Goff talks about his break-up with OU

[OUHoops]

http://hutchnews.com/Jucodaily/0503-goff

Goff weighs options after Sooners say later

By Brad Hallier - The Hutchinson News - bhallier@hutchnews.com

While Robert Goff is not going to be playing for Oklahoma and new coach Lon Kruger next season, the Hutchinson Community College sophomore forward said Monday he still has options to play Division I college basketball.

Last week, Goff was released from the letter-of-intent that he signed last fall. Former Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel had recruited Goff - a 6-foot-9 native of Indianapolis - since Goff played at Cowley in 2008-2009. Goff sat out the next season after transferring to Hutchinson when Steve Eck left Cowley to coach Hutchinson.

Capel was fired after Oklahoma went 14-18, the Sooners' second straight losing season.

Kruger, a Kansas native who once coached Kansas State, was hired away from UNLV to replace Capel. Goff was soon released from his letter-of-intent.

"It was mostly him," Goff said. "He didn't have the confidence that I'd make my grades, so they decided to move in another direction."

Goff said he is on track to graduate.

Because he was released from his letter, Goff can sign with another Division I institution without penalty. He said he plans to visit Marshall, and Florida International has shown interest in Goff as well.

"He needs to take care of his business, and whatever opportunity he gets, he needs to take advantage of," Eck said.

Goff said he was disappointed that he wouldn't get the chance to play in the Big 12 Conference or for Capel.

"We were close," Goff said. "But I feel this will open myself to a better situation. I was upset at first, but I understand. Coach Kruger and I just didn't see eye to eye."

Goff played in 29 games for the 26-7 Blue Dragons, who went 10-6 in the Jayhawk West and finished second. He averaged 9.1 points and 6.2 rebounds a game while shooting 58 percent from the floor.

If Goff ends up at Marshall, he would play against HCC teammate Joe Mitchell, a Wichita native and guard who signed with Ohio. Both schools are in the Mid-American Conference.

 

[Sooner_In_MI]

I'll eat my words if I'm wrong, but I don't think he's someone we'll regret saying goodbye to.

 

[jerry]

I'll eat my words if I'm wrong, but I don't think he's someone we'll regret saying goodbye to.

I agree. I'll trust LK on this one.

 

[Boomer]

Probably for the best.

 

[IntenseDefense]

His coach at hutch basically saying, "he needs to get his $&@! together and take advantage of whatever opportunity he can get at this point" says a lot IMO.

 

[afaSooner]

His coach at hutch basically saying, "he needs to get his $&@! together and take advantage of whatever opportunity he can get at this point" says a lot IMO.

THIS.

Does anyone doubt Kruger's intentions? I don't.
It's his intention to give kids a chance if he feels they deserve one. It's his intention to bring high character kids into our program willing to work hard. It's his intention to win and be the best coach he can be. I don't know about you but Kruger just seems to be one of the good guys. I trust Kruger's judgment and so it appears Goff needs to listen to his Hutch coach at this point... most likely probably should have already been doing that.

 

[AdaSooner]

I'll eat my words if I'm wrong, but I don't think he's someone we'll regret saying goodbye to.

I seriously doubt if you will have to eat your words. If you do, I'll have to serve up a rather large helping of crow with you. lol

On the hopefully positive side for this young man, I have no reason to wish him anything but the best no matter where he ends up. Marshall might be a good fit for him, though. Former OU assistant, Mark Cline, is on the staff there, and as I recall he was the one who was key to signing Goff in the first place. He could do a lot worse than to be under the watchful eye of Coach Cline.

 

[SoonerinNC]

I think that having Marshall and Florida International as his options says a lot about his ability to compete in the Big 12.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I think that having Marshall and Florida International as his options says a lot about his ability to compete in the Big 12.

Surely you jest? At one point he was going to be our savior and now he is only good enough to play at Marshall or FIU?

 

[stanley11]

"If Goff ends up at Marshall, he would play against HCC teammate Joe Mitchell, a Wichita native and guard who signed with Ohio. Both schools are in the Mid-American Conference."

Marshall is a Conf USA school. I think this writer may have been taking the same classes Goff was.

 

[soonernutt]

IMO, we got off lucky. We offered him, and it turned out he probably wasn't as good as we thought. If Capel were still here, we'd honor the scholarship offer, but having a new coach, plus the grade situation, allowed LK to distance from him without it appearing as an unethical move.

It does say something that what was once a highly sought after Juco prospect, is not now being recruited by any majors.

I wish him well wherever he ends up, but we would rather have a scholarship open for next year than to take the chance on him at this point.

 

[thebigabd]

He sucks.

 

[WTSooner]

Just amazing how poor of a talent evaluator Capel turned out to be.

 

[cvangild]

Just amazing how poor of a talent evaluator Capel turned out to be.

You're a troll. Goff was offered by Indiana and Ohio State. I thin kThad Motta knows how to evaluate talent...and Crean isn't too bad either. He was also being recruited by Texas...and we all know Barnes knows what the hell he is doing. Goff didn't put up huge numbers his Soph year, plain and simple. He also didn't play a lot of mintes. If you average his points/reb out ove rthe minutes played..he was actually pretty productive.

Maybe I'm in the minority here..but i thin kGoff would have defintely helped us this upcoming season. He is better than CJ..no doubt. o don't become a pre-season AA for no reason at all.

 

[Triple Threat]

I live and coach in the Hutch area and can tell you the coaches have tolerated all they can take with Goff. He does not go to class. I do not post often, but Goff trying to make it out like everything is OK and he guesses Kruger decided to move on is laughable. He will have to carry a full load this SUMMER to have a chance to get his associates. Capel nor his staff ever checked up on Goff after signing him early. Kruger is a thorough coach that will stay on top of things. Glad we got him. Capel's talent evaluation ability might be matched only by is laziness.

 

[Big Old Booger]

You're a troll. Goff was offered by Indiana and Ohio State. I thin kThad Motta knows how to evaluate talent...and Crean isn't too bad either. He was also being recruited by Texas...and we all know Barnes knows what the hell he is doing. Goff didn't put up huge numbers his Soph year, plain and simple. He also didn't play a lot of mintes. If you average his points/reb out ove rthe minutes played..he was actually pretty productive.

Maybe I'm in the minority here..but i thin kGoff would have defintely helped us this upcoming season. He is better than CJ..no doubt. o don't become a pre-season AA for no reason at all.

If you really believe Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas recruited Goff, more than just sending him a form letter, then I've got some oceanfront property to sell you.

I have thousands of acres on any coast and all it will cost you is $10K per acre. Let me know how much you want, what coast and then send me the money. Cash or cashiers check only.

 

[thebigabd]

You're a troll. Goff was offered by Indiana and Ohio State. I thin kThad Motta knows how to evaluate talent...and Crean isn't too bad either. He was also being recruited by Texas...and we all know Barnes knows what the hell he is doing. Goff didn't put up huge numbers his Soph year, plain and simple. He also didn't play a lot of mintes. If you average his points/reb out ove rthe minutes played..he was actually pretty productive.

Maybe I'm in the minority here..but i thin kGoff would have defintely helped us this upcoming season. He is better than CJ..no doubt. o don't become a pre-season AA for no reason at all.

He did not have offers from any of those schools. No high major wants him. Thats why he is going to Florida International.

 

[scrybe]

Why do so many of we supposedly adult posters feel the need to post comments like "he sucks" in reference to a (junior) college basketball player? Couldn't we simply say Goff wasn't good enough to play in the Big 12 or he didn't take care of his studies and therefore can't attend OU?

 

[AdaSooner]

You're a troll. Goff was offered by Indiana and Ohio State. I thin kThad Motta knows how to evaluate talent...and Crean isn't too bad either. He was also being recruited by Texas...and we all know Barnes knows what the hell he is doing. Goff didn't put up huge numbers his Soph year, plain and simple. He also didn't play a lot of mintes. If you average his points/reb out ove rthe minutes played..he was actually pretty productive.

Maybe I'm in the minority here..but i thin kGoff would have defintely helped us this upcoming season. He is better than CJ..no doubt. o don't become a pre-season AA for no reason at all.

Any major college offer Goff received came at about the same time he was being touted as a pre-season JUCO All-American. All of that went away when he had anything but an AA season.

If you had seen him play you would not be so quick to question LK's decision to distance himself from this guy. After watching two of his games several weeks ago, I openly asked what the heck Capel saw that I had missed. That was long before Goff was thought to be an academic casualty.

Does that mean OU could not have used the size and depth he would have added to our roster this fall? Of course not. But with Arent now on board to fill that void, I will take him and not think twice about it. He is, by all accounts, a hard worker with skills and a huge upside. LK did the right thing by dumping Goff and taking Arent.

 

[WTSooner]

You're a troll. Goff was offered by Indiana and Ohio State. I thin kThad Motta knows how to evaluate talent...and Crean isn't too bad either. He was also being recruited by Texas...and we all know Barnes knows what the hell he is doing. Goff didn't put up huge numbers his Soph year, plain and simple. He also didn't play a lot of mintes. If you average his points/reb out ove rthe minutes played..he was actually pretty productive.

Maybe I'm in the minority here..but i thin kGoff would have defintely helped us this upcoming season. He is better than CJ..no doubt. o don't become a pre-season AA for no reason at all.

Thank you. We hadn't had a clown post in a while. :clap