Coaching Hot Seats

[NElaxtalent]

Gotta think Chris Gabrielle, in his 10th year at Providence, has to be squarely in the crosshairs. For a small D1 school their athletic department is excellent (ie hockey is basketball, soccer), and they have built the program amazing facilities (both field/stadium as well as locker room) and seemingly have regressed on-field the past 4-5 years while High Point, Richmond, Utah, Jacksonville, St Joe's & BU etc have steadily improved.

Have heard PC put big $$$ into the last contract, would think they are looking for a better ROI than sub .500 lacrosse.

[Farfromgeneva]

I feel like PSU being a consistent 10-15 team is a little bit of a stretch. Certainly they can be that any given year though. But consistently I don’t know.

I don't see why that wouldn't be the expectation. I mean, they're in the Big 10; I would think that their expectation is that they compete for a tourney spot year-in, year-out.

The wrestling team was average before Cael and he has won 9 nattys. A top 10- 15 for lacrosse is a minimum expectation.

Didn't Penn State Football just sign Ron Franklin to a 10 year extension after going 11-11 over the past two years? Maybe mediocrity is the new standard at Penn State?

You’re thinking Ron Jeremy, er, James Franklin.

But yeah that expectation is relative. Conversely Thiel had them inside the top 20 pretty regularly for a good part of his career.

[gymman1031]

While I hope things work out for him, I am wondering what Jason Miller's status is at St. John's. Yes, he is a hard worker and loves his program. Yes, St. John's is a very hard sell for talent, due mostly to the area they are in and it being mostly a commuter school. But still, they are in a region that produces so much talent. Including loads and loads of under the radar players. Should they, regardless of what they have working against them, be doing a bit better?

[Can Opener]

It’s probably a few degrees south of hot, but JJ Reppert’s seat at Holy Cross can’t be too comfortable. He is 0-11 this season with some very ugly losses. Last year he went 2-4 with wins over Sacred Heart who finished 1-12 and Lafayette who finished 0-11. He seems like a great guy and an exemplary leader, but that’s not the start he’d envisioned regardless of Covid. In the two years prior to his arrival, HC went a combined 11-10 with two wins over Harvard and wins over Brown, Navy and Lehigh. I am personally rooting for him, but folks don’t feel very blessed in Worcester. I hope he can turn it around because those athletes have been through a dumpster fire of leadership turmoil prior to JJ.

[HopFan16]

While I hope things work out for him, I am wondering what Jason Miller's status is at St. John's. Yes, he is a hard worker and loves his program. Yes, St. John's is a very hard sell for talent, due mostly to the area they are in and it being mostly a commuter school. But still, they are in a region that produces so much talent. Including loads and loads of under the radar players. Should they, regardless of what they have working against them, be doing a bit better?

I don't think St. John's cares. If they did they probably would have looked to move on after the former team captain nearly disemboweled his roommate. If you're winning titles you can probably look past a disemboweling or two but when you only win two games a year you'd think that'd give them cover to make the switch after just a single disemboweling.

[gymman1031]

It’s probably a few degrees south of hot, but JJ Reppert’s seat at Holy Cross can’t be too comfortable. He is 0-11 this season with some very ugly losses. Last year he went 2-4 with wins over Sacred Heart who finished 1-12 and Lafayette who finished 0-11. He seems like a great guy and an exemplary leader, but that’s not the start he’d envisioned regardless of Covid. In the two years prior to his arrival, HC went a combined 11-10 with two wins over Harvard and wins over Brown, Navy and Lehigh. I am personally rooting for him, but folks don’t feel very blessed in Worcester. I hope he can turn it around because those athletes have been through a dumpster fire of leadership turmoil prior to JJ.

I totally agree with all of that. And, one must remember that having multiple different head coaches in a short period of time can really throw things off. We can hope that is a big reasons for HC's current struggles, and that things will get better once JL's system gets more in-place.

[jersey shore lax]

While I hope things work out for him, I am wondering what Jason Miller's status is at St. John's. Yes, he is a hard worker and loves his program. Yes, St. John's is a very hard sell for talent, due mostly to the area they are in and it being mostly a commuter school. But still, they are in a region that produces so much talent. Including loads and loads of under the radar players. Should they, regardless of what they have working against them, be doing a bit better?

I don't think St. John's cares. If they did they probably would have looked to move on after the former team captain nearly disemboweled his roommate. If you're winning titles you can probably look past a disemboweling or two but when you only win two games a year you'd think that'd give them cover to make the switch after just a single disemboweling.

Not to disembowel your disemboweling post but I think that if the disemboweler was still an active player than one disembowelment is the limit but since the disemboweler was already graduated and no longer in the program I think they would have to have two disembowelments to can the coach. Of course the irony is that the first time they were a varsity team they had a rape situation and shut down the program.

[gymman1031]

Gotta think Chris Gabrielle, in his 10th year at Providence, has to be squarely in the crosshairs. For a small D1 school their athletic department is excellent (ie hockey is basketball, soccer), and they have built the program amazing facilities (both field/stadium as well as locker room) and seemingly have regressed on-field the past 4-5 years while High Point, Richmond, Utah, Jacksonville, St Joe's & BU etc have steadily improved.

Have heard PC put big $$$ into the last contract, would think they are looking for a better ROI than sub .500 lacrosse.

You do make some good points. And, for sometime, especially in recruiting, the future appeared bright. Even if they aren't the easiest sell for talent in the conference, they definitely, as mentioned above, have solid things to offer.

[ICGrad]

It’s probably a few degrees south of hot, but JJ Reppert’s seat at Holy Cross can’t be too comfortable. He is 0-11 this season with some very ugly losses. Last year he went 2-4 with wins over Sacred Heart who finished 1-12 and Lafayette who finished 0-11. He seems like a great guy and an exemplary leader, but that’s not the start he’d envisioned regardless of Covid. In the two years prior to his arrival, HC went a combined 11-10 with two wins over Harvard and wins over Brown, Navy and Lehigh. I am personally rooting for him, but folks don’t feel very blessed in Worcester. I hope he can turn it around because those athletes have been through a dumpster fire of leadership turmoil prior to JJ.

What happened with their former HC? I remember reading about his surprise termination; was it ever revealed why he was let go?

[FMUBart]

It’s probably a few degrees south of hot, but JJ Reppert’s seat at Holy Cross can’t be too comfortable. He is 0-11 this season with some very ugly losses. Last year he went 2-4 with wins over Sacred Heart who finished 1-12 and Lafayette who finished 0-11. He seems like a great guy and an exemplary leader, but that’s not the start he’d envisioned regardless of Covid. In the two years prior to his arrival, HC went a combined 11-10 with two wins over Harvard and wins over Brown, Navy and Lehigh. I am personally rooting for him, but folks don’t feel very blessed in Worcester. I hope he can turn it around because those athletes have been through a dumpster fire of leadership turmoil prior to JJ.

I totally agree with all of that. And, one must remember that having multiple different head coaches in a short period of time can really throw things off. We can hope that is a big reasons for HC's current struggles, and that things will get better once JL's system gets more in-place.

"...things will get better once JL's system gets more in-place." LOL, yeah some "system"!

[gymman1031]

It’s probably a few degrees south of hot, but JJ Reppert’s seat at Holy Cross can’t be too comfortable. He is 0-11 this season with some very ugly losses. Last year he went 2-4 with wins over Sacred Heart who finished 1-12 and Lafayette who finished 0-11. He seems like a great guy and an exemplary leader, but that’s not the start he’d envisioned regardless of Covid. In the two years prior to his arrival, HC went a combined 11-10 with two wins over Harvard and wins over Brown, Navy and Lehigh. I am personally rooting for him, but folks don’t feel very blessed in Worcester. I hope he can turn it around because those athletes have been through a dumpster fire of leadership turmoil prior to JJ.

I totally agree with all of that. And, one must remember that having multiple different head coaches in a short period of time can really throw things off. We can hope that is a big reasons for HC's current struggles, and that things will get better once JL's system gets more in-place.

"...things will get better once JL's system gets more in-place." LOL, yeah some "system"!

Many times have coaches ended up improving a lot when the above started being the case. Not saying it will in this case. But still, it could happen.

[cherrylax]

Gotta think Chris Gabrielle, in his 10th year at Providence, has to be squarely in the crosshairs. For a small D1 school their athletic department is excellent (ie hockey is basketball, soccer), and they have built the program amazing facilities (both field/stadium as well as locker room) and seemingly have regressed on-field the past 4-5 years while High Point, Richmond, Utah, Jacksonville, St Joe's & BU etc have steadily improved.

Have heard PC put big $$$ into the last contract, would think they are looking for a better ROI than sub .500 lacrosse.

Could probably say the same thing at SHU. 5-25 in the past three years. School has put major dollars into athletics and is building a brand new hockey facility.

[HopFan16]

While I hope things work out for him, I am wondering what Jason Miller's status is at St. John's. Yes, he is a hard worker and loves his program. Yes, St. John's is a very hard sell for talent, due mostly to the area they are in and it being mostly a commuter school. But still, they are in a region that produces so much talent. Including loads and loads of under the radar players. Should they, regardless of what they have working against them, be doing a bit better?

I don't think St. John's cares. If they did they probably would have looked to move on after the former team captain nearly disemboweled his roommate. If you're winning titles you can probably look past a disemboweling or two but when you only win two games a year you'd think that'd give them cover to make the switch after just a single disemboweling.

Not to disembowel your disemboweling post but I think that if the disemboweler was still an active player than one disembowelment is the limit but since the disemboweler was already graduated and no longer in the program I think they would have to have two disembowelments to can the coach. Of course the irony is that the first time they were a varsity team they had a rape situation and shut down the program.

Fair enough. To be clear I'm not blaming the coach for what happened. But it just seems like the sort of incident where the admin would throw their hands up and say ok it's probably time to start fresh here. Don't think anyone would blame them for doing so. Feel like all bets are off when someone gets disemboweled on campus.

[MoralTerpitude]

NJIT moved up from D2, or 3? Might they return? Are they at 12.6? Thus far it seems an inefficient use of scholarship resources.

njit went straight to d1. they hardly even had a club team. in all reality, NJIT is in a terrible location. Newark, NJ is one of the worst cities in the tri-state area. trust me, i work here. that probably isn't too appealing to great recruits, especially those from NJ that know what newark is all about.

So funny that you say that. Terps just hired Kevin Willard from Seton Hall to coach men’s hoops. He made six of the last seven tournaments (if you include 2020, when SH won the Big East), but only won one game. My friends were complaining about the hire. I told them “you realize he’s trying to recruit kids to go to school in Newark, right?”

Woke up this mornin’…

[jersey shore lax]

While I hope things work out for him, I am wondering what Jason Miller's status is at St. John's. Yes, he is a hard worker and loves his program. Yes, St. John's is a very hard sell for talent, due mostly to the area they are in and it being mostly a commuter school. But still, they are in a region that produces so much talent. Including loads and loads of under the radar players. Should they, regardless of what they have working against them, be doing a bit better?

I don't think St. John's cares. If they did they probably would have looked to move on after the former team captain nearly disemboweled his roommate. If you're winning titles you can probably look past a disemboweling or two but when you only win two games a year you'd think that'd give them cover to make the switch after just a single disemboweling.

Not to disembowel your disemboweling post but I think that if the disemboweler was still an active player than one disembowelment is the limit but since the disemboweler was already graduated and no longer in the program I think they would have to have two disembowelments to can the coach. Of course the irony is that the first time they were a varsity team they had a rape situation and shut down the program.

Fair enough. To be clear I'm not blaming the coach for what happened. But it just seems like the sort of incident where the admin would throw their hands up and say ok it's probably time to start fresh here. Don't think anyone would blame them for doing so. Feel like all bets are off when someone gets disemboweled on campus.

2013 Rutgers coach was suspended and then reinstated - team was 2-13 and he is still there today with a top 5 team
2016 GTown had two players OD and one pass away - team was 2-13 and the coach is still there and team is #2 in the country

[Sidelinehorn!]

While I hope things work out for him, I am wondering what Jason Miller's status is at St. John's. Yes, he is a hard worker and loves his program. Yes, St. John's is a very hard sell for talent, due mostly to the area they are in and it being mostly a commuter school. But still, they are in a region that produces so much talent. Including loads and loads of under the radar players. Should they, regardless of what they have working against them, be doing a bit better?

I don't think St. John's cares. If they did they probably would have looked to move on after the former team captain nearly disemboweled his roommate. If you're winning titles you can probably look past a disemboweling or two but when you only win two games a year you'd think that'd give them cover to make the switch after just a single disemboweling.

Not to disembowel your disemboweling post but I think that if the disemboweler was still an active player than one disembowelment is the limit but since the disemboweler was already graduated and no longer in the program I think they would have to have two disembowelments to can the coach. Of course the irony is that the first time they were a varsity team they had a rape situation and shut down the program.

Fair enough. To be clear I'm not blaming the coach for what happened. But it just seems like the sort of incident where the admin would throw their hands up and say ok it's probably time to start fresh here. Don't think anyone would blame them for doing so. Feel like all bets are off when someone gets disemboweled on campus.

2013 Rutgers coach was suspended and then reinstated - team was 2-13 and he is still there today with a top 5 team
2016 GTown had two players OD and one pass away - team was 2-13 and the coach is still there and team is #2 in the country

Using one season as an example doesn't change the fact that some of these programs have underperformed for several years...that's even giving them the COVID grace period...

[NElaxtalent]

Gotta think Chris Gabrielle, in his 10th year at Providence, has to be squarely in the crosshairs. For a small D1 school their athletic department is excellent (ie hockey is basketball, soccer), and they have built the program amazing facilities (both field/stadium as well as locker room) and seemingly have regressed on-field the past 4-5 years while High Point, Richmond, Utah, Jacksonville, St Joe's & BU etc have steadily improved.

Have heard PC put big $$$ into the last contract, would think they are looking for a better ROI than sub .500 lacrosse.

Could probably say the same thing at SHU. 5-25 in the past three years. School has put major dollars into athletics and is building a brand new hockey facility.

PC is in the Big East and a Top 10 D1 hockey & basketball school. Different level athletic department financially & expectation-wise.

[Njlaxx11]

NJIT moved up from D2, or 3? Might they return? Are they at 12.6? Thus far it seems an inefficient use of scholarship resources.

njit went straight to d1. they hardly even had a club team. in all reality, NJIT is in a terrible location. Newark, NJ is one of the worst cities in the tri-state area. trust me, i work here. that probably isn't too appealing to great recruits, especially those from NJ that know what newark is all about.

So funny that you say that. Terps just hired Kevin Willard from Seton Hall to coach men’s hoops. He made six of the last seven tournaments (if you include 2020, when SH won the Big East), but only won one game. My friends were complaining about the hire. I told them “you realize he’s trying to recruit kids to go to school in Newark, right?”

Woke up this mornin’…

In fairness, Seton Hall is in South Orange - but still not the powerhouse of a school that Maryland is. South Orange is more of a suburbia then newark. His replacement there was recruiting to jersey city and saint peters - also a kinda crappy city but has a “hipster” area with bars and stuff. Willard should be able to recruit to Maryland with ease!

[MoralTerpitude]

NJIT moved up from D2, or 3? Might they return? Are they at 12.6? Thus far it seems an inefficient use of scholarship resources.

njit went straight to d1. they hardly even had a club team. in all reality, NJIT is in a terrible location. Newark, NJ is one of the worst cities in the tri-state area. trust me, i work here. that probably isn't too appealing to great recruits, especially those from NJ that know what newark is all about.

So funny that you say that. Terps just hired Kevin Willard from Seton Hall to coach men’s hoops. He made six of the last seven tournaments (if you include 2020, when SH won the Big East), but only won one game. My friends were complaining about the hire. I told them “you realize he’s trying to recruit kids to go to school in Newark, right?”

Woke up this mornin’…

In fairness, Seton Hall is in South Orange - but still not the powerhouse of a school that Maryland is. South Orange is more of a suburbia then newark. His replacement there was recruiting to jersey city and saint peters - also a kinda crappy city but has a “hipster” area with bars and stuff. Willard should be able to recruit to Maryland with ease!

Cool, that’s encouraging. Maryland is as talent-rich in basketball as it is in lax. Hopefully Willard can keep the homegrown talent at home.

[LacrosseFan33]

This feel right so far? Any additions?

Hot Seat
Chris Gabrielli - Providence
Travis Johnson - NJIT

Warming Up
Tambroni - Penn State
Jason Miller - St Johns
JJ Reppert - Holy Cross