McDonald's Nuggets: Michigan's search, Kansas recruiting, more
RANKINGS: 2019 Rivals150 | 2019 Team rankings | 2019 Position rankings
2020 Rivals150 | 2020 Position rankings
Dan McDonald is back with his weekend primer, McDonald's Nuggets. This week’s edition offers up his thoughts about the Michigan coaching search, a prediction about Kansas' recruiting efforts - and more.
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WHAT’S ON MY MIND: The Michigan coaching search
The news that John Beilein was leaving Michigan for the Cleveland Cavaliers caught me off guard. I wouldn’t say it shocked me, because of the rumors with the Detroit Pistons last year, but I was still surprised. His departure could lead to some more dominoes falling in the coaching carousel of 2019.
I’m here to offer some advice on the search to Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, whom I’m sure is a very smart man. Michigan is a strong enough job to steal a coach from another high-major program, but that doesn’t always mean that’s the right route to go. Some of the names I’ve seen thrown around include Shaka Smart, Mike White, Mike Brey, Chris Beard, Billy Donovan and even Fab Five member Juwan Howard, who is now an assistant with the Miami Heat but being mentioned for NBA head coaching jobs.
My recommendation would be one I haven’t seen anywhere. I’d go all in on VCU head coach Mike Rhoades. He’s won everywhere he’s been. He compiled a 197-76 record at Randolph-Macon. His overall record at Rice isn’t impressive on the surface, but the fact that he won 23 games there in his third season is really impressive. He has steadily improved VCU in his first couple years, with an NCAA Tournament appearance this year and the Rams are considered by some a preseason Top 25 team next season. Michigan should get ahead of him becoming a hot commodity next year for high-major openings and make the call this year. He’s a terrific coach and a really good recruiter with a ton of head coaching experience.
PREDICTION: Kansas closes strong
As National Recruiting Analyst Eric Bossi pointed out earlier this week, Michigan’s coaching change could really benefit some schools on the recruiting trail, but perhaps none more than Kansas. The Jayhawks were already seen as the favorite by most to sign five-star point guard RJ Hampton, who recently reclassified into 2019, but Bill Self may have received another boost earlier this week. Jalen Wilson, who signed with Michigan out of Texas, is close friends with Hampton, as they live about 15 minutes from each other. Closing with those two would be a huge boost for Kansas this late in the process.
RECRUITING NOTE: Rodney Howard
Rodney Howard’s decision to back out of Ole Miss this week came as a bit of a surprise. The Georgia native who spent this year at Legacy Charter in South Carolina committed early to the Rebels and Kermit Davis. With him back on the open market, high-major schools looking to add a big man late are all over him. On Wednesday night, Howard told me Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, LSU, Miami, Nevada, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, St. John’s, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin had already reached out within hours of him decommitting. He’s already set an official visit to Georgia Tech for May 25-26. Keep an eye on Georgia and South Carolina in this one, too. The Bulldogs were involved the first time around, although he committed shortly after Tom Crean took over, and the Gamecocks have his close friend and Legacy Charter teammate Jalyn McCreary signed already.
COMMITMENT OF THE WEEK: Samari Curtis to Nebraska
Fred Hoiberg has been working hard to flip Nebraska’s roster quickly and add more talent to the program. He did that this week with the commitment of former Xavier and Cincinnati commit Samari Curtis. The Ohio native is a talented scorer on the wing who can help the Huskers right away. Virginia Tech’s new staff had also been after him, with former Bearcat assistant Antwon Jackson on staff, but Nebraska was able to win out. Give it a couple more years and Hoiberg will have the Huskers right in the thick of the Big Ten race.