For those who claim Lon gets "out coached"

[sheepdogs1]

There has never been a coach born that has not been out-coached by their opponent's in-game coaching. The fellow on the other bench is also a professional coach with scholarship players that want to win.

Was Bob Huggins out-coached last Saturday? I don't think so. His team played hard and fought hard, yet they lost a big home game in front of a rowdy sold-out crowd.

Observation: Some may go back and review the OU-WVU game to verify this, but I noticed something different from Coach Kruger on Saturday. In the past, Lon has not been one to constantly "coach from his feet" by patrolling the sideline and standing on the court for much of the game. Watching the game on TV, it appeared that Lon was imitating Bruce Weber and Shaka Smart by being much more animated on-his-feet, rather than sitting down on the bench during play.

Did anyone else notice this? Maybe things look different on TV compared to being in the gym.

When the camera focused on him I noticed him standing on quite a few occasions.

 

[AdaSooner]

Are you saying he did get out-coached but it's OK because it was by good coaches?

I would have just been happy if we had blocked out and rebounded at crunch time in our losses like we did at WV. I figure we beat at least KU and TT if we do that. I don't know know how much of that is coaching except to stress it to the guys in the huddles over and over. It just looked to me like Lattin and Spangler had a different attitude on Saturday - and I liked it!!!!

I liked the Lattin and Spangler we saw on Saturday, too. But they combined for 24 points, 32 rebounds, 10 blocks and 3 steals in our triple overtime loss to KU in Lawrence. If Lattin had made a free shot at the end of regulation, OU would have walked out of Allen Fieldhouse with a win. That's an example of the player execution I spoke of earlier.

As I said before, coaches can prepare the players to give them the best chance possible to win every game. Sometimes, however, they're powerless to do anything but sit on the bench and watch when a player misses a free throw, clangs a layup attempt off of the rim or fails to block out on a rebound, a fundamental every coach emphasizes in practice.

 

[KBaden145]

+2. It makes me chuckle when I read comments like: "Kruger isn't a great in-game coach." I wonder whose standards they're applying to that "factual" statement?

His coaching gives us a chance in every game we play. Player execution of what they've been prepared/coached to do during the week prior to a particular game against a particular team is way more important to the outcome of games. That's not just basketball. I'd say it applies to all team sports. His in game coaching might not be an individual strength but it certainly is not a weakness.


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[SoonerinNC]

I suspect that all that most of us know about in game coaching is whether a last minute shot goes in.

Probably keeping fresh guys on the court is probably a bigger factor. Unfortunately we don't have enough depth to do that.

A lot of other factors that probably few of us even know about.

We would probably want Buddy to take the last shot but for some reason the other coaches would expect that. They will also know our second, third and probably last option.

We have never had that guy who could go to the hoop and score or draw a foul no matter what the other team did. Or get away an outside shot and hit it no matter how closely guarded. That guy Foster was that kind of guy. Kansas has a couple that are close. Evans seemed to be able to do that at OSU.

So we depend on set plays that hopefully get someone open. Sometimes we get a good shot and sometimes hit it. Sometimes we don't.

 

[chuckb]

Agreed.

Coaches can prepare their players for an opponent in practice, film rooms and team meetings. They can also make adjustments during a game if the original plan isn't working as well as expected. But, in the end, it all comes down to player execution.

Coaches get blamed for more losses than they deserve, just as some coaches get more credit for a win. That's why player development and recruiting are at the top of my list. I think LK and his staff have done a great job with player development. Now, recruiting is proving to be a strength.

Agree 100%. The game is all about execution on the court. There's only so much any coach can do to stop runs by the other team or change the momentum. Coaches earn their money at practices and in managing players. When the players execute during games, coaches get the credit.

 

[StatGeek]

+2. It makes me chuckle when I read comments like: "Kruger isn't a great in-game coach." I wonder whose standards they're applying to that "factual" statement?

Good question and good post.

 

[MNsooner]

I think there is just a lot cherry picking from people who think Lon is a bad in game coach. They notice anytime he does something that could be considered a mistake, but never notice the things he does well. They can't get past the fact that Lon didn't call a timeout they wanted so they don't see that we run designed plays better than most anyone in college basketball this year and have done a great job managing fouls and have been in a position to win nearly every game (only KSU was a loss by more than 5 points).

Sometime you'll lose games when you're playing top 25 or borderline top 25 teams every week. We're having a great season and I am sure it isn't despite Lon Kruger's in game decisions. I guarantee you the people on this board who claim Lon is a bad in game coach couldn't even identify most of the in game decisions Lon Kruger makes for the team. As fans we just don't have access to that information and so somehow people decide that a late game turnover or a timeout usage is the most important measure of coaching. I really don't want to be rude, but people complaining about Lon Kruger this season just come off as completely ignorant.

 

[StatGeek]

I think there is just a lot cherry picking from people who think Lon is a bad in game coach. They notice anytime he does something that could be considered a mistake, but never notice the things he does well. They can't get past the fact that Lon didn't call a timeout they wanted so they don't see that we run designed plays better than most anyone in college basketball this year and have done a great job managing fouls and have been in a position to win nearly every game (only KSU was a loss by more than 5 points).

Sometime you'll lose games when you're playing top 25 or borderline top 25 teams every week. We're having a great season and I am sure it isn't despite Lon Kruger's in game decisions. I guarantee you the people on this board who claim Lon is a bad in game coach couldn't even identify most of the in game decisions Lon Kruger makes for the team. As fans we just don't have access to that information and so somehow people decide that a late game turnover or a timeout usage is the most important measure of coaching. I really don't want to be rude, but people complaining about Lon Kruger this season just come off as completely ignorant.

:chestram2:

 

[AdaSooner]

I think there is just a lot cherry picking from people who think Lon is a bad in game coach. They notice anytime he does something that could be considered a mistake, but never notice the things he does well. They can't get past the fact that Lon didn't call a timeout they wanted so they don't see that we run designed plays better than most anyone in college basketball this year and have done a great job managing fouls and have been in a position to win nearly every game (only KSU was a loss by more than 5 points).

Sometime you'll lose games when you're playing top 25 or borderline top 25 teams every week. We're having a great season and I am sure it isn't despite Lon Kruger's in game decisions. I guarantee you the people on this board who claim Lon is a bad in game coach couldn't even identify most of the in game decisions Lon Kruger makes for the team. As fans we just don't have access to that information and so somehow people decide that a late game turnover or a timeout usage is the most important measure of coaching. I really don't want to be rude, but people complaining about Lon Kruger this season just come off as completely ignorant.

Well said, MN!

Don't apologize for being rude. Anyone who criticizes Lon Kruger for the job he has done this season doesn't deserve an apology.

 

[MsProudSooner]

I think there is just a lot cherry picking from people who think Lon is a bad in game coach. They notice anytime he does something that could be considered a mistake, but never notice the things he does well. They can't get past the fact that Lon didn't call a timeout they wanted so they don't see that we run designed plays better than most anyone in college basketball this year and have done a great job managing fouls and have been in a position to win nearly every game (only KSU was a loss by more than 5 points).

Sometime you'll lose games when you're playing top 25 or borderline top 25 teams every week. We're having a great season and I am sure it isn't despite Lon Kruger's in game decisions. I guarantee you the people on this board who claim Lon is a bad in game coach couldn't even identify most of the in game decisions Lon Kruger makes for the team. As fans we just don't have access to that information and so somehow people decide that a late game turnover or a timeout usage is the most important measure of coaching. I really don't want to be rude, but people complaining about Lon Kruger this season just come off as completely ignorant.

:woot :woot :woot

 

[skyvue]

I think there is just a lot cherry picking from people who think Lon is a bad in game coach. They notice anytime he does something that could be considered a mistake, but never notice the things he does well. They can't get past the fact that Lon didn't call a timeout they wanted so they don't see that we run designed plays better than most anyone in college basketball this year and have done a great job managing fouls and have been in a position to win nearly every game (only KSU was a loss by more than 5 points).

Sometime you'll lose games when you're playing top 25 or borderline top 25 teams every week. We're having a great season and I am sure it isn't despite Lon Kruger's in game decisions. I guarantee you the people on this board who claim Lon is a bad in game coach couldn't even identify most of the in game decisions Lon Kruger makes for the team. As fans we just don't have access to that information and so somehow people decide that a late game turnover or a timeout usage is the most important measure of coaching. I really don't want to be rude, but people complaining about Lon Kruger this season just come off as completely ignorant.

Amen, brother.

 

[KBaden145]

I think there is just a lot cherry picking from people who think Lon is a bad in game coach. They notice anytime he does something that could be considered a mistake, but never notice the things he does well. They can't get past the fact that Lon didn't call a timeout they wanted so they don't see that we run designed plays better than most anyone in college basketball this year and have done a great job managing fouls and have been in a position to win nearly every game (only KSU was a loss by more than 5 points).

Sometime you'll lose games when you're playing top 25 or borderline top 25 teams every week. We're having a great season and I am sure it isn't despite Lon Kruger's in game decisions. I guarantee you the people on this board who claim Lon is a bad in game coach couldn't even identify most of the in game decisions Lon Kruger makes for the team. As fans we just don't have access to that information and so somehow people decide that a late game turnover or a timeout usage is the most important measure of coaching. I really don't want to be rude, but people complaining about Lon Kruger this season just come off as completely ignorant.

Agree completely.


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[DenverSooner]

Add Bo Ryan and Jay Wright to great coaches that Lon has dueled against this year.

You left off Travis Ford. He has Mitchell Solomon on his team.