I am absolutely not convinced he will be fired or will resign at the end of the season.

(01-15-2015 09:46 PM)army56mike Wrote:  I am absolutely not convinced he will be fired or will resign at the end of the season.

So if you don't think he will be fired at season's end, you're expecting him to keep his position? How can you rationalize that with his record and the failure of the team? It's got to be more than high moral character.

(01-15-2015 09:55 PM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(01-15-2015 09:46 PM)army56mike Wrote:  I am absolutely not convinced he will be fired or will resign at the end of the season.

So if you don't think he will be fired at season's end, you're expecting him to keep his position? How can you rationalize that with his record and the failure of the team? It's got to be more than high moral character.

Maybe we go to some sort of low ranked extended scale after we break the current one. 351....pffft.... How about 370!!!! Or maybe Layers plan is to go so low we loopback around to the number 1 team in nation.

(01-15-2015 10:13 PM)Curtisc83 Wrote:  

(01-15-2015 09:55 PM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(01-15-2015 09:46 PM)army56mike Wrote:  I am absolutely not convinced he will be fired or will resign at the end of the season.

So if you don't think he will be fired at season's end, you're expecting him to keep his position? How can you rationalize that with his record and the failure of the team? It's got to be more than high moral character.

Maybe we go to some sort of low ranked extended scale after we break the current one. 351....pffft.... How about 370!!!! Or maybe Layers plan is to go so low we loopback around to the number 1 team in nation.

I want to keep this as civil as possible free of comments that take us away from the comment Army Mike made. Why do we keep Layer, and if so, how does the admins justify it? Every other D1 school alumni would be howling much louder than LU with the current status of the MBB program. It's the nature of the business of high profile, collegiate athletics. That is, one must win, and be a good person (most of the time). Being the lowest rated school in D1 does not accomplish that. It's sad but true.

I'm just not sure Barber will fire him. I could see him letting him ride out his contract and then not renewing it. I am certainly not suggesting that a change shouldn't be made. Though Coach Layer has apparently run a clean program, graduated his kids, and been an outstanding role model, he has failed to win games. Along with the other things previously mentioned an athletic coach is hired to win games. Coach Layer's teams have not done that, and seem to be less and less competitive. It is a tough decision for the AD. If I were the coach, I would want to prove myself capable. However, I'd also see I am not fulfilling my obligation, and would consider stepping down. If I were the AD, I'd have to look at the positives of Coach Layer, but also consider the fact that a losing program is detrimental for Liberty in most ways. I would thank Coach Layer, give him the opportunity to fill some other role in the athletic department, give him a nice going away gift, and relieve him of his duties as head men's basketball coach after the season ends.

Layer is either leaving after this season or getting an extension. College coaches can't be lame ducks because recruits will not commit to a school that may have a different coach in a year. Layer has one year left on his contract and got an extension the last time he was in this situation.

(01-16-2015 06:53 AM)GE and MTS Wrote:  Layer is either leaving after this season or getting an extension. College coaches can't be lame ducks because recruits will not commit to a school that may have a different coach in a year. Layer has one year left on his contract and got an extension the last time he was in this situation.

He's never been in this situation before. If we have to take one step to later take two steps forward, that's our position now. I would have to withhold my modest financial support to the athletic dept if he remains for the year of his contact. It's a tough decision but it must be made. Alumni and supporters will question the leadership if this is allowed to continue. We must look at this with the broadest view possible and not a narrow tunnel view. What is best?

(01-16-2015 07:09 AM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(01-16-2015 06:53 AM)GE and MTS Wrote:  Layer is either leaving after this season or getting an extension. College coaches can't be lame ducks because recruits will not commit to a school that may have a different coach in a year. Layer has one year left on his contract and got an extension the last time he was in this situation.

He's never been in this situation before. If we have to take one step to later take two steps forward, that's our position now. I would have to withhold my modest financial support to the athletic dept if he remains for the year of his contact. It's a tough decision but it must be made. Alumni and supporters will question the leadership if this is allowed to continue. We must look at this with the broadest view possible and not a narrow tunnel view. What is best?

Layer was in the year before the last year of his contract two years ago and then after having another terrible season Liberty got lucky and won the Big South tournament and made the NCAA tournament. So Liberty gave his an extension which he is currently playing out at the moment. It is literally the exact same as before.

(01-16-2015 05:28 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  

(01-16-2015 07:09 AM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(01-16-2015 06:53 AM)GE and MTS Wrote:  Layer is either leaving after this season or getting an extension. College coaches can't be lame ducks because recruits will not commit to a school that may have a different coach in a year. Layer has one year left on his contract and got an extension the last time he was in this situation.

He's never been in this situation before. If we have to take one step to later take two steps forward, that's our position now. I would have to withhold my modest financial support to the athletic dept if he remains for the year of his contact. It's a tough decision but it must be made. Alumni and supporters will question the leadership if this is allowed to continue. We must look at this with the broadest view possible and not a narrow tunnel view. What is best?

Layer was in the year before the last year of his contract two years ago and then after having another terrible season Liberty got lucky and won the Big South tournament and made the NCAA tournament. So Liberty gave his an extension which he is currently playing out at the moment. It is literally the exact same as before.

The odds of this team, with all the injuries and turmoil, of making a run and winning the BSC BB tournament is nil. Not this year. It's not going to happen. To many things not going right.

Liberty finished the regular season tied for 9th in the Big South in 2012-2013. They finished with an RPI of 289 which I'm assuming includes the wins within the Big South Tournament. They were 12-20 against Division 1 programs. The prior two years were one and done years in the Big South Tournament. Sounds pretty similar to this season to me.

(01-16-2015 06:39 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  Liberty finished the regular season tied for 9th in the Big South in 2012-2013. They finished with an RPI of 289 which I'm assuming includes the wins within the Big South Tournament. They were 12-20 against Division 1 programs. The prior two years were one and done years in the Big South Tournament. Sounds pretty similar to this season to me.

I hear and appreciate your optimism. I hope you are right. 289 is different than 351 now. We'll know in about 6 weeks.

(01-16-2015 07:38 PM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(01-16-2015 06:39 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  Liberty finished the regular season tied for 9th in the Big South in 2012-2013. They finished with an RPI of 289 which I'm assuming includes the wins within the Big South Tournament. They were 12-20 against Division 1 programs. The prior two years were one and done years in the Big South Tournament. Sounds pretty similar to this season to me.

I hear and appreciate your optimism. I hope you are right. 289 is different than 351 now. We'll know in about 6 weeks.

I am certainly not expecting a tournament run by Layer. I'm not optimistic at all. I'm just saying when Layer was in this situation before, the team delivered and he got an extension against all odds. There is a precedent if the situation happened again.

An RPI of 289 is very different than 351 but it would be easily achievable should Liberty go on any sort of winning streak. What will happen if Gielo and Retic came back near the end of the season? It isn't out of the question. Again, my stance is that Layer should be gone at the end of the season but it would be really hard to get rid of a guy who brings a Big South school a trip to the NCAA tournament.

RE: His job...

Things that work in Coach Layer's favor: So many new players to integrate into a system, Key injuries preventing consistent line up, He is a good role model to the kids, He graduates players, He runs a clean program, He's a good ambassador of the school.

Things that don't work in Coach Layer's favor: He can't win basketball games, Liberty's perception to the rest of the basketball world is pathetic.

I just don't see a magical run by this team at he end of the season. I am stretching to see 2 more wins on the season.

It's easy to be angry and disappointed when your schools basketball program is ranked the lowest in the nation. Several posters here have chided those who been vocal about making a change now, at the end of the season or end the end of coach Layer'a contract. With this forum, what's best for the school and the program in how we express ourselves? Do we sit idly by and accept the status quo? Do we express our discontent with extreme actions? Do we continue to write posts after game losses what a sad state the basketball program is in now?

I think this is the wrong answer: https://twitter.com/IsLayerFired

Quite frankly it's embarrassing to have someone like this as part of the fans. But we really must be a top tier program since all the top programs have the nutty extremists.

(01-18-2015 04:14 PM)GE and MTS Wrote:  I think this is the wrong answer: https://twitter.com/IsLayerFired

Quite frankly it's embarrassing to have someone like this as part of the fans. But we really must be a top tier program since all the top programs have the nutty extremists.

That poster is over the top and excessive negativism does serve anyone except those with an agenda. That is a strong validity for us to continue to build members here that can agree/disagree in a civil format. When we move to the Active from Proving Ground, we'll have a moderator(s) who can keep discourse civil. If the conversation becomes extreme, the moderator step in.

(01-18-2015 04:25 PM)NewTimes Wrote:  When we move to the Active from Proving Ground

When exactly is that? Are there certain things that must be done first?

(01-18-2015 04:52 PM)army56mike Wrote:  

(01-18-2015 04:25 PM)NewTimes Wrote:  When we move to the Active from Proving Ground

When exactly is that? Are there certain things that must be done first?

I've been told it happens after their is sufficient interest and continual activity. I know we are close as interest is being monitored here. You have certainly done your part.