Poll: Should Mark Coyle give Ben Johnson a 5th year?

[BarnBurner]

The team faltered this year because of NIL dollars to entice Hawkins and Payne to leave. Had they stayed this would be an NCAA tournament team. Johnson wasn’t able to replace them with equal talent. My guess is he gets another year because the $2.9 million buyout is too high to absorb. We’ll know soon enough.

Lost 5 of last 6 last year with them.

 

[SomeGopherFan]

Somehow the Twitter poll is only 60-40. It's amazing.

...fans of opposing conference teams weighing in...?

 

[Spottedmuskie]

Tom Izzo votes.... YES!

 

[Go4]

The Gophers weren't an NCAA with Hawkins and Payne last year. Also, if they stayed probably 2 less components that they would have gotten incoming via the Portal.

+o4, people never realize this.

 

[SomeGopherFan]

I voted No, based both on what the four years have been, and a high likelihood we will be in similar position at this time next year.

 

[USAF]

11 "yes" votes.

Not one of 'em with the courage to own up to it

 

[SamSquatch]

I don’t follow the BBall side as much as some others on this board but certainly enough to have an opinion here. And Johnson absolutely needs to go. He was a stretch hire when it happened and it turns out he was a bad hire. This dude sucks.

 

[howeda7]

11 "yes" votes.

Not one of 'em with the courage to own up to it

Marcus and Lavelle burner accounts.

 

[formerlybis]

The question is whether MARK COYLE should give him the 5th year, not whether anyone on this board would do it, and so I reluctantly voted yes. That's where I think he's going, with the narrative being that he hasn't been given a fair shot up to this point resources-wise, but now they're going to make the investment (already stated that last part publicly). If they win at Rutgers, he'll have finished the year 8-6 with what everybody thinks is a poor roster.

It's defensible. I don't agree with that decision, but I am not the AD who has to play the financial cards on the table.

 

[bga1]

Even under your first scenario, what do you really lose?

The next 4 years is what you lose. When you hire a new guy- you are in for a minimum of 4. Gotta get it right.

Are you worried about the buy-out dollars?

No. I am worried about going small again.

I've heard the argument the grass isn't always greener if you make a change.

It isn't. You have to make the right change.

The problem with that mentality is the grass doesn't get much browner than it is right now.

True.

Fan apathy is at an all time low. If exceeding expectations in year four of your regime is to make the B1G tourney with a senior laden line-up and arguably the best player to come through here in awhile, doesn't that say all you really need to know?

The talent other than Garcia is bad.

I've thought for awhile that NIL (or lack thereof) would be his life preserver to keep him around for another year. But how many years without an NCAA tourney berth is acceptable? Five? Six? One appearance in six years?

The real truth is that they should never have hired him. I just don't want a repeat. I want to go big.

 

[Bobek]

totally agree with you

The word on Crean is he is a good recruiter and a bad in game coach. Not sure if there is validity, but the first step is recruiting good players. If you don’t have good players it makes little difference how good a coach you are.

 

[bga1]

The word on Crean is he is a good recruiter and a bad in game coach. Not sure if there is validity, but the first step is recruiting good players. If you don’t have good players it makes little difference how good a coach you are.

You don't hire the guy who failed at Indiana where you start out on third base.

 

[GopherGuy82]

The question is whether MARK COYLE should give him the 5th year, not whether anyone on this board would do it, and so I reluctantly voted yes. That's where I think he's going, with the narrative being that he hasn't been given a fair shot up to this point resources-wise, but now they're going to make the investment (already stated that last part publicly). If they win at Rutgers, he'll have finished the year 8-6 with what everybody thinks is a poor roster.

It's defensible. I don't agree with that decision, but I am not the AD who has to play the financial cards on the table.

It's Ben's roster. If the talent is lacking that's on Ben. It is his job to get the best players possible. People can scream NIL all they want but there is another layer of player evaluation there that is off. Finding the right coach is a science and so is finding the right players. Backing up the Brinks truck guarantees nothing. It should help but it doesn't mean that someone who doesn't have it will figure it out. The Big Ten is down big time this year. A slightly above average team could trip and fall into a winning conference record and we couldn't do it.

 

[nitramnaed]

Nope. I wanted Ben Johnson to succeed but he has had 4 years without any progress.

Trent Tucker said on KFAN that Tom Crean would be interested in the Minnesota Gophers Basketball Head Coach job if it is open. Now that’s a real coach with experience that this program needs.

No Tom Crean.
No Tom Crean.
No No No No No No!

 

[howeda7]

Tom Crean should not even be in the top 20 of any list. Pass.

 

[Gopher Teeth]

Somehow the Twitter poll is only 60-40. It's amazing.

Masochists society all voted

 

[Ewert86PC]

A fifth year-zero is malpractice, at the very least.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

My old boss was an IU grad and he was ‘in’ on bball at IU and Tom Crean and when folks get to know Tom they love Tom. Blownaway2.0

 

[Arealgopherfan]

Just reminder of how people voted last December in the poll on how many Big Ten conference victories the team would have.

I fully expect that many will say their vote reflected on how the non-conference was going. Fair enough based on what you saw.

But what you didn't see was the future potential of this team. Once the team learned to play to their strengths and as a cohesive unit, they went on to win far more games than 85% predicted.

What made the turnaround possible? Good coaching. Johnson and his staff developed the players potential and got them to play together.

And that is why I'm voting to keep Ben Johnson. I want to see what he can do, if indeed, it comes to pass that the U is going to commit additional $$$ to be competitive in the player market.

 

[LesBolstad]

Not sure what would be worse- BJ back or Tom Crean
I guess Crean slightly less worse?

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

Just reminder of how people voted last December in the poll on how many Big Ten conference victories the team would have.

I fully expect that many will say their vote reflected on how the non-conference was going. Fair enough based on what you saw.

But what you didn't see was the future potential of this team. Once the team learned to play to their strengths and as a cohesive unit, they went on to win far more games than 85% predicted.

What made the turnaround possible? Good coaching. Johnson and his staff developed the players potential and got them to play together.

And that why I'm voting to keep Ben Johnson. I want to see what he can do, if indeed, it comes to pass that the U is going to commit additional $$$ to be competitive in the player market.

And since you joined the board Feb. 16, you voted... Oh. You didn't. Because it was created 2+ months before you became a member. Surely such a a CBJ fan would've been here supporting him the last 3+ years?

I voted 4-5. They're at 7 with 1 to go. They exceeded my expectations by 2 games (maybe 3 depending on how it goes at Rutgers). That, plus the results of the last 3 years, are not enough to keep him next year. Just my opinion, as you have yours.

 

[Arealgopherfan]

And since you joined the board Feb. 16, you voted... Oh. You didn't. Because it was created 2+ months before you became a member. Surely such a a CBJ fan would've been here supporting him the last 3+ years?

I voted 4-5. They're at 7 with 1 to go. They exceeded my expectations by 2 games (maybe 3 depending on how it goes at Rutgers). That, plus the results of the last 3 years, are not enough to keep him next year. Just my opinion, as you have yours.

No reason to get testy. I'm just explaining my vote.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

Just reminder of how people voted last December in the poll on how many Big Ten conference victories the team would have.

I fully expect that many will say their vote reflected on how the non-conference was going. Fair enough based on what you saw.

But what you didn't see was the future potential of this team. Once the team learned to play to their strengths and as a cohesive unit, they went on to win far more games than 85% predicted.

What made the turnaround possible? Good coaching. Johnson and his staff developed the players potential and got them to play together.

And that why I'm voting to keep Ben Johnson. I want to see what he can do, if indeed, it comes to pass that the U is going to commit additional $$$ to be competitive in the player market.

Spaulding a lone vote. I think I said 12

 

[Off-GridTNgopher]

It really doesn't matter if Ben gets more money to throw at recruits. There is nothing about the state of this program you can sell to any decent recruit. Maybe "you won't get tired cuz we're gunna sit you in the corner and you can stay there while some other schmuck just dribbles until the shot clock goes to 3 and just throws up a desperation shot"... everything about the past 4 years has been shit. It's time to move on

 

[BarnBurner]

I believe I predicted 6 conf wins. Exceeded my prediction.

 

[CentralGopher]

Just reminder of how people voted last December in the poll on how many Big Ten conference victories the team would have.

I fully expect that many will say their vote reflected on how the non-conference was going. Fair enough based on what you saw.

But what you didn't see was the future potential of this team. Once the team learned to play to their strengths and as a cohesive unit, they went on to win far more games than 85% predicted.

What made the turnaround possible? Good coaching. Johnson and his staff developed the players potential and got them to play together.

And that why I'm voting to keep Ben Johnson. I want to see what he can do, if indeed, it comes to pass that the U is going to commit additional $$$ to be competitive in the player market.

Who gives a crap? Just because he is a few games better than gopherhole posters complete guesses when they had no idea how a bunch of mid major players that never played together before doesn’t mean he is a good coach or met expectations. He has failed in every way.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

It really doesn't matter if Ben gets more money to throw at recruits. There is nothing about the state of this program you can sell to any decent recruit. Maybe "you won't get tired cuz we're gunna sit you in the corner and you can stay there while some other schmuck just dribbles until the shot clock goes to 3 and just throws up a desperation shot"... everything about the past 4 years has been shit. It's time to move on

4 years? It’s been 12 years of the 21 hustle offense.

 

[GopherBlood777]

4 years? It’s been 12 years of the 21 hustle offense.

Apple fallen from the Richard tree. Never eat the fallen fruit.

 

[GopherBlood777]

Just reminder of how people voted last December in the poll on how many Big Ten conference victories the team would have.

I fully expect that many will say their vote reflected on how the non-conference was going. Fair enough based on what you saw.

But what you didn't see was the future potential of this team. Once the team learned to play to their strengths and as a cohesive unit, they went on to win far more games than 85% predicted.

What made the turnaround possible? Good coaching. Johnson and his staff developed the players potential and got them to play together.

And that why I'm voting to keep Ben Johnson. I want to see what he can do, if indeed, it comes to pass that the U is going to commit additional $$$ to be competitive in the player market.

I voted 6-7 and want him fired, but I really wanted him fired after the 0-6 start. This is a 10-12 win team if managed properly. He is unwilling or unable to do obvious things like starting Frank Mitchell, or run a defense that doesn't result in your point guard defending a center.

 

[nitramnaed]

As I stated I another thread. The decision on Ben has already been made. If someone can get inside Coyle’s brain than we might be able to predict what’s going to happen.
Win against Rutgers. Lose in the first round of the B1GT or make a nice showing it won’t make a difference. It could very well be another year or a Tracy Claeys moment.