Xavier Head Coaching Search 2025

[UCGRAD4X]

Sean said he was staying at X. He left.
Mack said he was staying at X. He left.
Sean returned, saying Xavier is like home - that he learned his lesson and now he really is stay at X this time. He left.
Mack will make the case that Xavier (unlike Sean) literally is his home and he has learned his lesson. He too could leave.


So if we do rehire Mack to get us back on track, it won’t mean jack, if we allow him the same kind of slack.

He should have to prove his loyalty this time around by taking less money so more can go to NIL to help bring in more talent and build a better team. He should also agree to include a $25 million buyout clause in his contract so X Will be in good financially shape to hire a replacement should he leave before reaching a Final Four. It’s one way to help a coach stay loyal who seems to struggle with integrity.

And even then we should expect, every year, for him to leave.

[kxblue]

No coach is going to be loyal to Xavier in this environment. I think Mack has a better chance than anyone of being loyal but either way it shouldnt matter.

If the options are GC finding us a coach or hiring Chris Mack, Ill take Mack every time. A large buyout clause seems reasonable step for all parties, hopefully they get that done.

[Dblue]

Might be a different concept, I'd like to see a non-compete clause that requires a payout penalty for taking any players from XU if said coach goes to another school (imagine Miller taking Swain and Conwell but required to drop $1 mil each to the XU NIL, it would then be Miller's choice if he wants to drop the cash for recruiting those players).

[Xavier]

What about Huss? Lead guy at Creighton for recruiting and took high point to the tournament. Thing is if you go with someone like that, it’s going to be a full process. It will take probably 4-5 days to interview candidates and stuff. But I’m not really in the camp you have to make a hire in next 24 hours though

[Caveat]

What about Huss? Lead guy at Creighton for recruiting and took high point to the tournament. Thing is if you go with someone like that, it’s going to be a full process. It will take probably 4-5 days to interview candidates and stuff. But I’m not really in the camp you have to make a hire in next 24 hours though

You don't have to make a hire in the next 24 hours, but you're punting next season if you wait.

You might already be punting next season as it is -- but it'd be an absolute certainty.

[boozehound]

Forgot about loyalty. No one is loyal, and I'm tired of worrying about getting coaches that are going to stay. Just get the best coach we can get and worry about the rest later. I'm generally on board with the 'no assistant coaches' philosophy as well.

Chris Mack coming back is certainly an interesting thought exercise. I'd probably be more in favor of it if we hadn't just tried that with Miller. What do we do after Mack, try Steele again? (kidding, of course). I also don't really know how to assess Chris Mack as a candidate. His tenure at Xavier was reasonably lengthy and pretty good (with some stinker teams mixed it, but good overall), but Louisville was a complete and total dumpster fire and now he is coaching at CoC after taking a couple of years off.

[Caveat]

Forgot about loyalty. No one is loyal, and I'm tired of worrying about getting coaches that are going to stay. Just get the best coach we can get and worry about the rest later. I'm generally on board with the 'no assistant coaches' philosophy as well.

Chris Mack coming back is certainly an interesting thought exercise. I'd probably be more in favor of it if we hadn't just tried that with Miller. What do we do after Mack, try Steele again? (kidding, of course). I also don't really know how to assess Chris Mack as a candidate. His tenure at Xavier was reasonably lengthy and pretty good (with some stinker teams mixed it, but good overall), but Louisville was a complete and total dumpster fire and now he is coaching at CoC after taking a couple of years off.

He led Xavier through the transition to the Big East and to a #1 seed in the tournament. That's better than "pretty good" IMO.

And after he leaves? Who the hell knows / cares. The B10/SEC might break off from the NCAA by then and we'll go back to playing YMCA ball. Focus on the future you can control.

[D-West & PO-Z]

What about Huss? Lead guy at Creighton for recruiting and took high point to the tournament. Thing is if you go with someone like that, it’s going to be a full process. It will take probably 4-5 days to interview candidates and stuff. But I’m not really in the camp you have to make a hire in next 24 hours though

Not 24, but anything past 72 hours is going to feel like an eternity and do some damage.

That being said, getting the hire right is the most important thing long term, so if thats what it takes, thats what it takes, but it will suck.

[boozehound]

He led Xavier through the transition to the Big East and to a #1 seed in the tournament. That's better than "pretty good" IMO.

And after he leaves? Who the hell knows / cares. The B10/SEC might break off from the NCAA by then and we'll go back to playing YMCA ball. Focus on the future you can control.

Fair point. I'm fine with Mack coming back if he is best coach available to us, but only if he is the best available option. I don't expect that he will stay long term either, although to be fair he did stay for a long time the first tenure and turned down several offers before eventually going to Louisville.

[Xville]

Just give me mack and be done with it. Yeah he will prolly leave again in three years, but he’s a solid coach and knows the lay of the land.