Ask a beat writer: Does Auburn have a chance at Mike Anderson?

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In hopes of getting some insight into this coaching search, I sent out numerous e-mails to beat writers from around the country who may or may not cover a candidate for the Auburn job.

I got my first response today and I hope to get many more, but I’m not getting my hopes up. I’ve been asked to do these things on a number of occassions, but haven’t always delivered. Nature of the job.

Anyways, big thanks go out to Steve Walentik of the Columbia Daily Tribune. He covers Missouri basketball, which just so happens to be coached by Mike Anderson. Anderson is definitely on Auburn’s radar, but he might be a longshot. Here’s what Walentik had to say to a few of my questions.

AUBlog: What has Mike Anderson done to turn Missouri’s program around?

Walentik: The simple answer is he’s done the things he does, which is build a team that’s better than the sum of its parts. He’s had success everywhere he’s been, both as a player at Tulsa, an assistant coach at Arkansas and a head coach at UAB. As people in Alabama know, he took the Blazers to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet Sixteen, in his four seasons there. Missouri was in pretty bad shape when he arrived in 2006 on the heels of a 12-16 season. They hadn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2003, which was a pretty lengthy drought for the program. The Tigers lost their two leading scorers from that team, and Anderson inherited a roster that wasn’t suited to play his way. He brought in a couple questionable recruits during his short time to recruit, and one in particular, Stefhon Hannah, helped the Tigers improve to 18-12 in Anderson’s first season against a soft schedule, but the team regressed largely because of character issues a year later and finished 16-16. Last season, was definitely a breakthrough, though. DeMarre Carroll, Anderson’s nephew, wasn’t healthy for much of his junior year, but he turned into a first-team All-Big 12 player and led the Tigers to the Big 12 Tournament title and the Elite Eight. He and Leo Lyons formed a formidable frontcourt tandem. Anderson also does what he does best—got a lot out of unsung recruits, from senior sharpshooter Matt Lawrence to defensive menace J.T. Tiller to Delaware transfer Zaire Taylor and a five-man freshman class that played much better than their rankings. Those guys, particularly, Kim English, Marcus Denmon and Laurence Bowers, have helped the Tigers build on that success and get back to the NCAA Tournament again this season despite losing 1,000-point scorers Carroll, Lyons and Lawrence. Missouri plays the same chaotic style that made Anderson successful at UAB, and the Tigers have led the nation in steals this season.

AUBlog: What type of coach is he? What are his strengths? What are his shortcomings?

Walentik: He’s a defensive-minded coach. That’s where the Tigers spend most of their time in practice. Anderson’s philosophy is that if they do a good enough job disrupting opponents and creating turnovers, that’s going to lead to a lot of easy baskets. The Tigers run a motion offense when they have to play in half-court situations, and it was much more proficient last season with Carroll and Lyons creating all kinds of mismatches in the frontcourt because of their ability to play inside and out. Anderson gives his players a lot of freedom on the offensive end, which is why they like him. He won’t pull guys just because they take a bad shot. He wants them to play free and loose. There have been times when the Tigers needed to be more disciplined offensively this season, and that hasn’t always happened. But I think if Anderson has a weakness is that he’s not always going to get top-tier talent, and that can put his teams at a disadvantage against elite competition, somebody like Kansas. Part of his problem is that in his system, guys are only playing 27 or 28 minutes a game, on the high end. That said, he does know what he’s looking for in recruits, so a guy who’s not ranked highly by everybody else might still turn out to be perfect for what he wants to do. The best example is Taylor, who’s been a key addition to the Tigers the past two years as a distributor, defender and guy who can knock down big shots in clutch situations.

AUBlog: How loyal do you think he is to Missouri, especially after signing that lengthy extension?

Walentik: I think he’s pretty loyal. That’s not to say he wouldn’t leave here for some job, but he’s not going to leave for just any job. He likes it here. He likes the direction of the program. He liked those things enough to leave at least $500,000 a year on the table from Georgia to sign a seven-year extension with Missouri last year. He might not have done the same for the Alabama job because it was in his home-state, but I also think the Alabama job is better than the Auburn one. If anything, Anderson has more loyalty to Missouri now because of the players he’s recruited, particularly in-coming freshman Phil Pressey, who’s the son of Paul Pressey, Anderson’s college roommate.

AUBlog: How close do you think he was to taking that $2 million+ offer from Geogia?

Walentik: I think it was something he looked hard at doing. I don’t think he was crazy about that job, but the money would have been hard for anyone to pass up. I think he wanted to see a more significant financial commitment from Missouri, which he got with a roughly $700,000 a year raise and seven years on the deal. That was enough to get him to stay and keep building on what he’s already done rather than start over. I think he thinks he’s at a good enough place where he can someday compete for a national title if he stays here. He might be right. I certainly think he has a chance to get to a Final Four, which is something Missouri has never done. Those are the things he cares the most about. I think he thinks he’s got a better chance to accomplish them at Missouri than at Georgia.

AUBlog: Do you truly think he’d take a marginal raise to return to his home state?

Walentik: No. I don’t. I think Auburn might be a worse situation than Georgia, though the new arena there might make things better. But he’d still be starting over, when he can remain fairly well compensated where he’s at, playing in a 6-year-old arena in a better conference with a top-15 recruiting class set to arrive on campus in the fall on the heels of back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Again, I think Anderson could decide to leave Missouri at some point for more money and a better job, but I personally don’t think Auburn’s a better job, and I’m not sure he does either.

(Photo credit: AP)

Barring some upsets, Auburn’s potential candidates could be ready to chat this time next week

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Here are some names to consider this week as we parse through this slow-moving Auburn basketball coaching search.

Mike Leach
Turner Gill
Brian Kelly
Tim Brewster
Chris Petersen
Jimbo Fisher
Will Muschamp

Those were the names I dropped in my first “looking forward” story in the search to replace Tommy Tuberville. I’m not demeaning myself in any way as a reporter, but this is what we do. Few, if any, high-ranking officials are just going to fax over their list of candidates to the local beat writer. Therefore, we have to throw a few names against the wall and see if they stick.

Gene Chizik was not one of those names.

With that caveat firmly in place, let’s take a look at where the candidates I listed in a Sunday story are headed for the postseason.

Jay Jacobs probably won’t have to wait until the Final Four to talk to any of these guys.

NCAA Tournament

- Mike Anderson, No. 10 Missouri—vs. No. 7 Clemson at Jacksonville (East), Friday, 1:35 p.m. CST
- Tony Barbee, No. 12 UTEP—vs. No. 5 Butler at San Jose (West), Thursday, 3:45 p.m. CST
- Johnny Jones, No. 15 North Texas—vs. No. 2 Kansas State at Oklahoma City (West), Thursday, 1:40 p.m. CST

NIT

Mike Davis, No. 2 UAB—vs. No. 7 Coastal Carolina, Tuesday in Birmingham, 7 p.m. CST
Gregg Marshall, No. 3 Wichita State—vs. No. 6 Nevada, Wednesday in Wichita, 7:05 p.m. CST

Available to talk now

John Brady, Arkansas State
Frank Haith, Miami
Sam Mitchell, formerly of the Toronto Raptors
Chuck Person, Los Angeles Lakers

(Photo credit: AP)

The O-A News’ All-Area girls basketball teams

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Those two are Lee-Scott’s Melissa Maddox and Central’s Carolyn Wright.

They are the Opelika-Auburn News’ girls Player and Coach of the Year, awards that are slightly less prestigious than a Nobel prize, but much more so than a Grammy.

You can read about Maddox here, and Wright here.

And this is the rest of your girls All-Area team:

1st Team (3A-6A)
Laveeta Bellamy, Beauregard: 13.2 ppg, 8.0 apg, 7.9 spg
Valeeta Bellamy, Beauregard: 14.8 ppg, 12.3 rpg, honorable mention All-State in 5A
Monique Jackson, Central: 17.7 ppg, 18.7 rpg, 2nd-team All-State in 6A
Erika Jones, Smiths Station: 18.7 ppg, 14.9 rpg, 1st-team All-State in 6A
Erica Williams, LaFayette: 21.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 8.0 apg, honorable mention All-State in 3A

2nd Team (3A-6A)
Alicia Beasley, Opelika
Halle Bentley, Auburn High
Kristi Mokube, Central
Kierra Scott, Auburn High
Kayla Whatley, Opelika

1st Team (AISA-2A)
Chantal Hall, Loachapoka: 24.9 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 6.0 spg. 1st-team All-State
Shamiya Hicks, Lanett: 15.7 ppg
Melissa Maddox, Lee-Scott: 19.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.9 spg. AISA and OA News girls Player of the Year
Bree Nowlin, Glenwood: 12.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.9 spg. 1st-team All-State in the AISA
Natasha Williams, Notasulga: 16.9 ppg, 3.0 apg, 7.0 spg

2nd Team (AISA-2A)
Kierra Billingsley, Edward Bell
Jasmine Dawson, Lanett
DeSharte Edwards, Edward Bell
Rachel Foster, Notasulga
Mandy Marriott, Glenwood

That’s all, folks. Tune in tomorrow for the boys.

A look at the candidates we think we know about

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Jay Jacobs might not have liked today’s main story in the Opelika-Auburn News.

There’s a bunch of speculation, and not too many hard facts about the potential candidates Auburn may or may not interview to replace Jeff Lebo. That’s because we don’t know much about how it’s going yet.

It’s exactly the thing Jacobs warned Auburn fans to be wary of during this search.

“Rumor and speculation will be rampant in the coming days,‘’ Jacobs wrote. “As in past searches, much, if not most, of what you may read or hear will be wrong. We will not refute rumors or comment on who will or won’t be considered or who has or hasn’t been interviewed. Our sole goal is to find the right man for Auburn.‘’

With that in mind, we went ahead and dumped a bunch of names out there anyways.

Here they are.

Mike Anderson - Missouri
Tony Barbee - UTEP
John Brady - Arkansas State
Mike Davis - UAB
Frank Haith - Miami
Johnny Jones - North Texas
Sam Mitchell - Unemployed
Chuck Person - Los Angeles Lakers

For more info on the elite eight, click here.

(Photo credit: AP)

Carr, Maddox, 10 others honored by ASWA

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Of which I am a member in good standing.

I hope.

So the Alabama Sports Writers Association released its All-State teams today, and 12 area players were first teamers, second teamers or honorable mentioners.

Edward Bell’s Damien Carr (pictured) and Mitch Joiner (not) took home Class 1A Player and Coach of the Year for their efforts in the Bears’ 27-2, state title-winning year.

Lee-Scott’s Melissa Maddox continued a tradition of Maddox excellence by winning the AISA girls Player of the Year honor, a year after teammate Jessie Washington won it.

I’ve spoken with Maddox before. I have photographic proof.

And I am vindicated!!!

A year after Loachapoka’s Chantal Hall was (I felt) unjustly given only an honorable mention in 1A, she made the first team this time around.

So congratulations to Damien, Melissa, Chantal and everyone else who was honored.

You deserve it.

For the second year in a row, an area team took home the Class 1A state championship.

And, for the second year in a row, that also meant a sweep of the 1A Player and Coach of the Year awards from the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Edward Bell’s Damien Carr and Mitch Joiner were named 1A Player and Coach of the Year on the ASWA’s All-State basketball teams, released today.

Carr averaged 20.9 points per game and hit 93 3-pointers for the Bears this season, earning Central Region MVP and Final 48 co-MVP honors. The 5-foot-10 senior guard will play in the Alabama-Mississippi game on March 19.

Joiner led Edward Bell to a 27-2 record in his first year as a head coach, and the first state title in any sport in the school’s 79-year history.

Loachapoka’s Tommy White Jr. and Terry Murph won the same awards after the Indians’ state title last year.

Lee-Scott’s Melissa Maddox also won AISA Girls Player of the Year, making it two years in a row for the Warriors after Jessie Washington won the award last year.

Maddox averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.9 steals for the Warriors, who lost in overtime to rival Glenwood in the Final Four.

Carr and Maddox are in the running for Mr. and Miss Basketball, which will be announced on March 24 during a noon banquet at The Birmingham News.

They are also two of the 12 area players that earned some kind of All-State recognition from the ASWA.

Along with Carr and Maddox, Smiths Station’s Erika Jones (6A), Loachapoka’s Chantal Hall (1A) and Glenwood’s Bree Nowlin (AISA) all made first team in their classes.

Jones, a UCF signee, averaged 18 points and 15 rebounds a game for the Panthers, Hall averaged 25 points for the Indians is the all-time leading scorer in Loachapoka history with 2,003 points, and Nowlin averaged 12.6 points and 6.8 rebounds for the state runner-up Gators.

Central’s Darren Daniel and Monique Jackson (6A) made second team All-State, along with Edward Bell’s Armis Holloway (1A).

Daniel averaged 17.6 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Red Devils, who made their second straight trip to the Final Four, and Holloway averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds for the state champion Bears.

Jackson averaged nearly 18 points and 19 rebounds for Central’s girls, who made it to the Central Region final.

Opelika’s Tay Calloway (6A), Beauregard’s Valeeta Bellamy (5A), LaFayette’s Erica Williams (3A) and Lee-Scott’s Micah Pointer (AISA) earned honorable mentions.

Calloway averaged 14.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Bulldogs, who went 28-6 and made it to the Central Region finals, and Pointer averaged 12.9 points and 8.6 rebounds for the state semifinalist Warriors.

Bellamy averaged 14.8 points and 12.3 rebounds for the Hornets on two bum ankles, and Williams averaged 21 points, five rebounds and eight assists for the Bulldogs.