Dereck Whittenburg is Wolfpack through and through. If there’s one thing Wolfpack fans agree upon in this coaching search, it’s this. Some fans, however, fear that Coach Whittenburg’s candidacy is based on that fact alone.
Let’s put that fear to rest right away: it’s not. What it is to Whittenburg’s candidacy I will get to later. But first, there are very good reasons why those of us who know about Coach Whittenburg wish him to be the next coach of the Wolfpack.
These are reasons that I think would make Coach Whittenburg an attractive candidate regardless of where he went to school.
Such as this: Over the seven yeas that Dereck Whittenburg has been a head coach, he is the only coach to improve his team’s record from the previous year each year. His team’s record was better than it was the previous year for each of those seven years.
At his first head coaching job, Wagner, Whittenburg inherited:
— a team that had just posted a record of 9-18 (7-9 conference) in 1998-1999
— a program that had never won its conference
— a program that had never gone to the NCAAs
Here is how Coach Whittenburg’s teams did:
In 1999-2000, his first team went 11-16 (6-10).
In 2000-01 he posted winning seasons in conference and overall: 16-13 (11-9).
In 2001-02 he improved on that mark, and his team ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring while nearly reaching 20 wins: 19-10 (15-5)
In 2002-03, Wagner under Coach Whittenburg again ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring, posted a record of 21 wins and 11 losses (14-4), won the conference title, and went to their first NCAAs.
In four years.
Impressed by that, Fordham came calling. Already the phrase “Whittenburg magic” was entering the lexicon. But maybe Whittenburg got lucky?
COACH WHITTENBURG AT FORDHAM
Here’s what Whittenburg faced at Fordham. If Wagner was a mountain to climb, then Fordham was Everest. Fordham had never posted even a .500 conference record, let alone a winning record. They had never even won a single game in the conference tournament. In fact, the Rams hadn’t had a winning season since 1991-92.
And the team Whittenburg was inheriting had just posted a grand season total of two wins. The previous coach’s record at Fordham was 36-78 in his four years there – and a paltry 2-26 his last season.
Coach Whittenburg wasn’t daunted by that challenge. Why would he be? He invited challenge. His attitude at Wagner was “play us any time, any day.”
About Fordham, he said, “I am very passionate about Fordham basketball. I know it will be a hard task. I welcome the challenge. I embrace the kids in the program.”
He also gave a hint about his success.
“I concern myself with the character of the program and the kids. Start with that and the winning will come.”
Fordham’s administration was impressed by Coach Whittenburg. Their decision to hire him was unanimous.
As Fordham president Rev. Joseph O’Hare said, “Dereck Whittenburg’s record, first as an assistant coach and more recently as head coach at Wagner College, demonstrates that he is the kind of coach who can achieve athletic success on the hardwood while maintaining academic integrity.”
His first year at Fordham, 2003-04, was a rough one. His team won only six games – 6-22 (3-13).
His second year, 2004-05, Coach Whittenburg had a team of five freshmen and only four scholarship players. But this team became Fordham’s first to avoid a losing record in conference. Their final record was 13-16 (8-8).
That year Fordham won its first-ever conference tournament game. There’s an excellent report about this here:
Though Duquesne spoiled the Fordham’s Senior Night a week earlier, this year’s Rams enjoyed the success the Dukes had aspired to. Six wins turned into 12, and a sixth-place finish became a four-seed. There was no great secret to the turnaround - an energetic and charismatic coach named Dereck Whittenburg was beginning to work his magic …
This year Coach Whittenburg’s team posted Fordham’s first conference winning season ever. They finished .500 for the season at 16-16 (9-7) – a far cry from the two-win team he had inherited and on the doorstep of Fordham’s first winning season since Les Robinson’s first year at NC State.
In short, Coach Whittenburg has put Fordham on the same path of ever-building success that he had his Wagner teams on. He did it with his “magic”: kids of integrity, his own unflagging energy, his charisma, his delight in a challenge, and his tireless effort.
A GREAT COACH
Overall, Coach Whittenburg’s career record is 102-104. Detractors are quick to point out it’s a losing record. That’s accurate without telling the whole story. Whittenburg inherited losing programs and made them winners – his record reflects the years in turning those teams around. Here’s a little year-by-year breakdown for you in his rebuilding both Wagner and Fordham:
— Coach Whittenburg’s predecessors’ win percentage in their final years: 11-44 (20.0%)
— Coach Whittenburg’s win percentage in his first years: 17-38 (30.9%)
— Coach Whittenburg’s win percentage in his second years: 29-29 (50.0%)
— Coach Whittenburg’s win percentage in his third years: 35-26 (57.4%)
— And of course during Coach Whittenburg’s fourth year at Wagner, his win percentage was 65.6%.
Well, OK, but that’s just Fordham and Wagner. What could Coach Whittenburg do in the ACC?
Coach Whittenburg is no stranger to the ACC. In fact, Coach Whittenburg has experience recruiting top-notch players and All-Americans to two separate ACC schools, Georgia Tech and N.C. State. He learned under two of the ACC’s best coaches: Bobby Cremmins and Jim Valvano. As an assistant coach under both coaching legends, he has won ACC titles.
That is to say, Coach Whittenburg is no stranger as a coach to the ACC, to success in the ACC, and to successful recruiting coups in the ACC. (He’s also no stranger as a player to winning championships, as we all know.)
Furthermore, not only has Whittenburg learned under the tutelage of great ACC coaches, he has also played for great coaches – Jim Valvano, of course, and in high school, the legendary Morgan Wooten.
In my view, this is an impressive coaching pedigree. Coach Whittenburg is a winner. He knows what winning takes, and he knows how to achieve it, and he does so with passion and integrity.
And here’s where Dereck Whittenburg’s ties to NC State should matter. The position of NC State men’s basketball head coach should be more than a job. It should be a dream. It was Valvano’s dream. It was Norm Sloan’s dream. Remember how the Sports Illustrated cover story on David Thompson (prior to our first national championship) described Sloan’s decision to take the Wolfpack job? “Sloan, another player under Case at N.C. State, hurried back to his alma mater.”
Dereck Whittenburg is a great coach who loves NC State, and if he’s our coach, you can bet he’s going to put his reputation for energetic coaching, charismatic salesmanship and character-building to work for something we all love: NC State basketball. He would make us proud. And we know it. Hiring Coach Whittenburg would do more to unite this fractured fanbase than anyone. He’d hurry home. And we couldn’t help but become excited.
Coach Whittenburg’s bona fides stack up favorably against anyone else’s before you speak of his being “in the family.” His being a Wolfpack alumnus doesn’t matter – but it does. It matters that NC State is Whitt’s dream job. It matters that he knows what it means to Wolfpack fans to beat Carolina and Duke. (Anyone remember seeing him limp out onto the court to celebrate after Sidney’s between-the-leg pass setting up Thurl’s slam that sealed Valvano’s first win over Carolina?) It matters that he can show his recruits and his players those championship rings and talk about dreams and what it takes to make dreams come true. It matters that he’s stood before cheering fans in Reynolds Coliseum in April to talk about winning the national championship. It matters that he stood by in Reynolds Coliseum ten years later watching Jimmy V give his farewell address to the fans and talk about how his team taught him what love means.
Some would say hiring Whittenburg would be a longshot. Maybe even a 30-footer.
I think it would be a slam dunk.
I see Whitt as a gamble. However, sometimes you have to be willing to roll the dice.
gregg marshall would be a better choice IMO
Of those coaches remaining on the “list” I feel he is the least gamble.
He understands the passion we have at State and the no excuses against UNC and Duke. All others will say they get it but only Whit truly does.
I have been a proponent of Whit from the beginning for that reason and many others. He has not had the chance to prove it at a big time program yet. And when he does he will be out of reach anytime soon for State - we will miss another good one.
This idea of how State and Whit handle failure is not a question unless everyone wants to fail. Whit hasnt shown he can fail yet.
Thank you. We honestly should have gone to Whitt right after Cal (or Monty, if that actually was a vialbe optoin). What makes him less attractive than Lavin, Beilein, etc?
At this point even Whitt might turn Lee Fooler down.
awesome article and I couldn’t agree with you more. give the man his shot
I don’t think he would us Lee to get a pay raise, but who knows! This all goes back to the re-actionary attitude the AD department had with that guy that just left…he should have never been around as long as he was and now LEE FOOLER is LOOKING LIKE THE BIGGEST…CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR OF HIS RESIGNATION! He has done an awful job of running the Athletics at N. C. State…and just wait til football season…it’s not going to get any better…just another mouth, followed by NO ACTION!
SFN:
Whitt is a viable candidate for sure. However, can somebody update us on Jamie Dixon’s (Pitt) status? He’s got a helluva record over the last 3 years against some pretty impressive competition (WVU, Villanova, BC, Syraccuse, Memphis, UConn, etc).
Thanks!
I’ve been looking at this site and referring to it, arguing my points against all comers…even to the point that the site administrators kicked me off and I had to get a new name. All of this may seem irrelevant, but I must say that FINALLY I AGREE!!! I think that Whit would be more than wonderful. I would love to give him a chance. People can say what they want about tarnishing his reputation, or us losing patience and firing him, but Whit is different than Duh-orty…he loves us enough to admit that he is in over his head and get out before he goes 8-20. We’ll never have to fire him…he’ll offer to walk away. I think he’ll do a tremendous job. PLEASE…Lee Fowler…do the right thing. Give Whit a chance…this may be the only shot he gets and the only shot we get.
SFN…great piece. Well written and fact based…perfectly put.
Now I see my expectations should have been lower for LF….
Direct quote from LeeFowler.com … (http://www.leefowler.com/)
“I’ve loved fabric and have created with it as long as I can remember. There were doll quilt embroidery kits and Barbie clothes when I was little, clothes for myself during high school and college, and quilting ever since. There is just something so satisfying about the feel of fabric and the process of making something from my own hands. ”
He is even sweet enough to put his sister’s pic on the website…
FOWLER is not the MAN for us!!!
(lol!!)
(BTW… I hate Carolina as much as the next wolf in the Pack, yet I say take Phil. He’s pissed enough with the Heels to give them HELL every time he got the opportunity… otherwise we’ll take the less experience options for a couple of years)
Boy, we seem to have come a long way from the perennial Top 20 program we used be.
Daggonit, being the head coach at NC State IS AN HONOR. ANY coach is lucky to even be a consideration for the job, much less have it.
However, thanks to a comedy of errors, coaching State has now become TABOO to outsiders.
That’s fine … so be it.
We’ll right the ship with one of our own.
D-Whitt is a winner as a player, a coach and a man. He has proven he knows how to get it done, and get it done the right way.
It’s time we had a coach who isn’t afraid of competition at the highest level
… a coach who doesn’t want to risk tarnishing his precious national image by going head-to-head with the best
… a coach who doesn’t prefer a cupcake ride (in a cupcake conference) into the Tournament each year
… a coach who wants the rock when the game is on the line
Best of all, it will be nice to have a fresh dose of “kick a– swagger” back in Raleigh.
I don’t buy the Ford is angry at Carolina angle. After he was not retained by Doherty, he spent several years working for the Rams Club and as an announcer on the Tarheel Sports Network. Face it, Ford is not a good match even if you overlook his other baggage.
I talked with a Tarhole player and coach last night and they said Ford still loves the tarholes. They did mention that he would be a good coach and that he was one heck of a recruiter.
I just think Whit has the same qualities minus the loving of the tarholes…which makes him a better choice. Plus he’s not all liquored up all the time.
Guys, please. This article is about Dereck Whittenburg, not Phil Ford. The Ford rumor was put to rest by the *Charlotte Observer* and others.
JimValvano, thanks for your comments. I thought about attacking the Doherty angle, but it was to my way of thinking not serious enough to address.
Let’s bring Whitt to Raleigh. Celebrate him as our new coach by giving him a “Ticker Tape Parade” on Hillsborough Street.
If Whitt is the man, let’s let ‘em know he is THE MAN. Patience is needed for two or three years.
While I’m open to the possiblity of DW gettign the spot, one that I prefer go to a more “seasoned” coach, my only true hesitation is that of one in which after 3 years the marragie is just not working and that we give DW the “Doherty” treatment and villify one of our own. Just as that is fear, the opposite to that is that he comes in and becomes the hottest thing in college coaching. You never know, and fear should never influence a decision. Given all things considered, if he currently is the best option on the table then by all means we should persue the option.
I’m just about swayed. I do believe that he has the ability to inspire and recruit, but does he have the ability to direct the offense and defense of an ACC level team? Seriously, how is he in that aspect?
I ‘ll give SFN credit…you make a good case to give Whitt a shot…….but … I don’t know if the timing is right….the “fan base” is already divided (several ways)about AD Fowler and his handling of Herb and now the search for a replacement
Is it the right time to bring in Whitt ??? hard to say …but if it didn’t” work-out” –can you imagine the destruction within the “rank and file “fanbase…..BIG GAMBLE
Would we better served to hire a Coach Marshall to do the heavy lifting ,allow time (and wins) to heal wounds and then bring in “family” to carry on ???
THIS IS A TOUGH ONE !
Heavy lifting? Greg Marshall from WINGATE University! I am not sold on Whitt either but Greg Marshall is not the man to tidy up. Especially with the lack of direction he will receive from the current AD.
I would not be disappointed if Dereck Whittenburg was named the next head coach of the NC State Wolfpack, especially with some of the recent names that have been mentioned (Steve Lavin and Phil Ford). Having said that I do have reservations… don’t get me wrong I’m a NC State fan, so that makes me a Dereck Whittenburg fan. But let’s all be real honest, if he had any other school in the country listed next to alma mater in his biography, he wouldn’t even make the top twenty list of potential candidates for the job. Not this early in his career anyway. If you disagree with me let me remind you that there were 51 coaching jobs available this off-season and NC State is the only one where the fans want the administration to consider Derek Whittenburg.
My choice would be Gregg Marshall of Winthrop.
Here are some websites and quotes to check out on this more established coach.
http://www.winthropeagles.com/default.asp?section=2&type=biography&id=10
http://www.marshallhoops.com/
http://simonsayshoops.blogspot.com/2006/03/winthrop-is-my-favorite-mid-major.html
http://leftyloon.blogspot.com/2006/02/madness-begins.html
http://www.collegeinsider.com/angela/marshall.html
Dan Wetzel writes,
“Winthrop coach Greg Marshall may live in Rock Hill, S.C., but the dude can dress like he is from the Upper West Side. Big-time pinstriped number. And he can coach, by the way. His team flat-out gets after it. Note to college A.D.s with job openings, stop hiring Duke assistants and call Marshall.�
Mike Ashley writes,
“Want a hot young coach to keep an eye on as the tournament begins? Thirty-six year-old Gregg Marshall took Winthrop (S.C) to the NCAA in his first year at the former all-women’s college. The Eagles hadn’t had a winning season since 1990. They were 7-20 last year before Marshall took essentially the same cast and made them 21-7 and Big South champs.â€?
Stan Heath commented,
“I see this as a team (Winthrop) that will do some things that will make us a little uncomfortable,” Heath said. “We’ll get a lot of pressure. They’ve been a team that will press you, a 2-2-1, slow you down. That’s what they’ve done in the past. I don’t know what they will do this year. But they’ve always been a hard-nosed, aggressive team that rebounds the ball very well. We’ll have to do a good job, especially early in the game, of being the team that sets the tone and plays the tempo we want to play at.â€?
Just for the record, I would be quite pleased with Marshall. Way back when (last week?), he, Whitt and Montgomery were my top three. Seems like eons ago now.
It seemed to me, however, necessary to make the case for Whitt explicit, because of the kneejerk reaction (among some, not all — but apparently among some on the search committee!) to discount Whittenburg *just because he was an alumnus.*
^Sorry, I meant Winthrop back there. My old girl friend went to Wingate, saw her the other day, she can surely do some heavy lifting now a days.
Wagner enrolls a total of 1,929 undergraduates. The entire school operates on a $50 million budget and sits on just 105 acres. Their athletic teams compete in the Northeast Conference - quick, without looking at any sources, someone tell me another NEC member.
Fordham is a bigger deal, but the school is an urban commuter university with different campuses scattered about NYC. Here’s a rundown of what their men’s teams have done this past year:
* Baseball - currently 17-20
* Basketball - 16-16 (first non-losing season since 91-92)
* Football - 2-9
* Golf - average tourney finishes of 9.43 out of 13.6 teams
* Soccer - 8-5-5
etc. etc.
This isn’t a school that places a high priority on winning championships or even fielding competitive teams.
Yet, Whit has done some good stuff at both institutions. To just blindly state his overall wins and losses is no different than the media pointing to Sendek’s five NCAA tourneys in a row and four 20-win seasons in five years. Context is required in both instances.
I find arrogant to hear fans say Whit will be ready in five years or so, as if it should go without saying that he’ll stay at Fordham, turning down all opportunities until we decide he’s worthy for us to approach him. It’s only a matter of time before he’s snatched up by a major conference school. He has the pedigree, connections, endorsements, and yes, the results. I just hope if we don’t get him he doesn’t end up at another ACC school whuppin’ our butts on a regular basis.
The man is a winner. IMO doing what he’s done at Wagner & Fordham is much more impressive than what Barnes has done in Texas, a state flagship school in a huge state with little competition for in-state recruits.
At NC State, Whit would not have to “convince” a player to come and help build a program from scratch. Sendek did leave us a program in decent shape that gets some national recognition on an annual basis and has an excellent tradition behind it. If Whit can take his current players, who may well have been overlooked not only by major conference schools but also upper-tier schools in his own conference, why couldn’t he have exponentially more success with nationally recruited players at an established program?
He could come in and be just the salve we need, or he could fail miserably. I concede that. The difference between me and many others is that I also think the same could have been said of any of the big names we’ve gone after. A $2 million salary does not give anyone a lead-pipe cinch lock for championships and Triangle dominance. I believe Whit is a better value.
There is some precedent. Cremins went from Appy State to a moribund GT program and turned them into national players within four years. Gary Willams resurrected a lousy Boston U. program and parlayed that success to Ohio State. Barnes left George Mason - before the CAA was the mid-major darling it is now - and did well at Providence. Beilein’s career started at the junior college level and he’s consistently won as he’s gone up the ladder - and not at power schools either.
Hey, if you made 333 clones of Coach K (shudder) and put each one at the helm of every D-I school in America, half of them would finish the season with losing records. There are no guarantees, no matter who you hire, how big his name is, how much he’s won elsewhere and how much you pay him.
Point well taken, Beowolf. If members of the search committee think that Whittenburg should be discounted just because he is an alumnus, then they should read your entry. He certainly is in the process of building quite an impressive record. I would hope they would contact him tomorrow and sign him to a contract as soon as possible if for no other reason - that my great fear is a horrible choice (Steve Lavin, Phil Ford, and who knows what other name Lee Fowler is liable to pull out of his “bizarre candidates for the NC State head basketball coach position” hat) will be named the next coach.
You have given us the reason why “they” may be cold on Whittenburg, and SFN has learned from “sources” that Lee Fowler is cold on Haith, because he thinks he is a poor X&O coach. Why do you think “they” aren’t interested in Gregg Marshall. Could it be that he isn’t a big national name.
At this point I would be willing to give anyone a chance, if they were enthusiastic about the job and would unite the fans and players. I think DW would be a yes for both questions.
Is he a good enough coach to win big in the ACC? No one knows, not even DW. It would be taking a big risk to hire him. If Marshall and Dixon are not interested (and LF should know by now if they are), let’s take the risk.
My eyes teared up while reading this, after Barnes & Calipari, I was ready to go with Coach Whitt, that was weeks ago. The crazy thing, I’m only 26, gosh do I want NCSU to be what it once was.
Do I believe Whitt can take us there? Who knows, but will he lick blue balls? I don’t believe so, he’ll at least bring some pride to the program by bringing pride in the program. I like Marshall at Winthrop, I think he would have been a great hire a couple of weeks ago, but it’s time for Whittenburg, and it’s time to get back to winning, consistently, and against any other program. ‘
Respectfully submitted,
Mat Benton
At each school he has raised the RPI over 150 spots. That is taking a team to whole other level relatively fast.
Yeah, I have doubts about whether or not he is ready. But no more than I do about Marshall, Haith, or Pelphrey.
Without a doubt, Whitt loves the Wolfpack. So does Les Robinson.
If Whitt were to take the job and fail, would he step aside like Robinson did, or will we end up with a bunch of wolves fighting? If Whitt gets the job, I would feel much better if he agreed up front that if the program is not on the right track a few years down the road, he would resign.
Nepotism has consequences.
OK…my question is, what happened to the ” search down to three ” scenario so widely touted last week?
Under that premise Whitt should have been named HC yesterday.
Deep down in my heart I know this should be our choice. Some of you want to look at the negative and ask well what if he fails? Well I ask you what if he succeeds? Could there be a greater story? Could we be more united than having one of our own beating Duke, UNC, Wake, Maryland and the rest.
If we respect our history and heritage, if we want to be truly united, if we want to do the right thing for our program at this time then we should bring Dereck Whittenburg back home to Raleigh.
Gregg Marshall, Jamie Dixon, Brad Brownell all look good to me. Hold off on DW. Maybe one day, but not yet.
Still wish for a Bobby Knight or Rick Pitino.
Thanks SFN. This is exactly what I have been saying. At this point, we have got to give Coach Whittenburg his shot. I especially like that “top ten in the nation in scoring” statistic. Much better than Sendek. Even if we struggle the first couple of years, the team will be fun to watch.
SFN: there are some well connected people on PP who said that Whitt burned bridges when he left here, and will never be hired back. They say thats why he isn’t even on the list? Do you know anything about this? I’m not looking for you to tell us what he did, but just if there is any merit to the reason why they say no one official will contact him.
Let Purcell make the offer to Whitt, not Fowler. I’d love to see Whitt get the job, but I’m afraid Fowler would never let that happen. Fowler would be “settling” and would lose his job for sure. The only way for him to save his job is to pull “a rabbit out of the hat”.
Great job SFN. I’ve been on the Whitt wagon since Day 1.
I’ve got goosebumps. Now if wittneburgh were to answer the call from beyond to come home, how would the situation with Fowler affect his job security. We all know we could have had him the day after sendeck left. What is his reaction likely to be?
Seems to me that if there are lingaring animosities we’d have known about it some time ago. Who of significance is still in position from those days? High ranking WPC ers?
Did Whittenberg not serve State meritoriously.
If he did ( as I believe ) who is more deserving of a shot at OUR beloved school?
Great post Beowolf. Coach Whittenburg would be a good choice at this point. Even though we’ve stumbled through this whole process and received public blackeyes from the media, hiring the man who “fired
the shot heard round the world” would be great for recruiting and would enable us to focus on cleaning out the garbage in the AD’s office.
Your facts regarding Whitts tenure at Wagnor and Forham are excellent.
Maybe Oblinger should “bench” AD Fowler and start an” A-list search” for a AD and BB Coach combo deal ….since it feels we are back at square one !
.. get the feeling that our AD couldn’t sell heaters in Alaska..?
i love the thought of Whitt coaching the Pack, BUT IF HE WERE NOT an ALUMNI would he be an attractive candidate based on his basketball accomplishments as a HEAD COACH ? That answer is NO. He would not even be close.
The powers that be, as inept as they are, MUST chose a coach with their collective HEADS not their hearts.
Hire him now damnit!!!
Just wondering why this thread? is there some news about talks with Whitt. Yesterday everybody was saying Whitt was saying he had not been contacted. Seemed he was not even an option from previous posts.
I want to know why in the hell we can give PHil Ford a courtesy call for Wendell Murphy, but Whitt has yet to be contacted?
I am ashamed and embarrased of my University.
At the very least we can throw Whitt a bone and bring his name out more nationally with an interview.
As for Wendell Murphy, I appreciate what he’s done to help via donations and his service as a trustee. Other then his service and donations I can’t help but wonder how hes qualified to be giving us advice on who to talk to.
It is funny how time changes. I can distanctly remember reading here that the mere mention of the word “Whitt” as being a coaching candidate was so absurd that the post will be deleted and now he is the SFN’s favorite. I admit Phil Ford is a surprise but hasn’t Les Robinson been saying all along that the choice will be a surprise? Even David Thompson said he knows his basketball. If he is willing to turn in his tar heel blue loyalty and become loyal to the people that pay his salary then why not? As for Whitt I feel he would do a good job but SFN has been down on him so maybe I don’t know enough about him.
^Disting-gent, that was hilarious.
Get Coach Whitt signed this weekend! Just because Doh failed at Carolina, as part of the family, doesn’t automatically mean Whitt will too. Don’t waste time worrying about “what if he fails…” look at the facts of his records at Wagner and Fordham. Those aren’t failures and why should we expect him to fail us? Why should we expect anyone to fail us? Well, we have seen it before. But Herb is gone and let’s allow our low expectations to go as well. Whitt can talk to the kids about championship dreams like Herb never could. Who cares about the obvious comparisons of Whitt to Doh’s downward spiral. Who cares! Two different people, two different characters, two different mindsets. Whitt brings back the magic, along with the committment to integrity, loyalty, and academic success. Sign him up!
Imagine for a moment that Whittenburg hadn’t left Wagner. What would his record have been the past three years? Probably would look a lot like Gregg Marshall’s at Winthrop. The only difference is he accepted a step up and a new rebuilding challenge.
As for the “what if he fails” argument, I’m not sure I see any sure bets out there. You could make that case for any candidate, so it’s not really fair to just trot it out when talking about Whitt.
If we will actually be hiring a coach, Whitt’s as good a candidate as anyone else out there. Bring him home!
I agree with the comparison to Marshall had Whitt stayed at Wagner. Whitt would have been posting awesome records and boosting his won-lost record greatly had he stayed.
Rich Brenner at FOX 8 in G’boro said last night tha Marshall AND Ford were out period. I hated to hear that about Marshall but was oh, sooo glad to hear we were not stupid enough to actually hire Phil Ford.
The last I heard Haith had not signed his extension. COmpared to Whitt he would bring the same level of excitement and fire as well as good recruiting. SFN, what’s the news with him?
Maybe Lee Fowler is scared for his job if Whitt comes to NCSU. He is well connected with ex-players and could lobby for a change in AD.
As for Ford–the man is an idiot–just not very bright. Whitt is a really smart guy–I mean hey-look where Ford went to school!
Now that I’m finally over the latest of rejections…I think Whittenberg is easily our best choice. We’ve been snubbed by the obvious ones…now let’s get back to someone who will have more passion in the position than anyone since Jimmy V.
It’s especially nice to hear he was an ACC assistant for two championship teams.
Give it to him. THEN get us a new AD.
Thank you SFN. Great article. Also, some of the posts on here have been great. I believe in Whitt, and your article has given me goosebumps. Hire him NOW! He will make it easy for you, I know it!
Imagine, NC State in the nation’s top ten in scoring…
it does bother me how Whitt went from ‘do NOT mention him’ to ‘top choice’…but I guess we do have to look at what our options were at the time, as compared to now. Just as why I was so high on Belein…he was the best option we had remaining. Now…well, I feel Whitt is far and away our best option remaining. The biggest downside with him is we don’t KNOW what his downside will be.
And it could be nothing.
I like Whittenberg and am sure that this would be his dream job, but remember it was also Les’s dream job. Not all dreams have happy endings…
I posted this on 4/12 - and still believe it to be the truth:
I am a proud old-timer, because I remember when going to an NC State basketball game was the most fun you could have with your clothes on.
It was the time when all in the Wolfpack family were united as one Pack, indivisible. When we were all the Wolfpack Nation, a howling, snarling group of hungry wolves who raised the roof in the old barn called Reynolds and caused Dean Smith to quiver with anger, to make Mike K sit there glum and sad, to send Terry Holland back to UNC Charlottesville sad, sad, sad. At the time, Holland coached a top 5 team. Jim Valvano beat them not once, but twice in a three week span - once to end any hope of an ACC Championship, the next time to end their season in the NCAA Tournament. It was a proud moment for the NC State Wolfpack - sending Ralph Sampson on to his non-descript NBA career and Terry Holland back to UNC-Charlottesville with teeth marks in their hides to serve as reminders to them that the Wolf stands atop the mountain, and never the Wahoo, whatever a wahoo is.
Those were wonderful times. State had a chance in every game they played, and we feared no one. We respected our opponents, to be sure, but our spirit did not overwhelm our couth. Reynolds Coliseum was a civil sort of hell, but a hell it was if you were the guests.
I want that again. I want the RBC to be louder for basketball than it is for hockey, and it is often called the loudest arena in the NHL. In hockey it can be like standing next to a jet engine. There’s no reason it cannot be the same in basketball. In Reynolds, there were times your ears rang for a day after a game. The RBC could be the same.
I want that, and much more, for the young wolf-pups. I want them listening to Gary Hahn’s every word the way I listened to Wally Ausley and Gary Dornburg. I want them to have heros on the court and on the sidelines. Heros on the court. Heros that get degrees. Heros that have time to say hello to a young starry-eyed kid to scared to ask for an autograph.
I want the students to burn their couches on the Brickyard, the way I did. I want to see toilet paper in the trees along Hillsboro Street, and I want to see students running with joy to join the fracas.
I’d love to watch Debra Morgan recoil in horror at the happy riot not two miles from WRAL. She’d be safe there, as there is no better place to be than with celebrating Wolfpack fans. Victory means so much more to us, because it also means vindication - vindication from the holier-than-thou attitudes that we at NCSU experience every day.
You people, as Chuck Amato says, deserve that. Amato is one of us. Our next coach will be…one of us. Whoever it is fated to lead the Pack will be joining a special family, one that has the bonds of the blood of the wolf. He may not know it now, but his destiny is infamy - a wolf’s memory is longer than an elephant’s.
We old timers who suffered through the V Scandal, the Les is Less years, and the Pepto Bismol of the Princeton Offense want to see NC State back where we belong: on the hunt. Wolves are hunters, and they hunt in packs. We prey upon knowledge every single day at NC State. We do it in reasearch labs. We do it in the classroom. And we can damn sure do it on the basketball court too. Never let anyone tell you different. When the Pack is at full strength, our specialty making UNC and Duke lives utter hell thinking about having to come over here and play a team that not only wants to beat them but to beat them BADLY. Nothing is sweeter to the fangs of the wolf than the taste of ram. Close is the hide of the Blue Devil or the leg of the Demon Deacon. And my friends, we WILL taste that again. In the workplace. On the rec-league field. On the football field. And, on the basketball court. It will happen. No matter what Gregg Doyel or Mike DeCourcey tells you.
The man to lead that hunt for basketball program is the prodigy of Jim Valvano. He has been there, he has done all of the things up above: beaten the Tarheel. Defeated the Blue Devil. Whipped the Demon Deacon. Won the championship. Cut down the nets, THE nets — the national champion’s nets. And he can lead us to those promised lands again.
His name is Dereck Whittenberg. It is time for Lee Fowler to pick up the phone and end this coaching search right now and go directly back to the foundations of The Legend. Go back to our roots. Go back to being…us. Defy Larry Monteith and thwart Todd Turner - and make State matter again. We can do this, and we can do it the right way. We simply need a leader who has no fear, who refuses to accept horse-crap like “second tier” and who knows that an NC State education prepares you for success. Whit knows this. Whit has done this.
Whittenberg will come, he wants to come, as Dereck Whittenberg is one of us. Once a wolf, always a wolf. And now, Whit may be an older wolf, as am I, but he is a wolf who knows the way. He has been there before, he knows what the journey requires and he knows that there is indeed a happy ending to the story.
Let him call the shots. After all, his shot (which he still insists was a shot) was the most important in the entire history of North Carolina State University basketball. There are growling stomachs in the ranks of the Wolfpack, and there are sheep afoot. Let Dereck Whittenberg lead the hunt.
Just because Whitt has passion does not mean he can Coach, if that was the case give the job to Burleson he has more passion than any one who played at State other than maybe Thompson. I think you need to be realistic and stop fretting over how long this is taking. Fowler might not be the one screwing this up have ya’ll ever thought of that?
I for one would love to see them take Jamie Dixon, Mike Brey and Greg Marshal and go from there. I love the Pack as much as all of you however I do not want us to make a bad decision Whitt has a below 500 record and needs more time.
Think with your heads and not your hearts Whitt is not the answer.
Go Pack
No way.
No, not all dreams have happy endings. But compared to the rest of the crop that still remains…
…it’s almost insulting NOT to give him his shot.
Look at it from a fanbase point. Sure, there are many people who understandably have reservations about Whitt. But…what true NC State fan would be unable to GET BEHIND him if he were chosen? Would there really be a populace amongst us who would show active dissatisfaction if one of our own were chosen, right from the beginning?
^ NC State fans specialize in angst, so yes.
FINALLY!!!! I think Whitt is THE choice for the Pack. He GETS what it means (or use to) to be able to say “I’m a Wolfpack Fan” - he understands why it is so important to be up for the games against your conference foes, especially Duke and Carowhina! He isn’t intimidated by them; he has beaten them, both as a player and as an assistant under V and Cremins.
Is it a “risk”? Sure, but so is blowing 2 or 3 mil a year on Barnes or Callipari or especially Beilein. There are NO GUARANTEES! BUT, what you CAN take to the bank is his passion for the PACK & perhaps most importantly, ability to reunite the fan base behind one of its own! I’ve wanted Whitt for a while!
Packfans, it is time to call for the support of one of our own! Fowler, hire Whitt!!!!
Thanks for the well written piece, beowolf.
One additional point from me — I didn’t realize that Fordham plays in the A-10 with schools such as Charlotte, George Washington, Temple and Xavier. Also, here is ESPN’s snapshot of Fordham’s 05-06 season.
Someone mentioned earlier that Whit burned bridges when he left…that was due to the horrible mistreatment of Jimmy V. A lot of Wolfpackers burned bridges. At that time, my grandfather, not Wendell Murphy, was the #1 donor and he told the entire wolfpack club off and never donated another dollar to the school after they had voted to get rid of Jim. Valvano gave the eulogy at my grandads funeral about two years later.
The point is that Whit probably was a stand-up guy for what he believed in. Furthermore, looking back, every wolfpacker knows that JimmyV shouldn’t have been escorted out the door the way he was. I think that if Whit spoke his mind about the Valvano situation…then the bridges may be rebuilt.
My concern with Whitt is that he has not proven that he can sustain a program, or take it to a high level. What he HAS proven is that he can rebuild a program. I have said it over and over, there is a very different skill set needed to take a program to the top versus rebuild a program. Whether you like Sendek or not, he did an excellent job rebuilding our program… but he could not take it to a high level. And before anyone starts going beserk: by “high level” I mean an appropriate high level for the specific program (in other words, I am not trying to suggest that a high level for NCSU is the same as a high level for Wagner or Fordham). For example, winning/challenging for a conference title, winning a conference tournament. While Greg Marhsall would not be my choice, at least he has shown that he can take a program to a high level and sustain it.
This is NOT to say that Whitt can’t do it, but it is very rare that a person that ha the skills to rebuild something, also has the skills to take it to a high level. Of course… if we wait long enough it may NEED to be rebuilt!
I know this is off topic…but its just so great I had to post it.
“Phil Ford is a great person and was one of the greatest college basketball players ever,” said Corchiani, who runs a mortgage financing business in Raleigh. “But if he’s named N.C. State’s head basketball coach, maybe I should think about being a Rams Club member.”
^the news and observer
I remember going to Jimmy V basketball camp when I was a kid (probably 1988) and Whittenberg was challenging anyone out there to play him, so of course the line was very long. I just remember he was full of life, hilarious…almost like Valvano himself. He made an impression on me as a kid. I remember he was out there playing for hours, and telling everyone that no one could beat him. Of course he was so tired after all that time that he was having to “cheat” (grab your shirt when you got by him, etc.) since he was going up against fresh legs, but of course it was all in good fun, almost more of a comedy routine. But to my recollection, nobody beat him that day!! He was someone I’ll never forget.
At this point in “the mess” any candidate will have some real questions. Fowler took his shot (and if indications are true royally screwed up that shot) at some “homerun type name coaches. Now (after a month of looking we find ourselves saying “which way did he go” to a number of different prospects. I agree it is time to give Whitt the chance, give him some time to show what he can do with the program (not 10 years I hope), support his obvious “fire” and passion and move forward without Jed.
^^^ JimValvano — both of your last posts have been great!
My boss is a Florida grad and his comment on our coaching search debacle was “Don’t you guys have any alumni you can go to? That’s what you do in these spots.” Whitt could end up being Norm Sloan, Les Robinson, or Jim Valvano revisited. I think his time as an assistant in the ACC makes him a better choice than some of the other mid-major candidates who haven’t experienced the ACC. I’m a HOZE Squad member, so I’m not particularly objective when it comes to Whitt. I do know that the guy is tough and he would be honored to become the next coach at NC State. He would do a better job of selling State than anyone else on the board. I really hope the press conference is this afternoon. We can’t get him signed soon enough.
“These are reasons that I think would make Coach Whittenburg an attractive candidate regardless of where he went to school.�
With tongue in cheek I have to ask - Would this also have incuded Carolina?
I keep reading that Whitt is simply not on the considered list, but who knows?
What was incredibly unbelievable to me was the report linked to previously, I think it was a Winston Salem publication that reported LF was so confident that either Lavin or Beilein would come that he told other potentials in so many words that they were no longer being considered. Talk about burning your bridges. Well, I guess I can believe it afterall.
“Fordham men’s basketball coach Dereck Whittenburg calls plays during a game against Xavier, Feb. 7, 2004, in Cincinnati. Whittenburg, a former player and assistant coach at North Carolina State, is a possible candidate for North Carolina State men’s basketball coaching job. (AP Photo/Mike Simons)”
April 27, 2006
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/apphoto/photo?sportId=41&photoId=1132375
There was a photo involved.
To those of you who say Whitt doesn’t have enough experience. using this same logic would have prevented Everett Case from ever being our coach. You also would not have chosen Dean Smith or Mike K based on their backgrounds either so dwell on that for awhile.
Sendek went 8-38 against Duke and Carolina, and was 9-16 against Wake Forest, the state’s other ACC school.
I just can’t imagine anyone doing much worse than that. Sounds to me like we need a “program builder” like Whit.
Our situation is close enough to rebuilding now. We are more than likely going to lose 4 starters, and possibly 5 if Brackman doesn’t return. I am all for Whitt.
Our situation is now FUBAR - Fowlered Up Beyond All Recognition
If this blog starts to convince readers, they should research even further, because the points made are just the tip of the iceberg as to why Whitt is a great choice.
Speaking of Jim Valvano, Coach Whittenburg is also on the Board of Directors of the Jimmy V Foundation.
I must be very suggestible because now I want Whitt. The more I hear, the better he sounds. Barry Saunders in the N&O says there’s no way he’ll get an offer. I think (hope) he’s just a cynic on this topic, as he is on many others.
Nice post RAWFS, got me all verklempt.
DW is a hell of a risk, agreed. But so are most others that are on the list now.
Alright, I wasn’t a supporter of Whitt for coach, but after reading the following story, I can only say Mr. Fowler, get off your ass and go get him. Now!
When in Rome…
Jan 18, 2006 05:58 PM
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Tonight the Massachusetts Minutemen (7-6 2-1) return home where they will try and pull off their tenth consecutive Mullins Center victory, which includes last season, against the much-improved Fordham Rams (7-9 2-1).
Let’s just say I’m glad this one is being played at home, because Derek Whittenburg might be under a watchful eye when he’s not being out of line in front of his home crowd in the Bronx.
But Brendan, you might ask, what do you mean? Isn’t this the same Derek Whittenburg that threw up the most famous airball in history, the eventual tipped-in 3-point attempt that gave NC State the upset of Phi Slamma Jamma Houston and is most vividly depicted by Jimmy V running around the court, looking for someone to hug? Yep, that’s him alright.
But what you may or may not know is that Whittenburg can be a bit fiery at times. Take last February, the last time these two teams met up, in Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym. At one point in the game, Whittenburg allegedly yelled to then-UMass coach Steve Lappas, “Get back in the f***** box you motherf***** a*******!”, among other things.
Well-done reporting about that incident here:
http://www.dailycollegian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/02/14/421018f599d72?in_archive=1
Nothing in UMass basktball history will ever top John Chaney’s famous press conference fisticuffs with John Calipari, but this is still uncool and out of line.
I have a few words of advice for Mr. Whittenburg: this isn’t Boogie-down Bronx–this is Amherst, the proverbial Berkeley of the east coast. People won’t put up with that around here. Sure, Travis Ford has received a few technicals, but he’s a dignified man. You might see him rip off his jacket in typical Pitino-protege style, slam the ball, or even yell to one of his players “You’re lazy!”, but you will NEVER see him cursing at the opponsing coach. As my old high school football coach used to say, fear no opponent–but respect every opponent.
In short, Mr. Whittenburg: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
I had some classes with Whitt and even on occaison hung out with him some. Unless he has changed he is a salesman! That is what a great recruiter must be! Not sure about the x and 0’s but I think he can get us the recruits. Very few coaches are great at recruiting and x and 0’s. If you can be great at 1 and good at the other I think you can be successful. I think this is where Whitt will be along with the passion and loyalty that all true wolfpackers have!
He might suprize some folks if he gets the chance. Hey winners are winners. Has’nt he always been a winner since high school? ( I know overall HC record but must be realistic about the 1st years at poor bb programs)
I’m all onboard w/ Whitt. Nothing the Fowler can do know can save him from losing his job in the near future. I know, he went after Barnes, and that should appease the lunatic fringe. It’s what he did afterward, when he had been pre-approved for financing the mansion (Barnes) and didn’t land it, that was proof of his imcompetence. If Herb and his contract made sense to him, why not make an honest assessment of those coachs out there that represented a lateral move.
When Fowler leaves and a new AD arrives, chances are that there will be changes forecoming in the head coachs positions. That makes this hire look as interim as can be, unless it’s Whitt. If he can build something here then there is no way a new AD is just going to walz in and fire Derek Whittenburg. If Whitt doesn’t pan out then we come out even in the end since any other coach at this point would be a temp anyway.
“He understands the passion we have at State and the no excuses against UNC and Duke. All others will say they get it but only Whit truly does.”
This is a correct statement, and I don’t believe there are any other potential candidates out there that fulfil this statement. Except perhaps Bobby Knight…but you could insert the rest of the schools in the country for UNC/DUKE with him.
I like Whitt, but I don’t see other schools really looking at him as a coach. I think Marshall is a better answer, he has beaten and pushed top schools with no talent at Winthrop. If we hire Whitt now, we would appear to be the biggest clowns in the world.
And for those who say DW is a risk, I’d say, “And Steve Lavin WASN’T?”
Jimmy V was a risk — No Risk, No Reward!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but was Whitt from the D.C., MD area (or was that Lowe, or both?) If so, then along with his GT recruiting days, and NYC connections, this guy has got the whole east coast pinned down. More importantly, if you are a coach who was a former standout player that left the comforts of home to go to a new place and grow as a person and player, wouldn’t that count for something when recruiting?
My dream coach is someone who will tell Roy or K to “get back in the box you muthafka”
Go Whitt
no way whitt could outcuss k. no way in h e 2 hockey sticks
With JF’s past performance during the last month, does anyone think he would pay any attention to the ‘lunatic fringe’? I’d like to see Whitt, give him a chance.
excuse me, LF, my bad
I hope Condition #1 for any coach accepting is that Jethro be terminated!!!
At this point, I only see two viable candidates remaining, Whittenburg or Marshall. Get either one hired, get them a good supporting cast with assistants, and let’s get on with it!
Fowler has made the University look like a bunch of stooges and lunatics and frankly, I think that was his intent all along. I think he sees that his days are numbered and he’s wanting to push the blame to someone else.
As I said a couple of months ago, “My alma mater has been hijacked by a bunch of buffoons and it’s time the alumni take control of N C State”!!!