Some movement on Kevin Stallings coaching staff. The only sure things were that Stallings was bringing his longtime assistant Tom Richardson with him. And that none of the old Pitt assistants would be on the staff. There is now some debate on the nature of what Brandin Knight was offered to be an assistant.
Stallings said discussions with longtime Panthers assistant and former player Brandin Knight included a “sizeable pay raise” and touched on changing his title to associate head coach, but Knight declined to pursue other options.
Prior to Stallings statement, it was assumed that Richardson was going to be associate head coach (top assistant) as he was at Vandy.
Hard to say what is true or not with this stuff. Brandin Knight won’t be saying a word. I wouldn’t be surprised with the pay raise portion, though. Seems clear that Knight decided that what was best for his career was to move on to another place. Probably the right call for Knight.
As for assistants, Stallings made clear that the ability to recruit was vital (duh).
He said the other two assistants will have strong recruiting backgrounds.
“My desire with the other two positions will be guys that absolutely have a primary recruiting focus,” Stallings said Wednesday in his office. “(Athletic director) Scott Barnes said he wanted one. I want two more kick-butt recruiters.”
Well, one of those assistant spots has been filled. Jeremy Ballard, an assistant at Illinois State, was hired. Chris Dokish had this earlier and was confirmed later in the day.
Ballard was on staff at VCU for three years and lost out to Will Wade in succeeding Shaka Smart. He left VCU to go to Illinois State. Prior to VCU he was an assistant for five years with Tulsa. Working with Danny Manning and getting the Golden Hurricanes to the NCAA Tournament and making Tulsa relevant enough to get into the American Athletic Conference. Ballard is from Atlanta, but attended Colgate. He has 12 years experience as an assistant in D-1 basketball. He is only 34, though.
If you are looking for the tie with Kevin Stallings, the head coach of ISU is Dan Muller. Muller was an assistant for Stallings at Vandy. Stallings also was head coach at ISU prior to going to Vandy.
Another addition is Dan Cage, a former Vanderbilt player and who has been Stallings’ Director of Basketball Operations for the past six years. Cage is not going to be an assistant, but is expected to take a similar role at Pitt.
I have said — even before Stallings’ — hire that there weren’t likely to be any transfers. Seemed to be confirmed last week, as the recruiting class also stayed intact. Today Stallings confirmed.
He said he received assurances from every player on the roster, including leading scorers Michael Young and Jamel Artis, that no one is planning to transfer.
“I (can) honestly look at the nine guys we have here on scholarship and could see each and every one of them being in the rotation and being effective,” Stallings said.
Stallings said the door is open for incoming recruits Justice Kithcart, Crisshawn Clark and Corey Manigault to play right away next year.
“If a freshman comes in, and he’s the best guy to help us win, he’ll be the guy,” Stallings said.
As for that final available scholarship?
Stallings said he would consider filling Pitt’s final scholarship for next year with a high school player or a transfer and didn’t rule out that player being a graduate transfer.
And yes, he wants it to be a big man.
Stallings said that scholarship will go to a big man, the most glaring hole he sees on the roster.
Well, yeah. At this point, a transfer or a high school big man would be for the future, not next year. At this point any big man out of high school is a big time project who will need time. A regular transfer has to sit a year.
Given Pitt will already have four scholarships for 2017 available, I wouldn’t expect Stallings to go with a graduate transfer — unless it was a really good player — and have to try and bring in a five-man class.
Minus one thousand because he will never recover from upitt calling him Herman Munster. Not even six NCAA titles in a row could soothe that burn.
Stallings names mentioned were Cesar, Pappy, Met Life, Bon-Ton Manager Trainee and Jiffy Lube Greeter. All are areas he would be better than a basketball coach.
tino stats. He created zero offense and was only guarded 50% of the time because he was no threat to score. Wish the kid the best in his life.
The obvious key is whether Wilson and/or Kithcart can play above the line as point guards.
How it translates to wins and losses is anyone’s guess, but it should be great fun to watch.
But that’s just me….
I am so confused to why there havnt been any transfers or decommits, is this normal?, why is everyone staying? I’ve never seen a coaching change and no players leave
2. hire good assistants … check (see tweet below)
3. recruit quality big man
4. recruit quality players for 2017 class
Jeff GoodmanVerified account
?@GoodmanESPN
Love the hire by new Pitt coach Kevin Stallings of Jeremy Ballard. Was with Shaka at VCU, last year at Illinois State.
Where are the cries for gangsta Barry R? LOL
And, I say we needed a change as BB coach. I like what I have read about Stallings so far. Players are staying. Recruits are still coming. And, he wants to hire assistants who will be focused on recruiting.
H2P
So, let me get this straight.
Young assistants that go elsewhere are dubbed the new, hot up and comers that Pitt can’t get and would never come to Pitt.
Young assistants that come to Pitt are dubbed also-rans that no one else wanted or got passed up for jobs by lesser schools.
I almost get the feeling, no matter who Pitt hired, some are going to bitch, just to hear themselves bitch.
That couldn’t be, could it?
And here’s a thought regarding the ‘no persons leaving’ situation: Maybe given the frustrations that were building within the program, players actually felt like the change may be good for the team on a couple of different levels? Remember, everything is relative…
And with regard to Wilson, he obviously did not look great in limited time, but in all fairness he wasn’t given a fair chance, and you could argue pretty easily that the way he was utilized was really poor and hampered his development. I’m not saying I think he’ll live up to his 4 star rating, he certainly has a lot to prove, but hopefully he’ll at least be given a chance this time around…
…Ben Howland, commenting on the new hire
I can only assume that JD was putting far too much emphasis on blending in the grad transfers, particularly Smith, early in the year. Robinson, Young and Artis had played significant minutes together for two years. Smith was brought in to shoot 3s. Maia rebound. Ododa defend. Don’t see much need to blend.
IMO JD’s failure to allow Luther and Wilson to gain game experience in the non-con was his strategic failure for the year.
Barvo – Exactly. And I’m not saying Wilson was singled out, that’s how all young players were treated. Howland actually did the same thing (as Jamie).
Name me a basketball coach, especially when they were young and coming up who didn’t get passed over??
At some point, Coach K, was a 28 year old assistant coach somewhere, when a job came open and no one knew who we was or what he was about.
They passed him over, and he had to stay to be an assistant somewhere for 5 more years.
Chuck Noll got passed over for jobs, Vince Lombardi got passed over for jobs when they were young.
Scotty Bowman, Phil Jackson, I bet they all got passed over for jobs early in their careers.
Sorry, getting passed over a couple jobs, or a coach didn’t take him with him ain’t cuttin’ it. Happens all the time, doesn’t mean jack.
Who should they hire?
My darkhorse for 3rd assistant is Jason Richards who has been director of operations for past 5 years at Pitt. His dad is Tom Richards, Pitt PG for that great 73-4 team … and he shared the backcourt with Steph Curry at Davidson in their Elite 8 run 8 years ago or so.
Wouldn’t bet that he gets hired but wouldn’t mind it either