Luke Murray

[Masterofreality]

I am believing, after seeing the interaction of this Coaching Staff up close, that Luke Murray is more than just a pretty face, or movie star's son.

Luke is not sitting down the bench with a clipboard with no input. He's in the second chair next to Travis Steele and giving huge input. I've noticed, espcially yesterday, that CMack was seeking out his opinions and listening to what he had to say. After seeing that, I now believe that he was spcifically brought in here for a reason....that he is future Head Coaching material and an upgrade over Rick Carter. I'm not sure that Carter was ever trusted by CMack- as the "Defensive Coordinator"- and, I'm not saying that Rick was "forced out" but he may have felt that he might be better off elsewhere.

Bottom line is that I have said for many years that the success on the sidelines isn't just the Head Man. Quality Assistants are valuable and I think that for the first time Chris Mack has a Staff that reflects his philosophies and shows chemistry. This staff seems to like each other as mipuch as the players like each other and that is no accident- and also a major contributing factor to this 19-2 start.

Not sure how long Luke will be here, but I'm glad he is.

[LA Muskie]

I agree that Luke was a great hire. But don't read too much into the seating arrangements. My understanding is that Travis sits on one side and the assistant coach who scouted the opponent sits on the other. I believe Travis sometimes draws a scouting assignment. Not sure how they figure things out then.

PS: Rick left because he got a promotion to be associate head coach, closer to home, for more money. And he knew he wasn't ever going to leapfrog Travis at Xavier, who seems somewhat content to wait for his shot at the XU job. Like every assistant coach, Rick ultimately wants to be HC someday, and he saw DePaul as a better short-term option in that regard. My understanding is that Mack was genuinely disappointed to lose him.

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[XU 87]

I was watching the same thing yesterday with Mack and Murray. I don't know a thing about Carter's bench coaching abilities, but it already seems like Murray is a better recruiter.

[XUFan09]

I was watching the same thing yesterday with Mack and Murray. I don't know a thing about Carter's bench coaching abilities, but it already seems like Murray is a better recruiter.
Rick Carter helped get us Matt Stainbrook and J.P. Macura. He's also the one who was recruiting Tyrique Jones, a recruitment that Murray finished up but still, the relationship was already there.

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[XU 87]

Rick Carter helped get us Matt Stainbrook and J.P. Macura. He's also the one who was recruiting Tyrique Jones, a recruitment that Murray finished up but still, the relationship was already there.

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I agree with you on Macura. I never heard that about Stainbrook, although that makes sense since Carter was an assistant at WMU. But I think Stainbrook chose X over Wright State and Bradley. And Carter may have started the relationship with Jones, but Murray is the guy who closed the deal and landed the recruit (along with Mack).

My impression of Carter is that he just wasn't that great of a recruiter, and that Murray is a better recruiter. Having said that, Carter was only at X for 2 years, so we have a very limited sample size.

Are Ekiyor and Jones both Murray recruits?

[gladdenguy]

Nice post MOR. I notice Luke Murray on the bench being engaging and active all the time. I trust CMack whatever he does. He has shown he can hire great coaches, and run one hell of a basketball program.

[Masterofreality]

I agree that Luke was a great hire. But don't read too much into the seating arrangements. My understanding is that Travis sits on one side and the assistant coach who scouted the opponent sits on the other. I believe Travis sometimes draws a scouting assignment. Not sure how they figure things out then.

PS: Rick left because he got a promotion to be associate head coach, closer to home, for more money. And he knew he wasn't ever going to leapfrog Travis at Xavier, who seems somewhat content to wait for his shot at the XU job. Like every assistant coach, Rick ultimately wants to be HC someday, and he saw DePaul as a better short-term option in that regard. My understanding is that Mack was genuinely disappointed to lose him.

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I remember last year there was a snippet of tape on one of the game broadcasts where CMack was talking during a game to the coaching staff. It may have actually been at halftime, but I can't recall for sure. Rick Carter made a suggestion on the defense and CMack totally blew him off and ignored his comment. It was like there was no respect for what Carter had to say. It was a short, but telling moment to me.

[xu82]

I remember last year there was a snippet of tape on one of the game broadcasts where CMack was talking during a game to the coaching staff. It may have actually been at halftime, but I can't recall for sure. Rick Carter made a suggestion on the defense and CMack totally blew him off and ignored his comment. It was like there was no respect for what Carter had to say. It was a short, but telling moment to me.

I don't recall the specifics, but I do remember the event. Mack was criticized by many as they were having defensive struggles. (Did Carter want to pick guys up higher in the court to slow down a hot offense?)

[LA Muskie]

I remember last year there was a snippet of tape on one of the game broadcasts where CMack was talking during a game to the coaching staff. It may have actually been at halftime, but I can't recall for sure. Rick Carter made a suggestion on the defense and CMack totally blew him off and ignored his comment. It was like there was no respect for what Carter had to say. It was a short, but telling moment to me.
I didn't recall that earlier, but I do vaguely remember that now. I'm sure there are strategic disagreements among the staff all the time. If there aren't, then that's probably a bad thing.

[WCWIII]

Travis Steele is great ... but if he wants to be a head coach, he deserves the chance. One of the benefits of this team having a great year, is that Travis should have a better choice of jobs. If Luke can be groomed to be a future associate head coach ...

Also, I'd say our big man coach, Mike Peagues, probably deserves a lot of behind the scenes credit as we've all commented positive things with the players with footwork and rebounding etc etc.

It takes a whole staff ... even beyond the coaches, to make this all work.

[Muskie]

I've always said if your assistants aren't being considered for other head jobs, you need new assistants. I think we are finally back in a good place on that front.


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[Milhouse]

Xavier needs to SIGNIFICANTLY pay assistants more. It's incredible we've kept Steele as long as we have.

[xu82]

Xavier needs to SIGNIFICANTLY pay assistants more. It's incredible we've kept Steele as long as we have.

Do we know that they are underpaid? How badly? I thought this was usually addressed when the HC was addressed. Has that been the case? I'm all for paying the guys, but the mystery surrounding pay makes it hard to tell how competitive we are.

[Milhouse]

Do we know that they are underpaid? How badly? I thought this was usually addressed when the HC was addressed. Has that been the case? I'm all for paying the guys, but the mystery surrounding pay makes it hard to tell how competitive we are.

yes they are underpaid- Mack made a media point about it 3 years ago when we lost Ashley Howard to Nova.

No assistants have made the tax forms reporting the top 5 employee salaries that are released (and posted here often). So no assistant is making over $200K (that was the last threshold I believe). Granted that was like 2 years ago, and I believe this was addressed some when Mack signed an extention in 13-14 to not go to Cal. If you look around the nation that's pretty bad. I know there are a lot of other benefits and perks, but I think I even saw that Rick Carter is making in the realm of $500K as associate HC at depaul- so a SIGNIFICANT upgrade from being 3rd man at X.

Mack has been a huge advocate for this, and he should have even more bargaining power after this year.

[XUMIOH12]

Xavier needs to SIGNIFICANTLY pay assistants more. It's incredible we've kept Steele as long as we have.

i am surprised Steele has been here as long as he has. Tough to keep good assistants around that long. I have no idea what the assistants are paid, but i would imagine it is lower than at other comparable programs.

[MADXSTER]

Have you ever seen the show, Sell this House or something to that effect. A 1200 square foot house goes for $800,000. Stupid money.

If comparisons are going to be made then IMO they should be made regionally. East coast and west coast money isn't realistic in comparison. If a midwest coach was going to go to the east coast to make additional 100k, then he would be going backwards in net income. And you would want to live near the university because the commute would be crazy.

[paulxu]

So Mack's salary, living in NK, is really like...$6 million?

[Caveat]

Compensation for everyone, from Mack on down, needs to increase significantly IMO.

[xudash]

Have you ever seen the show, Sell this House or something to that effect. A 1200 square foot house goes for $800,000. Stupid money.

If comparisons are going to be made then IMO they should be made regionally. East coast and west coast money isn't realistic in comparison. If a midwest coach was going to go to the east coast to make additional 100k, then he would be going backwards in net income. And you would want to live near the university because the commute would be crazy.

+1

[LA Muskie]

Have you ever seen the show, Sell this House or something to that effect. A 1200 square foot house goes for $800,000. Stupid money.

If comparisons are going to be made then IMO they should be made regionally. East coast and west coast money isn't realistic in comparison. If a midwest coach was going to go to the east coast to make additional 100k, then he would be going backwards in net income. And you would want to live near the university because the commute would be crazy.

But it matters for the NEXT job. And they all think there will be a next job.


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[LA Muskie]

Do we know that they are underpaid? How badly? I thought this was usually addressed when the HC was addressed. Has that been the case? I'm all for paying the guys, but the mystery surrounding pay makes it hard to tell how competitive we are.

Our Asst pay is toward the bottom of the Big East. That's why we've lost several assistants to largely lateral moves, some in-conference.


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[94GRAD]

yes they are underpaid- Mack made a media point about it 3 years ago when we lost Ashley Howard to Nova.

No assistants have made the tax forms reporting the top 5 employee salaries that are released (and posted here often). So no assistant is making over $200K (that was the last threshold I believe). Granted that was like 2 years ago, and I believe this was addressed some when Mack signed an extention in 13-14 to not go to Cal. If you look around the nation that's pretty bad. I know there are a lot of other benefits and perks, but I think I even saw that Rick Carter is making in the realm of $500K as associate HC at depaul- so a SIGNIFICANT upgrade from being 3rd man at X.

Mack has been a huge advocate for this, and he should have even more bargaining power after this year.

There is absolutely ZERO chance Rick makes in the realm of 500K. I'd be shocked if he made 300K. You're saying he makes more than first time head caoches at Mid-Major schools?

[nuts4xu]

Luke is...future Head Coaching material and an upgrade over Rick Carter.

So he has that going for him...which is nice.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8x-nQ-vPw5k/hqdefault.jpg

[Masterofreality]

Compensation for everyone, from Mack on down, needs to increase significantly IMO.

Well then, since Xavier is a private institution with lots of priorities and needs, the outside CONTRIBUTIONS need to increase significantly. Xavier's endowment is a at the bottom of the Big East and basketball funds the entire athletic program. This stuff doesn't happen for free.

That being said, Xavier did upgrade the pay for all the assistants after 2013. And, by the way. Anyone who thinks that Rick Carter is making $500,000, or even $300,000 at DePaul of all places is delusional. Maybe the worst AD and overall athletic program in the league.

[ballyhoohoo]

The Sedler family endowment which will pay the HC salary is in effect now. This in theory frees up the money that was used to pay Mack for other basketball expenses and operations I believe.

[Milhouse]

With the cost of living what it is in Chicago is $500k that ridiculous?

This was a school that was paying Purnell $1.8 million last year. They are in the midst of building a $100 Million arena - so I have no doubt they have upped their financial commitment to basketball.

I saw a tweet that said $500k when he left, but I could certainly see that being the case especially in Chicago.

The Associate headcoach at Nebraska is making like $450k, you're seeing it more and more where the associate head coach makes a large amount of money to basically ensure they'll only leave to run their own program.

[XUMIOH12]

Here is a link to an article that alludes to Murray being payed around $160k.

http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150507/SPORTS/150509369/?Start=1

[xu82]

So Mack's salary, living in NK, is really like...$6 million?

Plus dental coverage I'm sure.