Why criticize Kruger?

[DenverSooner]

I don't get it. Capel took over a team that had been to the post season every single year since 1982, Tubbs second year. Almost nobody criticized him in his first season and I think fans were correct to give him a free pass. Kruger also deserves a pass. He was hired in April and had very little opportunity to recruit but he still landed an upgrade at pg. He also got M'Baye. Next season he brings in Hield and Hornbeak. The team should be better. True basketball fans owe the program and Kruger some time. He did not create this problem and deserves a few years to rectify things. If he fails to make the post season next year I will be upset. If he fails to sign a good class and fails to make the post season, I might criticize him but he deserves a chance. If we don't support this program (we are the hard core fans) who will?

 

[Soonerman82]

:clap

 

[tycat947]

Agreed. I think the fast start kind of got everyone's hopes up and really hid the weaknesses of the team. He has too much history not to turn this program around.

 

[seniorsooner]

Look I'm not saying we should be outraged over Kruger's performance or he's on the "hot seat" or anything like that. I just think we should be able to have an honest an open conversation about his performance as a coach this year. I was encouraged at times, disappointed at others. That's all I'm saying.

By the way, not sure why this warranted a new thread. No offense, just sayin.

 

[Max Power]

I don't get it. Capel took over a team that had been to the post season every single year since 1982, Tubbs second year. Almost nobody criticized him in his first season and I think fans were correct to give him a free pass. Kruger also deserves a pass. He was hired in April and had very little opportunity to recruit but he still landed an upgrade at pg. He also got M'Baye. Next season he brings in Hield and Hornbeak. The team should be better. True basketball fans owe the program and Kruger some time. He did not create this problem and deserves a few years to rectify things. If he fails to make the post season next year I will be upset. If he fails to sign a good class and fails to make the post season, I might criticize him but he deserves a chance. If we don't support this program (we are the hard core fans) who will?

This times 1000 :clap

 

[skyvue]

My only complaints about Coach Kruger's performance are the few games where we played flat (both Tech games [though we eked out a win at home], in Stillwater and tonight) and the fact that team didn't really improve as the season progressed (arguably, it regressed). Osby improved, and arguably Grooms did too, but they're the only ones, really.

But I'm not at all ready to throw in the towel on him or anything like that. I don't think anyone serious-minded Sooner fan is.

Right now, I'm ready to throw in the towel on a few of these players, but I'll get suckered into hoping for better from them next season, no doubt.

 

[MsProudSooner]

There are only 2 reasons for being overly critical of Kruger after this season:

1) You didn't like the hire to begin with and your criticism is a poor attempt at 'I told you so'..

2) You had unreasonable expectations of how good we would be this year to begin with and you are peeved that you were wrong.

This team was desperately short on talent and depth but there was improvement over last year. Last year, when things went south in conference play, they ended on a 10(?) game losing streak. Unlike last year, this team exhibited at least a rudimentary knowledge of rotation on defense. They withstood comebacks in the OSU and Texas A&M games at home. Last year, they would have folded like a cheap tent.

We have at least 3 new players coming in next year. Hopefully, the3 increased talent an depth will lead to a better season.

 

[buttermaker1]

Agreed, Capel screwed us good with this roster and probation. We should revoke his ability to ever step a foot in the state. His years were a trainwreck

 

[NickZepp]

Losing Calvin Newell hurt this team, I think most of us agree. We just never really got good enough guard play after he left. But the 10 wins we had basically with him playing gave a lot of people disillusion about how good we were. We just weren't that deep and losing one player affected us a ton. Clark didn't step up for a long time, and Pledger couldn't carry the team at guard by himself and he had some down games. We'll still be a top team in the conference inside. We might be the best rebounding team in the Big 12 next year. We need people to score from the guard spots. With a good PG and Pledger we have 2 good parts to make someone really good if they can just make some baskets. And we aren't talking 10 ppg like Newell would have done. A couple guys consistently getting 5-7 points would be fine.

 

[DenverSooner]

I think he only played in 5 games.

 

[NickZepp]

I think he only played in 5 games.

I thought maybe he played like 7 games but that's probably about right. But the point is put a guy averaging 13 a game let say he only scores 10ppg in conference to be fair that's still a difference on this team and changes how you defend this team.

 

[piehole]

I'm not worried at all. LK has a great track record of turning around programs and getting them to the tourney the right way, exactly what we needed after the Tiny-TMG debacle. Everything we need done he's done at other schools, more than once.

Who else could were we going to get? A Callipari-type? Not the image we needed. Buzz would have been nice but if somehow we'd pulled it off, with our attendance and the general lack of fan enthusiasm we'd be looking over our shoulder for him to bolt at any time.

If we can all agree on one thing it's that our talent level is woefully low. Couple that lack of talent with a program on a downward trajectory and you don't turn that around in one season. We all place a premium on consistency regarding players, why not look at it that way with Kruger? He's produced good results too consistently as an NCAA coach to think he can't do it again, especially with the support of Joe C. and Boren, who you know must just love the guy.

Is it a sure thing, no. But I think we looked better this year, I think the atmosphere around the program feels better and we get some new blood soon; all good things. Also, one of the biggest problems we had under Capel, and even Sampson, was the large number of drop-outs. Any program will have their share but my gut tells me we won't have the same kind of turnover with Kruger. As long as you recruit the right kind of kid that really pays off. Kruger strikes me as the kind of coach who recruits good kids.

 

[StatGeek]

I don't get it. Capel took over a team that had been to the post season every single year since 1982, Tubbs second year. Almost nobody criticized him in his first season and I think fans were correct to give him a free pass. Kruger also deserves a pass. He was hired in April and had very little opportunity to recruit but he still landed an upgrade at pg. He also got M'Baye. Next season he brings in Hield and Hornbeak. The team should be better. True basketball fans owe the program and Kruger some time. He did not create this problem and deserves a few years to rectify things. If he fails to make the post season next year I will be upset. If he fails to sign a good class and fails to make the post season, I might criticize him but he deserves a chance. If we don't support this program (we are the hard core fans) who will?

Good post Denver!

 

[bgrch1350]

I don't get it. Capel took over a team that had been to the post season every single year since 1982, Tubbs second year. Almost nobody criticized him in his first season and I think fans were correct to give him a free pass. Kruger also deserves a pass. He was hired in April and had very little opportunity to recruit but he still landed an upgrade at pg. He also got M'Baye. Next season he brings in Hield and Hornbeak. The team should be better. True basketball fans owe the program and Kruger some time. He did not create this problem and deserves a few years to rectify things. If he fails to make the post season next year I will be upset. If he fails to sign a good class and fails to make the post season, I might criticize him but he deserves a chance. If we don't support this program (we are the hard core fans) who will?

They should have been better this year. You don't return all but 1 player...add a guy like Osby and have a couple of scholarships left and not do any better.

 

[skyvue]

They should have been better this year. You don't return all but 1 player...add a guy like Osby and have a couple of scholarships left and not do any better.

Osby and Cade Davis were a wash, statistically speaking. Cade scored two more points per game; Osby grabbed two more rebounds per. Otherwise, they were six of one, half a dozen of the other.

 

[bgrch1350]

Losing Calvin Newell hurt this team, I think most of us agree. We just never really got good enough guard play after he left. But the 10 wins we had basically with him playing gave a lot of people disillusion about how good we were. We just weren't that deep and losing one player affected us a ton. Clark didn't step up for a long time, and Pledger couldn't carry the team at guard by himself and he had some down games. We'll still be a top team in the conference inside. We might be the best rebounding team in the Big 12 next year. We need people to score from the guard spots. With a good PG and Pledger we have 2 good parts to make someone really good if they can just make some baskets. And we aren't talking 10 ppg like Newell would have done. A couple guys consistently getting 5-7 points would be fine.

Of course it hurts...especially when you have to rely all on Capel's players b/c every player Kruger brought in was worthless and replaceable. A PG that can't score and a post player that can't beat out Washington and Honore for minutes. You can criticize Capel for the talent he brought in but so far Kruger has done worse.

I've said this before and I'll continue saying it...Kruger is a good coach...but this league, unlike the MWC...is filled with good and great coaches. And the only thing that is going to separate us from each other is recruiting and so far we are at the bottom. The fact that we don't have 1 PG committed is not a good sign of things to come b/c there has to have been a PG that could come in next year and challenge the 2 PGs we have returning.

 

[bgrch1350]

Osby and Cade Davis were a wash, statistically speaking. Cade scored two more points per game; Osby grabbed two more rebounds per. Otherwise, they were six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Cade may have only got 2 more points but the guy led this team and played his heart out.

 

[skyvue]

A PG that can't score and a post player that can't beat out Washington and Honore for minutes. You can criticize Capel for the talent he brought in but so far Kruger has done worse.

I responded in another thread, but your continuous bashing of Grooms is unfounded. His stats stack up very well against none other than Quannas White, who is revered by Sooner fans.

And if you want to compare Kruger's recruiting to Capel's, you can only count the recruits Capel brought in for his first season, since that's where Kruger stands in his tenure at OU. Assessed from that viewpoint, Kruger's doing fine. He brought in Grooms (who's doing fine, despite your ongoing jeremiad against him) and M'baye.

 

[StatGeek]

Of course it hurts...especially when you have to rely all on Capel's players b/c every player Kruger brought in was worthless and replaceable. A PG that can't score and a post player that can't beat out Washington and Honore for minutes. You can criticize Capel for the talent he brought in but so far Kruger has done worse.

I've said this before and I'll continue saying it...Kruger is a good coach...but this league, unlike the MWC...is filled with good and great coaches. And the only thing that is going to separate us from each other is recruiting and so far we are at the bottom. The fact that we don't have 1 PG committed is not a good sign of things to come b/c there has to have been a PG that could come in next year and challenge the 2 PGs we have returning.

Yeah, LK never figured out how to win in a big boy league like the Big 8, Big Ten, & SEC.

 

[bgrch1350]

Yeah, LK never figured out how to win in a big boy league like the Big 8, Big Ten, & SEC.

Keep holding on to that...b/c your going to need to keep telling yourself that.