Huggy Bear resigns

[OrangeinDC]

He was a fit before he wanted to leave was kind of my point. Nobody was going to ask Jesse to leave the team before he explored NIL opportunities. In fact everyone on this board was waiting on pins and needles to see if he would stay

I think the key point is, "was" a fit before.

I don't think he's a fit anymore for several reasons, and not just his play on the court. He made a decision (not gonna even put it on his dad, he's a grown ass man) and the team responded by bringing in others, as a result it's not the same team and certain conversations and commitments have happened.

What message would it send to the recruits who came on board because of Jesse's decision, their potential minutes, opportunities etc.? They wanted to be here and they are here. Who want's to play with a player who's only there because his first option fell through? Can't be good for team bonding IMO.

 

[MadNY3]

In a guard centric offense and a pressure mtm he will be a fish out of water often. I'm surprised so many don't grasp this.

When forced to guard a driver on a switch, he will get himself into trouble often. He did a better job with fouls last year in the zone but when he has been isolated his lateral mobility creates issues.

Jesse makes a positive difference yes but people are over rating how much better by a good margin. That's from someone who likes Jesse a lot and wanted him back.

Now- there is this delusion we push someone out to have him return. That's absolutely nuts and poisonous to a locker room and a team. Others have noted it but again it can't be emphasized enough. He isn't the difference between a contender vs non contender. The key to having a higher ceiling was Judah returning.

We just got four new transfers less than 90 days ago and lost three guys.I don’t see Jesse coming back, but I’d really doubt there is a tight locker room to worry about versus develop.

 

[MSOrange]

 

[orangefog]

This may actually work out for Jesse. I never saw him fitting in to Huggins style very well. WV usually has big burly tough M2M defenders. Jesse just doesn’t look like a Huggins player. Maybe he will fit in with their new coach’s style better than with Huggins’ style.

 

[orangenauburn]

The man had legendary benders back in NYC during Big East tournaments of past.

I think it was 05 where he was out partying with a bunch of Cuse fans, HARD, after Syracuse beat West Virginia of all teams.

There may have been some board members here who remember this, or better yet, were there

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

We just got four new transfers less than 90 days ago and lost three guys.I don’t see Jesse coming back, but I’d really doubt there is a tight locker room to worry about versus develop.

IF Red wants him. 1. Go to your big guys and have a discussion. 2. Put it to an anonymous team vote. Must be unanimous.

In the words of Ted Lasso: Forgiveness of another is ultimately a gift to yourself.

 

[Sherman20]

I feel a little bad for Jesse, but not that much.

The Edwards family made their bed. Wouldn't take him back at this point, even if the numbers allowed it. I don't think he's a fit for how we're going to play.

Huggins is a self-destructive moron. Surprised it took this long for him to perish in flames, frankly.

“I don't think he's a fit for how we're going to play.”
I don’t think Coach Red would agree with you at all. He definitely wanted Jesse back, wanted to make him and Judah the centerpiece of next year’s team, and they tried to find the NIL dollars to entice him back.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

The man had legendary benders back in NYC during Big East tournaments of past.

I think it was 05 where he was out partying with a bunch of Cuse fans, HARD, after Syracuse beat West Virginia of all teams.

There may have been some board members here who remember this, or better yet, were there

Or, were there, but don’t really remember.

 

[orangefog]

The man had legendary benders back in NYC during Big East tournaments of past.

I think it was 05 where he was out partying with a bunch of Cuse fans, HARD, after Syracuse beat West Virginia of all teams.

There may have been some board members here who remember this, or better yet, were there

If they were there, they likely don’t remember it.

 

[AlaskaSU]

The ensuing firing was obvious to everyone except the cynics.

 

[Orangezoo]

We just got four new transfers less than 90 days ago and lost three guys.I don’t see Jesse coming back, but I’d really doubt there is a tight locker room to worry about versus develop.

Dont see how the current status of the locker matters much. Developed or not, it would be a step back to developing a tight locker room to start with.

 

[OrangeinDC]

I’m a big believer in putting the best team on the floor. Sorry so many dislike the truth. Jesse was also heavily influenced by his dad to make this decision. I believe I’ve heard that a bunch of times too and also not to blame Jesse for his departure which I’ve also heard a bunch of times in now closed Jesse thread.

I’m surprised some on here are so vehemently opposed to a possibility of returning when so many also on here indicated how good of a kid Jesse was, how much he bleeded orange and so on and so on. It doesn’t mean those other players aren’t keeping their scholarships by having Jesse come back as a walk on to help your team win games. Somebody alluded to him being a walk-on which isn’t a bad idea. Jesse made a decision that didn’t work out and it’s only natural for a young kid to want to go back to something they know and lean on people he trusts- perhaps our coaching staff. Or let him go play for another team and average 15 and 12 while (our current situation) we have a collection of centers that aren’t ready yet. Yes I get the loyalty point to current recruits. Carey isn’t a center by any stretch of the imagination, Patterson will be redshirted. That leaves our newest center and HIMA who could put in ten minutes then get into foul trouble. Just saying, but yes in the end he won’t come back here I get it. Please don’t sit here and try to explain your rationale that we have a better roster of centers without Jesse because that’s totally not true.

Although I would disagree, I could give you that we may not have a better roster, but I do believe we have better team.

 

[Niastri]

He was a fit before he wanted to leave was kind of my point. Nobody was going to ask Jesse to leave the team before he explored NIL opportunities. In fact everyone on this board was waiting on pins and needles to see if he would stay

I think we'll miss Edwards a lot. He can run the floor, rebound, block shots, dunk off the pick and roll, the lob, dump offs and alley oops. In other words, everything we think the team is going to ask the Highlander and Hima to do. PLUS, if nothing else is working, Edwards gives us something this current team won't have, the ability to take the ball in the post and give us a good chance of something positive happening.

There will be a few games this season where we will really wish we had him. Somebody up thread said we would be ranked preseason right now if we had Edwards, and I think that's accurate.

On the other hand, I would have to think hard if he asked to come back, get his initial NIL offer and walk-on. Edwards really screwed up, and I feel sorry for him. I hope he at least gets the money and can still love his dad after it's all done. Huggins is fing over everybody with his decisions.

 

[Sherman20]

It's still cutting someone's minutes to nothing though so basically it's the same outcome just with that player sitting on the bench instead of going elsewhere. Same impact from being a poison to the locker room

Yea, because Hima doesn’t play much, that’s gonna be poisonous to the locker room. Come on.

 

[OrangeDW]

“Hey McLeod, we need a center, you want this spot?”

“Hey McLeod, just kidding, nevermind. You can still sit the bench here though!”

Cmon. That’s not how things work.

 

[Orangezoo]

I’m not advocating for us to try to bring back Jesse. I don’t really know how I feel about it yet. I’m just saying it’s a possibility because the scholarship limit isn’t necessarily a barrier. Why would it be “awful”?

New coach, first year and you are adding back a guy at the cost of a player you already have began working with as part of your game plan for the year. The guy you are adding back already having moved on. That guy also having a publicly known number for NIL. You already have your clear leader returning in Judah and now you bring back a 5th year guy so whose team is it now? There are a ton of additional issues to manage with a first year coach. As someone else said you get to do this once and you can sour relationships and create question marks for recruits.

Overall it would create a mass of issues we don't need that outweigh the positives.

 

[Orangezoo]

Yea, because Hima doesn’t play much, that’s gonna be poisonous to the locker room. Come on.

Jesse played nearly 40 a game many nights. You just shove McLeod to less than 10 mins a game and reduce how much Brown is gonna play as well. This isn't about Hima.

 

[Sherman20]

Jesse played nearly 40 a game many nights. You just shove McLeod to less than 10 mins a game and reduce how much Brown is gonna play as well. This isn't about Hima.

Jesse isn’t going to play anywhere near 40mpg next season. None of our players will be doing that. He wouldn’t be playing anywhere near those kinds of minutes at West Virginia either. McLeod will only be a Junior so he’ll have a year to develop behind Jesse but still play a good amount of minutes.

 

[OrangeDW]

McCleod had 16 points on 7-9 shooting against SU while Jesse had 18 points on 6-14 shooting in the same game.

Just a reminder.

 

[OrangeinDC]

New coach, first year and you are adding back a guy at the cost of a player you already have began working with as part of your game plan for the year. The guy you are adding back already having moved on. That guy also having a publicly known number for NIL. You already have your clear leader returning in Judah and now you bring back a 5th year guy so whose team is it now? There are a ton of additional issues to manage with a first year coach. As someone else said you get to do this once and you can sour relationships and create question marks for recruits.

Overall it would create a mass of issues we don't need that outweigh the positives.

Agree 100%.

I think to type of Coach Red has shown to be based on tidbits from players and recruits is that he is a man of his word, they trust him, respect him and consider him genuine, something like this would totally undermine that. Even if he really deep down wanted too, I think he's shown to be thoughtful enough to consider the things you mentioned, along with others and know it would NOT be a good move long term or big picture.

I mean, Jesse is cool and all, hope he re-engages his SU roots and teammates, works out with the guys and even party with them sometimes... But he can't play here anymore IMO.

 

[Orangezoo]

Jesse isn’t going to play anywhere near 40mpg next season. None of our players will be doing that. He wouldn’t be playing anywhere near those kinds of minutes at West Virginia either. McLeod will only be a Junior so he’ll have a year to develop behind Jesse but still play a good amount of minutes.

McLeod was a juco before he went to FSU. He isnt a developmental guy. He has work to be done but he didn't leave FSU to be a project. That's been clear since he has spoken on his recruitment. He was brought in because Jesse left. This impacts Brown as well. Brown is likely as much a small ball 5 in Reds system as a 4. Thus it impacts two players, both that have more than one year of eligibility left.

Jesse has never played mtm here. 4 years in the zone. His development as a player has been in the zone. His move to WV was a major question mark because of their style of mtm. It's the same question marks here. He's not had many times where he has had to defend 1v1 but he's lost many of those battles. His work in the zone was where he got his blocked shots as a help defender. When manned up he's been beat bad nearly every time albeit small samplings. He's got good footwork on offense doing his work early but is slower to react laterally on defense. Again where the zone has helped him. He has good closeout speed which showed up in the zone.

His offense isn't dominant enough to warrant what he could give up defensively having to switch constantly. If Jesse came back we lose McLeod the next year and possibly Brown too and Jesse could be massively exposed because of defensive liabilities. Many question marks then from recruits and possible issues with getting the team to gel.

If Jesse was going to be the guy- it needed to be two months ago to start digging into mtm under Red. It's too late.

 

[Orangezoo]

Agree 100%.

I think to type of Coach Red has shown to be based on tidbits from players and recruits is that he is a man of his word, they trust him, respect him and consider him genuine, something like this would totally undermine that. Even if he really deep down wanted too, I think he's shown to be thoughtful enough to consider the things you mentioned, along with others and know it would NOT be a good move long term or big picture.

I mean, Jesse is cool and all, hope he re-engages his SU roots and teammates, works out with the guys and even party with them sometimes... But he can't play here anymore IMO.

I really hope Jesse pivots to go pro in Europe then comes back so we can celebrate him playing in the TBT.

 

[Sbucketball]

Man, I was hoping for Karma for Huggins tampering with Cuse, but he's been on a tear LOL

 

[TheHaze315]

Dad is probably more interested in if WV is gonna honor his NIL deal then Huggins retiring...

100%, and by all accounts it was always very unlikely he’d see all of the money he was promised.

 

[ssbriefcase]

The Moonshine collective is scrambling this morning