Kruger report card

[bgrch1350]

Or Kruger turned three guys into All Big XII level players and Capel turned none of the guys he got into All Big XII level players.

Capel was a joke. He had Blake Griffin for two years and still posted a losing record in Big XII play. He violated NCAA rules. He had a horrible problem with retaining players. He got virtually nothing out of the players he recruited except Blake Griffin.

I guess you have forgotten about: Maze, Neysmith, Allen, Cannon, Pattillo, Willis, Hardrick, Abdul, Blair, Newell, Thompson, WWII, Tiny Gallon and TMG. That is 14 guys that left the program early (not counting Griffin) all of who did not work out under Capel's watch. No degrees, no seniors, and very few wins.

Your last statement is far from being factual. Newell turned out to be a good player that left under Kruger.

Warren tmg and gallon left for the pros. That's on the players not the coach.

Maze and pattillo were good players that needed to leave the program bc they couldn't keep their noses clean. And they both ended their college careers at other colleges with solid numbers.

And your statement about him not getting anything from players he recruited is a joke as well. Cade Davis, pattillo, Warren(healthy), Fitzgerald, Crocker, pledger, and Clark did really well under him.

 

[bgrch1350]

I know Osby played for Kruger his first season. I was responding to Boca's point that the roster LK had his first season wasn't much better than the team we have now. Thus, my breakdown of each player and how they stack up with the players on our current roster.

You'll get no argument out of me that Coach Kruger needs to step up his recruiting if OU is to make a deep run in March. Still, I think it's too early to count this team out this season. We have seen signs that they're perfectly capable of beating nearly anyone when they're on their game offensively and they're playing the kind of defense we saw against UT in Austin. Can they do both consistently? The answer is, yes. Will they do it? That's a question I'm not sure anyone can answer at this point.

By giving LK until the 2016 season to put an Elite 8 team on the floor, I'm counting on the returning players that year, plus an anticipated outstanding recruiting class that will include Pritchard and Doolittle, as well as a couple of high-profile recruits OU is in on in that class. If I'm right, OU should have the firepower necessary to produce an Elite 8 caliber team. That may be somewhat of a stretch, but I honestly believe it can be done. Keep in mind that a top fifty point guard like Pritchard will almost always attract top fifty or better bigs and wings who will want to play with him.

Next year if buddy stays has elite 8 written on it. Anything less is a bust. Pritchard is his best commitment so far.

 

[DenverSooner]

Your last statement is far from being factual. Newell turned out to be a good player that left under Kruger.

Warren tmg and gallon left for the pros. That's on the players not the coach.

Maze and pattillo were good players that needed to leave the program bc they couldn't keep their noses clean. And they both ended their college careers at other colleges with solid numbers.

And your statement about him not getting anything from players he recruited is a joke as well. Cade Davis, pattillo, Warren(healthy), Fitzgerald, Crocker, pledger, and Clark did really well under him.

That fool got little to nothing from Fitzgerald or Pledger. Crocker was a Sampson signee not a Capel. Clark had a good freshman season inspire of Capel's ineptness. You are correct about Davis but what was OU's record when he produced. I don't fault Cade Davis but I am also not going to pat Capel on the back with the records produced in Davis' junior and senior seasons. TMG and Tiny Gallon did nothing. Stats with all of those losses and leaving is meaningless to the program. TMG was one of the worst things that happened to OU. Warren left for the NBA but Capel screwed that up. He should have had a better relationship with the kid and kept Warren in school for Warren.

Saying Tiny Gallon left for the pros is a joke. Tiny had to leave because Capel's staff cheated and Capel likely new or didn't want to know. If you call one semester of decent play for Pattillo as a positive for Capel, I don't know what to tell you. Capel wasn't running the team and allowed the kid to redshirt for half a season. That is ridiculous and on the Capel.

Capel is the worst coach in OU history dating back to the 60s and when you consider he had Blake Griffin to pad his stats, you could argue he was the worst ever.

 

[WaymanFan]

I wish both sides of the Jeff Capel debate would come a little closer to the center. I'm not sure which I find more amusing - the notion that he was the worst coach in school history or that he was better for the program than Lon Kruger is.

I don't care how much disdain you have for the man, he had his fair share of success at OU. He won every overtime game he coached...which means he really can coach. He also won all four of his NCAA Tournament games as the higher seed...which means he really can coach. As a recruiter, he was able to land his fair share of high-end talent with 3 Burger Boys in 5 years...and YES, he still gets credit even if one of them had a brother already on the team. Brothers don't always land at the same college...think of Rick Barry's boys, or more recently, Harvey Grant's boys.

On the flip side, things ended badly for Coach Capel...because of Coach Capel. He had no clue how to run a major D-I program...didn't know how (or didn't care how) to connect with the fan base. He also couldn't grasp the concept that if you don't land a 5-star player, it's best to at least have a high 3-star or a 4-star player as your "Plan B". He also didn't seem to have a knack for recruiting "instincts" in regards to finding those "diamonds in the rough" (like Isiah Cousins). And yes, he does have to take his fair share of the blame for the Tiny Gallon fiasco.

I'm glad we have Coach Kruger, and I hope that 'B' I gave him earlier in the thread will become a B+ by the end of the season.

 

[152219]

I wish both sides of the Jeff Capel debate would come a little closer to the center. I'm not sure which I find more amusing - the notion that he was the worst coach in school history or that he was better for the program than Lon Kruger is.

I don't care how much disdain you have for the man, he had his fair share of success at OU. He won every overtime game he coached...which means he really can coach. He also won all four of his NCAA Tournament games as the higher seed...which means he really can coach. As a recruiter, he was able to land his fair share of high-end talent with 3 Burger Boys in 5 years...and YES, he still gets credit even if one of them had a brother already on the team. Brothers don't always land at the same college...think of Rick Barry's boys, or more recently, Harvey Grant's boys.

On the flip side, things ended badly for Coach Capel...because of Coach Capel. He had no clue how to run a major D-I program...didn't know how (or didn't care how) to connect with the fan base. He also couldn't grasp the concept that if you don't land a 5-star player, it's best to at least have a high 3-star or a 4-star player as your "Plan B". He also didn't seem to have a knack for recruiting "instincts" in regards to finding those "diamonds in the rough" (like Isiah Cousins). And yes, he does have to take his fair share of the blame for the Tiny Gallon fiasco.

I'm glad we have Coach Kruger, and I hope that 'B' I gave him earlier in the thread will become a B+ by the end of the season.

I posted nearly this exact same thing last year. I was hoping this discussion would fade but some people cannot let things go.

 

[bocabull]

I wish both sides of the Jeff Capel debate would come a little closer to the center. I'm not sure which I find more amusing - the notion that he was the worst coach in school history or that he was better for the program than Lon Kruger is.

I don't care how much disdain you have for the man, he had his fair share of success at OU. He won every overtime game he coached...which means he really can coach. He also won all four of his NCAA Tournament games as the higher seed...which means he really can coach. As a recruiter, he was able to land his fair share of high-end talent with 3 Burger Boys in 5 years...and YES, he still gets credit even if one of them had a brother already on the team. Brothers don't always land at the same college...think of Rick Barry's boys, or more recently, Harvey Grant's boys.

On the flip side, things ended badly for Coach Capel...because of Coach Capel. He had no clue how to run a major D-I program...didn't know how (or didn't care how) to connect with the fan base. He also couldn't grasp the concept that if you don't land a 5-star player, it's best to at least have a high 3-star or a 4-star player as your "Plan B". He also didn't seem to have a knack for recruiting "instincts" in regards to finding those "diamonds in the rough" (like Isiah Cousins). And yes, he does have to take his fair share of the blame for the Tiny Gallon fiasco.

I'm glad we have Coach Kruger, and I hope that 'B' I gave him earlier in the thread will become a B+ by the end of the season.

Most of what you say is true. He swung for the fences in recruiting and had a fair amount of success. Unfortunately some of that success was mitigated due to a couple guys who cared nothing about being team players and students.

But to say he didn't have a plan B or know how to run a program ... well ... after the TMG Tiny WW implosion he had Osby, Clark, Pledger, Newell, Fitz, Neal teed up for a rebuild. I have no doubt if he was still our coach the results of the past 4 years would at a very minimum be equal and likely better than we have fared. I have no doubt we would have landed a few higher rated guys that could win more basketball games.

Would we have had open practices and feel good alumni gatherings and butt kissing sessions with the coach kissing babies? Probably not. But I don't give a rats A about that. I wanna field a talented team that can make some noise in March. Frankly, the fact that our practices are open and anybody can stroll in and get a picture with the coach and players is a little embarrassing. It shows what little enthusiasm there is for the program.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Most of what you say is true. He swung for the fences in recruiting and had a fair amount of success. Unfortunately some of that success was mitigated due to a couple guys who cared nothing about being team players and students.

But to say he didn't have a plan B or know how to run a program ... well ... after the TMG Tiny WW implosion he had Osby, Clark, Pledger, Newell, Fitz, Neal teed up for a rebuild. I have no doubt if he was still our coach the results of the past 4 years would at a very minimum be equal and likely better than we have fared. I have no doubt we would have landed a few higher rated guys that could win more basketball games.

Would we have had open practices and feel good alumni gatherings and butt kissing sessions with the coach kissing babies? Probably not. But I don't give a rats A about that. I wanna field a talented team that can make some noise in March. Frankly, the fact that our practices are open and anybody can stroll in and get a picture with the coach and players is a little embarrassing. It shows what little enthusiasm there is for the program.

Clown posting at its best.

The bottom line, he took over the 2nd best program in the big 12 and inherited the Wooden award winner, but still managed to leave the program as the 2nd worst or worst in the big 12. How that can be argued by anyone sober or not retarded is beyond me. Facts are facts.

 

[DenverSooner]

I wish both sides of the Jeff Capel debate would come a little closer to the center. I'm not sure which I find more amusing - the notion that he was the worst coach in school history or that he was better for the program than Lon Kruger is.

His conference winning percentage demonstrates this.

 

[scrybe]

This thread was basically started as a knee-jerk reaction to Saturday's loss at Baylor. It eventually devolved into the latest chapter of Kruger v. Capel. This thread is why I normally stay away from the board for a few days after every Sooner loss.

 

[usedtobe1]

This thread was basically started as a knee-jerk reaction to Saturday's loss at Baylor. It eventually devolved into the latest chapter of Kruger v. Capel. This thread is why I normally stay away from the board for a few days after every Sooner loss.

Amen

 

[bgrch1350]

Clown posting at its best.

The bottom line, he took over the 2nd best program in the big 12 and inherited the Wooden award winner, but still managed to leave the program as the 2nd worst or worst in the big 12. How that can be argued by anyone sober or not retarded is beyond me. Facts are facts.

Did Griffin win the award his freshman year..No

So he didn't inherit Jack

 

[Big Old Booger]

Did Griffin win the award his freshman year..No

So he didn't inherit Jack

No, but he would have been a top 10 pick in the NBA draft after his freshman year. In fact, he was projected to be picked 8th if I remember correctly.

 

[152219]

Clown posting at its best.

The bottom line, he took over the 2nd best program in the big 12 and inherited the Wooden award winner, but still managed to leave the program as the 2nd worst or worst in the big 12. How that can be argued by anyone sober or not retarded is beyond me. Facts are facts.

Your use of "clown post" is beyond overused and now bordering on pathetic.

And saying Capel inherited the Wooden winner is laughably wrong.

 

[bgrch1350]

No, but he would have been a top 10 pick in the NBA draft after his freshman year. In fact, he was projected to be picked 8th if I remember correctly.

And yet he returned under Capel and his draft stock went to number 1.

 

[152219]

And yet he returned under Capel and his draft stock went to number 1.

And he wasn't inherited as he wasn't on the roster when Capel became the coach. To say he was inherited is ridiculous.

Four sets of brothers pop into my mind that recently played college hoops (there are likely others but none instantly came to mind).

Grant brothers- 3 sons of Harvey and they played at 3 different schools
Griffin brothers- both played at OU
Curry brothers- 2 different schools
Plumlee brothers- all 3 played at Duke

Evidence that brothers don't necessarily follow each other and that there is no guarantee if you snag one brother you will get the next.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Comparing Kruger to Capel is a real stretch.

Capel couldn't control his team. He recruited one and done guys who except for Griffin didn't even make the show.

He has been at Duke four years now as an assistant but no one has bothered to pick him up as a coach.

His VCU team was fading when we hired him and blossomed under Grant. Joe C failed to pick up on that.

 

[jerry]

Comparing Kruger to Capel is a real stretch.

Capel couldn't control his team. He recruited one and done guys who except for Griffin didn't even make the show.

He has been at Duke four years now as an assistant but no one has bothered to pick him up as a coach.

His VCU team was fading when we hired him and blossomed under Grant. Joe C failed to pick up on that.

Good post! Many other things with Capel other than basketball. Very, very low integrity.

 

[campbest]

And he wasn't inherited as he wasn't on the roster when Capel became the coach. To say he was inherited is ridiculous.

Four sets of brothers pop into my mind that recently played college hoops (there are likely others but none instantly came to mind).

Grant brothers- 3 sons of Harvey and they played at 3 different schools
Griffin brothers- both played at OU
Curry brothers- 2 different schools
Plumlee brothers- all 3 played at Duke

Evidence that brothers don't necessarily follow each other and that there is no guarantee if you snag one brother you will get the next.

The Zellers

 

[bocabull]

Good post! Many other things with Capel other than basketball. Very, very low integrity.

Come on Jerry. You're better than that.

At the end of the day Capel tried to recruit at OU like he was at Duke and found out no matter how good of a relationship you form with the kid OU is not Duke and 99% of the 5 stars are going to pass unless they have warts.

In addition it's apparent he didn't really dig the area. No biggie. It happens.

 

[jerry]

Come on Jerry. You're better than that.

At the end of the day Capel tried to recruit at OU like he was at Duke and found out no matter how good of a relationship you form with the kid OU is not Duke and 99% of the 5 stars are going to pass unless they have warts.

In addition it's apparent he didn't really dig the area. No biggie. It happens.

Sorry Boca I know you love him, but there were mistakes made that can't be over looked. Agree with you on him not digging the area. Problem was at the end he chose to wear it on his sleeve.

Evident he is in the right job at the right place now!