Vernon Transferring

[TSpoke]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Not upset about it at all. Keonta Vernon at 6-5 was going to be counted on constantly going up against bigger guys is and this philosophy is DOA in my opinion. Hopefully Coach Shyatt has learned that loading his team up with 6-4 to 6-6 guys is not getting it done in this league....there are way too many teams with talented 6-8 to 6-9 guys that are eating us alive on the backboards. Also if Keonta Vernon was transferring to a higher school that would be one thing, but he is transferring down and tells me a lot. I just hope that Coach Shyatt LEARNS from his recruiting mistakes of the past few years and realizes that he has to have players with higher talent ready to go in when players like Larry Nance need to take a break.

Disagree. Height is overrated. We are getting killed on the glass because we play 4 guards and our frontcourt players lack the bulk and/or technique to block out properly.

Plenty of very skilled, productive rebounders that have played at UW or in the MWC at Vernon's size. Pierce Hornung, Tyson Johnson, etc.

I don't know how Vernon was going to develop so I am not necessarily saying he was going to become someone like that, but give me a 6'6" guy with bulk and athleticism over a 6'9" string bean. Basically I would have bet a large sum of money that Vernon would have been more productive in the MWC than Austin Haldorson if both stayed at UW.

In terms of Shyatt's recruiting mistakes and talent, from what I have seen we shouldn't lump Vernon in there. He may never play at NAU and I don't know what types of attitude issues and other distractions he brings, but he had the size, strength and athleticism to compete in the MWC. I can't honestly say that about several other players on the roster.

In terms of transferring down, the transfer up opportunities usually only exist for 5th year graduating players that can play right away and proven contributors. Nobody in the PAC-12 is going to take a guy that just redshirted for a year at Wyoming. Doesn't mean he can't play at the MWC level.

Honestly, there are at least 4 other scholarship players that I believe are less equipped to assist us in the MWC than Vernon. This makes the program weaker.

Someone had to leave since we were oversigned by one, but this was not the optimal choice from a purely basketball talent standpoint (might have made sense for off the court reasons though).

I agree. I would have liked to see what he could do. He was a rebounding machine in high school even at his size so I think he could do pretty well even at a shorter size. Similar to Tyson Johnson.

I don't think I've ever seen Dionte Jones listed as anything other than SF. I don't think you can compare Vernon and Jones. He might not be a 3 point shooter but I think he is a slashing SF. I don't know much about the kid but have always seen him listed as SF which 6-6 is a great size for. He also already plays great D.

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Not upset about it at all. Keonta Vernon at 6-5 was going to be counted on constantly going up against bigger guys is and this philosophy is DOA in my opinion. Hopefully Coach Shyatt has learned that loading his team up with 6-4 to 6-6 guys is not getting it done in this league....there are way too many teams with talented 6-8 to 6-9 guys that are eating us alive on the backboards. Also if Keonta Vernon was transferring to a higher school that would be one thing, but he is transferring down and tells me a lot. I just hope that Coach Shyatt LEARNS from his recruiting mistakes of the past few years and realizes that he has to have players with higher talent ready to go in when players like Larry Nance need to take a break.

Disagree. Height is overrated. We are getting killed on the glass because we play 4 guards and our frontcourt players lack the bulk and/or technique to block out properly.

Plenty of very skilled, productive rebounders that have played at UW or in the MWC at Vernon's size. Pierce Hornung, Tyson Johnson, etc.

I don't know how Vernon was going to develop so I am not necessarily saying he was going to become someone like that, but give me a 6'6" guy with bulk and athleticism over a 6'9" string bean. Basically I would have bet a large sum of money that Vernon would have been more productive in the MWC than Austin Haldorson if both stayed at UW.

In terms of Shyatt's recruiting mistakes and talent, from what I have seen we shouldn't lump Vernon in there. He may never play at NAU and I don't know what types of attitude issues and other distractions he brings, but he had the size, strength and athleticism to compete in the MWC. I can't honestly say that about several other players on the roster.

In terms of transferring down, the transfer up opportunities usually only exist for 5th year graduating players that can play right away and proven contributors. Nobody in the PAC-12 is going to take a guy that just redshirted for a year at Wyoming. Doesn't mean he can't play at the MWC level.

Honestly, there are at least 4 other scholarship players that I believe are less equipped to assist us in the MWC than Vernon. This makes the program weaker.

Someone had to leave since we were oversigned by one, but this was not the optimal choice from a purely basketball talent standpoint (might have made sense for off the court reasons though).

Nowhere, we still were getting killed when we were playing with 3 guards and 2 bigs. Height is so over rated that is why teams like New Mexico and San Diego St. recruit a bunch of guys at the 6-8 to 6-9 size....why because it is easier to rebound if you are already closer to the basket, just common sense. Secondly, the truth be told Wyoming has been forced to recruiting 6-5 and 6-6 kids because they are undersized for their positions and teams like San Diego St. and New Mexico PASS ON THEM, so we go after them since we can't compete against them for the 6-8 and 6-9 kids. Wyoming has failed miserably at getting the 6-8 and 6-9 impact kids!!!!

By the way, your comment made it sound like Haldorson is leaving, do you know something that the rest of us don't?

In the past two classes we've signed a 6'9" kid and a 6'10"......we recruit the 6-5, 6-6 players to play SF not center or PF (except for Vernon). In fact, Vernon was the only undersized player on the team for their position. Both Nance and Cooke are PF's and are 6'8" and 6"9" respectively. One of those guys has made a pretty good impact in my opinion...and remember, Shyatt has only recruited 2 1/2 classes that have been able to play so far. That isn't a great sample size when it comes to saying "we have failed miserably".

Let's also not forget that around two weeks ago we were the hottest team in the conference and playing some good ball. Beat the #5 team in the nation and took the #25 team to OT twice.

By the way did you remember that once Cooke came out earlier in the season we went small immediately. Granberry came in at 6-4 and so we lost 5" right off the bat. If you are constantly going with 6-4 to 6-5 kids up against 6-8 and 6-9 kids in rebounding you are constantly going to lose.

Except for Barnes who is coming in next season ALL of the 6-9 kids have been so skinny it isn't funny and ALL of the kids in the 6-8 to 6-9 kids that we have brought in have been projects!

 

[stymeman]

i guess the 7 footers are hard to come by, and yes probably aren't looking at UW for their basketball career, too bad, where's a similar Eric Leckner when you need him...lol

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Not upset about it at all. Keonta Vernon at 6-5 was going to be counted on constantly going up against bigger guys is and this philosophy is DOA in my opinion. Hopefully Coach Shyatt has learned that loading his team up with 6-4 to 6-6 guys is not getting it done in this league....there are way too many teams with talented 6-8 to 6-9 guys that are eating us alive on the backboards. Also if Keonta Vernon was transferring to a higher school that would be one thing, but he is transferring down and tells me a lot. I just hope that Coach Shyatt LEARNS from his recruiting mistakes of the past few years and realizes that he has to have players with higher talent ready to go in when players like Larry Nance need to take a break.

Disagree. Height is overrated. We are getting killed on the glass because we play 4 guards and our frontcourt players lack the bulk and/or technique to block out properly.

Plenty of very skilled, productive rebounders that have played at UW or in the MWC at Vernon's size. Pierce Hornung, Tyson Johnson, etc.

I don't know how Vernon was going to develop so I am not necessarily saying he was going to become someone like that, but give me a 6'6" guy with bulk and athleticism over a 6'9" string bean. Basically I would have bet a large sum of money that Vernon would have been more productive in the MWC than Austin Haldorson if both stayed at UW.

In terms of Shyatt's recruiting mistakes and talent, from what I have seen we shouldn't lump Vernon in there. He may never play at NAU and I don't know what types of attitude issues and other distractions he brings, but he had the size, strength and athleticism to compete in the MWC. I can't honestly say that about several other players on the roster.

In terms of transferring down, the transfer up opportunities usually only exist for 5th year graduating players that can play right away and proven contributors. Nobody in the PAC-12 is going to take a guy that just redshirted for a year at Wyoming. Doesn't mean he can't play at the MWC level.

Honestly, there are at least 4 other scholarship players that I believe are less equipped to assist us in the MWC than Vernon. This makes the program weaker.

Someone had to leave since we were oversigned by one, but this was not the optimal choice from a purely basketball talent standpoint (might have made sense for off the court reasons though).

Nowhere, we still were getting killed when we were playing with 3 guards and 2 bigs. Height is so over rated that is why teams like New Mexico and San Diego St. recruit a bunch of guys at the 6-8 to 6-9 size....why because it is easier to rebound if you are already closer to the basket, just common sense. Secondly, the truth be told Wyoming has been forced to recruiting 6-5 and 6-6 kids because they are undersized for their positions and teams like San Diego St. and New Mexico PASS ON THEM, so we go after them since we can't compete against them for the 6-8 and 6-9 kids. Wyoming has failed miserably at getting the 6-8 and 6-9 impact kids!!!!

By the way, your comment made it sound like Haldorson is leaving, do you know something that the rest of us don't?

In the past two classes we've signed a 6'9" kid and a 6'10"......we recruit the 6-5, 6-6 players to play SF not center or PF (except for Vernon). In fact, Vernon was the only undersized player on the team for their position. Both Nance and Cooke are PF's and are 6'8" and 6"9" respectively. One of those guys has made a pretty good impact in my opinion...and remember, Shyatt has only recruited 2 1/2 classes that have been able to play so far. That isn't a great sample size when it comes to saying "we have failed miserably".

Let's also not forget that around two weeks ago we were the hottest team in the conference and playing some good ball. Beat the #5 team in the nation and took the #25 team to OT twice.

My proof that Wyoming has failed miserably at recruiting bigs is because in the 2 1/2 years that Shyatt has been back Wyoming has ONLY 1 big that is an impact player! Out of 6 kids or so that he has brought in and for only one to turn into an impact player that is MISERABLE! I am not even talking about the kids that have walked.

Frankly speaking, Wyoming has NO depth at the big, period! Please don't tell me that Cooke is improving....the kid throws more bricks that a brick layer and for matter so does Sellers.

If I were a betting man, Sellers will graduate and not be back next year and Coach Shyatt has already recruited over Sellers because of this. The Vernon scholarship is now available. Personally I am hoping that we have one or more scholarships open up and Coach Shyatt is FINALLY able to get a few more impact bigs. Most people have forgotten about McManamen and frankly I am questioning strongly whether he will be a contributor ever at Wyoming. Haldorson I feel is over his head athletically at this level, so there would be two more scholarships that I hope would come available.

I am not suggesting that Coach Shyatt should go anywhere, I am just suggesting that he needs to pick up the recruiting a whole bunch and it needs to be taken to another level sooner rather later.

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

i guess the 7 footers are hard to come by, and yes probably aren't looking at UW for their basketball career, too bad, where's a similar Eric Leckner when you need him...lol

AMEN, where is Eric Leckner when you need him?

 

[POKE FAN]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Not upset about it at all. Keonta Vernon at 6-5 was going to be counted on constantly going up against bigger guys is and this philosophy is DOA in my opinion. Hopefully Coach Shyatt has learned that loading his team up with 6-4 to 6-6 guys is not getting it done in this league....there are way too many teams with talented 6-8 to 6-9 guys that are eating us alive on the backboards. Also if Keonta Vernon was transferring to a higher school that would be one thing, but he is transferring down and tells me a lot. I just hope that Coach Shyatt LEARNS from his recruiting mistakes of the past few years and realizes that he has to have players with higher talent ready to go in when players like Larry Nance need to take a break.

I think this coaching staff is fully aware of its recruiting needs moving forward in order to compete in the MWC. I give the staff a pass on that first class as they were behind the eight-ball from the get-go. Nance was not heavily recruited, but has developed into one of the MWC's best with hard work. Personally, I'm not that worried about Vernon. He is undersized to begin with and, from most indications, wasn't going to be a solid threat offensively outside 8-10 feet (i.e. limited outside game).

This last class looks to be solid. Lieberman had been working out with Dan Dickau recently. Apparently, word from one of the assistant coaches is that Jeremy may have been the top perimeter shooter on the team had he been on the Cowboys roster this year. He should be a solid point for the Pokes in the years to come. Jones has been ranked as a top 2-3 player in the state of Nevada and has received very positive comments via Twitter from certain Nevada scribes this season. It amuses me that Barnes hasn't received a Rival's rating. He received a boatload of offers after his performance on the summer circuit. Although the offers were mainly from non-power conference schools, Jonathan did apparently receive offers from a 2013 Sweet 16 participant (La Salle) and Final Four participant (Wichita State).

The most encouraging thing about the direction of this program is how competitive the teams have been the past two years with relatively short benches before disaster struck. Get this program to a point where there are 8-10 solid contributors on a nightly basis and I think Shyatt will be putting big smiles on the fanbase.

 

[stymeman]

i guess the 7 footers are hard to come by, and yes probably aren't looking at UW for their basketball career, too bad, where's a similar Eric Leckner when you need him...lol

AMEN, where is Eric Leckner when you need him?

he used to be on the coaching staff a few years back, I'd like to see that again

 

[McPeachy]

How can you (as a UW fan - anyone, not pointing fingers) not be a little upset? They guy was given a full ride / opportunity - and he flat fucking quit. Only losers quit. This self entitled "I want it now" generation is going to be the damn death of this country.

Moving on.

 

[SDPokeFan]

How can you (as a UW fan - anyone, not pointing fingers) not be a little upset? They guy was given a full ride / opportunity - and he flat fucking quit. Only losers quit. This self entitled "I want it now" generation is going to be the damn death of this country.

Moving on.

If he spent less time on Twitter and more time practicing he might have played this season.

 

[NowherePoke]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Not upset about it at all. Keonta Vernon at 6-5 was going to be counted on constantly going up against bigger guys is and this philosophy is DOA in my opinion. Hopefully Coach Shyatt has learned that loading his team up with 6-4 to 6-6 guys is not getting it done in this league....there are way too many teams with talented 6-8 to 6-9 guys that are eating us alive on the backboards. Also if Keonta Vernon was transferring to a higher school that would be one thing, but he is transferring down and tells me a lot. I just hope that Coach Shyatt LEARNS from his recruiting mistakes of the past few years and realizes that he has to have players with higher talent ready to go in when players like Larry Nance need to take a break.

Disagree. Height is overrated. We are getting killed on the glass because we play 4 guards and our frontcourt players lack the bulk and/or technique to block out properly.

Plenty of very skilled, productive rebounders that have played at UW or in the MWC at Vernon's size. Pierce Hornung, Tyson Johnson, etc.

I don't know how Vernon was going to develop so I am not necessarily saying he was going to become someone like that, but give me a 6'6" guy with bulk and athleticism over a 6'9" string bean. Basically I would have bet a large sum of money that Vernon would have been more productive in the MWC than Austin Haldorson if both stayed at UW.

In terms of Shyatt's recruiting mistakes and talent, from what I have seen we shouldn't lump Vernon in there. He may never play at NAU and I don't know what types of attitude issues and other distractions he brings, but he had the size, strength and athleticism to compete in the MWC. I can't honestly say that about several other players on the roster.

In terms of transferring down, the transfer up opportunities usually only exist for 5th year graduating players that can play right away and proven contributors. Nobody in the PAC-12 is going to take a guy that just redshirted for a year at Wyoming. Doesn't mean he can't play at the MWC level.

Honestly, there are at least 4 other scholarship players that I believe are less equipped to assist us in the MWC than Vernon. This makes the program weaker.

Someone had to leave since we were oversigned by one, but this was not the optimal choice from a purely basketball talent standpoint (might have made sense for off the court reasons though).

Nowhere, we still were getting killed when we were playing with 3 guards and 2 bigs. Height is so over rated that is why teams like New Mexico and San Diego St. recruit a bunch of guys at the 6-8 to 6-9 size....why because it is easier to rebound if you are already closer to the basket, just common sense. Secondly, the truth be told Wyoming has been forced to recruiting 6-5 and 6-6 kids because they are undersized for their positions and teams like San Diego St. and New Mexico PASS ON THEM, so we go after them since we can't compete against them for the 6-8 and 6-9 kids. Wyoming has failed miserably at getting the 6-8 and 6-9 impact kids!!!!

By the way, your comment made it sound like Haldorson is leaving, do you know something that the rest of us don't?

I think your post contradicts itself. Nance and Cooke are the same height as the SDSU frontcourt players. Their starting 4/5 are both 6'8". They outrebound us because of strength, athleticism, and technique (plus they get some help from their wings which we don't).

Remember how badly CSU outrebounded us last year? They outboarded us by 33 rebounds in 2 games. Who was their leading rebounder in both games? Pierce Hornung at 6'5" 210.

Just look at UW. Over the past 7 years (since Justin Williams basically) we have only had 3 players average over 7 rebounds per game for a season. One is Nance this year, the other two are Leonard Washington and Tyson Johnson. Both were undersized PF's at about 6'6", but both were quick, athletic, and strong and knew how to gain position.

We have had plenty of taller players over that time frame (Thiam, Mbaye, Linkens, Sylla, Waddell, Sellers, Haldorson, Marshall, Cooke, Nelson, Dermody, etc.), but none were as good on the glass.

Now, of course it would be great to have players that have the height to go along with the other attributes (Bairstow, Kirk, Davis, Nance, etc.), but we are often not in a position to land those players and I would rather sacrifice height rather than some of the other attributes.

 

[WYCowboy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Not upset about it at all. Keonta Vernon at 6-5 was going to be counted on constantly going up against bigger guys is and this philosophy is DOA in my opinion. Hopefully Coach Shyatt has learned that loading his team up with 6-4 to 6-6 guys is not getting it done in this league....there are way too many teams with talented 6-8 to 6-9 guys that are eating us alive on the backboards. Also if Keonta Vernon was transferring to a higher school that would be one thing, but he is transferring down and tells me a lot. I just hope that Coach Shyatt LEARNS from his recruiting mistakes of the past few years and realizes that he has to have players with higher talent ready to go in when players like Larry Nance need to take a break.

I think this coaching staff is fully aware of its recruiting needs moving forward in order to compete in the MWC. I give the staff a pass on that first class as they were behind the eight-ball from the get-go. Nance was not heavily recruited, but has developed into one of the MWC's best with hard work. Personally, I'm not that worried about Vernon. He is undersized to begin with and, from most indications, wasn't going to be a solid threat offensively outside 8-10 feet (i.e. limited outside game).

This last class looks to be solid. Lieberman had been working out with Dan Dickau recently. Apparently, word from one of the assistant coaches is that Jeremy may have been the top perimeter shooter on the team had he been on the Cowboys roster this year. He should be a solid point for the Pokes in the years to come. Jones has been ranked as a top 2-3 player in the state of Nevada and has received very positive comments via Twitter from certain Nevada scribes this season. It amuses me that Barnes hasn't received a Rival's rating. He received a boatload of offers after his performance on the summer circuit. Although the offers were mainly from non-power conference schools, Jonathan did apparently receive offers from a 2013 Sweet 16 participant (La Salle) and Final Four participant (Wichita State).

The most encouraging thing about the direction of this program is how competitive the teams have been the past two years with relatively short benches before disaster struck. Get this program to a point where there are 8-10 solid contributors on a nightly basis and I think Shyatt will be putting big smiles on the fanbase.

Well said Poke Fan. In 2 1/2 years, Coach Shyatt and his staff have taken the Wyoming Basketball program from the depths of hell and brought it to a high level of competition in the MWC through extreme adversity the last two seasons. He knows where our weaknesses are and I'm betting he is doing everything possible to address them. From everything I have seen and heard about Vernon, he wasn't ready to play at this level and maybe should have considered football instead.

 

[PotatoCreekPete]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Not upset about it at all. Keonta Vernon at 6-5 was going to be counted on constantly going up against bigger guys is and this philosophy is DOA in my opinion. Hopefully Coach Shyatt has learned that loading his team up with 6-4 to 6-6 guys is not getting it done in this league....there are way too many teams with talented 6-8 to 6-9 guys that are eating us alive on the backboards. Also if Keonta Vernon was transferring to a higher school that would be one thing, but he is transferring down and tells me a lot. I just hope that Coach Shyatt LEARNS from his recruiting mistakes of the past few years and realizes that he has to have players with higher talent ready to go in when players like Larry Nance need to take a break.

I think this coaching staff is fully aware of its recruiting needs moving forward in order to compete in the MWC. I give the staff a pass on that first class as they were behind the eight-ball from the get-go. Nance was not heavily recruited, but has developed into one of the MWC's best with hard work. Personally, I'm not that worried about Vernon. He is undersized to begin with and, from most indications, wasn't going to be a solid threat offensively outside 8-10 feet (i.e. limited outside game).

This last class looks to be solid. Lieberman had been working out with Dan Dickau recently. Apparently, word from one of the assistant coaches is that Jeremy may have been the top perimeter shooter on the team had he been on the Cowboys roster this year. He should be a solid point for the Pokes in the years to come. Jones has been ranked as a top 2-3 player in the state of Nevada and has received very positive comments via Twitter from certain Nevada scribes this season. It amuses me that Barnes hasn't received a Rival's rating. He received a boatload of offers after his performance on the summer circuit. Although the offers were mainly from non-power conference schools, Jonathan did apparently receive offers from a 2013 Sweet 16 participant (La Salle) and Final Four participant (Wichita State).

The most encouraging thing about the direction of this program is how competitive the teams have been the past two years with relatively short benches before disaster struck. Get this program to a point where there are 8-10 solid contributors on a nightly basis and I think Shyatt will be putting big smiles on the fanbase.

Well said Poke Fan. In 2 1/2 years, Coach Shyatt and his staff have taken the Wyoming Basketball program from the depths of hell and brought it to a high level of competition in the MWC through extreme adversity the last two seasons. He knows where our weaknesses are and I'm betting he is doing everything possible to address them. From everything I have seen and heard about Vernon, he wasn't ready to play at this level and maybe should have considered football instead.

High level of competition???? 11th consecutive season where Wyoming has a losing record in its conference. Anyone can get 20 win seasons if you schedule the right teams during the non-conference stretch...it is in the conference where you see if there is real improvement. If Coach Shyatt had actually recruited some depth the loss of Nance wouldn't have hurt us so badly. Other programs like New Mexico and San Diego St. have lost significant contributors over the last few years but they didn't start into a tail spin like Wyoming! They have depth and we don't. Make excuses all you want, but the bottom line is that Coach Shyatt has not recruited the talent especially with the depth that allows us to really compete with New Mexico and San Diego St. Yes, I know that we beat San Diego St. earlier this season but from top to bottom on a regular basis we just don't have the depth to compete with these guys as yet. Unfortunately Coach Shyatt has made some recruiting mistakes and it has really hurt Wyoming. I am hoping that Coach Shyatt is now able to rectify a few of these mistakes and get the program on a stronger setting.

 

[stymeman]

it is time for our bball season/team to stop "trying" so hard and gel and get it done, I want a conference championship within the next 3-4 years!!!!! i don't ask for much...lol

 

[WYCowboy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Well said Poke Fan. In 2 1/2 years, Coach Shyatt and his staff have taken the Wyoming Basketball program from the depths of hell and brought it to a high level of competition in the MWC through extreme adversity the last two seasons. He knows where our weaknesses are and I'm betting he is doing everything possible to address them. From everything I have seen and heard about Vernon, he wasn't ready to play at this level and maybe should have considered football instead.

High level of competition???? 11th consecutive season where Wyoming has a losing record in its conference. Anyone can get 20 win seasons if you schedule the right teams during the non-conference stretch...it is in the conference where you see if there is real improvement. If Coach Shyatt had actually recruited some depth the loss of Nance wouldn't have hurt us so badly. Other programs like New Mexico and San Diego St. have lost significant contributors over the last few years but they didn't start into a tail spin like Wyoming! They have depth and we don't. Make excuses all you want, but the bottom line is that Coach Shyatt has not recruited the talent especially with the depth that allows us to really compete with New Mexico and San Diego St. Yes, I know that we beat San Diego St. earlier this season but from top to bottom on a regular basis we just don't have the depth to compete with these guys as yet. Unfortunately Coach Shyatt has made some recruiting mistakes and it has really hurt Wyoming. I am hoping that Coach Shyatt is now able to rectify a few of these mistakes and get the program on a stronger setting.

I would call knocking off the #5 team in the country (SDSU) and being in the top 4 in the conference before Nance went down, and playing the #2 MWC UNM team to OT twice and taking the #3 UNLV to OT in their house a high level of competition. I'm not any happier about our past record in conference than you are, but we were on our way to a winning conference record with the easiest part of our schedule remaining when Nance went down. You going to blame that on Shyatt too???? What our record was before Shyatt got here has absolutely no bearing on this current coaching staff or are you going to blame that on Shyatt too???? The first recruiting class of Coach Shyatt's was the one where he got on the job late in the recruiting year and he had to recruit something like 7 or 8 players with all of the top players leaving (transferring out) with the exception of Waddell & our pg. No excuses here - these are the facts, but you keep on searching for ways to blame it on our current coaching staff.

 

[MrTitleist]

HIlarious.. a true freshman wants big-time playing time. Then going to a shitty Big Sky school, good choice. He's going to spend 4 years getting thumped every week.

 

[POKE FAN]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/439443468453421056[/tweet]

Well said Poke Fan. In 2 1/2 years, Coach Shyatt and his staff have taken the Wyoming Basketball program from the depths of hell and brought it to a high level of competition in the MWC through extreme adversity the last two seasons. He knows where our weaknesses are and I'm betting he is doing everything possible to address them. From everything I have seen and heard about Vernon, he wasn't ready to play at this level and maybe should have considered football instead.

High level of competition???? 11th consecutive season where Wyoming has a losing record in its conference. Anyone can get 20 win seasons if you schedule the right teams during the non-conference stretch...it is in the conference where you see if there is real improvement. If Coach Shyatt had actually recruited some depth the loss of Nance wouldn't have hurt us so badly. Other programs like New Mexico and San Diego St. have lost significant contributors over the last few years but they didn't start into a tail spin like Wyoming! They have depth and we don't. Make excuses all you want, but the bottom line is that Coach Shyatt has not recruited the talent especially with the depth that allows us to really compete with New Mexico and San Diego St. Yes, I know that we beat San Diego St. earlier this season but from top to bottom on a regular basis we just don't have the depth to compete with these guys as yet. Unfortunately Coach Shyatt has made some recruiting mistakes and it has really hurt Wyoming. I am hoping that Coach Shyatt is now able to rectify a few of these mistakes and get the program on a stronger setting.

I would call knocking off the #5 team in the country (SDSU) and being in the top 4 in the conference before Nance went down, and playing the #2 MWC UNM team to OT twice and taking the #3 UNLV to OT in their house a high level of competition. I'm not any happier about our past record in conference than you are, but we were on our way to a winning conference record with the easiest part of our schedule remaining when Nance went down. You going to blame that on Shyatt too???? What our record was before Shyatt got here has absolutely no bearing on this current coaching staff or are you going to blame that on Shyatt too???? The first recruiting class of Coach Shyatt's was the one where he got on the job late in the recruiting year and he had to recruit something like 7 or 8 players with all of the top players leaving (transferring out) with the exception of Waddell & our pg. No excuses here - these are the facts, but you keep on searching for ways to blame it on our current coaching staff.

My opinion has always been that fans have to give Shyatt a grace period and four-to-five full years to REALLY get the roster/program up to speed. The staff did not walk into a recruiting situation where they could immediately lay down that welcome mat of tradition reading "Kansas" or "Duke" and effortlessly hit the ground running. Yet, the squad was well-coached enough last year, even with a short bench, to trounce a nationally-ranked and Big Dance team (Colorado) in Laramie and reach the Top 25 with a 13-0 record before the overall best player, arguably, on the team went braindead at a bar. The Pokes even had enough gas left in the tank after that debacle to hold a nationally-ranked and Big Dance team (SUDS) to nine points in one half. Everyone has already witnessed how competitive this year's team has been in conference games. Again, with not a whole lotta bench and before Nance's injury. This speaks volumes about Shyatt's ability to coach. Eustachy apparently thinks Coach Shy is the best in the MWC. The onus is now on the staff to follow-up the 2014 recruiting class with solid classes in 2015 and beyond. The fans will expect that much. This program is on its way (without anymore surprises, hopefully).

 

[WestWYOPoke]

Odd move, if he didn't like sitting out this year, I wonder how he's going to like sitting out another year due to transfer rules. He must really like riding the pine.

Hopefully he goes after a juco big who can play. Or a transfer player. It boggles my mind teams like CSU get big school transfers and we diddle along with our thumbs up our butts. Start making moves coach

Maybe coach is trying to make moves but not getting the players he wants. Just because he recruits them doesn't mean they will come (especially to Laramie), he has to work with what he gets.

 

[kansasCowboy]

This just makes depth harder to come by next year.

 

[alyssa]

You picked a fine time to leave........

 

[BeaverPoke]

I don't get why people think we are ever going to be a big rebounding team.
It isn't Coach Shy's style.
It sucks when we get beat on offensive boards, but our team always puts up the shot then gets back on D.
The fact our defense is among the best in the country should show you that.

Look at Florida, they are not a high powered rebounding team either, yet they are #1 in the country.