Michael Huger

Notsince1985

Retired staff
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Disclaimer: I'm a Coach L fan, so this is not a fire Coach L thread. This is bringing up a name for whenever Coach L decides to retire.

Huger, as most of you know was an assistant under L at Mason from 07-11 and Miami from 11-15. He's been the HC at Bowling Green from 11-today. At BG they've gone 16-18, 13-19, 16-16, to this year when they're 19-8, 11-3. They have a win over nationally ranked Buffalo and are competing with Buffalo for the MAC Title. I have a friend who went to Bowling Green who says Huger is getting looks from bigger schools. Also, Konkol at La Tech is doing a good job, but they were a very good program when he took over, and they've actually regressed a little under his watch.
 
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Good post. I liked Huger when he was here, met him on campus a few years ago. Thanks for refreshing my memory about him. I'm glad he's doing well.
 
Not sure why we wouldn't be interested in them if they are proving successful as Huger has. Larranaga was from a smaller conference.

FYI... Dabo was an assistant at the school he is HC at prior to moving up. These two guys, if hired here, would have done more than Dabo had before his first HC job.

Leonard Hamilton was an Asst at Kentucky before being named a first-time HC at Oklahoma State.
Tom Izzo was a Michigan State Asst and promoted to his first HC job at the same school.
 
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I'd still be excited about bringing Rick on board as HC when the time comes. Assuming there's more than cold ashes in his belly at this point.
I'm not attacking you, but IMO regardless of how fired up Rick Pitino is, his best coaching days are far behind him. He was an elite coach at one point, but whatever he had back then - to me, it's just gone. I don't think he can ever resurrect that old UK-Pitino style of coaching and success.

If we hired him, it would be reaching for a name instead of a coach that could actually help us win.
 
BWCD, that was what I was getting at with the "fire in the belly" remark. i agree with you, that fire is likely cold ashes now.

Still, a Pitino-approaching-his-peak type coach is what we need. Our recruiting history screams that out. It can't be more apparent (with 34 years of experience to go on now) that recruiting top HS players to UM is clearly not anywhere near an "easy sell" and, therefore, the HC job requires a truly exceptional recruiter along the lines of a Calipari or Pitino-type.
 
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At a minimum, we need assistants that can recruit.

Venture to say Coach Fisch is our best recruiter

Miami was recruiting well two years ago with much of this same staff. There have been some changes, but it's not like Miami didn't land a **** good class 2 years ago. Recruiting wasn't the problem, it was the fact that Miami got sunk by the uncertainty surrounding the probe, leading to Miami not having a single **** incoming recruit that was the problem. Unlike football, guys are locked up relatively early in the recruiting process, which means that if something happens late, you can have a class get straight destroyed. Look at Arizona, they dealt with the same thing and they are struggling in a weak Pac-12.

Miami has to hit the graduate transfer market hard this offseason and team those arrivals with the guys they signed in the signing period. If Miami can get out to 9-11 legit scholarship athletes next year, this team will be right back to the solid squad they've been throughout the L era.
 
Not sure why we wouldn't be interested in them if they are proving successful as Huger has. Larranaga was from a smaller conference.

FYI... Dabo was an assistant at the school he is HC at prior to moving up. These two guys, if hired here, would have done more than Dabo had before his first HC job.

Leonard Hamilton was an Asst at Kentucky before being named a first-time HC at Oklahoma State.
Tom Izzo was a Michigan State Asst and promoted to his first HC job at the same school.
Can't compare Huger to Larranaga. Coach L had a LONG track record, including the Final Four.
 
Can't compare Huger to Larranaga. Coach L had a LONG track record, including the Final Four.

Huger is younger though. Coach L was a guy that fell into Miami's lap. If L was 20 years younger when he had that run with George Mason, he would have gone to a larger school. You can't make hires based on outliers. Miami would be best served to find a guy that understands Miami, and also has legit HC experience. When the times comes in regards to L, you should be able to find a legit guy, I don't want another Haith type of hire, a career assistant that can "Recruit" at a larger school. Give me a guy like Huger, a guy like Randy Bennett at Saint Mary's. Someone that can do a lot with less, a guy that can take solid talent and make them **** good. That's how Miami has and will continue to win.
 
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I think Coach Caputo is our best recruiter and he is the guy normally with Coach L on the recruiting trail conducting visits.
 
Can't compare Huger to Larranaga. Coach L had a LONG track record, including the Final Four.
Ok, and the rest?

Interesting note (which you all have probably picked up on): both Huger (7 yrs) and Larranaga (11) have spent time as BGSU's head coach.
 
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