2012 - 2013 College Basketball Season

[AllThingsKC]

Looking ahead to next season...

Per rivals:

"A name with much more weight than a spot on a wish list has emerged in South Carolina's coaching search.

Kansas State's Frank Martin has been confirmed as a candidate with "heavy" interest in USC, according to a source close to the situation. Martin just finished his fifth season with the Wildcats in his fourth NCAA tournament - Martin has never missed a postseason as a head coach (five years, all at K-State), although his second season was an NIT berth."

[bobbyhawks]

Looking ahead to next season...

Per rivals:

"A name with much more weight than a spot on a wish list has emerged in South Carolina's coaching search.

Kansas State's Frank Martin has been confirmed as a candidate with "heavy" interest in USC, according to a source close to the situation. Martin just finished his fifth season with the Wildcats in his fourth NCAA tournament - Martin has never missed a postseason as a head coach (five years, all at K-State), although his second season was an NIT berth."

That makes no sense. Unless he is really mad at the administration, that is a downgrade in program. I would think Martin would wait for a better opportunity than that if he is considering leaving. Also, his "intersest" could just be the standard, give-me-a-raise interest. Every up and comer has to use that move eventually.

[shinatoo]

Closer to home and he gets to play Mizzou again. Two things everyone wants.

[AllThingsKC]

I have a difficult time seeing him leave K-State for South Carolina. But, if USC offers him more money, and he knows he can beat Mizzou, why not?

[KCMax]

Looking ahead to next season...

Per rivals:

"A name with much more weight than a spot on a wish list has emerged in South Carolina's coaching search.

Kansas State's Frank Martin has been confirmed as a candidate with "heavy" interest in USC, according to a source close to the situation. Martin just finished his fifth season with the Wildcats in his fourth NCAA tournament - Martin has never missed a postseason as a head coach (five years, all at K-State), although his second season was an NIT berth."

That makes no sense. Unless he is really mad at the administration, that is a downgrade in program. I would think Martin would wait for a better opportunity than that if he is considering leaving. Also, his "intersest" could just be the standard, give-me-a-raise interest. Every up and comer has to use that move eventually.

But the SEC is awesome!

I've read speculation he'd be a prime candidate for Illinois, but I have no idea whether that would interest him.

[kcmetro]

I don't want to see Martin leave K-State. It's hard not to like the guy. When he first took over, I thought he would last one or two seasons. I just couldn't imagine a guy transitioning directly from the high school ranks and being successful in D1 college ball. But he's done pretty damn good for this being his first college coaching job. It will be interesting, if he stays, to see how well he's able to recruit. I know Dalonte Hill had a lot (maybe everything?) to do with bringing in Beasley and Walker. Not sure about Pullen or Clemente.

I also like the idea of him coaching against Huggins on a regular basis (teacher vs pupil).

[bobbyhawks]

I have a difficult time seeing him leave K-State for South Carolina. But, if USC offers him more money, and he knows he can beat Mizzou, why not?

More money for a few years in a lateral move I think has not been a great idea historically. The "Smart" play, pun intended, if you are more than just a one-year wonder is to get a raise and wait for a marquee job to open up. Even if you don't get the top job, the fallout from others leaving will make many more jobs available that are better. Who knows if Rick Barnes or Billy Donavan or Pitino or Calhoun etc. retire/leave for NBA next year?

If he is truly interested in leaving, South Carolina is about as poor of a choice as you could make. Among achievements listed by USC, making the Sweet Sixteen 3 times in a row in the 70's. After that, nothing else. They have been in the tournament 8 total times. I would be shocked if he left for that job.

[kcmetro]

The only thing I remember about South Carolina bball is that they were knocked out in '97 as a 2 seed vs Coppin State.

[NDTeve]

Closer to Florida where all his recruits are.

[KCPowercat]

Metro its not like he came directly from high school. He was an assistant for 7 years in college. That's like saying Roy Williams came from high school before ku

[aknowledgeableperson]

If he is truly interested in leaving, South Carolina is about as poor of a choice as you could make. Among achievements listed by USC, making the Sweet Sixteen 3 times in a row in the 70's. After that, nothing else. They have been in the tournament 8 total times. I would be shocked if he left for that job.

Reminds me of what a quite older supervisor told me years ago. When questioned why take over a section that was underperforming his response was why not, the only way to go is up. If the section does not improve one can always explain it away. But if you take over a section performing well or with a good reputation and it regresses it is on you.

Or he just might like the challenge of turning around a program, especially if he can receive support.

[KCPowercat]

He gets support now....

[aknowledgeableperson]

Not saying he did not get support presently. Just that it helps when turning a program around.

[bobbyhawks]

Reminds me of what a quite older supervisor told me years ago. When questioned why take over a section that was underperforming his response was why not, the only way to go is up. If the section does not improve one can always explain it away. But if you take over a section performing well or with a good reputation and it regresses it is on you.

Or he just might like the challenge of turning around a program, especially if he can receive support.

I disagree. In college basketball, you can only lose games for so long before you become irrelevant again. Doc Sadler built up one of the best reputations in the game, and even he couldn't survive at a football school that never really supported basketball. Basketball coaching is much different from regular jobs. In regular jobs, unless you are in sales, there are rarely very straightforward and obvious metrics with which you can compare yourself to others in the entire industry. Superiors in most jobs judge you based on the situation you are in. In basketball, the superior (whether he likes it or not) is a very small part of the equation, and often times the superior's job is tied to the coaches performance. Wins and losses relative to other coaches is all that matters, along with fan expectations of how many wins and losses a team should have.

Why take a job selling ice to Eskimo's when you can wait a year (or a few weeks) and get a job that in part sells itself for the same salary? You might be Albert Pujols, but I don't see him taking an inflatable bat to the plate to prove a point. Also, look at the number of articles out there about the South Carolina job vs. the Illinois job. There are like 5 articles about men's basketball.

[KCMax]

I disagree. In college basketball, you can only lose games for so long before you become irrelevant again. Doc Sadler built up one of the best reputations in the game, and even he couldn't survive at a football school that never really supported basketball.

Also see Capel, Jeff; Snyder, Quinn; Gillespie, Billy.

Martin has a pretty good thing going at KSU. If he bolts, its gotta either be (a) someone throws a boatload of money at him; (b) its a job that is clearly a step up (Illinois would be, South Carolina would not) or (c) he really can't stand Currie.

[bobbyhawks]

I disagree. In college basketball, you can only lose games for so long before you become irrelevant again. Doc Sadler built up one of the best reputations in the game, and even he couldn't survive at a football school that never really supported basketball.

Also see Capel, Jeff; Snyder, Quinn; Gillespie, Billy.

Martin has a pretty good thing going at KSU. If he bolts, its gotta either be (a) someone throws a boatload of money at him; (b) its a job that is clearly a step up (Illinois would be, South Carolina would not) or (c) he really can't stand Currie.

Well said. The years tied to that boatload of money will be important. The entire reason why Gillespie can take a job at a school like Texas Tech is because he got paid at Kentucky.

Also, sometimes associating your name with jobs you would never take is a way to announce to bigger options that you would consider them (as well as to get a better deal where you are).

From KSU's perspective, I think you clearly have to come to Martin and signal that you will fire the AD if he signs an extension with a better salary.

[WSPanic]

I think he's a little fed up with the administration. I'm sure it's been discussed, but he directed all question regarding Jamar Samuels to "my boss; John Currie." Clearly, he didn't think that Samuels should have sat out.

Currie should be going out of his way to make sure Frank is happy and continues at KSU - and I don't get the vibe he is really doing that. I get the feeling that the administration feels it can go out and get Huggins-caliber coaches, while not appreciating what they already have.

Sucks for KSU. Hard to find good coaches; hard to keep good coaches. Tough cycle. You'd hate to see them suffer through another Asbury/Woolridge decade+.

For Frank - it's not like South Carolina is an absolutely terrible job. Just a lateral move, closer to home, for more money. If he can repeat what he's done at KSU in Columbia, SC - he can then write his ticket for those other, higher profile jobs.

[pash]

.

[phxcat]

If he is truly interested in leaving, South Carolina is about as poor of a choice as you could make. Among achievements listed by USC, making the Sweet Sixteen 3 times in a row in the 70's. After that, nothing else. They have been in the tournament 8 total times. I would be shocked if he left for that job.

Reminds me of what a quite older supervisor told me years ago. When questioned why take over a section that was underperforming his response was why not, the only way to go is up. If the section does not improve one can always explain it away. But if you take over a section performing well or with a good reputation and it regresses it is on you.

Or he just might like the challenge of turning around a program, especially if he can receive support.

I can see the challenge of turning a program around, but for the most part, I don't think that it is in the DNA of high level coaches and athletes to plan with a contingency for failure. I think it is more likely for a coach to go to UCLA with the expectation that he will make people forget about John Wooden.

Unless USC has communicated a decision to make basketball success a priority, it is definitely a step down, and I don't think a move closer to Miami (you would still need to hop on a plane to get there) is that relevant.

Of course, we are all discussing this as if there actually is mutual interest- all we have is Rivals reporting, (I have not read the article in question) which could mean anything from that there is interest from Martin to a USC Rivals moderator hoping that there is interest from Martin.

[AJoD]

Martin has a pretty good thing going at KSU. If he bolts, its gotta either be (a) someone throws a boatload of money at him; (b) its a job that is clearly a step up (Illinois would be, South Carolina would not) or (c) he really can't stand Currie.

He also might not like living in Manhattan, KS. I think that would have to be tough for an east coast city guy.