Isaac Brown: Head Coach

[Bluzrover]

I have no issues with content, it's just that when I did subscribe, I wasn't interested in enough articles on a regular basis to justify paying for it. I have some team specific interests and don't care much about things outside of those teams.

I subscribed after one of my favorite Chiefs bloggers started writing for them. There’s always some decent NFL coverage and like Stickboy46 wrote, the lack of ads is great. The additional Shockers stuff is a bonus and CJ Moore is a fair reporter and good writer.

[Topshock]

It's a great article!

Could it be that Wichita State has done what is nearly impossible: Catch lightning in a bottle with two successive coaches?

I think IB may just be the perfect coach in the this new college basketball climate.

[WuTheOne]

I'm not taking anything away from Marshall by saying this. Marshall had an incredible run and deserves to have his face on a banner hanging from the rafters.

IB may be an upgrade. We were skeptical of his coaching last year - he won the AAC. We were skeptical of his recruiting - he kept all but 1 significant player and signed 4 that were being recruited by P5 schools.

This year we get to see how he does with a target on his back, because every opponent is going to have WSU circled on their schedule as a game they want to win in the worst way. No hiding under the radar. IB and the Shox are the prominent blip on the radar.

[ShockingButTrue]

I'm not taking anything away from Marshall by saying this. Marshall had an incredible run and deserves to have his face on a banner hanging from the rafters.

IB may be an upgrade. We were skeptical of his coaching last year - he won the AAC. We were skeptical of his recruiting - he kept all but 1 significant player and signed 4 that were being recruited by P5 schools.

This year we get to see how he does with a target on his back, because every opponent is going to have WSU circled on their schedule as a game they want to win in the worst way. No hiding under the radar. IB and the Shox are the prominent blip on the radar.

I think sustained guard play will be key.

[ShockerPrez]

I think the only thing we know for sure is that with the changing landscape of college ball, IB may be more attractive to recruits in that he doesn't have a reputation of being a step below a Marine drill sargeant like GM. We know that GM turned off a lot of recruits for that reason. I am not going to say IB isn't a tough coach and demand a lot, but he doesn't seem like the kind of coach who has a short fuse.

We'll see how it pans out, but I am optimistic that we may have backed ourselves into a perfect transition at the perfect time, even if it was not of our choosing.

[Bluzrover]

I think the only thing we know for sure is that with the changing landscape of college ball, IB may be more attractive to recruits in that he doesn't have a reputation of being a step below a Marine drill sargeant like GM. We know that GM turned off a lot of recruits for that reason. I am not going to say IB isn't a tough coach and demand a lot, but he doesn't seem like the kind of coach who has a short fuse.

We'll see how it pans out, but I am optimistic that we may have backed ourselves into a perfect transition at the perfect time, even if it was not of our choosing.

I’m a huge 3G fan, but this quote from Udeze gets to your point: “If I make a mistake, I don’t have to look on the sidelines for the coach looking at me wrong,” Udeze says. “He just trusts me and builds confidence in me every day.”

[1972Shocker]

I think HCIB has established himself as a great guy. A top shelf gentleman. Will he show he is also a top shelf D-1 men's head basketball coach over the long run? Time will tell. He is off to a very good start.

I don't subscribe to a "nice guys finish last" philosophy and I think HCIB has the potential to be very successful at Wichita State. As I have mentioned previously he has earned and he deserves this opportunity.

I am some what optimistic (perhaps that is the hope a fan has whenever a change is implemented or a new recruit is signed) that HICB will prove to be that proverbial diamond in the rough.

[Shockm]

I’m a huge 3G fan, but this quote from Udeze gets to your point: “If I make a mistake, I don’t have to look on the sidelines for the coach looking at me wrong,” Udeze says. “He just trusts me and builds confidence in me every day.”

You pointed out the personality differences between GM and IB, but not that the program will be better (being better will be a huge task and maybe not a fair expectation). I just hope we are still in the conversation of Top 40 basketball programs in 10 years.

Udeze may like IB's way now, but for 13 years, the other way worked well. GM won 330 games at Wichita State and had a 73% winning percentage. Including all of his head coaching experience, Marshall won 525 games and had a 72 percent winning rate. How many programs have continued to win at a 73% winning percentage over a 13 year period? Is Butler where they were under Brad Stevens? Is Georgetown where they were under Thompson? Is St. Johns were they were under Louie Carnesseca? How much will Arizona win now?

IB began his head coaching career with a promising 727%. Players like him, and Top 100 recruits may like him a lot too. A 60-75% winning percentage each year is a good goal and I hope IB is able to sustain it. As I stated above, in 10 years, I just hope we are still in the Top 40-50 conversation.

[ShockTalk]

You pointed out the personality differences between GM and IB, but not that the program will be better (being better will be a huge task and maybe not a fair expectation). I just hope we are still in the conversation of Top 40 basketball programs in 10 years.

Udeze may like IB's way now, but for 13 years, the other way worked well. GM won 330 games at Wichita State and had a 73% winning percentage. Including all of his head coaching experience, Marshall won 525 games and had a 72 percent winning rate. How many programs have continued to win at a 73% winning percentage over a 13 year period? Is Butler where they were under Brad Stevens? Is Georgetown where they were under Thompson? Is St. Johns were they were under Louie Carnesseca? How much will Arizona win now?

IB began his head coaching career with a promising 727%. Players like him, and Top 100 recruits may like him a lot too. A 60-75% winning percentage each year is a good goal and I hope IB is able to sustain it. As I stated above, in 10 years, I just hope we are still in the Top 40-50 conversation.

It is way too soon to tell just how successful HCIB will be. No doubt, he's off to a very good start. I agree that "being better" (%-wise) will be a huge task. For me, it will not be a fair expectation. As a non-football school (I'm not advocating football), we are most likely at the highest league level now barring big changes in college basketball.

My questions to everyone are: If a new Gregg Marshall clone came to a MVC level team today, would any of the following happen? 1) Would he even be successful in today's climate of "style" of coaching and could he survive The Portal. 2) If he were as successful, would he stay at "that level" long enough to build a long term sustainable program? 3) I'm biased, but just how many Wichita States are out there who's fans not only would pack the arena like we do and whose fans/supporters could financially hold on to him?

From what I can tell, Mark Few is a style of coach that is more likely to succeed today. Just how many Mark Few/Gonzagas do you think we'll see in the future?

To be "successful" at WSU is a lot different today. We don't (and probably won't) need a gaudy winning % to be considered as a very successful program. It took Mark Few 18 seasons to make his 1st F4. We need to stay competitive in the league and be in the hunt for the Dance. Don't expect the gaudy winning % of Valley play.

[Kung Wu]

Just how many Mark Few/Gonzagas do you think we'll see in the future?

Mark my words: Few and far between.

[SB Shock]

I'm not taking anything away from Marshall by saying this. Marshall had an incredible run and deserves to have his face on a banner hanging from the rafters.

IB may be an upgrade. We were skeptical of his coaching last year - he won the AAC. We were skeptical of his recruiting - he kept all but 1 significant player and signed 4 that were being recruited by P5 schools.

This year we get to see how he does with a target on his back, because every opponent is going to have WSU circled on their schedule as a game they want to win in the worst way. No hiding under the radar. IB and the Shox are the prominent blip on the radar.

Kevin Ollie seemed to be the perfect replacement for a legend like Jim Calhoun, even won a national championship in his second year. But by year 6 he was out. IB maybe that perfect man for this season that the WSU basketball program is in, but we really won't know anything one way or the other until his 4th year when his team will be "his team".

I think the first sign that he was the perfect man for the job will be the annual discussion of "What P5 school wants to interview HCIB"

[ShockTalk]

Mark my words: Few and far between.

I see what you did there.

[Ashockalypse]

It is way too soon to tell just how successful HCIB will be. No doubt, he's off to a very good start. I agree that "being better" (%-wise) will be a huge task. For me, it will not be a fair expectation. As a non-football school (I'm not advocating football), we are most likely at the highest league level now barring big changes in college basketball.

My questions to everyone are: If a new Gregg Marshall clone came to a MVC level team today, would any of the following happen? 1) Would he even be successful in today's climate of "style" of coaching and could he survive The Portal. 2) If he were as successful, would he stay at "that level" long enough to build a long term sustainable program? 3) I'm biased, but just how many Wichita States are out there who's fans not only would pack the arena like we do and whose fans/supporters could financially hold on to him?

From what I can tell, Mark Few is a style of coach that is more likely to succeed today. Just how many Mark Few/Gonzagas do you think we'll see in the future?

To be "successful" at WSU is a lot different today. We don't (and probably won't) need a gaudy winning % to be considered as a very successful program. It took Mark Few 18 seasons to make his 1st F4. We need to stay competitive in the league and be in the hunt for the Dance. Don't expect the gaudy winning % of Valley play.

It has to be gaudy enough to get in the tournament.

[Stickboy46]

It has to be gaudy enough to get in the tournament.

Which to be fair what is needed out of the AAC is less gaudy than what 3G needed out of the MVC.

IB was the absolute perfect hire at the time. Smooth transition with lots of knowledge soaked up from 3G but you will be hard pressed to find ANYONE that has a bad thing to say about the way IB has conducted himself over his career. He's known as a players coach and with the rapidly changing landscape in college basketball that's going to be important for player retention.

IB thankfully gets to reap a lot of the benefits 3G built. The AAC move, the national recognition, the ability to finally get P5 teams in home and homes.

[Stickboy46]

I think HCIB has established himself as a great guy. A top shelf gentleman. Will he show he is also a top shelf D-1 men's head basketball coach over the long run? Time will tell. He is off to a very good start.

I don't subscribe to a "nice guys finish last" philosophy and I think HCIB has the potential to be very successful at Wichita State. As I have mentioned previously he has earned and he deserves this opportunity.

I am some what optimistic (perhaps that is the hope a fan has whenever a change is implemented or a new recruit is signed) that HICB will prove to be that proverbial diamond in the rough.

He thankfully appears to be someone that isn't afraid to gather knowledge in the areas where he's weak.