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Is Ryan Odom the leader?

As soon as coach Tony Bennett announced his surprise tear last October, Ryan Odom’s name followed. Why not? The 50-year-old head coach of VCU, formerly from Utah State or UMBC, has the connections that lead directly to Charlottesville. In 2018, Odoms Retrievers defeated the biggest surprise in the history of the NCAA tournament in the history of Bennett in the first round.

“We are all sad that we (Bennett) will no longer see on the edge,” Odom said in a press conference before the VCU pre -season against the ‘Hoos. “His players love him, his trainers love him and he did so much for their school and basketball program and their fan base.” After the loss of Virginia in 2018, Bennett made his respect for Odom and his employees, who contributed to the highest score against the Hoos from an opponent this season. That is the unpredictability of March.

If we withdraw the clock even further, we can trace the Charlottesville roots of Odom back to his father’s eight-year term as an assistant under Terry Holland of Virginia. When ball boys at the University Hall expressed his admiration for Virginia after the shocking annoyance of the retrievers: “Obviously Virginia is a special place,” said Odom. “It was a special time for the Odom family when we were there and we were only lucky enough to be part of it.” His father Dave would move from Charlottesville to Winston-Salem, where he would end his career as a Wake Forest as the most decorated coach in the program history.

If Virginia wants a trainer who understands the value of this program, Odom is the choice. No plausible candidates have the connections that he puts on the table, unless Ritchie McKay from Liberty is considered. What is also about his qualifications?

First of all, I would not be mentioned that the current assistant coach of Virginia-Orlando Vandross-von worked with Odom at UNC-Charlotte in 2011 to 2015. In his information after the game against Virginia, Odom contained the following in his opening speeches: “I love Orlando Vandross as he is my brother.” It would be imagined that at least among other things, he will retain his former colleague and friend. It is difficult to curate a staff at a new goal.

At UMBC, Odom completely turned over a program that had suffered from eight in the season, seven of which had less than ten victories. In just his second season at the helmet (2017-18), the retrievers won their first tournament tournament in America East since 2008 and applied for the first surprise of a No. 1 seed with 16. UMBC’s offense also solved the puzzle of defense Virginia, which, according to Kenpom, was initially leading nationwide.

Surprisingly, Odom remained three more seasons in Baltimore. The retrievers were unable to capture Lightning in a bottle again, but they ended a Covid season (2019-20) as champions of the regular season in the America costs. In the spring of 2021, he quit his move to the state of Utah on a program, which is well equipped in the competitive mountain vest.

Although Odom has growing pain in the first year, he showed a significant improvement in season second in Logan. The Aggies took 16th place in Kenpom’s offensive reviews and a total of 28th and a background by Steven Ashworth (16.2 ppg) and Max Shulga (11.9 ppg) with a criminal offense with several high shooters. They are now an average of 16.6 ppg or 15.5 ppg in Creighton or VCU. Shulga followed Odom to Richmond in spring 2023.

In his second season, Odom made another jump in a mighty mid-major in the VCU, a school, whose coaching tree, Penn State’s Mike Rhades, McNeeses (formerly at LSU) and Marquettes Shaka Smart Wade (formerly at the LSU), and Marquettes Shaka Smart. Everyone who goes to the Siegel Center to become important conference trainers. Odom is prepared to continue this trend, be it in Virginia, NC State or maybe Villanova if this job will be opened soon.

Despite a defeat against Dayton in the regular season finale, the RAMs still have the chance to do the tournament as a great candidate. A loss against George Mason, Dayton or Saint Josephs/Loyola (IL) may not be catastrophic, but you have to be aware of the preference for the Power Conference schools on the bladder. To be honest, it is difficult to justify Oklahoma (6-12 seconds) or North Carolina (1-11 in Quad One Games) who receive a large dance offer via VCU or UC-San Diego if one of these two does not win their conference tournaments.

A tournament place is what many expect from Odom in his second year. VCU is probably a more basketball program than some Power Conference schools and has a success story of successful regular seasons and of course over wonderful runs in March, which was created by another coaching candidate in Virginia and the former RAM-Shaka Smart pioneering work. Like Wade, Odom could look for a step elsewhere after two years as head coach of the VCU.

Let us raise the question that new coaches are raised in this current landscape, which are often raised from the front with new employees at their next stops. However, Odom secured the former RAM and Siena-Co coach Darius Theus in his employees together with the director of the Student-Athlete-Development Bradford Burgess-one-and-antery power in the course of the VCU to the final Four in 2009. Many ex-utah assistants and employees followed Odom to Richmond. This would be celebrated in Virginia with three youngest alumes – Chase Coleman, Isaiah Wilkins and Kyle Guy.

We looked through Odom’s fit in Charlottesville. What about his ability to navigate in the current landscape in College basketball? All five of his starters are Portaler, and four committed to him directly through this vehicle. Shulga and former security guard Sean Bairstow followed him from the state of Utah, while the streets of Wache Joe Bamisile returned to Richmond – his hometown. This season the security guard Philip Russell from UT-Arlington and striker Jack Clark from Clemson came. There should be no questions about Odom’s skills in the portal game.

All the signs seem to refer to a torchb carrier who, albeit a significant experience as head coach, still has a lot of gas in the tank. In addition, other options such as Marquettes Shaka Smart, Vanderbilt Mark Byington and Sanchez fit in with regard to age (Odom is 50, while the other are 47, 48 and 53). While Bennett was 39 years old at the time of his attitude in 2009, age in this race should not be a limited factor for Odom.

The balance of the VCU also provides evidence that it does not have to sacrifice the defensive integrity of the “hoos” for offensive firepower. The packing line is likely to be extinct in Virginia for the first time in 16 years, but Odom has won two TOP 40-KKENPOM teams in terms of defense ratings and relies on a physical, experienced squad in his second campaign. In the state of Utah, he was able to overwhelm the opponents with his flame frame, which was proven by a team-wide 38.7% three-point shooting share and 78.2 points per game goal.

Adjustments based on the staff should be welcomed in Virginia. Perhaps the 2020-21 squad could have looked aggressively with future Nbaers Sam Hauser, Jay Huff and Trey Murphy III on the roster freely flowing. An offensive Renaissance would not hurt.

Odom has a price of 10 million US dollars with him. “Buyouts” offer a severance payment for dismissed coaches or on the other hand with you to a subsequent school to separate. Virginia would therefore be responsible for paying VCU 10 million US dollars over a certain period of time as part of Odom’s contract. In addition, his name repeatedly appeared in conversations about the opening of the NC state, which may come into conflict with that of Virginia.

He is also familiar with Boo Corrigan with the sports director of the NC State and comes from Durham, North Carolina. Corrigan’s father, Gene, had the same position in Virginia from 1981 to 190 and would later commission the ACC and NCAA (as President).

Although he showed a clever tendency to reconstruction in a short time, a large part of Odom’s current VCU service plan would not have the authorization to draw with him to Charlottesville. All five of his starters are either the fifth or sixth year, and this leaves junior striker Christian Fermin (4.9 ppg), the second security guard Alphonzo “Fats” Billups (3.0 ppg), the Freshman striker Luke Bamgboye (3.5 ppg) and Freshman Guard Hill Jr. (3.5 ppg) as the most defensive Candidates. Who knows whether one of these four would follow him elsewhere. Candidates such as Smart, Byington and probably Drakes Ben McCollum would offer a higher level of direct transfers from their respective schools.

It is also a problem to lose some of the promising participants in Virginia. However, this would not be fair to determine Odom, since most would probably enter the portal to examine their options after a change of coaching. It could be convincing to keep the Junior Guards Andrew Rohde – a player who experienced a massive improvement in his second year in the ACC – and Isaac McKney, one of the best in the nation behind the arch.

In addition, it would be a shame if Virginia lost the Freshman Center Anthony Robinson, a bruising defender and rebounder who granted an urgently needed spark for the ‘Hoos this season. Bennett spoke about the potential of this young core, but a new trainer may not see this plan at eye level. However, Odom is more in line with Bennett than with others, considering how he brought Theus and Burgess as an ambassador for a proud VCU program.

Yes, Smart landed two seeds in the NCAA tournament in a row, and Byington has the Commodores in the first year with a significant lead. McCollum won every stop and won a school record of 30 wins in his First Season at Drake, while after the Missouri Valley Conference victory of the regular season and the tournament title against Bradley; It is more impressive how a roster gathered from the players at his last station, D-II Northwest Missouri State-Hat adapted to a higher level with such a simple level. Some see Odom as a backup for these three, and VCUS potential to miss the big dance, a great flaw with the expectations that the rams in the Atlantic 10 are.

Virginia will move quickly. Could Odom still land the job, even if he bounces off the Atlantic 10 tournament and the NCAA tournament? This is to be decided for Carla Williams and the search committee.

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