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Kevin Willard
- Thread starter Halldan1
- Start date
I think I remember hearing him say—though I can’t remember where—that one turning point was realizing that even at a Big East school and even recruiting some one from NJ he probably wasn’t going to win a recruiting battle for a five-star recruit against Coach K and John Calipari, etc.
You are what your record says you are...in his case, a very good coach with a poor NCAA record. Excuses are excuses.
KW would be smart to look at what has happened 80 miles south. Jay has built a program at a BE school where he has won National Championships and has pretty much life time security. If for some reason they had a few bad years back to back they would still have faith in him. That wouldn’t be the case at a blue blood.
All excuses.
I am not knocking him. I want him to stay. But the NCAA record is what it is....and it is not good.
Hard to disagree with that. She is very knowledgeable and clearly a gifted writer.
but the intial hire was to even get us in the conversation, which he has. and that needs to be acknowledged to for a school with no resources like shu.
hes somewhere in the middle but i get the feeling itll change this year
What if I insist that five years IS recent? What if I insist that I’m right in thinking that way? All it does is make me sound kind of obnoxious. It’s a matter of how one defines it in their own mind.
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I don’t know why two things can’t be true at the same time. He wasn’t good for the first half, he made some strategic hires to get players, had a few things break right, and has been solid to very good since. The NCAA record is what it is, just like the solid run to the tournament is what it is. You can point to things here or there during the regular season or tourney that could tip the balance one way or the other.
Wasn't his dad a lifer at the school he coached? Perhaps that rubbed off on KW. SHU for life would be nice.
I was not a Willard fan and especially very critical of his recruiting. Actually I am still critical of his recruiting out of high school. But he has managed to salvage the team through good recruiting via transfers. Willard is no PJ, but what he has done is made Seton Hall a consistent tournament team.
I have always wanted a coach that made the Hall into a consistent tournament team with a big run in the tournament once every 5 or 6 years. Well, I think we would have seen that big run if it were not for CoVid. And, we may see it this year. I hope he stays. He has a good thing going here. He is King. Lets hope he doesn't make the same mistake Amaker made. The grass is not always greener and the Maryland job isn't as good as it once was when it was in the ACC.
Lets also hope the school already has plans for the next coach. Target like Xavier has done throughout the years. That would be the most important thing to do.
I have always wanted a coach that made the Hall into a consistent tournament team with a big run in the tournament once every 5 or 6 years. Well, I think we would have seen that big run if it were not for CoVid. And, we may see it this year. I hope he stays. He has a good thing going here. He is King. Lets hope he doesn't make the same mistake Amaker made. The grass is not always greener and the Maryland job isn't as good as it once was when it was in the ACC.
Lets also hope the school already has plans for the next coach. Target like Xavier has done throughout the years. That would be the most important thing to do.
It worked out. Seton Hall was beyond patient with Willard for 5 seasons. That’s an eternity.
Willard has paid it all back and then some the past 7 years. That 2020 team would’ve done damage if there was an NCAAT. This years team might make that run.
Willard has paid it all back and then some the past 7 years. That 2020 team would’ve done damage if there was an NCAAT. This years team might make that run.
Fair and my views. Although I’d leave it as he’s paid it back. “Then some” is hopefully down the road, maybe even this year.
Like a switch it turned once that 2015-16 found itself. Started with a game at Providence.
Years 1-5 = 82-80 (.541), 30-60 BE RS, 4-5 BET, 0 NCAA's, 0 winning BE records
Years 6-11 = 123-69 (.641), 64-45 BE RS, 6-3 BET, 5 NCAA's*, 6 consecutive winning BE records, 2016 BET, 2020 BE RS
*I'm counting 2020, idc if there wasn't a Tournament that was a great team.
Years 1-5 = 82-80 (.541), 30-60 BE RS, 4-5 BET, 0 NCAA's, 0 winning BE records
Years 6-11 = 123-69 (.641), 64-45 BE RS, 6-3 BET, 5 NCAA's*, 6 consecutive winning BE records, 2016 BET, 2020 BE RS
*I'm counting 2020, idc if there wasn't a Tournament that was a great team.
Ah yes, the great Ed Cooley. I like Cooley but so far, I would place KW over Cooley.
Very similar resumes, though I don’t know the specifics of Cooley as much obviously.
My three points of reference on Cooley. 1. He won a BET when we cleared the path by knocking out NOVA. 2. He only got to that one BET final. 3. He’s never won a regular season title (or share). But as I noted, really do like him as a coach.
Fair point, I just think KW has been more consistent than Cooley in both the BET and regular season over the years.
Agreed. Cooley got out of the rut quicker, but they’ve stumbled a bit more recently.
I was at that Arkansas game, we had the really bad call late in the game but had a number of chances to put them away prior to the bad call. Great road trip, great game. After Texas game was over, turned to my buddies and said we are going home happy. Not always the case in the world of pirate Basketball. It’s early but I really believe we have the guns to finish the game along with a coach who is seeing the game and his players differently. That being said we are also one loss away from the sky is falling.
F1 wasn't why we lost. We just didn't finish that game well. Also, that was back in the days where we had zero depth (or at the minimum Willard didn't play the bench).
Think this year, our closing of games has been much better, playing a bit more composed than since maybe Whitehead left.
I wanted to make sure people were reading my posts. Oops thought inside 1200 miles was like a home game. Lol sure felt like a home game we got taken to the cleaners.
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