Whoa, he's 34 years old. Took Nicholls to b2b conference championships during COVID era. He left on his own accord to join Alabama last year, who just finished the season with the highest scoring offense in the NCAA.

Considering the state of UTSA basketball, 5 minute research makes this seem like a good hire. They were never gonna get a big name, this isn't football. And considering the portal is already open, having someone locked down already is good. I'd be completely happy if someone could get them to within a top 150 NET rating school in the next few years before the training facility is built.

(03-17-2024 07:30 PM)MeepMeep Wrote:  Whoa, he's 34 years old. Took Nicholls to b2b conference championships during COVID era. He left on his own accord to join Alabama last year, who just finished the season with the highest scoring offense in the NCAA.

Considering the state of UTSA basketball, 5 minute research makes this seem like a good higher. They were never gonna get a big name, this isn't football. And considering the portal is already open, having someone locked down already is good. I'd be completely happy if someone could get them to within a top 150 NET rating school in the next few years before the training facility is built.

I'm cautiously optimistic. We need to get more fans to the games though. UTSA has never had strong fan support even when we had pretty decent teams. As far as what you said about reaching the 150 NET rating before the training facility is built, I'm hoping for better than that for starters. But I'm also hoping for sustained success once we reach that mark. I say that because we saw solid and pretty quick improvement when we first hired Henson also.

If you recall, in Henson's first season, he took us from 5-27 to 14-19. And in his second season, we improved to 20-15 with an RPI of around 175 or so. In his third year, we finished 17-15, but played the last few games without our leading scorer. I think that was the last year the NCAA was still using RPI before they went to NET, and our RPI in Henson's third year was 143. Would've probably finished around 120 or so if not for the late-season injury to Jackson. It was up and up and up - three promising years - but then the bottom fell out.

So if we got the right guy, he should not only be able to get us at LEAST to where Henson did, but be able to sustain it and then go even higher.

(03-17-2024 08:43 PM)Volkmar Wrote:  

(03-17-2024 07:30 PM)MeepMeep Wrote:  Whoa, he's 34 years old. Took Nicholls to b2b conference championships during COVID era. He left on his own accord to join Alabama last year, who just finished the season with the highest scoring offense in the NCAA.

Considering the state of UTSA basketball, 5 minute research makes this seem like a good higher. They were never gonna get a big name, this isn't football. And considering the portal is already open, having someone locked down already is good. I'd be completely happy if someone could get them to within a top 150 NET rating school in the next few years before the training facility is built.

I'm cautiously optimistic. We need to get more fans to the games though. UTSA has never had strong fan support even when we had pretty decent teams. As far as what you said about reaching the 150 NET rating before the training facility is built, I'm hoping for better than that for starters. But I'm also hoping for sustained success once we reach that mark. I say that because we saw solid and pretty quick improvement when we first hired Henson also.

If you recall, in Henson's first season, he took us from 5-27 to 14-19. And in his second season, we improved to 20-15 with an RPI of around 175 or so. In his third year, we finished 17-15, but played the last few games without our leading scorer. I think that was the last year the NCAA was still using RPI before they went to NET, and our RPI in Henson's third year was 143. Would've probably finished around 120 or so if not for the late-season injury to Jackson. It was up and up and up - three promising years - but then the bottom fell out.

So if we got the right guy, he should not only be able to get us at LEAST to where Henson did, but be able to sustain it and then go even higher.

Yea, I realize 150 NET is setting the bar low. As of today that would put you right in the middle of the pack in the AAC.

UTSA had a scuffed zoom meeting for media availability today with Coach Austin/Lisa Campos/media. Makes sense since he's still with Alabama and preparing for the tourney.

(03-14-2024 05:27 PM)FAU Connoisseur! Wrote:  

(03-14-2024 05:25 PM)MeepMeep Wrote:  

(03-14-2024 04:24 PM)FAU Connoisseur! Wrote:  Is it fair to blame him?

Is the pope catholic?

I am not sure about the current one.

Regarding the current one, the answer is a profound 'no.'

$550k per year for 5 years, $2.75m total. Idk how much the Tulsa coach is making, but that's still the lowest salary in the AAC.

Also interesting that he's from Houston. Rice just fired Pera a few days ago and you gotta think Rice would at least match that (if they were interested in him). Very curious who they end up hiring.

(03-18-2024 12:26 AM)MeepMeep Wrote:  $550k per year for 5 years, $2.75m total. Idk how much the Tulsa coach is making, but that's still the lowest salary in the AAC.

Also interesting that he's from Houston. Rice just fired Pera a few days ago and you gotta think Rice would at least match that (if they were interested in him). Very curious who they end up hiring.

Names tossed around on The Parliament are Longwood Coach Griff Aldrich, Josh Pastner, Florida Assistant Coach Carlin Hartman, Xavier Assistant Adam Cohen, and Penn State Assistant Brent Scott. All have ties to Rice and/or the City of Houston.

Interesting that the Coogs drew Longwood in the NCAA opener.

clt says we should change the name of this thread now

(03-18-2024 05:11 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(03-18-2024 12:26 AM)MeepMeep Wrote:  $550k per year for 5 years, $2.75m total. Idk how much the Tulsa coach is making, but that's still the lowest salary in the AAC.

Also interesting that he's from Houston. Rice just fired Pera a few days ago and you gotta think Rice would at least match that (if they were interested in him). Very curious who they end up hiring.

Names tossed around on The Parliament are Longwood Coach Griff Aldrich, Josh Pastner, Florida Assistant Coach Carlin Hartman, Xavier Assistant Adam Cohen, and Penn State Assistant Brent Scott. All have ties to Rice and/or the City of Houston.

Interesting that the Coogs drew Longwood in the NCAA opener.

For the sake of the conference please dont hire Josh Pastner.

I think it is a good hire. He had success at Nicholls (not an easy place to win) and is young and presumably energetic.

The first question I ponder before hiring new coach is "does he have a reasonable assurance of better performance than the previous coach"? The answer is a resounding "yes", IMO.

(03-18-2024 10:00 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  I think it is a good hire. He had success at Nicholls (not an easy place to win) and is young and presumably energetic.

The first question I ponder before hiring new coach is "does he have a reasonable assurance of better performance than the previous coach"? The answer is a resounding "yes", IMO.

UTSA's conference results the last ten years:

Quote:2014-2015
8th in regular season, 8-10
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2015-2016
13th in regular season, 3-15
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

2016-2017 (Henson first year)
9th in regular season, 8-10
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2017-2018
5th in regular season, 11-7
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2018-2019
4th in regular season, 11-7
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2019-2020
10th in regular season, 7-11
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

2020-2021
8th in regular season, 9-7
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2021-2022
13th in regular season, 3-15
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

2022-2023
11th in regular season, 2-16
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

2023-2024
13th in regular season, 5-13
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

3 seasons with at least .500 with two years hitting 11-7. Never made a conference semi finals.

Finishing either of the next two seasons above .500 in conference play and/or making a semi finals run in the conference tourney should be a realistic goal. It's not a crazy high bar and he may still not reach it (especially with everyone walking out the door in the portal) but I'm glad someone else besides Henson is getting the chance. I agree with you.

(03-18-2024 02:35 PM)MeepMeep Wrote:  

(03-18-2024 10:00 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  I think it is a good hire. He had success at Nicholls (not an easy place to win) and is young and presumably energetic.

The first question I ponder before hiring new coach is "does he have a reasonable assurance of better performance than the previous coach"? The answer is a resounding "yes", IMO.

UTSA's conference results the last ten years:

Quote:2014-2015
8th in regular season, 8-10
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2015-2016
13th in regular season, 3-15
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

2016-2017 (Henson first year)
9th in regular season, 8-10
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2017-2018
5th in regular season, 11-7
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2018-2019
4th in regular season, 11-7
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2019-2020
10th in regular season, 7-11
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

2020-2021
8th in regular season, 9-7
Conference Tournament: Elim in QF

2021-2022
13th in regular season, 3-15
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

2022-2023
11th in regular season, 2-16
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

2023-2024
13th in regular season, 5-13
Conference Tournament: Elim in First Round

3 seasons with at least .500 with two years hitting 11-7. Never made a conference semi finals.

Finishing either of the next two seasons above .500 in conference play and/or making a semi finals run in the conference tourney should be a realistic goal. It's not a crazy high bar and he may still not reach it (especially with everyone walking out the door in the portal) but I'm glad someone else besides Henson is getting the chance. I agree with you.

Honestly, it doesn't bother me the least bit that we already have some guys entering the portal. Just leaves more openings for Claunch to find some guys he likes. And Jordan Ivy-Curry seems as though he just has no idea what he really wants. He played for us, left us and played for Pacific, then decided he wanted to come back. And after missing about half the year due to the NCAA's delayed decision to finally allow him to play this season, he's now leaving again anyway. Don't know what his reason is, but if it's because Henson was let go and he loved playing for him so much, why'd he leave for Pacific in the first place?

Bottom line is we don't need guys like that. If you're bouncing around from school to school and aren't truly invested in any one place or with the group of teammates you had, there's the door!