Possible head basketball coaches

[JCorona]

Ray Harper couldn’t get it done at Western Kentucky. What makes us think he could get it done at UTEP? Not only “no way” but “no effing way!”

I know he struggled a bit his last season at WKU but he did take them to the NCAA tournament in his first two seasons. And even won a game in the tournament. He won the conference tournament back to back by winning four in a row both times. His teams will always be dangerous regardless of the seeding.

He a is classic example of why almost all coaches will leave a mid major job as soon as a big school comes calling. After his initial success he still had winning teams but none made the post season. WKU was in a what have you done for me lately mood and let him go.

Not that I advocate for Harper to UTEP but IMO he did get it done at WKU. Only difference is they didn’t wait around seven years to see if he could take them back to the promise land.

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

I know he struggled a bit his last season at WKU but he did take them to the NCAA tournament in his first two seasons. And even won a game in the tournament. He won the conference tournament back to back by winning four in a row both times. His teams will always be dangerous regardless of the seeding.

He a is classic example of why almost all coaches will leave a mid major job as soon as a big school comes calling. After his initial success he still had winning teams but none made the post season. WKU was in a what have you done for me lately mood and let him go.

Not that I advocate for Harper to UTEP but IMO he did get it done at WKU. Only difference is they didn’t wait around seven years to see if he could take them back to the promise land.

Harper resigned (or maybe forced to resign) after 3 of his players were kicked off the team by the university. It had to be pretty serious for them to be dismissed like that.

 

[JCorona]

Harper resigned (or maybe forced to resign) after 3 of his players were kicked off the team by the university. It had to be pretty serious for them to be dismissed like that.

That’s right. I had forgot about that.

 

[unihom]

Who cares why he's not there? He didn't cut the mustard at WKU, but he's good enough to coach here at UTEP? Bad look.

 

[elpasobadgerfan]

Joe Dooley gets too much credit at FGCU. The Atlantic Sun is the worst league outside of the SWAC and MEAC, and I'd even argue the MEAC is better in some years. At FGCU you are at the best job in the league by far. there is no reason any coach with a pulse shouldn't win there.

 

[JCorona]

Harper resigned (or maybe forced to resign) after 3 of his players were kicked off the team by the university. It had to be pretty serious for them to be dismissed like that.

I’m sure you’ll read this on the CUSAbbs board but for those who don’t visit that site here’s a summary from a respectable WKU fan.


Post: #13
RE: UTEP Basketball HC Search
(Today 12:49 PM)JCMiner Wrote: Can anyone from WKU tell me exactly what forced the Harper resignation. He started off really hot. Was he mainly using the previous coach players and then once his recruits came in the talent dropped off?
He never was the choice of Western's president but after taking over from the mess of KDM then turning around the team and fans ( avg attendance in the 5500 range) then winning the SBC and going to the NCAA Tourney....

President Ransdall had no choice but to hire Harper. But Harper had his hands tied and couldn't clean house because of APR numbers . Then in year two our pg was out 10 games in the middle of the season and Western loss some close game....once the PG came back Western started winning and won the SBC tourney again.

With that in mind...Harper is the only coach in the history of Western that did not get the roll over year. Other wise in July a coaches contract rolls over for another year and a coach is always working with a 4 year contract.

Three players on Harpers last team ran a train on a girl and it was recorded. The tape got out and daddy didn't like the fact of it. All three we suspended. From what I heard the girl was a willing figure in the sex and recording....

yet she was not kicked off the tennis (I believe it was tennis) team. Don't know if it's true or not but I was told this was the 2nd sex tape this girl had made.

No one can make me believe that if it was white players it would have been a issue. I was also told that two of the player could have returned if Stansbury wanted them. He didn't so they were released of their scholarship.

Harper is about as good of a bench coach there is His weakness is recruiting but with a good budget I think that could be fixed. Again for the first time that I've been keeping up with Western's budgets....the Mens basketball team was cut almost $200,000 in Harpers 3rd season.

5.5 seasons and 3 ncaa tourneys and the least amount of games he won was 18, 20,20,20,21.

But in the end he wasn't the hire Gary Ransdell....back to back ncaa tourney bid and the team held their own vs Kansas and #1 uk and did not earn a roll over year...that tells you what Western was thinking

 

[MineroFanatico]

I’m sure you’ll read this on the CUSAbbs board but for those who don’t visit that site here’s a summary from a respectable WKU fan.


Post: #13
RE: UTEP Basketball HC Search
(Today 12:49 PM)JCMiner Wrote: Can anyone from WKU tell me exactly what forced the Harper resignation. He started off really hot. Was he mainly using the previous coach players and then once his recruits came in the talent dropped off?
He never was the choice of Western's president but after taking over from the mess of KDM then turning around the team and fans ( avg attendance in the 5500 range) then winning the SBC and going to the NCAA Tourney....

President Ransdall had no choice but to hire Harper. But Harper had his hands tied and couldn't clean house because of APR numbers . Then in year two our pg was out 10 games in the middle of the season and Western loss some close game....once the PG came back Western started winning and won the SBC tourney again.

With that in mind...Harper is the only coach in the history of Western that did not get the roll over year. Other wise in July a coaches contract rolls over for another year and a coach is always working with a 4 year contract.

Three players on Harpers last team ran a train on a girl and it was recorded. The tape got out and daddy didn't like the fact of it. All three we suspended. From what I heard the girl was a willing figure in the sex and recording....

yet she was not kicked off the tennis (I believe it was tennis) team. Don't know if it's true or not but I was told this was the 2nd sex tape this girl had made.

No one can make me believe that if it was white players it would have been a issue. I was also told that two of the player could have returned if Stansbury wanted them. He didn't so they were released of their scholarship.

Harper is about as good of a bench coach there is His weakness is recruiting but with a good budget I think that could be fixed. Again for the first time that I've been keeping up with Western's budgets....the Mens basketball team was cut almost $200,000 in Harpers 3rd season.

5.5 seasons and 3 ncaa tourneys and the least amount of games he won was 18, 20,20,20,21.

But in the end he wasn't the hire Gary Ransdell....back to back ncaa tourney bid and the team held their own vs Kansas and #1 uk and did not earn a roll over year...that tells you what Western was thinking

That’s an interesting take. Good bench coach...weak recruiter by said poster. Can we afford to take a chance on a guy who can coach but may not be able to bring the talent in to coach? Just an honest question.

 

[M i n e r]

That’s an interesting take. Good bench coach...weak recruiter by said poster. Can we afford to take a chance on a guy who can coach but may not be able to bring the talent in to coach? Just an honest question.

If he's able to keep the players set to return next year, yes. This team is full of talent.

 

[JCorona]

I’m sure you’ll read this on the CUSAbbs board but for those who don’t visit that site here’s a summary from a respectable WKU fan.


Post: #13
RE: UTEP Basketball HC Search
(Today 12:49 PM)JCMiner Wrote: Can anyone from WKU tell me exactly what forced the Harper resignation. He started off really hot. Was he mainly using the previous coach players and then once his recruits came in the talent dropped off?
He never was the choice of Western's president but after taking over from the mess of KDM then turning around the team and fans ( avg attendance in the 5500 range) then winning the SBC and going to the NCAA Tourney....

President Ransdall had no choice but to hire Harper. But Harper had his hands tied and couldn't clean house because of APR numbers . Then in year two our pg was out 10 games in the middle of the season and Western loss some close game....once the PG came back Western started winning and won the SBC tourney again.

With that in mind...Harper is the only coach in the history of Western that did not get the roll over year. Other wise in July a coaches contract rolls over for another year and a coach is always working with a 4 year contract.

Three players on Harpers last team ran a train on a girl and it was recorded. The tape got out and daddy didn't like the fact of it. All three we suspended. From what I heard the girl was a willing figure in the sex and recording....

yet she was not kicked off the tennis (I believe it was tennis) team. Don't know if it's true or not but I was told this was the 2nd sex tape this girl had made.

No one can make me believe that if it was white players it would have been a issue. I was also told that two of the player could have returned if Stansbury wanted them. He didn't so they were released of their scholarship.

Harper is about as good of a bench coach there is His weakness is recruiting but with a good budget I think that could be fixed. Again for the first time that I've been keeping up with Western's budgets....the Mens basketball team was cut almost $200,000 in Harpers 3rd season.

5.5 seasons and 3 ncaa tourneys and the least amount of games he won was 18, 20,20,20,21.

But in the end he wasn't the hire Gary Ransdell....back to back ncaa tourney bid and the team held their own vs Kansas and #1 uk and did not earn a roll over year...that tells you what Western was thinking

Another WKU fan chiming in.




Sounds like a lot of Harper love from you Guns.

You are correct on the sex incident. She was a soccer player however and had done something similar with some baseball players from what I was told. The reason the basketball players got in trouble was that it happened in the team facilities and not in an apartment or dorm. One of those players (Marlon Hunter) is on Harper's Jacksonville St team now.

You posted Harper's record, but those are misleading as he never won 20 games in the regular season here. He never crossed the 20 win mark until the conference tournament. And both of his NCAA trips at WKU were as a 16 seed. Was he ham stringed by some APR issues that KMac left him with....yes. But he had 4 years to right the ship. And his 4th full year at WKU was his worst finishing 8th in CUSA. And by then the APR issues were over and he had his "own guys" in there.

That said, Harper is a great X's and O's coach and get can maximum effort out of the talent he has. However, he is just not a very good recruiter. He got us Justin Johnson, but not much else. Harper is best suited for a lower level Division 1 school. His ability is not at a mid to high CUSA level.

 

[elpasobadgerfan]

I’m sure you’ll read this on the CUSAbbs board but for those who don’t visit that site here’s a summary from a respectable WKU fan.


Post: #13
RE: UTEP Basketball HC Search
(Today 12:49 PM)JCMiner Wrote: Can anyone from WKU tell me exactly what forced the Harper resignation. He started off really hot. Was he mainly using the previous coach players and then once his recruits came in the talent dropped off?
He never was the choice of Western's president but after taking over from the mess of KDM then turning around the team and fans ( avg attendance in the 5500 range) then winning the SBC and going to the NCAA Tourney....

President Ransdall had no choice but to hire Harper. But Harper had his hands tied and couldn't clean house because of APR numbers . Then in year two our pg was out 10 games in the middle of the season and Western loss some close game....once the PG came back Western started winning and won the SBC tourney again.

With that in mind...Harper is the only coach in the history of Western that did not get the roll over year. Other wise in July a coaches contract rolls over for another year and a coach is always working with a 4 year contract.

Three players on Harpers last team ran a train on a girl and it was recorded. The tape got out and daddy didn't like the fact of it. All three we suspended. From what I heard the girl was a willing figure in the sex and recording....

yet she was not kicked off the tennis (I believe it was tennis) team. Don't know if it's true or not but I was told this was the 2nd sex tape this girl had made.

No one can make me believe that if it was white players it would have been a issue. I was also told that two of the player could have returned if Stansbury wanted them. He didn't so they were released of their scholarship.

Harper is about as good of a bench coach there is His weakness is recruiting but with a good budget I think that could be fixed. Again for the first time that I've been keeping up with Western's budgets....the Mens basketball team was cut almost $200,000 in Harpers 3rd season.

5.5 seasons and 3 ncaa tourneys and the least amount of games he won was 18, 20,20,20,21.

But in the end he wasn't the hire Gary Ransdell....back to back ncaa tourney bid and the team held their own vs Kansas and #1 uk and did not earn a roll over year...that tells you what Western was thinking

Just reading between the lines on this. A 200k reduction in budget in his 3rd year is also when a new AD Todd Stewart was hired. So Harper was working the last few years under an AD who didn't hire him and wasn't his guy along with a president that didn't want to support him either.

Couple that with not receiving the rollover year in a contract, you can see why recruiting takes a hit.

Also underrated factor in this is WKU's move from Sun Belt to C-USA in the middle of Harpers time there. Where the latter had stronger and more quality teams at the top.

 

[MineroFanatico]

If he's able to keep the players set to return next year, yes. This team is full of talent.

I’d argue that we have a pretty strong core if every one stays. That’s good for 2-3 years, as PT will be gone after next year and Osborne the year after that. By my count we have 6 schollies to give. That ain’t chump change. Gotta keep stacking the cupboard to keep it rolling. Just sayin.

 

[JCorona]

Just reading between the lines on this. A 200k reduction in budget in his 3rd year is also when a new AD Todd Stewart was hired. So Harper was working the last few years under an AD who didn't hire him and wasn't his guy along with a president that didn't want to support him either.

Couple that with not receiving the rollover year in a contract, you can see why recruiting takes a hit.

Also underrated factor in this is WKU's move from Sun Belt to C-USA in the middle of Harpers time there. Where the latter had stronger and more quality teams at the top.

I had my suspicions but you’re going to be alright.

 

[Lil_Train]

That’s an interesting take. Good bench coach...weak recruiter by said poster. Can we afford to take a chance on a guy who can coach but may not be able to bring the talent in to coach? Just an honest question.

We need a guy that can do both. If not, we might as well hire Doc back.

 

[MinerManiac]

We need a guy that can do both. If not, we might as well hire Doc back.

That's exactly what I thought when I heard the description of Harper. Doc is a perfect example of a coach who is great on the bench but a poor recruiter. His best seasons are his first two at UTEP, when he inherited Gillispie's team. His poor recruiting efforts hurt him at Nebraska and Southern Miss. We certainly don't need another Doc Sadler.

 

[Minerinciter]

 

[develman]

We need a coach that can relate a little better to today's athlete, it lends to better recruiting.

 

[elpasobadgerfan]

This FBI probe makes it hard for me to look down on a coach for not recruiting well. College basketball's worst kept secret being exposed for all to see basically demonstrated to me what separates guys who can recruit to those who can't, which isnt some special skill in recruiting, just a willingness to go above and beyond what is allowed. And essentially if you are at a big name school and you are getting elite top talent, then there is some extra stuff going on.

I'd be hesitant to go after any D1 assistant from a high major school. Like that tweet up above mentions a coach from Baylor, a program commonly joked about as one that drops the moneybag to get dudes, and says he would get better players than the 3 interviewed. But at what cost behind closed doors?

 

[UTEPfan1966]

Haha. It’s all good, my friend. You didn’t come off as an “a hole”. I just tend to over explain myself at times.

The “shot” part was just my attempt to keep it light.

And I took the shot part to heart today.....hornitos was my choice. yum....
Did I mention I hate the primaries? I couldn't vote against all the idiots I hate running....

 

[UTEPfan1966]

We need a coach that can relate a little better to today's athlete, it lends to better recruiting.

We need a coach that can win. Period.

 

[EP Maximus]

OT: It looks like Memphis is about to dump Tubby for Penny.

 

[Dmanminer]

Don’t need a coach with no ethics. Besides where would UTEP get the money to pay anybody.

 

[MineroFanatico]

OT: It looks like Memphis is about to dump Tubby for Penny.

No shit?! Good for Penny. He started coaching middle school and had immediate success. When the same group of kids moved on to HS, Penny moved on with them. Eventually had a national ranking of 21. There’s more to his journey but it’s quite the story. I always liked the guy.

 

[utep2step]

This FBI probe makes it hard for me to look down on a coach for not recruiting well. College basketball's worst kept secret being exposed for all to see basically demonstrated to me what separates guys who can recruit to those who can't, which isnt some special skill in recruiting, just a willingness to go above and beyond what is allowed. And essentially if you are at a big name school and you are getting elite top talent, then there is some extra stuff going on.

I'd be hesitant to go after any D1 assistant from a high major school. Like that tweet up above mentions a coach from Baylor, a program commonly joked about as one that drops the moneybag to get dudes, and says he would get better players than the 3 interviewed. But at what cost behind closed doors?

There are Majerus type coached out there. The kind that skip the family Christmas eve family dinner to spend the night at a Motel 6 to get the first glimpse at some local high school holiday tourney to nab that unkown recruit.

 

[jdubb66]

There are Majerus type coached out there. The kind that skip the family Christmas eve family dinner to spend the night at a Motel 6 to get the first glimpse at some local high school holiday tourney to nab that unkown recruit.

I don't see Majerus skipping any dinners.

 

[utep2step]

I don't see Majerus skipping any dinners.

Ha!

 

[JCorona]

A new name according to EPT

 

[UTEPfan1966]

Hell, I saw 2 new names. Not sure why you would leave Fresno for here, but who knows....Dude from Tech is interesting.

I also saw some speculation about the A&M assistant and Baylor assistant. Not sure how solid that info is though

 

[Lil_Train]

 

[unihom]

You mean the morning show person who isn't a sportcaster might have had wrong info? No way!

 

[utep2step]

View embedded media

I don't believe it. Slight of hand presentations in D1 basketball hiring is the soup du jour during post season tourneys. AD's and assistants lie through their arse is what I'm basically saying.

 

[UTEPfan1966]

Hey, who knows. Might be a smoke screen as Senter is a great poker player....

 

[Minerinciter]

 

[Haskins Fan]

As much as I hate to say it. "It's Over."

Time to rebuild.

Go Miners.

 

[Space acer]

Hey I’m sorry to say but I strongly believe senter will select a no name coach like in Dimel. I just don’t see him selecting an up and coming assistant coach who could recruit. I don’t have confidence in him. Hopefully he proves me wrong. It is different in football bc the only way right now is up and the program cannot be any worse but in Basketball we expect a lot more quality in coaching and players

 

[Lil_Train]

To me, out of the names rumored to be linked to UTEP at this time, I would go with Rodney Terry. If I am not mistaken, he has been linked to UTEP previously. He has done a good job at Fresno St., and is originally from Texas. Honestly, I would also wonder why he would want to make a move.

 

[utep2step]

To me, out of the names rumored to be linked to UTEP at this time, I would go with Rodney Terry. If I am not mistaken, he has been linked to UTEP previously. He has done a good job at Fresno St., and is originally from Texas. Honestly, I would also wonder why he would want to make a move.

That's is a good question? I would stay at Fresno.

 

[unihom]

Fresno is one of the few places where El Paso is actually nicer. Fresno sucks.

 

[EPTUTEP]

To me, out of the names rumored to be linked to UTEP at this time, I would go with Rodney Terry. If I am not mistaken, he has been linked to UTEP previously. He has done a good job at Fresno St., and is originally from Texas. Honestly, I would also wonder why he would want to make a move.

Only thing I can think of is he is from Texas and has a lot of connections in the state of Texas, so he wants to be closer to home??? And CUSA is weaker than the MW, so he has a better chance of competing for CUSA titles and NCAA Tourney appearances. His Fresno teams the past 2 seasons would have easily been in the top 2 in CUSA.

 

[utep2step]

Fresno is one of the few places where El Paso is actually nicer. Fresno sucks.

Fresno fans were really nice folks, at least the ones I met at Sun Bowl when they were in the WAC.

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

That's is a good question? I would stay at Fresno.

He already makes in excess of $500k according to my google search. It would be somewhat of an "in your face, Fresno St" kind of hire.