Does Matt McMahon face the toughest coaching challenge in LSU history?

John Brady says "hi".

It is still far from decided how much of the current roster leaves. Entering the portal doesn’t mean they are gone and half the roster is yet to enter anyway.

Brady didn’t have the transfer portal, so Brady.

No... The program was in worse shape when both Brady and Wade took over.

He's not even facing the toughest coaching challenge in LSU basketball history...let alone LSU history.

John Brady took over a program that at the time was in complete free fall AND received NCAA sanctions: 1 year postseason ban, loss of 6 scholarships over 3 years, recruiting restrictions. Wade took over a program mired in apathy coming off its worst SEC record in program history.

NEITHER had the benefit of the transfer portal, which is effectively college free agency. So they had to build their programs through juco signings, HS recruiting, and transfers that had to sit out a year.

McMahon inherits a program that has been to 3 straight (would have been 4) NCAA Tournaments. Despite what everyone seems to think, LSU is not under any sanctions at the moment. And it is very likely sanctions wont be rendered for another 1-2 years...if they are even all that severe against the SCHOOL (not Wade personally)

But the immediately eligible transfer rule makes McMahon's "rebuilding" job FAR more easier than what Brady and Wade faced. He is going to have the opportunity to bring in good, veteran players to contribute immediately.

Iowa St. was 2-22 last season. They hired a new HC who started with 3 returning players. He brought in 7 transfers and 1 HS signee. With that almost completely new team (comprised of 11 scholarship players) Iowa St. went 22-13 with a Sweet 16 appearance. Hell, Wade had 5 returning players in his first season at LSU. To fill out the roster he brought in a grad transfer, two JUCO players, and 4 HS signees. In the process he took a program that went 10-21 (2-16) the year before he arrived and led a team picked to finish last in the SEC to a 18-15 (8-10) record and NIT birth.

I don't like that Wade was fired. But the people that are convinced LSU is going to go into a black hole for 3, 4, 5 years (some idiot predicted LSU wouldn't win a SEC game over the next two seasons 0-36!) either don't watch college basketball or are just emotional basket cases. College basketball programs can be completely "rebuilt" in a matter of a year or two.

John Brady and Will Wade had that role.

Both were left with a shite show from the Dale Brown and Johnny Jones eras.

And it's not even close.

Maybe considering a portion of the fan base hates him already because he isn't Will Wade. I get the hate that Saban got because he left for the NFL. I get the hate that Miles got because so much talent was wasted. What I don't get is the undying love for a man that knowingly fricked LSU basketball for maybe years to come.

Brady and it’s not close. He dealt with scholarship reductions at a time when there was a 5/8 signee rule (5 per year, 8 over two years), which made it nearly impossible to build a roster.

LSU was dealt the most severe non-death penalty sanctions in NCAA history.

NYET….