How Long Will Jj Be Here Now

Green Dozer · March 10, 2009

Hate to bring it up, but how long do you think we can hang onto Johnny. I personally thought LSU was a very long shot, but how about some of the prominent mid majors? I am not that familiar with the college basketball landscape this year, so I would be interested in any speculation some might have. I know the play is erratic and inconsistent, but Johnny has built a pretty decent program considering we are in a football crazed region. I think it may take another conference championship or tournament title along w/ another invite to the dance before he gets the big job, albeit a mid major one. Any thoughts, opinions, etc.

greenminer · March 10, 2009

I think he enjoys it here enough that it'll take a serious offer to pull him away. That might happen after a Big Dance win, or at least two more appearances.

CMJ · March 10, 2009

I'm like Miner. I think he's here until we win a game in the Dance or win the league a few times. But, he could be a lifer like Jim Larranaga and never leave, no matter how many high profile jobs come calling.

Censored by Laurie · March 10, 2009

I'm like Miner. I think he's here until we win a game in the Dance or win the league a few times. But, he could be a lifer like Jim Larranaga and never leave, no matter how many high profile jobs come calling.

If LSU comes asking again (which would mean Trent Johnson got money whipped)...or somebody just throws bags with dollar signs written on the side hes here until we're a bit higher profile.

oldguystudent · March 10, 2009

Seeing as schools like UCLA, Duke, North Carolina and Memphis have long since passed us by, I say we give up on him and run him straight out of town. Barring that, I hold out hope that he becomes like Stew Morrill at Utah St...a lifer who consistently wins 25 games and shows up at the tourney to play.

CMJ · March 10, 2009

Let's look at it this way....

The last 2 coaches that moved on, Pelphrey and Horn both were young and had alot of early success. Horn obviously had the Sweet 16 run, and Pelphrey cleaned up in regular season games, winning the East a few times IIRC. Jones is a bit older, has won about 53% of his games here(a bit less overall with his stint in Memphis), and hasn't won his Division yet.

On the other hand, he had a huge reclamation project, and has built NT to be a contender. He's won the Conference(Tournament) title, and has three 20 win seasons in a row.

Now, usually the big boys want a young up and comer. JJ is still young, but not THAT young and his overall record isn't gonna get alot of notice. He'll have to have tournament success to get a bigger job IMHO

Edited March 10, 2009 by CMJ

drex · March 10, 2009

Given the spotty support by the athletic department, coupled with poor attendance numbers, I think Johnny will jump soon.

KRAM1 · March 10, 2009

Define "spotty support" for me...please. I think I see where you are coming from with this, but do you have some specific examples in mind? Are we talking salaries here? What?

GoMeanGreen1999 · March 10, 2009

This is taking nothing from what he has accomplished here, and I hope he stays, but until he goes to another couple of NCAA tourneys I don't think he will leave.

GreenMachine · March 10, 2009

I think we need to win the Sunbelt tourney a few times before we worry about this.

e-bone ver2.awesome · March 10, 2009

I boast about our 20 win seasons to non Mean Green fans to build us up, but I never show them the schedule of who we play. "Big time" schools will look at the schedules. We will need to bump up our OOC SOS and represent well or start dominating conference on a regular basis. I think that if the right pieces are added to this current squad then the next 2 years could be very good and possible make dominating conference a reality. At that point JJ may start getting some looks with another NCAA appearance or two.

UNTFan23 · March 11, 2009

Given the spotty support by the athletic department, coupled with poor attendance numbers, I think Johnny will jump soon.

We've had growth in our attendance numbers for several years now. What exactly do you mean "spotty?" I remember we had some decently attended games when students weren't in tow, whereas before these were often sub 1,000 games.

drex · March 11, 2009

When we get the basketball gameday eight page booklet for basketball like they produce for football, I will retract the word spotty. That is all I am going to say on the board.

NT80 · March 11, 2009

I don't think JJ will get that big move-up type offer he wants until he wins at least one NCAA Tourney game. Finishing 20-something against mostly weak teams and in the Top 4 of the SBC just doesn't sell like an NCAA Tourney win would.