77 replies to this topic

[Mackus]

I think part of stepping aside for Turge was to give Danny a shot to show something. 

 

I agree with this.  Feels like a much more plausible explanation for the timing than Evans wanting to give Manning a trial period.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Eff that. They can make a smart decision even if it's tough. I can't root for the team to lose.

Im not rooting against the team but they cant go with Manning barring some crazy FF run. I mean it is Danny Manning so....

[PD24]

I think they are well outside the bubble right now. If they make the tournament then Manning is going to have a lot of advocates wanting to give him the job permanently.

They’re 5-3. If they play near expectations in the Big 10 they’ll make the NCAA’s.

He shouldn’t get the job no matter what happens. It’s big fish time.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Haven't gone back to check and see if this exactly right, but I'm pretty sure MD is the 2nd winningest program in the Big Ten since joining the conference in '14-'15...  yet we're all relieved today, and celebratory because the product was tough to watch... and it felt like we were spinning wheels and wasting time. 

 

Completely agree that the hire needs to be a homerun. 

The program needs to be winning regular season, and conference tournaments... and advancing in March. 

LFG.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Just saw that Maryland will be paying Turgeon’s full $5 million buyout. Boosters must have stepped up in a big way.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Just saw that Maryland will be paying Turgeon’s full $5 million buyout. Boosters must have stepped up in a big way.

 

That surprises me. Always got the sense they were in Turgeon's corner, especially after he was just extended. Could 8 games have really changed their minds that much? Or did Evans just do a good sales job on them that a change had to be made?

[Mackus]

They’re 5-3. If they play near expectations in the Big 10 they’ll make the NCAA’s.

He shouldn’t get the job no matter what happens. It’s big fish time.

 

What is meeting expectations in the Big 10?  Expectations from when?  

 

Does 11-9 get them in?  Assuming they beat Brown and Loyola and lose to Florida, they are 7-4 in non-conference with no good wins and one outside top-100 loss.  11-9 brings them to 18-13.  Not usually a lot of at large bids with under 20 wins.  If you've got some signature wins to glamorize it, then maybe that gets them in.  They're barely top-50 in Kenpom right now, usually big schools in the 40s get in but not always.  I don't know if they'd go up or down from that by going 11-9 in conference play.  Depends on who they beat I guess.

 

I don't think Turgeon gets fired if everyone thought this team still was likely dancing.

[Mike B]

It was the right move.  Turgeon seems like a great guy, but his teams and scheme were Wayne to conservative.  It is time for a profile hire.

Please make it one who is aggressive and plays up tempo.

 

In fact please start that Sunday, Coach Manning.

[Mike B]

It will be interesting to see if some of the players buried on the bench find the court.

[hallas]

That surprises me. Always got the sense they were in Turgeon's corner, especially after he was just extended. Could 8 games have really changed their minds that much? Or did Evans just do a good sales job on them that a change had to be made?

 

The extension was mostly a paper extension, although I think it did secure him a bit more buyout money, which came into play here.  It looks like he would have been owed 3.3 million if we fired him after this current season under his old contract, and now we're paying him 5 million.  Not a small amount, but probably a manageable figure.

 

 

https://twitter.com/...832102704533509

 

Based on this it sounded like Evans gave him an ultimatum that he'd be gone at the end of the year if the team didn't step up, and Turgeon was like, "well, I can leave now if you'd like..."

 

Can't really blame him, he was no longer in a position to succeed, and his upcoming recruiting classes were nonexistent.  Kind of tough to see a path for him to succeed if he can't even do the one job he does well.

Ermann/status/1466832102704533509?s=20

 

edit to add:  it's unclear whether the Terps are paying him the remaining season's salary.  If they aren't then the old contract vs new is basically a wash.

[Mike in STL]

Bye Felicia!

Made my day to hear this news!!

[Mackus]

It'll be interesting to see what Turgeon does next.  He was good enough that he can get another job if he wants and is far from too old.  I see him at another Power 5 school but one with lower annual expectations.  Who's the NC State of the Big 12 or SEC?  Maybe he can go to Alabama after we hire Oats away!

[BSLChrisStoner]

@JonRothstein

Gary Williams on Maryland moving forward: "The next coach has to take it to that national level. Maryland wants to be a force. I know there's a lot of great young coaches out there --- I'm not saying those guys should be the next coach. It takes somebody that has the energy."

 

@JonRothstein

Many in the industry believe that Maryland is a Top 10-15 job in college basketball because of its location and fertile recruiting base. LONG LINE for this one.

[BSLPatDonohue]

Crazy times, all! It feels like it was time for a change, but I think Turgeon is a good dude so I wish him the best on his future endeavors. 

 

As for where Maryland goes from here, I already have some of the top candidates in mind but I'm looking forward to taking a closer look at the landscape over the next day or two. I'll have an article out this weekend looking at some candidates for the new hire.

 

Let's hope Danny Manning can keep the ship afloat until then. Perhaps our players will be given the ability to play for freely now, which could be fun. There is still talent on this roster so all is not lost this season. 

 

Let's rally!

[Pedro Cerrano]

I think this is the most sports-shocked I've been since Jose Fernandez died. We've been talking about potential replacements this week and musing about getting rid of Turgeon for years, but I am completely caught off guard that they did it right now.

Not for nothing…but Kobe?

[Pedro Cerrano]

Weird. I was someone who has wanted him gone for years and now that he’s gone I don’t want to kick dirt on the grave.

Wish him well.

[Mackus]

Not for nothing…but Kobe?

 

I didn't have quite as big of a holy ish reaction to that as Fernandez.  Don't know if it's because I wasn't a huge NBA guy or because Kobe was slightly older and retired or what.

 

Today's news is obviously far less important on any scale as those things.  But it utterly caught me off guard and is a thing I care about enough that it really stopped me in my tracks.

[Mike in STL]

It'll be interesting to see what Turgeon does next. He was good enough that he can get another job if he wants and is far from too old. I see him at another Power 5 school but one with lower annual expectations. Who's the NC State of the Big 12 or SEC? Maybe he can go to Alabama after we hire Oats away!

You mean like, Texas A&M?

[JeremyStrain]

That surprises me. Always got the sense they were in Turgeon's corner, especially after he was just extended. Could 8 games have really changed their minds that much? Or did Evans just do a good sales job on them that a change had to be made?

Last I talked to one they were pretty split. There have always been a few that wanted a splashier hire, but majority was for giving him a chance. Writing was kind of on the wall when they brought Manning in, because he was brought in to improve the local recruiting. If they didn't have faith in Turg and his local recruiting, he wasn't going to last.

[Mike in STL]

Weird. I was someone who has wanted him gone for years and now that he’s gone I don’t want to kick dirt on the grave.

Wish him well.

Meh. He didn’t die. He won’t have to start driving for uber to make ends meet. He’ll be fine.

He set the program back a decade, so good riddance. Thanks for not setting it back two, I guess. If he gets another job and they so much as play in the semis in their conference tournament I’ll throw up.

In all seriousness, the team had a great shot at getting over some humps before Covid cancelled the 19-20 season. Maybe had that played out, the feeling is a little different. Maybe if it played out as usual, out before the weekend, this move is past done.