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

[NCAA watcher]

Hear, hear 'Watcher. Just when I thought you were gonna keep your powder dry 'til offseason ... ;-)

All it took was for Blue Skies to attempt a disingenuous mea culpa and *boom*

Marty was never off limits.

How hard would it have been to say "I made it really easy for my successor. I took over the apex of the programs, and my replacement has the benefit of taking over the nadir or the programs. There's nowhere to go but up."

[Chuck Murray]

All you supposed fans, looking for negatives when all is well

https://www.uscho.com/2022/03/02/thi...ockey-royalty/

...

Taking full responsibility for "not getting it back to where it should be"? You took over at its apex, so your job was not to "get it back" to a place. Maybe for full responsibility for "causing it to fall from where it should be."

But fear not, it is not about wins and losses, anyway. We're investing millions to fix the rink and pay a coach the highest salary in the state in order to educate 20 kids. Odd, that when Marty was brought aboard he touted the wins and losses. Now, not so much.

...

If I were President Dean, I'd think UNH could spend these millions elsewhere and hire a tutor/mentor for the 20 lads for less than $280,000 per year. Frankly, it's offensive for Coach Souza to accept the benefits of being more than a mentor to a select group, and then complain about fans losing "perspective" about what is important when they ask for accountability.

Hear, hear 'Watcher. Just when I thought you were gonna keep your powder dry 'til offseason ... ;-)

All it took was for Blue Skies to attempt a disingenuous mea culpa and *boom*

[NCAA watcher]

All you supposed fans, looking for negatives when all is well

https://www.uscho.com/2022/03/02/thi...ockey-royalty/

This Week in Hockey East: Hockey is in outgoing New Hampshire athletic director Scarano’s blood, says ‘UNH is hockey royalty’

At the time of his hiring, UNH was at its apex as a hockey program on both the men’s and women’s sides. The men’s program made the NCAA tournament 17 times between 1998-2013, including four Frozen Four appearances between 1998 and 2003. The women’s team won the AWCHA D-I national title in 1998, made the NCAA Frozen Four in 2006 and followed that up with four straight tournament appearances.

While the program remains nationally prominent and has had success off the ice (Scarano touted a graduation rate of more than 95 percent for the men’s team and 100 percent for the women), it has taken a back seat in the discussion of national contenders. Next year will mark 10 years since the men’s team’s last NCAA tournament appearance and 20 since its last trip to the Frozen Four.

“If there’s one regret that I have, it’s that I haven’t gotten hockey back to where it should be,” Scarano said. “I’m taking full responsibility for that. I believe in (current coach) Mike Souza. He’s the right coach. We have work to do. In my heart of hearts, I do believe UNH should be a top-10, if not top-five, program.”

Taking full responsibility for "not getting it back to where it should be"? You took over at its apex, so your job was not to "get it back" to a place. Maybe for full responsibility for "causing it to fall from where it should be."

But fear not, it is not about wins and losses, anyway. We're investing millions to fix the rink and pay a coach the highest salary in the state in order to educate 20 kids. Odd, that when Marty was brought aboard he touted the wins and losses. Now, not so much.

“Wins and losses are very important — I think people think that isn’t our end analysis, but it is,” he said. “But more so, we want to grow kids up to be good citizens. I have a lot of coaches who might not have maybe as many wins as fans want, but they do a great job in growing kids up and graduating kids.”

Souza, who played for the Wildcats from 1996 to 2000 (including a 3-2 loss to the Scarano-administered Colorado College team in the first round of the 1997 NCAA tournament), said he has always admired Scarano’s commitment to student athletes.

“I think that’s something that’s become, I don’t want to say further and farther between, but it’s what we do,” Souza said. “It’s the most important part of our job. And Marty’s never lost sight of that.”

If I were President Dean, I'd think UNH could spend these millions elsewhere and hire a tutor/mentor for the 20 lads for less than $280,000 per year. Frankly, it's offensive for Coach Souza to accept the benefits of being more than a mentor to a select group, and then complain about fans losing "perspective" about what is important when they ask for accountability.

[Dan]

wouldn't this be more applicable??

Thanks for chiming in Tennessee...

[Chuck Murray]

wouldn't this be more applicable??

I see what you did there. ;-)

[mookie1995]

....Ciocco may end up being a GUY - but he's not ready to be the guy at UNH. It would be the equivalent of South Carolina hiring a Vanderbilt linebackers coach because he's a Gamecocks alum. When that LB coach comes back to SC, works his way up to DC and proves himself THEN perhaps there's a match..

wouldn't this be more applicable??

[Chuck Murray]

I don't necessarily want to see UNH make a run at anyone; I want to see an objective and developing search that opens broadly and seeks to identify the proper fit and the best direction for success without bias. I'm not sold on Lang at a larger program, but I'd certainly want to give him an interview, listen and learn with an open mind. If he impresses and rises to the top so be it, but zeroing in early is another recipe for disaster, IMO...

My list of candidates would start with Clarkson's Casey Jones, Associate HC's Dane Jackson, Bill Muckalt, Joe Dumais & Ron Rolston, and junior hockey bench boss Fred Harbinson, among others. There are a number of other great candidates to be considered, but my goal would be to cast a wide net and aim high. Not to settle on, and for, low hanging fruit...

If I was going to consider a UNH alum, I'd want to speak to Kevin Dean - to see if his professional pedigree might translate a la Andy Murray at Western Michigan (depending on who he'd target for assistant jobs).

If I wanted to take a flyer on an unproven assistant I'd consider Peter Mannino at Colorado College. He seemed to recruit at a VERY high level in one season at Miami, but gets an incomplete as Rico was fired and most of his prospects decommitted and scattered across college hockey.

Ciocco may end up being a GUY - but he's not ready to be the guy at UNH. It would be the equivalent of Alabama hiring a Vanderbilt linebackers coach because he's a Tide alum. When that LB coach comes back to Bama, works his way up to DC and proves himself THEN perhaps there's a match.

That said, color me far from certain UNH will even make a change...

Dan, it's hard to disagree with anything in your post - I hate when that happens BTW ;-) - and I especially agree with the parts in boldface. I wouldn't dismiss Ciocco out of hand, and I'd probably agree to talk with him if there was mutual interest, but I think (hope?) he would be a dark horse contender. I'm still kind of annoyed Blue Skies didn't "make a run" at Barr TBF, but that would have been uncharacteristically decisive action on his part. He's only done it once (1) in 20+ years at UNH, and even then, I'm pretty sure there was an ulterior motive at play.

But yeah, I expect the new AD will give MS7 one more year (at least) to prove himself, allowing the new AD to take inventory and determine what the successful HC candidate profile looks like, work up a list, and then make a decision 12 months (give or take) from now.

[norbert]

On Lang, I guess what would be the next kind of job for him if not a program like UNH? No guarantee he succeeds but I'm not sure where he's supposed to go next to prove himself more than taking AIC from worst program in D1 to what it has become.

Casey Jones is interesting. He is another guy I want BC to look at if they go outside the family. But would he leave Clarkson for UNH? I don't see that happening.

I’d rather have the lyrics to Black Betty before finding a new coach. Really it’s come to the instrumental version? Oh my ***** for the day is done

[norbert]

Since BC and UNH will be playing each other...

If not Souza, who do you guys want? Too soon to take a chance on Ciocco? Ayers? From my perspective Ayers is not the guy.

I’m not in the D1 coaching circles but we need someone who isn’t an alumni. Fresh start not hanging on to a good career hoping it works as a coach

[J.D.]

On Lang, I guess what would be the next kind of job for him if not a program like UNH? No guarantee he succeeds but I'm not sure where he's supposed to go next to prove himself more than taking AIC from worst program in D1 to what it has become.

Casey Jones is interesting. He is another guy I want BC to look at if they go outside the family. But would he leave Clarkson for UNH? I don't see that happening.

[HockeyRef]

The thing I've been running around in my head has been well, it's not that the crew haven't been able to get decent players into the pipe line...I mean, Stutzle? Of course landing those big fish and having them put on the blue and white is another story all together as we all know. "Its not for a lack of trying" I guess is what I'm trying to say. And far be it from me to demean the current players (I know no one wants to do that). I know they are working hard.

Dan, I'm with you...the fact that change will prob not come seems so much more certain...I just don't know what to think of it all anymore. Alot of the people I know who continue to be long term fans just love and seem happy with going to games, drinking a few beers with friends, enjoying a win or two etc. Talking about the 'good ole days' of going to Regionals, FF's winning the coveted HE. They are really not that wrapped up in all of this. I wish I could be more like them and for many games that's my vibe too sans those memories as I wasn't a fan then. Heard about it, just wasn't interested. Now it's a 'bucket list' goal of mine to win a HE, go to a FF...you guys were lucky.

Have to laugh I met Charlie Coyle at the last ever Commonwealth Classic hockey game. Told him I was a UNH fan he said "well, I hope they come through for you". Yeah, me too Charlie...me too!

[Dan]

Alright, you guys don't want a lazy hire who has UNH ties...

Make a run at Eric Lang. I actually want BC to take a look at him. Every ECAC and Hockey East program should be looking at him. Miraculous what he's done at AIC.

I don't necessarily want to see UNH make a run at anyone; I want to see an objective and developing search that opens broadly and seeks to identify the proper fit and the best direction for success without bias. I'm not sold on Lang at a larger program, but I'd certainly want to give him an interview, listen and learn with an open mind. If he impresses and rises to the top so be it, but zeroing in early is another recipe for disaster, IMO...

My list of candidates would start with Clarkson's Casey Jones, Associate HC's Dane Jackson, Bill Muckalt, Joe Dumais & Ron Rolston, and junior hockey bench boss Fred Harbinson, among others. There are a number of other great candidates to be considered, but my goal would be to cast a wide net and aim high. Not to settle on, and for, low hanging fruit...

If I was going to consider a UNH alum, I'd want to speak to Kevin Dean - to see if his professional pedigree might translate a la Andy Murray at Western Michigan (depending on who he'd target for assistant jobs).

If I wanted to take a flyer on an unproven assistant I'd consider Peter Mannino at Colorado College. He seemed to recruit at a VERY high level in one season at Miami, but gets an incomplete as Rico was fired and most of his prospects decommitted and scattered across college hockey.

Ciocco may end up being a GUY - but he's not ready to be the guy at UNH. It would be the equivalent of Alabama hiring a Vanderbilt linebackers coach because he's a Tide alum. When that LB coach comes back to Bama, works his way up to DC and proves himself THEN perhaps there's a match.

That said, color me far from certain UNH will even make a change...

[After the Whistle]

Absolutely agree J.D. Almost in College has arrived with only one plausible reason why - Lang!

[J.D.]

Alright, you guys don't want a lazy hire who has UNH ties...

Make a run at Eric Lang. I actually want BC to take a look at him. Every ECAC and Hockey East program should be looking at him. Miraculous what he's done at AIC.

[J.D.]

Agree with most (if not all) of your points, J.D. Ayers certainly has an opportunity, especially if he is indeed second-in-charge behind York these days, as York has to be swinging somewhere in the vicinity of the 17th fairway/18th teebox in his illustrious career. The downturn (exaggerated this season, likely due to unique circumstances) in recent years from York's apex seasons can't help Ayers, and I'm sure the chirping little maggot down in Storrs is stoking discussion (if anyone even listens to him any more) about how York just isn't the same without him. Please reassure me BC is smart enough not to bring that tool back to The Heights when York finally steps down, please? Rest assured, I'm not rooting for BC, but I do detest that smarmy bast!d.

Heh UConn just got swept by NU. If history is any indication they will bow out again without winning a playoff game. I think he is close to being in the discussion though. He has done a decent job. Not great, decent. In terms of current head coaches, Greg Brown and JD Forrest will probably get a look. All depends if they look outside the family.