Ben Johnson is a Disaster

Minnesota is not a good recruiting school. Almost no coach would take the job.

This feels a lot like what the young folks like to refer to as "moving the goalposts"....

Is this staff operating under some kind of rules that they were not aware of or rules that have changed since they took the job? They knew exactly what they were walking into, no excuses.

I want to see how this group can coach; do they get better during the season, from November to March. That's coaching. We didn't see that last year, not close. Will we see it this year? Time will tell, I'm a patient person.

I'm not advocating for a change, far from it. But if you can post on this board that there isn't any reason for concern, you're a fool and a fraud and you haven't been paying attention.
 

Obviously they are aware of the fan frustration. Let's see what Johnson can do with elite center Evans and what Johnson can do for the roster -- plus coaching adjustments next year. Let it ride a couple years. They'll get it fixed.

NFL Bill Bilichek was fired from the Jets. Fans in NY hated him and ran him out of town. Then came many Super Bowls in New England...

"Johnson, who graduated from Minnesota in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, returns to his alma mater after spending three seasons at Xavier as an assistant coach. Johnson previously served as an assistant coach at Minnesota from 2013-18 and was a two-time captain during his playing career for the Gophers.

Johnson helped lead Xavier to consecutive top-30 recruiting classes in 2019 and 2020 and the Musketeers posted a collective record of 51-37 in three seasons with him on the bench. In his previous stint at Minnesota, Johnson helped recruit local standouts and current NBA athletes in Daniel Oturu and Amir Coffey to the Gophers. Johnson was instrumental in recruiting and developing Jordan Murphy, who finished his career atop the Gopher record books in rebounds (1,307), free throws made (460), free throws attempted (698) and second in scoring (1,802 points).

Prior to returning to Minnesota in 2013, he spent one season as an assistant coach under Tim Miles at the University of Nebraska. While with the Huskers, Johnson assisted in all-day-to-day basketball-related duties while also serving as recruiting coordinator. Johnson also led the development of Nebraska’s backcourt players.

Johnson spent 2008-12 as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa. The Panthers went a combined 93-77 in that timeframe, winning at least 20 games in all four years. Northern Iowa reached postseason play in all four years and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2009-10. That year, UNI won a school-record 30 games and upset top-seeded Kansas in the second round. During his tenure at UNI, the Panthers boasted three first-team All-MVC selections, including 2010 Missouri Valley Conference MVP Adam Koch in 2010. Four players were named to the MVC All-Freshmen or All-Newcomer teams, including a pair in 2011-12.

Prior to his stay at Northern Iowa, Johnson served as an assistant coach for two seasons at the University of Texas-Pan American. He was heavily involved in recruiting, worked with the Broncos perimeter players and coordinated UTPA’s summer camps.

Johnson’s coaching career began at the University of Dayton, where he served as a graduate assistant during the 2005-06 season.

Johnson started his collegiate playing career at Northwestern and played two seasons before returning to the Twin Cities to finish his career. He finished with 533 points in 59 games in Maroon and Gold and scored a total of 1,202 career points between the two Big Ten Conference institutions.

The Minneapolis native enjoyed a standout prep career, leading DeLaSalle High School to a pair of state championships. He was a two-time first-team all-state selection in both football and basketball, and as a senior, was named a Street & Smith All-American, as well as an honorable mention Nike All-American.

He was listed as the 60th-best basketball player in the country by Bob Gibbons in his senior season, totaling more than 2,200 points during his high school career. Johnson also was listed on Tom Lemming’s High School Football All-American list as a top-20 national recruit and was a two-time all-state performer on the gridiron."
 

I disagree. The end of the Pitino days and the subsequent departures of almost everyone on the team left us in a horrible situation. A total rebuild. Yet, last year we won games, played competitively until the end of the season, overachieved, played with passion and purpose, maximized our limited abilities, and made me proud! This year? We have far more talent yet don't/can't compete, have no rhythm, play weak defense, have no definable style of play, and get outplayed and outhustled every night. That, to me, is not a step in the right direction
You discount experience. I do not.
The learning curve is steep for young 18 year olds when they are playing against teams with men who have learned to play college basketball. The kids will get there, but you have to give them time.
 





Many people have no clue what decisions Coach Johnson has made. They simply can't stand the process. Like little children, they want their reward instantly.

Not recruiting competent guards has nothing to do with ‘the process’. Not being close to competitive with teams in the top 100 has nothing to do with the process.

There would be far fewer complaints if they were losing competitive games, but they’re not even close. This isn’t a ‘process’ issue.
 

35 plus seasons of support is not impatience, no matter how many times you repeat it.
Ok answer this. Are you happy that our administration ran Clem Haskins, Royce White, and Reggie Lynch out of town?
 

Not recruiting competent guards has nothing to do with ‘the process’. Not being close to competitive with teams in the top 100 has nothing to do with the process.

There would be far fewer complaints if they were losing competitive games, but they’re not even close. This isn’t a ‘process’ issue.
Ben's first recruits are still freshmen. And Christie seems like a good recruit.

But yes, we might need a transfer PG in a couple years once we have a base in place.
 




Ok answer this. Are you happy that our administration ran Clem Haskins, Royce White, and Reggie Lynch out of town?
No. Been saying the leadership at Mn is the biggest issue. Been saying it for decades.
 





This season will be uncomfortable. Maybe painful to watch.

The chips are on the table for Coach Johnson to fix this thing over the next THREE years.

I empathize with how exhausting it is. I mean they barely beat Chicago State.

You'll know it's safe to remove your seat belt when we see strong point guard play. Until then, stay buckled and have a beverage. We will land safely when it's time.

We are not changing pilots. THREE YEARS. Suck it up.
 

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This season will be uncomfortable. Maybe painful to watch.

The chips are on the table for Coach Johnson to fix this thing over the next THREE years.

I empathize with how exhausting it is. I mean they barely beat Chicago State.

You'll know it's safe to remove your seat belt when we see strong point guard play. Until then, stay buckled and have a beverage. We will land safely when it's time.

We are not changing pilots. THREE YEARS. Suck it up.
Just trying to sort out where you stand, and not in a negative way…

When this/any hire is made, are you suggesting you give the coach five years with no regard to performance? IMO the standard for an unsuccessful-average team is probably about 4 years, so long as there is something on the court and/or roster construction that gives the fans/admin to sustained hope.
 

Obviously they are aware of the fan frustration. Let's see what Johnson can do with elite center Evans and what Johnson can do for the roster -- plus coaching adjustments next year. Let it ride a couple years. They'll get it fixed.

NFL Bill Bilichek was fired from the Jets. Fans in NY hated him and ran him out of town. Then came many Super Bowls in New England...

"Johnson, who graduated from Minnesota in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, returns to his alma mater after spending three seasons at Xavier as an assistant coach. Johnson previously served as an assistant coach at Minnesota from 2013-18 and was a two-time captain during his playing career for the Gophers.

Johnson helped lead Xavier to consecutive top-30 recruiting classes in 2019 and 2020 and the Musketeers posted a collective record of 51-37 in three seasons with him on the bench. In his previous stint at Minnesota, Johnson helped recruit local standouts and current NBA athletes in Daniel Oturu and Amir Coffey to the Gophers. Johnson was instrumental in recruiting and developing Jordan Murphy, who finished his career atop the Gopher record books in rebounds (1,307), free throws made (460), free throws attempted (698) and second in scoring (1,802 points).

Prior to returning to Minnesota in 2013, he spent one season as an assistant coach under Tim Miles at the University of Nebraska. While with the Huskers, Johnson assisted in all-day-to-day basketball-related duties while also serving as recruiting coordinator. Johnson also led the development of Nebraska’s backcourt players.

Johnson spent 2008-12 as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa. The Panthers went a combined 93-77 in that timeframe, winning at least 20 games in all four years. Northern Iowa reached postseason play in all four years and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2009-10. That year, UNI won a school-record 30 games and upset top-seeded Kansas in the second round. During his tenure at UNI, the Panthers boasted three first-team All-MVC selections, including 2010 Missouri Valley Conference MVP Adam Koch in 2010. Four players were named to the MVC All-Freshmen or All-Newcomer teams, including a pair in 2011-12.

Prior to his stay at Northern Iowa, Johnson served as an assistant coach for two seasons at the University of Texas-Pan American. He was heavily involved in recruiting, worked with the Broncos perimeter players and coordinated UTPA’s summer camps.

Johnson’s coaching career began at the University of Dayton, where he served as a graduate assistant during the 2005-06 season.

Johnson started his collegiate playing career at Northwestern and played two seasons before returning to the Twin Cities to finish his career. He finished with 533 points in 59 games in Maroon and Gold and scored a total of 1,202 career points between the two Big Ten Conference institutions.

The Minneapolis native enjoyed a standout prep career, leading DeLaSalle High School to a pair of state championships. He was a two-time first-team all-state selection in both football and basketball, and as a senior, was named a Street & Smith All-American, as well as an honorable mention Nike All-American.

He was listed as the 60th-best basketball player in the country by Bob Gibbons in his senior season, totaling more than 2,200 points during his high school career. Johnson also was listed on Tom Lemming’s High School Football All-American list as a top-20 national recruit and was a two-time all-state performer on the gridiron."
A) Xavier sucked when he was there and the fact that they brought in two top 30 classes is actually a cause of concern…what happened to those players/ did they not improve/were they dramatically overrated as recruits… 51-37 is not good for 3 years at Xavier.

B) in regards to Bilichek: lots not compare Ben Johnson to arguable the greatest coach in NFL history…just stop. If you make this comparison where does it stop? You could literally compare every coach fired to Bilichek using this logic.
 


Pitino recruited our only high school recruit, Thompson. Ben brought in some last-minute transfers.
What would have been preferable is if he took those scholarships he left open and took a flyer on a couple of point guards who could learn the system, that way by the time his more prized recruits had a year under their belts, he might have had a dependable role player. Maybe it wouldn’t work out, but we’d be in the same boat as we are now.

Ultimately, CBJ got next to nothing out of year 0 based on how he went about recruiting. Although I guess he got another year on the leash from people who ignore that year 0 ever happened.
 
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A) Xavier sucked when he was there and the fact that they brought in two top 30 classes is actually a cause of concern…what happened to those players/ did they not improve/were they dramatically overrated as recruits… 51-37 is not good for 3 years at Xavier.

B) in regards to Bilichek: lots not compare Ben Johnson to arguable the greatest coach in NFL history…just stop. If you make this comparison where does it stop? You could literally compare every coach fired to Bilichek using this logic.


Things are bad but people are missing the where the problem is.

An elite center will arrive next season.

Then the key piece is a good point guard. I think some misunderstand how important a good point guard is. The point guard is the most important position, believe it or not, because the point guard makes everyone else better.

A great point guard is an unselfish player that assists, passes, reads defenses and makes everyone better. It's the most intelligent position. It affects everything.

Great point guards are underappreciated because their payoff is seen in the play of others.

Assists. Smart play. The team glue.

Buckle up. Have a beverage. You'll know it's safe to unbuckle when we see very good point guard play.

The elite center will be here next year.

Johnson needs time to assemble the pieces. The money is tied up and what's most important is getting the talent.

 

I am looking at the roster and see a 5th year player and 14 players on the roster. Someone said they have no open roster spots this next offseason which cannot be true. They need one transfer portal player then and it should be much better.

Does Battle get a fifth year? They can put it together by then.

So let's say Johnson gets graded harshly this season. Next year is a new year.

And he gets an A for getting center Evans. The biggest battle is recruiting. So Johnson survives to show that he can get one more piece.

We can argue if Evans would be with Minnesota anyway.

The biggest struggle is to get players here. The other stuff matters but getting players in trumps that.

Totally agree that Evans has the potential to win us a lot of games, but I think you are underappreciating the fact that CBJ will still be up against hall of fame coaches with just as much or more talent. IMO Pitino had more than enough high end talent his last few years, but got outcoached in games and did not coach up his bench players adequately.
 

35 plus seasons of support is not impatience, no matter how many times you repeat it.
No, but it is impatience as it pertains to this coach. Your anger should be more directed at the AD’s who have hired the coaches over the years or the administration. I would have liked to see someone with more experience hired but that’s not what we got. Now I’m watching Ben and hoping we get there. I’m willing to give him a few years . Last year was somewhat an anomaly in my book. I’m going to sit back and watch the year and see what happens. I can be patient, I’ve been watching for longer than you have. It’s going to be a tough year. My wish is that he manages to get a true point guard out of the portal with 2 years available to come in next year. If he manages that, I think they can get to the tourney next year. If you are going to be angry after every loss you are probably going to have a long winter .
 


No, but it is impatience as it pertains to this coach. Your anger should be more directed at the AD’s who have hired the coaches over the years or the administration. I would have liked to see someone with more experience hired but that’s not what we got. Now I’m watching Ben and hoping we get there. I’m willing to give him a few years . Last year was somewhat an anomaly in my book. I’m going to sit back and watch the year and see what happens. I can be patient, I’ve been watching for longer than you have. It’s going to be a tough year. My wish is that he manages to get a true point guard out of the portal with 2 years available to come in next year. If he manages that, I think they can get to the tourney next year. If you are going to be angry after every loss you are probably going to have a long winter .
Well said.
 

Not recruiting competent guards has nothing to do with ‘the process’. Not being close to competitive with teams in the top 100 has nothing to do with the process.

There would be far fewer complaints if they were losing competitive games, but they’re not even close. This isn’t a ‘process’ issue.
Sure it is.
Yes, it would be nice to have an elite point guard, but Ben didn't get one. He got two guards from the portal that aren't quick. It is what it is.
The process still remains that we have a steep learning curve for the core of this team.
 

Obviously they are aware of the fan frustration. Let's see what Johnson can do with elite center Evans and what Johnson can do for the roster -- plus coaching adjustments next year. Let it ride a couple years. They'll get it fixed.

NFL Bill Bilichek was fired from the Jets. Fans in NY hated him and ran him out of town. Then came many Super Bowls in New England...

"Johnson, who graduated from Minnesota in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, returns to his alma mater after spending three seasons at Xavier as an assistant coach. Johnson previously served as an assistant coach at Minnesota from 2013-18 and was a two-time captain during his playing career for the Gophers.

Johnson helped lead Xavier to consecutive top-30 recruiting classes in 2019 and 2020 and the Musketeers posted a collective record of 51-37 in three seasons with him on the bench. In his previous stint at Minnesota, Johnson helped recruit local standouts and current NBA athletes in Daniel Oturu and Amir Coffey to the Gophers. Johnson was instrumental in recruiting and developing Jordan Murphy, who finished his career atop the Gopher record books in rebounds (1,307), free throws made (460), free throws attempted (698) and second in scoring (1,802 points).

Prior to returning to Minnesota in 2013, he spent one season as an assistant coach under Tim Miles at the University of Nebraska. While with the Huskers, Johnson assisted in all-day-to-day basketball-related duties while also serving as recruiting coordinator. Johnson also led the development of Nebraska’s backcourt players.

Johnson spent 2008-12 as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa. The Panthers went a combined 93-77 in that timeframe, winning at least 20 games in all four years. Northern Iowa reached postseason play in all four years and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2009-10. That year, UNI won a school-record 30 games and upset top-seeded Kansas in the second round. During his tenure at UNI, the Panthers boasted three first-team All-MVC selections, including 2010 Missouri Valley Conference MVP Adam Koch in 2010. Four players were named to the MVC All-Freshmen or All-Newcomer teams, including a pair in 2011-12.

Prior to his stay at Northern Iowa, Johnson served as an assistant coach for two seasons at the University of Texas-Pan American. He was heavily involved in recruiting, worked with the Broncos perimeter players and coordinated UTPA’s summer camps.

Johnson’s coaching career began at the University of Dayton, where he served as a graduate assistant during the 2005-06 season.

Johnson started his collegiate playing career at Northwestern and played two seasons before returning to the Twin Cities to finish his career. He finished with 533 points in 59 games in Maroon and Gold and scored a total of 1,202 career points between the two Big Ten Conference institutions.

The Minneapolis native enjoyed a standout prep career, leading DeLaSalle High School to a pair of state championships. He was a two-time first-team all-state selection in both football and basketball, and as a senior, was named a Street & Smith All-American, as well as an honorable mention Nike All-American.

He was listed as the 60th-best basketball player in the country by Bob Gibbons in his senior season, totaling more than 2,200 points during his high school career. Johnson also was listed on Tom Lemming’s High School Football All-American list as a top-20 national recruit and was a two-time all-state performer on the gridiron."
Bill Belichick was never fired by the New York Jets. They didn't run him out of town. He was coach for about a day and resigned before taking the New England job.

Cleveland fired him after five seasons and one playoff appearance. In hindsight, probably a mistake but not knee jerk and very understandable at the time. He went back to working with Parcells for another 5 years. That probably helpes him succeed the second time around. Belichick learned under Parcells. Ben learned under Richard Pitino and Travis Steele. Not quite the same.

If you're going to make the absurd comparison of Ben Johnson to the greatest football coach of all time, at least get your facts straight.
 

Not recruiting competent guards has nothing to do with ‘the process’. Not being close to competitive with teams in the top 100 has nothing to do with the process.

There would be far fewer complaints if they were losing competitive games, but they’re not even close. This isn’t a ‘process’ issue.
We’ve recruited tons of guards. He didn’t land them (Pierre, Ziggler, Holloman, Robison to an extent for example). That’s where the fair argument/criticism is. Stop saying he didn’t recruit them. That’s not fair nor true.
Respond all you want and disagree, I’ll go back to not posting and barely being able to follow a message board/discussion I used to enjoy.
 

When this/any hire is made, are you suggesting you give the coach five years with no regard to performance? IMO the standard for an unsuccessful-average team is probably about 4 years, so long as there is something on the court and/or roster construction that gives the fans/admin to sustained hope.
No, we don't have to blindly wait 4-5 years. We can judge the progress of our 4 freshmen...see how they're playing toward the end of the year. And we can judge our 3 recruits on their ranking/potential.
 

So for the "how dare you critique Ben, he has 5 years before we can judge him" crew. Is there any actual concrete things you could see that would change that opinion (obviously short of a scandal which none of us anticipate). I see a lot of "well the freshman will improve". Ok is there a target minutes, points, etc we are looking for or are we all simply supposed to trust the small handful of you with what "progress" is. Pretty easy to never admit you are wrong when there is no actual target. The next point I will say, that same group just says "Evans...Evans..
EVANS!". Sure he's a great prospect but those same people say FR suck just expect it, so by that logic Evans should be almost nothing next year? Finally, I hear we are just a PG away. Ok sure, but this year Ben seemingly said, well I won't bring in any competition for Cooper. What makes anyone think that would change for next year? After giving Cooper all the power do you expect him to go, hey bud just FYI we are bringing in a PG and you are going to the 2nd unit? Yah right...
 

Off tangent here, what’s Belichick’s record without Tom Brady?

Not an exact comparison, I know, but Ben needs to get some “dudes” like Brady to elevate the program. Hopefully Payne, Evans & Christie become three of those “dudes” and more follow, including a long-term stud PG and a couple snipers.

And if/when we get these “dudes”, as others have pointed out, coach them up. Izzo, Painter, Gard, etc., aren’t going anywhere soon (as far as we know). It’s not just a matter of acquiring talent, it’s about moving up the Big Ten ladder. We have not done that. We’re still holding company with Nebraska, Northwestern, etc., and are regular Weakling Wednesday participants. First step is getting away from that nonsense.
 
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Off tangent here, what’s Belichick’s record without Tom Brady?

Not an exact comparison, I know, but Ben needs to get some “dudes” like Brady to elevate the program. Hopefully Payne, Evans & Christie become three of those “dudes” and more follow, including a long-term stud PG and a couple snipers.

And if/when we get these “dudes”, as others have pointed out, coach them up. Izzo, Painter, Gard, etc., aren’t going anywhere soon (as far as we know). It’s not just a matter of acquiring talent, it’s about moving up the Big Ten ladder. We have not done that. We’re still holding company with Nebraska, Northwestern, etc., and are regular Weakling Wednesday participants. First step is getting away from that nonsense.
Thought experiment - give Izzo/Painter/Gard the current roster of Gophers. Do they play better offense and defense? They may or may not win games, but my guess is that you would see better underlying metrics.
 




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