Paul Mills Not Hot Seat

[ShockTalk]

IB was a bad coach. So is PM.

Marshall never named a coach "Associate Head Coach" after Jans. My Speculation: Had Forbes stay a second year after Jans, he would have probably got the title. Same for Heiar, but Jans came back. No way Heier was going to get the title then. Next year Jans left, and Heiar left right after him.

IB assumed the 2nd chair by default. He was, IMO, the least likely of the 4 other assistants to ever get that "title" or even be a Head Coach. He was handed the team by default. IMO, he wasn't really a 2nd chair type coach.

Mills is a little different story. While he, too, went through the ranks at Baylor, he stayed there 14 years. He started there in 2003 but didn't become a full assistant until 2009. On the Baylor site, I find him as the 4th chair, behind assistants Tang and McCasland in 2014-15. For whatever reason, he is NOT shown as an assistant in 15-16 or 16-17, but he's bio says he was an assistant.

My guess, he had been a low-ranking assistant when he took the ORU job. At ORU, he was a low to middle of the pack coach in the Summit for his first few years but had a secret weapon. As Abmas grew as a player, so did ORU's record. I feel Mills struck lighting in a bottle with a player like Abmas in the Summit League. He has never been a successful coach without Abmas and he was able to hold on to him for 4 years.

[ShockHat]

Marshall never named a coach "Associate Head Coach" after Jans. My Speculation: Had Forbes stay a second year after Jans, he would have probably got the title. Same for Heiar, but Jans came back. No way Heier was going to get the title then. Next year Jans left, and Heiar left right after him.

IB assumed the 2nd chair by default. He was, IMO, the least likely of the 4 other assistants to ever get that "title" or even be a Head Coach. He was handed the team by default. IMO, he wasn't really a 2nd chair type coach.

Mills is a little different story. While he, too, went through the ranks at Baylor, he stayed there 14 years. He started there in 2003 but didn't become a full assistant until 2009. On the Baylor site, I find him as the 4th chair, behind assistants Tang and McCasland in 2014-15. For whatever reason, he is NOT shown as an assistant in 15-16 or 16-17, but he's bio says he was an assistant.

My guess, he had been a low-ranking assistant when he took the ORU job. At ORU, he was a low to middle of the pack coach in the Summit for his first few years but had a secret weapon. As Abmas grew as a player, so did ORU's record. I feel Mills struck lighting in a bottle with a player like Abmas in the Summit League. He has never been a successful coach without Abmas and he was able to hold on to him for 4 years.

If that’s the case then we’re screwed.

[asiseeit]

I was okay with IB taking over but NOT okay with a five year contract. That is where the AD made a huge mistake.

[ShockTalk]

If that’s the case then we’re screwed.

All Mills information came from me looking through the Baylor and ORU basketball sites and Wiki. I tried but could not find any information on why his Baylor bio said he was an assistant coach the last two years, but no picture of him was shown. His picture was shown on the Baylor basketball site a total of ONE time in the 14 years he was there.

We didn't get a Baylor's Associate Head Coach, third chair or fourth chair. Yes, he was Head Coach at ORU. On current Team Rankings of conferences, the Summit is currently #27 of 33, just ahead of the SWAC and 10 behind the Big South (Marshall's former conference with Winthrop).

[SubGod22]

I was okay with IB taking over but NOT okay with a five year contract. That is where the AD made a huge mistake.

It wasn't the length that was the issue, it was paying a guy who'd never run a program 7+ figures to do so when his market rate at best was half of that.

[Kung Wu]

Both of those terms were bad.

[Stickboy46]

It wasn't the length that was the issue, it was paying a guy who'd never run a program 7+ figures to do so when his market rate at best was half of that.

yup, would have been primed for a heavily incentive based contract based on lack of previous head coaching experience. Low base, but if you succeed the money will flow in.

[pinstripers]

Marshall never named a coach "Associate Head Coach" after Jans. My Speculation: Had Forbes stay a second year after Jans, he would have probably got the title. Same for Heiar, but Jans came back. No way Heier was going to get the title then. Next year Jans left, and Heiar left right after him.

IB assumed the 2nd chair by default. He was, IMO, the least likely of the 4 other assistants to ever get that "title" or even be a Head Coach. He was handed the team by default. IMO, he wasn't really a 2nd chair type coach.

Mills is a little different story. While he, too, went through the ranks at Baylor, he stayed there 14 years. He started there in 2003 but didn't become a full assistant until 2009. On the Baylor site, I find him as the 4th chair, behind assistants Tang and McCasland in 2014-15. For whatever reason, he is NOT shown as an assistant in 15-16 or 16-17, but he's bio says he was an assistant.

My guess, he had been a low-ranking assistant when he took the ORU job. At ORU, he was a low to middle of the pack coach in the Summit for his first few years but had a secret weapon. As Abmas grew as a player, so did ORU's record. I feel Mills struck lighting in a bottle with a player like Abmas in the Summit League. He has never been a successful coach without Abmas and he was able to hold on to him for 4 years.

Cannot argue. He may become a successful coach here, maybe, but his resume did not command this contract. Still might work out, maybe.

[ShockHat]

Cannot argue. He may become a successful coach here, maybe, but his resume did not command this contract. Still might work out, maybe.

One factor that hasn’t been considered is that it was clear that our new AD did his research though. Lots of folks chimed in it seemed like, and it sounded from everyone who knows that Mills was good. So… either they’re all biased and fools, or is it possible we haven’t seen what he’s capable of yet?

Im really, really hoping he turns out to be his worth. Otherwise, apathy might set in and I might decide my sleep here in the UK is worth more than following wichita state basketball. Not a bandwagon fan but I need to see product that’s worth the effort and time

[Stickboy46]

One factor that hasn’t been considered is that it was clear that our new AD did his research though. Lots of folks chimed in it seemed like, and it sounded from everyone who knows that Mills was good. So… either they’re all biased and fools, or is it possible we haven’t seen what he’s capable of yet?

Im really, really hoping he turns out to be his worth. Otherwise, apathy might set in and I might decide my sleep here in the UK is worth more than following wichita state basketball. Not a bandwagon fan but I need to see product that’s worth the effort and time

You will never hear someone "chime in" and say someone was a bad hire. Its very easy to find someone for any hire to say "Yea he's a great hire, he's going to knock it out of the park". We heard that with FHCIB too.

Also, I like a LOT of what ADKS has done, but we have no idea what he really looked at or tried with this hire.

[MoValley John]

You will never hear someone "chime in" and say someone was a bad hire. Its very easy to find someone for any hire to say "Yea he's a great hire, he's going to knock it out of the park". We heard that with FHCIB too.

Also, I like a LOT of what ADKS has done, but we have no idea what he really looked at or tried with this hire.

I remember back in the day when Nebraska hired Mike Riley as their new football coach. There was a lot of hand ringing from the get-go. Lots of fans saying WTF? Now the rest of their hires started out as home runs, but not Mike Riley.

[ABC]

I was okay with IB taking over but NOT okay with a five year contract. That is where the AD made a huge mistake.

Good point.

[Maizerunner08]

Marshall never named a coach "Associate Head Coach" after Jans. My Speculation: Had Forbes stay a second year after Jans, he would have probably got the title. Same for Heiar, but Jans came back. No way Heier was going to get the title then. Next year Jans left, and Heiar left right after him.

IB assumed the 2nd chair by default. He was, IMO, the least likely of the 4 other assistants to ever get that "title" or even be a Head Coach. He was handed the team by default. IMO, he wasn't really a 2nd chair type coach.

Mills is a little different story. While he, too, went through the ranks at Baylor, he stayed there 14 years. He started there in 2003 but didn't become a full assistant until 2009. On the Baylor site, I find him as the 4th chair, behind assistants Tang and McCasland in 2014-15. For whatever reason, he is NOT shown as an assistant in 15-16 or 16-17, but he's bio says he was an assistant.

My guess, he had been a low-ranking assistant when he took the ORU job. At ORU, he was a low to middle of the pack coach in the Summit for his first few years but had a secret weapon. As Abmas grew as a player, so did ORU's record. I feel Mills struck lighting in a bottle with a player like Abmas in the Summit League. He has never been a successful coach without Abmas and he was able to hold on to him for 4 years.

Well that’s a damn depressing analysis. If that’s the case we’re in trouble.

[ventichai]

Well that’s a damn depressing analysis. If that’s the case we’re in trouble.

Alright I’ll bite:

My guess is ADKS knew exactly what he was getting in hiring HCPM. He’s no slouch, and I can bet he did his research into the risk he was taking by making the hiring selection he arrived at. The reality is there’s potential for HCPM to strike gold and find another solid player to build around, but this year was never going to be that year. With two released coaches’ contracts already on the books, it was a matter of taking a risk on a coach that COULD have a surprisingly high ceiling, but the floor being low made more sense. As others have already mentioned, if by year 3 or 4 it’s looking like HCPM doesn’t find his core group of players and puts together a winning squad, they can at least move on without FHCGM’s or FHCIB’s contracts weighing the program down.

tl;dr:
ADKS took a calculated risk on HCPM knowing full well it may not work out but at least it fit the budget limitations and there was a chance he struck gold. If not, they can start fresh when the former coaches contract payouts are completed.

[ShockHat]

Alright I’ll bite:

My guess is ADKS knew exactly what he was getting in hiring HCPM. He’s no slouch, and I can bet he did his research into the risk he was taking by making the hiring selection he arrived at. The reality is there’s potential for HCPM to strike gold and find another solid player to build around, but this year was never going to be that year. With two released coaches’ contracts already on the books, it was a matter of taking a risk on a coach that COULD have a surprisingly high ceiling, but the floor being low made more sense. As others have already mentioned, if by year 3 or 4 it’s looking like HCPM doesn’t find his core group of players and puts together a winning squad, they can at least move on without FHCGM’s or FHCIB’s contracts weighing the program down.

tl;dr:
ADKS took a calculated risk on HCPM knowing full well it may not work out but at least it fit the budget limitations and there was a chance he struck gold. If not, they can start fresh when the former coaches contract payouts are completed.

Still depressing haha