The Trove has graded the players now it our head coaches turn
A-
Strengths: Basketball knowledge and the ability to communicate it.
Willard is a lifer in the business. From his days in college under his father when he noted in a newspaper article that he used to spend his Saturday nights not partying like most young men in school but instead breaking down film in his dorm room, to his leaving Pittsburgh early to coach under the tutelage of his mentor Rick Pitino in the NBA, to his current position as head coach in the Big East.
Jerry Carino once told me that give Kevin the ball in a gym with no audience and just his players and he would be at his happiest. I cannot think of a better description of our coach.
I have talked to assistants who worked for him and those that know him personally. To a man they note his biggest strength is his ability to teach the game. Something that is echoed by his players when I interview them.
Weaknesses: Probably three things that I have noticed in his time here. His single mindedness, recruiting issues and offensive strategy.
Most great coaches, and I am not putting Willard in that category yet, believe that they have a superior knowledge for the game and their program. Because of that they do not always listen to their staff. Willard unquestionably is the boss as well he should be but maybe at times he could lend a better ear to those that work for him
Up until recently I do not think our head coach put in the time and effort needed regarding recruiting. As Carino stated he's wants to coach the game first and foremost. But this isn't the pros and as Louie Orr learned the job is 24/7 not 9-5.
Now I am not comparing Willard's working hours to that of Orr's but I am saying a coach at this level must embrace recruiting as opposed to seeing it as a necessary evil. Thankfully Kevin Willard has now taken the former approach and situated the Hall nicely in the Big East in the present and hopefully the future.
That takes me too his offensive strategy. Clearly Kevin Willard is a excellent defensive coach. That's his bread and butter. But on the other side of the ball there are still issues. Too much one on one play. Letting the clock run down forcing low percentage shots. And little ball or player movement. Those are issues that we have all seen in Willard's time here.
Maybe with the higher talent level they have worked better recently but I still don't think we are maximizing our potential with the ball.
Bottom Line: Kevin Willard was thisclose to losing his job after the embarrassing defeat to Marquette a few years past in the opening round if the Big East Tournament. But that low point in his head coaching career seemed to light a fire under him. He came back the next season a new man and a new coach.
Never a media darling he now embraced that part of his job.
A weakness, recruiting, became a strength as he worked as hard on that facet of his program as ever before and we have seen the results of that work.
His locker room, at times a cancer now became a strength.
And most importantly the wins followed.
Add to that a Big East Championship. A Conference COY award. And twice consecutively winning the Metro COY. Those accomplishments have positioned the Hall as a near elite league member.
We're not there yet but the Hall is certainly in the upper echelon of the ten team conference. Something that just a few short years ago would have seemed unimaginable. For that Kevin Willard deserves most of the credit.
A-
Strengths: Basketball knowledge and the ability to communicate it.
Willard is a lifer in the business. From his days in college under his father when he noted in a newspaper article that he used to spend his Saturday nights not partying like most young men in school but instead breaking down film in his dorm room, to his leaving Pittsburgh early to coach under the tutelage of his mentor Rick Pitino in the NBA, to his current position as head coach in the Big East.
Jerry Carino once told me that give Kevin the ball in a gym with no audience and just his players and he would be at his happiest. I cannot think of a better description of our coach.
I have talked to assistants who worked for him and those that know him personally. To a man they note his biggest strength is his ability to teach the game. Something that is echoed by his players when I interview them.
Weaknesses: Probably three things that I have noticed in his time here. His single mindedness, recruiting issues and offensive strategy.
Most great coaches, and I am not putting Willard in that category yet, believe that they have a superior knowledge for the game and their program. Because of that they do not always listen to their staff. Willard unquestionably is the boss as well he should be but maybe at times he could lend a better ear to those that work for him
Up until recently I do not think our head coach put in the time and effort needed regarding recruiting. As Carino stated he's wants to coach the game first and foremost. But this isn't the pros and as Louie Orr learned the job is 24/7 not 9-5.
Now I am not comparing Willard's working hours to that of Orr's but I am saying a coach at this level must embrace recruiting as opposed to seeing it as a necessary evil. Thankfully Kevin Willard has now taken the former approach and situated the Hall nicely in the Big East in the present and hopefully the future.
That takes me too his offensive strategy. Clearly Kevin Willard is a excellent defensive coach. That's his bread and butter. But on the other side of the ball there are still issues. Too much one on one play. Letting the clock run down forcing low percentage shots. And little ball or player movement. Those are issues that we have all seen in Willard's time here.
Maybe with the higher talent level they have worked better recently but I still don't think we are maximizing our potential with the ball.
Bottom Line: Kevin Willard was thisclose to losing his job after the embarrassing defeat to Marquette a few years past in the opening round if the Big East Tournament. But that low point in his head coaching career seemed to light a fire under him. He came back the next season a new man and a new coach.
Never a media darling he now embraced that part of his job.
A weakness, recruiting, became a strength as he worked as hard on that facet of his program as ever before and we have seen the results of that work.
His locker room, at times a cancer now became a strength.
And most importantly the wins followed.
Add to that a Big East Championship. A Conference COY award. And twice consecutively winning the Metro COY. Those accomplishments have positioned the Hall as a near elite league member.
We're not there yet but the Hall is certainly in the upper echelon of the ten team conference. Something that just a few short years ago would have seemed unimaginable. For that Kevin Willard deserves most of the credit.
