jdub27

Agree on not cutting him a whole lot of slack as there were a lot of eggs in the basket he put together. His plan came very close to working, despite a borderline absurd amount of injuries especially at the end of the year. But there is also a need to be rational that as a low mid-major, the program is going to be cyclical. Jones is now familiar with the conference. He also used up a lot of his rope with a poor OOC record, which he saved face on by performing pretty well in conference, where it actually matters at this level. A winning record would be a surprise next year, but not out of the question. I think UND should be able to make the conference tournament. What happens after that is up in the air. This year and next will show what kind of coach Jones is. If the players continue to play as undisciplined and bi-polar as we saw on the court this year, then it is a coach problem. Still not 100% sold that it is though. I'd prefer those tournament road wins you're discounting over every single game you mentioned. Just wish he had one more this year. And not sure what you mean about pumping a team up to play, I guess benching the whole starting unit and not letting them start at Wisconsin didn't send a big enough message. Not sure what more you wanted him to do. These guys have played a crazy amount of minutes over the last 4 years, if they can't get themselves up for a game by that point, there is nothing more a coach can do. I watched this team quite a bit over the last few years and I'm having a hard time putting all the blame on Jones like you are. When the executed, they were real fun to watch, the problem was that they had an tendency to not. And there were a lot of quick hooks and bench time when it happened. I don't even know what this means.

It'd be more believable if your name actually showed up as a Champions Club member.

Common sense. Not sure what you're expecting from a team that is losing over 2/3's of its minutes played and almost 80% of its scoring, but it sounds unrealistic. I'm expecting a record right around .500 and making it into the Big Sky tournament and winning at least one game. Would I prefer better? Of course, but I can also take a look at what UND is losing and be realistic about it, something that seems to be lost on a lot of people. If Nash is someone granted a 6th year, I would definitely raise my expectations. Like I said, I think it will take an absolute disaster for Jones to be fired after this coming season. Leading returning scorers: Hooker (4.2ppg), Stefan (3.9), Antwi (3.1). These three plus Tyler are going to need to step up in a big way along with our bigs being productive and hope that Shanks can come in at the break and be the player everyone saw in high school. Still wouldn't be surprised to see one more JuCo scorer to go along with Coleman.

Per South Dakota law, contracts are only one year deals. Not sure where you are getting 5 from. Barring an absolute disaster, Jones won't be fired next year.

You mean he isn't going to get fired after taking 3rd in the conference and losing in the conference championship game? Who would have thought?? How about something that is measurable...how well will he have to perform next year to keep his job according to the good ol boys?

Except for 2 of their 3 hires have been internal candidates. Both may have been flight risks to go with the outgoing staff, Klieman likely was for sure, but both showed quite a bit of interest in wanting to stay in Fargo and to be head coaches instead of assistants. Its a matter of opinion, I happen to think NDSU is paying for what they hope the coaches will be, which they very well could turn into. Time will tell.

This. Can't remember off the top of my head how long Brewster's contract was for, guessing he just finished year 2 of 4 or 5. Wouldn't be surprised to see a small extension with a raise added in for him announced sometime this summer.

Not at all. I'm saying that it appears NDSU is overpaying for coaches who have zero head coaching experience. Not saying that none of them are deserving, I think they all have a chance to succeed, though some better than others. But it appears that the starting salary they are giving them doesn't necessarily mess with their experience. Case in point: Smith is getting less money and years (state law) at USD than Richman is getting at NDSU. Smith has a more impressive resume almost any measure. Klieman is the one that makes sense, not sold on the other two. But as Joe Chapman showed, NDSU is free to do with their money as they please...

The answer to their combined head coaching record is 3-7. Just pointing out that Dorn and Taylor are throwing a good amount of money at three new coaches who have little to no head coaching experience. Time will tell whether they are wroth what appears to be an above market price paid for them.

Or is Taylor trying to impress people by overpaying for coaches with absolutely zero track record as a head coach? Just curious what the combined head coaching record of Walseth, Richman and Klieman is? Not saying that none of them will be successful, just pointing out that you say businesses (colleges) pay for talent, the difference is, they pay for proven talent.

I think hope is the word you're looking for. There's no proof that paying someone who hasn't been more than a 3rd assistant (albeit at a very successful school) and has zero head coaching experience will turn the program around. Hopefully Gene trusts Dorn, the possibility of having to buy out what would be remaining on a 5 year contract at $150K/year won't be an appealing decision for a program that has very little fan support behind it and hasn't for a while.

The FU faithful spout the exact same line when discussing their under-performing non-revenue sports. And lately when discussing their former revenue turned non-revenue sports of WBB and VB.

Especially after her suspension that was swept under the run until accidentally stumbled upon by The Forum.

How does it almost guarantee continued mediocrity? I'd say giving a sizable raise based on current performance would be more of an indicator of allowing mediocrity to set in. Having a coach who knows he doesn't have a large salary (hence a large buyout) would seem to send reference that there is still large rooms for improvement. I will agree that if there are 3 more years of average-ness, then I don't see his contract being renewed. I think something has to give, either the OOC records gets better or the conference finishes will decline, there seems to be a weird disconnect that will tip one way or the other at some point and will point which direction Jones is headed. How does firing a coach guarantee future success?

Not sure I'd agree with that. Ahelegbe had only been on staff for 3 years. Basketball recruiting is a different animal than football, but he probably played a large part in getting Hooker and likely Crandall, both who are from the Minneapolis area. Other than that, in that time frame you have Benton and Antwi still on the roster and Shay likely takes credit for Cashman. I'd guess kind of a hodge-podge on the transfers/JuCo's. No clue, but guessing that Oliver takes over recruiting. Some Midwest ties (from Iowa and played there as well). Hoping whoever they bring in can replace the Minneapolis ties as well.

Which is why they fired their interim coach to allow for a search to see if they could bring Smith in.

Valid points but Bennett had a part into building them up into where they are being an assistant coach for the 6 years prior and the top assistant the last 4 of those. Much of the rebuilding happened while he was an assistant. Their winning percentages were .526%, .615% and .700% the three years before he took over, losing to eventual champion Duluth in the first round of Leamann's last year there. Not at all saying he doesn't appear to be a great coach and has accomplished a ton in a short period of time as the head guy, quite amazing actually, but he didn't step into a dumpster fire and turn it around in 3 years either. Much of the work had already been done to get them to them out of mediocrity before he took over as head coach and he obviously was able to help them go to the next step. Will be interesting to see if they will be a flash in the pan or if they can maintain competing at a high level.

$150k is his base pay before any bonuses/media contracts/camps/etc and attendance at the last game was 6k (which is terrible, but that's another argument). I know those don't exactly line up with the talking points you were sent over here with, but it is what it is. NDSU WBB averaged less than 800 all year.

Too bad it isn't one where he actually donates money instead on just talking like he does.

Was the recruiting coordinator and had some good ties in the Minneapolis area.

Once they put on a UND jersey, it doesn't matter where student-athletes are from, they are part of the UND family. I guess you could be ignorant and turn away some of the best players in the world at the level they play at. Do you have issues with the non-US student-athletes that have played for FU?

How often do you drive up to Grand Forks to watch UND at home? Now you are going to drive even further?

Former St. Cloud Husky Ryan Malone in the news for the wrong reasons...

I think a coach who gets UND into the conference tournament, has them in the running to host it and gives the team a chance win games in it are the most important thing since the Big Sky will almost always be a one bid league. Everything you mentioned doesn't amount to much if the team flops in conference play.