OU job not an easy sell
OU athletic director Joe Castiglione faces a monumental challenge to find a replacement for Jeff Capel, who he fired two weeks ago. Because the program is in a deep hole, playing in an elite conference, it’s understandable why a lot of coaches would be hesitant to take the job.
Castiglione repeatedly has said the program’s rich tradition — a lot richer than often given credit — makes it an attractive job.
Castiglione can sell coaches on the fact the Sooners have been to Final Fours, won conference titles, played in countless NCAA Tournaments and have produced players like Blake Griffin, Wayman Tisdale and Mookie Blaylock.
OU's Steven Pledger drives to the basket past Baylor's Fred Ellis during the college basketball Big 12 Championship tournament game between the University of Oklahoma and Baylor in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, March 9, 2011. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
But at this point and time, April 2011, the OU job isn’t that attractive for several reasons.
1) The talent pool on campus is lacking. The new coach will have some decent players to build around — Andrew Fitzgerald, Cameron Clark, Steven Pledger, Romero Osby and Tyler Neal — but none are stars which is requried to win at a high level. It’s probably the primary reason Castiglione decided to make a change. He could sense the current roster wasn’t on the brink of being a viable NCAA Tournament contender.
2) An ongoing NCAA investigation probably won’t lead to any sanctions since the investigation is almost a year old with no new developments. But one of Capel’s former assistants being accused of possibly being involved in a alledged improper loan to an OU player’s family doesn’t help Castiglione’s sales pitch.
3) The most daunting variable is the new coach faces the unenviable task of playing in one of the toughest conferences in the country. It will be even tougher with Colorado and Nebraska leaving. The 18-game round robin format will be brutal for everyone, especially a program in a rebuilding mode.
Kansas and Texas are perennial powers. Kansas State and Texas A&M have built solid programs. Oklahoma State has one of the nation’s top players joining a solid nucleus. Missouri is a factor once again and should remain so depending on who the Tigers hire.
Baylor coach Scott Drew has recruited NBA caliber talent. Texas Tech should improve dramatically under Billy Gillispie. That leaves Iowa State and OU. And Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg already is restocking the roster in Ames.
On a nightly basis, the new Sooner coach will be matched against Bill Self (Kansas), Rick Barnes (Texas), Frank Martin (Kansas State), Travis Ford (OSU), Mark Turgeon (A&M), Gillispie, Hoiberg and whoever Missouri hires. Drew is the least feared of the group and he signstop notch talent.
There will be no gimmes in the revamped Big 12. Especially on the road.
Castiglione is right. OU has a rich tradition. But it will take at least a year or two for the new coach to restock the roster to where it can be competive in a dog-eat-dog conference.
Maybe veteran coach Lon Kruger is willing to take on the momumental rebuilding task. Whoever takes the job, there’s a ton of work to be done in a conference where finishing in the top half will be a major challenge for everyone except Kansas and Texas.
Yes, OU has a rich men’s basketball tradition. But it won’t be easy to get the program back to where it was much of the past three decades.
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Comments
Stuman: Why say anything if such a stupid comment is all you can come up with? You commenting on someones IQ is a joke in itself!
I have heard from asst coaches during Capel’s time that there was a lot more payments going on than have come out. WW apparently wasn’t planning on going to OU.
I find it funny that someone at the Oklahoman would write this AFTER Capel was fired. The Sports Editor, Berry Tramel was the person leading the charge for Capel to be ousted. NOW you figure that is may be tough to find a replacement? Nice work, boys.
Since when has Texas been a perennial power? I mean, they’ve only been a factor the last 10 or so years. How many final fours have they been to? I can only think of 1.
No matter what line of business, ya better know who you gonna hire to replace anyone you fire.
Shudda kept Capel.
You wouldn’t have a tough time selling the job to Terry Evans. I’m telling ya folks, I just have a feeling he could do a great job. Also, they could look to Stacey King. He did a good job as a CBA coach. I bet he would leave the Bulls’ broadcast team for the job.
I think the future of the Big XII may be a problem. Who wants to coach in a conference that may not last? You don’t know who you might merge with.
Something needs to be done soon for purposes of recruiting. One selling point for a star player should be the opportunity to come in and be a starting, impact player on a team with average talent.
I don’t get the texas perennial power thing either OU has ben to more final fours in the last decade and has am over all winning record over history which they have over all big 12 teams except Kansas.
Firing Capel was a bad move- and is now serving as a bad signal for a capable coach seeking an opportunity to be successful.
Funny how that factor didn’t make the list.
The only problem standing between OU and a return to greatness is to have the sense to hire the coach they should have hired 5 years ago and today…Terry Evans…no sales job required…no inspiration required…success guaranteed. All that has been proven in the last two weeks is just how stupid OU is comprehending who and what it takes to return to the days of Billy kicking Kansas’ butt…
He should have given Jeff Capel one more year and stood up for his coach and not caved in to the alpha regent. Terry Evans has been a fine coach at Midwest City and UCO… but you know what—that in no way is an indicator he wouldn’t be in way over his head at OU. This is where I invoke the Trmale Taco Bell line in regards to Terry Evans at OU—Just because you worked at a Taco Bell..doesn’t mean you should be managing a Taco Bell.
What Joe C should have done is to have allowed Capel to gain further traction with the program next year with the additions of Osby and Goff–and allowed the program to gain further positive momentum.
So basically–what some of you are telling me is that the thing to do was fire a coach who’s taken two different programs to the NCAA Tournament and one team to the Elite 8, pay him 2.5 million–so as to hire someone who’s never managed a Taco Bell.
Joe C should have had some balls and stood up to the alpha regent.
I think the problem we got here is that Joe C. miscalculated. Unless he was going for the VCU coach all along (again), he’s been played by guys wanting raises but not wanting to come to Norman. I’m sitting in the mezzanine and even I could see that Buzz Williams was never coming to OU. Jeff Capel needed to go last year. He lost control of his program in a very bad and humiliating way. The whole thing about not letting his players use the locker room seemed to be a possible plot for an episode of the White Shadow. At this point in time, choices A, B, C and D have left the building. Terry Evans seems like the most solid prospect for OU now. The good news is that he’ll be loyal. He knows the state’s high school programs. And, he knows the history of the program and its traditions.
I heard there is mutual interest between OU and Bruce Weber of Illinois. He’s not a real sexy choice, but OU could do a lot worse. I think they should go get him.
[...] * The Oklahoman’s Mike Baldwin tells us why Joe Castiglione has a difficult task at hand the hiring process this time around … Read [...]
here’s what a perspective coach has to look at. for starters, ou fired capel without letting him finish his contract while a lot of basketball people think he got more out of this years team than should have been possible. to come to ou means adding a couple of 5 or 6 win seasons to a resume. you would inherit a center who can’t jump on top of a piece paper, a point guard with the quickness of a sloth, a transfer who previously averaged single digit playing time at miss state, the dredge of the sec, a jc recruit with single digit scoring, a shooting guard who is as likely to miss every shot as make a few. and cameron clark, the only major college talent on the team excepting for tyler neal, where the jury is still out. the only way ou pulls a good coach out of that mire is MONEY!!!! i doubt joe c will pay up.
I just read yet another list of names by Tramble as possib le coaching hires for OU.
When is enough , enough?? I know i don’t care for Tramble, but this is ridiculous. I don’t think i am the only one that feels that way.
Carlston and Trambul leave a lot to be desired . Rodey is irrelevant. The rest of the staff at least provide some insight.
I really think you guys are wrong about the “lack of talent” thing. Remember when OU wasn’t even going to win a single conference game early in season? Our point guards were rookies, and still weren’t that bad. A year of seasoning and adding a little depth should help there. Neal, Pledger and Wright showed flashes of brilliance (just not consistancy). Oh and everybody agreed the best player on the team was sitting out this year. Osby starting takes the best post defender off Fitz (who nearly nobody could handle 1 on 1 anyway). I think the firing was about the NCAA investigation not the talent.
How is OSU on this list? The shambles of that formerly strong program are smoldering right next to OU’s.
Steve, OSU is just fine. The NCAA isn’t investigating Ford’s program and we have LeBryan Nash coming. I don’t think the programs are side by side. But if you want to be delusional, knock yourself out.
I think a good bit of the fan enthusiasm for this program has been sucked out of the Lloyd Noble and up I-35 to OKC. The OU program did not pick a good time to be down now that the local market has a legitimate NBA playoff contender to choose.
Hilarious article by a joke news crew.
Scott Drew must really scare Baldwin to merit that much attention, but I guess that’s what happens when you take a player from Okies backyard(Udoh) and advance to the Elite 8.
As VCU and Butler prove, conference is a secondary issue.
I wouldn’t look down my nose at Tech or Iowa State just because you like your state better. It’s not likely that OU will find a coach with a resume better than Gillespie or Hoiberg. Your facilities are trash, your OSU neighbor is on better footing, and you’re staring down the barrel of an NCAA sanction. It’s going to cost you more to bring in some one new than to keep the old guy. Oops, too late!
It’s high time you sucked it up, looked in the mirror, and admitted you just suck.
I never thought Capel could coach.If all sooner fans can remember it took three coaches to get our football program back to where it is and was.
Evidently Steve is late to the BBall party. Dude, it takes one star to zoom up the charts of college basketball and the Pokes have one of the top 2 or 3 Frosh in the USA coming in for next season? He just won the dunk contest at the McD’s All Am fest? Hello? Second issue: who would have thought any OU fans would protest the idea that Texas is a Big 12 (10) Bball power these days? Blasphemy!! Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt as they say. Maybe you nubs should Google up the Horn-Sooner scores from the immediate past season? Just a thought. Finale: Shouldn’t have fired Capel until they had a new guy on board huh? Hallelujah and pass the grits, these guys are deep thinkers. If only Joe C had the benefit of their sage counsel. Lemme see, don’t fire the guy who has his foot on the gas pedal and steering for the proverbial team bus for the landfill until we have a new driver in the seat guys! CLUELESS! Obviously these are football bandwagoners who don’t give a rip about bball anyway. Finally Mike, although your version has legit meaning, I’m pretty sure the phrase you were shooting for was; “At this point IN time!” Not ‘point AND time. Adieu. gophers.
I agree, OU basketball job is a tough sell. If you can’t move up, why fire Coach Capel??
Did you see the game between Marquette and North Carolina. Marquette looked like a high-school team. I realize, North Carolina probably has an all-American at every position and Marquette doesn’t. I thought Marquette looked terrible in that game, I turned the channel.