Hershkovich: Why Moser Should Take St. John's Job

Porter Moser
Photo credit Brett Davis/USA Today Sports
(670 The Score) From the Final Four to the National Invitation Tournament.

That was Loyola-Chicago’s trajectory over the past two seasons as it resides in a Missouri Valley Conference that's typically a one-bid league. Even as it was led by one of the premier mid-major coaches in the nation in Porter Moser, Loyola's ceiling was capped because of the landscape of college basketball.

Now, Moser faces his the biggest decision of his coaching career. St. John’s has offered Moser an eight-year deal worth around $2.2 million annually to fill its head coaching vacancy, Andrew Slater reported. It comes after Moser signed a contract extension with the Ramblers last spring that runs through the 2025-'26 season. The buyout in his deal wasn’t reported last April, but it’s likely an affordable price with Moser earning $900,000 this past season.

So which way should Moser lean?

St. John's is coming off a 21-13 season in which it lost in a First Four matchup in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Storm play in the Big East, a multi-bid conference that sent four programs to the NCAA Tournament last season. Not only would Moser reel in a heftier paycheck, but he’d also be in position to guide the program back to the big dance with a top-five conference finish.

It would be no easy task. A rebuild is awaiting St. John's. Point guard Shamorie Ponds (19.7 points per game) is testing the NBA waters after signing with an agent, and the Red Storm could lose three other key pieces from its NCAA Tournament team.

To find success at St. John's, Moser would have to hire respected assistant coaches who are well-connected in the New York area to deliver in the local recruiting scene. Even then, returning to relevance would be no lock.

Former Red Storm coach Chris Mullin is a prime example. The ex-St. John’s star possessed the name recognition to help the program regain prominence, but he needed four seasons before finally earning a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. If Moser doesn't showcase promise in year one, he’ll be deemed a bust in one of the toughest media markets around.

So there’s certainly more comfort in his role at Loyola and in the MVC. No one’s coming for his head.

Nevertheless, Moser’s pace-and-space philosophy fits the mold of the Big East. Villanova -- while on a different level than St. John’s is and would be next season -- has excelled with that system to the tune of two national titles in the past four years.

It would be a challenge to reel in high-major talent that fits his scheme, but that's the type of challenge that mid-major coaches often seek.

Wichita State coach Greg Marshall turned the Shockers into the MVC’s annual jackhammer before the school shifted to the AAC two seasons ago. Even if the Ramblers turned into a yearly NCAA Tournament team, the door won’t be open for joining a non-mid-major conference anytime soon.

Take the pay raise and the risk, Porter. Build something at St. John's that’s unattainable at Loyola-Chicago.

Eli Hershkovich is a producer for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @EliHershkovich.