Coaching Carousel 2023 - D1

[Laxbuck]

Rumor has it Panos is out at Queens. New D1 program and an opportunity for a coach to make his mark.

Really? After just one season as their coach in DI? And after lots of success in DII?

So it seems. He was not on the sideline today.

There was some controversy a couple years ago when Queens brought in Hannan from Mercer to be the associate head coach supposedly without much input from Panos. Maybe they couldn't get rid of Panos yet but wanted to secure Hannan as the next head coach. Seems like a pretty rotten thing to do if true. Now Hannan has decided just to go back to Goucher and Panos is gone before the season has ended. Not a great look for the program.

Not at all. I wonder what their plan might be. Tough making the leap to D1 and doing this in year 1 unless they have their guy in mind. Hannan coming back?

I would guess they would try and get a highly regarded D1 assistant. It’s a good school/beautiful campus in a great part of Charlotte. Solid facilities. Jacksonville would be my comp. Get a good head coach and you could build something.

[rolldodge]

@RD... Does UNC strike you as a program that is currently operating, preparing, and growing at the same level as Maryland and UVA?

No, but those programs right now are not only great, but arguably historically great. That’s a tough standard to hold a coach to.

Breschi is clearly capable of winning a championship and has been to Memorial Day weekend as recently as two years ago. If the administration feels that’s not good enough they might take a chance on an unproven young talent and see if they can do better. But they’re not gonna get Tillman or Tiffany. Only other coach out there with that kind of pedigree is Pietramala.

Tillman was 20-19 at Harvard with 0 postseason appearances before he went to Maryland.
Lars was 95-56 in 10 years at Brown with only 3 postseason appearances and 2 wins (both in his final year).
I think you could argue both (at least Tillman) were unproven guys. UNC doesn’t need to hire someone with an incredible resume… but just the best Lacrosse coach they can get.

Yes, that's my point. You can go with the guy you have who is proven, or, if you think he's past his prime, get a guy who's unproven and take your chances. Its just a risky move that's not guaranteed to pan out.

[jhu06]

Rumor has it Panos is out at Queens. New D1 program and an opportunity for a coach to make his mark.

Really? After just one season as their coach in DI? And after lots of success in DII?

So it seems. He was not on the sideline today.

There was some controversy a couple years ago when Queens brought in Hannan from Mercer to be the associate head coach supposedly without much input from Panos. Maybe they couldn't get rid of Panos yet but wanted to secure Hannan as the next head coach. Seems like a pretty rotten thing to do if true. Now Hannan has decided just to go back to Goucher and Panos is gone before the season has ended. Not a great look for the program.

Not at all. I wonder what their plan might be. Tough making the leap to D1 and doing this in year 1 unless they have their guy in mind. Hannan coming back?

I would guess they would try and get a highly regarded D1 assistant. It’s a good school/beautiful campus in a great part of Charlotte. Solid facilities. Jacksonville would be my comp. Get a good head coach and you could build something.

When Hopkins really struggled at the end of the petro era I started googling coaching replacements and how schools figure out how and when to make these decisions and it's a lot more complicated on so many different levels than I thought than just "The guy isn't winning he's done". It's a question of is the replacement going to be better, does the search firm or ad make the choice and then there are other levels to it. For example there's research that shows that schools in situations where the coach leaves for a better job-like for example cornell when PM left for Hopkins do better on average than schools where they're replacing someone they weren't happy with. I'm sure any school-whether it was Hopkins, Cuse, whatever has a list or has thought of-giving thought to the big replacements in college lacrosse over the last 20 years and when and what worked and what did not.

[Powellfan22]

Question: Does Petro replace Breschi or do little Petros transfer to Cuse?

I would guess neither happens but I think Petro to UNC would be more likely.

[10 10 2]

Question: Does Petro replace Breschi or do little Petros transfer to Cuse?

I would guess neither happens but I think Petro to UNC would be more likely.

I think it's the opposite. Zero chance Petro replaces Breschi and a nonzero chance one or both his sons transfer to Syracuse.

[CU77]

What does anyone see in Petro's record over the last ten years that would make him look like a good bet to an AD at a place like UNC?

The best comparison is Cottle, who never got another college coaching job.

IMO Petro was very lucky to get the Cuse DC gig, that required an almost unique set of circumstances.

[DocBarrister]

What does anyone see in Petro's record over the last ten years that would make him look like a good bet to an AD at a place like UNC?

The best comparison is Cottle, who never got another college coaching job.

IMO Petro was very lucky to get the Cuse DC gig, that required an almost unique set of circumstances.

I agree. Generally very challenging for a “veteran” coach to get another top tier coaching gig. All the experience practically counts against the coach. Most programs are looking for the rising coach whose best years are perceived to be still ahead.

The only exception: if a brand new Division I program wants to establish instant credibility. Then I can see hiring someone like Petro.

DocBarrister

[Powellfan22]

Question: Does Petro replace Breschi or do little Petros transfer to Cuse?

I would guess neither happens but I think Petro to UNC would be more likely.

I think it's the opposite. Zero chance Petro replaces Breschi and a nonzero chance one or both his sons transfer to Syracuse.

Yes I want to stress that I think neither happens. I don’t think Petro necessarily has to replace Breschi. Unterstein has done a really good job with the UNC defense, he fits the bill of young, up and coming that a mid tier university might be interested in. Perhaps Petro makes a lateral move in that case. Lots of things would have to fall into place for that to happen of course.

[a fan]

What does anyone see in Petro's record over the last ten years that would make him look like a good bet to an AD at a place like UNC?

Made the Tourney every year save one as a HC, something UNC hasn't done.

[CU77]

Made the Tourney every year save one as a HC, something UNC hasn't done.

And yet somehow that wasn't enough for Hop to keep him. Ditto Cottle, ditto Starsia. How are those guys doing in their new HC jobs after getting dismissed? Oh wait, they didn't get any new HC jobs!

[10stone5]

I like Unterstein to Hofstra — assuming anything happens there which I don’t believe you’ll see anything with Tierney moving out this year.

[jrn19]

Unterstein to Hofstra feels like a shoo-in, which is why I haven't understood why they haven't made a move the last few years with how much things have regressed. The programs results pretty much immediately dropped off once he left for Carolina and his defense remained elite his entire time there while the offense was struggling.

[smoova]

The only exception: if a brand new Division I program wants to establish instant credibility. Then I can see hiring someone like Petro.

Looks like Queens is open ... only 2 hours from Chapel Hill ...

[a fan]

Made the Tourney every year save one as a HC, something UNC hasn't done.

And yet somehow that wasn't enough for Hop to keep him. Ditto Cottle, ditto Starsia. How are those guys doing in their new HC jobs after getting dismissed? Oh wait, they didn't get any new HC jobs!

I understand. You asked me what was on his resume, and I answered the question. Missing the tournament once in a decade is pretty impressive....that's a very short list of coaches.

[HopFan16]

Question: Does Petro replace Breschi or do little Petros transfer to Cuse?

I would guess neither happens but I think Petro to UNC would be more likely.

I think it's the opposite. Zero chance Petro replaces Breschi and a nonzero chance one or both his sons transfer to Syracuse.

Yes I want to stress that I think neither happens. I don’t think Petro necessarily has to replace Breschi. Unterstein has done a really good job with the UNC defense, he fits the bill of young, up and coming that a mid tier university might be interested in. Perhaps Petro makes a lateral move in that case. Lots of things would have to fall into place for that to happen of course.

Think it's unlikely Unterstein would stick around if Breschi is let go.

I've thought about it some more and I think we may be underrating the caliber of candidate UNC would get if they were to have an opening. It's one of the more attractive jobs in the country. And when a big job opens up, the Ivy League is usually the first place to look. See: Hopkins, Virginia, Maryland, Penn State. I think UNC would be of interest to some sitting head coaches...Shay, Madalon, Buczek come to mind. Not saying any of them would necessarily end up in Carolina, but they'd at least return the call.

[10 10 2]

Think it's unlikely Unterstein would stick around if Breschi is let go.

I've thought about it some more and I think we may be underrating the caliber of candidate UNC would get if they were to have an opening. It's one of the more attractive jobs in the country. And when a big job opens up, the Ivy League is usually the first place to look. See: Hopkins, Virginia, Maryland, Penn State. I think UNC would be of interest to some sitting head coaches...Shay, Madalon, Buczek come to mind. Not saying any of them would necessarily end up in Carolina, but they'd at least return the call.

Unterstein definitely has a bright future ahead of him as a head coach somewhere.

How many of the Ivy League coaches want to move on is an interesting question for me. Buczek is young and hungry, but also seems like a big Cornell guy. Maybe coaching the Big Red is his dream job. Shay is interesting because he is a much different kind of coach than Breschi is. His no nonsense approach could revamp an underachieving Carolina program that has a reputation for being soft and undisciplined. Seems like he gets a ton of support at Yale though. Perhaps that's the reason he has chosen to stay there since 2004. Madalon might have won the National Championship a lot of years with that 2022 team, but it wasn't meant to be. Still fairly young by ACC standards and is a great recruiter. I'm not super familiar with Madalon's situation at Princeton, but to me he looked the most likely of the three to make the move to Chapel Hill if given the opportunity.

Madalon, Feifs, and Polley would be the top guys I'd be taking a look at if I'm the Carolina AD.

[DocBarrister]

The only exception: if a brand new Division I program wants to establish instant credibility. Then I can see hiring someone like Petro.

Looks like Queens is open ... only 2 hours from Chapel Hill ...

Tiny school … tiny endowment … most folks have never heard of it.

Not saying it’s not a nice school, but I doubt Petro (or anyone else) would leave the Syracuse DC position to be HC there.

DocBarrister

[Farfromgeneva]

The only exception: if a brand new Division I program wants to establish instant credibility. Then I can see hiring someone like Petro.

Looks like Queens is open ... only 2 hours from Chapel Hill ...

Tiny school … tiny endowment … most folks have never heard of it.

Not saying it’s not a nice school, but I doubt Petro (or anyone else) would leave the Syracuse DC position to be HC there.

DocBarrister

It’s not close to Furman if looking at Meade going there as a corollary.

[FMUBart]

Curious if Raymond is feeling the seat getting warm? Doubt that he would be let go after year 1 in the A10; but, I hope the administration will give him some metric to shoot for(besides finishing 5th in a 6 team league). Then again, not sure about the AD; Hanna was a cluster, lately things are pretty quiet in Geneva...

[Farfromgeneva]

Curious if Raymond is feeling the seat getting warm? Doubt that he would be let go after year 1 in the A10; but, I hope the administration will give him some metric to shoot for(besides finishing 5th in a 6 team league). Then again, not sure about the AD; Hanna was a cluster, lately things are pretty quiet in Geneva...

As long as kids are graduating and there aren’t any news stories coming from athletics DeWall and Raymond have lifetime employment. No matter how much they highjack the admin at each success for more money and other wise don’t deliver on what they’re selling (discipline, defense, footwork, conditioning-it’s not commensurate with what either coach sells externally). And the new-ish AD is focused on athletic enrollment.