As I wrote in the Sun-Times today, AD Jim Phillips was not only trying to find a replacement for Bill Carmody but a basketball version of Pat Fitzgerald, who is revered on campus.
Chris Collins said he can't wait to spend some time with Fitz, who attended Tuesday's presser at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
"I admire the way he has built that program," Collins said of Fitzgerald. "I can't wait to spend time with him and pick his brain about this school and this area and what it takes because he has shown that you can get it done at a high level. I look forward to learning from him and getting to know him and then using that to create my own identity. I just believe that's important, taking the knowledge you get from people who have been your mentors and putting your own spin on it."
Collins said he would build his system around his players once he better understands their strengths and weaknesses. Eventually, however, he wants a team that can score.
"I love being able to put it in the basket," he said. "At the end of the day, you have to be good in all areas but you have to be able to score the ball. Basketball is going to a stage now at all levels where it has become a skill game again. You have to combine that skill with physical and mental toughness and then put guys in position based on your best players to make it work.
"Ideally, I'd like to play a style where we get out and shoot the ball. I don't want guys to be afraid of making mistakes. I want them to play freely on the offensive end and let them show their talents on the court within the framework of the team."
There was some interesting reading between the lines when Collins was asked if he had talked to Phillips or school President Morty Schapiro about adjusting academic standards.
"I
always been in situations were academics are important," Collins said. "That's
not a drawback. You have to go out and find the guys who appeal to that kind of
situation. The one thing I can say is, commitment from President Schapiro and
Dr. Phillips to build a top-notch basketball program is there. They have a
vision. It's not going to be an overnight fix but I believe those guys are
commited to giving me what I need to make this a successful program."
Drew Crawford will graduate with one year of eligibility remaining, which means he can transfer as a postgraduate student without losing a year of eligibility, much like Jared Swopshire did when he went from Louisville to Northwestern last offseason.
Chris Collins made it clear Tuesday that he wants Northwestern's best returning player to remain in Evanston but that the decision is ultimately up to Crawford and his family.
"I'm excited about him being a vital part of what we're doing but I want what's best for him," Collins said. "At the end of the day, I'm hopeful and confident that when he's around me he will feel the vibe and the energy. He has a lot invested at Northwestern. I'd love for him to be my key guy during my first year."
Crawford, son of longtime NBA official Danny Crawford, could take as many as three recruiting trips before deciding where to play next season.
"There's
no rush," Collins said. "I want to give Drew and his family the time they need
and have a chance to get to know them. We know each other a little bit because our
dads are in the NBA game but there's an adjustment period. I want to spend time
with him. He wants to spend time with me. At the end of the day, I really want
what he feels is best for him, but I feel in my heart it's going to be
Northwestern."
Chris Collins worked as a ball boy mopping sweat at Chicago Stadium when his dad was Bulls coach.
Doug Collins was reminiscing after Tuesday's press conference about the crowd cheering when Chris shot 3-pointers before the game, which only made him take a few steps back and shoot another.
That's what helped him become not only a prolific scorer, but a big-time shot maker at Glenbrook North.
Collins
said he also learned a lot from Michael Jordan.
"To go to practice every day and see the competitive drive that Michael had, it really made an impression on me at a young age," Collins said. "Everybody saw what he did during the games but they didn't see how [in practice] he won every sprint, he won every drill and he created a culture on those Bulls teams that took them to new heights. That's the kind of culture I want to create. I'm a competitive guy. I'm passionate about what I do and I want to create a culture here of those same qualities."
]]>Here's what Chris Collins had to say about the facilities at Northwestern.
"The last time I was in Welsh-Ryan was 1992. I was a player. I played in the supersectional against Stevenson. The place was packed. You couldn't find a seat in here and it was and unbelievable atmosphere. I know there has been a lot of talk about what we don't have and what we need and all that kind of stuff. My goal for Welsh-Ryan is let's make this a heck of a home court advantage. Let's get these seats packed. I want to get on campus and get the students excited. Let's get people in the building. Let's get everybody wearing purple. Let's see what it's like when we have 8,000 people in here going crazy for Northwestern basketball. To me, it's going to be a homecourt advantage.
"In terms of facilities, I believe in the vision that Dr. Phillips and President Schapiro have. I can already see that the lakefront facility is going to be off the charts. I got a chance to see the site last night. They have the vision to be top notch in athletics and I know it's going to apply to basketball as well. It's my job to find the right guys to come in here and be a part of this and I know as we continue to succeed, we'll continue to make changes and make this the bset place we can make it.
"My
goal is to make Welsh-Ryan the best homecourt advantage in the Big Ten. That's
not going to be easy. But I come from a place, if you walk into [Duke's] Cameron
Indoor Stadium, nobody goes in there and talks about how state of the art it is
but you talk about the atmosphere because it's about the people that are in
there and their hunger and excitement and that's what we have to build. We've
got to get our students, our alumni and our fan base excited about coming in
here and supporting us."
Northwestern is considered a challenge for any coach because of stringent academic standards, outdated facilities and a lack of tradition, but none of those factors prevented Chris Collins from considering the job an "ideal fit" for he, his wife Kim and their two young children.
Collins earned a reputation as an elite recruiter while at Duke, and one of his first challenges will be convincing local players to consider Northwestern over out-of-state schools.
"The timing of landing that job is perfect," said Larry Butler, who runs a Chicago-based recruiting service and has known Chris since the early 1990s. "He will he be able to recruit area kids and get them to see the big picture. That was the one area [Bill] Carmody struggled with, getting top elite kids in the area to see that Northwestern can win in the Big Ten, that they can turn the program around."
Butler said the current class of Chicago-area juniors is as deep as any he has seen since 1998. If Collins can land as few as two of them Northwestern could have its best recruiting class in years.
Collins said getting out on the recruiting trail was one of his first priorities.
"People
keep making a big thing out of facilities," Butler said. "They may be outdated
but it's a high academic school in a great city like Chicago and you've got the
Big Ten Conference. That's enough for Chris Collins to sell the program and
he's going to do that. He's going to keep guys at home. He has built contacts
on the East Coast and in the South. He can get into an elite kid's living room
and sell a kid on Northwestern easily."
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was a big supporter of former Northwestern coach Bill Carmody. I asked him how he thought new coach Chris Collins would fit in in the Big Ten.
"It's going to be great," he said. "Chris has gotten tutelage from, arguably, the best. And when you look at the schools, as far as academically and all that, there are a lot of similarities. And I think Chris is a great fit. It's going to be fun to have him in the Big Ten.
"I loved having Tommy Amaker from Duke in there when he was at Michigan. It all comes down to a couple of things. He's got to get players in there. They've got to make a total commitment to basketball. There are a lot of factors that go into being successful.
"I've been fortunate with what I've had at Michigan State, and I think if you put a good coach in a situation where everybody from the top down is focused in on the same goal, you're going to get it done.
And I think Chris Collins is going to be a good one to get it done. I love Bill Carmody. There are a lot of different reasons. There are some way better coaches than myself that are being fired. Some of us are being canonized while others are being fired.
I
look at some of those guys, they've done a better job than the job I've done. You've
got to be lucky in this profession too."
I talked to many players and assistants coaches about Chris Collins during Duke's open locker room session Thursday in Indianapolis. Here are some of the things I learned that did not make it into my 900-word story.
Here's a transcript of my
conversation with Duke freshman Alex Murphy:
"He was the
assistant here at Duke that recruited me. We have a very close relationship so
yesterday was a bittersweet day. Obviously, I'm so happy for him and his family
and the opportunity he has but at the same time I'm upset because me and him
have a great relationship and it will be tough to see him go."
I asked Alex what made
Collins an effective recruiter.
"He played in college.
He's always honest. He won't try to get around things. He'll give it to you
straight whether it's what you want to hear or not and that's something that's
real important in a relationship, especially a relationship with a coach, who
is obviously someone you want to be able to trust while you're at a
university."
Then I asked what Collins
is like during practices and games.
"He's definitely,
definitely animated. He's so passionate about what he does that he gets very
excited. He'll get on you for sure but he has a unique way of using tough love.
He will get on you then minutes later he'll have his arm around you letting you
know how great you are and what you've done and what you need to do."
Quinn Cook said Collins'
departure won't impact Duke's preparations for Friday night's game against
Michigan State.
"He's still all in with
Duke for the season. This is his last run with us. We want him to go to
Northwestern with a national championship."
Cook said Collins is
ready for a head-coaching job.
"He has put in the work
here. He has put in the time. He deserves a head-coaching job at a big-time
school and I'm sure he's ready for it."
I asked Amile Jefferson what makes Collins different.
"His enthusiasm, the energy he brings every day, his ability to teach us in a unique way. He's showing us where to be. He still plays a lot. It's like having a guy who has been through Coach K's system who is helping mold the younger guys and teach us. He's an amazing coach. I've loved learning from him."
Jefferson is from Philly and was recruited to Duke by Collins. I asked --- again --- what makes him unique as a recruiter.
"Just
him becoming personable with you and making you feel comfortable, being really
transparent, letting you know the things you need to do to get better, the
things you need to work on, when he recruited me I definitely got familiar with
him and the program."
Timing is a likely factor in when Northwestern officially announces Chris Collins as the successor to Bill Carmody.
Duke returned back to Durham, N.C., late Sunday night. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski gave Collins permission to interview on Monday in part because Duke players had the day off.
It was back to business Tuesday as the Blue Devils prepared for the regional semifinal game against Michigan State in Indianapolis on Friday night.
Duke is scheduled to travel to Indianapolis on Thursday and practice late Thursday afternoon, which might provide a window for Collins to appear at a press conference in Evanston early Thursday before hustling back to Indy to contribute to Dukes preparations.
If not, and if the Blue Devils continue to advance, the presser might not come until Monday.
Either
way, barring an unforeseen setback, it's a matter of "when" and not "if."
Duke assistant Chris Collins interviewed with Northwestern athletics director Jim Phillips on Monday at an off-campus location, a source told the Sun-Times, and could be named as Bill Carmody's successor later this week.
From the beginning, this job was Collins' to lose. However, according to the source, the former Glenbrook North standout was so impressive in an interview that he could be named Northwestern's head coach before the Blue Devils play Michigan State in the Midwest Regional semifinals in Indianapolis, Ind., on Friday.
Phillips hired a search firm to help produce candidates other than Collins, who was considered the leading candidate since Carmody was fired on March 16. La Salle coach John Giannini, Valparaiso's Bryce Drew and Bucknell's Dave Paulson are also being considered but the source said it's Collins' job if he wants it.
Former Bulls and current Sixers coach Doug Collins is Chris's father, and said last month that his "dream" job would be to serve as his son's assistant.
Doug's future with the 76ers is unclear after a disappointing season. He recently said he would re-evaluate his future when the NBA season ends. Doug and Chris are very close and speak daily. Doug might also choose to support his son in an unofficial capacity.
Chris Collins was back in Durham, N.C. for Duke's practice Tuesday afternoon but was not made available to reporters. Duke officials said he would not be available for interviews in Indianapolis, either. The team is leaving for Indianapolis on Wednesday, which may provide Collins with another opportunity to meet with Northwestern officials and perhaps even visit the Evanston campus.
A former Mr. Illinois Basketball at Glenbrook North, Collins played four seasons at Duke before joining the coaching staff in 2000. The 38-year-old was named associate head coach in 2008.
Paulson led Williams College to the Division III National Championship in 2003 when Northwestern President Morty Schapiro was the president of that school and has already been contacted by Northwestern officials, according to a source.
Giannini has not only led La Salle to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 21 years but has them in the Sweet 16.
He was a graduate assistant at Illinois when Phillips was the basketball team's student manager.
"He's
one of the hot coaches in the NCAA right now," former Illinois coach Lou Henson
said of Giannini. "He's won every place he has gone, and he has had some tough
jobs. He can teach kids how to play and motivate them. I think he would be a
credit to any NCAA team that wants to hire an outstanding coach."
Northwestern wrestlers Jason Welch and Mike McMullan have advanced to the finals of tonight's NCAA Wrestling Championships at Wells-Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.
ESPN will broadcast the finals live at 7 p.m.
McMullan advanced to the heavyweight final as the fifth seed. The two-time All-American will face second-seeded Tony Nelson of Minnesota.
Welch is a three-time All-American and is the top seed at 157. He will square off against second-seeded Derek St. John of Iowa.
Northwestern
is one of two schools with two wrestlers in the finals.
Imagine this scenario unfolding at Northwestern: Chris Collins is hired as head coach and eventually his father, former Bulls, Wizards and Sixers coach Doug Collins joins his staff.
Doug Collins told the Philadelphia Daily News last month that becoming Chris' assistant is his "dream" job.
Doug, the current Sixers coach, and son Chris, the Duke assistant considered the top candidates for the Northwestern vacancy, talk daily, trading coaching ideas
"Maybe there's something he might see in what we're doing at Duke, and he's always asking me if there are things I think he might be able to do better with his team," Chris told the Daily News. "As I've gotten older, we've been able to lean on each other for advice in coaching, and that is something that has been very special to our relationship."
The two would like to coach together eventually, but think it's best they are on separate staffs now. Doug offered Chris a job on his Wizards staff when he was hired in 2001. Chris declined. He offered Chris another job when the Sixers hired him in 2010.
Again, he declined.
"I think my dream would be for Chris to become a head coach. And I don't know if it could ever happen, because it might be too much pressure, but I would love to be his assistant," Doug said.
Doug also bristles
at those who think being at Duke makes recruiting easy for Chris. It's a common
perception.
Even people in coaching circles wonder how selecting elite players for Duke would prepare Chris for the kind of brush beating it would take to recruit players to Northwestern.
Such talks irks Doug.
"Everybody thinks
that Chris has an easy job, and it really nauseates me," Doug told the Daily
News. "They think that all Chris has to do is call a kid up on the phone,
Duke's interested in him--they're going to get him. It's the most ridiculous
thing I've ever heard in my entire life. I hear all of these people say 'Wait
until Chris Collins gets his own job and he'll see what stuff is really like.'
This silver spoon club that they think Chris has been a part of, and the envy
and the jealousy is a little much, sometimes, for me to take. Because I know
how hard Chris has worked down there at Duke. And there are a lot of
Duke-haters, and that's okay. I will tell you this right now, Chris is a better
coach than me."
Jim Phillips said how teams fare in the NCAA Tournament would likely impact the Northwestern athletic director's ability to interview candidates to replace Bill Carmody.
If that's the case, his pool of available candidates increased significantly Thursday when Bryce Drew of Valparaiso, Dave Paulson of Bucknell and Davidson's Bob McKillop saw their teams ousted in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan State defeated Valparaiso 65-54 while Butler beat Bucknell 68-56. Twelfth-seeded Davidson led No. 3 Marquette by as much as nine late in the game before the Golden Eagles rallied for a 59-58 win.
Duke assistant Chris Collins is still considered the top candidate, according to several sources, but several other candidates will get the chance to "wow" Phillips and change is mind during the interview process.
La Salle coach John Giannini was a graduate assistant when Illinois make its run to the Final Four in 1989. The Fenwick High and North Central alum knows Phillips well and is also considered a candidate.
Paulson led Williams College to the Division III National Championship in 2003 when Northwestern President Morty Schapiro was the president of that school.
Bryce Drew is the son of longtime Valparaiso coach Homer Drew and the brother of Baylor coach Scott Drew. Some wonder if he has the experience to go head-to-head with elite Big Ten coaches while others believe Homer Drew guidance makes the matter moot.
Bob McKillop is an attractive candidate because Davidson is also a private school that is elite academically and McKillop sometimes competed with Carmody for recruits.
McKillop has coached at Davidson for 20 years. He took his Wildcats to the Elite Eight in 2008, has graduated 65 of 65 seniors and is a seven-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year.
"He's done a great job of finding diamonds in the rough and at Northwestern you have to do that," former Northwestern player and current Big Ten Network analyst Tim Doyle said earlier this week. "You have to find a kid before anyone else does. If Michigan and Northwestern offer a scholarship, 9½ times out of 10 the kid is going to go to Michigan. That's just the way it is."
Stephen Curry wanted to follow his famous father Dell's footsteps to Virginia Tech but the school didn't offer him a scholarship. He went to Davidson instead and had 32 points, four assists and nine rebounds against Michigan in his second college game.
Curry went on to become the conference's all-time leading scorer while setting school records for free-throws, 30-point games and 40-point games and an NCAA record for 3-pointers.
He
currently plays for the Golden State Warriors.
Here
is a list of candidates to replace Bill Carmody at Northwestern. Readers are
encouraged to forward names of other candidates and I will research them and
add them to the list.
Tommy Amaker --- He was a rising star at Seton Hall before underachieving at Michigan team. He has restored his reputation during a successful run at Harvard.
Jeff
Capel --- Unlike Chris Collins, this Duke assistant not only has head coaching
experience but took Oklahoma to the Elite Eight in 2009. Before that, he had
won 79 games in three years at VCU.
Chris Collins --- Duke's top assistant is a former Glenbrook North standout and he is definitely interested in the Northwestern job, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Keith Dambrot --- Akron coach won back-to-back MAC titles and even coached LeBron James in high school. Akron alum has remained loyal to Zips despite other opportunities.
Billy Donlon --- Wright State coach's father Billy Sr. was Northwestern assistant from 1987-94. Billy used to play pickup games in Patten Gym when he was in junior high.
Bryce Drew --- The Valparaiso coach is the son of longtime Valpo coach Homer Drew and the brother of Baylor coach Scott Drew.
John Giannini --- LaSalle's all-time winningest coach in Atlantic 10 play is also winningest coach at Maine, his former school. He was also a graduate assistant on the Flying Illini's Final Four team.
Ben Jacobson --- Northern Iowa coach was architect of Panthers historic upset of top-seeded Kansas in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. His contract runs through 2020.
Greg Lansing --- Former Iowa assistant led Indiana State to NCAA Tournament appearance as a rookie head coach last season.
Chris Mack --- Former high school girls basketball coach has led Xavier to 79 games and three NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons.
Gregg Marshall --- Wichita State coach has led mid-major teams to NCAA Tournament in eight of his 14 seasons as head coach.
Bob McKillop --- Longtime Davidson coach has been named Southern Conference Coach of the Year seven times.
Scott Nagy --- The South Dakota State coach oversaw Jackrabbits transition to Division I and earned an NCAA bid last season. His dad was an assistant for Lou Henson at Illinois.
Dave Paulson --- Bucknell boss has won 78 games in three years. Northwestern President Morty Schapiro was president of Williams College when Paulson led the Ephs to the Division III National Championship in 2003.
Brett
Reed --- Lehigh coach has the highest winning percentage of any current coach
in the Patriot League. He also has doctoral degree, which might impress at
Northwestern.
The father of Northwestern's No. 1 recruit Jaren Sina said his son was unlikely to honor his commitment to the Wildcats if Bill Carmody was fired. Seton Hall, Missouri and several other teams are pursuing Sina with hopes that he will rebuff the 'Cats now that Carmody is gone.
Mergin Sina, Jaren's dad, did not return a phone call Saturday.
Pat Taphorn, the father of Northwestern recruit Nathan Taphorn, a forward from Pekin High, said he was disappointed but not surprised to learn of Carmody's firing.
"We liked coach Carmody a lot so it's hard to hear it and accept it but we knew there was a chance and prepared ourselves for it," Taphorn said. "The big variable is getting someone else in that spot and figuring out what kind of person they are, what their system is about and whether Nathan will fit into that system. I know Jim Phillips will get someone in that spot that's pretty highly regarded."
Here's what NU athletics director Jim Phillips had to say about he possibility of losing Sina and Taphorn.
"I
made initial contact with them and I will have a chance to speak to them [Saturday
night]," Phillips said. At the end of the day, I hope they chose Northwestern
for a variety of reasons, including, of course, coach Carmody and his staff.
That certainly influenced their decision. But what I hope they realize is this
is a place that would welcome them. They would have a chance to be part of our
Northwestern family. It is one of the finest academic institutions in the
country, it plays in the best basketball conference in the country. There's an
awful lot of good things to tell them about. Ultimately, I'm going to support
whatever they want to do."