Doug Smock: Middle Tennessee sets an example in coaching

[Chris McLaughlin]

After Middle Tennessee continued its sports mastery over Marshall with a 97-86 basketball victory Saturday, I can’t stop marveling about the coaching stability at that school.

The Thundering Herd has had a rough time with the Blue Raiders in football and men’s basketball, going 3-8 since MTSU came to Conference USA from the Sun Belt in 2013. (But hey, the baseball team is 5-4 in that all-time series, so it’s not all painful for the kelly green.)

Marshall owns two no-doubt home wins in football, but has suffered two agonizing setbacks in Murfreesboro — both decided on the game’s final play. Coach Dan D’Antoni’s men’s team won handily in January 2016, but has lost four times since.

As you should remember, the Blue Raiders’ men and women won the Conference USA tournaments last March, with the men pulling off a historic upset of Michigan State in the NCAA tournament.

It’s interesting that those two schools carry a rare distinction in this era: They are the only ones whose football and men’s basketball head coaches have served more than 10 years.

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/sports...nnessee-sets-an-example-in-coaching-stability

 

[MARSHALL77]

Chris - this answers the question we all knew the answer to. Now if only our esteemed AD could figure this out , maybe someone should mail him a copy of the article...lol.

 

[Chris McLaughlin]

Chris - this answers the question we all knew the answer to. Now if only our esteemed AD could figure this out , maybe someone should mail him a copy of the article...lol.

To me it shows that our fan base should be a little more patient, especially in basketball.

Davis was extremely mediocre for a long time and only recently got the MTSU program humming.

 

[oldeherd]

To me it shows that our fan base should be a little more patient, especially in basketball.

Davis was extremely mediocre for a long time and only recently got the MTSU program humming.

Chris, I guess you could say that Davis pulled a "Beamer"! In other words, he is doing in MTSU basketball what Frank Beamer did in Virginia Tech football after a slow start, 3 or 4 years, out of the gate!!

 

[Rock98Dog]

Difference is that he wasn't in his 70s when he started.

 

[bbneutralfan]

Also on two players on MTSU from Tennessee! He recruits - not just a HS All Star team!

 

[andy4theherd]

Davis is 57 now (42 when he took over at MTSU). if it takes Dan 15 years he's gonna be 82 when this thing comes together.

 

[herdalicious]

"After Middle Tennessee continued its sports mastery over Marshall..."

Anybody else cringe a little at this? He makes it sound like we lose to them in all sports, all the time, three months removed from Marshall's worst football team (ever?) blowing them out.