Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

[darkerstill]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

[quote author=JacksRule link=1174870818/45#57 date=1177548096]If you are qualifying UWGB program by how many post season tourney's they have made, you would be right. However, if you are saying that UWGB has a better women's team than what we saw this year from SDSU, you would have a hard time convincing me that we are not where they are at in talent. UWGB has 9 teams in their conference. Only three, including GreenBay, had a winning record and one of them was just 16-15. The conference is not any stronger then the MidContinent Conference, in Women's basketball, and that is why UWGB has made 10 post season tourney's. If AJ can get there next year it will be a real achievement, since their 3 top scorers ended their careers this year. I would love for SDSU to play them in the near future.

I still don't see this as a lateral move, we will have to agree to disagree.  10 years in postseason play is impressive, no matter what conference.  

I agree, the current teams at both Universities have comparable talent.  They lost to Marquette (on the road) by 3 and beat Minnesota by 9 (neutrel).  We lost to Marquette by 15 or so (at home) and beat Minnesota by 1 (road).  

One season, doesn't put our program on an even keel with their program.  

This sucks that we have to argue this.  I was hoping this conversation would not take place for a few years.[/quote]


Agreed.

[SDSU_TUBA]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

I think Green Bay is probably about the same distance east of his hometown in Minnesota as Brookings is west. Best of luck to AJ.

Living in Rochester (Pine Island is just north of here) it takes 4 hours to Brookings and 5 hours to Green Bay, our neighbors are from Door County and it takes them just over 5 hours to get back, so it not any closer. Now if he would of gotten the UNI job thats only 3 hours away. I'm guessing distance wasnt a factor. But we'll miss him and Good luck in GB.

[UWMandSDSU]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

I will have to agree with the posters saying UWGB is a top notch mid major program. They are ahead of SDSU. Until SDSU can put together 10 straight seasons like this past season we are not on the same page as UW-Green Bay. UWGB is the Gonzaga of Women's Basketball.

[jackmd]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

Sorry folks.  Our program is not comparable to UWGB.  10 straight postseason appearances, we have 1 WNIT appearence. UWGB is a highly respected Women's program, similar to Creighton/Butler/Gonzaga on the men's side.  

I think AJ left the program in excellent condition.  Thanks AJ.

Amen!!

If you can't recognize this as a move up for AJ you aren't being honest with yourself. SDSU has had unprecedented success as a transitional DI program. That doesn't even come close to comparing to 10 straight NCAA appearances and 20 plus years as a DI institution. Its a move up for AJ.

[jackmd]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

Why are you pissed? Its a no brainer. Great program. Great school. Second round apprearance in the NCAA tournament. Multi-million dollar renovation to basketball facilities. Again, without a doubt, a no brainer decision.

Like I said, its small of me. I'm being selfish and thinking of the AJ lead SDSU. That doesn't give credit to the players, which they deserve, other staff, or the program as a whole. In addition, I know it only matters what AJ thinks is right for him. I didn't say I had a right to be pissed, I just kind of am.

[JackJD]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

Like I said, its small of me.  I'm being selfish and thinking of the AJ lead SDSU.  That doesn't give credit to the players, which they deserve, other staff, or the program as a whole.  In addition, I know it only matters what AJ thinks is right for him.  I didn't say I had a right to be pissed, I just kind of am.

I'm not a happy camper about the news and have some understanding of JackMD's blunt comment. At the same time, I fully agree with those who have pointed out how AJ is leaving the Jacks in great shape and the next coach can step right into a great program.

At our level, we're going to have to expect to see coaches leave us once in a while. I have to remind myself that the only way a coach on the move can get the next job is by making sure he's done a great job with us. AJ has done that. And due in part to his efforts, we will attract great candidates for his replacement.

Some posters seem to think Laurie M will go with AJ. Is that confirmed? I hope she applies for the Jackrabbit head coach position.

[joeboo22]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

I think the reason people are upset is because it wasn't money and its not a big name program.... Also its late for coaching changes... I think it will be hard to find a quality coach with head coaching experience this late.... I'm shure there is already a committe in place that will come up with there wish list then they will start interviewing....

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

I think AJ was positioned for a much more prestigious job/school/conference/ like Minnesota. I think Pam Borton is in trouble and AJ would be a great fit there.

[JacksRule]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

Coach Mellum is going with AJ. She told the team shortly after AJ did.

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

[quote author=jackmd link=1174870818/60#64 date=1177551990]Like I said, its small of me.  I'm being selfish and thinking of the AJ lead SDSU.  That doesn't give credit to the players, which they deserve, other staff, or the program as a whole.  In addition, I know it only matters what AJ thinks is right for him.  I didn't say I had a right to be pissed, I just kind of am.

I'm not a happy camper about the news and have some understanding of JackMD's blunt comment.  At the same time, I fully agree with those who have pointed out how AJ is leaving the Jacks in great shape and the next coach can step right into a great program.

At our level, we're going to have to expect to see coaches leave us once in a while.  I have to remind myself that the only way a coach on the move can get the next job is by making sure he's done a great job with us.  AJ has done that.  And due in part to his efforts, we will attract great candidates for his replacement.

Some posters seem to think Laurie M will go with AJ.  Is that confirmed?  I hope she applies for the Jackrabbit head coach position.

[/quote]

Mind if I ride in your guy's boat?? This is excatly how I feel.

[RabbitinTea]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

Heard the news late...I think I'm gonna agree with whoever stated they felt sick to their stomach. Good luck to AJ at UWGB, here's to finding someone who can continue his successes.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

You forget how young AJ is (32) and how much younger he was when he took over the head coching position at SDSU. I have ties older than that!

[89rabbit]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...704260312/1002

SDSU women's basketball coach headed to Green Bay
Johnston resigns after 7 years with Jacks women

By Terry Vandrovec
tvandrovec@argusleader.com
Published: April 26, 2007

South Dakota State wasn't going to be able to keep women's basketball coach Aaron Johnston forever.

But that did little to soften the blow of his departure.

Exactly one month after a historic season ended with a loss in the WNIT quarterfinals, Johnston resigned Wednesday to take over at Wisconsin-Green Bay, an accomplished yet not entirely dissimilar NCAA Division-I program.  .  .  .  

The accomplishments
But it will be impossible to forget what Johnston and the Jacks accomplished with the young coach at the helm.

The team won a Division II national title in 2003, led the country in GPA last season, became the first reclassifying program to qualify for the WNIT this year, broke single-game and season attendance marks, and had a player, Megan Vogel, taken in the second round of the WNBA draft.

The Jacks (25-6) were 45th in the final NCAA RPI report, one spot behind UW-Green Bay (29-4), which became the first team to run the table in the Horizon League and finished in the top 25 of both major polls. The Phoenix also earned their 10th consecutive postseason bid (eight NCAAs), reaching the second round of the NCAA tournament.

What UWGB offers

UW-Green Bay also had three full-time assistants to SDSU's one (plus a director of basketball operations), and will debut in the $33 million, 4,000-seat Kress Events Center in 2007-08. Also, athletic director Ken Bothof had the authority to offer multiple-year contracts, something South Dakota schools are prohibited from doing. Johnston called these differences "quality-of-life" issues and said that they did play a role in the decision.  .  .  .

"I think right now (the Phoenix) are ahead of where (the Jacks) are," Johnston said when asked if the move, given the financial similarities, could be seen as a lateral one. "That's not because they've got better players or anything at all. It's because they've had more time to have themselves tested at this level, and that was important to me. Even though in terms of level, it's not the Big 10 or the Big 12, it's still got something we've not been able to do (such as NCAA tournament experience), and those are things that will help me." . . .  (read more)


Go State!  

[JacksRule]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

Exactly one month from when I originally started this post, I stated AJ would leave without a contract beyond the current South Dakota 1 year policy. I also mentioned Green Bay is a college that would attract AJ. I still stand by my position that it will be hard to hold on to a successful coach without a multiple year contract. Steping into Division I, means that you have to change the minds of small state thinkers. When will this happen? This may not be the main reason that AJ left, but he told me over a year ago that it was a concern of his.

[Haldersham]

Re: Coach Johnston Needs 5 Year Contract

Exactly one month from when I originally started this post, I stated AJ would leave without a contract beyond the current South Dakota 1 year policy. I also mentioned Green Bay is a college that would attract AJ. I still stand by my position that it will be hard to hold on to a successful coach without a multiple year contract. Steping into Division I, means that you have to change the minds of small state thinkers. When will this happen? This may not be the main reason that AJ left, but he told me over a year ago that it was a concern of his.

When this thread started, I thought the idea of a multi year contract was unneccessary because we have gone by the one year policy for so long. I thought the one year route gave the adminstration a back door when coaches were not successful and needed to move on, but when the opposite side of the coin has now been flipped and yes maybe multi year contract idea has come to fruitation. Also if I remember correctly, Dr Oien told me once that they had to advertize job openings even if they had a  candidate in mind who was interested in the job. I may be getting the advertizing requirement confused with the search committees, but it appears this part of the hiring process that we used at the D2 level will limit SDSU in the hiring process. Its a whole new game. This old Lutheran adeage of "This is the way we have always done it' has kind of crept into my vision at least towards hiring. Multi year contracts and no search committees appear to be the future.

I am sad that AJ is leaving, but I also know the guy is only 32 and has a lot of life ahead of him. He is hardly a house painter  as he was before being a GA, but has a coaching mind and personality that most D1 institutions want. I wish AJ the best at Wis-Green Bay. Lets go find another AJ as they are probably out there waiting to be hired.