Buzz Williams

[perryj74]

First off let me preface this by saying I'm glad Lon Kruger is our coach. Did we dodge a bullet with Buzz or did he miss out on an excellent opportunity?

 

[campbest]

He would have done well at OU, but under different circumstances. He would have been a great hire post-Sampson...not Capel

 

[MercedeSooner]

He would have done well at OU, but under different circumstances. He would have been a great hire post-Sampson...not Capel

Think that's a pretty astute analysis.

 

[AdaSooner]

I was one OU fan who wanted Williams back then. Now I'm glad we didn't get him.

Since you brought up Williams, I'll throw out three more names we talked about when the search was on for a Jeff Capel replacement: Josh Pastner, Anthony Grant and Shaka Smart.

Two of those coaches (Pastner and Grant) aren't in the NCAA tourney this year. Alabama fired Grant. The third, Shaka Smart, had to win his conference tourney to make it in.

They're all young coaches who appeared to be on a fast express to the top three plus years ago when OU needed a coach. And, they may get there someday. But, looking back on it now, if Joe C had listened to some of the fans on this board, me included, we would likely have been saddled with a repeat of what Jeff Capel brought to the job, maybe worse.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I was one OU fan who wanted Williams back then. Now I'm glad we didn't get him.

Since you brought up Williams, I'll throw out three more names we talked about when the search was on for a Jeff Capel replacement: Josh Pastner, Anthony Grant and Shaka Smart.

Two of those coaches (Pastner and Grant) aren't in the NCAA tourney this year. Alabama fired Grant. The third, Shaka Smart, had to win his conference tourney to make it in.

They're all young coaches who appeared to be on a fast express to the top three plus years ago when OU needed a coach. And, they may get there someday. But, looking back on it now, if Joe C had listened to some of the fans on this board, me included, we would likely have been saddled with a repeat of what Jeff Capel brought to the job, maybe worse.

vcu was in either way they got a 7 seed .. and spent most of the year in the top 20 (rpi of 14) even after their best player got hurt ..

they had the overall #9 SOS and finished 26-9 they were never even on the bubble

 

[MNsooner]

I was one OU fan who wanted Williams back then. Now I'm glad we didn't get him.

Since you brought up Williams, I'll throw out three more names we talked about when the search was on for a Jeff Capel replacement: Josh Pastner, Anthony Grant and Shaka Smart.

Two of those coaches (Pastner and Grant) aren't in the NCAA tourney this year. Alabama fired Grant. The third, Shaka Smart, had to win his conference tourney to make it in.

They're all young coaches who appeared to be on a fast express to the top three plus years ago when OU needed a coach. And, they may get there someday. But, looking back on it now, if Joe C had listened to some of the fans on this board, me included, we would likely have been saddled with a repeat of what Jeff Capel brought to the job, maybe worse.

I'm glad Joe C opened his pocket books to get a stable hire who builds programs. He swung for the fences on Capel and didn't work out. Kruger was a safer more expensive hire, but so far he has been everything we hoped he would be.

I think Buzz is a good coach and I don't think we've heard the last of him. I don't think we dodged a bullet with him or any of the other coaches in that last. I just think that realistically the best I'd expect from any of them is what Kruger has already given us.

 

[BoomSoon]

Here's the thing about Kruger. This will be his last stop. I believe he has 5-6 more years left. But, no matter what, he always leaves a program better than it was before he got there:

Billy took over at Florida. He took over a program that had been to the Final Four just two years earlier under Kruger. LK inherited an absolute mess. Obviously, Donovan has done great things.

Self took over at Illinois and inherited arguably LK's best collection of talent. Went to the Elite Eight in first year with LK's players - Self's best year at Illinois, actually. (Although he left a great group for Weber.)

Dave Rice took over at UNLV. Took over what would have been LK's most talented team at UNLV and a top tier practice facility (that LK fundraised for) opened in Rice's first year. Rice has hit recruiting home runs. He's a strong recruiter and the facility plays a big role. The facility was all Kruger's concept and fundraising efforts.

As a fan of the program, I want Kruger because he will have success and will help to set up the next guy for success. That's the key. The man is a big picture thinker. And, with this being his last stop, I know he wants to swing for the fences one more time. And that gets me excited for the next few years as well.

The perfect hire by Joe C for so many reasons.

 

[tycat947]

Here's the thing about Kruger. This will be his last stop. I believe he has 5-6 more years left. But, no matter what, he always leaves a program better than it was before he got there:

Billy took over at Florida. He took over a program that had been to the Final Four just two years earlier under Kruger. LK inherited an absolute mess. Obviously, Donovan has done great things.

Self took over at Illinois and inherited arguably LK's best collection of talent. Went to the Elite Eight in first year with LK's players - Self's best year at Illinois, actually. (Although he left a great group for Weber.)

Dave Rice took over at UNLV. Took over what would have been LK's most talented team at UNLV and a top tier practice facility (that LK fundraised for) opened in Rice's first year. Rice has hit recruiting home runs. He's a strong recruiter and the facility plays a big role. The facility was all Kruger's concept and fundraising efforts.

As a fan of the program, I want Kruger because he will have success and will help to set up the next guy for success. That's the key. The man is a big picture thinker. And, with this being his last stop, I know he wants to swing for the fences one more time. And that gets me excited for the next few years as well.

The perfect hire by Joe C for so many reasons.

I think LK was the perfect hire at the time. I can see progress being made (although not quick enough for my taste!) and think the program is upward bound. I HOPE he's here another 5-6 years although I feel it will be more 2-4 years.

 

[AdaSooner]

vcu was in either way they got a 7 seed .. and spent most of the year in the top 20 (rpi of 14) even after their best player got hurt ..

they had the overall #9 SOS and finished 26-9 they were never even on the bubble

My bad. I could have sworn I heard an ESPN announcer say VCU needed to win their conference tourney to get in.

 

[Big Old Booger]

vcu was in either way they got a 7 seed .. and spent most of the year in the top 20 (rpi of 14) even after their best player got hurt ..

they had the overall #9 SOS and finished 26-9 they were never even on the bubble

I was about to say the same thing. If their best player weren't injured and out for the season, they would be a legitimate final 4 team.

Having said that, I still think Joe made the right hire.

 

[usedtobe1]

I was one OU fan who wanted Williams back then. Now I'm glad we didn't get him.

Since you brought up Williams, I'll throw out three more names we talked about when the search was on for a Jeff Capel replacement: Josh Pastner, Anthony Grant and Shaka Smart.

Two of those coaches (Pastner and Grant) aren't in the NCAA tourney this year. Alabama fired Grant. The third, Shaka Smart, had to win his conference tourney to make it in.

They're all young coaches who appeared to be on a fast express to the top three plus years ago when OU needed a coach. And, they may get there someday. But, looking back on it now, if Joe C had listened to some of the fans on this board, me included, we would likely have been saddled with a repeat of what Jeff Capel brought to the job, maybe worse.

The guy I wanted at the time was Josh Pastner. I thought he was a coaching prodigy with great AAU recruiting connections.

I'm happy we have Lon Kruger. He could teach Bob Stoops something about having a fan-friendly open atmosphere around the team, while still having a winning program.

 

[papaP]

Buzz is real good guy met him and his wife awhile back. He has the personality to get good players and get the best out of them. If Kruger didn't come to O.U. Buzz would have been a very good choice imo.

 

[MNsooner]

The guy I wanted at the time was Josh Pastner. I thought he was a coaching prodigy with great AAU recruiting connections.

I'm happy we have Lon Kruger. He could teach Bob Stoops something about having a fan-friendly open atmosphere around the team, while still having a winning program.

In Bob's defense it's a bit easier to strike that balance with OU basketball fans than OU football fans.

 

[chuckb]

I agree that Kruger has done an outstanding job and was an excellent choice by Joe C. I, too, wanted Williams at the time and still think he would've done an excellent job as well. It's difficult to assess how well coaches like Grant, Pastner, or Smart would have done here because the circumstances are just different but it's difficult to quibble with the selection of Kruger.

I'd have to call the hiring of Kruger an A+ but I think Williams could've also been an A or A+.