UNH Wildcats 2021/2022 - Return of the Champions of October?

[Chuck Murray]

This makes Souza a lame duck with a hard chance of earning an extension, especially with a new boss coming in. Just a thought. Austin Prep (see above) is moving to the Prep leagues. I wonder if they might be in the market for a high profile leader. It would offer a very nice chance to rehab a reputation for a future gig (see Tim Whitehead), or just be a nice gig at which he could mentor hockey players from Boston.

What if the "new boss" isn't really "new", but kind of a BlueSkies2.0 type? Just sayin' ...

[NCAA watcher]

I'm no recruiting genius obviously but have heard Souza on more than one occasion say you can find a great player in your own backyard etc.

Well, then find them, because the only "great" player he found was Gildon. The remainder are pretty good (Cruickshank/Pierson/Carfagna/Gagne) to average to below average. But his statement about going to your backyard certainly evidences his limited outlook, shown by him repeatedly going to Austin Prep 2.3 miles from his home for Verrier/MacAdams/Curran/Cafarelli. When you get a job through the boy's club, you also look for giving jobs for other local boys, rather than merrit.

we can't get legacy skaters ( Scott Morrows son comes to mind...we could use a player like him...)

Amazing that all of Souza's connections are willing to recommend average to below average kids to him (Austin Prep's Verrier/MacAdams/Curran/Cafarelli, and former pros Sacco/Sweeney/Fitzgerald). But when it comes to impact kids with options, they go elsewhere.

Morrow's kid is an example of that, the sort who "falls into the lap" of a good team, but not UNH. Stewart was a teammate of Morrow's dad. It's that sort of implied "non endorsement" that speaks loudly to the path forward.

But then we have had and will have a cpuple of international skaters and saw a great post about John Evans last nite from the WK Warriors Twitter feed....

I was a big fan of Evans and Ardanaz, so am not gong to change my views. They've not been as impactful as I hoped, but could also be productive. Ardanaz is Eriksson like (I'll discuss current players in another post). Evans also has potential. But counting on them as freshmen will be challenging.

What if the "new boss" isn't really "new", but kind of a BlueSkies2.0 type? Just sayin' ...

Even then, I see no reason for BS2 to be overly loyal to Souza. The issues are too glaring to be ignored, and it would be an easy "win" to make a change. Of course, I always overlook the bubble and would have thought BS1 would have reached a limit to how much he would do for a buddy. Does BS2 have the same reasons to be loyal to a buddy?

Souza has had a fair chance. He has to be looking for an offramp -- it certainly looks like the results are hard on him physically.

[wildcatdc]

Watcher called out on the AD search… here’s my input.

1. They have enlisted a top-flight executive search company who has a division that specializes in professional/college sports coaches and execs.
2. The partner that led the meeting I attended was out of Chicago and an exec for the Bulls in the MJ years.
3. The firm was conducting sessions with a number of different cohorts (players, coaches, UNH admin, athletic boosters/advisors, etc.) Notably, these sessions were free of existing athletics admin in attendance, and participants were encouraged to speak freely (and they did)
4. President Dean appears very involved in the decision-making, very hand-on. He wants a winning culture with the appropriate balance of student/athlete experience. I think he knows from Chapel Hill what a good athletics reputation can do for a university. He seems to want a statement here.
5. The attendees In the meeting I attended had a wide range of things that were important to them. An interesting dichotomy of winning vs. being students. A lot of discussion from some about the importance of a diverse search. I think whomever is hired needs to be more responsive to our women’s programs as well as to be able to navigate the challenges of building winning programs at a university whose diversity does not represent the athletes that come here very well. (By the way, this is something I’ve heard directly from diverse UNH student-athletes… it’s a culture shock. Not a game-ender, but something we can’t be blind to in the hopes of recruiting top talent.)
6. I get the sense that this will move quickly. Seems to be great urgency and focus - really like that as it’s not always been my experience watching things happen at UNH
7. I am a lot more optimistic than I was prior to session.
8. If anyone is buying into Chuck’s silliness around SM, well, I just feel sorry for you

[d.gerry]

Sigh..when is it going to be our turn...is it ever going to be?

We HAD our turn (many actually), and expecting a couple of runs the the NC title game, they were squandered. From the rumors floating doesn't sound like any real change is coming our way. Unless some unexpected surprise does materialize with the new AD and/or coaching, expect more of the same well into the foreseeable future. As far as this past season went, the players did the best they could with what they had, but talent is talent (players and coaching), and that was the crux of the problem with this team.

[NCAA watcher]

Thank you. Very informative and promising.

Booze Allen or BCG will do a good job

[chickod]

Crossed arms are not a good look...

Yeah, I even noticed that on TV. Any "expert" on body language will tell you that crossed arms basically signifies indifference. (I know some will say it means reluctance or tension or insecurity, but when you're talking about a coach, it's about the worst possible look to just see him standing there not engaged with the players)

[wildcatdc]

By the way, I had the chance to lay out my/our “dirty dozen” important points. I placed heavy emphasis on the restoration of flagship programs. I also (as did others, incidentally!!) called out the poor results that have come from the insider network approach to things.

I ruffled a few feathers (some people whose names you’d know) by focusing on the necessity of getting back to winning and the flywheel effect that creates for athletics and the university broadly. Oh well - graduation rates aren’t gonna carry the water (or ice) for the majority of the fans.

[NCAA watcher]

I could care less about what body language they have. The biggest mistake people make in hiring/judging others is relying upon their performance vs. looking at prior results.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIgm5ap3SPM

Judge Souza and staff on their results

[HockeyRef]

Watcher called out on the AD search… here’s my input.

1. They have enlisted a top-flight executive search company who has a division that specializes in professional/college sports coaches and execs.
2. The partner that led the meeting I attended was out of Chicago and an exec for the Bulls in the MJ years.
3. The firm was conducting sessions with a number of different cohorts (players, coaches, UNH admin, athletic boosters/advisors, etc.) Notably, these sessions were free of existing athletics admin in attendance, and participants were encouraged to speak freely (and they did)
4. President Dean appears very involved in the decision-making, very hand-on. He wants a winning culture with the appropriate balance of student/athlete experience. I think he knows from Chapel Hill what a good athletics reputation can do for a university. He seems to want a statement here.
5. The attendees In the meeting I attended had a wide range of things that were important to them. An interesting dichotomy of winning vs. being students. A lot of discussion from some about the importance of a diverse search. I think whomever is hired needs to be more responsive to our women’s programs as well as to be able to navigate the challenges of building winning programs at a university whose diversity does not represent the athletes that come here very well. (By the way, this is something I’ve heard directly from diverse UNH student-athletes… it’s a culture shock. Not a game-ender, but something we can’t be blind to in the hopes of recruiting top talent.)
6. I get the sense that this will move quickly. Seems to be great urgency and focus - really like that as it’s not always been my experience watching things happen at UNH
7. I am a lot more optimistic than I was prior to session.
8. If anyone is buying into Chuck’s silliness around SM, well, I just feel sorry for you

Thanks for this update 'DC...nice to know they are being cognizant to the women's programs...I enjoy following them as well and feel they are highly competitive. Gotta love that 1985 Wmns lax NCAA D1 lax title! So many of those players have gone onto highly successful coaching stints.

As per Chuck and SM..I think the need to bring in a new look to UNH Athletics is what drives this feeling. Guess we have seen this before kind of thing and think nothing is going to change if you do the same thing etc.

That is not to impugn SM and the job he did at the U or in his post at HE (not to mention his work on several NCAA committees)....Just a POV from an outsider looking in! Please keep is in the loop if you can...

[wildcatdc]

Thanks for this update 'DC...nice to know they are being cognizant to the women's programs...I enjoy following them as well and feel they are highly competitive. Gotta love that 1985 Wmns lax NCAA D1 lax title! So many of those players have gone onto highly successful coaching stints.

As per Chuck and SM..I think the need to bring in a new look to UNH Athletics is what drives this feeling. Guess we have seen this before kind of thing and think nothing is going to change if you do the same thing etc.

That is not to impugn SM and the job he did at the U or in his post at HE (not to mention his work on several NCAA committees)....Just a POV from an outsider looking in! Please keep is in the loop if you can...

Regarding SM - agreed, not beating on him either. Hell, the guy hung around our fraternity in school - known him for years. It would just be a huge surprise if they went that route based on so many things that seem to be happening with this search.

[Darius]

I'm no recruiting genius obviously but have heard Souza on more than one occasion say you can find a great player in your own backyard etc. Sure...there are great players in the area but they don't come here? Like you said 'Watcher we can't get legacy skaters ( Scott Morrows son comes to mind...we could use a player like him...)

But then we have had and will have a cpuple of international skaters and saw a great post about John Evans last nite from the WK Warriors Twitter feed....

Where the heck was Blaisdell and Margel last night...and one last thing. I couldn't see Jerry York coach from our seats but he is normally very involved with his players on the bench. I did however have a good look at our bench...not so much from our HC but did see it from Stewey fwiw dept

Crossed arms are not a good look...

He was last night. In OT up and down the bench behind the players with head taps and shoulder grasps while leaning over to say something to each individual player. While watching, I figured it was along the lines of, "Trophy time, boys. Why you came to BC. This is your time. Go get it".

I think it was Giles, last man off the ice with encouragement for every player as they exited. HUGE smile on his face. My dislike for Eagles hockey is exceeded only by my respect for them. #bcsuckssieve

[wildcatdc]

Thank you. Very informative and promising.

Booze Allen or BCG will do a good job

Neither of the above - more a search firm.

sorry for the delay in feedback - been a busy few weeks.

[Darius]

Thanks 'dc for the post and your effort. I've not met SM, don't have an opinion. He was interviewed between periods last night. Maybe not the right word, but he seemed distracted. Probably Chuck's scoop or theory in my head, but the thought that he was a man on his way out the HEA door entered my head.

[Darius]

Having watched BC twice last weekend, I am not overly disappointed with last night's result. Dop has been amazing. McBain is a beast and Giles, Nesterenko, St. Ivany... the list goes on. The SHG was brutal, probably a result of pushing too hard, but still. The game with mostly special teams scoring was a microcosm of the season. Ward played like a man who did not want his career to end. Robinson looked crushed at the end.

[Chuck Murray]

Thanks 'dc for the post and your effort. I've not met SM, don't have an opinion. He was interviewed between periods last night. Maybe not the right word, but he seemed distracted. Probably Chuck's scoop or theory in my head, but the thought that he was a man on his way out the HEA door entered my head.

My observations as well. Again, I hope my sources are wrong, but we'll see how it all plays out ...