Looking more into this, it may be a better hire than I first thought...

[NickZepp]

And I've been pretty high on this hire.

But let me show you what exactly he's done at his past programs

Texas-Pan American he won 20 games in a year. His overall record there is iffy and probably the biggest thing against him on his record. But winning 20 games at a school like that gives you credit.

Kansas State had no NCAA tournament bids in the previous 5 years, no NIT bids either. Now you can say this was when the tournament had half the teams for the most part. Not only did they have no post season bids but they had 1 season with a winning record. So what does Lon do at KSU? Goes to the tournament every year. Wins 5 tournament games including and Elite 8 season. This isn't the end of this. After he left, Kansas State as a basketball program fell apart. And wouldn't win another NCAA Tournament game till Frank Martin's first year. They had 2 NCAA appearances in 17 years between Kruger and Martin and no wins. Kansas State isn't an easy place to win.

Goes to florida he took over a program that was actually pretty good a few years before. But then probation hit so he was forced to be the guy to clean up a program and build it back. And he did this slowly going to the NIT a couple seasons in a row. Then to the Final Four his 4th season, and back to the tournament the next season. Did have a 12 win season his final year before taking the Illinois job.

He took over the Illinois program that was in decent shape after Lou Henson left. But they hadn't won 20 games in 5 seasons and only had 1 NCAA Tournament win in the previous 6 years. He won 20+ games 3 of the 4 years there. And got out of the first round every one of those years. Did have one losing season, but he left a pretty decent program for Bill Self to take over.

UNLV hadn't won an NCAA Tournament game since 1991 with Tark, in fact they only went to 2 NCAA Tourneys in that span before Lon took over. In his 3rd year Lon took them to the Sweet 16, won 30 games. Next year would 27 more and won another NCAA Tourney game. Went to the post season 3 more years after that and has won 24 or more 4 of the last 5 years.

I don't see how any OU fan can hate this hire.

 

[seniorsooner]

The only OU fans that hate this hire are the ones that are too lazy to put in 5 minutes to research his resume/background. He's not a "sexy" name, so they automatically think it's a bad hire.

 

[Sooner_In_MI]

The only OU fans that hate this hire are the ones that are too lazy to put in 5 minutes to research his resume/background. He's not a "sexy" name, so they automatically think it's a bad hire.

Yeah. Not going to lie, I was not excited when I first heard his name pop up a week ago. But all it took was reading his Wiki page a few times and I think it's a damn good hire. He's basically Billy Gillispie without the personal problems. Seems like a great coach, and a great person.

 

[ouboomer]

The only OU fans that hate this hire are the ones that are too lazy to put in 5 minutes to research his resume/background. He's not a "sexy" name, so they automatically think it's a bad hire.

or are the ones that would of found something wrong if John Wooden was named the coach.

 

[Soonerman]

Yeah. Not going to lie, I was not excited when I first heard his name pop up a week ago. But all it took was reading his Wiki page a few times and I think it's a damn good hire.

I did the same thing about the same time you did too. Kruger was not a name know to me.

 

[StatGeek]

or are the ones that would of found something wrong if John Wooden was named the coach.

Very true

 

[Tony]

or are the ones that would of found something wrong if John Wooden was named the coach.

I try to be super positive but even I would have a problem if we hired a dead person to coach our team.

 

[Sooner_In_MI]

I try to be super positive but even I would have a problem if we hired a dead person to coach our team.

lol

 

[greenbug]

I try to be super positive but even I would have a problem if we hired a dead person to coach our team.

I was thinking the same thing...lol

 

[CMSOONER]

Zepp you are spot on! Well said. :clap

 

[MercedeSooner]

The only OU fans that hate this hire are the ones that are too lazy to put in 5 minutes to research his resume/background. He's not a "sexy" name, so they automatically think it's a bad hire.

pretty much sums it up. 1 thing I don't understand is people being fixated on candidates that either said no to OU or we really had 0 shot at. I mean seriously what is the use of that ?