Here are my thoughts on Dayton going Next Level. Matt knows for years I have pointed out the Gonzaga model and how Dayton should match and surpass them. I was Pleased that Gonzaga lost . I want UD to be the first non power 5/BIG East school to win the National Title since Texas Western beat Kentucky. Hell we may have had that One Shining Moment last year, but let’s move on. The First piece to our Domination and National presence is in place. Coach Grant is the right guy, leave the bench coaching at the door for the time being. This morning the Gonzaga board to ripping Few for being too soft on defense etc etc. As we saw with both Baylor and Gonzaga the key is long term coaches who recruit and build a brand.
Anthony has a good eye (OBI) and can bring in the kids(13 ranked class coming in) The landscape has changed and being ...Old...strong and talented rule the day. The transfer rule is going To be the new one and done. Of the 20 starters in the Final Four 8 were transfers. This next 2 months is beyond important, Grant must land 2 older/stronger and talented transfers and then HE has to be sure they fit just like FEW and Drew have done. It looks like we have kids in the funnel and now GRANT has to close them and sell the Dayton Brand.
I think the incoming class will make an impact and the freshman from last year all made strides.If 2 or 3 stay and get stronger with there shooting strokes they can become the Landers/Mikesell glue of last year.
so the model....Each year upper level transfers.....3 to 4 solid role players who stick with the program and a 4 star recruit who brings that athletic intangible ie HOLMES. Thats where Gonzaga has landed. They have another top HIgh school kid coming and ya can be sure they will land a top transfer if kids leave. Few has made it automatic and consistent even though he plays in a lower level conference and is almost in Canada. The key word for UD is CONSISTENT. The Next Level is NCAA every Year. This was Zags 21 in a row....Think about that...
Now Branding...we are not there yet, we the fans get more National Pub then the team at times. Lol...we are great!.we re a FINAL FOUR FAN BASE!! I would like to see more of Grant... he has to be our Key Marketing weapon. It’s no doubt he is charming and can fill the room when he is with families of recruits, but he has to become more of A National spokesman. He was National Coach of the year. Get him on as many podcasts ...ESPN...Dan Patrick shows as we can... Declare that when they go back to suits he is the best dressed coach this side of Jay Wright!! Do monthly updates on the radio taking about the summer and feeding the fan base with info instead of the silence we get. FEW is a modest low key guy, he did a interview last year and said early on he knew he had to become the face of the program. The 2 minutes after a game with Larry is not enough. Now here is the hard part...has to change the Coach speak and some flair ...Lefty Driesell for you older fans got the Maryland program going and put them on the map when he declared ..We are the UCLA of the East! College basketball vs any other sport is more about the coach. Anthony is a homenrun role model and rep of our school....We need more ANTHONY.
Neil Sullivan has done. Very good job. He is very bright and wants UD to be great. IS he Bold and creative? That jury is still out. Can we get into a better confernce / make the one we are in better. Do we risk going to Gonzaga 3 to 4 times and accept maybe 1 game in return. Do we steal from Oregon and wear multiple cool Uniforms that get attention (kids love that). So it’s all in place now it comes down to having the balls to be great, don’t be afraid to talk about it...no more rebuilding but Reloading. Not an NCAA 3 of 5 but 4 of 5. So my new goal is to be not like Gonzaga but better. Let’s go win the whole thing....NOW....not ten years from now. GO FLYERS
Anthony has a good eye (OBI) and can bring in the kids(13 ranked class coming in) The landscape has changed and being ...Old...strong and talented rule the day. The transfer rule is going To be the new one and done. Of the 20 starters in the Final Four 8 were transfers. This next 2 months is beyond important, Grant must land 2 older/stronger and talented transfers and then HE has to be sure they fit just like FEW and Drew have done. It looks like we have kids in the funnel and now GRANT has to close them and sell the Dayton Brand.
I think the incoming class will make an impact and the freshman from last year all made strides.If 2 or 3 stay and get stronger with there shooting strokes they can become the Landers/Mikesell glue of last year.
so the model....Each year upper level transfers.....3 to 4 solid role players who stick with the program and a 4 star recruit who brings that athletic intangible ie HOLMES. Thats where Gonzaga has landed. They have another top HIgh school kid coming and ya can be sure they will land a top transfer if kids leave. Few has made it automatic and consistent even though he plays in a lower level conference and is almost in Canada. The key word for UD is CONSISTENT. The Next Level is NCAA every Year. This was Zags 21 in a row....Think about that...
Now Branding...we are not there yet, we the fans get more National Pub then the team at times. Lol...we are great!.we re a FINAL FOUR FAN BASE!! I would like to see more of Grant... he has to be our Key Marketing weapon. It’s no doubt he is charming and can fill the room when he is with families of recruits, but he has to become more of A National spokesman. He was National Coach of the year. Get him on as many podcasts ...ESPN...Dan Patrick shows as we can... Declare that when they go back to suits he is the best dressed coach this side of Jay Wright!! Do monthly updates on the radio taking about the summer and feeding the fan base with info instead of the silence we get. FEW is a modest low key guy, he did a interview last year and said early on he knew he had to become the face of the program. The 2 minutes after a game with Larry is not enough. Now here is the hard part...has to change the Coach speak and some flair ...Lefty Driesell for you older fans got the Maryland program going and put them on the map when he declared ..We are the UCLA of the East! College basketball vs any other sport is more about the coach. Anthony is a homenrun role model and rep of our school....We need more ANTHONY.
Neil Sullivan has done. Very good job. He is very bright and wants UD to be great. IS he Bold and creative? That jury is still out. Can we get into a better confernce / make the one we are in better. Do we risk going to Gonzaga 3 to 4 times and accept maybe 1 game in return. Do we steal from Oregon and wear multiple cool Uniforms that get attention (kids love that). So it’s all in place now it comes down to having the balls to be great, don’t be afraid to talk about it...no more rebuilding but Reloading. Not an NCAA 3 of 5 but 4 of 5. So my new goal is to be not like Gonzaga but better. Let’s go win the whole thing....NOW....not ten years from now. GO FLYERS
