Been asked by a bunch of y'all for my thoughts on what UGA should if a change happened, and I told y'all I wouldn't get into who I think UGA should go after until the change was made. Well, we're here now.
If I was running this search for UGA, I think this would be a pretty quick process. After a lot of thinking on this, I'm not sure I'd go after Tom Crean. Not saying he would be a bad hire by any means, but I'm not sure he's the best choice. With Thad Matta, his health scares me even though I've heard he's doing much better. Steve Prohm would be another acceptable hire IMO, but not the best hire. I personally like the idea of going for the younger on the rise mid-major coach here, even though it hasn't worked with the past two hires.
With that in mind, I think my first choice is Wes Miller. I mentioned him a couple weeks ago on here and I stand by thinking he would be a great choice. He's a really sharp dude. I like his background as a player UNC who had to earn his spot as a walk-on after giving up his scholarship at James Madison. He's had plenty of time to learn what it takes to be a successful head coach and he's proven he can build up a school that isn't a perennial power in its league. He's a very good recruiter, and has an assistant on his staff who does a great job in Georgia in Andre Morgan (very similar personality to Jonas Hayes). He just beat Steve Forbes and ETSU twice in the past month, and what I really liked is the way his players appear to love him. I love that he emphasizes being great on defense and on the boards, while also encouraging his team to play fast. I think he would be a PERFECT fit at Georgia, and it could be done by next weekend.
I also really like Earl Grant. He's another really sharp guy and a really genuinely good guy. Like Wes, he built up Charleston from the bottom. He did it quicker than Wes, but I also think that's an easier spot to win. He's recruited Georgia well for a long time. Worked under some really good coaches. Played at Georgia College. He's not somebody I'm terribly familiar with from a coaching standpoint, but I liked what I saw in the CAA championship. He's another guy whose players seem to love him. I think he fits very well too in a lot of ways, and Georgia could move on him next weekend as well.
Nate Oats at Buffalo is another interesting candidate. He's had more head coaching success than the two I've mentioned above, but he also inherited a great roster when Bobby Hurley left. He was there as an assistant for Hurley's tenure, so he did help in building them up for sure. He plays a fun style. Buffalo had the most 80-point games of any school in the country this year. He's recruited this region a little bit, actually signed one of Amanze Ngumezi's travel ball teammates from Florida. He just signed a 5-year extension, but I can't imagine that would stop him from taking a high-major job this year.
I'm going to throw one darkhorse candidate out there...Hubert Davis. He's a big personality and has a reputation of being a really good guy. UNC has been on a pretty incredible run the last few years. He's learned from one of the best coaches in the game in Roy Williams and played for another one in Dean Smith. I'd be shocked if anything came from him being involved in the FBI mess. He's a risk because he's never been a head coach before and only been coaching in college a few years, but I think he's worth looking into.
If I was running this search for UGA, I think this would be a pretty quick process. After a lot of thinking on this, I'm not sure I'd go after Tom Crean. Not saying he would be a bad hire by any means, but I'm not sure he's the best choice. With Thad Matta, his health scares me even though I've heard he's doing much better. Steve Prohm would be another acceptable hire IMO, but not the best hire. I personally like the idea of going for the younger on the rise mid-major coach here, even though it hasn't worked with the past two hires.
With that in mind, I think my first choice is Wes Miller. I mentioned him a couple weeks ago on here and I stand by thinking he would be a great choice. He's a really sharp dude. I like his background as a player UNC who had to earn his spot as a walk-on after giving up his scholarship at James Madison. He's had plenty of time to learn what it takes to be a successful head coach and he's proven he can build up a school that isn't a perennial power in its league. He's a very good recruiter, and has an assistant on his staff who does a great job in Georgia in Andre Morgan (very similar personality to Jonas Hayes). He just beat Steve Forbes and ETSU twice in the past month, and what I really liked is the way his players appear to love him. I love that he emphasizes being great on defense and on the boards, while also encouraging his team to play fast. I think he would be a PERFECT fit at Georgia, and it could be done by next weekend.
I also really like Earl Grant. He's another really sharp guy and a really genuinely good guy. Like Wes, he built up Charleston from the bottom. He did it quicker than Wes, but I also think that's an easier spot to win. He's recruited Georgia well for a long time. Worked under some really good coaches. Played at Georgia College. He's not somebody I'm terribly familiar with from a coaching standpoint, but I liked what I saw in the CAA championship. He's another guy whose players seem to love him. I think he fits very well too in a lot of ways, and Georgia could move on him next weekend as well.
Nate Oats at Buffalo is another interesting candidate. He's had more head coaching success than the two I've mentioned above, but he also inherited a great roster when Bobby Hurley left. He was there as an assistant for Hurley's tenure, so he did help in building them up for sure. He plays a fun style. Buffalo had the most 80-point games of any school in the country this year. He's recruited this region a little bit, actually signed one of Amanze Ngumezi's travel ball teammates from Florida. He just signed a 5-year extension, but I can't imagine that would stop him from taking a high-major job this year.
I'm going to throw one darkhorse candidate out there...Hubert Davis. He's a big personality and has a reputation of being a really good guy. UNC has been on a pretty incredible run the last few years. He's learned from one of the best coaches in the game in Roy Williams and played for another one in Dean Smith. I'd be shocked if anything came from him being involved in the FBI mess. He's a risk because he's never been a head coach before and only been coaching in college a few years, but I think he's worth looking into.
