Huggins to Kansas State...

By Yoni Cohen on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 02:28:16 AM EST

My colleague at Fox Sports, Jeff Goodman, just broke the story.

My instant reaction? Huggins might have done better, but only if he had left the Midwest. He can, over time, build a winner at K-State.

Second thought? Billy Gillispie moved to quickly to commit long-term to Texas A&M. The Big 12 might not be big enough for Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, and Kansas State to all be perennial Top 25 clubs.

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Huggins to Kansas State... | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 hidden)

What a mistake... (none / 0)

...does Coach Huggins realize he just won college basketball's version of the Darwin Award? Trying to recruit to Manhattan, Kansas is going to be a nightmare, particularly, knowing them, attention-loving OJ Mayo and Billy Walker. I hate to say it, but given a choice between the New York Times and the Manhattan Mercury, OJ Mayo will choose the limelight of the big city.

by SetonHallPirate on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 02:55:42 AM EST

K ST & MIZZOU (none / 0)

I think this tells us Coach Huggins was not as locked in to Mayo & Walker as some people think .He probably realized this & decided he didn't want to wait any longer .Think the juco talent in Kansas was a good selling point as he seems to be able to get the most out of players from the juco ranks - where some D1 coaches can't .Should he have waited for the Seton Hall job or for a job that might come open later like WV ,GW ,WF or others ?

What happened concerning Sunvold with Snyder/Self situation ?What's Sunvold's role with MIZZOU now ?What I hear is that some of the big $$$ boosters & the administration have been the major players in causing this program to spin out of control .  


by REGGIEMILLER on Mon Mar 27, 2006 at 07:14:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Given his record (none / 0)

Given his personal record, I don't think he would have qualified for any of those other jobs.  He needed a place that was starved for wins and starved for a postseason - enough so that they could look past any personal or historical flaws of character.  Kansas State basketball has been dire for quite some time.  Jim Woolridge did leave it better than he received it, but he failed to meet the University's expectations.  When you add in the fact that the football team has been in something of a decline, it makes the prospect of a winning basketball team that much more appealing.  At Kansas State, his past won't matter.  At SHU, WF, or WV, I think it would have.

by HeyDingis on Tue Mar 28, 2006 at 08:24:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Big 12 hoops (none / 0)

Looking at the Big 12 it should only get better (not much else for it do after this crappy year) and up to the level it needs to be.  

Coaching changes: I feel pretty good about ISU's hire and the fact that if they felt Morgan was a bad fit they pulled the trigger on it.  KSU is finally getting serious (about winning at least, not so much the rest that Huggy brings).  Mizzou's new coach should be an upgrade from Quin (assuming it's not Alford).  Bringing Beilein or Calipari would be big for the conference.

On the upswing: A&M will continue to get better if they give Gillespie what he wants and more of their fans realize they actually do have a basketball team.  Baylor will get better but will still be at a disadvantage, I'm afraid.  They might be a tournament team someday but I'll be content if they aren't RPI killers.  

In trouble: I don't know if Bobby is more interested in his television career or his coaching career at Tech.  Nebraska could be headed to the cellar bringing "Capgun Collier" to this gunfight.  Patton's CU teams that seem decent but never quite breakthrough will be swept away without some of the easier conference wins.

Speak for themselves:  KU, OU. OSU and UT are a little more interesting with Scott taking over for Eddie and the rumors of UT's Barnes looking around


by Hilton Magic on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 04:53:27 AM EST

Big 12 schools going down? (none / 0)

K-State needed a boost with the football program a HUGE question mark.  They will get a crap ton of ESPN games next year regardless if they are good, just off the Huggins signing.

Big 12 programs in decline?  How about OSU and Texas Tech.  Texas Tech never really ascended to the level I envisioned they would, and with OSU... we know how Ray Meyer's dynasty fared under Joey.


by deacondrake on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 09:45:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Football (none / 0)

Football in decline plays a big role in the Gillispie love down here at A&M. With Coach Fran not living up to expectations, people have really embraced the basketball team these past two years. They're not only going to throw a ton of money Billy's way, but they're also spending millions on capital improvements (upgrading the arena, building a basketball practice facility/offices).

I anticipate the Big 12 resembling the Big 10 someday soon, where you just have a handful of good to great teams just beating the hell out of each other all season.


by SenatorTCJ on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 12:31:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Will Mike Alden screw up the Mizzou hire? (none / 0)

We went against Jon Sundvold before when he hired Quin Snyder over Bill Self.  It appears he is doing the same thing when Sundvold recommended Huggins for an interview & Alden just flatout told him "No Way".  

If Mizzou lands Calipari, the Big 12 just became the best conference in the USA.  


by Anonymous Hero on Fri Mar 24, 2006 at 01:11:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

What? (none / 0)

Hahahahahaha

If Mizzou lands Calipari, the Big 12 just became the best conference in the USA....

yeah...


by Anonymous Hero on Fri Mar 24, 2006 at 04:52:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

webcams (none / 0)

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by mathew2345 on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:43:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I think there is room for Huggins (none / 0)

Expect a quick and half-decent turnaround at KSU.  Huggins has been in tune with the Kansas JuCo scene for a long time, and now he's just closer to them.  KSU will be able to attract some pretty quality JuCo talent, and Manhattan, Kansas is a step up from Coffeyville, Barton County, Butler County and Garden City.  There are obvious pros and cons to recruiting mostly JuCo kids, and I don't think I'm out of line in saying that we'll likely still see the disciplinary problems that Huggins is notorious for in himself and his players.

The talent he will put on the court will be good enough to rise to the fourth or fifth NCAA spot in the conference.  I believe there is room for him.  KU, OU, and Texas will continue to top the conference, but Missouri's rebuilding will take some time, as will Iowa State's.  OSU may have a couple of down years after Eddie Sutton leaves, whenever that may be.  And I, for one, think Bobby Knight is done.


by HeyDingis on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 09:45:17 AM EST

Forgot Okie State (none / 0)

They will be perenial top 25.  They had an AMAZING freshman class that underperformed with all the Sutton drama going on, but they will be players.

I highly doubt Huggins can bring Mayo and Walker to Manhattan.  I've been there for a football and that place might be the worst town in the midwest.  However, the Jayhawk JUCO League is the best in the nation, so there is PLENTY of talent for Huggins to bring in.  Kelvin Sampson is the one going down here, as Huggins and Sampson recruit the same type kids.


by Anonymous Hero on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 10:16:04 AM EST

Bob Knight isn't Finished Yet (none / 0)

Didn't Texas Tech make it to the finals of the conference tournament and make the Sweet 16 last year?  I wouldn't write off Bob Knight just yet, they were very young this past season and have quite an influx of talent coming in for next season.  (Yes, I'm biased, but I think they'll be very good next season.)

by Anonymous Hero on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 10:53:29 AM EST

Maybe not finished (none / 0)

But Bobby Knight's tenure at Texas Tech has been in a slow, steady decline.  He has, at best, been able to bring them to the quality of the Indiana teams of his last few years there - which were a far cry from his glory years.  He may have a few more years of fluctuating between mediocrity and slightly-better-than-mediocrity before he either retires or is forced to retire.

by HeyDingis on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 11:18:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

you (1.00 / 2)

you are a fucking idiot.  in general. i hope you change your ways.    ryanrichard@mail.boisestate.edu

by Anonymous Hero on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 02:07:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Knight's Decline (none / 0)

Slow steady decline?  

Texas Tech before Knight
'97-'98: 13-14
'98-'99: 13-17
'99-'00: 12-16
'00-'01: 9-19
Texas Tech since Knight:
'01-'02: 23-9 (NCAA 1st round loss)
'02-'03: 22-13 (NIT semis)
'03-'04: 23-11 (NCAA 2nd round loss)
'04-'05: 22-11 (NCAA 3rd round loss)
'05-'06: 15-17 (No post-season)

This year was a disappointment.  Knight overestimated his freshman class and his ability to compete with them.  They have changed strategy and have landed some sought-after JUCOs this Spring.  I think they'll be much improved next season, but that remains to be seen.  


by Anonymous Hero on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 02:24:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I stand corrected (none / 0)

Thank you for posting some useful, well-orchestrated information, along with insights into next season.  Perhaps it is more accurate to say that Texas Tech isn't so much in a slow decline as it is that they just haven't ever gotten over the hump and become an elite program.  I do still think it is a fair assessment to say they are on par with Indiana's program right before Knight left them.

by HeyDingis on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 02:41:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Texas Tech=IU (none / 0)

With that I'll agree.  However, while his final years at IU were considered disappointing to Hoosier faithful, that performance at Texas Tech is a success unmatched in school history.  We'd obviously love to see the next step taken (conference title, Final 8 or Final 4) but what he's done at Tech has never been done before.

by Anonymous Hero on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 03:50:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

gillespie (none / 0)

I'll confess ignorance of the particulars of Gillespie's contract extension at A&M, but honestly, what did he have to lose?  As far as I can tell, coaches have little disincentive to turn down rich long-term contract extensions, because if a better job comes calling, off they go.  The only thing that ever keeps a program from poaching a coach already under contract somewhere else is a hefty buyout clause in the coach's contract.  But for the right coach, a motivated program will pay the price.

Bill Self signed a 6-year contract extension at Illinois shortly before flying the coop to Kansas.  Gillespie was his assistant.  If A&M keeps winning, don't be too shocked to see him somewhere else much more prestigious in the next few years, regardless of the length of his contract.  


by ben r on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 03:01:15 PM EST

Possible deterrant (none / 0)

In some ways, I think a long term contract is less about expecting a coach to commit to a university and more about deterring other schools from going after that coach.  If a University is faced with having to buy out a coach's existing contract, it might make the coach less attractive.  Unless, as you said, a motivated program is willing to pay the price.

by HeyDingis on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 03:17:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Gillespie's "Out" schools (none / 0)

Self had it written into his final UI contract that if KU came calling he could get out.  I wonder who and if Gillespie has such an out.

by Anonymous Hero on Thu Mar 23, 2006 at 03:52:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

huggins (none / 0)

I don't think you have a clue in what the conference just got in Huggins. The man is driven to win and thats why your conference just got a
lot better. Big East fan.

by Anonymous Hero on Thu Mar 30, 2006 at 04:39:50 PM EST
Huggins to Kansas State... | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 hidden)
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