Its’ been a LONG time I have enjoyed such great confidence in our basketball coach. I have total confidence in every aspect of Coach Muss’ approach to the game. X’s and Os. Instruction-floor and video. Drills. Game prep. Court decision making. Leadership skills resulting in full buy-in and EFFORT by his players and coaches. He allows his assistant coaches to speak out and coach during the game. Totally humble and not striving for the personal limelight. His NBA approach is superlative.
Additionally, he is an outstanding interview. He reminds me of the old CFB Sunday afternoon game recap shows. He is brilliant and answers questions from a technical view point without the usual coach speak of generalities. He gives a clinic at every interview. Explains his strategy and what did and did not work and why.
I sincerely feel the UA Basketball program is going to return to its glory years with Coach Muss and his staff at the helm. We are so blessed! Our lost wondering years in the desert are finally over!
I don’t think it’s hype, and I hope I’m right, but he and his family seem to really like Fayetteville and realize that they have found a bird’s nest on the ground. And he’s of an age with the experience to realize that the grass isn’t always greener somewhere else.
There’s pressure there for sure. But it’s not unreasonable pressure like Kentucky. And no reason to want to move to Auburn or Georgia.
If for some reason, there’s a few bad years (which I don’t foresee), then maybe a move back to San Diego wouldn’t be a reach.
The two best paid coaches in college hoops are Calipari and K. Neither one is making 10M from his school, although with all K’s side gigs (I just realized he does a radio show on Sirius XM once a week for instance) he probably is into eight figures total. I don’t think anyone is going to throw Coach K money at him even if he wins an NC or two.
I have been highly impressed by Muss. He is a great teacher. The players love his style of coaching. His scouting and analytics are unmatched anywhere in college basketball. His first recruiting class is rated #5 in the nation. He can and does make adjustments during the game. He can develop and improve basketball skills. And he seems to like NWA. He also can see that we can be a national power.
This job really fits Coach Muss and I expect that Yurachek will do whatever it takes to keep him as our basketball coach.
I’d be interested in seeing what Duke, UNC, KS, KY would be willing to pay their new coach, when their current coach resigns/retires. Would also be interested in seeing how much we are willing to pay Muss if he gets us to where we want to go.
The unfortunate truth about having a great coach: it’s only a matter of time until other programs come calling with big money offers. The alternative of course is having a coach that nobody else wants–we’ve had a couple of those in the past and we all know how that worked out…
I have to believe that if Muss enjoys sustained success here that we will do everything within our power to keep him happy. We might not be able to keep him from a blue blood program, but Arkansas isn’t exactly a slouch in terms of program attractiveness and ability to pay a proven winner.
AR is paying Muss $2.5 million, that’s tied for #31 in the nation and #8 in the SEC. Will we pay what is necessary to keep some of those other teams from calling?
I believe we will, altho I think it’s still a little early to talk about backing up the Brinks truck for him. But if we indeed make the Big Dance this year and we lock up this recruiting class then I would expect talk of his first raise and extension to begin. And if he is able to sustain his early success into year 2 and beyond then I expect the big money talk to really heat up.
I do have to admit I was a little surprised we were able to lure him here with $2.5 million per. But I guess that more than doubled his Nevada salary.
Let’s not get too carried away yet guys! I’m just hoping for a better than .500 conference mark and an invite to the big dance. But yes at this point I’m very pleased.
There is no substitute for success. If coach Muss wins a championship, continues to be able to recruit top talent, and is payed as a top tier coach, there would be no reason for him to leave the Hogs. While there is pressure with any top job, it is not the same as when you have try to fill the shoes of a legend. UCLA was the most dominate college basketball program when John Wooden retired. UCLA could and did have their choice of any college coach. They hired Gene Bartow, a coach that had success at multiple schools. Despite a 52-9 record, winning the Pac-10 twice, a Final Four (winner 3rd place game) and a Sweet Sixteen team, Bartow’s success was not enough for UCLA and he left UCLA to build a UAB basketball program from scratch. The situation at Duke and to a lesser degree North Carolina is similar to the situation at UCLA . The grass is not always greener on the other side of the road.
If he can have a consistent top 10 finish every year in Fayetteville, that is about as good as any coach can do anywhere. If we match the money, don’t try to tell him how to coach, and have a environment in Fayetteville that his wife and daughter like and enjoy., I feel that he can coach here as long as he wants to.
