How much does coaching matter?

[Deleted at users request]

The explanation is pretty simple, I think. If all he had to do was coach the players in game (game planning, in-game tactics, and motivation), he would have been fine. But when faced with all of the other aspects of running a major college program (roster construction, talent assessment and development), he was overwhelmed. The best college coaches are relentless micromanagers. He was anything but, so the cracks showed once the existing talent started to thin.

I actually think he'd make a good NBA coach.

Think this is pretty spot on. His guard development stayed pretty good but he was not great with bigs.

Hurley is pretty much the opposite of Ollie as a coach both good and bad.

 

[Excalibur]

I think Gibbs put a ceiling on that 2016. His wing heat checks used to piss me off bad and in general was just a bad end of game closer. Adams was the better guard that whole year but was a freshman.

If he comes a year early or Ryan Boatright gets an extra year the 2015/2016 squads probably get a lot further than they did in both cases.

I hated Gibbs' game. Guy shot the same % from 2 as he did from beyond the arc. 38.7% on 2 point attempts, most of which were at or near the rim. Worst finisher we've ever had.

He and Hamilton did not fit together. We were best when the offense ran through Hamilton, but Gibbs wanted the ball in his hands all the time.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Sometimes a group of players just does not gel. It is usually a bit of everyone’s fault when that happens. 2006 and the 2012 teams are examples of that with Calhoun.

 

[Travelman6]

Two years. Was able to keep Bazz and Boat in spite of JC retiring and the post season ban. The team played well that first season.

Read post 22 in this thread. Those two years demonstrated great coaching. KO lost it after the divorce.

I would even argue 4 years. The round 2 loss to Kansas was an alright year overall and Calhoun had several of those types of seasons as Ollies 3rd. It was the last two years that were an absolute unmitigated disaster of epic proportions.

 

[mauconnfan]

After Bazz left, Ollie had absolutely no game plan on offense besides iso ball. At least a dozen times a game, the guy who brought the ball down court would throw up a heave without once looking to pass. I'm not sure we can blame that on the divorce.

Funny I don’t think you can look at any coaches title without talking about a particular player being on that team, and if he wasn’t? Also this coach was his coach prior to being his head coach, as JCs assistant. Trying to make it anything but a superb coaching job his first 2 years is ridiculous. After that he’s all yours!

 

[UConnJim]

Not even a question. Calipari is a terrible coach.

Calipari WAS a good coach. He took UMass and Memphis to the Final Four and in his first 6 years at Kentucky, he lead them to 4 Final Fours including one championship. Then Calipari focused on recruiting top players (one and dones) instead of developing teams and his teams have underperformed their talent since.

He's about to turn 66 and his Arkansas team is suffering from the same problems his Kentucky teams did. They have really good young talent, but they are not a good team.

 

[connVA]

Your Honor, I present to the court exhibit A: John Calipari.

“Alright team! Here’s the basketball. I guess you need to try to put it in the basket more than the other team. Or something like that. Good luck!”

 

[Waquoit]

Funny I don’t think you can look at any coaches title without talking about a particular player being on that team, and if he wasn’t? Also this coach was his coach prior to being his head coach, as JCs assistant. Trying to make it anything but a superb coaching job his first 2 years is ridiculous. After that he’s all yours!

He was the best player in the country. Not just his team. Again, where did all that coaching acumen go? He showed none of it after Bazz left. He failed in every facet of the job.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

Some college coaches I think are very good and possibly do more with less talent. Brian Dutcher, TJ Otzelberger, Kelvin Sampson,Greg Gard, Jamie Dixon, Porter Moser. Although I don’t like him I think Rick Pitino is one of the best college basketball coaches of all time no matter his teams talent level.

People can hate on him, but Pitino is one of the best ever without a doubt

when I think if coaching matters, I'm thinking of X's and O's and player development. Recruiting not so much because of variables. But culture building is crucial. Watched 270lb Dixon dive into the crowd last night, and then watched his Villanova teammates watch him extricate himself, by himself. Wouldnt happen here.

 

[temery]

Calipari WAS a good coach. He took UMass and Memphis to the Final Four and in his first 6 years at Kentucky, he lead them to 4 Final Fours including one championship. Then Calipari focused on recruiting top players (one and dones) instead of developing teams and his teams have underperformed their talent since.

He's about to turn 66 and his Arkansas team is suffering from the same problems his Kentucky teams did. They have really good young talent, but they are not a good team.

Bullshit. Calipari was a great recruiter who promised to ignore rules, pd players, and followed thru on that promise.

There is no coach who has done less with promising players, than coach squid.

 

[mauconnfan]

He was the best player in the country. Not just his team. Again, where did all that coaching acumen go? He showed none of it after Bazz left. He failed in every facet of the job.

He helped make Bazz who he was as well as Boat. Your hatred is laughable. To take a team that had nothing to play for, with players leaving and turmoil surrounding them to win 20 games was a tremendous coaching job. I was at the PC game at Donut they played their asses off knowing no BE tourney or Dance and they celebrated with their coach. The next year they won it all but because they had a great player it had nothing to do with coaching? Lol hilarious.

Let’s call Roy Williams and tell him he sucked when they won the NC with Danny Manning then because he had the best player in the country. You make zero sense with your hatred, try again!

 

[Waquoit]

Let’s call Roy Williams and tell him he sucked when they won the NC with Danny Manning then because he had the best player in the country. You make zero sense with your hatred, try again!

Did Roy lose all his coaching chops once Danny moved on? What's laughable is saying Ollie "made" Bazz. That's like saying Calhoun made KEA.

 

[mauconnfan]

Did Roy lose all his coaching chops once Danny moved on? What's laughable is saying Ollie "made" Bazz. That's like saying Calhoun made KEA.

The only thing laughable is your hatred actually nothing else. To give him zero credit for that title is a joke no other way to put it. I don’t have any problem with what he became thereafter and attacking that but prior, no denying his impact.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Ollie simply was not a good CEO of a program combined with some of the worst injury luck you can think of.

After 2016 was a mix of season-ending injuries, transfers, and recruiting falling off a cliff. I wouldn’t say his coaching acumen was his downfall.

Jalen Adams was just playing 1 on 5 in those last few years.

 

[uconngb]

Based on today, apparently coaching means a lot

 

[jibsey]

Based on today, apparently coaching means a lot

Yeah, Hurley defended poorly.

 

[Waquoit]

The only thing laughable is your hatred actually nothing else. To give him zero credit for that title is a joke no other way to put it. I don’t have any problem with what he became thereafter and attacking that but prior, no denying his impact.

Like they always say, when you don't have an answer, make it personal. It's the only club in your bag.

 

[uconngb]

Yeah, Hurley defended poorly.

He schooled us w isos…..totally exploited our inability to guard. If you don’t realize that was great coaching then you’re a moron. There is a reason McD is 8-2 against Dan Hurley, most of the time w inferior talent.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

He schooled us w isos…..totally exploited our inability to guard. If you don’t realize that was great coaching then you’re a moron. There is a reason McD is 8-2 against Dan Hurley, most of the time w inferior talent.

Are you saying McDermott is a better coach than Hurley? I just want to see you say it.

 

[uconngb]

Are you saying McDermott is a better coach than Hurley? I just want to see you say it.

Head to head I think there is a body of evidence. The record is 8 for McD and 2 for Hurley.

As JC might say, get some facts and come back and see me.

Doesn’t mean he’s necessarily a better overall coach, nor did I say that. But he owns Dan Hurley head to head.

 

[jibsey]

Head to head I think there is a body of evidence. The record is 8 for McD and 2 for Hurley.

As JC might say, get some facts and come back and see me.

Doesn’t mean he’s necessarily a better overall coach, nor did I say that. But he owns Dan Hurley head to head.

We care not about that. Let him own us when it matters little. Here’s what he doesn’t own. 2 National Championships!