UNF rewards Driscoll with new contract

[spuwho]

UNF Athletic Director Lee Moon tears up Matt Driscoll's contract and rewards him with a new deal.

http://jacksonville.com/sports/basketball/2015-09-08/story/unf-basketball-coach-matt-driscoll-rewarded-contract-extension

Under his new contract, Driscoll will receive a base salary of $155,000, plus incentives with speaking engagements and a radio show that will take his package up to around $225,000. The UNF coach was strongly pursued for a Division I mid-major coaching job in the spring, but didn't let the process go further because he wanted to keep growing the Ospreys' program.

[coredumped]

Well deserved. He's turned the team around. This guy is so high energy he must live on redbull.

[fieldafm]

They should fire that bum and tear down that basketball stadium. The A Sun can do just fine without the both of them

[fieldafm]

^ Please explain.

I typed that after getting a splinter from sitting on a bench at Swisher Gym, if that clears it up

[Downtown Osprey]

Well deserved, pretty incredible how quickly they've managed to grow the UNF Basketball brand, and are continuing to invest into the program (i.e. new state of the art scoreboard) and arena upgrades.

Honestly though, the A-Sun is continuing to lose basketball credibility, I really hope UNF has another year like last year and considers moving to a bigger mid-major.

[spuwho]

Well deserved, pretty incredible how quickly they've managed to grow the UNF Basketball brand, and are continuing to invest into the program (i.e. new state of the art scoreboard) and arena upgrades.

Honestly though, the A-Sun is continuing to lose basketball credibility, I really hope UNF has another year like last year and considers moving to a bigger mid-major.

What level of credibility were you looking for?

FGCU goes to NCAA Sweet 16 in 2012
Ty Greene of USC-U wins the National John Wooden Award

A-Sun is an entry level conference for Division 1. I can think of several Div II teams that would excel in the ASun in BB but they prefer to stay where they are.

Looking for deeper plays by A-Sun teams in the NCAA playoffs?
More NBA draftworthy recruits?
Larger TV exposure?

What constitutes the credibility you seek?

[ProjectMaximus]

What level of credibility were you looking for?
...
What constitutes the credibility you seek?

This has been discussed on these boards, but I'll recap for Downtown Osprey.

The league has lost 10 members in the past 10 years, including a few significant schools and long-standing A-Sun schools like Mercer (which incidentally is the last A-Sun team to win in a game in the NCAA tourney). As a result of the mass exodus, the conference is in danger of losing its automatic qualifier to the NCAA tourney. Obviously for UNF's sake the conference needs some stability.

[Downtown Osprey]

^ Thank you. 

[Tacachale]

What level of credibility were you looking for?
...
What constitutes the credibility you seek?

This has been discussed on these boards, but I'll recap for Downtown Osprey.

The league has lost 10 members in the past 10 years, including a few significant schools and long-standing A-Sun schools like Mercer (which incidentally is the last A-Sun team to win in a game in the NCAA tourney). As a result of the mass exodus, the conference is in danger of losing its automatic qualifier to the NCAA tourney. Obviously for UNF's sake the conference needs some stability.

Teams moving around is just the way it is in most mid-major conferences. The A-Sun will just focus on recruiting new members to join. There are some good possibilities for advancement as well as several D-II schools in the Southeast looking to move up in the near to mid-term. Being a non-football conference with automatic NCAA basketball qualifier status is a pretty good advantage.

[fieldafm]

UNF better go back to being that perennial basketball doormat... otherwise Newberry College, Alabama Huntsville, Wingate or Augusta State will do just fine taking their place in the mighty ASun

JU had their chance to leave a few years ago (and will likely get more chances. Really wouldn't mind JU finally going the scholarship football route and join the Southern Conference... however financially unlikely that is).
When I was growing up, they were in the Sun Belt Conference- which is now a D1 football conference (I remember vividly with great angst when former UNF coach Matt Kilcullen left JU to join conference rival Western Kentucky). In the mid major world, schools change conferences all of the time.

[DuvalHusky]

That package is still the bottom of the D1 barrel even with the incentives. Hopefully when he bolts UNF can become a feeder school for coaching talent.

[spuwho]

A common refrain from all UNF coaches is the lack of available resources at the DIV 1 level.

The UNF womens BB coach who was replaced back in April, her first comment on not getting her contract renewed was "lack of finances and resources" as a key factor for her performance.

I am not sure that flies. Anyone who knows their salt recognizes that UNF is a young school relative to its Div 1 peers. Leaving saying you didnt get adequate resources is either naive or pointing a finger.

The replacement coach, a top assistant under Katie Meier at Miami, was all too happy to take the role. If someone comes to UNF expecting a Div 1 budget equal to a power conference is deluding themselves.

Matt Driscoll has the right attitude. Its a developing program, very few dollars at hand, requires the coach to have a lot of touch in all aspects of its operation. He clearly enjoys it.

Career benefits are huge. No silly alumni boosters looking over your shoulder threatening your recruiting choices. Actually having non-sports relationships with your players.