Marcus: What if struggling Gophers men’s basketball hadn’t lost key players because of NIL?

[BleedGopher]

Per Marcus:

Much of the success and failure of the Gophers men’s basketball program falls on coach Ben Johnson, but one factor that he believes is huge is out of his control: name, image and likeness.

As the Gophers enter Monday’s game at Maryland as the only winless team in Big Ten play, Johnson is left to wonder how much different this season would look if different use of the NCAA’s name, image and likeness (NIL) rules had helped him retain key pieces from last year.

“It is the new recruiting — period,” Johnson said after Sunday’s practice in College Park, Md. “It is the most important single thing that any program can have. If you don’t have it, it’s going to be really, really hard — period. If you have it, you’re going to give yourself a chance.”

“Hopefully with revenue-sharing and potentially some new rules, it can be a little bit even,” Johnson said.

What if Gophers men’s basketball hadn’t lost key players because of NIL?

Minnesota goes into Monday’s game at Maryland still trying to replace those gone because of better “name, image and likeness” opportunities elsewhere.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Spaulding!No!]

I feel bad for Ben Johnson

 

[bga1]

“It is the new recruiting — period,” Johnson said after Sunday’s practice in College Park, Md. “It is the most important single thing that any program can have. If you don’t have it, it’s going to be really, really hard — period. If you have it, you’re going to give yourself a chance.”

“Hopefully with revenue-sharing and potentially some new rules, it can be a little bit even,” Johnson said.

What if Gophers men’s basketball hadn’t lost key players because of NIL?

Minnesota goes into Monday’s game at Maryland still trying to replace those gone because of better “name, image and likeness” opportunities elsewhere.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

Is Coyle going to drink this Kool Aide?

 

[Big Dawg]

OMG! What is it with the Ben apologists? HE IS NOT A GOOD HC! No way to prove it but if you took any of the top 10 coaches in the BIG, handed that coach the Gophers current roster, gave then three weeks of practice, they would come out and go no worse than 7-13 in the BIG. If Ben is the Gophers coach until the end of the season, he will go 0-20, 2-18 at best. He is not a good coach. Should have NEVER been hired. Please stop with the excuses.

 

[DarthGopher]

I feel bad for Ben Johnson

No bad days, please.

 

[DarthGopher]

Per Marcus:

Much of the success and failure of the Gophers men’s basketball program falls on coach Ben Johnson, but one factor that he believes is huge is out of his control: name, image and likeness.

As the Gophers enter Monday’s game at Maryland as the only winless team in Big Ten play, Johnson is left to wonder how much different this season would look if different use of the NCAA’s name, image and likeness (NIL) rules had helped him retain key pieces from last year.

“It is the new recruiting — period,” Johnson said after Sunday’s practice in College Park, Md. “It is the most important single thing that any program can have. If you don’t have it, it’s going to be really, really hard — period. If you have it, you’re going to give yourself a chance.”

“Hopefully with revenue-sharing and potentially some new rules, it can be a little bit even,” Johnson said.

What if Gophers men’s basketball hadn’t lost key players because of NIL?

Minnesota goes into Monday’s game at Maryland still trying to replace those gone because of better “name, image and likeness” opportunities elsewhere.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

Well, there we have it. "It's out of my control." Besides a total lack of head coach experience, he was and remains completely ill-equipped to handle this new landscape.

The Minnesota Three were in a quiet mutiny last year and I'm guessing NIL was not the primary driver. Money becomes a factor when everything else sucks, especially your manager.

 

[60's Guy]

Jeepers creepers, boohoo

 

[howeda7]

Change your best Marcus. The 27th "Poor Ben" story isn't it.

 

[NYtoWItoMN]

Caught a bit of crunch time of Texas Tech on TV the other day... They were up on a ranked team. Hawkins got fouled on a drive, hit his 5/5 and 6/6 fts for the night. Then they showed his10ast/ 0to graphic. Too much to handle in 30 seconds of screen time. Turned it off.

 

[leib0039]

I dont know what's worse the article or the coach. I mean honestly, CBJ is clearly one of if not the single worst coach in D1 and 4 years in Marcus says woe is Ben he has no way to succeed. absolutely 0 accountability.

 

[Rocksoldier]

Per Marcus:

Much of the success and failure of the Gophers men’s basketball program falls on coach Ben Johnson, but one factor that he believes is huge is out of his control: name, image and likeness.

As the Gophers enter Monday’s game at Maryland as the only winless team in Big Ten play, Johnson is left to wonder how much different this season would look if different use of the NCAA’s name, image and likeness (NIL) rules had helped him retain key pieces from last year.

“It is the new recruiting — period,” Johnson said after Sunday’s practice in College Park, Md. “It is the most important single thing that any program can have. If you don’t have it, it’s going to be really, really hard — period. If you have it, you’re going to give yourself a chance.”

“Hopefully with revenue-sharing and potentially some new rules, it can be a little bit even,” Johnson said.

What if Gophers men’s basketball hadn’t lost key players because of NIL?

Minnesota goes into Monday’s game at Maryland still trying to replace those gone because of better “name, image and likeness” opportunities elsewhere.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

What if? lol. Marcus must be bored

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Despite being the worst basketball coach in Gopher history, Ben continues to be treated with kid gloves by the local media.

Every other coach in his position would be getting destroyed.

 

[Off-GridTNgopher]

Despite being the worse basketball coach in Gopher history, Ben continues to be treated with kid gloves by the local media.

Every other coach in his position would be getting destroyed.

That's because mn is a woke ass state... the more I reflect on this situation the more I think Ben may be given 1 more year... and it fkn boggles my mind.... I don't think it's a great chance that happens but I don't think it's 100% that he's gone.....

 

[MNVCGUY]

That's because mn is a woke ass state... the more I reflect on this situation the more I think Ben may be given 1 more year... and it fkn boggles my mind.... I don't think it's a great chance that happens but I don't think it's 100% that he's gone.....

The only way he isn't gone next year is if the team goes through the greatest transition in basketball history and starts winning a bunch of games (not going to happen).

If he had a young roster of promising players who looked poised to breakout a case could be made for giving him another year to see how it goes with the revenue sharing but that is not the case with the current roster which is full of guys who are done after this year.

Johnson has had 3 chances to build the roster and hasn't gotten it done. No way they can give him a 4th shot at it.

He is going to get fired, only question remaining is when will they pull the plug. I was in the camp that was pretty sure it wouldn't happen until after the season but I am less sure about that as the losses pile up. To me the odds of it happening in season are going up by the game.

 

[scools12]

There is absolutely no way Ben Johnson should be given a pass for the current state of the program he was hired to run.

The sooner Johnson is fired the better.

 

[Big Dawg]

The only way he isn't gone next year is if the team goes through the greatest transition in basketball history and starts winning a bunch of games (not going to happen).

If he had a young roster of promising players who looked poised to breakout a case could be made for giving him another year to see how it goes with the revenue sharing but that is not the case with the current roster which is full of guys who are done after this year.

Johnson has had 3 chances to build the roster and hasn't gotten it done. No way they can give him a 4th shot at it.

He is going to get fired, only question remaining is when will they pull the plug. I was in the camp that was pretty sure it wouldn't happen until after the season but I am less sure about that as the losses pile up. To me the odds of it happening in season are going up by the game.

NIL? Distraction. Roster? Distraction. Facilities? Distraction. Bottom line? Ben IS NOT a good coach. I honestly believe you could hand him the 2025 NCAA championship roster, give him a few weeks, replay that teams schedule and with Ben at the helm their record would be worse by at least a few games. NIL, roster and facilities are issues but any top 50 coach in D1 ball would do better than Ben. Absolutely no reason why a BIG team cannot attract a top 50 coach.

 

[goldenboy]

The article Marcus should have written: what if Mark Coyle had some balls and told the woke administration of the U that he would hire a competent coach despite their meddling.

 

[bga1]

Caught a bit of crunch time of Texas Tech on TV the other day... They were up on a ranked team. Hawkins got fouled on a drive, hit his 5/5 and 6/6 fts for the night. Then they showed his10ast/ 0to graphic. Too much to handle in 30 seconds of screen time. Turned it off.

Hawkins was the catalyst that made the team better last year. He wasn't the only one but he was the key. He should have been priority one to get paid. TT has him penetrating and kicking back out and he had guys getting wide open looks...the kind of shots that ups the shooting percentage. He's a player that makes the other players better.

 

[leib0039]

He is going to get fired, only question remaining is when will they pull the plug. I was in the camp that was pretty sure it wouldn't happen until after the season but I am less sure about that as the losses pile up. To me the odds of it happening in season are going up by the game.

Not that we really matter ha but it'd be nice to have clarity on his contract. If, as some have mentioned, his buyout only drops in May, at this point there is no reason to keep him. If it drops when the session ends then I guess I get keeping him.

An actual reporter might get that question answered. MN clearly didn't have those. You have idiots that only complain (Ruesse) and guys like Marcus who's only recourse is to blame the system and say how great CBJ is. This shouldn't be hard local beat guys!

 

[IceBoxGopher]

Despite being the worse basketball coach in Gopher history, Ben continues to be treated with kid gloves by the local media.

Every other coach in his position would be getting destroyed.

Yep, even coaches not in this position. Look at how Twin Cities media treated Jerry Kill, PJ Fleck and Richard Pitino, Vs. Ben Johnson, it's night and day.

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

The Minnesota Three were in a quiet mutiny last year and I'm guessing NIL was not the primary driver.

My guess is that money was the primary driver for Payne but not the other two.

 

[Off-GridTNgopher]

The only way he isn't gone next year is if the team goes through the greatest transition in basketball history and starts winning a bunch of games (not going to happen).

If he had a young roster of promising players who looked poised to breakout a case could be made for giving him another year to see how it goes with the revenue sharing but that is not the case with the current roster which is full of guys who are done after this year.

Johnson has had 3 chances to build the roster and hasn't gotten it done. No way they can give him a 4th shot at it.

He is going to get fired, only question remaining is when will they pull the plug. I was in the camp that was pretty sure it wouldn't happen until after the season but I am less sure about that as the losses pile up. To me the odds of it happening in season are going up by the game.

I really hope your right. But the longer this draws out the more I wonder... the u of m is a strange beast.... and I could just see them saying 4 years isn't enough to see what he can do... I don't agree with that logic... but... well...

 

[MNVCGUY]

I really hope your right. But the longer this draws out the more I wonder... the u of m is a strange beast.... and I could just see them saying 4 years isn't enough to see what he can do... I don't agree with that logic... but... well...

I get that it feels like an eternity for fans and after every loss a fresh burst of anger happens and it feels like nothing is ever going to change.

But look around the country, we all know there are going to be a ton of coaching changes after the season but those coaches are still employed currently and will be until the end of the season. In season firings are not the norm in college athletics.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Not that we really matter ha but it'd be nice to have clarity on his contract. If, as some have mentioned, his buyout only drops in May, at this point there is no reason to keep him. If it drops when the session ends then I guess I get keeping him.

An actual reporter might get that question answered. MN clearly didn't have those. You have idiots that only complain (Ruesse) and guys like Marcus who's only recourse is to blame the system and say how great CBJ is. This shouldn't be hard local beat guys!

Pretty sure it has been confirmed that nothing happens with the buyout until May.

I truly believe that if there was an assistant on the roster who was a possible long term solution then Ben would be gone already. But since that assistant isn't on the roster they are just following the typical procedure and waiting until after the season when most teams fire their coaches.

 

[RogueGopher]

Revenue sharing? With what revenue? We don't even have enough to hire a legit coach

 

[BarnBurner]

Revenue sharing? With what revenue? We don't even have enough to hire a legit coach

Wrong.

 

[Strongazzoffer]

He's not wrong, but as the saying goes it's not my fault but it's my problem applies to this situation, and we have failed miserably the last four years at solving the problem.
Best case scenario, Ben would have had a nice rotation of Hawkins, Mitchell, Christie, Garcia, Payne with Asuama, Fox, and Carrington coming off the bench. Probably still would have added Frank Mitchell and Caleb Williams. Mitchell was pretty early on in the off season and Williams was always coming to grad transfer after his performance vs us in the exhibition last year. Betts is probably in the same deep bench role and Grove would still be red shirting. We probably don't add Lu'Cye, Femi or Edmonds and I think as ring leader of un happy players JOJ was never coming back, probably should have let him walk back in January when those issues first leaked out. Cochran became available late so I'm guessing we take a flyer on the MAC DPOY with our 13th spot regardless.
Ultimately Ben has failed to make the NCAA tournament in his four years, and has failed to put a competitive team on the court for three of the years. The record speaks for itself, he was not cut out to lead in this era of college athletics and Coyle should have seen the direction the sport on college sports in general we're going. This experiment might have worked ten years ago but the next hire needs to be a name that will drive up donations.

Will Wade is the way!

 

[Dave H]

OMG! What is it with the Ben apologists? HE IS NOT A GOOD HC! No way to prove it but if you took any of the top 10 coaches in the BIG, handed that coach the Gophers current roster, gave then three weeks of practice, they would come out and go no worse than 7-13 in the BIG. If Ben is the Gophers coach until the end of the season, he will go 0-20, 2-18 at best. He is not a good coach. Should have NEVER been hired. Please stop with the excuses.

Who are you yelling at? You know none of us wrote the article right?

 

[Dave H]

I really hope your right. But the longer this draws out the more I wonder... the u of m is a strange beast.... and I could just see them saying 4 years isn't enough to see what he can do... I don't agree with that logic... but... well...

I think you are overthinking it. They don't want to fire during the season for whatever reason (probably due to not having a decent interim coach to fill in) but that has nothing to do with what is coming next. He is not going to be the coach next year no matter how nice of a person he is.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

That's because mn is a woke ass state... the more I reflect on this situation the more I think Ben may be given 1 more year... and it fkn boggles my mind.... I don't think it's a great chance that happens but I don't think it's 100% that he's gone.....

It’s 100%, he will be gone.