Is Bob Marlin's seat even starting to warm up?

[CajunEXPRESS]

My only caveat with your statement is the bowl game vs CIT tournament argument. The whole Bowl Series is so watered down that going to a Bowl Game isn't that impressive. The only reason we are excited about the New Orleans Bowl is because we had never been to a bowl game. If you really want to be honest with yourself then the New Orleans Bowl can in some ways be compared to the CIT. It's a bottom feeder bowl that no one cares about or watches other than the teams playing.

UL making a major bowl game would be a different story but we are nowhere near that point. So football going to a crappy bowl game in some ways equates to a crappy CIT tournament in basketball for me.

Wrong on every level. In theory Marlin cold win a national championship in the NCAA. All he's got to do is win. Hud would be lucky to reach the Access Bowl with a 12/0 record out of SBC.

Apples and oranges. Cajuns had several teams worthy of bowls prior to Hud.

[CajunEXPRESS]

For those trying to blame players? Coach K gets credit and blame for Duke. He recruits players that fit what he coaches. Recruiting is the number one thing in coaching. Jims and Joes then X&O, finally GPA.

[CajunEXPRESS]

The end of sanctions are your weakest point.

When Marlin arrived the inmates were flat out running the asylum.

This fact necessitated a reset.

The schedule is picking up.

The program has underachieved this year.

Double Reset. Come on we all knew Boomers
wife got him the SF double check.

Turbine I get it, you back the UL coach if he's breathing and not getting us in the NCAA crosshairs.

The guy is an upper mid tier coach in a third rate conference. He's probably never getting another EP/Long combo on his team again. He fits the title of this thread.

[RaginCajun77]

The biggest concern I have with MBB is the lack of quality players at all positions. Our level of talent has decreased and it is obvious when we take the floor. Elfrid was and Shawn is talented when they play for us, but they need greater support. You can coach X's & O's all day but eventually you reach a point where talent level caps a player's ability to contribute.

[BananaHammock]

Wrong on every level. In theory Marlin cold win a national championship in the NCAA. All he's got to do is win. Hud would be lucky to reach the Access Bowl with a 12/0 record out of SBC.

Apples and oranges. Cajuns had several teams worthy of bowls prior to Hud.

Fair enough, valid points.

Although if we played a fairly tough schedule in football, and won, we should be able to get into a decent bowl game. Same with basketball, win against a good schedule and you should end up in a decent tournament (not NIT or CIT).

Somewhat apples and oranges (to your credit) but same basic philosophy.

[CajunRebel]

It seems like college basketball is a sport which you don't have to be a P5 school to have a good team. I think of the success which some smaller schools have had, Davidson and Butler come to mind.

Football is a whole different story, but I often wonder why our basketball team can't be as competitive or successful as our baseball and softball teams.

Davidson and Butler both play in P5 caliber basketball conferences. They certainly
aren't among the "have nots" in college basketball.

Also, both schools heavily prioritize basketball over football, play in conferences that don't have football (which means EVERY school in the conference puts basketball first,) and are located in hotbeds of college basketball.

I think college basketball used to be a sport that schools like ours could compete in. I hate to say it but I don't think this is true anymore. You've got something like 65 P5 schools, plus another 40 or so in basketball-centric conferences who can fund their basketball teams like P5 schools. Then you have a ton of smaller schools who can't fund their teams like P5s, but still have an advantage becuase they prioritize basketball and/or live in basketball hotbeds.

It doesn't surprise me that football-first conferences like C-USA and the Sun Belt have fallen so far.

[oldalum]

I respect Marlin's coaching from the X's and O's perspective. You can only coach this so much. At some point, the kids have to execute. Replacing the coach who does the same thing will not change this fact.

It's interesting that you say you respect Marlin from an X's and O's perspective and others have said they think he is a strong recruiter.

If both of those things are true then why are we not winning our conference and playing at a higher level.

I personally think he recruits a vast majority of GOOD BUT NOT GREAT players and he has no clue as to how to coach them up to a higher level. So how do I explain our two NBA level players? Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then!

[CajunEXPRESS]

To be fair I'm pretty sure he had one or two NBA players he recruited and coached at SHSU. The more knowledgeable posters see his shortcomings in recruiting more than X&O.

He's average in both.

[zephyr]

Davidson and Butler both play in P5 caliber basketball conferences. They certainly
aren't among the "have nots" in college basketball.

Also, both schools heavily prioritize basketball over football, play in conferences that don't have football (which means EVERY school in the conference puts basketball first,) and are located in hotbeds of college basketball.

I think college basketball used to be a sport that schools like ours could compete in. I hate to say it but I don't think this is true anymore. You've got something like 65 P5 schools, plus another 40 or so in basketball-centric conferences who can fund their basketball teams like P5 schools. Then you have a ton of smaller schools who can't fund their teams like P5s, but still have an advantage becuase they prioritize basketball and/or live in basketball hotbeds.

It doesn't surprise me that football-first conferences like C-USA and the Sun Belt have fallen so far.

I think the point was that those schools, although small and without a large basketball pedigree, were able to become a "Have" in the basketball world while in smaller conferences. Both just recently moved into larger conferences so your point there is a little off. While it is certainly easier I would imagine to become relevant with basketball being your main focus, that hasn't stopped many other schools having success over a variety of programs. Our budget in both football and basketball have grown over the years rather than go down so I'm not sure I'd blame the lack of success on funding as well.

[anhil8tor]

Would stony brook be a good example? 20 plus wins every year but only get to ncaa if they win their tourney?

[cajun4life]

Would stony brook be a good example? 20 plus wins every year but only get to ncaa if they win their tourney?

Is it more exciting to win 25 games or 16?

[CajunRed]

Regular season? 25