Greder: If #Gophers don't bounce back, Mark Coyle will have hard questions to answer on future with Ben Johnson.




If the Gophers "don't bounce back," I don't see hard questions regarding the coach's future. Probably one of the easier decisions as these types of decisions go.
Yeah I don't get that headline at all. If the team doesn't bounce back the decision is an easy one to let Johnson go. Bring in a new coach and let him start fresh under the new revenue sharing agreement with essentially a brand new roster.

It might be a little more complicated if there was a roster of players coming back next year but it will essentially be a brand new team next year anyway.

Coyle gave Johnson the chance to build on last season.....it doesn't look like he is going to be able to do it so really don't need any additional justification as to why it is time to make a change after 4 years. And I can't really see him getting any major pushback if he does fire Johnson at some point this season.

I can however see him getting a lot of pushback if the team has another crappy season and he doesn't make a coaching change.
 



I can however see him getting a lot of pushback if the team has another crappy season and he doesn't make a coaching change.

Agreed. You know he's in bad shape when even the two of us say the decision is a no brainer under those circumstances.
 







without reading the article (behind the PP paywall) - it is possible that the "hard questions" go beyond whether to fire the coach.

Is "fire the coach" enough to solve the problem(s), or are there other steps that need to be taken?
and does Coyle have the backbone to ask the hard questions and make tough decisions?

as we have discussed on this board, the AD needs to take a really hard look at the entire program from top to bottom and ask himself, "how did we get here?"

(cue the Talking Heads)

And you may ask yourself, "Am I right, am I wrong?"
And you may say to yourself, "My God, what have I done?"

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was (I couldn't get no rest)
Same as it ever was, hey let's all twist our thumbs
 







LOL.

There is no scenario in which Johnson continues as coach.
Even if every other collegiate team forfeits the remainder of their games and refuses to play in March Madness?
 


Coyle should have to answer hard questions about why he hired Ben Johnson. And why he brought him back after two historically bad seasons. And why we brought him back for a fourth season with a career 25% winning percentage.
He didn’t hire him, the Star Tribune did. This is Souhans hire
 




I know....I mean I may have to give up my spot as president of the Ben Johnson fan club after a comment like that.....
President of the CBJ Protection Detail. Pay attention.
 


Coyle should have to answer hard questions about why he hired Ben Johnson. And why he brought him back after two historically bad seasons. And why we brought him back for a fourth season with a career 25% winning percentage.
I'm old enough to remember Maturi saying about the Brewster hire that, if it didn't work out, it was Maturi's neck on the line. Well, no necks were harmed in the making of this picture, and the media was way harder on Brewster than they ever were on the guy who was really responsible. Joel came out just fine, unfortunately, without accountability or a bunch of questions being asked after the fact. He even got a competition space named for him!
 


Not sure there are any hard questions on this. Ironically we're at the point where the questions only get hard if the team actually shows some life. We lack ideal size, speed, can't shoot threes or free throws, we turn the ball over too much so if we throw in bad defensive effort what else is left?
 


without reading the article (behind the PP paywall) - it is possible that the "hard questions" go beyond whether to fire the coach.

Is "fire the coach" enough to solve the problem(s), or are there other steps that need to be taken?
and does Coyle have the backbone to ask the hard questions and make tough decisions?

as we have discussed on this board, the AD needs to take a really hard look at the entire program from top to bottom and ask himself, "how did we get here?"

(cue the Talking Heads)

And you may ask yourself, "Am I right, am I wrong?"
And you may say to yourself, "My God, what have I done?"

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was (I couldn't get no rest)
Same as it ever was, hey let's all twist our thumbs
With apologies to Bette Midler & Kris Kristopherson (sp?): “Down & Out in Williams Arena” (even the right number of syllables).
 

You would think one of the local sports columnists/commentators would mention the struggle of the men’s gopher basketball team under head coach Ben Johnson within the past 4 years. I don’t get it.
 

I normally don't believe it serves a purpose to fire a college coach mid season but I can easily see this team being 0-10 in the Big Ten by the end of January. If that's the case I think it's best for all parties not to let Ben to finish out the season.
 




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