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Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:46 pm
by lv2hoop
I heard that Coach Hiatt at Montana Tech threw his name in the hat. His record as far as building a winning program at MT Tech is impressive.
Word on the street is that our current assistants are holding down the fort until they are swept away to their new offices in a nondescript sleepy mountain town in Utah.
I am going to bet on the Wisconsin assistant, Joe Krabbenhoft. who was an assistant at South Dakota State from 2013-16 which overlaps with the time that Leon Costello was in Brookings.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 5:13 pm
by CelticCat
I think there are a decent amount of names we don't know about, this is a pretty tight-lipped search so far.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 5:22 pm
by MSU01
CelticCat wrote: ↑Thu Apr 13, 2023 5:13 pm
I think there are a decent amount of names we don't know about, this is a pretty tight-lipped search so far.
"Pretty" tight-lipped is an understatement! Not that this is a bad thing, probably means things are moving along more quickly than in a more public process. I tend to agree that the ultimate hire may well be someone none of us have even thought or heard of yet.
As for a prediction, I'll throw out another former SDSU assistant and say Brian Cooley of Colorado State.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 5:53 pm
by superbobcat
Coach Hiatt would be a great change up. Quality guy and successful. Love his up tempo style.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 6:39 pm
by AFCAT
Just going by the past hires (Sprinkle, Houk, Vigen) under Costellos leadership, I'm guessing the hiring committee will choose a person that hasn't been a head coach before (i.e., assistant coach at the D-1 level) or a younger head coach at a lower level. I don't believe we will see a veteran Div 1 head coach.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 5:14 am
by Catlady
Got to believe in Costello! He’s earned it.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 6:57 am
by superbobcat
I agree he has a good eye for coaches. We haven’t always had that in the AD office.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 8:55 am
by homeytennis
Coby Blaine College of Idaho head coach. NAIA coach of the year and his team won the NAIA national championship. He has four Montana kids on the roster. He would be a long shot but did win 35 games in a row this season.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 9:33 am
by tetoncat
homeytennis wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 8:55 am
Coby Blaine College of Idaho head coach. NAIA coach of the year and his team won the NAIA national championship. He has four Montana kids on the roster. He would be a long shot but did win 35 games in a row this season.
Does he have enough connections to bring in top assistants and recruits.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 9:43 am
by superbobcat
homeytennis wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 8:55 am
Coby Blaine College of Idaho head coach. NAIA coach of the year and his team won the NAIA national championship. He has four Montana kids on the roster. He would be a long shot but did win 35 games in a row this season.
Bobcat nation would not like Colby Blaine's system. He inherited at talented bunch and built upon it. He has had success for sure, but his style is questionable in my mind. Coach Hiat on the other hand has started from the ground up and built a winning program. If we draw from the NAIA, I will take Hiat any day over Blaine. Just my opinion, I have watched Blaine coach, he is good, but a red flag goes off with me, his demeanor comes off as look at me or me first team second.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 10:20 am
by lv2hoop
Leon was likely active at the Final Four in Houston prepping for the inevitable. He would've networked with a number of AD's and coaching prospects that are in the D1 world. That's not a knock on Colby Blaine or Adam Hiatt, but MSU is a decent low to mid major job, especially the way that Sprinkle and crew have built it up these past 4 years.
You can now make a good argument that ours is the best men's basketball job in the Big Sky Conference. It used to be the Griz or Weber, but with the enrollment struggles they've had in Missoula, not to mention poor local support for the MBB team, it has swung in the favor of the Cats. As far as Weber being a long time power, they struggle being irrelevant in their state and their fan support has become abysmal, even with solid teams the past few seasons.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 3:47 pm
by Joe Bobcat
superbobcat wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 9:43 am
homeytennis wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 8:55 am
Coby Blaine College of Idaho head coach. NAIA coach of the year and his team won the NAIA national championship. He has four Montana kids on the roster. He would be a long shot but did win 35 games in a row this season.
Bobcat nation would not like Colby Blaine's system. He inherited at talented bunch and built upon it. He has had success for sure, but his style is questionable in my mind. Coach Hiat on the other hand has started from the ground up and built a winning program. If we draw from the NAIA, I will take Hiat any day over Blaine. Just my opinion, I have watched Blaine coach, he is good, but a red flag goes off with me, his demeanor comes off as look at me or me first team second.
I have no real comment on if either of these coaches would be a good fit for MSU but was just wondering if Colby Blaine was hired if any of his players at Idaho might follow him here. They have this one 6' 8" forward that some of you may have heard of, by the name of Alex Germer.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 9:47 am
by catatac
Yep, this might be Leon's biggest challenge yet... but he's certainly proven himself in his hires. Can you imagine if he hires a guy that comes in, gets the pieces in place to form a formidable team, wins the BS tourney again and wins a game at the big dance? Tall order for sure but stranger things have happened.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:15 am
by lv2hoop
Same thing happened a few years ago when Legens left EWU for Portland. He took most of the team with him and the Groves brothers went to Oklahoma. Eastern hired a good coach and they were right back in the thick of things almost immediately.
I trust Leon and he'll get creative and continue to make MSU a good landing spot for coaches and potential transfers. Even though we are going through a massive transition, MSU is still very attractive to up and coming coaches and players.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:27 am
by CelticCat
lv2hoop wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:15 am
Same thing happened a few years ago when Legens left EWU for Portland. He took most of the team with him and the Groves brothers went to Oklahoma. Eastern hired a good coach and they were right back in the thick of things almost immediately.
I trust Leon and he'll get creative and continue to make MSU a good landing spot for coaches and potential transfers. Even though we are going through a massive transition, MSU is still very attractive to up and coming coaches and players.
Was just going to say this. But EWU fans were pissed at the time.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:41 am
by Hmmmm
lv2hoop wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 10:20 am
Leon was likely active at the Final Four in Houston prepping for the inevitable. He would've networked with a number of AD's and coaching prospects that are in the D1 world. That's not a knock on Colby Blaine or Adam Hiatt, but MSU is a decent low to mid major job, especially the way that Sprinkle and crew have built it up these past 4 years.
You can now make a good argument that ours is the best men's basketball job in the Big Sky Conference. It used to be the Griz or Weber, but with the enrollment struggles they've had in Missoula, not to mention poor local support for the MBB team, it has swung in the favor of the Cats. As far as Weber being a long time power, they struggle being irrelevant in their state and their fan support has become abysmal, even with solid teams the past few seasons.
The Cats were number 3 in attendance this past season... Behind Weber and Montana.
https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sport ... d5896.html
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 1:08 pm
by Colter_Nuanez
Some Saturday afternoon reading for you regarding the most prominent (and only) head coaching opening in #BigSkyMBB:
Search to replace Sprinkle is underway for Montana State men’s hoops
https://skylinesportsmt.com/search-to-r ... ens-hoops/
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 1:12 pm
by Cataholic
Hmmmm wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:41 am
lv2hoop wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 10:20 am
Leon was likely active at the Final Four in Houston prepping for the inevitable. He would've networked with a number of AD's and coaching prospects that are in the D1 world. That's not a knock on Colby Blaine or Adam Hiatt, but MSU is a decent low to mid major job, especially the way that Sprinkle and crew have built it up these past 4 years.
You can now make a good argument that ours is the best men's basketball job in the Big Sky Conference. It used to be the Griz or Weber, but with the enrollment struggles they've had in Missoula, not to mention poor local support for the MBB team, it has swung in the favor of the Cats. As far as Weber being a long time power, they struggle being irrelevant in their state and their fan support has become abysmal, even with solid teams the past few seasons.
The Cats were number 3 in attendance this past season... Behind Weber and Montana.
https://www.idahostatejournal.com/sport ... d5896.html
Here are how we stack up against the country. Not bad with lots of untapped potential.
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketb ... Attend.pdf
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 2:37 pm
by lv2hoop
The players were impressed with their meeting today with Coach Chris Capko, from Southern Cal. Mystery candidate #2 is going to be with the players tomorrow.
Re: Let's Play a Game - Who Will Replace Coach Sprinkle
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 3:17 pm
by Cat Grad