Ernie Kent????

[laxwyo]

Sports by Brooks guy who broke the Schroyer firing says Ernie Kent is top guy. Read for yourself
http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/sources-w ... ent-333740

[Cornpoke]

So Gillespie had interest in the job but yet Burman wouldn't even interview him? Yet we desperately want to hire an older candidate who barely has a winning record.

[Wyokie]

Found Ernie Kent's coaching record on wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Kent ... ing_record

[laxwyo]

I found it weird that Buchanan ok'd BG, but Burman didn't want to even interview him

[Wyokie]

I found it weird that Buchanan ok'd BG, but Burman didn't want to even interview him

THIS

It seems strange to me as well.

My theory: Burman is secretly a BYU supporter and wants to keep Wyoming down for good.

[WYCowboy]

I can feel my blood pressure rising!

[Wyokie]

Fans and alumni of UW should stage a palace revolt and demand that Burman resign immediately!!!!

[billings]

what a weird twist.

granted Kent took Oregon to 5 NCAA tournaments in 14 years there and he had two elite 8 appearances. and 55 is not ancient for a BB coach. Just feels Burman is really sticking his neck out there on this one.

Surprised to see Wyo come up with over $1 million bucks to sign someone though.

[billings]

I found it weird that Buchanan ok'd BG, but Burman didn't want to even interview him

giving him enough rope to hang himself?

[AfiPoke]

I actually like this guy. Despite his short tenure with the sheep.

I'm a little surprised at the salary increase. Where did the funds come from?

I'm not sure Gillespie would have stayed more than two seasons anyway. Dunlap? Seems like he has an eye on another Rocky Mountain destination.

To be honest, anything is a step up right now. Our RPI this year was a dismal 264.

[laxwyo]

I guess we should all wait and see if rumors pan out. No sense in getting too worked up over Sportsbybrooks report.

[fromolwyoming]

I guess we should all wait and see if rumors pan out. No sense in getting too worked up over Sportsbybrooks report.

My feelings exactly. So far, he seems to be the only one saying this. As far as I'm concerned, I think he's just throwing this out there, considering the low blows he's been giving Wyoming. So, just another rumor t throw on top of the pile.

Plus, I haven't heard or read anything in the Boomerang or other Wyoming papers that has said anything about anyone being turned away from the job. And I'd imagine that the Boomerang at least would have more information than some random blogger.

[denverpoke]

If TT is not afraid of hiring BG, why should wyoming admin worry about his hire?? Ernie Kent is a good recruiter but he is not a X and O guy..His win/loss conference records at Oregon were not that great. We need a coach that can teach fundamentals and play team basketball. In his last year, they hire dunlap to supplement his X and Os. We don't need a coach that can only recruit talents but can't coach..AMHO..

[Cowduck]

I was at Oregon 2002-2005. The Luke and Luke Show was some of the most fun I have ever had watching basketball. He is a hell of a recruiter and when he has the right players his teams are spectacular. His style of play could be awesome at altitude. With a few good signings and some results he could pack the AA.

The end of his tenure at Oregon was troubling. Part of his recruiting appeal was selling an image of a morally upstanding, Christian-oriented family atmosphere, and then he got caught cheating on his wife. I think he lost credibility with his players and recruits for that.

Bottom line is that there is some risk but we are talking about a coach who took a major conference program to the Elite Eight twice, in the last decade, five years apart (ie, with two totally different rosters), and is only 56. We could do a lot worse.

[WYCowboy]

I was at Oregon 2002-2005. The Luke and Luke Show was some of the most fun I have ever had watching basketball. He is a hell of a recruiter and when he has the right players his teams are spectacular. His style of play could be awesome at altitude. With a few good signings and some results he could pack the AA.

The end of his tenure at Oregon was troubling. Part of his recruiting appeal was selling an image of a morally upstanding, Christian-oriented family atmosphere, and then he got caught cheating on his wife. I think he lost credibility with his players and recruits for that.

Bottom line is that there is some risk but we are talking about a coach who took a major conference program to the Elite Eight twice, in the last decade, five years apart (ie, with two totally different rosters), and is only 56. We could do a lot worse.

IMO, with this hire I believe it will take some spectacular results to get the fans to pack the AA again.

[LawPoke]

I would be torn with a Kent hire and agree with WYCowboys that this wouldn't necessarily be met with initial waves of folks heading back to the AA. Unlike Dunlap, Gillespie, Dooley or even Shyatt (oddly enough), my perception of Kent is that he is a bit of a retread who didn't leave his last gig on a high note. The others, at least at a gut level, are on an upswing. I am still very high on Dunlap and would very much be alright with any of the others. Kent would have to win - and win big - to get me excited about the program.

[Cowduck]

I guess you can't satisfy everyone with this hire. I don't see all the "Wyoming needs to hire someone with an established track record as a head coach" people getting even a little excited about this rumor, which baffles me because Kent fits that bill better than anyone currently on the market besides maybe Gillispie, but I would actually say Kent fits the bill better (two Elite Eights to Gillispie's one Sweet Sixteen...) There's precedent for coaches leaving a program on a downswing only to find success elsewhere. In fact, Oregon hired Dana Altman to replace Kent after four subpar seasons at Creighton - jury is still way out there but in just his first year he had an undermanned team playing pretty well by the end of the season and made the semis of the PAC-10 tourney. Plus his first recruiting class is stacked. Sometimes things run their course at a program and it gets to be time to be moving on - that doesn't mean a coach can't be successful in a different situation.

Seriously, wouldn't Ernie Kent have the strongest resume of any Wyoming hoops coach hire, ever? Am I missing something?

[NowherePoke]

I guess you can't satisfy everyone with this hire. I don't see all the "Wyoming needs to hire someone with an established track record as a head coach" people getting even a little excited about this rumor, which baffles me because Kent fits that bill better than anyone currently on the market besides maybe Gillispie, but I would actually say Kent fits the bill better (two Elite Eights to Gillispie's one Sweet Sixteen...) There's precedent for coaches leaving a program on a downswing only to find success elsewhere. In fact, Oregon hired Dana Altman to replace Kent after four subpar seasons at Creighton - jury is still way out there but in just his first year he had an undermanned team playing pretty well by the end of the season and made the semis of the PAC-10 tourney. Plus his first recruiting class is stacked. Sometimes things run their course at a program and it gets to be time to be moving on - that doesn't mean a coach can't be successful in a different situation.

Seriously, wouldn't Ernie Kent have the strongest resume of any Wyoming hoops coach hire, ever? Am I missing something?

I think there are several things you are overlooking:

1. Altman's last 4 seasons at Creighton featured a conference record of 47-25, one regular season championship, never lower than 4th, and postseason every year. It might not have been the peak of his tenure, but it was pretty impressive.

2. Kent's last 4 seasons featured a conference record of 29--43. More damaging is that the last 3 years were 18-36 in conference play. This is at a job, that despite the historic lack of success, is now easily a top half job in its league (which Wyoming is not, especially now) due to the influence (even if perceived) of Nike. The facility investment, budgets, etc. put them in the top tier of the PAC-10, yet he couldn't win consistently. He had two-three really good years (01-02, 06-07, and 99-00), one conference title (02) and then a lot of mediocrity. His profile looks to have more in common with Steve McClain than Billy Gillispie. Keep in mind this isn't the ACC or Big East we are talking about, but rather a league (PAC-10) that has finished behind the MWC in RPI ratings on more than one occasion.

3. Off the court issues. You never know what to believe, but Kent comes with some baggage (all of the recruiting rumors from the Hairston/Porter recruitment, the personal life issues, etc.). It might all be total crap, but it's out there.

4. On a more personal level, I don't ever remember thinking Kent's teams looked particularly fundamentally sound. I saw a very loose style of ball with relatively high turnover rates. Good talent level (up until the last few years) and intensity (again, until the last few years), but not the consistent fundamental play that I would look for. If anything, I always thought Kent's program was a rich man's version of Steve McClain's. I could be wrong on this, but that's my perception and I know it is shared by others.

[Cowduck]

I think there are several things you are overlooking:

1. Altman's last 4 seasons at Creighton featured a conference record of 47-25, one regular season championship, never lower than 4th, and postseason every year. It might not have been the peak of his tenure, but it was pretty impressive.

That was in the MVC. And he's not the only example of a coach that actually succeeds in more than one place.

2. Kent's last 4 seasons featured a conference record of 29--43. More damaging is that the last 3 years were 18-36 in conference play. This is at a job, that despite the historic lack of success, is now easily a top half job in its league (which Wyoming is not, especially now) due to the influence (even if perceived) of Nike. The facility investment, budgets, etc. put them in the top tier of the PAC-10, yet he couldn't win consistently. He had two-three really good years (01-02, 06-07, and 99-00), one conference title (02) and then a lot of mediocrity. His profile looks to have more in common with Steve McClain than Billy Gillispie. Keep in mind this isn't the ACC or Big East we are talking about, but rather a league (PAC-10) that has finished behind the MWC in RPI ratings on more than one occasion.

Not disputing that Kent's teams struggled at the end of his tenure. But that job was nothing before Kent took over - exactly one NCAA tourney appearance between 1961-2000. Really, Oregon's basketball tradition over that stretch probably wasn't even as strong as Wyoming's. Also, to compare McClain's resume at the time he was hired to Kent's now is laughable. McClain had never been a head coach above JuCo level.

3. Off the court issues. You never know what to believe, but Kent comes with some baggage (all of the recruiting rumors from the Hairston/Porter recruitment, the personal life issues, etc.). It might all be total crap, but it's out there.

I'm pretty sure that whatever connections to Worldwide Wes Kent had are no longer a factor. Personal life issues are there but they are also present with everyone's favorite candidate.

4. On a more personal level, I don't ever remember thinking Kent's teams looked particularly fundamentally sound. I saw a very loose style of ball with relatively high turnover rates. Good talent level (up until the last few years) and intensity (again, until the last few years), but not the consistent fundamental play that I would look for. If anything, I always thought Kent's program was a rich man's version of Steve McClain's. I could be wrong on this, but that's my perception and I know it is shared by others.[/quote]

I think you are wrong about this. I attended a couple dozen Duck games in three years. He prefers his teams to get out in the open court and run, and that does produce higher turnover rates. But coaches who play uptempo can usually live with more turnovers, because it's a natural byproduct of that style of play. His halfcourt offense is considerably more sophisticated than the dribble-drive oriented offense McClain installed. McClain promised to play a running game as he was a Billy Tubbs disciple but his most successful teams didn't really rely on the fast break. Playing a fastbreak/secondary break style offense does not have to be mutually exclusive with "strong fundamentals."


Seriously, Cowboy Nation, answer me these two questions:

1. Who has Wyoming ever hired to coach men's basketball with a resume as strong as Ernie Kent's?
2. Who, besides Gillispie, is a realistically obtainable coach with a resume as strong as Ernie Kent's?

I fear we allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good around here a little too often.

[Cornpoke]

We need to go out and get our Steve Fischer, baggage or not. Hire the highest profile coach who can bring this program back to being competitive.