Grant McCasland

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

I think the opposite. In college sports, good (or bad) coaching can make a huge difference. I read a long profile in The Athletic the other day about Lance Leipold, the KU football coach. You talk about an impossible situation for a coach to inherit. The worst program in the country for almost 15 years. Horrible facilities (so bad that they are going to play next season at two different locations while their stadium is renovated). And if you think they have significant NIL money coming in, you’re kidding yourself. The only thing that changed was the coach. He runs the program the right way, lets his coordinators do their jobs, and gets the absolute most of his players. I realize that’s an extreme example, but it shows what coaching can do.

In his situation, KU already had a donor (Booth) to help redo the stadium, but they were nowhere near close to redoing it. They had already been left behind in realignment in spite of their blueblood basketball program. Their historical peers/rivals (Mizzou, Nebraska, OU) were picked by other conferences, while football held KU back. They had blown several football coach hires in a row. It was the definition of dumpster fire. Leipold had been at Buffalo and Wisconsin-Whitewater, winning big both places.

Once he started winning, the money followed. They're rebuilding their stadium.

Not sure if OU donors are willing to pony the money to build a new arena. We've had a lot of success there in spite of it. LNC isn't as bad as old Kansas Memorial Stadium, but it's out of date. Lack of attention to the arena has caught up with us.

 

[SoonerDutch]

I think the opposite. In college sports, good (or bad) coaching can make a huge difference. I read a long profile in The Athletic the other day about Lance Leipold, the KU football coach. You talk about an impossible situation for a coach to inherit. The worst program in the country for almost 15 years. Horrible facilities (so bad that they are going to play next season at two different locations while their stadium is renovated). And if you think they have significant NIL money coming in, you’re kidding yourself. The only thing that changed was the coach. He runs the program the right way, lets his coordinators do their jobs, and gets the absolute most of his players. I realize that’s an extreme example, but it shows what coaching can do.

I share the obvious point that coaching can help but other posters have mentioned more relevant examples/metrics to OU BBall specifically to make me believe its ceiling in the current Big 12 is bottom half.

Again fine to disagree based on whatever you choose to believe.

 

[WichitaSooner]

I share the obvious point that coaching can help but other posters have mentioned more relevant examples/metrics to OU BBall specifically to make me believe its ceiling in the current Big 12 is bottom half.

Again fine to disagree based on whatever you choose to believe.

So you think KU football has a higher ceiling than OU basketball? I genuinely don’t understand your point. Their football team couldn’t possibly be further behind than they were, and in short order, they are winning 9 games and beating our butts, and finishing in the top half of the conference. Again, the only thing that changed was the coach.

 

[SoonerDutch]

So you think KU football has a higher ceiling than OU basketball? I genuinely don’t understand your point. Their football team couldn’t possibly be further behind than they were, and in short order, they are winning 9 games and beating our butts, and finishing in the top half of the conference. Again, the only thing that changed was the coach.

Lol, I never said anything like KU’s football ceiling is higher than OU basketball’s.

I just don’t think a random profile of Lance Leipold or the fact that KU football beat OU football (let’s not forget OU FB was a top 20 SP+ team this season, OU MBB has beaten top 20 KP teams this season) this year is anywhere near as relevant as other’s more thoughtful and specific to OU basketball posts.

So to be very very clear in what I am saying, I think others have made their point about OU bball’s current situation far more convincingly than you & others who have a view where OU’s current ceiling is significantly higher. You can reread the threads, I don’t need to rehash those specific posts.

You’re entitled to disagree. Have a great evening & enjoy the conference tournament.