Who Replaces Gene?

[ABC]

Mike Dart did that. That was not hand picked by Tom. That was a mafia style power play. I would agree Heefner has a Mike Cohen aroma. The only difference is the AD is in town on this one.

Cohen, an assistant with little college basketball experience of any kind is similar to a coach who has rec'd three at-large NCAA invites in the last few years as an independent?

[Kung Wu]

http://www.kansas.com/2013/06/05/283...sole-face.html

Isn't DOBO considered "coaching staff"?

[Shocktophoops]

This is my first post, but I have read Shockernet for a long time, just wanted to add a few thoughts about the coaching hire. First, if anyone thinks this hire is coming from Brent, that is not correct. Sexton is front and center on this and will not hire anyone he does not feel comfortable with. Secondly, I am not sure people are as excited as they should be about Heefner. This guy is one of the hottest up and coming guys in the nation. For those that are worried about the 30-30 record this year, lets look at it this way. One of the basic methods in coaching is that you have to have a style of play and a recruiting philosophy to beat the teams in your conference. Coach Marshall has often said he had to change his style a bit because the Valley is different from what he faced at Winthrop. Coaches also must recruit based on their conference, kids want to know where they are going to be playing their games, etc. So, for three years now, Heefner has been trying to recruit with no clue what league he was going to be in. First it was the Valley, then that fell through and it was the WAC, now back to the Valley. Then you enter the WAC, and now your travel is all jacked up, you may have recruited to a different style and now things are completely different, who knows. (Heck, Bob Huggins complained about this very thing as his team struggled in year 1 of the Big 12. He said he recruited thinking he needed Big East-type guys, now he needed guys to play a completely different system). Moral of the story, stepping into a new league, in the very first year, you are unfamiliar with the travel, the style of play, and so on and so forth and so on. WSU needs a hitting guru to fix the awful offensive performance of the last few years, that guys is Heefner. Lets face it, the guy had a bunch of hurdles to climb at DBU that he will not have at WSU. He can focus on recruiting whoever he wants, and winning baseball games. No worries about religion or whatever. Get behind this guy, he is a big-time hire.

[1972Shocker]

I will definitely get behind Heefner IF Sexston does, in fact, hire him.

[Ricardo del Rio]

This is my first post, but I have read Shockernet for a long time, just wanted to add a few thoughts about the coaching hire.

First, if anyone thinks this hire is coming from Brent, that is not correct. Sexton is front and center on this and will not hire anyone he does not feel comfortable with.

Secondly, I am not sure people are as excited as they should be about Heefner. This guy is one of the hottest up and coming guys in the nation. For those that are worried about the 30-30 record this year, lets look at it this way. One of the basic methods in coaching is that you have to have a style of play and a recruiting philosophy to beat the teams in your conference. Coach Marshall has often said he had to change his style a bit because the Valley is different from what he faced at Winthrop. Coaches also must recruit based on their conference, kids want to know where they are going to be playing their games, etc.

So, for three years now, Heefner has been trying to recruit with no clue what league he was going to be in. First it was the Valley, then that fell through and it was the WAC, now back to the Valley. Then you enter the WAC, and now your travel is all jacked up, you may have recruited to a different style and now things are completely different, who knows. (Heck, Bob Huggins complained about this very thing as his team struggled in year 1 of the Big 12. He said he recruited thinking he needed Big East-type guys, now he needed guys to play a completely different system).

Moral of the story, stepping into a new league, in the very first year, you are unfamiliar with the travel, the style of play, and so on and so forth and so on. WSU needs a hitting guru to fix the awful offensive performance of the last few years, that guy is Heefner. Lets face it, the guy had a bunch of hurdles to climb at DBU that he will not have at WSU. He can focus on recruiting whoever he wants, and winning baseball games. No worries about religion or whatever. Get behind this guy, he is a big-time hire.

-

[DUShock]

I will definitely get behind Heefner IF Sexston does, in fact, hire him.

Not to worry "Sexston" won't be making any hires for Wichita State. :-) but I do believe most alums, boosters, and fans will support whomever is hired.

Go Shocks!

[Ricardo del Rio]

I guess I am warming up some to Coach Heefner.

I am surprised there has been hardly any chatter about former Shocker players being considered by AD Sexton. It seems there are so many, who could be considered, before the first cut.

I am surprised there has not been any report that Coach Hooper has gone to interview, either by phone or in person.

Also, I have wondered to what extent, Coach Kemnitz's biases have impacted the hiring process - a possible Machiavellian moment at work. (By the way, I am not unhappy that Coach Kemnitz will continue as the pitching coach.)

Then there is the question of soothing the feelings of those, who idolized Coach Stephenson. I am thinking about folks such as Shox1989, Shocker3 and William. It seems to me that they would prefer a new coach with Shocker roots than someone outside the Shocker family.

Does AD Sexton have the political courage to go it alone on the hiring of the new coach or does he have a band of internal and external advisers, who are assisting him? If so, who are the advisers?

How about this threesome - Heefner, Hooper and Kemnitz? Just kidding.

[1972Shocker]

You would have to think that Kevin Hooper would at a minimum get an interview. Now that could have happened in the middle of last week before the Wingnuts head to St. Paul and Winnipeg (how about that for a road trip) or it may happen when he returns late this week.

[SB Shock]

You would have to think that Kevin Hooper would at a minimum get an interview. Now that could have happened in the middle of last week before the Wingnuts head to St. Paul and Winnipeg (how about that for a road trip) or it may happen when he returns late this week.

not if Heefner has been offered that is being rumored... Unless of course the DBU coach turns down Sexton.

[1972Shocker]

not if Heefner has been offered that is being rumored... Unless of course the DBU coach turns down Sexton.

Key point is an "offer that has been rumored". If that rumor was being promulgated by some of our posters with long-term credibility I might give it more credence, but so far that hasn't been the case unless I missed that.

At this point what I believe to be factual is that Dan Heefner has been interviewed. Nothing beyond that has been established in any credible fashion that I have seen.

It's possible an offer has been made, but just as possible that an offer has not yet been made.

[BostonWu]

I’m starting to think we could land Hooper as an assistant (major assumption the new HC would want him). Think about it, the 6 figures JT was hauling it would be a major bump compared to whatever he’s making now as Wingnuts manager. Not to mention it would bring him D1 coaching experience.

[1972Shocker]

Unless of course the DBU coach turns down Sexton.

Assuming an offer has or will be forthcoming to Heefner that is certainly a possibility. Heefner's position at DBU involves more than just baseball in that there is a spiritual aspect to it and that may well be a very important factor to Coach Heefner. Sometimes happiness does not boil down simply to money and prestige.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=6639145

OTOH, Coach Heefner did make the trip to Wichita for an interview so there obviously was at least some pretty strong interest on his part.

[jdmee]

Isn't DOBO considered "coaching staff"?

Per the NCAA Handbook.

A DOBO can only participate in organized activities involving only the coaching staff (coaches meeting, analyze video, etc) They may not participate in instructional activities with the student-athletes.

Its in Section 11.7.1.1.1.1.1. If you do a search for NCAA Handbook, you'll be able to download it from NCAA publications.

According to the handbook, the baseball team is only able to have 3 coaches and 2 are able to recruit.

[DUShock]

It would not surprise me one bit that an announcement is not forthcoming.

[1972Shocker]

At this point most of the press and fan talk has been about Hooper and Heefner. That doesn't necessarily mean there isn't anyone else in the hunt. Who knows. Maybe Sexton had Heefner targeted in his mind even before terminating Gene. There were rumors prior to Gene's firing that Gene's successor had already been picked. At this point that doesn't seem to be the case, but I guess we will never know for sure.