If I’m AD, this is the realistic path forward

Posted on: December 7, 2021 at 09:08:26 CT

Firstly I recognize that this is not going to work. Whatever credibility this staff had with fans, recruits, and just the product on the court is being destroyed this year. Moving forward with this approach is a non-starter. However I also recognize that I am significantly handcuffed by the contract situation with Cuonzo, and in terms of the non-on the court product I am satisfied with the job he is doing.

The parties who do not have multiyear iron clad contracts are the assistants, and they are arguably doing a worse job than Cuonzo and are highly disposable. I tell him loyalty is out the window, these guys are not going to be your assistants anymore. Their contributions to recruiting and game planning and coaching aren’t cutting it. You can quickly reshape a program via the assistants and that is a much more controllable aspect as an AD. I go to Cuonzo right now and say these guys are out at semester, here is a list of the top 5 AAU programs in the country and the top 5 prep programs in the country. Pick a guy off each list that you think you can work with and the implication is each is going to be bringing players with him. The salary for these roles is $250k. This is happening whether you like it or not, so if the answer is not then expect to be fired at the first available firing date.

Your 3rd assistant opening will be your associate head coach. His name is Gregg Marshall and we are paying him $2.75M to be an assistant and he will largely be assuming tactical and in game coaching responsibilities. He will not have recruiting responsibilities but may help in player evaluation. If you don’t feel like you can work with him, again plan to coach out the remainder of your tenure and be fired at first available firing date. Then I go to Gregg Marshall and explain this offer and tell him given his actions this is his best and likely only path back into major college basketball and opportunity to make $2.75M. He won’t have this kind of opportunity to have hands on control of a major program making big time money elsewhere, and if he doesn’t think he can work with Cuonzo then enjoy your forced retirement.

Then I go to the boosters and say ‘you know that $6M you were compiling to get Cuonzo to walk away? I just saved you about $3M, lets put that in a NIL fund and start making MU known for attracting big time players.’

That could all be in place by the start of second semester. And while we struggle through the remainder of a terrible season I can tell the fanbase that I’m proactively addressing the problem and there are expectations of success. Some of our new assistants will start making news about landing big time talent for MU. Marshall will start making a noticeable difference on the court. We can start releasing information about the NIL deals in place for new recruits. Then when you start next season there is some excitement and fan support, and even though Cuonzo is still coach there are realistic expectations of success and you didn’t have to go through a messy and costly contract nullification. And that would actually give Cuonzo a path to potentially succeed at MU and for this story to have a happy ending.