Huse's Future

[CelticCat]

I'm sorry but if you can't name the 5 starters this far into the season, you haven't paid much attention.

That''s not what I was saying. My point was simply that having more roster continuity leads to better identification with the players, which in turn leads to greater fan support. I believe that having so much turnover from year to year has contributed to the decline in attendance, at least to some small degree. It may not be a huge factor, but it certainly doesn't help any, in my opinion.

I was responding specifically to lutecat. But I agree, every single year at the beginning it is disappointing to have to relearn 80% of the starter's names.

[4everacatfan]

I agree with what you are all saying and I did not want to post this until I checked it out but the last players to play all 4 or 5 years (their entire college career here) were Rush & Pepoli 5 years and Howard 4. That is the last group that has had anyone in it that made it four years, granted that was just two years ago but still the group that would be juniors has 7 guys gone now if you count the perfered walk on that is now playing D-2 ball at bemidji state. That type of turnover needs to be addressed

I'm sorry but if you can't name the 5 starters this far into the season, you haven't paid much attention.

That''s not what I was saying. My point was simply that having more roster continuity leads to better identification with the players, which in turn leads to greater fan support. I believe that having so much turnover from year to year has contributed to the decline in attendance, at least to some small degree. It may not be a huge factor, but it certainly doesn't help any, in my opinion.

I was responding specifically to lutecat. But I agree, every single year at the beginning it is disappointing to have to relearn 80% of the starter's names.

[lutecat]

I'm sorry but if you can't name the 5 starters this far into the season, you haven't paid much attention.

That''s not what I was saying. My point was simply that having more roster continuity leads to better identification with the players, which in turn leads to greater fan support. I believe that having so much turnover from year to year has contributed to the decline in attendance, at least to some small degree. It may not be a huge factor, but it certainly doesn't help any, in my opinion.

I was responding specifically to lutecat. But I agree, every single year at the beginning it is disappointing to have to relearn 80% of the starter's names.

I guess that's kind of what I was trying to say, I'm not paying attention. And a huge part is having to learn a new team every year. I get every score text to me, so I see that the Cats are winning or losing games but I don't feel an "intimacy" with Huse's teams like I do with the football team.

[dwainegf]

I don't in any way understand how it is the coach's fault because you don't want to take a little effort to learn the players' names. I do undestand how the turnover in players is his fault.

[John K]

I don't in any way understand how it is the coach's fault because you don't want to take a little effort to learn the players' names. I do undestand how the turnover in players is his fault.

I think you're missing the point. Fans are naturally going to be more invested in a team when they have more familiarity with the players on the team. All of the turnover in personnel in recent years has detracted from that, and that is the coaches fault. Fans are not going to be as supportive when there are very few players, if any, who have contributed to the team for 3-4 years. It's not necessarily a question of "learning their names", but more an issue of building a connection to the players based upon familiarity, the way we have with McGhee, Kirk, Bleskin, Minter, Schreibeis (sp), and many others, all of whom have been major contributors to the football program for multiple years.

[John K]

And I might add, the way it used to be with the hoops program, with players like Domako, the Ferch brothers, Willis, Hampton, Holmstadt, Lollis, Sprinkle, Harrison, Leachman, and Hatler, all of whom were major contributors for 2-4 seasons (i'll bet you that I won't remember a single name off this year's roster 10-20 years from now, the way I can still remember those players from the 80's and 90's). Heck, we even have that with the WBB program, which has consisted almost entirely of 4-year players who have contributed for multiple seasons, and we've therefore become more connected to players such as Bussey, Semansky, Adams, Banis, and Albert/Brumwell, than we have to any of the MBB players.

[wapiti]

Unless the MSU men lose their next 9 games and miss the tournament, Huse keeps his job. A postseason berth means a new (likely just one-year) contract.

Just my prediction.

I agree with Colter on this.
With all the turnover that has occured on the team, the team is doing well.
With only 3 seniors on this years team the future of the team looks bright and keeping Huse would help with continuity.
The team will have 6 seniors next year.

I also want to mention that I have been impressed with Colbert's play. He is a great slasher and passer. I think he will be the leader of this team for the next 3 seasons.

[John K]

Unless the MSU men lose their next 9 games and miss the tournament, Huse keeps his job. A postseason berth means a new (likely just one-year) contract.

Just my prediction.

I agree with Colter on this.
With all the turnover that has occured on the team, the team is doing well.
With only 3 seniors on this years team the future of the team looks bright and keeping Huse would help with continuity.
The team will have 6 seniors next year.

I also want to mention that I have been impressed with Colbert's play. He is a great slasher and passer. I think he will be the leader of this team for the next 3 seasons.

A. All the turnover should be an indictment of Huse, rather than a justification for him keeping his job.
B. "the future of the team looks bright"...I have read comments similar to this every year for the past few years, but "next year" never comes in the land of Bobcat basketball, due to the perennial exodus of players from the program.
C. How much do you want to bet that no more than 1 or 2 of the seniors-to-be are actually still on the team by the beginning of next season?

[duelalumnicat]

Unfortunately, the odds are Colbert won't make it four full seasons.

[TrueCat]

Injuries?

[BozCatFan]

Two words: Blaine Taylor

[BozCatFan]

I will add that it appears to me Fields is not interested in building a hoops program. His focus seems to be on football where the revenue potential is highest. Sad because they are leaving quite a bit on the table by basically ignoring MBB and capturing fans who are in need of winter entertainment and/or prefer basketball over football.

[John K]

Two words: Blaine Taylor

What??

[CatBlitz]

Two words: Blaine Taylor

What??

Old Dominion fired him today. I'm assuming it's a hopeful hire for BCF. I wouldn't mind seeing him on the sidelines though too...

[Gidal Kaiser]

Two words: Blaine Taylor

What??

Old Dominion fired him today. I'm assuming it's a hopeful hire for BCF. I wouldn't mind seeing him on the sidelines though too...

If Taylor has fallen off the wagon, as has been suggested/assumed across the Interwebs, I doubt MSU would give him more than a cursory glance. Wouldn't be in the best interest of the program, or some such ideal. Though many of you don't believe Huse is in the best interests of the program, either. At times, I'll admit I haven't, from a coaching standpoint.
Like Colter said, I think Huse will be given a 1-year deal if they get to the BSC tournament, especially if they are a 3 or 4 seed and make it to the semifinal round. It's struck me as odd that it took him this long to do it, but his admission of supporting a zone defense concept feels like a big step for a coach who has basically preached man-to-man all of his coaching career. Also for someone who keeps everything close to the vest and gives the same, general wrote explanations and/or answers most of the time.

[defensivearts]

Really, Colter? Huse retains his job by finishing the year in 6th place in the most talent-starved Big Sky Conference I have EVER seen. I mean teams are absolutely atrocious this year. Usually there are 4-5 teams the caliber of this year's UM team. Paul Egwanou averaged 10 points a game at Southern Idaho and he is our MVP.

Even if Fields is trying to follow the path of least resistance I would think Huse needs to be let go. The paltry revenue generated by Mens BB and grousing by fans has got to be unpleasant. And I would venture that it ain't going to get much better any time soon. Once a program gets on this diet of JC players it has to go through some down years to get back to a program sustained primarily by 4 year players.

A few other notes...That weave offense make me think Huse has been watching too much Calipari and believes his players can really take their defenders one on one. There are virtually no off the ball screens. The non pick and roll players stand around like they think it's the NBA. And oddly for a team that runs and jumps well they are for the most part really poor man to man defenders.

I would hate to be in Huse situation. But the time has come and gone when he had enough time to build a decent program. Granted, it's really hard. But obviously, Huse is not up to the task at MSU.

[John K]

Really, Colter? Huse retains his job by finishing the year in 6th place in the most talent-starved Big Sky Conference I have EVER seen. I mean teams are absolutely atrocious this year. Usually there are 4-5 teams the caliber of this year's UM team. Paul Egwanou averaged 10 points a game at Southern Idaho and he is our MVP.

Even if Fields is trying to follow the path of least resistance I would think Huse needs to be let go. The paltry revenue generated by Mens BB and grousing by fans has got to be unpleasant. And I would venture that it ain't going to get much better any time soon. Once a program gets on this diet of JC players it has to go through some down years to get back to a program sustained primarily by 4 year players.

A few other notes...That weave offense make me think Huse has been watching too much Calipari and believes his players can really take their defenders one on one. There are virtually no off the ball screens. The non pick and roll players stand around like they think it's the NBA. And oddly for a team that runs and jumps well they are for the most part really poor man to man defenders.

I would hate to be in Huse situation. But the time has come and gone when he had enough time to build a decent program. Granted, it's really hard. But obviously, Huse is not up to the task at MSU.

To be fair, I'm not sure if Colter was saying that he should keep his job under that scenario, or if he was saying that he thought he would keep his job. Fields is obviously very reluctant to pull the trigger on a coaching change, or else he would have been gone a couple of years ago. I agree with you though, that just barely squeaking into the tourney, finishing 6th or 7th (7 teams make the tourney now), and going 1-9 or 2-8 in the 2nd half of the BSC schedule should not be good enough for him to be retained. At this point, I believe the program "is what it is" under Huse, and it seems extremely naive to think that somehow he will produce a dramatic improvement in year 8 or 9 of his tenure, after having been mediocre (at best) for the first 7 years. I can't help but think that the annual late season swoon has now begun. Someone posted in another thread that MSU allowed 36 points in the final 10 minutes of the game tonight...that's ridiculous!!

[Colter_Nuanez]

North Dakota outscored MSU 36-16 over the final 10:48. The last five minutes of the game, MSU played Antonio Biglow (6-0), Michael Dison (5-9), Xavier Blount (6-4), Calen Coleman (6-4) and Christian Moon (6-3) because Blake Brumwell fouled out. They couldn't keep UND out of the paint for the life of them. UND had four old-fashioned 3-point plays in the games last five minutes.

I won't speak on what I think SHOULD happen with the men's program. My previous comment was solely a prediction. I honestly see this team, despite tonight's performance, getting to 11-12 Big Sky wins when Egwuonu returns. If MSU gets to the tournament and wins a game, Huse keeps his job. If they finish at or above .500 in league play, I bet he gets a one-year. Like I said, I don't have an opinion on what should happen. I'm just saying what I think will happen.

[John K]

North Dakota outscored MSU 36-16 over the final 10:48. The last five minutes of the game, MSU played Antonio Biglow (6-0), Michael Dison (5-9), Xavier Blount (6-4), Calen Coleman (6-4) and Christian Moon (6-3) because Blake Brumwell fouled out. They couldn't keep UND out of the paint for the life of them. UND had four old-fashioned 3-point plays in the games last five minutes.

I won't speak on what I think SHOULD happen with the men's program. My previous comment was solely a prediction. I honestly see this team, despite tonight's performance, getting to 11-12 Big Sky wins when Egwuonu returns. If MSU gets to the tournament and wins a game, Huse keeps his job. If they finish at or above .500 in league play, I bet he gets a one-year. Like I said, I don't have an opinion on what should happen. I'm just saying what I think will happen.

Is Robison hurt, or is he just no longer part of the regular rotation? I thought we was getting some playing time earlier in the season?

[Gidal Kaiser]

Robison has been out with mononucleosis.