Maybe this is what we are as a program?

[Big Old Booger]

Dating back to the 2006 season here are the overall records by season:

2006 20-9
2007 16-15
2008 23-12
2009 30-6
2010 13-18
2011 14-18
2012 15-16
2013 20-12
2014 23-10
2015 24-11
2016 29-8
2017 11-20
2018 18-14

That is a 62% winning percentage. The 2 best teams (2009 and 2016) had NBA lottery picks. Maybe when we don't have a lottery pick we are mediocre at best?

It kills me to say this but maybe this is what we are, a mediocre program most years unless we have a difference maker. Is Lon leaving (fired or retires) going to fix this? I don't know the answer to that question.

It appears the Billy years were lightning in a bottle. He had an incredible run from Wayman thru Stacey King, both instate players who became college superstars. The remaining 5 or 6 years of his time at OU was akin to what we are seeing this year.

The Kelvin years weren't as good as 83-89 but still very good when you consider the last 13 seasons (2006 was Kelvin's last year). I'm willing to concede at this point his teams overachieved most years.

I'm stating this because maybe I need to adjust my expectations for OU basketball.

 

[Darwin]

This is not OU football but it has been proven it can make the dance more than 70% of the time and go deep every few years. So this last stretch is overdue to turn better. I really think LNC is not helping, its now more important to have a venue full of energy than a few thousand empty seats that increase revenue. The right player can fill LNC but the program should not be chasing that. Better to have 6000 fans sitting right on top of the game.

 

[MrAnderson]

Sampson won 72% of his games at OU (68% in conference). Since OU isn't going to get great talent we need a hard ass coach like him that gets the most out of his players. He was a great fit here. Lon just isn't.

Kruger's win percentage at OU is 61% (50% in conference) and that's with arguably better overall talent than Sampson had.

 

[OULad]

Kelvin is a better coach than Lon. He just had other issues.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Kelvin is a better coach than Lon. He just had other issues.

Agreed. Which really weren't even issues since the rule changed shortly after he got in trouble. It's not like he was buying players or doing underhanded things thru the shoe companies.

Look at how many KU players have been ineligible lately. Kelvin had very few players ineligible for anything underhanded. I can't think of one actually.

 

[cjhsooner]

Can't settle. Kruger is not the long-term answer, and may keep setting OU back. I fear what he will do to the talent we have coming in next year.

 

[coolm]

Can't settle. Kruger is not the long-term answer, and may keep setting OU back. I fear what he will do to the talent we have coming in next year.

I am starting to feel that way also.

 

[OUsky]

I am starting to feel that way also.

Last year you went all in and blamed Trae... now this year it is full on Kruger's coaching. Maybe it is the players.

 

[steverocks35]

Can't settle. Kruger is not the long-term answer, and may keep setting OU back. I fear what he will do to the talent we have coming in next year.

I agree. Look at Khadeem Lattin, he peaked as a freshman.

 

[WTSooner]

Nah, that's BS.

Billy and Kelvin finished in the top 3 of the conference in 20 of their 26 seasons. THAT is who OU basketball is as a program.

That is a pretty remarkable stat btw. Kelvin did it 10 of 12 seasons, and Billy 10 of 14.

Maybe we just haven't hired the right coaches the past two times.

 

[sybarite]

In the entire history of the program, how many five-star out of state players have come to OU to play basketball, regardless of coach? We have been fortunate in that we have had Adams, Tisdale, and Griffin from within the state. But, who is the last non-Oklahoman Adams, Tisdale, or Griffin quality player? How many have their been?

Tubbs got some good JC talent, as did Sampson. We didn't see the one great class that Kelvin recruited because they didn't come here.

 

[coolm]

Last year you went all in and blamed Trae... now this year it is full on Kruger's coaching. Maybe it is the players.

I still think trae's performance last year was responsible for OU's late season collapse. That can still be in the same venn diagram as Lon's coaching. it's a complex world.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Nah, that's BS.

Billy and Kelvin finished in the top 3 of the conference in 20 of their 26 seasons. THAT is who OU basketball is as a program.

That is a pretty remarkable stat btw. Kelvin did it 10 of 12 seasons, and Billy 10 of 14.

Maybe we just haven't hired the right coaches the past two times.

And yet people complained about Kelvin because they didn't like his style of play and the fact his teams generally didn't do well in March. People didn't appreciate him enough while he was here, and the same is true of Lon.

 

[Big Old Booger]

And yet people complained about Kelvin because they didn't like his style of play and the fact his teams generally didn't do well in March. People didn't appreciate him enough while he was here, and the same is true of Lon.

I like Lon but the last 3 years have been abysmal. 2 years ago was somewhat expected after the final 4 run and losing the 4 mainstays. But last year and this year are shocking, to say the least. His assistant coach hires now appear really bad and the fact one hire was his son is even worse. I just can't defend his coaching hires and some of his recruiting. The 3 international players wouldn't play for many big 12 teams...maybe OSU because they are so devoid of players.

 

[coolm]

And yet people complained about Kelvin because they didn't like his style of play and the fact his teams generally didn't do well in March. People didn't appreciate him enough while he was here, and the same is true of Lon.

Many people appreciated both of them for a long time. Most coaching tenures just seem to have a half-life.

 

[oudna]

Dating back to the 2006 season here are the overall records by season:

2006 20-9
2007 16-15
2008 23-12
2009 30-6
2010 13-18
2011 14-18
2012 15-16
2013 20-12
2014 23-10
2015 24-11
2016 29-8
2017 11-20
2018 18-14

OU fans deserve worse.

 

[cyberthoth]

My problem isn't necessarily the record it's how we play. Last year it was infuriating to see a team just ignore defense. This year we simply can't hit threes. It makes no sense to me that Lon would recruit all these bigs (many of them projects) only to ignore people who can shoot threes. Threes are necessary in today's game and we really only have one guy that hits them consistently (James) and another who hits them well for his position (Manek)

 

[WichitaSooner]

My problem isn't necessarily the record it's how we play. Last year it was infuriating to see a team just ignore defense. This year we simply can't hit threes. It makes no sense to me that Lon would recruit all these bigs (many of them projects) only to ignore people who can shoot threes. Threes are necessary in today's game and we really only have one guy that hits them consistently (James) and another who hits them well for his position (Manek)

James hits threes consistently? If that were actually the case, we would be much better off than we are. Calixte is the best shooter in the team, hopefully he will continue shooting more like he did today. We definitely need Reaves and at least one other guy next season to be shot makers.

 

[slides]

We are too easy to defend in conference, most of our players are "one-trick ponies" outside of James, whose has had the same confidence/slump issues for 4 years

 

[Soonerinkc]

Nah, that's BS.

Billy and Kelvin finished in the top 3 of the conference in 20 of their 26 seasons. THAT is who OU basketball is as a program.

That is a pretty remarkable stat btw. Kelvin did it 10 of 12 seasons, and Billy 10 of 14.

Maybe we just haven't hired the right coaches the past two times.

I agree....but on a side Billy only had 8 teams in conf....top 3 would be top 5 of 12..or so.

maybe 4 of 10?