Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part One) - Return of the "Champions of December"??
Re: UNH Wildcats 2015-2016 (Part One) - Return of the "Champions of December"??
It could be that the AD put the screws to DU in tough negotiations that ended with a 3-year buyout (doubtful, IMO)
I just can't see how this possibly happened - just take a look at the tenures of other UNH coaches. Most UNH head coaches pre-date Scarano and have been in Durham for quite some time. McCloskey certainly could have been fired for his team's performance, but he was only let go when Scarano and the administration felt he HAD to be fired. Many of the other coaching staffs have had their fair share of success, but also their fair share of struggles which might have gotten them released under other administrators (the bball coach finally posted a winning season in his 11th year??). None have approached Umile's resume of success, so despite the recent struggles it still appears to me this 3-year/Souza plan has to be entirely Coach's decision...
An athletic director's responsibilities really boil down to two essential duties - hiring great people and raising money. Regardless of Scarano's early tenure, it is certainly nice to see a big uptick in fundraising and facilities recently. I hope it continues. Reaching out and raising money for an underfunded department and university is a thankless job, but it needs to be done aggressively, consistently and resiliently. That's the job.
In terms of hiring and managing his coaches and staff, Scarano certainly seems to me to have an empowerment management style - putting coaches and staff into position and giving them plenty of space to do their jobs. I'm not sure that has always served him well. Outside of coaching staffs, I think there are plenty of reasons (hockey related and otherwise) to be disappointed with marketing, ticketing, athletic communications, development, etc. Meanwhile, some of his coaching hires seem solid (Soccer, WBB), while others seem very poor (WHKY, MBB)...
I don't think anyone would disagree that UNH, and Wildcat athletics, are underfunded. Here's where individual departments and programs can really separate themselves. When I hear people close to the UNH hockey program complaining about the support they're not getting, their lack of facilities and recruiting advantages or the funding they didn't receive I can only assume they're hearing it from one place. The difference in reactions between the hockey and football programs at UNH is startling. While the hockey program seems to lament its lot in life, complaining about funding, facilities, academics and all sorts of recruiting disadvantages, the football team embraces 'the dungeon' and maximizes every resource without a peep of complaint. I think 99% of the credit for anything happening with football should go to McDonnell who has consistently overcome HUGE disadvantages and deserves everything he is getting.
Could Scarano and the department do more? Absolutely! A lot more! But, again, my biggest frustrations lie with Umile and his staff, who have in the last few years seemingly resigned themselves to the fact that they cannot compete with BU or BC. Their facilities aren't as good, they don't have as much money, they don't have a jumbotron, admissions isn't flexible, top recruits don't pick UNH, woe is us...
I remember the story of McCloskey's recruitment of Colin Hemingway - how he thought he never had a chance, but still went after Hemingway with everything he had and stole him from North Dakota. Sean Collin's recruitment was a similar story, he was supposed to be a lock for BC/BU. I'm sure Umile demands attitude and effort from his teams. Maximizing limited resources and fighting above your weight-class in recruiting is all about the attitude and effort of those doing the selling. UNH needs recruiters who truly believe in UNH and their ability to get any prospect they want. Of course, they won't get every prospect they target, but that is the ONLY way you can get your fair share. They haven't had that recently...
On the topic of the senior line/captains - it doesn't really matter to me who the captains are and I don't think captaincies carry the weight they used to. Leadership can - and should be expected to - come from everyone on the roster in varying forms. I don't have any issues with McDonald or Smith getting regular shifts, but they shouldn't be playing against opposing scoring lines or on the top PK unit. That is ENTIRELY Umile's fault and it is not what is best for the team or those players. Its hard to criticize Umile in that regard, without sounding like you're criticizing the players themselves, but I am absolutely not criticizing any players and I don't think others mean to either. There is no question about the attitude and effort from the upperclassmen on this team, but they need to be put in the proper positions to be successful, for their individual benefit and that of the team! That is 100% on the coaching staff.
Plenty of blame to go around, but the buck stops with the hockey leadership IMO, no matter the discussion...