Regarding this disdain for coach's "loose" style

[chuckb]

Yes I coach in HS.

I'm not saying people on here couldn't coach middle school or HS, some might even have coached higher. But to say playing experience, time, & who you know is the main difference in coaching between Kruger & the rest of us is a huge disservice to him. Any person can look up plays and know the game if you played it or watched it enough. But can you teach it? Relate to the players? Have the players play hard and buy in? Deal with the devils (HS-parents, college-recruiting).

There's often a lot made here, on twitter, and other message boards about X's and O's, coaching strategy, etc. But I would agree that the biggest factor in determining a coach's ability to be successful isn't the X's and O's. As you say, anyone can read up on that. The biggest factor is a coach's ability to relate to his players and get the most out of them. A coach has to be able to get his or her players to learn the system, the game, and get the most out of them.

It's easy for us to sit and criticize Kruger for not running plays or not taking timeouts or last year it was about not playing zone and playing too much man. All that stuff matters, of course, but not nearly as much as the other stuff that most never see. It's about getting kids to understand the game and buy in to what you want to do. There's always someone who can strategize better than any coach. A computer simulating the game could do it better. But conveying the strategy to the players can't be done by just anyone. Teaching players how to play defense or how to move the ball or whatever...all the stuff that happens in practice -- that can't be done by just anyone.

 

[inoref]

I think Lon is doing pretty much what OU wanted..Have players that for the most part stay out of trouble, keep the NCAA off our backs, make a run in the NCAA once in a while. In other words not to do anything that will embarrass OU

 

[BCSooners]

There's often a lot made here, on twitter, and other message boards about X's and O's, coaching strategy, etc. But I would agree that the biggest factor in determining a coach's ability to be successful isn't the X's and O's. As you say, anyone can read up on that. The biggest factor is a coach's ability to relate to his players and get the most out of them. A coach has to be able to get his or her players to learn the system, the game, and get the most out of them.

It's easy for us to sit and criticize Kruger for not running plays or not taking timeouts or last year it was about not playing zone and playing too much man. All that stuff matters, of course, but not nearly as much as the other stuff that most never see. It's about getting kids to understand the game and buy in to what you want to do. There's always someone who can strategize better than any coach. A computer simulating the game could do it better. But conveying the strategy to the players can't be done by just anyone. Teaching players how to play defense or how to move the ball or whatever...all the stuff that happens in practice -- that can't be done by just anyone.

Bingo

 

[WTSooner]

But it's absurd to call the players selfish for feeling confident in their ability to make plays.

If that is true, then no player can ever be called selfish. Never met a player that didn't think they could make the next shot.

I see several instances each game where a guy takes a shot, or looks for a shot, solely because they haven't shot/scored in a while. If you guys aren't seeing it, fine. But I know what it looks like, and I see it. And it fits into the profile of the bad shots taken, ie, I think a lot of the bad shots are people shot hunting (taking bad shots because they hadn't shot in a while).

 

[WTSooner]

I think Lon is doing pretty much what OU wanted..Have players that for the most part stay out of trouble, keep the NCAA off our backs, make a run in the NCAA once in a while. In other words not to do anything that will embarrass OU

I doubt Joe C. is okay with OU missing the tourney on but a rare occasion Hopefully that is what this year is, and it doesn't turn into a once every 3-5 year deal. OU basketball should be better than that.

 

[CoachTalk]

Bingo

You still right now?

 

[chuckb]

If that is true, then no player can ever be called selfish. Never met a player that didn't think they could make the next shot.

I see several instances each game where a guy takes a shot, or looks for a shot, solely because they haven't shot/scored in a while. If you guys aren't seeing it, fine. But I know what it looks like, and I see it. And it fits into the profile of the bad shots taken, ie, I think a lot of the bad shots are people shot hunting (taking bad shots because they hadn't shot in a while).

Your assumption about the players' actions is just wrong, in my view. I think that your assumption that you have insight the rest of us simply don't have is also wrong.

 

[BCSooners]

You still right now?

Yes 4th year (1 assistant, 3 head).