Jeff Capel didn't make the same mistake Mike Anderson did

[thebigabd]

Jeff Capel didn't make the same mistake Mike Anderson did, which would be not signing or offering the Gatorade POTY in your home state.

Mike Anderson let a 3-star guard go, who was the Gatorade POTY in Missouri, with offers from Colorado, Drake, Santa Clara, Missouri State, Wichita State, and late interest and offer from K-State.

He didnt even get an offer from Missouri.

That guy is Alec Burks who just won Big 12 freshman of the year at Colorado and is on 2011 NBA mock drafts in the lottery. He scored in double figures every game and averaged 17 on the season. Again, 3-star with mostly mid-major offers.

Great job, Coach Capel. At the very least Neal will be a solid contributor and a guy who helps the team get better and win for 4 years.

 

[boomerbaby]

Honestly, this recruiting class could NOT be worse than last years, which had 2 Burger AA boys.....

In terms of star power, it will certainly be lower, but......

 

[Sawyer]

And the guy Anderson took instead, Michael Dixon, scored 15 in a second round game of the NCAA tournament.

Burks didn't have more offers for two main reasons:

1. he was several inches shorter then than he is now
2. there were legitimate concerns about his attitude and effort

Comparing Neal to Burks (or Capel to Anderson) at this point is a bit of a stretch.

 

[stoops4pres]

Burks didn't have more offers for two main reasons:

1. he was several inches shorter then than he is now

How many inches did he shoot up? And over how long of a time span?

 

[TINY]

And the guy Anderson took instead, Michael Dixon, scored 15 in a second round game of the NCAA tournament.

Burks didn't have more offers for two main reasons:

1. he was several inches shorter then than he is now
2. there were legitimate concerns about his attitude and effort

Comparing Neal to Burks (or Capel to Anderson) at this point is a bit of a stretch.

I know, Capel is superior! He has had much more success in the NCAA tourney withthe Elite 8. I am sure that's what you meant, right?

 

[Sawyer]

Apparently shot up 4 inches between signing in November and showing up in boulder 9 months later

 

[MNsooner]

I agree. We should almost always try to get the best player in the state.

 

[Sawyer]

I know, Capel is superior! He has had much more success in the NCAA tourney withthe Elite 8. I am sure that's what you meant, right?

Mike Anderson has five NCAA tournament appearances, including a sweet 16 and an elite eight (seven wins total). One year removed from a conference tournament championship and after losing three 1,000 point scorers (including a 1st round NBA draft pick), he finished in the top half of the conference and again won an NCAA tournament game (this with a team with "no scorers").

Capel's won four NCAA games in three tournament appearances and followed up his best season with a 13-18 record and a team in complete disarray.

Both men have coached eight seasons, four each at the mid-major level and the Big 12 level.

At VCU, Capel took over a 21 win program and averaged 19.75 wins per season (only once finishing with more than 21). Since he left, VCU has averaged 24.5 wins. Anderson took over a 13 win UAB team and averaged 22.25 wins. Since he left, they've averaged 21.25 wins (in a significantly weakened C-USA) and have not made a single NCAA tournament appearance.

At OU, Capel inherited a team that had won 92 games over the previous 4 seasons. In the four years since, he's won just 82. At MU, Anderson took over a program with 66 wins over the previous four seasons. Since then he has won 88.

OU is scrambling just to fill a roster for next season. Anderson's signed the top rated class in the conference.

Mike Anderson has a clear vision for what he wants his program to be and a definite understanding of what kind of athlete (on and off the court) that he needs to get there. Capel, well... heard anything on Gallon's eligibility yet?

I'll grant you that Capel's a very good recruiter. The players he left behind were a big part of Anthony Grant's immediate success. But the fact is, Anderson's just flat out won more games than Capel has, and he's done it with less talent. At this point, the talent is bailing on Capel and Anderson's bringing in more and more. So yeah... the comparison at this point really is a bit of a stretch.

 

[boksooner]

Mike Anderson has five NCAA tournament appearances, including a sweet 16 and an elite eight (seven wins total). One year removed from a conference tournament championship and after losing three 1,000 point scorers (including a 1st round NBA draft pick), he finished in the top half of the conference and again won an NCAA tournament game (this with a team with "no scorers").

Capel's won four NCAA games in three tournament appearances and followed up his best season with a 13-18 record and a team in complete disarray.

Both men have coached eight seasons, four each at the mid-major level and the Big 12 level.

At VCU, Capel took over a 21 win program and averaged 19.75 wins per season (only once finishing with more than 21). Since he left, VCU has averaged 24.5 wins. Anderson took over a 13 win UAB team and averaged 22.25 wins. Since he left, they've averaged 21.25 wins (in a significantly weakened C-USA) and have not made a single NCAA tournament appearance.

At OU, Capel inherited a team that had won 92 games over the previous 4 seasons. In the four years since, he's won just 82. At MU, Anderson took over a program with 66 wins over the previous four seasons. Since then he has won 88.

OU is scrambling just to fill a roster for next season. Anderson's signed the top rated class in the conference.

Mike Anderson has a clear vision for what he wants his program to be and a definite understanding of what kind of athlete (on and off the court) that he needs to get there. Capel, well... heard anything on Gallon's eligibility yet?

I'll grant you that Capel's a very good recruiter. The players he left behind were a big part of Anthony Grant's immediate success. But the fact is, Anderson's just flat out won more games than Capel has, and he's done it with less talent. At this point, the talent is bailing on Capel and Anderson's bringing in more and more. So yeah... the comparison at this point really is a bit of a stretch.

A simple no would have sufficed. Do you also kick puppies and punch babies?

 

[Sawyer]

Only if they were born in kansas.

 

[Mackie McNeer]

All the OP was saying was that we signed the OK gatorade POY, not comparing the merits of Capel v. Anderson. Untwist your panties and stop rubbing our bad year in our faces.

 

[boksooner]

Only if they were born in kansas.

I'm like that with South Dakota. Those people are so smug.

 

[boksooner]

All the OP was saying was that we signed the OK gatorade POY, not comparing the merits of Capel v. Anderson. Untwist your panties and stop rubbing our bad year in our faces.

I know, Capel is superior! He has had much more success in the NCAA tourney withthe Elite 8. I am sure that's what you meant, right?

uh...

 

[stoops4pres]

Apparently shot up 4 inches between signing in November and showing up in boulder 9 months later

Didn't know that. I'm sure had he been that tall in H.S. he would've been recruited by Mizzou.

 

[Sawyer]

Mizzou did take a look at him.

What I've read indicates that a couple assistants had seen him play and liked him quite a bit. Anderson went to watch him in person and Burks was lazy, selfish and in general not the type of guy Anderson wanted on his team. He went back to watch him a second time and again, Burks was unimpressive from an intangibles standpoint. I know Burks had issues with that sort of thing that resulted in his HS coach suspending him at least once, and Burks has said himself that Mizzou, Iowa State and other schools did look at him but passed because he was lazy (his words from this year).

Colorado just happened to get lucky on a guy who matured a bit late (physically, and apparently his attitude, as well).

 

[stoops4pres]

I agree with you that the comparison is a stretch. I think this specific reason for judging Capel, however, is
unfair on his part:

At OU, Capel inherited a team that had won 92 games over the previous 4 seasons.

The accomplishments of Hollis Price, Terrell Everett, and other players over those last 4 seasons don't have anything to do with Capel's inheritance in the '06-07 season. Those previous 4 seasons statistic are immaterial. They weren't on the team when Capel took over, Capel inherited a roster that was a stark contrast from the players that helped win those 92 games. Some OU followers disagree (and I think that may be due to crimson shades), but IMO the 06-07 roster shouldn't be held against Capel, because it would have been hard to reach the tournament with that group, anyways. Either way, they sure weren't good enough to keep up the standard that OU basketball was accustomed to over those 4 seasons.

You're right, Anderson is better and at this point a comparison is a reach. But I think a few bits of your criteria for judging Capel could be left out, because it doesn't tell the whole story. Otherwise that was a good analysis.

 

[stoops4pres]

Mizzou did take a look at him.

My bad, I assumed you knew what I meant. I'll clarify: I meant they more then likely would've sign him had he been that tall from the get go. I'm assuming so, at least.

 

[Sawyer]

I did grant you the first point at the end of that post. That said, I still think it would be a bit of a stretch to assume he'd win 24+ games per season over the next four years, considering he's only done that once in his career.

I also agree (in a way) regarding the second one. Capel certainly didn't inherit all the players responsible for those wins. But he did inherit a program with recent success. He was recruiting players who grew up during that four-year span and actually had something decent to sell them. That's a pretty stark difference compared to what Anderson had to sell.

And for what it's worth (in case you hadn't noticed), I'm not real high on Capel's future prospects in Oklahoma. It's rare that a coach can go through what he went through this year and come out successful at the same school. I think he's owed one year to try to fix things, and if the program stabilizes he should get additional time... but when there's this much turnover this late in the recruiting season and so little coming back, it's almost impossible to turn things around quickly.

 

[Sawyer]

My bad, I assumed you knew what I meant. I'll clarify: I meant they more then likely would've sign him had he been that tall from the get go. I'm assuming so, at least.

I don't think his size was as much an issue as his attitude when Anderson watched him play.

 

[stoops4pres]

I did grant you the first point at the end of that post.

I also agree (in a way) regarding the second one. Capel certainly didn't inherit all the players responsible for those wins. But he did inherit a program with recent success. He was recruiting players who grew up during that four-year span and actually had something decent to sell them. That's a pretty stark difference compared to what Anderson had to sell.

Indeed you did. My bad for missing the first part.

And I agree that this season is no excuse for recruiting purposes, I'm not disputing that.

He should be able to sell what OU had accomplished then at this point in time, but going into his first season he couldn't. He was forced to play the hand he was dealt. Thus, his first season shouldn't be held against him, because he didn't inherit a team anywhere close to the teams that collected those 92 wins. This year his team's troubles while being able to sell the OU program are on him. His first year was not.