IF the season really tanks...

[OrangeXtreme]

Good luck.

The kid could have been a straight A student for all anyone knows. But if he took a couple of courses in Africa that don't meet NCAA criteria, he's screwed.

And there isn't an NCAA handbook which lists all the foreign courses a kid can take which meet NCAA standards. They kind of make things up as they go along. :noidea:

 

[Fly Rodder]

I don't think Diagne's issues were about his grades/coursework as several insiders have intimated. That's as far as they've said and nothing else. :noidea:

 

[cuseguy]

I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that Richardson and/or Lydon leave. I'm not hoping or saying they SHOULD...but we just had a guy leave after playing 1/2 a season.

I don't think we should worry about Lydon going pro. It's clear he's not even remotely ready.

Malachi would benefit from at least another year, Lydon probably two more years.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I don't think we should worry about Lydon going pro. It's clear he's not even remotely ready.

Malachi would benefit from at least another year, Lydon probably two more years.

I posted the latest mock's as of yesterday on the main bball board. Neither are even on the radar for this year.

 

[RandygoCuse]

No, I can't see Boeheim getting fired either, but I think next year will be his last. I think he stated he would stay 3 years so he wouldn't get the farewell tour treatment when he quits after 2. I have absolutely no inside information to back this up. Just my humble opinion.

 

[RF2044]

I agree with this. Maybe I missed it but how many major programs have been banging down the door to hire MH? When JB leaves - and that should be whenever he wants to leave (barring any more violations) - SU should hire the best available coach to replace him. I've always had the feeling that MH is not necessarily that guy.

Ditto.

 

[pearl31]

Ditto.

Hey RF, just curious... did you change your tune on Hop recently? I swear I remember you being on board before.

 

[RF2044]

Hey RF, just curious... did you change your tune on Hop recently? I swear I remember you being on board before.

No--I've been consistent on this since he was announced as CIW. I wanted him to leave the fold to get experience when he had opportunities, so that he could get his on-the-job training elsewhere and be ready when he came back. And if he flopped elsewhere, then we would have dodged a bullet.

Look at the track records that schools replacing coaching icons have gone through:

• UNC with Gut [winning with Dean Smith's players], then retiring after 2 years and giving way to Matt Doherty who stunk
• Georgetown with Craig Escherick
• Indiana with Mike Davis, that announcer, Kelvin Smith, and even their current goofball who is in danger of being fired

Replacing an icon isn't easy. And it can really set the program back if you get the hire wrong.

Look, I love Hopkins. And I'm very appreciative for everything he's done for the program. There is NO DOUBT that he has done the heavy lifting in the program as JB has gotten older. Coach is the closer with recruiting and shows up on game day, but has handed over a LOT of day-to-day responsibility to Hopkins that most ACs don't have. And I think that Hopkins is such a dynamic personality, that he's been a huge boon on the recruiting trail. I also think he's been incredibly loyal to the University, and has waited his turn--and has probably waited a lot longer than he should have.

But regardless of how this season is unfolding, this is an elite caliber job. We need to land the best coaching candidate we can, period. And if that candiate comes from outside of the program, so be it.

I feel like we place too much emphasis on keeping it in the "family" as opposed to getting the best guy we can. I also wouldn't mind seeing things switch up a bit with our style of play. Landing [and these are just purely hypothetical names] a Jay Wright, a Sean Miller, a Shaka Smart, are proven commodities who have won at a high level, and would make us better offensively than we've been the last few years.

Now, maybe Hopkins will pan out and sustain JB's success, even though numerous historical examples suggest that probably won't happen. But at the end of the day, I don't think it can be argued that Hopkins--at his current experience level--is the "best" candidate for the big shoes he has to fill. You don't make a middle executive the CEO--you go out and hire another executive.

And just to be clear again, I love Hopkins. I think he "deserves" a shot. I would just prefer a Shaka Smart or a Brad Stevens or a Gregg Marshall to Hop.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I do get amused by the short memories of some here and their willingness to jump over the edge so soon (not necessarily directed at the OP). We missed on a PG recruit who most members here were some level of excited to land and we recruited a Center without knees who we assumed had some knees. That's the cause (along with maybe the wasted scholarship on Obokoh) of the team's woes right now.

If Kaleb was anything other than poopy at the game of basketball, we might be okay. But he is poopy, so we play a forward at PG and teams who do that are gonna have a bad time. We also play a freshman SF, who weighs less than Juli Boeheim, at Center for most of the game because he has a knee or two unlike the McDonalds All-American. That's not a recipe for success either.

I don't think it is this simple. I also am not advocating JB's dismissal or anything but one has to look at how we got to this point (sanctions aside). Objectively, this team needs to play near perfect games to beat anybody. We are going to struggle with everybody. It is not inconceivable if this season we have an old BE DePaul-like season of say 2-16 in the ACC. It looks like an unimaginable record but it is certainly possible with how thin we are everywhere and how little margin for error there is. Historically, SU teams falter late and just look at all these minutes the guys are playing.

Speaking of minutes. I'm going to focus on the guards since college hoops is driven by guards and we all know about Diagne and Coleman's issues. Roberson had a nice game last night but he is still WAY too inconsistent for a junior and a former Top 35 recruit. How did we get to the point where Cooney is nearly playing 40MPG for almost 2.5 seasons now? G for nearly 1.5. A SG/SF is playing PG. 2013-2014 team had no other guard options besides Ennis/Cooney. It isn't just Kaleb Joseph. BJ, Ron, Chino, are all HUGE misses along with Kaleb. FOUR guys who couldn't/can't even be counted on to be ROLE PLAYERS. To count on the guards they brought in (or lack thereof) the past few years has been a fail on the staff. There is just no other way to look at it. Cooney isn't capable of being a primary option type player and shouldn't be playing so many minutes. I like Cooney a lot but he is what he is and he has limitations. The staff has put us into this guard problem for a few years now. Our 25-0 collapse happened with Ennis driving the bus as well. After that miracle Duke game teams were able to lock him down far from the basket. I would listen to Francis's latest podcast about the current state of recruiting as of late. Is 'Syracuse basketball' working? Things are looking brighter next year for sure. Time will tell I suppose.

 

[RF2044]

Ibut one has to look at how we got to this point (sanctions aside).

• McCullough left early despite the injury
• Bryant unexpectedly didn't come here
• Diagne got sideswiped by the NCAA and didn't end up playing this year
• We took Tyler Ennis [a 1 year player] instead of Monte Morris [a 3 year player on a top 10 team] and Rysheed Jordan
• We hand picked Kaleb Joseph instead of taking Ja'Quan Newton

In a nutshell, that's how we got here. Some of it is bad luck, some of it is of our own doing.

But in the main, too much emphasis is placed on the class of 2013. We are literally a player away from being pretty good and top 20, and a big away from being very good. This team would look a lot different with McCullough and Ja'Quan Newton playing instead of Coleman / Joseph.

 

[Cusefan0307]

No--I've been consistent on this since he was announced as CIW. I wanted him to leave the fold to get experience when he had opportunities, so that he could get his on-the-job training elsewhere and be ready when he came back. And if he flopped elsewhere, then we would have dodged a bullet.

Look at the track records that schools replacing coaching icons have gone through:

• UNC with Gut [winning with Dean Smith's players], then retiring after 2 years and giving way to Matt Doherty who stunk
• Georgetown with Craig Escherick
• Indiana with Mike Davis, that announcer, Kelvin Smith, and even their current goofball who is in danger of being fired

Replacing an icon isn't easy. And it can really set the program back if you get the hire wrong.

Look, I love Hopkins. And I'm very appreciative for everything he's done for the program. There is NO DOUBT that he has done the heavy lifting in the program as JB has gotten older. Coach is the closer with recruiting and shows up on game day, but has handed over a LOT of day-to-day responsibility to Hopkins that most ACs don't have. And I think that Hopkins is such a dynamic personality, that he's been a huge boon on the recruiting trail. I also think he's been incredibly loyal to the University, and has waited his turn--and has probably waited a lot longer than he should have.

But regardless of how this season is unfolding, this is an elite caliber job. We need to land the best coaching candidate we can, period. And if that candiate comes from outside of the program, so be it.

I feel like we place too much emphasis on keeping it in the "family" as opposed to getting the best guy we can. I also wouldn't mind seeing things switch up a bit with our style of play. Landing [and these are just purely hypothetical names] a Jay Wright, a Sean Miller, a Shaka Smart, are proven commodities who have won at a high level, and would make us better offensively than we've been the last few years.

Now, maybe Hopkins will pan out and sustain JB's success, even though numerous historical examples suggest that probably won't happen. But at the end of the day, I don't think it can be argued that Hopkins--at his current experience level--is the "best" candidate for the big shoes he has to fill. You don't make a middle executive the CEO--you go out and hire another executive.

And just to be clear again, I love Hopkins. I think he "deserves" a shot. I would just prefer a Shaka Smart or a Brad Stevens or a Gregg Marshall to Hop.

Stevens isn't coming back to college. I know people love Jay Wright, but his teams tank more than anyones down the stretch ever year. I can't see Miller or Smart coming here to leave warm weather.

I understand your concerns, but I think Hop will be ok. These past two years have just been a cluster.

Our hope is Hopkins is our Kevin Ollie to Uconns Jim Calhoun.

Recruiting, or lackthereof has been our biggest issue more than th coaching IMO, but that could be due to the sanctions.

 

[SoBeCuse]

• McCullough left early.
• Bryant didn't come here.
• Diagne got sideswiped by the NCAA.
• We took Tyler Ennis [a 1 year player] instead of Monte Morris [a 3 year player on a top 10 team]
• We selected Kaleb Joseph instead of Ja'Quan Newton or Rysheed Jordan

In a nutshell, that's how we got here. Some of it is bad luck, some of it is of our own doing.

But in the main, too much emphasis is placed on the class of 2013. We are literally a player away from being pretty good and top 20, and a big away from being very good. This team would look a lot different with McCullough and Ja'Quan Newton playing instead of Coleman / Joseph.

No question those were the other options regarding players and of course the bad luck. The coaches made those mistakes re: picking the players they did. McCullough I don't think was being ever considered staying beyond one-and-done, imo.

 

[RF2044]

Stevens isn't coming back to college. I know people love Jay Wright, but his teams tank more than anyones down the stretch ever year. I can't see Miller or Smart coming here to leave warm weather.

I understand your concerns, but I think Hop will be ok. These past two years have just been a cluster.

Our hope is Hopkins is our Kevin Ollie to Uconns Jim Calhoun.

Recruiting, or lackthereof has been our biggest issue more than th coaching IMO, but that could be due to the sanctions.

Those candidates were hypothetical examples [which I specified above]. I'm not saying that those guys would comprise Coyle's list.

Othewise, your response is speculative. You don't know any of that. I could see Miller coming east--he's from Beaver Falls, PA. Would he leave AZ? Who knows. Stevens -- I'd be willing to bet he's the next Indiana coach after Crean inevitably gets canned. I can't back that up with facts, because like the unsubstantiated opinions you expressed, that is just my speculative prediction.

We have a new AD. I wouldn't expect him to be bound by any deals cut by the boob he replaced. Will be interesting to see how things play out.

 

[RF2044]

No question those were the other options regarding players and of course the bad luck. The coaches made those mistakes re: picking the players they did. McCullough I don't think was being ever considered staying beyond one-and-done, imo.

Agreed. But when he went down 9 games into the season or whatever, that opened the door for him to potentially return to rehab and improve his draft position. Had he done so, it would have had an immense impact on this year's team. He didn't, so it is moot.

 

[Col. Bleep]

[IF the season really tanks...]

IF??????

 

[br801]

Agreed. But when he went down 9 games into the season or whatever, that opened the door for him to potentially return to rehab and improve his draft position. Had he done so, it would have had an immense impact on this year's team. He didn't, so it is moot.

He would likely just now getting back on the court in actual games and just beginning to knock off the rust as conference play heats up. Not sure he would have been the difference-maker to this team that you imagine.

 

[RF2044]

He would likely just now getting back on the court in actual games and just beginning to knock off the rust as conference play heats up. Not sure he would have been the difference-maker to this team that you imagine.

Lots of games left to be played. McCullough > Coleman by a wide degree, no doubt in my mind. He's a guy capable of providing double-double contributions every night, as well as the shot blocking this team sorely lacks. He would absolutely be the difference maker to this team I imagine.

 

[Hoov50]

We're in year 3 of mediocre-to-embarrassing basketball... and in year 4 of dysfunctional halfcourt offense.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this comment. Year 4?! I can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching us play offense, maybe GMac's junior year. I had hopes for this year at the beginning because at least we were willing to shoot three pointers. However, we then decided to shoot waaaaay too many for a few games and now have reverted back to our crappy offense of the last 10+ years.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Those candidates were hypothetical examples [which I specified above]. I'm not saying that those guys would comprise Coyle's list.

Othewise, your response is speculative. You don't know any of that. I could see Miller coming east--he's from Beaver Falls, PA. Would he leave AZ? Who knows. Stevens -- I'd be willing to bet he's the next Indiana coach after Crean inevitably gets canned. I can't back that up with facts, because like the unsubstantiated opinions you expressed, that is just my speculative prediction.

We have a new AD. I wouldn't expect him to be bound by any deals cut by the boob he replaced. Will be interesting to see how things play out.

You make good points. I think Archie Miller would be more realistic.

As for Stevens, he's pretty committed to the NBA, and I don't think Indiana could pay him what the Celtics would.

 

[br801]

Lots of games left to be played. McCullough > Coleman by a wide degree, no doubt in my mind. He's a guy capable of providing double-double contributions every night, as well as the shot blocking this team sorely lacks. He would absolutely be the difference maker to this team I imagine.

I'm not denying he would have helped, just saying the help may have arrived after too much damage had been done.

 

[RF2044]

I'm not denying he would have helped, just saying the help may have arrived after too much damage had been done.

Hard to say. Uconn is 10-4 and ranked. We're 10-6. Not to late to salvage. :noidea:

 

[FrancoPizza]

I wholeheartedly disagree with this comment. Year 4?! I can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching us play offense, maybe GMac's junior year. I had hopes for this year at the beginning because at least we were willing to shoot three pointers. However, we then decided to shoot waaaaay too many for a few games and now have reverted back to our crappy offense of the last 10+ years.

Yes, our halfcourt offense has been abysmal save for 1 magical season (2009-2010). In 2011-12 we scored in transition so much that our halfcourt challenges were masked quite well for the most part. So, yes, outside of those 2 years we'd have to go all the way back to 2003 timeframe to find a fun offense. The main difference now is that we have absolutely no transition game (arguably what made SU teams exciting) and our adjusted tempo ranks as one of the slowest in the nation.

 

[Col. Bleep]

Lots of games left to be played...

Unfortunately, that's the problem instead of a source of hope.

What prospects are there for people to suddenly elevate their games?
What prospects are there for this team to suddenly gel?
(And if it did gel would that really be something we'd want to see)?

We have what we have this year.
And there's no G-Mac to take over as in '05-'06.
The question is can this team play smarter and be coached to adapt?
Adaptation is not our strong suit.

 

[Kowbelkat]

Ah. Excuse me but next years team is gonna be loaded. Preseason top 10 for sure. How is that not great.

You are crazy top 10? With still no true pg and a center no one misses at Providence

 

[CuseTG2003]

You make good points. I think Archie Miller would be more realistic.

As for Stevens, he's pretty committed to the NBA, and I don't think Indiana could pay him what the Celtics would.

Archie Miller's the guy I've wanted for a while now. Need someone who's proven.