Loyalty and Legacy and Loyola

Moser is Staying Because of Loyalty and Legacy

(St. Louis, MO) – Porter Moser is staying at Loyola. There, I said it and I believe it. He may not stay there forever, but he’s staying put for now. Loyola Chicago’s miracle working basketball coach will be toiling in the Missouri Valley Conference next season, because he prioritizes loyalty and legacy.

There are multiple factors forming Moser’s decision, but I believe loyalty and legacy are two driving forces behind what will lead to a joyous announcement someday soon.

Loyalty and Legacy

Moser is very transparent. He wants to win a national championship. While skeptics don’t believe Missouri Valley teams can rise to those heights, Moser is often heard to say ‘Why not Loyola?’

LUC has won six of its last seven NCAA Tournament games, went to the 2018 Final Four and is favored to win its Sweet Sixteen game on Saturday. The Ramblers have won three of the last four Valley regular season titles and are now a national name.

Isn’t it possible that Loyola could become the ‘Gonzaga of the Midwest’? People kept saying Mark Few needed to leave Gonzaga to contend for a national title. Instead, the Bulldogs enter their Sweet Sixteen game undefeated and this is their eleventh ‘Sweet Season’ since 1999. Gonzaga has been to three of the last four Elite Eights and were the national runner-up in 2017.

Playing in a mid-major conference hasn’t held Few or the Bulldogs back.

It doesn’t have to hinder Moser either.

The Right Fit

None of the current open head coaching positions seem to be the right fit. If current rumors are true, the Marquette job is going to be filled by Shaka Smart. Marquette was the program that scared me the most. It’s not far from Chicago, but it isn’t Chicago. It’s in the Big East Conference which could bring Moser the kind of expanded recruiting clout to more routinely play on the national stage.

If Indiana truly wants someone tied to the program, Moser is not their guy. Moser could thrive in any environment, but no Indiana coach is ever going to be Bobby Knight and expectations in Bloomington are so unrealistic, that it is becoming a graveyard for good coaches.

DePaul makes a lot of sense because it is in Chicago AND DePaul makes no sense because it is in Chicago. It’s Catholic and in the Big East and so it would seem to fit some of the Moser intangibles. I may be projecting here, but my gut tells me Moser would feel like he was cheating on Loyola by taking another Windy City team to the Big Dance.

Would Moser want to go to Texas and the Big 12? What about Oklahoma? Former Valley coaches Mark Turgeon and Greg McDermott have changed programs after leaving the MVC.

Steve Alford is in his fourth position since departing Missouri State.

Each of those coaches have known success and have been compensated royally. Have any threatened for a national championship?

Perhaps the best comparison is Dana Altman. The former Creighton head coach left the Bluejay program and took over at Oregon. After an amazing run in Omaha (327-176 in 16 seasons) Altman went west. He’s had greater success in the Pac 12 than in the Missouri Valley. His .720 winning percentage is enhanced by eight trips to March Madness with two ending in the Sweet Sixteen, one in the Elite Eight and one in the Final Four. The Ducks are a threat every year.

For Altman, Oregon was the right fit. There was an opportunity for loyalty and legacy.

What About the Money?

Moser quotes current UNI coach Ben Jacobson when he says ‘you can’t put a price tag on happy’. Moser is happy at Loyola, but it will cost the Jesuits some money for him to stay. Gonzaga has rewarded Mark Few’s loyalty.

Last Summer Moser and I discussed the possibilities of some day leaving LUC.

If LUC wants Moser to stay a number of things will need to happen. First he needs a raise. Various reports place Moser’s salary around $1 million and is most likely the highest in the Valley.

They don’t have to break the bank but adding years to his contract that runs through 2026 with significant raises each season is a start.

They’ve recently upgraded the practice facility and that is a plus. Signing on to the Battle 4 Atlantis is a positive. LUC needs to participate in high-end MTEs. As CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish recently pointed out, they will need to spend more money on their travel budget, so Moser and the players are nearly on par with ‘power conference’ teams.

USA Today’s recent report on college coaching salaries was revealing. While not every program nor coach is listed, here are some key data points. Saturday’s opposing coach, Wayne Tinkle, makes $2.266 million. The aforementioned Altman receives $3.325 million and Turgeon $3.182.

What about Mark Few? The future hall-of-famer collects just $1.979 million. Few is pursuing both loyalty and legacy. I don’t believe Moser is looking for ‘John Calipari money’ but an extended contract with a clear path to that Few level and beyond, would speak volumes to a coach that has to be hearing hundreds of other voices that are telling him to cash in.

First, This Weekend

Loyola will be the favored team in a game with a Pac 12 opponent. A victory Saturday would give Moser and LUC two Elite Eights in the last three tournaments. How much more competitive does Loyola have to be for Moser to stay?

Some key ingredients could allow Moser to continue to build loyalty and legacy.

Do Good