The problem with having incredible assistant coaches is that other places want them to turn into incredible head coaches. Jonas Hayes had a reputation as a great recruiter and game planner when he came to Xavier. He more than delivered on the first part in his time at Xavier landing, amongst others, Colby Jones, Dwon Odom, and Elijah Tucker.
The question of how good a head coach Hayes could be was answered this March. Xavier and Travis Steele mutually parted ways in circumstances that were essentially the firing of a coach that Xavier’s higher ups had finally decided was not up to the task of restoring the Musketeers to the top tier of the Big East.