Most Challenging Job in Every State

[Muskie]

Link (http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/19741386/the-most-challenging-college-basketball-job-every-state)

Some friends on the list:

Indiana: Butler Bulldogs (http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2086/butler-bulldogs)
This isn't just the squad that put together two of the most memorable Final Four runs -- thanks to Gordon Hayward & Co. -- in recent history. Chris Holtman had assembled a top-30 recruiting class before he accepted the Ohio State job. Then, top-100 commitment Kyle Young decided to follow him to OSU. Butler can compete for those kids now, so LaVall Jordan steps into a gig where last season's Sweet 16 run surprised few. The bar is high.

Missouri: Saint Louis Billikens (http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/139/saint-louis-billikens)
Rick Majerus reignited Billikens basketball before his death. Then, Jim Crews helped the program maintain those winning ways, capped by a trio of NCAA tournament runs that ended in 2014. Saint Louis, now under Travis Ford, continues to search for the magic of Majerus.

New York: St. John's Red Storm (http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2599/st.-john's-red-storm)
The prep school circuit complicates the recruitment of the New York City hoops scene. The "play at home" concept is no longer a luxury St. John's enjoys. That's not the only reason Chris Mullin faces an uphill battle at St. John's. He's also playing in the Big East, the pound-for-pound titan in college basketball.

Ohio: Dayton Flyers (http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2168/dayton-flyers)
During his time at Dayton, Archie Miller expanded the winning culture of a program that's big-time in every way: facilities, fan support, resources and talent. Now, former Alabama coach Anthony Grant will attempt to extend the success with the Flyers, who hope to lure talent from the same regional pool Cincinnati, Xavier and Ohio State all explore.

West Virginia: Marshall Thundering Herd (http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/276/marshall-thundering-herd)
Dan D'Antoni, the brother of Houston Rockets (http://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/hou/houston-rockets) coach Mike D'Antoni, coaches Marshall for $200,000 per year in Huntington, West Virginia. It's not a horrible job, and Conference USA's top tier boasts a collection of respectable teams that have pulled off NCAA tournament upsets in recent years. But it's a difficult job, as evidenced by the team's failure to reach the NCAA tournament since 1987, a drought Miami Heat (http://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/mia/miami-heat) star Hassan Whiteside (http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4262/hassan-whiteside) couldn't snap in his time at the school.

[Muskie]

I put some of the more laughable one's, but the article is worth a read if you're craving college basketball.

IU is clearly the toughest job in the state of Indiana.
I'd be shocked if SLU was in Missouri or that Marshall is somehow harder than West Virginia?

[GoMuskies]

In Indiana, I'd go IPFW. In Missouri, UMKC. In New York, I'll go SUNY-Binghampton. In Ohio, Youngstown State. In WV, I'll stick with Marshall.

[sirthought]

I would never argue for Dayton being most challenging in Ohio. Yeah, it's going to be tough for that school to build a perennial strong program. But look at what strengths other schools like Toledo or Ohio have to recruit with. Really Dayton has a lot going for it from a resources standpoint than most all of the MAC schools, and we'll throw Wright State and Cleveland State in there too.

The A-10 isn't as attractive as it was, but at least kids get to travel and play in some cities with some sort of hoops history. MAC kids get to play in Akron, Oxford, and Athens. Not too many ballers grow up dreaming of that. What's sad is that frequently the basketball played in the MAC is more exciting that the A-10, but the MAC will never grow in profile.

[GIMMFD]

I think the Marshall/WVU debate is a fifty fifty. On one hand, it's difficult to recruit to Marshall, you're in conference USA, not really a big time program, etc. However, that means you don't have very high expectations. I mean Marshall's gym is crap, and fans really go more to be drunk and have something to do. WVU on the other hand always has unrealistic expectations, and then end up underperforming, pissing fans off and groaning about all the lost "potential", I mean hell the WVU board I'm on still hasn't gotten over the Gonzaga game because a lot of them thought WVU was National Championship bound.

[ballyhoohoo]

In WV, I'll stick with Marshall.

Maybe Bob Huggins's track suits elastic has the tougher job.

[chico]

Maybe Bob Huggins's track suits elastic has the tougher job.

Or his liver.

[X-band '01]

I think the Marshall/WVU debate is a fifty fifty. On one hand, it's difficult to recruit to Marshall, you're in conference USA, not really a big time program, etc. However, that means you don't have very high expectations. I mean Marshall's gym is crap, and fans really go more to be drunk and have something to do. WVU on the other hand always has unrealistic expectations, and then end up underperforming, pissing fans off and groaning about all the lost "potential", I mean hell the WVU board I'm on still hasn't gotten over the Gonzaga game because a lot of them thought WVU was National Championship bound.

And yet Marshall was 1 game from being in the NCAA Tournament themselves last season.

[GIMMFD]

And yet Marshall was 1 game from being in the NCAA Tournament themselves last season.

Yes, which I think D'Antoni is doing awesome there and they are fun to watch, but let's not kid ourselves here:

Last Year: 20-15
Year Before: 17-16
Year Before: 11-21

Though improving, the program hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1987, I don't really consider it high pressure, because A. D'Antoni is a Son of Marshall, meaning he's going to have a longer leash, and B. most people in Huntington really don't care about Marshall basketball, they still hang on to Billy Donovan being their head coach years ago.