I wasn't expecting a complete flop, for sure. I was shocked to see us get swept. Looking back, the # of errors, the lack of aggression at the plate we had seen earlier, and facing a better than average pitching staff all seem to explain WHAT happened...
anyone want to share their thoughts on WHY it happened?

Note: I think the Vandyboys were wrapped up in the Coaching Search, like us.

I don't know whether Mark Byington is going to kill it here or not. But a few things:

- I think they had a group of people who might be right answers, and he's in that.

- I have some issues with a few things they did here or there, but in the bigger picture, I think they ran a legitimate search looking for legitimate basketball coaches. They didn't get cute or funny or run it through a Noah's Ark committee or any stuff like that, or any of the things I (and countless others who know them well) feared they might do. That's all I've ever asked of them. Make a good faith effort. And I give Candice Lee credit for doing that. I know she had to run things past Diermeier and whoever else, but it was her search.

- And again, it may not work out. But it's nice not to have the sense of dread of what was coming with Jerry Stackhouse based on what I'd been told, and the five years of a coverage nightmare that came with that.

Here's hoping this works out. At least you can see a realistic path where it could this time. We're looking forward to covering it.

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Someone had posted this video earlier on a thread and I wish I could remember who to give them credit. This is a very informative video on his past teams and what made them successful. Some of the stuff is regurgitated from this board but it really goes in deep to his KenPom stats from his other teams. Recommend a watch. It pulled me on board a little more with the hire.

Now that the hire is out of the way to what is as just as important a question in this era. Is CMB gonna have the type of NIL injection that football got this winter?

We all know it doesn’t take nearly as much in basketball and he’s gonna have some of the best facilities in the country to recruit to but he’s gotta have that bag.

I guess it's easiest just to put this on a thread. This is a thread to discuss how various coaches improved or didn't improve their programs on Four Factors metrics, i.e. what Ken Pomeroy reports.

If you don't think this is relevant to evaluating coaches, that's a valid opinion. It also means this thread isn't intended for you.

Busy day at work today. Did anything go on? Can someone catch me up so I don’t have to read through every message lol

“Vanderbilt is hiring James Madison head coach Mark Byington, per multiple sources.”

- Trilly

It’s mind boggling trying to keep up with the players announcing they are entering the portal. I am assuming that after our new coach meets the team, that his first priority will be to scour the portal while assembling a staff at the same time. Talk about spinning plates.

…but if there’s any truth at all to this message I just got from someone I trust it seems significant.

“I heard from a vandy booster that they had no NIL money for bball because the boosters didn’t like Stackhouse.

They had some luncheon last week and raised *$15M*”

Chris Dortch, for those who don't know, runs Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. He's a good friend of mine and a mentor of Joey's. They're going to talk about the Mark Byington hire.

Spoiler alert: Chris thinks they hit a home run. I just talked to him for at least 20 minutes.

Industry source I trust is passing thoughts along, I'll relay them to you.

"Easily one of the 15 or so best offensive coaches in the country, in my opinion. He's the real deal and will have a great staff. Recruited the absolute crap out of the SEC footprint. A guy who has had the best season at two different schools is doing something right. He's going to play a style that will attract really good players and has the connection to get into the mix with them. He's not gonna be a Mike Young/Jerry Stackhouse type and beat you with elaborate sets. But is going to recruit players who can create advantages and play to those. He's not Nate Oats, but same type of vibe. Very analytical and intelligent... is gonna know how to acquire the talent and play a style that can help them get really good players."

Is that the person we hire is almost never, or is never, the first name or two proposed as the front-runners. This may be true for all teams, I have no idea. But it’s certainly true for us. I bring this up because I think in 2-3 years we will be looking for a new football coach.

Anyway, for me at least no reason to be anything but happy with this hire. But also no reason to bellow out how I’m a true fan because I predict we hired the greatest coach ever and will go dancing next year. Just cautiously optimistic.

We dropped from #3 to #7.
I expected worse.
We really need to take care of business this week and go 4-0, which is entirely possible with Valpo and 3 at home with Missouri.
Then we get a chance to go to Baton Rouge and knock them off.

Good morning! You didn't really think I was going to let you start your work week without an early-morning one of these, did you?

We have a lot of new people here, so, my caveat (as always) is that about five people actually know what's going on and they're not going to reach out and tell me. So the way this works is through a bunch of calls and texts to people who've been good with info in the past to get the room temperature. So I warrant little of this as "fact!" and try to clarify that in those cases.

Anyway, what you came for:

1. A good source thinks Mack is still involved. Doesn't know, but "thinks." After sorting out yesterday in my head, I had also believed that was a possibility, that this was still going through some kind of HR or upper-level approval given the way things ended at Louisville. But again, don't know this for a fact. I just haven't crossed it off the list of possibilities.

2. I am told Danny Sprinkle (Utah State) wants to take the Washington job. He's always worked out West. But, Washington currently lacks an AD. Was told "Most think they'll work through it and he'll go." But that's not a small thing.

3. Perception is that people think the Brad Brownell rumors is Vandy scrambling. Again, I don't warrant that as fact, it's perception, but this was my thought too after having time for this to sink in, because it buys them five more days of "this is why we're waiting!" as cover.

4. I don't rule out "the field." That could be Pat Kelsey, Mark Byington, Bucky McMillan, Kate Middleton, Ivin Jasper, Rex the Wonder Dog, whoever.

5. Am told Vanderbilt really thought it was getting Dusty May, which explains a lot.

Coaching search was presented by the Wash House.

Mailbag presented by Sutherland & Belk.

Get 'em in now, I'll refresh as Joey and I record a podcast. We are not going live.

Our family has made a last minute decision to come home to Nashville for Spring Break next week and I’d love to make it to the Hawk for a game. Just gauging if anyone may have tickets to sell. Not sure how many I need yet but would love to be able to bring my 3 y/o who is learning to love VU sports by force.

I know some numbnuts will want to say something about the women’s basketball coach she hired but the majority of humans don’t care about non revenue sports. So with that said, I want to know what the **rationals think about my thread title?

The way I see it is that we have two revenue producing sports and both have been horrible under her watch so far. I think it’s reasonable to say that with NIL money in place, Clark Lea gets two years to get it turned around and Mark Byington gets two years to get things rocking and rolling (probably needs an NCAA Tournament, but understand there is some degree of nuance here). With the portal and NIL, there is no such thing as a long term rebuild anymore. All of those excuses are dead so I feel like if her hires are both duds, Candice has to be fired (or repositioned within the University, but gtfo). The debate changes if Byington is great and Clark Lea has to go (I think Candice survives that). I just think 1 of these 2 has to show serious signs of not sucking or her 9 lives are finally up.

Is this fair?

**defined as fairly level headed longtime fans who probably lean towards Dudley Defender but are rational enough to be a fan on a fan site and have enough understanding of sports not to come off sounding like a complete nerd. You know who you are and I want your opinion.