Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

[Knightmoves]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

Davenport made the regional final in his 4th season, it was also the first time BU had made the NCAA tournament in 18 years. It was BU's first ever trip to a regional final. Davenport was starting from scratch when he took over. Was actaully under 500 in his second season, which included 3 relatively close regular season losses to D1 teams. Someone coming into USI is not building something from nothing. Having said that, a mandatory goal of reaching a regional final is silly. If Scotty happens not to make the regional final this year and next, that would be 3 years with no regional final, would you fire him? I don't think Hesser has made it in three years, no sane person would say he should be fired. I think making the tournament in the third year is a reasonable expectation and one that evaluates how a team has played for an entire season. I do think that unless you are playing a much better than average out of conference schedule, the coach really should be evaluated on conference record. I do agree with some of the anti-Watson folks that getting 20 wins is pretty meaningless. I would disagree with the idea that winning the GLVC tournament is not a big accomplishment. Watson does have 2 of those.

[SonOfMafia]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

You're exactly right, Watson can barely win with more talent than most teams. I would need to see significant progress, which wouldn't be hard with an enthusiastic coach, by the end of year three. Significant improvement would be advancing further in both the GLVC and NCAA tournaments.

A regional final would be great but you also have to, currently, set yourself up to where you will be seeded 2 or 3 to avoid Bellarmine until the final. I'd be happy with advancing to a Sweet Sixteen at this point.

I want to say he was around 1-5. Then he won 9 in a row.

I'm not defending Watson, I wouldn't want him coaching my team. I'm just saying it's dangerous to look at just one thing and say "he's got to get here in 3 years or he isn't good enough". You need to look at a guy's body of work and make that decision. Hesser has won everywhere he's ever been, and he won a lot at Drury, against good teams, before he ever made a regional final. On the other hand, the guy he replaced at Drury MADE a regional final the year he got fired. But everyone who seriously followed the program knew he couldn't get it done consistently because he had been mediocre (playing mediocre competition) for years prior to that and the program was headed in the wrong direction. Record-wise, this is Hesser's second worst team in his Drury tenure - and they can still beat anyone in the conference on a given night (except maybe Bellarmine at Bellarmine - that would take a small miracle).

There's been some really good coaches in the GLVC in the past 10 years who didn't make a regional final in their first 3. Hesser wouldn't be the only one in that category - I think you could include Todd Lee in there as well. I don't think Luke Reigel has ever been to a Regional Final, even though he won the GLVC East 4 years in a row. I think Davenport and Bezold both made it in year 3.

To me, the main question you ask when evaluating a coach is, "can he have less talent than you have and still beat you". With Hesser, and Scotty, they've proven the answer is yes. With Watson, he has to have more talent than you and even then he only beats you 60% of the time. Davenport could win at any school in the league. If Watson was at UMSL or Jewell instead of USI he'd have a lifetime .500 record.

[bkingbroker]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

Regional Final = Sweet 16

You're exactly right, Watson can barely win with more talent than most teams. I would need to see significant progress, which wouldn't be hard with an enthusiastic coach, by the end of year three. Significant improvement would be advancing further in both the GLVC and NCAA tournaments.

A regional final would be great but you also have to, currently, set yourself up to where you will be seeded 2 or 3 to avoid Bellarmine until the final. I'd be happy with advancing to a Sweet Sixteen at this point.

[SonOfMafia]

Regional Final = Sweet 16

[DJ Silky Panties]

[SonOfMafia]

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

How many times the past 10 years has anyone been afraid jmh and or WoD might leave for that d1 gig?

[bkingbroker]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

You mean praying?

How many times the past 10 years has anyone been afraid jmh and or WoD might leave for that d1 gig?

[Knightmoves]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

Not sure that D1 is a valid comparison, especially D1 schools from the power conferences. These schools have nearly unlimited resources to hire what appear to be very qualified coaches (even then, some don't work out). The idea that there is some can't miss coach out there that USI can hire is a complete myth. I would admit that at some point the administration, if it wants the school to have a championship caliber team, is going to have to take a chance on someone else. But there is a very good chance that Watson's replacement would not be an improvement. BU, for instance, fired their long time coach, Joe Riebel, who was a good coach and very good person, and then went through 3 coaches in 10 years before hiring Davenport. BTW, Rick Pitino told Davenport not to take the job because Bellarmine was a not good place to go. Anybody who is a first assistant at a major program is not going to be interested in the job at USI.

[bkingbroker]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

There is a guy just up the road that would love to have this job and would win big.

Not sure that D1 is a valid comparison, especially D1 schools from the power conferences. These schools have nearly unlimited resources to hire what appear to be very qualified coaches (even then, some don't work out). The idea that there is some can't miss coach out there that USI can hire is a complete myth. I would admit that at some point the administration, if it wants the school to have a championship caliber team, is going to have to take a chance on someone else. But there is a very good chance that Watson's replacement would not be an improvement. BU, for instance, fired their long time coach, Joe Riebel, who was a good coach and very good person, and then went through 3 coaches in 10 years before hiring Davenport. BTW, Rick Pitino told Davenport not to take the job because Bellarmine was a not good place to go. Anybody who is a first assistant at a major program is not going to be interested in the job at USI.

[Knightmoves]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

There is a guy just up the road that would love to have this job and would win big.

Okay, I'll bite: who?

[bkingbroker]

Okay, I'll bite: who?

[Knightmoves]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

Mr Franklin has been a successful JUCO coach and may turn out to be a great D2 coach if given a chance. I doubt he could overhaul the talent level in one year. Recruiting is much different in the NCAA than in JUCO. Once you establish yourself as a good JUCO coach, you can get some talented players who are not NCAA qualifiers. That is the reason they are going to JUCO to begin with. Success in JUCO recruiting does not transfer to the NCAA. Is there a good example of a JUCO coach who had immediate sucess at D2? (A real question, not argument).

Look at Bruce Pearl and Scott Davenport's pre D2 coaching experience. It's as high level D1 assistants. The trouble is that those positions have become so lucrative, that D2 teams can't afford to hire them away.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

Not sure that D1 is a valid comparison, especially D1 schools from the power conferences. These schools have nearly unlimited resources to hire what appear to be very qualified coaches (even then, some don't work out). The idea that there is some can't miss coach out there that USI can hire is a complete myth. I would admit that at some point the administration, if it wants the school to have a championship caliber team, is going to have to take a chance on someone else. But there is a very good chance that Watson's replacement would not be an improvement. BU, for instance, fired their long time coach, Joe Riebel, who was a good coach and very good person, and then went through 3 coaches in 10 years before hiring Davenport. BTW, Rick Pitino told Davenport not to take the job because Bellarmine was a not good place to go. Anybody who is a first assistant at a major program is not going to be interested in the job at USI.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

Mr Franklin has been a successful JUCO coach and may turn out to be a great D2 coach if given a chance. I doubt he could overhaul the talent level in one year. Recruiting is much different in the NCAA than in JUCO. Once you establish yourself as a good JUCO coach, you can get some talented players who are not NCAA qualifiers. That is the reason they are going to JUCO to begin with. Success in JUCO recruiting does not transfer to the NCAA. Is there a good example of a JUCO coach who had immediate sucess at D2? (A real question, not argument).

Look at Bruce Pearl and Scott Davenport's pre D2 coaching experience. It's as high level D1 assistants. The trouble is that those positions have become so lucrative, that D2 teams can't afford to hire them away.

Juco coaches get a bad rap and ads have head up those own to smell own farts too much. Was like that with d2 coaches until pearl Hawkins Harper and waltman gotnhired and proved many wrong

If anything without question Franklins off court efforts and presence would be national championship caliber vs this suburban community center youth league no score kept in games effort by WoD.