'24 Coaching Carousel Thread

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

Sorry for my ignorance but who the hell is trilly?

Trilly Donovan. Not a real name. He's an anonymous Twitter/X account that has contacts in the coaching world and is up to date on coaching searches. He's built a pretty good reputation on this stuff. Sometimes he gets it right, sometimes he doesn't.

 

[dksooner]

Trilly Donovan. Not a real name. He's an anonymous Twitter/X account that has contacts in the coaching world and is up to date on coaching searches. He's built a pretty good reputation on this stuff. Sometimes he gets it right, sometimes he doesn't.

Gotcha, thank you.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Without an arena and support, who are we going to get here that won't be looking at jobs every year? Kelvin was. Capel couldn't wait to get out.

You think Kelvin was looking at jobs EVERY year but stuck around for a dozen seasons despite being extremely successful? If he wanted to jump ship, he easily could have. Instead, he stayed till he got a top 10 job in America. I’m quite sure he had tons of chances to leave if he was truly looking to bail. So, to answer your question, I’d say guys like Kelvin Sampson and Lon Kruger would be two examples of good to great coaches willing to stay at OU long term.

 

[WTSooner]

Why? What culturally wasn't a good fit?

Ask Moser. The "strong" rumor is that his family doesn't like it here. Why would that be? Why would the rumor be that they are looking to move right back to the Chicago-area?

 

[TEvans4Three]

You think Kelvin was looking at jobs EVERY year but stuck around for a dozen seasons despite being extremely successful? If he wanted to jump ship, he easily could have. Instead, he stayed till he got a top 10 job in America. I’m quite sure he had tons of chances to leave if he was truly looking to bail. So, to answer your question, I’d say guys like Kelvin Sampson and Lon Kruger would be two examples of good to great coaches willing to stay at OU long term.

This is still very tough to sell a coach that may want some "commitment" from the University

KP Rank	Team	Overall	Arena	Seats	Size	Built	Renovated
1​	Houston	20-3	Fertitta Center	7035	168th	1967	2017-19
12​	Iowa St.	17-5	Hilton Coliseum	14267	39th	1971	2022-25
16​	Baylor	17-5	Ferrell Center/Foster Pavilion	10284/7500	149th	1988	2024-new arena
13​	Kansas	18-5	Allen Fieldhouse	16300	21st	1952	2009
29​	TCU	16-6	Schollmaier Arena	6800	175th	1961	2015
36​	Texas Tech	16-6	United Supermarkets Arena	15098	27th	1999	2014-2035
21​	Oklahoma	17-6	Lloyd Noble Center	11562	61st	1975	1999 (team facilities and seating) 2017 practice facilities
72​	Kansas St.	15-8	Bramlage Coliseum	11000	69th	1988	2012/2019/2021/2022
11​	BYU	16-6	Marriott Center	17978	15th	1971	2012/2022
31​	Cincinnati	15-7	Fifth Third Arena	12012	56th	1989	2018
68​	UCF	13-8	Addition Financial Arena	10000	96th	2007	2023+
30​	Texas	15-8	Moody Center	10763	73rd	2022
134​	West Virginia	8.14	WVU Coliseum	14000	40th	1970	2004/2008/2016/2019
121​	Oklahoma St.	10-13	Gallagher Iba Arena	16611	42nd	1938	1999

OU/OSU last to renovate...before Y2K

 

[sooner333]

Regardless of what some of you think of our program, there aren't a bunch that are much better jobs. There just aren't.

Joe C just needs to do a better job of finding a good fit. I don't care what Moser gives as a reason, culturally, that was never a good fit.

I tend to agree. But when your coach, who doesn’t appear in imminent danger of getting fired, may leave for a job like DePaul…it makes you reevaluate a bit. I know it’s Chicago and maybe it’s not a great fit. But if the job is so good, then those small carrots don’t matter.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I tend to agree. But when your coach, who doesn’t appear in imminent danger of getting fired, may leave for a job like DePaul…it makes you reevaluate a bit. I know it’s Chicago and maybe it’s not a great fit. But if the job is so good, then those small carrots don’t matter.

kelvin is from north carolina ..and came from WSU ... cultural fit is overrated .

 

[IndySooner]

You think Kelvin was looking at jobs EVERY year but stuck around for a dozen seasons despite being extremely successful? If he wanted to jump ship, he easily could have. Instead, he stayed till he got a top 10 job in America. I’m quite sure he had tons of chances to leave if he was truly looking to bail. So, to answer your question, I’d say guys like Kelvin Sampson and Lon Kruger would be two examples of good to great coaches willing to stay at OU long term.

Kelvin was rumored - and sometimes confirmed - to be interviewing for jobs every single year. People got SUPER frustrated with him. And, by the way, everyone talked about how he wasn't a good "cultural fit."

 

[sooner333]

kelvin is from north carolina ..and came from WSU ... cultural fit is overrated .

I more meant maybe it’s not a great fit for his family or whatever the rumor is.

In any event, I’m in agreement. You can’t hire guys based on cultural fit or willingness to stay. You hire the best coach, period. Tulsa went on a run of good coaches but when they got tired of guys leaving they settled on John Phillips and the program has never fully recovered. Obviously OU is a different level than Tulsa, but you WANT guys who may leave for Duke or Kentucky if offered. And hopefully they’ve had so much success here that they could feel comfortable turning it down. But if they leave, the program is in a better place.

 

[IndySooner]

Ask Moser. The "strong" rumor is that his family doesn't like it here. Why would that be? Why would the rumor be that they are looking to move right back to the Chicago-area?

I'm asking you. You're the one saying he's not a good cultural fit. Why do you say that?

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Why? What culturally wasn't a good fit?

Okies only like tight shirts if it is from a beer belly...not if it is from muscle

 

[SoonerBounce13]

The culture things is so overblown.

The only "culture" not being a good fit is that Moser wants bball to have bigger support than it does. That is the friction I'd guess

 

[WTSooner]

There isn't one person on this board that honestly believes DePaul is doing anything as far as commitment to basketball that makes it easier to compete for championships there over OU.

DePaul. The same DePaul that last made an Elite 8/FF when Larry frickin' Bird was still playing college ball. The same DePaul that has only even made the NCAA Tournament TWO times since around the time OU hired Kelvin Sampson.

But sure. Tell me Moser is leaving for there (if he does) because of their commitment to championship basketball.

Good grief.

 

[TopherB560]

The culture things is so overblown.

The only "culture" not being a good fit is that Moser wants bball to have bigger support than it does. That is the friction I'd guess

I do wish both basketball teams had more support and resources. I know football and softball are at the top, but Porter has done more to get students in to games than I feel Kruger did. It's hard to keep a coach for schools that are willing to dig in the pockets more than OU has over the last 20 years.

 

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

The culture things is so overblown.

The only "culture" not being a good fit is that Moser wants bball to have bigger support than it does. That is the friction I'd guess

That's a valid concern. He's never been at a football school. I'm sure he took that into account, but it's something you don't totally know until you're in it. On the other hand, football funds that contract that pays him more than he's ever dreamed of making.

It's a double-edged sword. You can fly under the radar and get paid well. But if you're used to being with the program that drives the athletic department, it can be a lot to get used to.

OU fans demand a big winner. As Barry Switzer said, our program is a monster. The monster is not limited to football. Our fan base isn't looking for middle-of-the-pack of the conference, but national championship contenders. Our fans like our softball program not because we love the sport of softball (though many are now educated and knowledgeable about the sport), but because we have a likable coach that recruits likable players that not only win, but dominate their sport and win national championships. A large part of the Sooner Nation isn't going to support something just because it has the OU logo on it.

 

[WichitaSooner]

I do wish both basketball teams had more support and resources. I know football and softball are at the top, but Porter has done more to get students in to games than I feel Kruger did. It's hard to keep a coach for schools that are willing to dig in the pockets more than OU has over the last 20 years.

Lon did a ton to get fans to the games, including students. He didn't post as much on social media or brag about it, but he did it. Hell, the guy opened every practice he ever had to the public and was the most accessible coach on the planet.

OU is a far better job than most on this board realize. Our arena is old and we may not have a ton of NIL money, though that is speculation. But we have a hell of a lot better tradition than most schools, we have shown we can win consistently under multiple coaches and decades, and we are one of the bigger brand names in all of college sports. Of course we won't beat out any blue bloods for coaches, but if Moser bails, there will be a lot of very good coaches (or their agents) contacting Joe C before Moser packs up the culture wall and makes it out of the city limits.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

There isn't one person on this board that honestly believes DePaul is doing anything as far as commitment to basketball that makes it easier to compete for championships there over OU.

DePaul. The same DePaul that last made an Elite 8/FF when Larry frickin' Bird was still playing college ball. The same DePaul that has only even made the NCAA Tournament TWO times since around the time OU hired Kelvin Sampson.

But sure. Tell me Moser is leaving for there (if he does) because of their commitment to championship basketball.

Good grief.

I would imagine bball would be the top dog at depaul and he could get whatever he wanted.
It is also just a rumor and he could be using them for a pay raise...it wouldn't be the first time a coach uses interest to get more money or demands

You still haven't answered the question of what isn't a culture fit

 

[WTSooner]

You still haven't answered the question of what isn't a culture fit

And I'm not going to. Either you get it or don't. Not a conversation I'm looking to have with you or your goof troop.

 

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

Lon did a ton to get fans to the games, including students. He didn't post as much on social media or brag about it, but he did it. Hell, the guy opened every practice he ever had to the public and was the most accessible coach on the planet.

OU is a far better job than most on this board realize. Our arena is old and we may not have a ton of NIL money, though that is speculation. But we have a hell of a lot better tradition than most schools, we have shown we can win consistently under multiple coaches and decades, and we are one of the bigger brand names in all of college sports. Of course we won't beat out any blue bloods for coaches, but if Moser bails, there will be a lot of very good coaches (or their agents) contacting Joe C before Moser packs up the culture wall and makes it out of the city limits.

We're an all-time Top 25 program operating in the shadow of football with one arm tied behind our back. What you say about our arena is true, and the NIL money may not be as plentiful as we'd like. But the job is going to be in the SEC, and we're going to pay well. A coach wants to be in the B1G or SEC (and in basketball, the B12, ACC, or Big East). We'll get a coach, and if we're lucky we'll get one that will embrace what we are.

The game has changed (NIL, transfer portal, etc.), but we've still had three Hall-of-Fame caliber coaches that have been very successful here in the last 40 years.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

And I'm not going to. Either you get it or don't. Not a conversation I'm looking to have with you or your goof troop.

figures