Does Capel have what it takes to coach this team?

[skyvue]

Ask Tom Crean how he likes dealing with Kelvin's mess. At a top-10 basketball program, at that.

Tom Crean's not four years along.

Some here will still be blaming Sampson for losses we suffer in 2020.

 

[gracefor24]

Capel had Keith Clark, Bobby Maze, and then JUCOs Patillo and Cannon. None of them are on the roster that would be 4 seniors that we don't have. Can't Kelvin Sampson for any of those.

Yep. You can't blame Kelvin for all the issues. Capel started behind the 8 ball but he's had plenty of time to put the kind of talent together to be consistent.

 

[AdaSooner]

Where is all this talent? Every player on this team his major hole in their game!

I didn't say our players didn't have flaws or that their youth and inexperience has not contributed to our problems this season. But there is no denying that a roster with three McDonald's All-Americans and a supporting cast made up of mostly top 100 players, should be talented enough to be a lot better than anything we have seen so far in the season.

 

[Sooner Quick]

Agreed, this has nothing to do with Sampson.

I think the John Blake comparison might not be far off. Capel can definitely spot talent, relate with talent but maybe just can't coach it at a big time level yet. I hope I am wrong and next year he makes me eat my words!

 

[IndySooner]

Capel had Keith Clark, Bobby Maze, and then JUCOs Patillo and Cannon. None of them are on the roster that would be 4 seniors that we don't have. Can't Kelvin Sampson for any of those.

Wrong. Clark was a Kelvin recruit. Maze wouldn't have even been considered with the guys we lost because of Kelvin. Patillo and Cannon wouldn't have been necessary, either, without the loss of Clark and Kelvin's recruits. Capel's depth is still hurting because of Kelvin.

I was, and still am, a fan of Kelvin the coach. But he left us in a MAJOR bind, and we're still paying for it with depth issues.

 

[luckyc1423]

I didn't say our players didn't have flaws or that their youth and inexperience has not contributed to our problems this season. But there is no denying that a roster with three McDonald's All-Americans and a supporting cast made up of mostly top 100 players, should be talented enough to be a lot better than anything we have seen so far in the season.

I completely agree with ADA...it seems capel puts no fear in these guys...if someone makes a mistake you run them so much that they fear doing it again...I dont see that...we have kids walking off the floor...not hustling...ect

 

[SoonerDan74012]

Do we even know why Maze left? Was it chemistry issues with Capel? team? grades?

 

[NickZepp]

Wrong. Clark was a Kelvin recruit. Maze wouldn't have even been considered with the guys we lost because of Kelvin. Patillo and Cannon wouldn't have been necessary, either, without the loss of Clark and Kelvin's recruits. Capel's depth is still hurting because of Kelvin.

I was, and still am, a fan of Kelvin the coach. But he left us in a MAJOR bind, and we're still paying for it with depth issues.

Tony Crocker was a Kelvin recruit, still played 4 years at OU. And we had 3 guys signed, Capel didn't actually have to let them go. Or he could have done a better job recruiting those guys too. Either way you can't blame Kelvin 4 years later. Blaming the last guy is something 10 year old kinds and politicians do.

 

[Gutter]

Agreed, this has nothing to do with Sampson.

I think the John Blake comparison might not be far off. Capel can definitely spot talent, relate with talent but maybe just can't coach it at a big time level yet. I hope I am wrong and next year he makes me eat my words!

The John Blake comparison is ridiculous. John never sniffed a winning season here. Jeff Capel coached a team that went to Elite 8 last year....

I agree, this season has raised red flags. But John Blake he is not and never will be.

 

[AdaSooner]

Capel had Keith Clark, Bobby Maze, and then JUCOs Patillo and Cannon. None of them are on the roster that would be 4 seniors that we don't have. Can't Kelvin Sampson for any of those.

You forgot about Chris Early and Tony Naismith, who would be juniors if they had worked out.

Unfortunately, we may be adding more to that list after this season. Every program has defections and miscues. But we're never going to build a team with upperclassmen leadership, if we continue to lose players at an alarming rate.

 

[NickZepp]

We've gone through it before you can't have so many defection and have a good basketball program. It hurt Kelvin Sampson in some of his last years like when we went to the NIT.

 

[IndySooner]

Tony Crocker was a Kelvin recruit, still played 4 years at OU. And we had 3 guys signed, Capel didn't actually have to let them go. Or he could have done a better job recruiting those guys too. Either way you can't blame Kelvin 4 years later. Blaming the last guy is something 10 year old kinds and politicians do.

I am going to quit arguing with you before I get myself banned, but you are the QUICKEST person to turn on a coach (remember wanting to fire Bob Stoops?) and you're wrong here. To say that Capel is not still handcuffed by Kelvin's mess is flat wrong.

I'm not saying I'm happy with the direction things are going by any means, but to run him off now would be a mistake.

 

[gracefor24]

Wrong. Clark was a Kelvin recruit. Maze wouldn't have even been considered with the guys we lost because of Kelvin. Patillo and Cannon wouldn't have been necessary, either, without the loss of Clark and Kelvin's recruits. Capel's depth is still hurting because of Kelvin.

I was, and still am, a fan of Kelvin the coach. But he left us in a MAJOR bind, and we're still paying for it with depth issues.

Here are Capel's recruiting classes:

2009

Gallon
TMG
Fitzgerald
Pledger
Hardrick

2008

Cannon- gone
Patillo- gone
Allen- bust
Willis-
Warren

2007

Blake Griffin
Cade Davis
Tony Neysmith- gone
Chris Early- gone

2006

Tony Crocker
Keith Clark- gone


So, Capel has lost 5 of his own recruits. I consider Clark a Capel recruit because he CHOSE to re-sign with Capel. It's not Sampson's fault that Capel has lost 5 guys in 3 recruiting classes.

What I have as much of a concern as anything is in Capel's evaluation skills. Neysmith, Early, Cannon, Allen, Willis, and Hardrick all appear to be major whiffs on the recruiting trail. You can't have that type of % of busts and be consistent year in and year out. Capel has done a great job of getting major guys in but the role players he's recruited have been pretty bad.

It seems to have changed in 2009 as both Pledger and Fitzgerald look really solid but that means he needs a couple more years of filling in classes to really get over the hump. Clark and Taylor will definitely help next year but you're losing Crocker and Wright.

 

[NickZepp]

I am going to quit arguing with you before I get myself banned, but you are the QUICKEST person to turn on a coach (remember wanting to fire Bob Stoops?) and you're wrong here. To say that Capel is not still handcuffed by Kelvin's mess is flat wrong.

I'm not saying I'm happy with the direction things are going by any means, but to run him off now would be a mistake.

You can't blame Sampson for everything and I'm not completely turning on Capel. But obviously his recruiting prowless is overrated and you can't have players leave year after year like he has and say he's doing a great job recruiting. And we may add Gallon and Willis and a couple others to that defection list after this year.

 

[IndySooner]

Here are Capel's recruiting classes:

2009

Gallon
TMG
Fitzgerald
Pledger
Hardrick

2008

Cannon- gone
Patillo- gone
Allen- bust
Willis-
Warren

2007

Blake Griffin
Cade Davis
Tony Neysmith- gone
Chris Early- gone

2006

Tony Crocker
Keith Clark- gone


So, Capel has lost 5 of his own recruits. I consider Clark a Capel recruit because he CHOSE to re-sign with Capel. It's not Sampson's fault that Capel has lost 5 guys in 3 recruiting classes.

What I have as much of a concern as anything is in Capel's evaluation skills. Neysmith, Early, Cannon, Allen, Willis, and Hardrick all appear to be major whiffs on the recruiting trail. You can't have that type of % of busts and be consistent year in and year out. Capel has done a great job of getting major guys in but the role players he's recruited have been pretty bad.

It seems to have changed in 2009 as both Pledger and Fitzgerald look really solid but that means he needs a couple more years of filling in classes to really get over the hump. Clark and Taylor will definitely help next year but you're losing Crocker and Wright.

You have no business in this thread. OU is not KU. Capel can not recruit the DEPTH that KU can. That's the bottom line. I don't like the way this team is put together, but I don't think one season means we're heading in the wrong direction. It's not easy to recruit one McD's guy to OU, let along a team of them. You're going to whiff on some of the middle-range guys, because they all have holes in their games.

 

[IndySooner]

You can't blame Sampson for everything and I'm not completely turning on Capel. But obviously his recruiting prowless is overrated and you can't have players leave year after year like he has and say he's doing a great job recruiting. And we may add Gallon and Willis and a couple others to that defection list after this year.

Yeah, it's Jeff's fault that Tiny Gallon talked to an agent.

 

[NickZepp]

You have no business in this thread. OU is not KU. Capel can not recruit the DEPTH that KU can. That's the bottom line. I don't like the way this team is put together, but I don't think one season means we're heading in the wrong direction. It's not easy to recruit one McD's guy to OU, let along a team of them. You're going to whiff on some of the middle-range guys, because they all have holes in their games.

This is just stupid. grace has proven he likes OU and has just as many good opinions on OU as anyone on this board. KU is different they are one of the of the top programs in college basketball. But it's not hard to recruit guys that can play. Evidently based on what Capel's done it is harder than it seems.

 

[NickZepp]

Yeah, it's Jeff's fault that Tiny Gallon talked to an agent.

How about the other guys that aren't on the roster after one year? This isn't about one or even a few players it's about a couple every year, Kelvin usually had 1 a year.

 

[IndySooner]

This is just stupid. Cheno has proven he likes OU and has just as many good opinions on OU as anyone on this board. KU is different they are one of the of the top programs in college basketball. But it's not hard to recruit guys that can play. Evidently based on what Capel's done it is harder than it seems.

Please no personal attacks, thank you.

 

[okcsooner83]

gracefor24, excellent points. i don't think anyone expects ou to recruit the same level that ku or even texas has but ou needs to be able to find some under the radar guys that have not reached their potential.