UNH Hockey 2023 Off Season Thread Turn and Face the Strange

[HockeyRef]

Davis inherited a very good situation at Bucknell, but the last three-plus seasons were awful for a historically very good Bison program. It's an interesting hire, that I could see going either way - he's had some real success at multiple levels and stops, but he was not good recently at a Bucknell program that MUST be far more supported (with a far better track record) than UNH has every been or will be...

Thanks for this insight Dan. Seems more than obvious that UNH basketball needs alot more support than they've been given. I hope the program benefits from this new coach.
Maybe he brings a different approach from his experiences at Bucknell to make needed/necessary change.

 

[Felger]

You were expecting Bobby Knight (who, I hope, is doing better)....Whats the salary decrease? I don't see a problem with the approach for this hire. Seems typical of
what you'd see or not?

As I said first and foremost I am a UNH fan, and hope it works out. I sort of expected more of a PHD (poor, hungry, determined.) But unlike UNH's version of Rachel Phelps I will be cheering for him.

As far as the salary goes, I heard they were hoping to pay less than Herrion was making, but I assume they couldn't get Davis on the cheap. The reports earlier in the week were that multiple candidates had said no, and that they money was "beyond bad."

P.S. I'm a huge Bobby Knight fan. I consumed A Season on the Brink in record time.

 

[HockeyRef]

As I said first and foremost I am a UNH fan, and hope it works out. I sort of expected more of a PHD (poor, hungry, determined.) But unlike UNH's version of Rachel Phelps I will be cheering for him.

As far as the salary goes, I heard they were hoping to pay less than Herrion was making, but I assume they couldn't get Davis on the cheap. The reports earlier in the week were that multiple candidates had said no, and that they money was "beyond bad."

P.S. I'm a huge Bobby Knight fan. I consumed A Season on the Brink in record time.

Hubs went to a Bobby Knight bball camp 'back in the day'. Quite the firey guy! Rachel Phelps..?

 

[scoreboard]

I hope for the best, BUT.....

You fired the head coach of a team that was 230th in college basketbll RPI.

Then reduced the salary.

Then hired a search firm.

Then set up shop in a Starbucks in the Houston Hilton last weekend.

And ultimately hired the recently fired coach of the team that had the 320th RPI in college basketball.

Well, at least you saved the school a few bucks in the process.

Is anyone surprised by this hire? This AD is not going to be about winning. UNH will go from being a school with at times competitive sports teams to a school that just fields sports teams…..

 

[SNHUPenman]

Is anyone surprised by this hire? This AD is not going to be about winning. UNH will go from being a school with at times competitive sports teams to a school that just fields sports teams…..

Your taking the Marty years and applying that to AD Rich. We have no idea what she will be or won't be. She has great coaches in place (inherited) for football and soccer. She knows she needs to make a move in hockey but they won't cut bait a year early over the contract.

They needed to move on from Herrion YEARS ago. She did that. At the very least she saw a problem and has moved to address it. No clue how Davis will do in Durham, but the change was needed. Maybe some excitement around the program will bring in more money. That money isn't coming from the state. It has to be through donors, which means there needs to be something worth donating to. In the end, if Davis blows we are status quo. It really shouldn't take much to be competitive in the AE. All in all, Davis career win % is higher than Herrion's was.

Also, if she reduced the coaching salary - maybe we would all be fine with that if it meant a chance to dump perennial loser MS7 early?

I truly thought this job would go to a younger up and coming D1 Assistant or D2 HC...so to find out they hired someone with genuine experience. I am satisfied to see how this plays out.

 

[scoreboard]

Your taking the Marty years and applying that to AD Rich. We have no idea what she will be or won't be. She has great coaches in place (inherited) for football and soccer. She knows she needs to make a move in hockey but they won't cut bait a year early over the contract.

They needed to move on from Herrion YEARS ago. She did that. At the very least she saw a problem and has moved to address it. No clue how Davis will do in Durham, but the change was needed. Maybe some excitement around the program will bring in more money. That money isn't coming from the state. It has to be through donors, which means there needs to be something worth donating to. In the end, if Davis blows we are status quo. It really shouldn't take much to be competitive in the AE. All in all, Davis career win % is higher than Herrion's was.

Also, if she reduced the coaching salary - maybe we would all be fine with that if it meant a chance to dump perennial loser MS7 early?

I truly thought this job would go to a younger up and coming D1 Assistant or D2 HC...so to find out they hired someone with genuine experience. I am satisfied to see how this plays out.

You are right. We shall see. Bucknell’s record declined as he continued to coach. There is a reason why he got released from there. What good does changing the guard do if you are not aiming higher? I did get a chuckle out of the press release UNH put out. Something about “Final Four” experience. It was in Division 3 many years ago. I guess this sets him up nicely to poach players from the D3 programs UNH plays annually to pad the win column.

 

[Robert Balin]

Who you guys got for the NC? I'm thinking a close one...I'd love to see QU win as Rand has family in my town but man, Minny is good. HR's thinking the Gophers squeak it out
in OT..Only 6 months to opening weekend, ha!

Speaking of next season, C-H-C reports that Harrison Blaisdell will return for a 5th year...

Hopefully he can hit the 5 point plateau this year...lol.

 

[SNHUPenman]

You are right. We shall see. Bucknell’s record declined as he continued to coach. There is a reason why he got released from there. What good does changing the guard do if you are not aiming higher? I did get a chuckle out of the press release UNH put out. Something about “Final Four” experience. It was in Division 3 many years ago. I guess this sets him up nicely to poach players from the D3 programs UNH plays annually to pad the win column.

Expectations as always remain low. Thus only 3 questions asked of the new head coach at his presser today. I was never a big fan of BH, so I guess time will tell.

Basketball at least, unlike hockey is trying something new.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Speaking of next season, C-H-C reports that Harrison Blaisdell will return for a 5th year...

That's another kid I'd forgotten was even still with the program. Virtual high fives all around MS7's office today ...

 

[Chuck Murray]

Also...UNH has hired a bball coach:

UNH Director of Athletics Allison Rich announced the hiring of Nathan Davis as the 21st head coach of
@UNHMBB
. Coach Davis will hold an introductory press conference at 1 p.m. today. Story http://bit.ly/3UldUOc Press Conference http://bit.ly/3nYh8uz

I see the recent downwards trajectory mentioned by other posters, and can't pretend to know the subject matter all that well, but up until about the time the Wuhan Flu hit, Coach Davis was on top of the hoops world. Since then ... not so much. Being able to do a deeper dive on what has hampered his progress these last couple of seasons might be helpful, but he's probably about the best UNH could have hoped for - either a young ambitious guy getting his first shot at fame and glory OR an older head coach who's got some blots on his CV. We got the latter, but we've also managed to get a second straight guy with an NCAA Tourney pedigree. I wish Coach Davis a lot of luck, and if he can somehow get his program playing back across the street, all the better.

 

[d.gerry]

I wish Coach Davis a lot of luck, and if he can somehow get his program playing back across the street, all the better.

That should be goal number one right there, playing at the Whit. Goal number 1A, win a conference championship.

 

[Chuck Murray]

That should be goal number one right there, playing at the Whit. Goal number 1A, win a conference championship.

It would definitely send a "we mean business" message to recruits AND a very disaffected portion of the UNH fanbase.

Can only imagine what it would be like to see UNH even marginally involved in the "March Madness" circus.

 

[JB]

Coach Davis's record is interesting - 1st 10 years of coaching 9, 20+ win seasons (only 4 of those season did his teams get to double digit losses). A .732% winning percentage over 6 seasons D-III and 4 season D-I.

Last 4 years - LOOK OUT BELOW... .361% winning and 3, 20 loss seasons. To somebodies previous point what happened around Covid? It does look that it was what happened pre-Covid too.

Side note 2015-2023 was a second stint at Bucknell, he was there 2003-2008 as an assistant.

If he can find the 2009-2019 formula again I think everybody will be happy. Unfortunately, the Randolph-Macon basketball team was not a rebuilding situation they were doing well the 5 years before Coach Davis including a .934% one year.

 

[Robert Balin]

Interesting player in portal from Latvia Patriks Marcinkevics .Played for long Island Unv and had 29 points. Smaller player 5'9 maybe a good replacment for Dunlap.

 

[Snively65]

Interesting player in portal from Latvia Patriks Marcinkevics .Played for long Island Unv and had 29 points. Smaller player 5'9 maybe a good replacment for Dunlap.

MS7 whiffed on Bentley’s freshman and leading scorer (8 goals, 22 points) Nicholas Niemo to whom?

Yup, one-time arch-rival Maine. What does Ben Barr “got” that MS7 “don’t got”?

 

[acs64]

MS7 whiffed on Bentley’s freshman and leading scorer (8 goals, 22 points) Nicholas Niemo to whom?

Yup, one-time arch-rival Maine. What does Ben Barr “got” that MS7 “don’t got”?

Charisma baby, charisma. Kiddin aside, I think Benny has a natural likability that comes across pretty quickly. He seems sincere, relaxed, good sense of humor and at the same time focused. In some ways reminds me of Monty. I think people want to play for him.

 

[Darius]

Coach Davis's record is interesting - 1st 10 years of coaching 9, 20+ win seasons (only 4 of those season did his teams get to double digit losses). A .732% winning percentage over 6 seasons D-III and 4 season D-I.

Last 4 years - LOOK OUT BELOW... .361% winning and 3, 20 loss seasons. To somebodies previous point what happened around Covid? It does look that it was what happened pre-Covid too.

Side note 2015-2023 was a second stint at Bucknell, he was there 2003-2008 as an assistant.

If he can find the 2009-2019 formula again I think everybody will be happy. Unfortunately, the Randolph-Macon basketball team was not a rebuilding situation they were doing well the 5 years before Coach Davis including a .934% one year.

This. I can't get my head around this coaching change. It seems like a lateral move at best. Maybe even a downgrade, but to a 20 year younger coach. Coach Herrion's base pay was $185K. Hoping Coach Davis' base pay is in the June 2023 salary book.

Goals 1, 1A, 2, 3 are finding players to replace the portal losses. AD Rich likely saw this and made a quick decision to give Coach Davis as much time as possible. 'cats BB isn't playing at the Whitt anytime soon unless maybe they schedule UConn lol. It makes zero financial sense to open and staff the building for a small crowd if the sport being played does not require ice.

 

[Snively65]

This. I can't get my head around this coaching change. It seems like a lateral move at best. Maybe even a downgrade, but to a 20 year younger coach. Coach Herrion's base pay was $185K. Hoping Coach Davis' base pay is in the June 2023 salary book.

Goals 1, 1A, 2, 3 are finding players to replace the portal losses. AD Rich likely saw this and made a quick decision to give Coach Davis as much time as possible. 'cats BB isn't playing at the Whitt anytime soon unless maybe they schedule UConn lol. It makes zero financial sense to open and staff the building for a small crowd if the sport being played does not require ice.

Not to mention dropping the glass and boards and laying parquet on the ice for each game, which ain’t cheap.

 

[Felger]

This. I can't get my head around this coaching change. It seems like a lateral move at best. Maybe even a downgrade, but to a 20 year younger coach. Coach Herrion's base pay was $185K. Hoping Coach Davis' base pay is in the June 2023 salary book.

Goals 1, 1A, 2, 3 are finding players to replace the portal losses. AD Rich likely saw this and made a quick decision to give Coach Davis as much time as possible. 'cats BB isn't playing at the Whitt anytime soon unless maybe they schedule UConn lol. It makes zero financial sense to open and staff the building for a small crowd if the sport being played does not require ice.

My understanding is that Davis is making less than Herrion

 

[Snively65]

My understanding is that Davis is making less than Herrion

Compare to garden-variety faculty positions where salary compression and even inversions over the years have meant no money to be saved by replacing older retired and tenured faculty with younger tenure-track faculty. Instead the trend has been to convert tenure-track positions to year-to-year lecturers and part-timers, with the latter also not receiving benefits.