Shaka Smart is exactly what Jeff Capel was supposed to be.

[SoonerTraveler]

I agree. Is it possible to still hate Texas but like Smart?

It is possible, but my goodness, Smart may be the biggest whiner I have ever seen on the sideline. (And that is saying something!) It seemed that each and every timeout was a Smart cry-fest with the referees. I had heard great things about Smart, but seeing the crybaby routine in person rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[soonernutt]

Getting all worked up in year one of a coach's tenure is what leads to things like Travis Ford having an 11 year contract. Shaka is demonstrating an ability to get kids to buy into his system and give max effort, but you can't prove in one season that you are the guy that can build and sustain a program over a period of time.

He seems to be a sharp guy, disciplined, likeable, and with a solid character. I thought going in that it was risky getting rid of Barnes, and that Smart really wouldn't be an upgrade. I'm impressed so far, but it's a trap to think you know how successful he can be over the long-haul based on a half a season without his own recruits even in place.

 

[campbest]

It's funny to see him among other coaches at summer events, he looks like a little kid walking around with his backpack and gym shorts on.

 

[SoopaSooner]

Getting all worked up in year one of a coach's tenure is what leads to things like Travis Ford having an 11 year contract. Shaka is demonstrating an ability to get kids to buy into his system and give max effort, but you can't prove in one season that you are the guy that can build and sustain a program over a period of time.

He seems to be a sharp guy, disciplined, likeable, and with a solid character. I thought going in that it was risky getting rid of Barnes, and that Smart really wouldn't be an upgrade. I'm impressed so far, but it's a trap to think you know how successful he can be over the long-haul based on a half a season without his own recruits even in place.

I don't think it was risky at all. Barnes should have been canned years ago. Just fortunate for us he wasn't. Smart will have no problem recruiting at Texas. They'll be a headache but hey that's what good coaches do. :lon

 

[Larry72]

I did not like it, but Smart got on the officials several times. He successfully got the officials to give Texas a few calls that they did not deserve.

 

[bgrch1350]

I agree with this. David Ubben tweeted last night that Smart is the top choice for COY in the Big 12. I don't really understand that because it's not like he took over TCU or OSU. UT always has talent.

Having said that, I think he's a pretty good coach. You don't take a program like VCU to the final 4 and win 150 games over 5 seasons and not be a good coach.

I agree. Outside of Self taking over KU, no coach in the big 12 has come into a situation with so much talent. Maybe Ford when he had Muonelo, Harris, Anderson and Eaton.

He comes into a situation with 5 seniors and 3 juniors. There is no doubt that Smart is a good coach. He took VCU to a final 4. But Capel was left with garbage after Sampson left and in 3 years to the elite 8. Had James and Reynolds stuck to their commitment, I have no doubt that with Griffin...OU would have won a National Championship.

I think Smart is the right coach at Texas to start winning championships. The state of Texas is loaded with talent. He will start having recruiting classes like Duke and Kansas and so on.

 

[Max Power]

I agree. Outside of Self taking over KU, no coach in the big 12 has come into a situation with so much talent. Maybe Ford when he had Muonelo, Harris, Anderson and Eaton.

He comes into a situation with 5 seniors and 3 juniors. There is no doubt that Smart is a good coach. He took VCU to a final 4. But Capel was left with garbage after Sampson left and in 3 years to the elite 8. Had James and Reynolds stuck to their commitment, I have no doubt that with Griffin...OU would have won a National Championship.

I think Smart is the right coach at Texas to start winning championships. The state of Texas is loaded with talent. He will start having recruiting classes like Duke and Kansas and so on.

3 of the 5 starters from the elite 8 team were on the roster when Capel took over. And a 4th was the younger brother of a player left over. That's hardly garbage. Garbage is what Capel left Lon.

 

[DenverSooner]

Blake had everything to do with the "success" Capel had. And he recruited "high talent" kids, but they were low in character. Capel wasn't and isn't a good coach. Any of us could have coached the two squads with Blake and had success

I could not have coached them. I am just a fan. I couldn't remotely coach a college or high school basketball team.

 

[Sooner04]

Oh boy. Another Capel thread.

 

[TheGimper]

Oh boy. Another Capel thread.

I think we had a record 5 days before someone unnecessarily brought up Capel again.

 

[HeismanWatch]

Young, energetic coach from a small school, that can get people excited about the program, can win in a variety of ways, and can recruit talented kids.

He is going to have UT competing for a Big 12 title in a few years, and had the timing been better, I'd love to have had him at OU.

Tap on those brakes dude. Shaka didn't recruit his talent at Texas. Texas always gets stout talent. KD says I'm right. He's barely in the Top 25 with all of that talent.

:facepalm

 

[WTSooner]

Oh boy. Another Capel thread.

Don't like it, don't read it. It's only about Capel in that I'm comparing Shaka to him a bit. It's more about Smart than it is Capel. Wasn't a bash Capel post, as much as it was a "I think Smart is going to be a very good coach" post.

 

[WTSooner]

Tap on those brakes dude. Shaka didn't recruit his talent. Texas always gets stout talent. KD says I'm right. He's barely in the Top 25 with all of that talent.

:facepalm

Shaka was recruiting 3/4*'s to VCU. He is going to have no problem getting top notch talent at UT, and he'll recruit it to fit his system, unlike what is currently on the roster.

 

[HeismanWatch]

Shaka was recruiting 3/4*'s to VCU. He is going to have no problem getting top notch talent at UT, and he'll recruit it to fit his system, unlike what is currently on the roster.

Since when did Texas not have great talent on their BB roster?

 

[WTSooner]

Since when did Texas not have great talent on their BB roster?

Stars don't tell the entire story. They don't have very offensively talented guards. Some of them aren't very big. Wait until Smart gets the big guards that can scorer it. He'll get better talent than he had at VCU, and that talent was pretty good.

But you are looking at this wrong. If you don't think Smart is a heck of a coach that knows how to coach up a team, build a roster, and motivate, well, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[BruinSooner]

All is know is this: the UT bunch I saw last night looked inspired and well-coached. They have some pieces that Smart has worked with to make a pretty good team. I would say they are a top 20 team (ranked 24) and could move higher.
Yes, they are talented, but the previous guy couldn't do much with them.

Smart took an unheralded VCU team to the FF with no NBA talent. He gets his guys to play hard and buy in to his system. He's a very good coach and will be a thorn in the Sooners' side while he's there.

 

[TINY]

Smart took an unheralded VCU team to the FF with no NBA talent. He gets his guys to play hard and buy in to his system. He's a very good coach and will be a thorn in the Sooners' side while he's there.

I think he is a very good coach too. Having said that, capel is the one who built the foundation at vcu. Capel took them to the tourney for the first time in a long time. Anthony grant continued the upward movement of vcu and Shaka took it to a new heights. I can't recall if vcu's final four team had any NBA players but I do know that capel recruited Eric maynor to vcu and he is in the NBA. I can't recall if capel recruited Larry sanders or if it was grant but he is an NBA player too. Vcu is a very solid job now.

 

[Sooner04]

Don't like it, don't read it. It's only about Capel in that I'm comparing Shaka to him a bit. It's more about Smart than it is Capel. Wasn't a bash Capel post, as much as it was a "I think Smart is going to be a very good coach" post.

I should've been more specific. Because your starting point was fine. It was more of the endless "What Capel Inherited" stuff that sends me over the edge.

Jeff didn't have near the coaching pedigree that Shaka does. Jeff's last team at VCU before he headed our way was pretty mediocre. Smart's going to be a good one in Austin, and I was both impressed and saddened by the hire. I kinda liked the team full of mental midgets Barnes rolled out every night.

 

[thebigabd]

Who is Jeff Capel?

 

[bgrch1350]

3 of the 5 starters from the elite 8 team were on the roster when Capel took over. And a 4th was the younger brother of a player left over. That's hardly garbage. Garbage is what Capel left Lon.

Elite 8? What are you talking about. OU didn't get out of the 1st round the year before. Check your facts.