Well it is time to go all out talking about the next USF head Basketball Coach. There are several candidates that I like and will give my take on the pros and cons of each guy. I want to start with Kennesaw State Head Coach Antoine Pettway.
Why he makes sense:
1) He is the same kind of hard working head coach that CAAR was and will bring that same vibe to unite the students and home base. People thought it was strange to see a HC make such an effort connecting with fans and students on campus and around Tampa the way CAAR did. It wasn't strange, it was very calculated by CAAR to make the students and local residents become interested in supporting the program. CAAR made promises and worked harder than any other HC to not only be seen on GameDay coaching, but been seen around the campus, city, and on social media. That was the start of building tradition and making USF men's basketball the pro team of Tampa and people excited to go and support their Bulls. Coach Pettway is doing those same things at Kennesaw. He is their people's head coach. He's on social media, he is seen around town, he is buying students and fans breakfast and lunch, etc.
2) He is an elite recruiter! Antoine Pettway has a great eye for talent and he is at least as good of a recruiter as CAAR was. The case can be made that he is even a little better based on him signing a top 25 freshman class to KSU. At the same point in their careers, Coach Pettway is actually ahead of CAAR at KSU imo. It is very impressive what he is doing with one of the youngest teams in the nation. Kennesaw moved from the A-SUN to CUSA which is easily a tougher league. His young team just beat the current 1st and 2nd place teams on the road in back to back games. His freshmen are developing as the season goes on which is another sign of a good coach.
3) USF will need a head coach that can possibly bring players with him like CAAR did to jump start the program. Well this is Coach Pettway's trump card over any other possible head coaching candidate that anyone else mentions. No other candidate the Bulls could be thinking about can deliver in this department like Pettway.
4) Adrian Wooley is a true freshman and Pettway got him out of Alabama away from the Tide. Pettway was on Nate Oaks staff and the best recruiter of an outstanding coaching staff there. The Arkansas State HC that is another possible name for USF was also on Oaks' staff. Wooley is arguably one of the best freshmen in all of Men CBB. He is the only freshman in the nation to average at least 18 pts and shoot over 50% from the field. He is very similar to PJ Haggerty who played at Tulsa and now stars for Memphis. Wooley is a better outside shooter as a freshman. What a great coach and player combination that can be for USF. It's possible up to 5 players will follow Pettway to USF is he were to become the HC.
5) Money saving for USF. Getting Pettway now instead of maybe a year from now could save USF a lot of money. KSU is not a favorite to win CUSA tournament but you never know since they just beat a 25 win and a 21 win first and second place team on the road. Basically outside of winning their tournament, Kennesaw's season will end with their next loss. It has already been a very successful league run for Pettway's bunch. They were the unanimous pick to finish in last place, but ended up finishing 4th on the strength of those younger players, coaching, and developing. This is a buy low, high ceiling opportunity for USF if they are smart.
Reasons why it doesn't make sense.
1) He will not be an immediate hit with a fan base that is not comprehensive knowledgeable on college basketball. KSU is not making the NCAAT without winning the CUSAT, so he will not be some hot name floating around March Madness. People might not understand all the positives of hiring Pettway, instead focusing on the perceived negative that his young team that, he rebuilt after CAAR departed, has not yet reached their full potential, and will miss March Madness. ADMK might not fully understand how he can sell Pettway to the fan base who want the hottest name.
2) Why is does appear the Antoine Pettway has fully adopted the ways of "LOVE WINS" and is actually doing a great job early in his head coaching career, their is still no guarantees that he will develop into the next great USF basketball coach. Can Coach Pettway quickly rebuild USF? Potentially yes, but again it is all potential.
3) I don't have any more cons for Pettway because for me, he should be one of the 2 finalists for the USF head coaching job.
Why he makes sense:
1) He is the same kind of hard working head coach that CAAR was and will bring that same vibe to unite the students and home base. People thought it was strange to see a HC make such an effort connecting with fans and students on campus and around Tampa the way CAAR did. It wasn't strange, it was very calculated by CAAR to make the students and local residents become interested in supporting the program. CAAR made promises and worked harder than any other HC to not only be seen on GameDay coaching, but been seen around the campus, city, and on social media. That was the start of building tradition and making USF men's basketball the pro team of Tampa and people excited to go and support their Bulls. Coach Pettway is doing those same things at Kennesaw. He is their people's head coach. He's on social media, he is seen around town, he is buying students and fans breakfast and lunch, etc.
2) He is an elite recruiter! Antoine Pettway has a great eye for talent and he is at least as good of a recruiter as CAAR was. The case can be made that he is even a little better based on him signing a top 25 freshman class to KSU. At the same point in their careers, Coach Pettway is actually ahead of CAAR at KSU imo. It is very impressive what he is doing with one of the youngest teams in the nation. Kennesaw moved from the A-SUN to CUSA which is easily a tougher league. His young team just beat the current 1st and 2nd place teams on the road in back to back games. His freshmen are developing as the season goes on which is another sign of a good coach.
3) USF will need a head coach that can possibly bring players with him like CAAR did to jump start the program. Well this is Coach Pettway's trump card over any other possible head coaching candidate that anyone else mentions. No other candidate the Bulls could be thinking about can deliver in this department like Pettway.
4) Adrian Wooley is a true freshman and Pettway got him out of Alabama away from the Tide. Pettway was on Nate Oaks staff and the best recruiter of an outstanding coaching staff there. The Arkansas State HC that is another possible name for USF was also on Oaks' staff. Wooley is arguably one of the best freshmen in all of Men CBB. He is the only freshman in the nation to average at least 18 pts and shoot over 50% from the field. He is very similar to PJ Haggerty who played at Tulsa and now stars for Memphis. Wooley is a better outside shooter as a freshman. What a great coach and player combination that can be for USF. It's possible up to 5 players will follow Pettway to USF is he were to become the HC.
5) Money saving for USF. Getting Pettway now instead of maybe a year from now could save USF a lot of money. KSU is not a favorite to win CUSA tournament but you never know since they just beat a 25 win and a 21 win first and second place team on the road. Basically outside of winning their tournament, Kennesaw's season will end with their next loss. It has already been a very successful league run for Pettway's bunch. They were the unanimous pick to finish in last place, but ended up finishing 4th on the strength of those younger players, coaching, and developing. This is a buy low, high ceiling opportunity for USF if they are smart.
Reasons why it doesn't make sense.
1) He will not be an immediate hit with a fan base that is not comprehensive knowledgeable on college basketball. KSU is not making the NCAAT without winning the CUSAT, so he will not be some hot name floating around March Madness. People might not understand all the positives of hiring Pettway, instead focusing on the perceived negative that his young team that, he rebuilt after CAAR departed, has not yet reached their full potential, and will miss March Madness. ADMK might not fully understand how he can sell Pettway to the fan base who want the hottest name.
2) Why is does appear the Antoine Pettway has fully adopted the ways of "LOVE WINS" and is actually doing a great job early in his head coaching career, their is still no guarantees that he will develop into the next great USF basketball coach. Can Coach Pettway quickly rebuild USF? Potentially yes, but again it is all potential.
3) I don't have any more cons for Pettway because for me, he should be one of the 2 finalists for the USF head coaching job.
