Yeah, Im just not sure how much of that is on Willard. You cant tell me Willard knew who Gillespe and Rodney Rice were before this year. It was someone else who came to him with these guys. Now, if he is playing a big role in the fundraising and essentially recruiting the boosters and friends of the program to invest then I find that pretty important. So a check there.
The revenue college sports are starting to operate more like pro sports franchises, and feature a GM-type position with a staff that focuses strictly on personnel, scouting, and the NIL side for both HS and college (portal) players. Unlike the pros though, the head coach is still the one at the top rung who sets the tone for the program, so Willard had plenty of say in who they added before this season….and there is more to it than just throwing the most money at them. Players still want a coach they have a good relationship with and will bring out the best in their talents.
