Is Kevin Willard the problem?

[sami]

My 6-year-old twins have more emotional stability that Kaz. Really think you should drop the posting in the third person and drop the Iron altogether. You’re softer than the team with these takes.

Yeah, guessing you’ll come back with your 20th “I’m sorry but I’m passionate” post but these threads are just moronic.

This team folded. When we were winning we said there’s no alpha dog, no one to take charge, leadership by committee. Well we see what happened with a little adversity, they collapsed. Still going to support this team. Still going to give Kevin the benefit of the doubt after the last half decade. Bad season, move on. Oh, wait, it’s not over. Maybe keep rooting?

 

[TomD82]

More of the tweets were about RU going to the NCAA. Ugh.

 

[ed odowd]

As was stated above with RU,SJU, and UConn rising we are headed to be 4th best team in the area.This will hurt are already weak recruiting So doesn’t bode well in next few years.Time for tough love Kevin,fire staff and hire high school coaches who will bring star recruits.Let’s be honest that is the only reason you got to NCAA tourney.Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to be successful.

 

[thehall07]

As was stated above with RU,SJU, and UConn rising we are headed to be 4th best team in the area.This will hurt are already weak recruiting So doesn’t bode well in next few years.Time for tough love Kevin,fire staff and hire high school coaches who will bring star recruits.Let’s be honest that is the only reason you got to NCAA tourney.Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to be successful.

Dude you are jumping off the deep end here calm down. They will regroup and do what is needed , if we have two more years like this then we really start to question the entire thing.

 

[SHUSA]

As was stated above with RU,SJU, and UConn rising we are headed to be 4th best team in the area.This will hurt are already weak recruiting So doesn’t bode well in next few years.Time for tough love Kevin,fire staff and hire high school coaches who will bring star recruits.Let’s be honest that is the only reason you got to NCAA tourney.Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to be successful.

exactly. this is why the mulligan he gets is dangerous. hes been here before and the onlu way out was through hiring antigua and morton.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

Dude you are jumping off the deep end here calm down. They will regroup and do what is needed , if we have two more years like this then we really start to question the entire thing.

Just like everybody jumped off the deep end last year vs Rutgers. In the meantime, let's prepare to read offseason praises of Cooley who hasn't finished with a better record than us in 6 years, since Gibbs was here. Same people had Aiken as our leading scorer. So we finished at most 2 spots lower than anyone expected without the most important player and anticipated leading scorer for about 60% of the games. Fire the coach. That's the sign of rationale thinking.

 

[thehall07]

exactly. this is why the mulligan he gets is dangerous. hes been here before and the onlu way out was through hiring antigua and morton.

Oh stop with the same BS over and over... it was the smart move who cares. Sha got us carrington Nzei and Powell , Grant got us Mamu and Hill got us Ish . He has a good recruiting staff in house now and they will do work, if anything Willard needs to become more seen on the circuit and involved with all the kids ( like he was with Weston)

 

[NYC Pirate]

Like I’ve already said above no one should be fired. That’s kind of ridiculous. I have no idea what will happen at MSG next week at this point. It could be a no show at SJU or the Title game. Either way the coach needs an internal audit of the program after the season. Cast aside excuses and evaluate. We are very late in the season and many areas that usually are on an upswing by this point are not happening.
1) The defense hasn’t really improved. We cannot defend a three ball and struggle with motion. Use of a zone? Guys still confused.
2) The inability for the players to run odd man fast breaks. Not even a high school level?
3) Inability to get Tyrese Samuel to understand the defense.
4) The regression of Molson on the offensive end.
5) The offense without Aiken
6) Did not play well at home the entire season?
7) Experienced players “Nervous” against bottom tier teams.
8) complete lack of focus starting the second half in many critical games.

The substitution patterns and not involving first year players are his personal coaching philosophy. He should take another look at that. Kevin has done a very good job at SHU. Some would give an A some a B+ This season and we still have to wait is not the best grade to this point.

 

[sami]

Like I’ve already said above no one should be fired. That’s kind of ridiculous. I have no idea what will happen at MSG next week at this point. It could be a no show at SJU or the Title game. Either way the coach needs an internal audit of the program after the season. Cast aside excuses and evaluate. We are very late in the season and many areas that usually are on an upswing by this point are not happening.
1) The defense hasn’t really improved. We cannot defend a three ball and struggle with motion. Use of a zone? Guys still confused.
2) The inability for the players to run odd man fast breaks. Not even a high school level?
3) Inability to get Tyrese Samuel to understand the defense.
4) The regression of Molson on the offensive end.
5) The offense without Aiken
6) Did not play well at home the entire season?
7) Experienced players “Nervous” against bottom tier teams.
8) complete lack of focus starting the second half in many critical games.

The substitution patterns and not involving first year players are his personal coaching philosophy. He should take another look at that. Kevin has done a very good job at SHU. Some would give an A some a B+ This season and we still have to wait is not the best grade to this point.

Few would give an A due to lack of postseason success. But quality of young men, in season sustained performance, top half of big East results, solid B to B+. This year? C is a stretch but funny how we end up where the coaches picked us pre season.

 

[SHUisNJsTeam]

nm

Just stop! Do you know how ridiculous this is!?

Everyone needs to pony up and give Willard the support AND facilities he and the team deserve! Look at EVERYTHING he has accomplished with a fraction of what others have!

 

[TheHall87]

Good to see all the ground hogs come out as if on cue. A lot of people disappear and then weigh in only when there's trouble.

I'm not sure what I find funnier (sadder). The people who have no answer when questioned who should be the replacement (literally anybody is not an answer) or the names I'm seeing thrown out as replacements. I'm not saying we can't improve over Kevin if we wanted to go that route but I hope Lyons/Felt have a better list of names.

Johnny Dawkins makes Tommy Amaker look like Coach K. He's made two NCAA tournaments in 12 years (13 if you include this season's eventual miss). But, hey, he won two NITs at Stanford.

Matt McCall, four years at UMass and his 8-7 mark this year is his first year at or above .500. He's 18 games under .500 in A-10 play.

Anthony Grant is a great thought. The problem is if he really wants to leave Dayton, he'll likely have better options than us. As it is that job is on a par with ours.

I understand. Most of us are frustrated, with this season, with last night. I know I am. But Kevin's not getting fired. Not now, not after next year. We'll see where we stand in March 2023.

 

[TomD82]

Good to see all the ground hogs come out as if on cue. A lot of people disappear and then weigh in only when there's trouble.

I'm not sure what I find funnier (sadder). The people who have no answer when questioned who should be the replacement (literally anybody is not an answer) or the names I'm seeing thrown out as replacements. I'm not saying we can't improve over Kevin if we wanted to go that route but I hope Lyons/Felt have a better list of names.

Johnny Dawkins makes Tommy Amaker look like Coach K. He's made two NCAA tournaments in 12 years (13 if you include this season's eventual miss). But, hey, he won two NITs at Stanford.

Matt McCall, four years at UMass and his 8-7 mark this year is his first year at or above .500. He's 18 games under .500 in A-10 play.

Anthony Grant is a great thought. The problem is if he really wants to leave Dayton, he'll likely have better options than us. As it is that job is on a par with ours.

I understand. Most of us are frustrated, with this season, with last night. I know I am. But Kevin's not getting fired. Not now, not after next year. We'll see where we stand in March 2023.

Mccall I agree on completely. Grant I think the new BE would be a good fit for him. Would somebody like Indiana really hire another Dayton coach? Would another SEC job be good for Grant?

 

[thehall07]

Mccall I agree on completely. Grant I think the new BE would be a good fit for him. Would somebody like Indiana really hire another Dayton coach? Would another SEC job be good for Grant?

Grant is extremely happy at Dayton, don’t forget he is an alumnus.

 

[NYC Pirate]

Just stop! Do you know how ridiculous this is!?

Everyone needs to pony up and give Willard the support AND facilities he and the team deserve! Look at EVERYTHING he has accomplished with a fraction of what others have!

I agree and disagree to some extent. Kevin has done a fine job looking at the big picture. Cooley has a lot of the things we don't and yet his teams still falter. My point is that while I agree that facilities are in the way of high ended recruiting the coaches still have a responsibility to coach in game at a high level. Facilities did not keep Aiken on the bench for much of the last 5 minutes in the Creighton loss. That one game may have cost an NCAA bid. Continuing to force Samuel to play the 5 at the first media timeout has really hurt. Kevin has accomplished a great deal and our players represent The University very well. If Kevin stays for a long time that could be a good thing. Going to the NCAA's 2 years in a row would have been considered a great success and now it's 4 and would have been 5. That's tremendous. "Maybe" last year was the year we win 2 or 3 games in the Tournament? I'll be rooting like hell next week for us to run the table at MSG.

 

[Abbo71]

Like I’ve already said above no one should be fired. That’s kind of ridiculous. I have no idea what will happen at MSG next week at this point. It could be a no show at SJU or the Title game. Either way the coach needs an internal audit of the program after the season. Cast aside excuses and evaluate. We are very late in the season and many areas that usually are on an upswing by this point are not happening.
1) The defense hasn’t really improved. We cannot defend a three ball and struggle with motion. Use of a zone? Guys still confused.
2) The inability for the players to run odd man fast breaks. Not even a high school level?
3) Inability to get Tyrese Samuel to understand the defense.
4) The regression of Molson on the offensive end.
5) The offense without Aiken
6) Did not play well at home the entire season?
7) Experienced players “Nervous” against bottom tier teams.
8) complete lack of focus starting the second half in many critical games.

The substitution patterns and not involving first year players are his personal coaching philosophy. He should take another look at that. Kevin has done a very good job at SHU. Some would give an A some a B+ This season and we still have to wait is not the best grade to this point.

Aikens a no show where so much was expected of him (not his fault), and the resulting mountain of pressure and stress on Shaver obviously cost this team games. MAMU pressing too much with not a lot of help hurt his performance , he still made first team BE. No Super Star, Powell, to lift us up, and bail us out, and the pandemic. All this, and more, added up to, as they say, "The perfect storm." It hurt everyone else on the team, and staff. Too much pressure on everyone. The result, a Collapse of epic proportions. Every season is different, even the same players are different from one year to the next. It happens in all sports You win the Super Bowl one year, and maybe not have a good season the next. You don't have a very good team one year, and the next, you have a great team, and win the Super Bow. Goes for all sports and athletes. You have to have consistency, that is key. Our team this year has not had that. We look great in one game against a very good team, and the next game(s) we look terrible. This lack of consistency has been a problem for us for quite awhile. I mark up this season as something that is inevitable sooner or later. see above. We've got a very good class coming in next year, and hopefully our current guys who come back will show good improvement. We could have very good seasons coming up.

 

[Ryanpbkelly]

Everyone wants the A++ candidate but seems to forget Willard was far from that when he came here from Iona 45-49 overall 27-27 in conference. Again he's not getting fired but it’s just as stupid and irresponsible to say that there are no good candidates to replace him or nit picking over people that get mentioned. Plenty of good young
Sometimes a change is best for both parties.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

Everyone wants the A++ candidate but seems to forget Willard was far from that when he came here from Iona 45-49 overall 27-27 in conference. Again he's not getting fired but it’s just as stupid and irresponsible to say that there are no good candidates to replace him or nit picking over people that get mentioned. Plenty of good young
Sometimes a change is best for both parties.

That’s 100% true but you’re also creating your school to be a stepping stone like Amaker used us. If taking over the biggest joke of a program, with guns, kidnapping, drug issues, etc, then win a big east tournament, get to 4 straight ncaas, would’ve been 5, gets you major heat after you finish 5th in the oddest year in a long time, here’s what you’ll get. there’s plenty of young coaches that want the money and would come to shu, 95% of them would see that as ridiculous and run the first time they get a better offer to avoid getting fired. Worse if the new coaches are not getting offers, thays likely because 5th place looks good.

 

[mbraue]

It's not mojo, it's recruiting. Willard has gotten very little in since BET win in 2016. If Powell hadn't put us on his back the last two years, we would have been either at or below .500.

Recruiting masks bad coaching. With our talent not there or not have been developed, Willards flaws are very exposed.

People calling to fire Willard and naming guys who cant make the tournament in their current roles, hilarious. Willard did a bad job with this team, and the immediate future does not look good, but Willard has turned this program into a legitimate major program, just looked at our home crowds, and he deserves the chance to rectify the season, hes earned that much. How quickly people forget how atrocious we were with Bobby G, bad teams and gangsters.

I totally agree that Willard deserves a chance to rectify what happened this season, and based on where he has brought us, he will get that opportunity.

But something is definitely off with the team this year, and how the coaching staff handled the meltdown, with few if any in-game adjustments to right the ship. Ever since the win at UConn, things have not been the same.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

I totally agree that Willard deserves a chance to rectify what happened this season, and based on where he has brought us, he will get that opportunity.

We finished 5th. Unless you’re in a 6 or 7 team conference, 99% of all coaches who finish 5th are welcomed back with arms open knowing they gotta push to crack the top 3. The fact anyone has to even say he earned the right to come back is mind boggling. He’s coming back unless he doesn’t want to. It’s really a no brainer. At some point we have to wonder about mental capabilities of our fan base. This is insanely absurd. Typically I find people eating crow after threads like this one. Hopefully that trend continues this week.

 

[mbraue]

It looks like SJU has some. And Creighton sure has. No question though it is going to be next to impossible to get those over Villanova and now UConn. Rhode Island used to lose games like we have this season. Now Hurley at UConn has recruited even better like has been mentioned we need more of and it showed how much tougher they are.

We lost to

Few would give an A due to lack of postseason success. But quality of young men, in season sustained performance, top half of big East results, solid B to B+. This year? C is a stretch but funny how we end up where the coaches picked us pre season.

BTW, bracketologist Wachtel says if we get to the BE championship game - not even win it - it might be enough to get us into the tourney. That’s a big if - if we win two games, if the team shows up with pride and grit, if Aiken can keep giving us good minutes, if we play smart for 40 minutes, if the players can believe in themselves again.

 

[IronKaz1]

Sami I am just pissed, after watching that 18-0 go away, your allowed to rheam me though as were friends

 

[sami]

Sami I am just pissed, after watching that 18-0 go away, your allowed to rheam me though as were friends

Be a bit more even keeled. Good for your health.

 

[Halldan1]

Guys, we're getting too emotional here responding to each other. Believe it or not I got multiple complaints from opposing sides on this tread asking me to take corrective action.

How about everyone just please calm down so I don't have to act like a referee in disputes among adults.

 

[SHUSource]

Guys, we're getting too emotional here responding to each other. Believe it or not I got multiple complaints from opposing sides on this tread asking me to take corrective action.

It boggles my mind that people -- adults -- actually do this. It always reminds me of second-graders whining to a teacher about what Billy said to them. Grow up, no matter what your opinions are.

 

[shu09]

Yup. Absolutely pathetic that people actually email you to complain about what people post. Grow up is right, this isn't kindergarten. Just another sad sign that actual adults today can't tolerate opinions that might be different from their own.

For those posters: Mind your own business and if you don't like what that poster says, you can always mute them. There is no topic on this earth where human beings will agree 100%.

 

[hbkmyr]

Just like everybody jumped off the deep end last year vs Rutgers. In the meantime, let's prepare to read offseason praises of Cooley who hasn't finished with a better record than us in 6 years, since Gibbs was here. Same people had Aiken as our leading scorer. So we finished at most 2 spots lower than anyone expected without the most important player and anticipated leading scorer for about 60% of the games. Fire the coach. That's the sign of rationale thinking.

i will never understand the Cooley love (not just here, but everywhere).

 

[Bud Boomer]

i will never understand the Cooley love (not just here, but everywhere).

Other than the fact that Cooley started his career at Providence well and Willard started his career at SHU badly, the two guys are very similar. Imagine the vitriol here if Willard was nowhere near the tournament discussion with a first round pick (Duke) and a top 5 big man (Watson).

 

[LeftCoastPirates]

Other than the fact that Cooley started his career at Providence well and Willard started his career at SHU badly, the two guys are very similar. Imagine the vitriol here if Willard was nowhere near the tournament discussion with a first round pick (Duke) and a top 5 big man (Watson).

Wins and losses they are essentially the same. Tournament success included.

if you want to know the answer to the original question, it’s simple. People are drawn to his personality when in front of a microphone. He knows how to engage his audience when he speaks. There is a distinct level of passion that resonates in his words. That is an attractive quality that people want to see out of their coach.

 

[Bud Boomer]

Wins and losses they are essentially the same. Tournament success included.

if you want to know the answer to the original question, it’s simple. People are drawn to his personality when in front of a microphone. He knows how to engage his audience when he speaks. There is a distinct level of passion that resonates in his words. That is an attractive quality that people want to see out of their coach.

Yea I'm sure that's part of it. First impressions probably play a role too. Some people here cannot shake the opinions of Willard they developed when Freddie Wilson was playing here. The inverse is probably true of Cooley.

 

[hbkmyr]

Other than the fact that Cooley started his career at Providence well and Willard started his career at SHU badly, the two guys are very similar. Imagine the vitriol here if Willard was nowhere near the tournament discussion with a first round pick (Duke) and a top 5 big man (Watson).

You would think he was wildly more successful than Willard by what you read.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

Wins and losses they are essentially the same. Tournament success included.

if you want to know the answer to the original question, it’s simple. People are drawn to his personality when in front of a microphone. He knows how to engage his audience when he speaks. There is a distinct level of passion that resonates in his words. That is an attractive quality that people want to see out of their coach.

One guy is more engaging when he speaks, the other has finished with a better record 5 of the last 6 years and the same record in the other. Style or substance.

 

[LeftCoastPirates]

One guy is more engaging when he speaks, the other has finished with a better record 5 of the last 6 years and the same record in the other. Style or substance.

people were asking why the love affair. I just gave you a plausible answer. Show me where I said give me the style.

 

[Save Continental]

It boggles my mind that people -- adults -- actually do this. It always reminds me of second-graders whining to a teacher about what Billy said to them. Grow up, no matter what your opinions are.

I know, I have posted this like 10 times.

Anyone who wastes Dan's time to e-mail him about this nonsense should out themselves here for ridicule and message board flogging.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

people were asking why the love affair. I just gave you a plausible answer. Show me where I said give me the style.

I was responding to you the theory you presented. Not accusing you of thinking in favor of one or the other.

 

[LeftCoastPirates]

I was responding to you the theory you presented. Not accusing you of thinking in favor of one or the other.

I still think the theory is true. People like the person that comes across on camera. If he was our coach the wins would mean more than the likable personality. But from a distance he is someone you are drawn to when he speaks.

 

[TheHall87]

i will never understand the Cooley love (not just here, but everywhere).

The grass is always greener.

 

[TomD82]

Like I’ve already said above no one should be fired. That’s kind of ridiculous. I have no idea what will happen at MSG next week at this point. It could be a no show at SJU or the Title game. Either way the coach needs an internal audit of the program after the season. Cast aside excuses and evaluate. We are very late in the season and many areas that usually are on an upswing by this point are not happening.
1) The defense hasn’t really improved. We cannot defend a three ball and struggle with motion. Use of a zone? Guys still confused.
2) The inability for the players to run odd man fast breaks. Not even a high school level?
3) Inability to get Tyrese Samuel to understand the defense.
4) The regression of Molson on the offensive end.
5) The offense without Aiken
6) Did not play well at home the entire season?
7) Experienced players “Nervous” against bottom tier teams.
8) complete lack of focus starting the second half in many critical games.

The substitution patterns and not involving first year players are his personal coaching philosophy. He should take another look at that. Kevin has done a very good job at SHU. Some would give an A some a B+ This season and we still have to wait is not the best grade to this point.

Here is what Kevin should say to Molson. And after a couple of Aiken shots, too.

 

[SHUSA]

Here is what Kevin should say to Molson. And after a couple of Aiken shots, too.

View embedded media

i love that kind of no BS attitude from a coach.

molsons shots arent necessarily bad shots, which makes it more unfortunate

 

[SHU_Pirate1]

i love that kind of no BS attitude from a coach.

molsons shots arent necessarily bad shots, which makes it more unfortunate

Picture the Clyde Frazier voiceover..."gotta like what Ewing is doing!" Very funny! Agree, respect that no nonsense toughness from a coach.

True, unfortunately the shots aren't bad...the shooter is bad. Feel bad for him because he seems to work real hard...but I feel worse for us as every time he has the ball in his hands I cringe and anticipate another brick or mistake. One of the poorer offensive players I've seen in a long time. Even with only the UConn game with fans in attendance I could hear people in the "crowd" saying "oh no...Molson Ice."

 

[SHU_Pirate1]

Guys, we're getting too emotional here responding to each other. Believe it or not I got multiple complaints from opposing sides on this tread asking me to take corrective action.

How about everyone just please calm down so I don't have to act like a referee in disputes among adults.

If our players showed even half the amount of this kind of feistiness this entire thread wouldn't even be necessary!