New ASU A.D. Anderson: Herb Sendek will be our coach in 2014 and beyond

[Brian in Mesa]

New ASU A.D. Anderson: Herb Sendek will be our coach in 2014 and beyond

http://arizonasports.com/74/1703684/LEAD-THE-WAY

Ray Anderson has seen enough.
"Typically, I would say to you that in terms of coaching we would evaluate at the end of the season, but very frankly, in my two weeks here and the things I've been able to determine from observing myself and certainly hearing from others, that Herb has got this program in the right direction."

Arizona State's new athletic director, as a guest of the Dan Bickley Show with Vince Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Wednesday, said last Friday's 69-66 double OT win over then-No. 2 Arizona was great, but it was only part of what makes him believe in the coach.

Sendek has been ASU's men's basketball coach since 2006, where he has compiled a 139-115 (61-77) record with one NCAA Tournament appearance. The team is primed for another this season with a 19-6 (8-4) record, and is still in the running for the Pac-12 title. Few would argue the coach is getting the most out of the talent he has.

But for Anderson to say that so soon after taking the job is a big deal, especially when it's not uncommon for people in his position to replace incumbents with "their guys."

The way he sees it, though, there's no reason to do that with the basketball team.

 

[Zobaczcie suki]

LOL, surprised there is no backlash about this on here yet.

Yes, we are doing great this year, but this is a rarity. And I haven't studied it much, but Gad and others seem to not think much of the class being recruited for next year. http://espn.go.com/colleges/basketball/recruiting/school/_/id/9/class/2014
So we are looking at a drop back to mediocrity next year on the horizon.

 

[AZ Native]

Sounds like the kiss of death to me.

 

[jf-08]

 

[Mathew81]

After the effort they played with this weekend maybe he should rethink that statement. Pathetic display. We gave up 51 points in the 1st half against Utah tonight. We gave 51 to Arizona in regulation last week.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

In defense of ASU has any road team played well on the back end of Larry Scott's Wednesday-Sunday joke of a road trip schedule?

 

[Mathew81]

In defense of ASU has any road team played well on the back end of Larry Scott's Wednesday-Sunday joke of a road trip schedule?

The thing is we didn't play with any effort against Colorado either. Colorado just didn't shoot well in that game. They could have easily blown us out.

But the schedule thing is ridiculous too. It gets better though. Our last road trip up to the Oregon schools is Tuesday-Saturday.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

The thing is we didn't play with any effort against Colorado either. Colorado just didn't shoot well in that game. They could have easily blown us out.

But the schedule thing is ridiculous too. It gets better though. Our last road trip up to the Oregon schools is Tuesday-Saturday.

Kids missing two of three weeks of school to help make AD's, coaches, and TV networks richer. Why do we call them student-athletes again?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Why do we call them student-athletes again?

So schools don't have to pay them?

Think ol Ray was a little premature singing the praises of Herb.

 

[TJ]

Honest question--if Sendek is fired, who can they get that's better? Promote Musselman? Sounds like the easiest and most logical move.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Honest question--if Sendek is fired, who can they get that's better? Promote Musselman? Sounds like the easiest and most logical move.

I'd be fine giving Musselman a shot. You know what you get with Herb, and it ain't that good. Even if the next coach puts up similar results, at least you're trying to improve.

 

[Mathew81]

Honest question--if Sendek is fired, who can they get that's better? Promote Musselman? Sounds like the easiest and most logical move.

No thanks. From what I've read and heard, Musselman isn't much of a recruiter and that's what we need. If it was someone on the current staff, I think Stan Johnson would be a better choice.

But I don't really like that question to begin with. Most fans only know of a few coaches and there's plenty of unproven talent out there that we have never heard of. So it's hard to answer that question. You just have to hope the AD will do his homework and make a good hire.

Unfortunately, ASU seems to make hires like most fans would. They only like hiring coaches that people have at least somewhat heard of. They'd rather go with coach who has proven to be average at a big school (Sendek) or someone on the downside of their career (Erickson), than take a chance on an assistant or small school coach somewhere. They tried it once with Koetter but then went with the known name again.

Of course I don't think there's any chance he gets fired anyway. We're still probably going to make the tournament and we're not the type of program that can fire a coach after getting us there. But I do think there's a chance he leaves on his own. Given that we're losing our 4 best players and look to take a huge step back next year, Anderson better not extend him like Love did. But with only 2 years left on his deal, maybe Herb sees the writing on the wall and takes a longer deal elsewhere. He already did it once when he left NCSU for us.

 

[HooverDam]

Honest question--if Sendek is fired, who can they get that's better? Promote Musselman? Sounds like the easiest and most logical move.

As fans, knowing the ultimate answer to that isn't really our job. We could make lists of potential names, but those sort of lists almost always end up being wrong. No one saw Todd Graham coming after all, and if someone would've said "Oh I think ASU will look at Todd Graham", they would've been shouted down with "he's only been at Pitt 1 year, he's not going anywhere you idiot!"

So ASU fans could dream of Gregg Marshall, or say "What about Byron Scott or Lionel Hollins" those are all probably unrealistic. Even a re-tred/risky move like Bruce Pearl is probably unlikely (especially given this programs not all that distant troubles under Freider).

Musselman seems to have done some nice things while at ASU, but if you're firing Sendek at the end of the year what sense does it make just to promote one of his staff? The only way I can imagine they'd go with Musselman is if Herb were fired mid season, which isn't happening.

Maybe they look at an up and comer who has experience in the west (though geography seems less important in NCAAB than football), someone like Leon Rice or Randy Rahe. Or maybe Randy Bennett is finally considered, he's not young anymore and seems entrenched at St. Mary's, but maybe he'd come to ASU and bring a gaggle of Aussie's with him.

E: Brain far, totally forgot about Bennett getting suspended for recruiting violations. That probably would strike him from the list.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I think Rice is destined for Wazzu which is his alma mater. Rahe would be an okay hire, sure he coached Damion Lillard but on the other hand he didn't even take him to the Tourney.

I brought up Randy Bennett on here eight years ago and was laughed at by ASU fans who favored Herb. I think that ship might have sailed, he's said no to better jobs since then like Oregon and Cal but you never know. The suspension might even benefit ASU, he could be looking for a fresh start and he's from Phoenix.

That being said, everything I have heard points to Herb staying and likely getting an extension. ASU really doesn't want to pay him that $600k in June and the thought is part of extension would be him forgoing that check. Plus to casual fan a win over UofA and a Tournament berth gives them enough ammo to justify it even with the overall track record. Look at the AD Crow and the boosters hand-picked and how they have been letting underwhelming performances in basketball and baseball slide right now. ASU is going all in on football. They're not worried about Sark or UCLA or RichRod and definitely not the mountain schools. A new basketball coach (especially if they take the hire seriously) could complicate things financially. Same with baseball.