At what point do we start to ask questions about Linder?

[307bball]

It seems bad right now but losing a bunch of guys off the worst team in the league can be a blessing perhaps. Can really turn it around. Looks bad but can’t really judge it until after next season. Bohl exceeded expectations after losing a lot to portal.

Yes...by all means....when you have a high performing young team, then you can worry about losing that talent. Part of me wants to shake the etch-a-sketch from last year. Lets get some incoming players that could finish higher than last in the conference!

 

[McPeachy]

It seems bad right now but losing a bunch of guys off the worst team in the league can be a blessing perhaps. Can really turn it around. Looks bad but can’t really judge it until after next season. Bohl exceeded expectations after losing a lot to portal.

Great point!

 

[LawPoke]

It seems bad right now but losing a bunch of guys off the worst team in the league can be a blessing perhaps. Can really turn it around. Looks bad but can’t really judge it until after next season. Bohl exceeded expectations after losing a lot to portal.

Great point!

I don't disagree. That said, Bohl changed in a way that allowed him to not only exceed expectations, but also not lose as many kids this year. Coaches have to change their approach in this NIL/porthole era - players simply have options that they didn't have three years ago. "My way or the highway" is an interesting philosophy when a kid is staring down the barrel of a lost year post-transfer - it is mostly an inciting enticement these days. I am not suggesting that you let a kid hijack your program and I am not saying that you can't be demanding as a coach. I am saying that being hard headed and hard nosed must be paired with empathy and extreme loyalty FROM the coach. As Bohl said - you have to take an honest look in the mirror from time to time to make sure you aren't a part of the problem and if you are...you have to change. I have no doubt Linder will do a lot of soul searching and find the right balance. Frankly, he won't last long if he doesn't.

All this said, Linder absolutely did the right thing with the Cali-Three. Cutting them loose - and doing so actively - was essential to salvage the program.

 

[flyfishwyo]

I remember hearing similar things about Jim Brandenburg when I was attending. He was able to find players that would learn under him at Wyoming and had 3 NCAA trips. He went to San Diego State and failed. I think Linder's style matches the school, he just needs to find the players who he doesn't have to "coach effort." I now have a 15 (almost 16) year old who I am coaching effort to. It is exhausting.

Totally agree. My kids are older now, but I had one of each. I'm still not sure how to convince someone that putting in more effort generally leads to better results.

 

[GoPokes86]

It’s not like Wicks is taking a lateral or backward move. He has an opportunity to be a head coach. Good for him. Timing isn’t great for us but don’t overreact.

This 100%. Every coach wants the shot to be the head guy at a D1 program. Bad timing for sure, but you can't fault a coach for making this move.

I'm sure Linder isn't the easiest guy to play for but I think his long term vision and strategy is a winner. Getting 18yr old kids to buy into it is going to be the key to his success. Maybe it's self reflection that gets him there or getting a few folks on his staff to point out the blind spots/help with messaging/buy in.

 

[flyfishwyo]

It seems bad right now but losing a bunch of guys off the worst team in the league can be a blessing perhaps. Can really turn it around. Looks bad but can’t really judge it until after next season. Bohl exceeded expectations after losing a lot to portal.

Yes...by all means....when you have a high performing young team, then you can worry about losing that talent. Part of me wants to shake the etch-a-sketch from last year. Lets get some incoming players that could finish higher than last in the conference!

Keeping guys who bought in to the culture of extreme effort should be a priority. We aren't always going to get the most talented players, so we need some that can make up for having less talent the day they walk on to campus with effort and incremental improvement. JO was one of those guys. DuSell and Wenzel are the two that are left. Hard to tell with Foster because he's been hurt so often. I think Powell will show to be one of those guys, too.

We still need more scorers, but don't throw away good pieces of the puzzle just to make a point. Good players play on bad teams sometimes.

 

[McPeachy]

To answer the original question...

NOW

 

[LawPoke]

To answer the original question...

NOW

• Jason Pierre-Paul has the same number of fingers as Wyoming has basketball players on its roster, currently.
• Nicholas Cage, Larry King, Billy Bob Thornton, Mickey Rooney, and Zsa Zsa Gabor have each married more people than Wyoming has on its basketball team currently.
• You can literally fit the current basketball team into a Chevette

Won’t every recruit and target in the portal ask Linder, “heya coach, what’s with all the transfers…”? After reading the 7220 story about him celebrating his being demanding and – functionally – a jackass, I am very concerned. He either has to find Jesus and engage in a public mea culpa (like Bohl) or risk getting canned in a year after he can’t field a team. He has too big of an ego, I fear, to do the former. And as I look down that bench, without Wicks, I worry that we don’t truly have a coach that will interject themself to be “the players’ rep.” Vandiver’s time has come and gone. The rest are sycophants.

I get that he has his “way” and it was successful at UNC and here last year, but kids have so much more power than they did during his UNC stint. They can transfer for free (once) and they can call your bluff when project a “my way or the highway” approach.

 

[OrediggerPoke]

To answer the original question...

NOW

• Jason Pierre-Paul has the same number of fingers as Wyoming has basketball players on its roster, currently.
• Nicholas Cage, Larry King, Billy Bob Thornton, Mickey Rooney, and Zsa Zsa Gabor have each married more people than Wyoming has on its basketball team currently.
• You can literally fit the current basketball team into a Chevette

Won’t every recruit and target in the portal ask Linder, “heya coach, what’s with all the transfers…”? After reading the 7220 story about him celebrating his being demanding and – functionally – a jackass, I am very concerned. He either has to find Jesus and engage in a public mea culpa (like Bohl) or risk getting canned in a year after he can’t field a team. He has too big of an ego, I fear, to do the former. And as I look down that bench, without Wicks, I worry that we don’t truly have a coach that will interject themself to be “the players’ rep.” Vandiver’s time has come and gone. The rest are sycophants.

I get that he has his “way” and it was successful at UNC and here last year, but kids have so much more power than they did during his UNC stint. They can transfer for free (once) and they can call your bluff when project a “my way or the highway” approach.

We currently have more men's basketball coaches than scholarship players...

 

[Hotkarl]

I wonder if coach bohl ever had a season as bad as linder just had?

 

[McPeachy]

I wonder if coach bohl ever had a season as bad as linder just had?

He did, yes. There was a season we only were the champions of Nevada (beating both UNLV and UNR) and losing every other game. He has had some of the worse losses every known to Wyoming football. He had 16 or 17 hit the portal (mostly starters) one season. He fucked up the whole covid season, and his tough-guy stance cost him a few returners even.

 

[307bball]

I wonder if coach bohl ever had a season as bad as linder just had?

He did, yes. There was a season we only were the champions of Nevada (beating both UNLV and UNR) and losing every other game. He has had some of the worse losses every known to Wyoming football. He had 16 or 17 hit the portal (mostly starters) one season. He f-word up the whole covid season, and his tough-guy stance cost him a few returners even.

I think this is worse...because this season had real expectations. Nobody expected Wyoming to do anything in the first few years of Bohl. Also...Covid f-worded up the Covid season.