Howland Expectations?

[sleepy dawg]

Everyone is pumped about the hire, so there must be a lot of high expectations. What are they? I'd like to know what everyone's expectations are after year 1, 3, and even longer term. What is a success/failure? Maybe even how long he will be here if he does win big, or fails to meet expectations?

Personally, I want to get back to the tournament, and quick. Obviously first, I'd just like improvement. If he is indeed a great coach, there's no reason we can't be in the NIT by year 2 and the NCAA tourny by year 4. I will be disappointed with less results than this.

[msstate7]

I think we'll be an nit team next season. If we get Malik, ncaa tourney

[Coach34]

Same as anybody that isn't doing a major rebuild:

NCAA Tourney 3 out of 5 years with a Sweet 16 or better in that time frame

[sleepy dawg]

Same as anybody that isn't doing a major rebuild:

NCAA Tourney 3 out of 5 years with a Sweet 16 or better in that time frame

Glad to hear that. Expectations should be high.

[smootness]

Frankly, I don't really have expectations. We got the right coach, and we know that. Obviously if he doesn't make the Tournament in the first 3-4 years or something crazy, things change.

But he took a disaster of a Pitt program and won the Big East in 3 years. He took over a dumpster fire at UCLA and was in the Final 4 in year 3.

Whatever expectations people have, he will meet.

I don't care what we do in year one, but it could be fun.

[ScoobaDawg]

It's time he starts winning the whole thing... We have had a final four. He needs to do something never been done.....

[BiscuitEater]

Most hope for 'immediate' impact by hiring a good recruiting staff .. adding 1 or 2 new players for next year's team will hugely increase interest. Based on Horatio's words, Howland has a better chance at Malik's signature than the former staff did. Maybe adding a +frontline player too.

Unite the fractured fan base and win over the students. Think he is well on his way of doing both. Ray was in a horrible position of 'replacing' the winningest coach in our history and he just never really was a 'rallying point' for the divided base or students. This was his 'first' HC job and he had to learn on the fly. Think even Strick knew that Ray was just in over his head.

Hopefully, he can get current players motivated to improve and we can return to winning BB. Would hope for NIT next year with the number of SRs returning. After next year .. much depends on his ability to recruit. He has proven that he knows 'how' to coach.

[DudyDawg]

Not setting an expectation yet. I will after signing day, and depending how that goes, they may be very high or just hoping to go around 500

[Johnson85]

Everyone is pumped about the hire, so there must be a lot of high expectations. What are they? I'd like to know what everyone's expectations are after year 1, 3, and even longer term. What is a success/failure? Maybe even how long he will be here if he does win big, or fails to meet expectations?

Personally, I want to get back to the tournament, and quick. Obviously first, I'd just like improvement. If he is indeed a great coach, there's no reason we can't be in the NIT by year 2 and the NCAA tourny by year 4. I will be disappointed with less results than this.

We are an NIT team in year one if he is a great coach, barring being derailed by injuries. Even though our record wasn't close this year, we are not crazy far off. We should see our defense get better, which will allow us to score some more in transition. The challenge we have is if he doesn't bring in two or three players that can play immediately, I'm not sure we'll have the bodies to consistently run. Provided he does get a little bit of extra help (doesn't have to be blue chip, but basically at least as good as Sword/Thomas/Ware when they were freshmen), I think we are going to see enough immediate improvement to get to the NIT.

[RossDawg82]

undefeated and a NCAA championship first year

[smootness]

It's time he starts winning the whole thing... We have had a final four. He needs to do something never been done.....

Wut

[CadaverDawg]

I personally think we can make the NIT with what we have returning, especially adding Howland. So if we get Malik somehow, I see no reason that we can't make the big dance year one. We will be confident due to Howland alone, and people don't realize that Newman could be a Tyreke Evans/Derrick Rose type potentially, so the sky is the limit if we get him.

Without Newman, NIT.

[Political Hack]

depends on what the team looks like. Going to be some significant turnover and a lot of new faces too.

[Coach34]

Yep- some roster turnover is coming

[smootness]

depends on what the team looks like. Going to be some significant turnover and a lot of new faces too.

I doubt this. There will probably be a little turnover, but with so many guys that will be juniors and seniors, it just doesn't make sense that we'll have many leave.

Howland mentioned going after some guys, but he also said there aren't many left at this point, so it seems he's not expecting to go out and add a bunch.

I would think we'll add Malik and Kasongo if we can get them, then maybe one more. Strugg may not be part of the class, and you never know on Weatherspoon or Tookie, but that still only means another one or two on the roster could be gone.

[PSYCHO(thesis)DEFENSE]

With a roster full of upperclassmen who have been in the program, the NIT was repeatedly cited as Ray's floor for next year. Anything less w/ a senior-laden team would have been a disappointment. To me, with such a drastic improvement between coaching staffs, that floor has to be raised. Whether it be a deep NIT run, an NCAA invite, or what have you, I expect this coming year's team to outperform the previous expectations placed on them with Ray at the helm.

In concrete terms, I expect a deep NIT run w/ no transfers & no Newman; Deep SEC tourney run & NCAA invite w/ no immediate impact transfers & Malik in maroon.

The 2016-17 season I expect to see the foundation of what Coach Howland teams will look like at State. Every interview I've seen since UCLA he's emphasized transition, running after makes & misses. I think he will recruit to fit this style, and he has shown that he will recruit to take advantage of the type of player the surrounding area offers. I expect Howland to target the kind of hyper-athletic, perhaps unrefined, player that is typical of the south and the AAU scene. I think D Houston & Tookie B will be great pieces to build around for this style of play.

I expect 2016-17 to be our only "rebuilding" year, where we see a dip in W/L record. This is the year we will see the definitive style and direction of the program under Howl, and the pieces in place to build around. Postseason will be a great goal for this team, but not a disappointment if not met. From this point forward we will experience a rapid, upward trend in performance and expectations.

[smootness]

People set the NIT as the base expectation for Ray keeping his job, not necessarily what was probable given our roster.

I don't know what we'll be next year, and if we don't get Newman, I don't care.

I know that within 3 years, we'll be contending in the SEC.

[MabenMaroon]

We will be dancing baby!

[Political Hack]

I'm willing to put and over/ under of 3... maybe up to five.

[RealHastings]

A Top NIT seed and/or bubble NCAA Tourney team in year 1.
NCAA Tourney in year 2.

[jumbo]

As others have said. With Malik, NCAA tourney. Without, NIT.

I would love to see him blow it out and bring in Malik and another big time kid, but I'm not holding my breath.

[messageboardsuperhero]

Without Newman- Same as Ray's would have been. NIT with the possibility of being on the bubble.

With Newman- NCAA tourney

I'll be patient if we struggle some though... Howland has had losing first seasons everywhere he's been. Need the players to buy in.

[smootness]

Well, he inherited messes at Pitt and UCLA that were seriously worse than he's getting here.

At UCLA, they won 10 games the year before he got there, and that was with a roster less conducive to his style than the one we have.

Pitt was in dire straits and hadn't made the Tournament in a decade.

I think we could see a dip in year 2, but we should be plenty good by year 3.

[Political Hack]

there's no way to anticipate what we'll be like next year or the following year. We have zero clue what our roster is going to look like.

I think we have 3-5 guys leave/get ushered out, and we bring in some serious basketball players this year and next.

[Coach34]

I can't see Endo or Dunlap here next year

[Coach34]

What's good about this is you have Richard Williams who watched the team all season long- and can give Howland some great insight

[Political Hack]

I can't see Endo or Dunlap here next year

I've heard five, but that just seems high to me.

[Coach34]

I'm thinking 3-4...unless they have a number of guys already they are pretty sure they can bring in

[smootness]

You aren't going to go get several elite talents this late in the game. So it's pretty much Malik, then the JUCOs we've recently offered, and maybe another solid kid out there.

I could see Strugg not coming, I could see Dunlap and/or Ndoye gone, and I could even see somebody just deciding they'd rather go somewhere else.

But the seniors won't go anywhere, Houston and Black will stick around, we still want Tookie and Weatherspoon, I would imagine.

The roster has obvious holes, but it's not a situation where you just clean house.

[jumbo]

Coach/Hack are these "up to 5" casualties because of new guys being brought in? I realize we are at the limit now and would have to make room for Malik but I think what I'm getting at is are y'all just speculating that the new staff should be able to bring in several highly rated guys that we don't know about? Other than Newman, Mulder and Kasongo?

Or is it more of new staff might not like the guys so they would encourage them to find an opportunity elsewhere?

[Coach34]

You aren't going to go get several elite talents this late in the game. So it's pretty much Malik, then the JUCOs we've recently offered, and maybe another solid kid out there.

I could see Strugg not coming, I could see Dunlap and/or Ndoye gone, and I could even see somebody just deciding they'd rather go somewhere else.

But the seniors won't go anywhere, Houston and Black will stick around, we still want Tookie and Weatherspoon, I would imagine.

The roster has obvious holes, but it's not a situation where you just clean house.


Who is talking "elite"??? We don't need elite players to replace Dunlap and Endo. Every roster has shake-up when a new coach comes in- ours will too

[Percho]

I would bet that our expectations are lower than the new coach's expectations.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Who is talking "elite"??? We don't need elite players to replace Dunlap and Endo. Every roster has shake-up when a new coach comes in- ours will too

True. Just getting two average players to replace them + Weatherspoon and Newman would be a big jump in talent.

[Coach34]

Coach/Hack are these "up to 5" casualties because of new guys being brought in? I realize we are at the limit now and would have to make room for Malik but I think what I'm getting at is are y'all just speculating that the new staff should be able to bring in several highly rated guys that we don't know about? Other than Newman, Mulder and Kasongo?

Or is it more of new staff might not like the guys so they would encourage them to find an opportunity elsewhere?

our staff is looking to upgrade the team talent. This has been in the works for a little while- not since Saturday. Moves are being made to upgrade the roster to compete next season- not just the future

[Political Hack]

Coach/Hack are these "up to 5" casualties because of new guys being brought in? I realize we are at the limit now and would have to make room for Malik but I think what I'm getting at is are y'all just speculating that the new staff should be able to bring in several highly rated guys that we don't know about? Other than Newman, Mulder and Kasongo?

Or is it more of new staff might not like the guys so they would encourage them to find an opportunity elsewhere?

making room. It'll be a rank file type thing, right?

If we can get recruit 1, then player 12 is gone. If we get recruit 2, then player 11 is gone. so on and so forth. It's the way college basketball works now. I personally don't like it, but i you're going to compete quickly you have to do it.

[smootness]

Well, in order to have 3-5 current players leave, you have to add 3-5 new players in addition to the current signees. And if we can bring in several guys, I'm guessing Strugg is out, which means you would have to bring in even more new guys.

For example, add Newman and Kasongo and lose Strugg, and you're only replacing one current player.

In order to replace a senior or even junior on the roster, you have to do it with an elite talent. Otherwise it's pointless, as you can replace that spot soon anyway, and you'll have more time to find those guys with an additional year.

I agree that Dunlap and Ndoye are replaceable options. After that, I don't see much. To start replacing even a guy like Black, I would hope you do it with more than a 'solid' player.

[yjnkdawg]

I would imagine that Coach Howland's expectations are as high, if not higher, than anyone else's expectations.