Va Tech basketball

[Hokie200proof]

Expecting to hear Bobby Knights name next. The rumor mill is broken.


Regardless of who we get, I think UMD got a good one. Brought up Texas A&M, took a talent starved team to a +.500 record, playing hardball with the me-1st stars (see Stoglin) and bringing in a great recruiing class. They are going to be back near the top of the ACC soon.

 

[Lumbee09]

Either the James Johnson rumor has fooled everybody, or he is actually going to be the new coach. A lot of media outlets reporting it now. I'd expect it to be made official this afternoon, but we'll see.

 

[bigesse16]

Either the James Johnson rumor has fooled everybody, or he is actually going to be the new coach. A lot of media outlets reporting it now. I'd expect it to be made official this afternoon, but we'll see.

He's the new coach.

 

[Lumbee09]

He's the new coach.

Initial reaction from the players is very positive. I think we can get away from this situation without any transfers. This also probably gets us the best chance to hold on to Harrell and Wood (outside of getting a big name coach which wasn't going to happen). So going into next season this is probably the best case scenario.

This does raise a few problems. We now have a guy that has no head coaching experience. For people that have been complaining about Greenberg's poor coaching, our new head coach has been assistant to Greenberg for past 5 years. Is he going to be much of an upgrade? I guess for now we can be happy that we have a coach that will probably keep this team together. He has a talented squad to prove himself with going into next season.

 

[bigesse16]

Initial reaction from the players is very positive. I think we can get away from this situation without any transfers. This also probably gets us the best chance to hold on to Harrell and Wood (outside of getting a big name coach which wasn't going to happen). So going into next season this is probably the best case scenario.

This does raise a few problems. We now have a guy that has no head coaching experience. For people that have been complaining about Greenberg's poor coaching, our new head coach has been assistant to Greenberg for past 5 years. Is he going to be much of an upgrade? I guess for now we can be happy that we have a coach that will probably keep this team together. He has a talented squad to prove himself with going into next season.

To me this is a short-term solution with a low risk long term answer. I believe Weaver when he said that he was planning on letting go of Greenberg after next season, but was forced to act now with all the assistant coaches leaving. I think his plan was to give Johnson a chance then too. The reason is the same reason he does not want to hire a replacement for Beamer: Let the new AD take care of that. I think he knows its better for the program to have the AD and coach on the same page and if he were to hire a coach to a huge deal, it could be problematic with a new AD, especially if the AD wants to make a move. But hiring Johnson helps stabilize the program and transition easily without any major financial burdens that may occur with a big hire. Now if Johnson is a bust, then the next AD can make a move fairly easily. If he succeeds, then its even better as they will have a good coach making less than his predecessor. They can extend him and everyone is happy.

 

[MattB4VT]

I think Johnson is a good hire. he is a proven recruiter, and someone who is a virginia native, knows the area, etc. he also has experience with the program, after being here for 5 years. also, i think we may get some of the "London Effect" if you will. Say what you want, but there is no doubt that having a black coach in basketball and football is a major advantage. The main difference between this and the London Effect is that I don't expect near the amount of false promises and lip service coming from Johnson as London regularly dishes out.

 

[NickVT10]

I think Johnson is a good hire. he is a proven recruiter, and someone who is a virginia native, knows the area, etc. he also has experience with the program, after being here for 5 years. also, i think we may get some of the "London Effect" if you will. Say what you want, but there is no doubt that having a black coach in basketball and football is a major advantage. The main difference between this and the London Effect is that I don't expect near the amount of false promises and lip service coming from Johnson as London regularly dishes out.

I think that has 0 impact. What advantage does that have? If it is a major advantage for schools, which ones are reaping the benefits?

 

[MattB4VT]

uva football, providence basketball, are the two that come to mind first. major spike in recruiting. definitely easier to relate to some players and families. this topic has been approached somewhat in other posts on this site. you may not feel it has the same impact i do, but to say it has 0 is naive.

 

[VTscores]

Johnson is a good move.

He's a good coach, a great recruiter, and is enthusiastic. He is probably the Hokies' best option at this point, short of getting a head coach from a major program, which didn't seem likely at this point in the season.

 

[VTscores]

Now if Johnson is a bust, then the next AD can make a move fairly easily. If he succeeds, then its even better as they will have a good coach making less than his predecessor. They can extend him and everyone is happy.

Exactly right.

Not much downside to this decision. Too bad for Greenberg, but his mistake was losing all of his assistants.

I like the idea of giving Johnson a chance, and I hope he does well.

 

[wildturkey]

I hate this move. At best, its a lateral move. This guy has been on the staff for 5 years. He's been a part of the problem. It's not like Greenberg just gave his coaches clipboards to hold and taped their mouths shut. They've had input into the coaching philosophy of the program as well. I do not expect Johnson to be all that different from Greenberg. Is he magically going to pull out a new offensive strategy that he's been hiding all these years? Will he teach the guys how to run screens effectively now that he's the head coach because apparently its impossible to do as an assistant? You get the point.

I don't really care that the current players like him and are happy. Our goal isn't to cater them. Our goal is to improve as a program. Getting the right coach trumps all. If it sacrificed a year or so to get it done, then so be it. You've got your man and you can build.

But this doesn't add up to what we were sold when Weaver fired Greenberg. He said he wanted to go in a different direction. I fail to see how hiring a guy that's been with you for 5 years is a different direction. This more feels like Weaver's incompetence. He's said he wasn't going to keep Greenberg after the firing. I don't believe his timeline of events however. He knew that as soon as the season ended. Instead of doing his damn job and firing him in March, he waited until he had no choice (and handled it poorly on top of that). Now he's taking the easy way out by hiring someone he's familiar with than actually making a significant change in the program, something he claimed he wanted to do.

 

[ACC_HOKIES]

If Johnson is really the guy, I hope it's because he has a plan for the program. I want a coach that will bring in quality young men that will play hard and strive to excel. The NCAA tourney is an important barrier for the program right now, and we need a focus to break through. I also want a coach that will push the AD's office to better schedule and plan the program. This includes not just quality of schedule, but timing (other events like football and breaks), and promotional events (like preseason NIT this year). Finding an identity, and reigniting the fan base are top priorities too.

I said it before, I don't think we'd end up with a "name" coach, but I do think there is interest and some excellent under the radar guys out there. Johnson could be that guy that works for us, and I'm going to support that. I just really hope it's because he showed it for the long term in the interview.

 

[NickVT10]

Wildturkey, were they giving input and actually having a big impact? I have a feeling that is why the assistants were leaving. It would make sense at least. They are pushing and pushing and not getting through to Greenburg, then they get tired of it and move elsewhere. Its not like they were moving up the ladder much either. Johnson also knows that people were fed up with Greenburg's style and change is needed. Just because he coached under him doesn't mean he has the same idea for an offense, discipline, and style. It's not like he was with him for 15 years through 3 schools.

 

[hunzworth]

-The players seem to like Johnson. If he is well liked by current players that will somewhat translate into recruiting future players as well.

-Seems to be a respected guy. It will be interesting to see what kind of staff he will put together.

-We really dont know about what kind of system he will run. I dont doubt that it will be similar to what SG ran but it could just as easily be something totally different. With Seths character i dont very seriously any of the assistants were getting much input.

-This could end up being a bust but i say give the guy at least a couple of practices before we write him off. We've got a pretty solid group of guys right now and i think Johnson has a shot a keeping one of the recruits, so he is getting a pretty solid group of players.

-As far as the timing goes look at it from Weavers point of view. He was prob trying to ride Seth out for another year (less buyout) all the while looking for a replacement but in the end was left with no assistants and a coach he didnt want and would have had a hard time bringing in assistants.

 

[Hokie Swagger]

im very happy with this considering our other realistic options. hes young, he can recruit, the players like him, and hes been at tech. i love the hire.

 

[wildturkey]

Wildturkey, were they giving input and actually having a big impact? I have a feeling that is why the assistants were leaving. It would make sense at least. They are pushing and pushing and not getting through to Greenburg, then they get tired of it and move elsewhere. Its not like they were moving up the ladder much either. Johnson also knows that people were fed up with Greenburg's style and change is needed. Just because he coached under him doesn't mean he has the same idea for an offense, discipline, and style. It's not like he was with him for 15 years through 3 schools.

It's likely he has the same stylistic philosophies as Greenberg. Head coaches don't recruit assistants that would differ from their game plan. To make a football analogy, you wouldn't see a head coach that wants to run an Air Raid offense hire a guy who specializes in the Triple Option.

JJ's differences will most likely come from demeanor, how he handles practices, how he schedules, etc. But I expect the playbook and pace to be pretty much the same.

 

[Lumbee09]

Just thought I would sum up some of the player reactions on twitter:

Erick Green ‏ @egreen11vt
Yessss I'll be back next year

Cadarian Raines ‏ @Raines_4VT Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Its a great day to be a #hokie

Cadarian Raines ‏ @Raines_4VT
Me an @egreen11vt hype asab right now

Joey Racer ‏ @Joey_Racer_24
Great day to be a hokie!

C.J. Barksdale ‏ @CBarksdale_42 Close
Congrats To JJ becoming Head Coach..Im hype lol He deserves it though

Jarell Eddie ‏ @J_Ed31
That makes me feel a lot better. #hokies

Robert Brown ‏ @RbrownVT_1
Hearing good news!!! Next year will be fun!

 

[hokiegrad]

I really hope that this works out, and I'm cautiously optimistic. He seems like a great guy. I actually think Greenberg was a better coach than he often gets credit for. As with most things, he had his strengths and weaknesses, and some people focused on only one or the other. If JJ can carry over Greenberg's strengths for the most part and be better where he was weak, this could turn out to be an excellent hire.

But I do have a few concerns.
1) No head coaching experience. Or put another way, the players love him as an assistant coach. Does he know how to be a head coach that will be both effective and loved. It's a very different role. And we have no good way to predict how he'll do in that role.
2) If the players love him, but it turns out he can't coach, this could be a messy divorce in a few years. I hope that Weaver really thinks this guy can coach, not just that this seems best in the short term. And that he's right. Because this could backfire badly...

 

[Hokie200proof]

Any word how or singees like the news?

 

[Ragingcroc]

I really hope that this works out, and I'm cautiously optimistic. He seems like a great guy. I actually think Greenberg was a better coach than he often gets credit for. As with most things, he had his strengths and weaknesses, and some people focused on only one or the other. If JJ can carry over Greenberg's strengths for the most part and be better where he was weak, this could turn out to be an excellent hire.

But I do have a few concerns.
1) No head coaching experience. Or put another way, the players love him as an assistant coach. Does he know how to be a head coach that will be both effective and loved. It's a very different role. And we have no good way to predict how he'll do in that role.
2) If the players love him, but it turns out he can't coach, this could be a messy divorce in a few years. I hope that Weaver really thinks this guy can coach, not just that this seems best in the short term. And that he's right. Because this could backfire badly...

If we can't coach, the new AD will handle it in a couple of years. I think Weaver made a good move because he will have to retire soon.