Who Sherri Recruits

[SoonerSpock]

Excerpt from April 2017 Sports Illustrated article that discusses changes in recruiting tactics.

Going after the top prospects is important, but no longer a top priority.

What is?

“It’s how we rate kids, how many of the top level kids you go after, how many of the mid-level kids you go after, and trying to identify those [players] in a different way,” says assistant coach Jan Ross, who has been on Coale’s staff since Day 1 and was her college roommate at Oklahoma Christian University.

Finding specific fits for the program and how they integrate into the Oklahoma culture. The coaching staff now uses a system that grades each recruit from 1 to 10, looking for attributes such as substance and figuring out if players see “the big picture” for the program. The grades will then go on the recruiting board to see if the player fits the team’s need. Eliminations are made based on this information.

The staff now monitors recruits’ social media accounts and they could be eliminated based on what they post, top player or not. Coale also focuses on what players want to do while they are in school and after they graduate. Between home visits and official trips to campus, each recruit will meet every person on Oklahoma’s staff, from the sports information director, to the strength coach, all the way down to the equipment managers.

 

[Soonerbay]

Excerpt from April 2017 Sports Illustrated article that discusses changes in recruiting tactics.

Going after the top prospects is important, but no longer a top priority.

What is?

“It’s how we rate kids, how many of the top level kids you go after, how many of the mid-level kids you go after, and trying to identify those [players] in a different way,” says assistant coach Jan Ross, who has been on Coale’s staff since Day 1 and was her college roommate at Oklahoma Christian University.

Finding specific fits for the program and how they integrate into the Oklahoma culture. The coaching staff now uses a system that grades each recruit from 1 to 10, looking for attributes such as substance and figuring out if players see “the big picture” for the program. The grades will then go on the recruiting board to see if the player fits the team’s need. Eliminations are made based on this information.

The staff now monitors recruits’ social media accounts and they could be eliminated based on what they post, top player or not. Coale also focuses on what players want to do while they are in school and after they graduate. Between home visits and official trips to campus, each recruit will meet every person on Oklahoma’s staff, from the sports information director, to the strength coach, all the way down to the equipment managers.

No wonder they are experiencing the results they've created. It sounds a little anti-Christian to me...almost like you have to worship SC. If the OU FB program used that same matrix, they would not have won a game this year. Matrix must need tweeking (better yet scrapping) since SPellington is breaking rules! Geez! I wouldn't be surprised if they have 5 transfers..while they are still YOUNG! #ashame

 

[Soonerguy06]

This system is all a bunch of bull. It's an excuse for why the best players aren't committing. We all know if Haley Jones or someone big like that wanted to come to OUR HOUSE it would not matter what kind of fit she was, we'd bend over backwards to bring her in. Point blank nobody wants to play for SC except these certain types of players that don't get recruited from the big programs. Occasionally we luck out, but mostly if we land a premier player it's because they are die-hard ou fans to begin with.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Sounds more like a selection system for a sorority.

 

[Speedy17]

This system is all a bunch of bull. It's an excuse for why the best players aren't committing. We all know if Haley Jones or someone big like that wanted to come to OUR HOUSE it would not matter what kind of fit she was, we'd bend over backwards to bring her in. Point blank nobody wants to play for SC except these certain types of players that don't get recruited from the big programs. Occasionally we luck out, but mostly if we land a premier player it's because they are die-hard ou fans to begin with.

Actually, the system is TRUE. The staff will be recruiting a highly related player then out the of the blue Sherri will inform the staff that the player is no longer to be considered.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

I’ve had a former assistant athletic director tell me that very same thing. It’s rumored to be why Stacy Hansmeyer left the program.

Also heard that was partially why Decosta struck out on her own for a while.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Oliver Hardy]

Frankly, I believe it and I damn sick and tired of it. She’s paid $1.2 million plus to win basketball games and championships.

She can still do that and all the character building her heart desires as long as she does.

The two aren’t mutually exclusive except, apparently, in Sherri Coale’s little world.

Win games and championships or go be a damn guidance counselor, minister or whatever.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SoonerSpock]

Actually, the system is TRUE. The staff will be recruiting a highly related player then out the of the blue Sherri will inform the staff that the player is no longer to be considered.

This is true. And that highly recruited player can also have OU at or near the top of her list and Sherri just pulls the rug from under her feet. This has been confirmed to my by an insider multiple times over the years.

 

[SoonerSpock]

No wonder they are experiencing the results they've created. It sounds a little anti-Christian to me...almost like you have to worship SC. If the OU FB program used that same matrix, they would not have won a game this year. Matrix must need tweeking (better yet scrapping) since SPellington is breaking rules! Geez! I wouldn't be surprised if they have 5 transfers..while they are still YOUNG! #ashame

Multiple transfers from her freshman class might be the price that needs to be paid to get Joe C. to act more quickly to address the status of the OU WBB program. Otherwise I expect Sherri to still be in the saddle for the the 2020-2021 season maybe even the 2021-2022 season. But I think Sherri as earned the opportunity to turn it around but for damn certain she needs to win some championships. That will not be easy with Kim Mulkey in the league.

 

[Soonerguy06]

This system, I'd true like you all say, is asinine!! This is Athletics, bring in the best players, period! I get it if a player has a bad attitude and will not be a good teammate, but surely all these other top players that happened successful what other programs weren't turn down by SC because they weren't a good fit for her program?! If so, it's a flawed system that's in desperate need of fixing. It's quite obvious it is to me. I wonder what amazing players we've missed out on over the years? Ones that went on to become all Americans and could have gone to Oklahoma but didn't have the right look for SC??? LOOKING AT OUR RESULTS YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE QUITE OBVIOUS TO HER THAT SHE NEEDS TO GET OUT OF HER HEAD ABOUT THIS WAY IN RECRUITING AND TRY SOMETHING NEW!
1 All-American in 5 years does not a program make!

 

[Soonerbay]

Multiple transfers from her freshman class might be the price that needs to be paid to get Joe C. to act more quickly to address the status of the OU WBB program. Otherwise I expect Sherri to still be in the saddle for the the 2020-2021 season maybe even the 2021-2022 season. But I think Sherri as earned the opportunity to turn it around but for damn certain she needs to win some championships. That will not be easy with Kim Mulkey in the league.

Agreed! She has dug the hole way too deep and Mulkey will not be letting up anytime soon. I'm sure Mulkey is still seething from the years OU was giving it to Baylor, even when she stooped so low as to have her players foul CParis with the hope of her missing free throws, until CParis showed her that her tactics were only fuel to her passion to win. And SC had her famous taunt to opponents..."Pick your poison!"...when she had options with posts and guards. When you talk that kinda' trash, you need to make sure you keep building your program so that it does not come back to bite you. She's just about chewed up at this point.

I hope the powers that be suck it up and do what's best for the program overall and salvage it before it gets uglier than what it is. It would be a shame that the legacy that has been built with some really good teams of the past gets lost and never recovers; becomes one of the hundreds of ghost teams that make it to the tournament every blue moon. They've lost many fans but they will come back if you win! I donate this summary plan free of charge:

1. SC to an Asst. AD role for community relations with the explicit rule that it's hands off with WBB coaching, recruiting and operations. Continue to celebrate her contributions but get rid of the computer that has her "recruiting matrix". It has a virus!
2. Hire a new coach such as DStaley (she might want to live closer to the USA Basketball offices), FCastro head coach at Eastern Michigan, OU alum and former member of WBB staff. He might be able to get BBrown from TCU or DJackson from MS St. as his Assoc. Head Coach.
3. JRoss stays as Chief of Staff as I'm sure she is a wealth of knowledge. All other assistants get a great recommendation letter and severance...including CCoale. Maybe it's time to cut the apron strings and appearance of entitlement or his dad can get him the hookup at whatever high school where he was the baseball coach. Or do like most and figure out life for yourself.
4. GAustin can go with SC and continue doing whatever he does with all the booster clubs. The Austin relationship with the university is important.
5. Start a new recruiting campaign and update the website. Get quotes from alums and what they're doing now. New recruits need to know what former players are doing since most new recruits will not remember going to Final Fours 9+ years ago.
6. Bring the camps back...get kids back on campus with developmental, team and elite camps. Parents will bring their elite kids from surrounding states if you act like you're planning to win, but you do need a plan. Start with acting like winners. There is history!
7. Go after the top 25 players in every class like your job depends on it. It should! Revive the Texas and California pipelines. And when you get those elite players to the campus, bring in an alum "Host" for the weekend such as WHand, DRob, Paris', SDales, PWhaley, etc. I guess you won't be able to get AOlajuwon while she's at TCU so bring her in as an assistant. Maybe her dad will consult and help train during pre-season training.

It's not rocket science. Auriemma, Mulkey, Vandeveer, Aston...and so many others do it year after year after year. There is no reason OU cannot return to a regular in the AP/ESPN top 10, win the conference and tournament at least every other year, regular Sweet 16's and get back to the Final Four. Maybe a NC will come.

 

[OUDallas66]

There are few perfect recruits, while you don’t recruit obvious problems there are others to be considered. The family background may not be just right, do we only recruit players with both parents active in the players life? Do we recruit Jews, Muslims, Hindus and atheists? Is OU a place where only white christians are excepted? Let’s get the best athletes while still paying attention to serious moral flaws. A good start would be to hire a dynamic, younger, minority, female assistant coach with a big personality and get her on the recruiting trail.

 

[Soonerguy06]

There are few perfect recruits, while you don’t recruit obvious problems there are others to be considered. The family background may not be just right, do we only recruit players with both parents active in the players life? Do we recruit Jews, Muslims, Hindus and atheists? Is OU a place where only white christians are excepted? Let’s get the best athletes while still paying attention to serious moral flaws. A good start would be to hire a dynamic, younger, minority, female assistant coach with a big personality and get her on the recruiting trail.

+1

 

[sooner8]

There are few perfect recruits, while you don’t recruit obvious problems there are others to be considered. The family background may not be just right, do we only recruit players with both parents active in the players life? Do we recruit Jews, Muslims, Hindus and atheists? Is OU a place where only white christians are excepted? Let’s get the best athletes while still paying attention to serious moral flaws. A good start would be to hire a dynamic, younger, minority, female assistant coach with a big personality and get her on the recruiting trail.

I agree 100% with your assessment just be careful when you bring up anything that has to do with religion.There are posters on hear that will come after you like a pack of wolves on a piece of meat.Go sooners!!!

 

[Speedy17]

I have never worked at a public university where a person could be a direct supervisor over a family member. Usually, this is a husband/wife situation and they report to a different administrator. Unfortunately, the OU athletic department is another animal. It has become a nepotism operation and it is living dangerously. It is ironic that the number of women coaches is declining in both softball and basketball.

It is like a Title IX disaster waiting to happen when you hire your unmarried kids or even your married ones. We do not have to look far to see such a situation with the Myers Family operation at Auburn Softball that resulted in a Hall of Fame Coach resigning in shame. The legend Pat Summitt did not hire her son but he certainly got in a career ending situation at Louisiana Tech.

You have to think that Jan Ross is like the new Analyst positions in football that can recruit on campus but not off campus. However, those people can not be on the field but rather can be in the press box and they can't have direct contact with athletes. The irony here is that Jan is on bench coaching and the number of coaches allowed is 3 (DeCosta, Thrailkill, and the Genius Colton). She gets in every time-out huddle. I am not sure that she is allowed. Somebody might actually call them on it if OU ever plays a close game. I would imagine that is definitely a technical foul.

 

[SoonerinNC]

If there is a change then go after a dynamic coach whatever shape, size or color. And don't hire someone just because they played at OU. That is also almost a form of nepotism. One of Wilkinson's mistakes late in his career is that he filled up his staff with former OU players, many with little other coaching experience.

Scott Rueck from Oregon State came from George Fox University. The key is to get someone with talent and recruiting ability.

I feel that 3 key elements are necessary skills
1) recruiting
2) x's and o's
3) player development.

A 4th is management and leadership skills. A strong achiever usually has a strong support organization whose skills that compensate for lack of knowledge or skill by the leader. A strong achiever is knowledgeable of their own strengths and weaknesses and is not intimidated by someone who can do something better than they can.

 

[SoonerSpock]

If there is a change then go after a dynamic coach whatever shape, size or color. And don't hire someone just because they played at OU. That is also almost a form of nepotism. One of Wilkinson's mistakes late in his career is that he filled up his staff with former OU players, many with little other coaching experience.

Scott Rueck from Oregon State came from George Fox University. The key is to get someone with talent and recruiting ability.

I feel that 3 key elements are necessary skills
1) recruiting
2) x's and o's
3) player development.

A 4th is management and leadership skills. A strong achiever usually has a strong support organization whose skills that compensate for lack of knowledge or skill by the leader. A strong achiever is knowledgeable of their own strengths and weaknesses and is not intimidated by someone who can do something better than they can.

+!

 

[Mac]

Patterson 2017 and Davis 2017 are the last consistently ranked top 10 players to look at OU... just seems like every year, Sherri can get a top player to visit, but can't get them to sign...

 

[Speedy17]

If there is a change then go after a dynamic coach whatever shape, size or color. And don't hire someone just because they played at OU. That is also almost a form of nepotism. One of Wilkinson's mistakes late in his career is that he filled up his staff with former OU players, many with little other coaching experience.

Scott Rueck from Oregon State came from George Fox University. The key is to get someone with talent and recruiting ability.

I feel that 3 key elements are necessary skills
1) recruiting
2) x's and o's
3) player development.

A 4th is management and leadership skills. A strong achiever usually has a strong support organization whose skills that compensate for lack of knowledge or skill by the leader. A strong achiever is knowledgeable of their own strengths and weaknesses and is not intimidated by someone who can do something better than they can.

+2

 

[Soonerbay]

If there is a change then go after a dynamic coach whatever shape, size or color. And don't hire someone just because they played at OU. That is also almost a form of nepotism. One of Wilkinson's mistakes late in his career is that he filled up his staff with former OU players, many with little other coaching experience.

Scott Rueck from Oregon State came from George Fox University. The key is to get someone with talent and recruiting ability.

I feel that 3 key elements are necessary skills
1) recruiting
2) x's and o's
3) player development.

A 4th is management and leadership skills. A strong achiever usually has a strong support organization whose skills that compensate for lack of knowledge or skill by the leader. A strong achiever is knowledgeable of their own strengths and weaknesses and is not intimidated by someone who can do something better than they can.

Agree with most of what you've said. In OU's case, they have some alums that have proven recruiting and development skills. No, the entire staff does not need to be alums, but in the current state of affairs, you might want to have some of the folks from the glory days return and bring their skills with them. I don't think they necessarily need to start from complete "scratch" at this point.