UL Basketball Coach ... NEXT

[ManAboutTown]

_ Maybe you can tell us when the APR became an issue of enforcement? Evans did not have to operate his program under the APR guidelines that are apparent in the collegiate landscape today if I'm not mistaken. Therefore, he didn't necessarily have a "mess" by NCAA guidelines but Jesse clearly didn't run the program as clean as you would indicate. You also mentioned that while the APR mess was not his, he clearly had his issues. If he won consistently and didn't have APR problems, what were his "issues"? _

Jessie Evans may not have directly impacted the APR issue, but he cultivated a situation in which "not so great guys" could come, and get away with a lot of things. Robert had to change that culture. And that is a difficult thing to do, especially in South Louisiana, especially in basketball. For that, Jessie had a hand in the issues, IMO.

[MetryCajun]

_ Maybe you can tell us when the APR became an issue of enforcement? Evans did not have to operate his program under the APR guidelines that are apparent in the collegiate landscape today if I'm not mistaken. Therefore, he didn't necessarily have a "mess" by NCAA guidelines but Jesse clearly didn't run the program as clean as you would indicate. You also mentioned that while the APR mess was not his, he clearly had his issues. If he won consistently and didn't have APR problems, what were his "issues"? _

Zephyr,
The point is Lee did not have a mess to clean up. He inherited one of the most talented teams UL has had since the death penalty. The problems occured when he lost out on a couple of recruits(Francis & Cooper) and brought in a few JC's like Fields that did not work out. He then cleaned house and brought in a ton of Freshmen (many were inelligible). This is when APR came front in center.

Evans was not the complete package, but it is a little annoying people are casting Lee as a crusader for the players. The fact is he ran off so many players his first few years it enabled him to keep his job this past year.

[Turbine]

_ Maybe you can tell us when the APR became an issue of enforcement? Evans did not have to operate his program under the APR guidelines that are apparent in the collegiate landscape today if I'm not mistaken. Therefore, he didn't necessarily have a "mess" by NCAA guidelines but Jesse clearly didn't run the program as clean as you would indicate. You also mentioned that while the APR mess was not his, he clearly had his issues. If he won consistently and didn't have APR problems, what were his "issues"? _

The big knock on Jessie was the perception that he only had players who were going to be in the system for 2 years. Even though he was regularly winning 20 games some felt the 2-year players were limiting UL's full winning potential.

The APR was "announced" by the NCAA in the spring of 2004 which was after Jessie’s last season yet for some reason the NCAA decided to backwards date compliance and used 2003-04 as its first year. And yes Evans backdated APR cost Lee a single scholarship but only for the year of the report and certainly wasn't a "mess" it wsa a little lower than Bustle's first backdated APR score.

The score average (historical) would have been overcome with just 2 good years. Instead Lee had a year of his own that could never be overcome until it moved completely off the historical calendar, and in the end that is the only way he cleaned up his own APR mess.

Here is a link to the first thread on the subject APR

[Turbine]

_ Jessie Evans may not have directly impacted the APR issue, but he cultivated a situation in which "not so great guys" could come, and get away with a lot of things. Robert had to change that culture. And that is a difficult thing to do, especially in South Louisiana, especially in basketball. For that, Jessie had a hand in the issues, IMO. _

Here is what Lee did in his first year to change the culture.

He dumped 2 of Evans Sophomore players Cedric Williams and Matt Foster along with Evans last frosh, Chris Cucchiara and he sat out Brett Hebert who played again in Lee's 2nd year.

In Lee's first year retained and played these Evans guys.
Chris Cameron
Orien Greene
Brian Hamilton
Adam James
Dwayne Mitchell
Ross Mouton
Tiras Wade
Alphonso Williams

He also brought in a big freshman class

[SlappyCajun]

_ Joe Dooley is a coach that I wouldn't mind seeing get some consideration. I thought that he could be a candidate last year, which is when most of us thought that this job would come open.

Former HC at ECU, 57-52 in 4 seasons.
Current Head Asst under Bill Self at KU.
Ranked as one of the Top Recruiters in the country.
Was a finalist for the Holy Cross job last year.

On the outside, the biggest drawback to him would be his lack of familiarity of the area, but that could be built quickly.

He didn't have great success as a HC at ECU, but does have that experience and has tutored under one of the best coaches in the country for the past 7 years.

His credentials compare fairly well to other names thrown around. He doesn't have a 30 win season as a HC like Kennedy. He does have HC Experience, unlike Pierre, and has worked under a better coach(es). He doesn't have the number of years as a Head Coach like Kaspar, but has experience competing on a level similar to UL (as HC at ECU, and as AC at UNM and Wyoming) and at a higher level as an Assistant at KU.

I guess what I'm getting at is that few of the names thrown out there are significantly better than the others, and if they are better, it will be that much harder to convince them to choose UL over a much larger, richer program. In the second tier, each guy brings something that others don't. None of them really have the full package. But, that is why they're not in the upper tier. _

Joe Dooley just turned down Eastern Carolina for 650K/year.

[SlappyCajun]

_ Here is what Lee did in his first year to change the culture.

He dumped 2 of Evans Sophomore players Cedric Williams and Matt Foster along with Evans last frosh, Chris Cucchiara and he sat out Brett Hebert who played again in Lee's 2nd year.

In Lee's first year retained and played these Evans guys.
Chris Cameron
Orien Greene
Brian Hamilton
Adam James
Dwayne Mitchell
Ross Mouton
Tiras Wade
Alphonso Williams

He also brought in a big freshman class _

Turbine -

I understand your frustration with the APR issue. However, I don't think that when people refer to the mess that Jesse created they are referring to the APR issue.

They are talking about the supposedly "lax" way that he ran his program. I'm not sure if Jesse could coach during the APR era. Obviously his tenure at USF was a train wreck.

The general mess he cleaned up was the perception of the program around the university and community.

[ManAboutTown]

_ Turbine -

I understand your frustration with the APR issue. However, I don't think that when people refer to the mess that Jesse created they are referring to the APR issue.

They are talking about the supposedly "lax" way that he ran his program. I'm not sure if Jesse could coach during the APR era. Obviously his tenure at USF was a train wreck.

The general mess he cleaned up was the perception of the program around the university and community. _

Thank you sir. Exactly my thoughts.

[Turbine]

The general mess he cleaned up was the perception of the program around the university and community. _

I totally agree.

[rhineaux]

_ Joe Dooley just turned down Eastern Carolina for 650K/year. _

"So you're tellin me there's a chance..."
-Lloyd Christmas

PS...I couldn't find anywhere online that stated that they officially offered or that he officially turned them down.
Edit: I did find something on foxsports.com that quoted a source as saying he was not going to take it, but it was from two days ago and didn't say anything about the 650k. I seem to remember seeing other articles (written as late as yesterday) saying that they were talking, with some quoting Self as saying that he hadn't been offered yet.

[BluePoints]

Well Kevin Keithley is a great coach, one with little to no Div 1, no louisiana experience, or mid-major experience. He has mainly been a coach on the Professional level in the developmental league level

Joe Dooley, while a great coach in his own right, leaving Kansas for UL is a definite drop in program stature, as well as, pay-Im sure he would love to have an offer, mainly to turn down and show his allegiance to Kansas.

What I can say is when UL hired Jessie Evans, he came as the No. 2 candidate off of the BCA coaches watch list as an up and comer. He was on staff that won the National Championship that year, what did he do-he loaded the cupboard with talent-he had a 3 year plan-get in, win and get out to a higher program-didn't work out like he thought....when the Cajuns hired Glenn Cyprien, turns out to be a bad hire-he was also No 2 on the BCA coaches watch list--however within the coaching circles doesn't appear to have hurt him much-he came from OK State--then UL for 72 days--then Pro Scout--then Kentucky-currently he's at Memphis....appeared to be a very good hire, one we probably lost out on-but the right move was made at the time!

Today we are faced with who will it be??? My thoughts are a Big-Time Assistant as they have done with both of these hires--Robert was already here-worked under 2 head coaches in Marty and Jessie, sat in as interim Head coach for a couple months until Glenn was hired, was going to stay here with Cyp as an Assistant, he was to be retained...only to be given the head job himself. Here we sit with a huge amount of potential, a chance to breathe a breath of fresh air, with a huge amount of talent on the floor--LaRyan Gary, Courtney Wallace, Chris Grandigo, Raymone Andrews, Travis Bureau, its not like we don't have talent, any coach would jump at this...its our job to make the right decision. based on our last 3 hires i think the Administration will.

Im excited for the new adventure, whomever it may be, I only hope the new coach is ready to move on in the next 3-4 years cause that means we are doing fantastic, and we can become a springboard for new coaching talent.

BP

[Turbine]

Wow BP great post


igeaux.mobi

[Turbine]

What kind of season ticket boost will UL get with the new coaching hire? I think it will vary for each coach because they each attract a different segment of the fan base.

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