Thoughts on Buzz Williams Being the New Marquette Coach

When the search started, I supported Buzz, especially if Marquette could not land the home run hire. Despite coming pretty close to landing Tony Bennett (Vinnie's nightmare), Marquette has decided to go with Buzz Williams and I think this would be a very good move. During my time following Marquette, Williams definitely seemed to the best assistant the former coach decided to bring on board. He immediately played a big role in salvaging what looked to be another disappointing recruiting class by using his Texas roots to land sleeper wing Joseph Fulce and raw but talented big man Chris O'Tule. Buzz also played a major role in helping Marquette land big time guard Tyshawn Taylor of St. Anthony's, and I still think Buzz has a chance to keep Taylor on board (as much as any of the prospective hires). Also, the hire of Buzz should ensure that Marquette's major commitment from 2009, top 100 Texas wing Erik Williams, will stay on board. The most important factor in all of this would be that the core of a very strong Big East team, including the four all-conference level upperclassmen (Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews and Lazar Hayward), should now be back for a 2009 season that features a group with a lot to prove still (with their head coach himself looking to prove a lot of people wrong).

Now, as a strong Buzz supporter, there would no question that this would be a gamble, as his head coaching slate would basically be clean (his one year at New Orleans a wash in my opinion). However, I think his recruiting prowess should ensure that we will continue to have talent to win and potentially win big. Along with the former head coach here, Buzz comes with a strong recommendation from one of the best in the biz currently, Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie (whom Buzz partnered with at Texas A&M to get the Aggies program off the ground and into the national spotlight). If you make a mistake in hiring a coach, you do so erring on the side of recruiting. For all of the hand wringing, my guess is that a similar reaction occurred from some Pitt fans when they chose to promote Jamie Dixon in 2003 (a good framework for how the Buzz era will go at Marquette in my estimations). Five NCAA Tournaments, 2 Sweet 16's and five straight seasons of double digit Big East wins, and Dixon would be one the hottest coaching commodities on the market (and potentially could be in contention for a potential Kansas opening should Self take the money and come home). I have a good feeling that five years from now, Marquette will be hoping to keep their hot young coach who has amassed a very successful run of his own here. It did not take much for me to jump on board Buzz's bandwagon where he came here as in professing him to be a hot young coach, and I think many of the dissenters will be jumping on board pretty soon when we see what he's capable of on the recruiting trail.