OT: Everything but Football

[Herb Street]

I agree with you on leadership. I think the all time low is Wendler though. Telling kids to go somewhere else isn't my idea of recruiting.

Maybe you haven't noticed the football team hasn't been that great since the year Carthel left. That's on the AD. Without the games against OPSU, McMurry, North American, and the other weak NAIA teams, we surely would have been under ,500 during those bleak years. We have a safe but likely not great, hire in Lynn, so it will be better. We'll see if he can get more than 8 wins.

Football is the flagship program at WT and has been treated more like the anus by McBroom.

So who would you have hired two weeks before the season, after Carthel got canned? Did Nesbitt do poorly that year?

Was Hunter Hughes a poor hire? He was DC on a national championship team, and the outcry at the time of Nesbitt’s firing was “we need a defense.”

Curious to know your coaching picks in both of these scenarios. Hindsight is always pretty decent vision.

[Herb Street]

Let's get a bigger stick so we can beat this topic to death.

BuffaloChip and I are on different sides on this one. Chip wants to go D1 - I like where we are.

You can be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond.

“Big fish in small pond” is an excuse. A sell-out, loser mindset. Where would Tech, UTSA, TCU, Louisville, and many others be, had they gone with that schtick? They’d be flopping around in the LSC, like WT is.

None of the big fish in the big pond started that way. They had plans, dreams, and executed. The Texas panhandle is plagued by this mindset. Second class is good enough. It’s an Inferiority complex.

Thankfully, there have been two visionaries of late that have demonstrated that first class is possible. Alex Fairly and Paul Engler. Those guys don’t operate on the small pond mindset, and thank goodness for it. Maybe others will follow. Perhaps if WT had a visionary once every 50 years, so good things might happen.

[WT_TKW]

So who would you have hired two weeks before the season, after Carthel got canned? Did Nesbitt do poorly that year?

Was Hunter Hughes a poor hire? He was DC on a national championship team, and the outcry at the time of Nesbitt’s firing was “we need a defense.”

Curious to know your coaching picks in both of these scenarios. Hindsight is always pretty decent vision.

Fair enough. It was posted on this board months before the Rangers game that "O'brien has given McBroom the green light to fire Carthel". It was also posted on this board that McBroom was introducing Nesbitt as "the next head football coach" once he returned in 2012. Since I didn't post them I can't tell you for sure they are true.

Nesbitt didn't change much so things went fairly well that year. After that no. Instead of interviewing other candidates, McBroom removed the "interim" title from Nesbitt as soon as the season was over. Yes, I thought that was a terrible idea, and said so here. Players that were on his team during the transition do not have much good to say about Nesbitt. However, he has done well in the NAIA.

I thought Hughes was a good hire but like everyone else on this board, I don't hire coaches for a living. I did have some concerns even the first year about him getting rid of one successful QB (Brinkley) and making fun of another (Arbuckle) and starting a guy who wasn't particularly good at passing or running. Hughes did play Arbuckle from time to time but he left after 1 year of Hughes ball. Arbuckle is now the OC at Washington State. I also remember the worst game I ever saw at Kimbrough, which was a loss to ENMU, I believe it was 28-0 but it wasn't nearly as close as it sounds.

When I was disappointed that it took 10 days to fire Hughes after the end of the season, I was wrong. It was at least 375 days past due. If we had not lost to Simon Fraser, Hughes would still be here.

How long did it take you to decide Hughes was a bad hire? Did you ever see his teams play in person?

[Herb Street]

Fair enough. It was posted on this board months before the Rangers game that "O'brien has given McBroom the green light to fire Carthel". It was also posted on this board that McBroom was introducing Nesbitt as "the next head football coach" once he returned in 2012. Since I didn't post them I can't tell you for sure they are true.

Nesbitt didn't change much so things went fairly well that year. After that no. Instead of interviewing other candidates, McBroom removed the "interim" title from Nesbitt as soon as the season was over. Yes, I thought that was a terrible idea, and said so here. Players that were on his team during the transition do not have much good to say about Nesbitt. However, he has done well in the NAIA.

I thought Hughes was a good hire but like everyone else on this board, I don't hire coaches for a living. I did have some concerns even the first year about him getting rid of one successful QB (Brinkley) and making fun of another (Arbuckle) and starting a guy who wasn't particularly good at passing or running. Hughes did play Arbuckle from time to time but he left after 1 year of Hughes ball. Arbuckle is now the OC at Washington State. I also remember the worst game I ever saw at Kimbrough, which was a loss to ENMU, I believe it was 28-0 but it wasn't nearly as close as it sounds.

When I was disappointed that it took 10 days to fire Hughes after the end of the season, I was wrong. It was at least 375 days past due. If we had not lost to Simon Fraser, Hughes would still be here.

How long did it take you to decide Hughes was a bad hire? Did you ever see his teams play in person?

I haven’t been to a game there in many years. From his record, it appears he wasn’t awful, just mediocre. Mediocre coaches are harder to fire, because you are always wondering if next year, they can get over the hump. My guess is he was given one year too many, but what do I know.

[Great White Buffalo]

Zam Roberts (#11) is no longer listed on the WT roster. She was a starter and a good point guard. Does anyone know why she is no longer on the Team?

Zam is married and has a small child. Her husband graduated in December. He took a job in Oklahoma. They moved for him to take the job.
Zam will be missed not only for her ability but her leadership on and off the court. While Karley will move to the point this will slow down the pace of the game,
without Zam, Wt is susceptible to the press. A year that started out with high expectations is coming unraveled.

Early in the year, the decision to red-shirt two freshmen has come back to haunt us. We lost Braylyn to a season-ending knee injury and now Zam for family reasons.
The red-shirt freshmen are both all-state athletes in several sports and would play in the same positions. Wt can still finish in the top eight earning a spot in the LSC
post-season tournament.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Let's get a bigger stick so we can beat this topic to death.

BuffaloChip and I are on different sides on this one. Chip wants to go D1 - I like where we are.

You can be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond.

Are you in support of WT moving to the RMAC or D3 if the LSC collapses?

[Herb Street]

Are you in support of WT moving to the RMAC or D3 if the LSC collapses?

Neither will happen. But WT will continue to be the “big fish” amongst Sul Ross etc. How inspiring.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Neither will happen. But WT will continue to be the “big fish” amongst Sul Ross etc. How inspiring.

Yeah 2,000 student schools competing against 10,000+ schools and if they sniff playoff in other sports then possible 25,000+ Grand Valley.

That is almost like Duncanville playing Hawley.

Curious how many schollies they will play with at the max.

[Great White Buffalo]

With the Basketball regular season winding down I have noticed what I consider strange scheduling. Wt's (women) last two games are against LCU. Our men have already played them once. Also, TWU will be playing UT Tyler in the last two games. TWU has yet to play ASU, there is still a lot of basketball to be played.

The Wt, men, and women, had good hard-fought victories over ASU to tighten the standings. On the men's side, the victory gives Wt a one-game lead over ASU and the best record in the LSC. TWU currently is undefeated in the LSC on the women's side. Wt women appear to be playing their best basketball at the right time. ASU is very good.

It's going to be an exciting finish.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Watching ACU vs. Sam Houston in basketball. Former WT star Qua Grant is a star player now at Sam Houston. Every other possession he is doing something and they mention WT and Wichita State several times.

[Buffan78]

With the D2 Football season ending, let's discuss other sports.

Both Basketball teams at Wt are off to a good start and are nationally ranked.
The #7 Wt Lady Buffs play #9 tanked Tampa Bay today.
Should be e good match-up.

well lady buffs are struggling now loosing to both new mexico teams this week. Men doing a bit better but both need improvement for next year.

[BuffaloChip]

well lady buffs are struggling now loosing to both new mexico teams this week. Men doing a bit better but both need improvement for next year.

WT ladies have lost starting PG Zam Roberts and leading scorer and rebounder Karly Motsenbacher. Roberts' husband took a job in Oklahoma and she moved on. I can't believe he wouldn't let her finish out the remaining 6 weeks of the season and her career. I surely would have let my wife bunk with some of the players for that short period of time. He must be one selfish prick. Should have got him a tube of KY Jelly and said see you in 6 weeks, darlin'.

Motsenbacher strained her knee and ankle. Day to day looks more like week to week to me. Without her......... I've never seen so many players miss so many makable shots so often in like......forever.

Some good news for the Lady Buffs.......early signee Logan Heard, 5'11 from Idalou, is averaging about 30 and 8 per game and knocking down treys like they're layups. You can google her Hudl videos and watch her highlights and stats for each game this year. Add her in the mix next year with her first cousin, RS Bree Britain, Shallowater, and WT will be better.

We need stronger post play next year. Coach needs to get that 5 who can rebound tough, play D, and finish around the rim. Thabach, despite being 6'4 and a big girl, is not physical inside. She plays more like a shooter 4 than a 5. Without Motsenbacher. Lady Buffs aren't going far this year. If they even make the regionals, it'll be one and done.

[Great White Buffalo]

well lady buffs are struggling now loosing to both new mexico teams this week. Men doing a bit better but both need improvement for next year.

I agree, If the Lady Buffs were healthy Wt would still be a contender at the regional level. Hard to compete when 3 of the top six players are not in the lineup.
Next year looks good already. The current freshmen are getting valuable playing time. Dollar will be able to get a redshirt and return. Our two current redshirt freshmen will be a big addition. The incoming freshman, Logan Heard will add depth. Coach will need to find another big girl.

The men could make a run at the regional title this year. Being undersized has hurt the team. I understand that the incoming 6'11" freshman is a very good player.
Wt is also recurring a Lubbock player to join the team. He looks very good in his highlight film. As long as Coach Brown is around Wt will be good.

[oldbuff]

I hate to say it but the Lady Buffs will be lucky to win another game this season. There might some hope since 3 of the last 4 games are at home. But 2 of those last 4 games are against LCU which isn’t good and one of those is at LCU which makes it worse.

[BuffaloChip]

I hate to say it but the Lady Buffs will be lucky to win another game this season. There might some hope since 3 of the last 4 games are at home. But 2 of those last 4 games are against LCU which isn’t good and one of those is at LCU which makes it worse.

Yep. Losing Zam and Carly are killers.