Will LMU Benefit From Picking Mike Dunlap over Max Good?
By Josh Horton
Dec 6, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Loyola Marymount Lions head coach Max Good gestures from the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
In College Basketball, there is huge debate between whether recruiting or coaching is the foundation of winning consistently.
Is it about Jimmies and Joes or X’s and O’s?
John Calipari will argue it’s about Jimmies and Joes. With illustrious recruiting classes, Calipari has led both Memphis and Kentucky to national championship games.
However, recruits don’t always pan out. Other coaches will argue the only way to run a consistent program is with X’s and O’s.
In reality, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. As unbelievable Kentucky is in recruiting, the Wildcats still were knocked out in the first round of the NIT in 2012-2013. In reality, it is essential to have a coach that can both coach and recruit at a high level.
For mid-major schools, it can be a little different. Sometimes they can only afford one or the other.
Going off that notion, I will take a look at whether LMU would be better off with Max Good or Mike Dunlap – two seemingly polar opposites – at the helm.
Short Term:
Here is what LMU’s roster would have most likely looked like with Good at the helm.
F – C.J. Blackwell (JR)
G – Kyron Cartwright (FR)
G – Ayodeji Egbeyemi (SR)
G – Chase Flint (SR)
F – Marquis Godfrey (FR)
G – Max Heller (JR)
F – Gabe Levin (SO)
F – Marin Mornar (JR)
F – Godwin Okonji (SR)
G – Evan Payne (SO)
G – Alex Rifkind (FR)
F – Patson Siame (SO)
G – Elijah Stewart (FR)
F – Nick Stover (JR)
F – Devin Wyatt (FR)
Here’s the Lions Current Roster:
G – Ayodeji Egbeyemi (SR)
G – Chase Flint (SR)
G – Matt Hayes (SO)
F – Petr Herman (FR)
G – David Humphries (JR)
G – Simon Krajcovic (FR)
F – Marin Mornar (JR)
F – Godwin Okonji (SR)
G – Evan Payne (SO)
F – Patson Siame (SO)
F – Joshua Spiers (FR)
F – Devin Wyatt (FR)
Obviously there is a stark difference between Good’s supposed 2014-2015 roster the current LMU roster under Coach Dunlap.
Not only would LMU likely hold on to All-WCC freshman team forward Gabe Levin, a stacked recruiting class headlined by four-star wing Elijah Stewart and three-star point guard Kyron Cartwright would likely still be completely intact. Under Dunlap’s leadership, only Devin Wyatt remains.
Dunlap rebuilt the roster with only four total Americans on the roster out of the 12 members.
For the short term, Coach Good has to get the advantage based on roster strength alone. In other words, LMU would have a better season next year with Good at the reins rather than Dunlap.
Apr 13, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats head coach Mike Dunlap during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Time Warner Arena. Mandatory Credit: Curtis Wilson-USA TODAY Sports
Long Term:
This is probably what the LMU athletic department had in mind when making their decision.
From a recruiting standpoint, Good and his staff had a ton of connections from coast-to-coast. He had the ability to bring in top talent to Westchester.
However, Dunlap, who is regarded as the far superior coach, also has a lot of connections after stops at Oregon, Arizona, St. Johns and the Charlotte Bobcats in the last six years. With only about two months to assemble a recruiting class, Dunlap had to scrounge for whatever he could find all over the globe. And he did a pretty good job with limited time.
Dunlap is also considered a much better coach, while Good is regarded more as a mentor.
I give Dunlap the edge in the long run.
Verdict: Dunlap
However, I was not in favor of firing Good in the first choice. I thought he should have at least gotten one more chance.
But now that Dunlap is here, it could work out much better for a historically good program in the long run.