Grading the new coaching hires

First, off nobody knows how any new coaching hire is going to turn out. Indications can be 'read' and history 'interpreted' but any predictions of how a new hire -- especially an assistant coach moving three feet over -- will turn out is simply for fun only and to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt.

PTW is typing this because Jeff Goodman, who knows many things basketball, offers a C for the hiring of Rodney Terry at Fresno State:

"I’m just not quite sold on this one. Terry has strong ties in Texas, but heading all the way to Fresno, Ca. didn’t make that much sense to me. He has been on Rick Barnes’ Texas staff for a while and had spurned a couple of opportunities in the past"

Worth noting is that Terry also has ties to Canadian basketbal, plus connections in North Carolina and Virginia -- the latter from previous coaching stops. Being in one of the states (California) that annually produces large numbers of D-1 players is also quite a plus.

In PTW's book (if we ever write one), landing a position with a soon-to-be Mountain West Conference program is a notch on the belt for Terry.

By the way, Mike White's hire earned LT's AD an A- with this Goodman note:

"White may be young, but he’s got quality bloodlines (his father is Duke athletic director Kevin White), and is extremely savvy. This one was outside the box, but I love it"

Let's all meet here in five years.