when he left FAU to take the job at the University of San Francisco.

"I am leaving a situation where they can be really good, but there is something special here, something about the city," Walters said Monday evening during the press conference where he was welcomed as the new coach of the Dons.

Walters grew up in San Jose, and was familiar with the basketball legacy of San Francisco, which won national titles in 1955 and 1956 with Bill Russell at center.

"One of the biggest things was to be able to come back home. I am a Bay area guy. I have always wanted to get back, desperately," said Walters, who was 31-33 in two seasons at FAU.

Walters was recruited by San Francisco as a high school senior, but left California to play collegiately at Northwestern and Kansas.

FAU Athletic Director Craig Angelos said he has been flooded with calls and e-mails as news of Walter's departure spread.

Angelos said the search is "wide open," and he expects to narrow the field to the top four or five candidates in two weeks.

. "I've heard from head coaches, assistants, agents, headhunters," Angelos said. "There is no doubt we will have a strong field of candidates. There are a lot of very good people out there and very few jobs."

Angelos will be hiring his third coach in four years, since Walters replaced Matt Doherty, who Angelos hired in 2005 but left in 2006 to take a job at Southern Methodist.


Two things…

First about Walters…I'd buy the "going back home" angle more if he didn't almost go to Mercer first.

Second, good news from Angelos about having a wide open coach hunt.  From the sounds of it, this will take a few weeks, so I guess we'll have to be patient.
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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

So it looks like the secret has escaped "The Owl's Nest"–we have the chance to be very good next season.  Thankfully, the calls are incoming and FAU can afford to answer the phone.I still think when all is said and done, the best shot for us for the next couple of years is to stay local, look at Balado or Lynn Universities Scott McMillin.  The players know Mike and he isn't going anywhere unless, of course Walters is the example and not the anomaly, then the answer might be McMillin who has even deeper roots in Boca.

On the two things-1. almost only counts in horseshoes so the Mercer argument is voided, and 2. see above.  Jarvis is looking, lives in Boca and would do a heck of a job with the talent left behind when Walters went to Mercer, er USF
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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

jarvis would be a disaster

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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

NewOwlOldBBFan said

So it looks like the secret has escaped "The Owl's Nest"–we have the chance to be very good next season.  Thankfully, the calls are incoming and FAU can afford to answer the phone.I still think when all is said and done, the best shot for us for the next couple of years is to stay local, look at Balado or Lynn Universities Scott McMillin.  The players know Mike and he isn't going anywhere unless, of course Walters is the example and not the anomaly, then the answer might be McMillin who has even deeper roots in Boca.

On the two things-1. almost only counts in horseshoes so the Mercer argument is voided, and 2. see above.  Jarvis is looking, lives in Boca and would do a heck of a job with the talent left behind when Walters went to Mercer, er USF

I doubt McMillin has the D-I experience needed to coach at this level yet.  According to his bio, he was an assistant at Buffalo for 2 seasons after he graduated from there, but the rest of his time has been spent in D-II or below.  If we were to look at someone with Lynn ties, it'd likely be Georgia Southern's Jeff Price, who was at Lynn prior to McMillin. 
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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

i know scott, he's not ready for this job. atleast he's not where we want him to be yet. nice guy though.

my vote is for tim welsh, ex providence coach, nice loyal guy and just got a huge buyout so we wouldn't have to pay him a ton. solid coach and fairly loyal.
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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

"I doubt McMillin has the D-I experience needed to coach at this level yet.  According to his bio, he was an assistant at Buffalo for 2 seasons after he graduated from there, but the rest of his time has been spent in D-II or below.  If we were to look at someone with Lynn ties, it'd likely be Georgia Southern's Jeff Price, who was at Lynn prior to McMillin. "

Price is an intriguing choice.  Works in a lower rated conference, has been there long enough to avoid the "traitor" charge, may have to take a cut in pay ($150-170K) at FAU, but for sure would see that this team has a shot at a very good season.

Not sure where Georgia Southern is located, but cost of living could be a major issue in Boca….but a very intruiging choice…..

The reason I talk to Balado (0 yrs as HC at D2 or D1 level should not disqualify him) and McMilin (0 yrs as HC at D1 level should not disqualify him) is that there  wouldn't be any down time in getting here, and both seem to be So Fla solid…….If Rex had left the cupboard bare, neither should be considered, but he didn't…

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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

fauowl09 said

jarvis would be a disaster

agree!
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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

fauowls44 said

NewOwlOldBBFan said

So it looks like the secret has escaped "The Owl's Nest"–we have the chance to be very good next season.  Thankfully, the calls are incoming and FAU can afford to answer the phone.I still think when all is said and done, the best shot for us for the next couple of years is to stay local, look at Balado or Lynn Universities Scott McMillin.  The players know Mike and he isn't going anywhere unless, of course Walters is the example and not the anomaly, then the answer might be McMillin who has even deeper roots in Boca.

On the two things-1. almost only counts in horseshoes so the Mercer argument is voided, and 2. see above.  Jarvis is looking, lives in Boca and would do a heck of a job with the talent left behind when Walters went to Mercer, er USF

I doubt McMillin has the D-I experience needed to coach at this level yet.  According to his bio, he was an assistant at Buffalo for 2 seasons after he graduated from there, but the rest of his time has been spent in D-II or below.  If we were to look at someone with Lynn ties, it'd likely be Georgia Southern's Jeff Price, who was at Lynn prior to McMillin.

I know that I am about to compare two different sports which is kind of apples to oranges…but on some level coaching is coaching.  As far as D-I experience goes….see Ohio State and Jim Tressel as an example of the right guy for the job coming from a D-III? school…Youngstown State.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

walty12 said

fauowls44 said

NewOwlOldBBFan said

So it looks like the secret has escaped "The Owl's Nest"–we have the chance to be very good next season.  Thankfully, the calls are incoming and FAU can afford to answer the phone.I still think when all is said and done, the best shot for us for the next couple of years is to stay local, look at Balado or Lynn Universities Scott McMillin.  The players know Mike and he isn't going anywhere unless, of course Walters is the example and not the anomaly, then the answer might be McMillin who has even deeper roots in Boca.

On the two things-1. almost only counts in horseshoes so the Mercer argument is voided, and 2. see above.  Jarvis is looking, lives in Boca and would do a heck of a job with the talent left behind when Walters went to Mercer, er USF

I doubt McMillin has the D-I experience needed to coach at this level yet.  According to his bio, he was an assistant at Buffalo for 2 seasons after he graduated from there, but the rest of his time has been spent in D-II or below.  If we were to look at someone with Lynn ties, it'd likely be Georgia Southern's Jeff Price, who was at Lynn prior to McMillin.

I know that I am about to compare two different sports which is kind of apples to oranges…but on some level coaching is coaching.  As far as D-I experience goes….see Ohio State and Jim Tressel as an example of the right guy for the job coming from a D-III? school…Youngstown State.

Actually, Youngstown State is I-AA.  We played(and beat) them a couple of times over the years.  They were a I-AA powerhouse under Tressel.  Plus, he worked for a number of years as an assistant for multiple I-A schools prior to taking the job at YSU.  So, Tressel is a poor example.  He had a lot of experience and was ready to make a leap to the next level of coaching.  McMillin getting this job straight from Lynn would be more like Tressel getting hired from YSU to coach the Cleveland Browns.

Besides, look at the other SBC coaching hires this offseason.  ASU hired the former LSU coach.  WKU hired a top assistant at Texas.  We don't have to reach down into the D-II ranks to find a coach here.  There will be many QUALIFIED applicants that will be lining up for the chance to take over this program. 
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Re: Angelos: Coaching search "wide open"

At least football Youngstown State is a national power at the 1-aa level.
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