SoonerBounce13
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New Coach
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StoopsBros
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Willard is just an okay-ish coach.
He makes $4 million a year and has 3-4 years on his contract. Getting him would mean OU would have to shell out Moser's buyout + Moser's staff's buyouts + Willard's buyout + Willard's staff's buyouts (most likely, duh) + Willard/staff's salaries. I don't math all too well but that seems expensive for what you're getting (an average HC).
Let's file this under: not happening.
It's really silly.
He has a personal agenda/connection. I don't listen to his podcasts but it wouldn't be a potential coaching search without his Kellen propaganda. OUI has OU hiring Crutchfield or Kellen (at least from what's been posted here, I don't have an OUI account).
Joe C, or Joe C Jr, if you read this....do the opposite of what OUI says and you'll improve OU's standing. Trust me.
There are like 5 people who care about bringing Hollis back (no Hollis hate at all but it's about winning games not having reunions).
If Kellen is the right man for the job, fine, but something (common sense) tells me there are more qualified candidates. Post-Moser is not the time to hire a never-been HC, IMO.
Could you imagine OU hiring Kellen Sampson over Will Wade? Ben McCollum?
Next thing we know, Billy Donovan will be mentioned (maybe he has been).
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BoulderSooner
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i mean if I had 1 billion dollars .. he would work pretty well ..
of course OU also would have a new 10k on campus arena .. and the best NIL in the country
SoonerBounce13
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Someone please explain to me what Crutchfield as done to even be in these conversations by anyone?
I'd just rather keep PM if that is the case
I'd just rather keep PM if that is the case
AnotherSoonerInTX
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1) He'd come cheap.
2) He knows OU and the admin knows him.
3) He's on a small run at Omaha right now. But, if they don't win the Summit League tournament, it's all for naught.
The fan base is already alienated. This hire would drop a bomb on what is left.
There are more accomplished coaches in lower-profile conferences.
I know TEvans has been posting his list, and there is some overlap here, but my list of realistically attainable coaches in no particular order I'd love to see OU look at if we do indeed let Moser go is the following:
Ross Hodge (North Texas) - understudy of Grant McCasland (now at TTech) with experience coaching at the JUCO level in Texas. Continued and even elevated the success North Texas had under McCasland
Ryan Odom (VCU) - Has been successful at his last few stops (VCU, Utah State, UMBC) including leading UMBC to the memorable upset win over Virginia in the tourney a few years ago.
Alan Huss (High Point) - This is his second year as a head coach after serving as a long time assistant under McDermott at Creighton. His "position" he coached was PFs which would be helpful in securing bigs and he is familiar with this region of the country. Very offensive minded coach, but has dramatically turned High Point around
Ben McCollum (Drake) - This one has been discussed ad nauseum, but the job he's done after Drake lost a ton of their players has been incredible and he's had a history of dominating at whatever level he's coached at. His team tends to play reeeeeeally slow though, so I'm not sure how I'd feel about that.
Bryan Hodgson (Arkansas State) - This one is growing on me by the day. He was an assistant under Nate Oats at Bama and was their ace recruiter. He's an offensive minded coach who has a small piece of experience coaching JUCO ball in Texas. Has done an incredible job turning that program around and has experience coaching - albeit as an assistant - in the SEC. To add, Arkansas State's class on 247 is currently rated one spot ahead of OU's in 2025. Even with signing an extra player, that says a ton
Ross Hodge (North Texas) - understudy of Grant McCasland (now at TTech) with experience coaching at the JUCO level in Texas. Continued and even elevated the success North Texas had under McCasland
Ryan Odom (VCU) - Has been successful at his last few stops (VCU, Utah State, UMBC) including leading UMBC to the memorable upset win over Virginia in the tourney a few years ago.
Alan Huss (High Point) - This is his second year as a head coach after serving as a long time assistant under McDermott at Creighton. His "position" he coached was PFs which would be helpful in securing bigs and he is familiar with this region of the country. Very offensive minded coach, but has dramatically turned High Point around
Ben McCollum (Drake) - This one has been discussed ad nauseum, but the job he's done after Drake lost a ton of their players has been incredible and he's had a history of dominating at whatever level he's coached at. His team tends to play reeeeeeally slow though, so I'm not sure how I'd feel about that.
Bryan Hodgson (Arkansas State) - This one is growing on me by the day. He was an assistant under Nate Oats at Bama and was their ace recruiter. He's an offensive minded coach who has a small piece of experience coaching JUCO ball in Texas. Has done an incredible job turning that program around and has experience coaching - albeit as an assistant - in the SEC. To add, Arkansas State's class on 247 is currently rated one spot ahead of OU's in 2025. Even with signing an extra player, that says a ton
IndySooner
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I’ll say it until my face turns blue. Kellen isn’t coming to OU. He wouldn’t even if we wanted him. The things that caused his dad to struggle and leave STILL haven’t been fixed 20 years later.
WichitaSooner
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I mean, his dad left to take a job at what was then still a blue blood, and he stayed a dozen years, so it’s not like he was looking to leave. And he still loves OU, which is obvious in a lot of his interviews.
I don’t want Kellen, for the record. Just think Kelvin’s departure is often misrepresented.
AnotherSoonerInTX
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hoopsaustin
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I think you're dead wrong here FWIW. I don't want kellen at all, to be clear, bc hes a dork and wouldn't be respected by players imo, and he's just a nepotism baby. But I think he would instantaneously take the ou job, if offered
IndySooner
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That's fine. You can disagree. But I have asked people who would know and they say he wouldn't even consider it.
hoopsaustin
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That very well could be the case if he thinks Houston will actually allow Kelvin to appoint his own son as his successor. I don't think Houston will buckle and allow themselves to be dictated to but we will see how that goes someday. Also I bet Kelvin coaches for a long time still (which would sting that he wasn't our coach for 30 something years instead)
Please explain why either of you or any OU fan wouldn't want Kellen? Do you really think that coaching for all these years under his father wouldn't make him a successful head coach like Kelvin was? I mean...same system, same types of practices, same mentality - lots of knowledge and wisdom passed down. Why would he be such a bad hire besides "nepotism?" I'm genuinely curious.
TEvans4Three
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Has zero head coaching experience.
Played with him back on the day. Want an actual coach. Would take Terry Evans over him any day.
Want someone who has coached any level as the head coach. Not an assistant.
Example, see Jeff Capel.
hoopsaustin
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I don't think he'll be respected. I've seen him get clowned on too much. Name a recent nepotism hire that's been successful? Also, OU needs to get away from hiring people just because they have an OU background. It's lazy. And it does not guarantee that it is the best candidate, in fact it almost guarantees the opposite
IndySooner
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I don't think Kellen is ready. That's why I wouldn't hire him. No head coaching experience.
Beyond that, I think it's not worth even talking about because I don't think there's any way he would come here.
Pat Knight spent many years under his dad, Bobby Knight. How did that turn out? Also, very few of Coach K's assistants went on to be successful as head coaches. I think it's too much of a gamble...but also know the administration isn't going to roll out big bucks for a proven head coach. As such, I wouldn't be surprised if Kellen is offered the job.
mict085
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I don’t think Kellen would come to OU because he knows how bad it is here. He knows there’s little support from fans, donors, admin, NIL, everything. He’s set up for success at Houston by taking over after his dad retires. That’s the best job offer he might ever get. If he takes the OU job and fails, he’d never get the Houston job offer again, or any other similar job offers. He’d have to work his way back up the ladder on his own. His best bet is taking over Houston after Kelvin retires. That gives him the best shot at succeeding early in his head coaching career.
I also don’t think he’s ready for the OU job. He needs to prove it somewhere else before coming to OU.
I also don’t think he’s ready for the OU job. He needs to prove it somewhere else before coming to OU.
Kelvin and the staff took over a pretty crappy Houston program too. Just saying.
