A-10 Hirings and Firings

[gmujim92]

It was some what comforting to hear Paulsen admit that when he looks at the upper echelon A-10 teams they look different than Mason. As we all know when there is a problem, admitting that one exists is the first step. So there's that......Paulsen and company realize that this roster needs an major upgrade in both size and athleticism. Now, can he get it done? His current track record suggests NO. Miller and to a lesser extent Mar are A-1o level wings ( size/athleticism). Of course Kier is A-10 level. Other than that do we know for sure we have any other players that are upper echelon A-10 good?

I'm also not super excited about our 2 recruits. No disrespect to Oduro and Johnson but if we continue to beat out Patriot League, Big South, and CAA teams for recruits we are never going to break through in the A-10. The kid who visited from Canada has no other D1 offers from what I could find. This has to change!

One could argue that with our current talent level we may have over achieved these last few years. Especially this year with the injuries to key players and Otis's senior year jinx. This would be a feather in the cap of DP. But nobody is satisfied with where we are currently. DP has guided us out of the dark days of Hewitt....but can anyone say that they have complete confidence in DP and staff to lead us to the next level? I can't.

I can. The fact that some of our own fans think it just dawned on our coach that we’re not as big and strong as the top A-10 teams has me shaking my damn head.

The staff took what they could get in the beginning. The recruiting classes are getting better, and will continue to do so now that we have a practice facility and upgraded locker room to go along with a steadily improving program. It takes time for those investments to pay dividends.

The worst possible thing we could do at this point is blow it up and start again. Fortunately our current AD isn’t a moron like his predecessor.

 

[Walter]

I can. The fact that some of our own fans think it just dawned on our coach that we’re not as big and strong as the top A-10 teams has me shaking my damn head.

The staff took what they could get in the beginning. The recruiting classes are getting better, and will continue to do so now that we have a practice facility and upgraded locker room to go along with a steadily improving program. It takes time for those investments to pay dividends.

The worst possible thing we could do at this point is blow it up and start again. Fortunately our current AD isn’t a moron like his predecessor.

I actually agree with both of you. DP shouldn't be fired, he has gotten a lot out of PL/CAA level talent. However, he will not win the A-10 without better recruiting, which he knows. If we are still having this discussion in two years, then he needs to go.

 

[GMUgemini]

I actually agree with both of you. DP shouldn't be fired, he has gotten a lot out of PL/CAA level talent. However, he will not win the A-10 without better recruiting, which he knows. If we are still having this discussion in two years, then he needs to go.

Like I said, our 2020 recruiting class is crucial. We are losing 3 players Kier, Boyd, and Reuter after next season and then Greene, Mar, AJ, and Calixte in 2021. In order for 2021 and 2022 to be sucessful, the three players we bring in in 2020 have to be ready to go pretty much right away.

 

[Jack Strop]

Now he admits it? What was he looking at for 4 years? I call bs. Protecting his assistants from the fact they blow at recruiting.

Why does DP have to "admit it" to YOU? What satisfaction do you get from it? Do you really think DP is that dumb? Do you really think you're oh-so-smart?

NOTE: The "you's" are rhetorical and should not be considered as a personal attack.

 

[GSII]

Like I said, he knew all along his ponies would struggle. What is he gonna do to fix it. Not that much you can do. Maybe say it's a 4 year season.

 

[Dawgs99]

I can. The fact that some of our own fans think it just dawned on our coach that we’re not as big and strong as the top A-10 teams has me shaking my damn head.

The staff took what they could get in the beginning. The recruiting classes are getting better, and will continue to do so now that we have a practice facility and upgraded locker room to go along with a steadily improving program. It takes time for those investments to pay dividends.

The worst possible thing we could do at this point is blow it up and start again. Fortunately our current AD isn’t a moron like his predecessor.

I might be mistaken, but this is the first time that I can remember that DP verbalized that the current make up of the team probably isn't good enough. I'm not calling for his job. I'm just not sold at this point that he can improve the recruiting enough for us to make the next jump. I think the dude can coach and with the right talent we can certainly make it back to the dance. Would love for him to add Lamar Butler to the staff in some capacity.

 

[Patriot Lawdog]

Just some random thoughts on the state of the program and other comments posted:

1) From a theoretical perspective, I am in the camp of I'll take whatever high level success we can get even if it is with a coach who is a short-timer. vcu has found at way to make it work by hiring the best coach available regardless of his future aspirationts. Success breeds success and high level candidates will want the job if there is a past history of success. See Xavier, Butler, etc. I'd prefer this to a mediocre to good coach who is not likely to leave. Is it that easy? No, but theoretically I'm on this side of the fence.

2) I really don't know if Dave is a good coach or not because I just don't think the talent level has been there to truly compete. I tend to think he's probably a good in game coach and tactician, but when you don't have the talent that gets lost. Now, is he responsible for the level of player brought in? Absolutely and we need to do better. It's just that it's harder to evaluate when you don't have the usual "guy who can recruit, but can't coach" dilemma. I love Otis and think the kid got every ounce out of his god-given abilities, but at the end of the day, he probably wasn't a true A-10 level player. Nothing wrong with that, but it just proves the point that a high talent level is needed.

3) This leads to my next point which some might disagree with philosophically, but oh well. As many have pointed out, DP tends to be conservative by nature. This seems to be the case in his coaching and recruiting. On the recruiting end, I've seen us take zero chances. Now, some of this might have been dictated because of his predecessor, but I think as a school we need to be honest with ourselves. We're not Stanford/Vandy/Penn/Georgetown. Our academic standards are lower. In certain cases, we need to use this as an advantage and take calculated risks. Larranaga did an excellent job with this. He'd recruit guys who were borderline academically and then if they didn't work out, he'd cut bait pretty quick. It's how we got guys like Herring, Skinn, etc. I'm not saying take guys with fake welding degrees, but taking a chance now and then is not absurd.

 

[GMUgemini]

To be fair, to Paulsen, he never says "he will be" with any players, he says "he has the potential to be."

He said it about Greene and Kier about their defense (they have the potential to be elite defenders in this league).

He said it about Reuter "he has the potential to be a top 5 player in the A10." And if you look at his skillset, why not? He's a fantastic passer out of the post. He has a good mid-range game. He has good moves around the basket. What has limited him? He's slow, unathletic, can't jump -- like I said before, he can improve these things in the offseason and be a completely different player next year.

One thing we need to do is recruit an actual stretch 4 and not continue to play wings at the 4 position (especially if we aren't going to run). The only one who actually holds his own at the 4 defensively is Boyd, and he's 6'3/6'4. That's not going to cut it. AJ needs to walk into Paulsens office tomorrow and say, I want to play power forward next year. Let's get me there.

Miller can play at the 2 and 3 positions. Mar can play the 3. You put AJ at the 4 and Calixte at the 5 and all of a sudden your length and athleticism issues disappear (potential 2020-2021 starting lineup right here).

About vcu, their success was not overnight, as we'd all like to think of it. It started long before with Jeff Capel and was a slow build with each successive coach building off what the last coach did. So, go back to 2002 and track their growth over the next 10 years. By 2011, they were actually in the position to capitalize off of their Final Four in a way we weren't (in 2005-2006 we had zero history, zero infrastructure, zero support from the community -- it was just this crazy explosion out of nowhere). They also got to see what we did and didn't do and learn from us first.

Had TOC made the right hire after L left, we are a different story. Instead, he hired the exact wrong person for the job (a retread, instead of a young, hungry coach wanting to prove himself). And we screwed up about as much as we could the potential our 2011 season gave us to grow like vcu did.

 

[TweederGMU]

Can we fire one of our assistants and bring in someone who actually knows how to teach shooting form? And maybe who has some new ideas on how to get our players open?

Fisher and Kelly have to go. Don't see any emotion in them nor have heard good things about their coaching. I've heard from player's families that Fisher and Kelly are not great at teaching their kids.

Simpkins can coach and recruit. Replace the other 2.

 

[TweederGMU]

Just some random thoughts on the state of the program and other comments posted:

1) From a theoretical perspective, I am in the camp of I'll take whatever high level success we can get even if it is with a coach who is a short-timer. vcu has found at way to make it work by hiring the best coach available regardless of his future aspirationts. Success breeds success and high level candidates will want the job if there is a past history of success. See Xavier, Butler, etc. I'd prefer this to a mediocre to good coach who is not likely to leave. Is it that easy? No, but theoretically I'm on this side of the fence.

2) I really don't know if Dave is a good coach or not because I just don't think the talent level has been there to truly compete. I tend to think he's probably a good in game coach and tactician, but when you don't have the talent that gets lost. Now, is he responsible for the level of player brought in? Absolutely and we need to do better. It's just that it's harder to evaluate when you don't have the usual "guy who can recruit, but can't coach" dilemma. I love Otis and think the kid got every ounce out of his god-given abilities, but at the end of the day, he probably wasn't a true A-10 level player. Nothing wrong with that, but it just proves the point that a high talent level is needed.

3) This leads to my next point which some might disagree with philosophically, but oh well. As many have pointed out, DP tends to be conservative by nature. This seems to be the case in his coaching and recruiting. On the recruiting end, I've seen us take zero chances. Now, some of this might have been dictated because of his predecessor, but I think as a school we need to be honest with ourselves. We're not Stanford/Vandy/Penn/Georgetown. Our academic standards are lower. In certain cases, we need to use this as an advantage and take calculated risks. Larranaga did an excellent job with this. He'd recruit guys who were borderline academically and then if they didn't work out, he'd cut bait pretty quick. It's how we got guys like Herring, Skinn, etc. I'm not saying take guys with fake welding degrees, but taking a chance now and then is not absurd.

Totally agree. With #3 you are absolutely right.... take a flier on a kid who may not be a stud in the classroom but is a stud on the floor. These kids are usually junk yard dogs with high level of passion because they like to win and are usually gym rats.... they put bball first and over the classroom. Not saying its right but with so many kids who play basketball we need to recruit these kids who can flat out ball.

 

[TweederGMU]

I think AJ is going to work out with another school in mind this summer.

Nope.... he's staying

 

[Falco]

I know this sounds crazy coming from me, but I think Mason will be improved next year. Unfortunately so will the rest of the A10.
1- Hartwell
2- Kier
3- Marr
4-Miller
5-Calixte
That’s a decent starting lineup, esp if Hartwell and Kier continue to develop their 3 pt shot.

I actually think Reuter is a good off the bench player. We mock him for not being an all A10 player. But if you can accept that he is a role player. he is a pretty good role player. I want to see him take some mid range jumpers. Even if he misses, it will open up driving lanes for Kier.

I expect Mason to finish 5-6th and the DP debate will continue...

 

[GSII]

How many freshman were solid starters in A10 this year?

 

[Washingtonian]

How many freshman were solid starters in A10 this year?

Kyle Lofton and Osun Osunniyi for Bonaventure for starters.

 

[GMUgemini]

How many freshman were solid starters in A10 this year?

A ton — Frampton, Brajkovic, Welch, Lofton, Osun, Carry, Toppin, Miller are the ones off the top of my head.

 

[GMUgemini]

I know this sounds crazy coming from me, but I think Mason will be improved next year. Unfortunately so will the rest of the A10.
1- Hartwell
2- Kier
3- Marr
4-Miller
5-Calixte
That’s a decent starting lineup, esp if Hartwell and Kier continue to develop their 3 pt shot.

I actually think Reuter is a good off the bench player. We mock him for not being an all A10 player. But if you can accept that he is a role player. he is a pretty good role player. I want to see him take some mid range jumpers. Even if he misses, it will open up driving lanes for Kier.

I expect Mason to finish 5-6th and the DP debate will continue...

If we manage our OOC correctly, finishing 5th in conference should get us a postseason next year. I suspect we will get 4 teams in the dance next year, one or two in the NIT.

We can’t start off slow, though, and we are going to have to win some games against the top of the conference (hopefully at home).

 

[GMUYoda]

If we manage our OOC correctly, finishing 5th in conference should get us a postseason next year. I suspect we will get 4 teams in the dance next year, one or two in the NIT.

We can’t start off slow, though, and we are going to have to win some games against the top of the conference (hopefully at home).

Hmmm... this statement sounds awfully familiar... oh yeah, its what numerous people said before the beginning of this past season -- and we all saw how well that turned out LOL

 

[GMUgemini]

Hmmm... this statement sounds awfully familiar... oh yeah, its what numerous people said before the beginning of this past season -- and we all saw how well that turned out LOL

Paulsen screwed up the OOC by starting a clearly not ready Reuter and burying Calixte on the bench. Mar inexplicably went stone cold. And he lost Grayer (or he was legitimately hurt, which is the only way to describe his complete lack of interest in the defensive side of the ball).

A lot of questions about the same players next year. Hopefully everyone works their butt off and improves more than we think. Lots of potential on this roster, they just have to put it together. Nothing is guaranteed, but they aren’t going to come into next season as favorites. They are going to have to fight for legitimacy and respect.

 

[GMUYoda]

Paulsen screwed up the OOC by starting a clearly not ready Reuter and burying Calixte on the bench. Mar inexplicably went stone cold. And he lost Grayer (or he was legitimately hurt, which is the only way to describe his complete lack of interest in the defensive side of the ball).

A lot of questions about the same players next year. Hopefully everyone works their butt off and improves more than we think. Lots of potential on this roster, they just have to put it together. Nothing is guaranteed, but they aren’t going to come into next season as favorites. They are going to have to fight for legitimacy and respect.

The team will have a TON to work on as well... rebounding the basketball, esp offensively, boxing out, stop giving up layups... defensive switches... 3 point defense... and probably more. I just don't see a top 4 team next year in the A10 conference, sorry

 

[GSII]

Another big one is they need to learn to play with pressure.