Not saying we don’t have a very good one in Muss.
But with this roster we are about what I would expect regardless of coach.
With no intent to denigrate anyone, but I think this team’s record is directly tied to Coach’s imprint.
We might have another big but not Whitt so I think worse. Anyone’s guess on player development is just a guess
I agree with you on that, but not sure we’d be worse
You probably wouldn’t have the same roster. Doubt Jimmy Whitt would be here. No one knows for sure, but I credit him for bringing in Whitt. Mike lost Whitt. So I don’t know how you could compare results with this roster because it likely would not be the same. Apples and oranges. I appreciate the question, but don’t have an answer.
I think team would have been much better if Hogs had kept Mike and landed two 15 ppg juco guards Jolly and Hamlet averaging 15 points at SMU and North Texas and hitting 37 to 40 from three and 78-87 from line. Speed of Justice Hill on ball defense. Juco forward Stith having decent season but small bottom major.
SEC schedule and Big 12 challenge made this year schedule much easier. Last year had to go to Auburn final four team, to Kentucky elite 8 team, to Texas Tech national runner up, at Tenn sweet 16, at SC and neutral vTexas. Won at LSU so must win Wednesday for split like last year.
This year we hosted Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee SC and TCU instead of Tech so easier schedule to me. All of those teams out experienced us last year. We are more experienced this year after those teams stars left thus with weaker conference schedule than last year. This year has basically been the NIT game plan that won at Providence, but without post defense of Gabe or trusting Chaney and Henderson thru errors.
The loss of I Joe for five games, the Gabe matter, and juco’s on roster impact of coaching change is why I think we didnt take advantage of weaker conference schedule.
New coach is doing fine but chose to play short handed once our missing piece Moss decommitted to Kansas and was replaced by transfer Notae sitting out. Poor appeal basis used for Vanover is on UA if sick grandma over miles limit and Cal Berk if ex Nevada and Ga coach Fox blocked it. Every coach has to lay a foundation so not an attack on either coach since all hypothetical as to what record would have been with Mike and juco recruits or Muss without Joe and having to depart with Gabe and Moss decommiting is main reason for subpar conference record. Neither coach has done well v Calipari, Pearl, White, Howland, Barnes, Wade or F Martin which Muss change.
Well since this is opinion only thread, I disagree. No guarantee we would have signed the jucos you refer to. Plus the signing class muss assembled has the program looking more promising. As clay said, apples and oranges. No one knows. Glad we have muss.
OP may correct me but I interpret OP’s question to assume that Anderson would have the same roster as Muss has this year. He is really putting apples against apples.
The answer is who knows.
I’m a fan of both coaches.
I am kinda enjoying the irony from our fans.
For years I’d read things like, “all Anderson does is run man defense, doesn’t he know there are other defensive schemes?” And yet, Musselman run straight man defense and no peep from our fans.
For years I’d read that Anderson can’t beat top 25 teams, yet, Musselman is lost every game this year to ranked teams, and Anderson has won 3 games against top 25 teams this year.
For years I’d read that Anderson doesn’t run plays for key moments in games or use his timeouts properly, yet, Musselman has butchered key possessions and misused timeouts all season.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge Musselman fan and believe that he’ll get this team over the hump, but the fact that fans keep their mouths shut about similar issues they were very vocal about Anderson is ironic.
I definitely don’t think so… totally different types of defenses, the reason this team has been successful as they had basically shut down the 3 point shot from everybody except for Georgia the other day whereas with Mike the three was open pretty much all night long with all that useless trapping that we got nothing from 99% of the time I like Mike Anderson have a lot of respect for what he did for our program but and no way shape or form is he a better Coach than Musselman IMO,starting next year we are about to put this program back on the map and it’s because of the recruiting and the bringing in of talent that Musselman has done
So you dont think we can id prospects like Mason Jones, Hamlet and Jolly and not beat out UCA, SMU or N Texas. Previous staff problem was not getting recruits that instead went to Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, Miss St and LSU. If a power 6 was in mix, I would agree with you. I like our chances vs UCA, Smu and N Texas. Its only opinion so no right answer. Similarly the 25 wins I thought they get with Moss sticking, Joe not getting hurt and Chaney and Henderson build on their NIT highlights and easier conference and power 5 road than prior year.
Current positivity and optimism will drive future sucess on court, recruiting and ticket sales. If Jones and Joe return next year I thinks its the best window for sweet 16 game. Nice blend of experience and youth is ideal to me. I’m whole Hog regardless of coach. No coach is perfect or above fan opinion. Be themself and confident and it works out if fans stay optimistic. Time will reveal.
I do not think I’ll even go there since I do not think they would have had the same roster. That would have never happened.
I disagree and love tempo created by pressure. St Johns has better fg% defense than Hogs and lead power 6 conference 75 teams in steals and turnover margin also above Hogs. We have a new coach but dont have to put down coach with best era of Sec Hog ball since 1996. Mike’s last 6 years beat Nolans 1997-2002. Muss gets crowned with a Sweet 16, sec title or 3 ncaa wins. Nolan 1992-1996 is outlier and unfair to compare any coach to. Nolan won 2 of 4 first round games 1997-2002 and Mike went 2 of 3 first round 2014-2019. Won more sec games than everyone not Kentucky. Those last 6 years got Nolan canned so understand why Mike is gone. Fans want to stay at 1992-1996 in sec and national but history says the 6 years that got Nolan and Mike fired are the best 12 years since 1996 golden era ended.
Muss needs to get to sweet 16 to create best era since the sweet 16 of 1996 or three tourney wins in first six years. Very doable with states only time producing 5 players rated 4 stars & we got 4 plus transfers eligible.
I never read the complaint that anderson only ran a man defense. At least I don’t remember that. I heard the complaint that weather in man or zone there were open threes. I think original poster was just stirring the pot. There’s never a correct answer to a hypothetical question like that.
If he preferred anderson over muss, just state the fact. I will say for the record to date I prefer muss to anderson. Don’t beat around the bush w a question like that.
If anyone wants my reasons I will be glad to state then
It’s so far so good with Musselman. Eventually, it will be about NCAA tournament results. I have hope that he’ll come through and make people happy.
But as far as trying to figure out Mike vs. Muss comparisons, probably impossible to do much right now. Time will tell.
I agree it is a difficult question and the answer depends on one’s preference for the coach.
But I do know this for sure. If Anderson was still here and had the record that we have right now, he would have been fired at the end of the season. But we are okay with the record and in fact feel very good right now because it is the coach’s honeymoon year.
Same way, Anderson would be fired at St. John’s at the end of the season with the record he currently has. But he won’t be fired. In fact the reaction to Anderson at SJU is the same as what is being said about Muss here. If you follow NY Post reporter Zach Baziller and SJU chat board, you read the same thing about Mike as you hear fans talk about Muss here. They think they finally have a coach that knows how to win with an exciting style and bring fans to the games. Just like we are hanging on to the next class of 2020, they are hanging on to three big Too 25 wins Mike has produced and the next class he has lined up. SJU just beat the first Top 10 team in a long time.
Funny this coaching business.
My comparison of the two coaches will require more time to see if what I believe about Coach Musselman is borne out on the court. Where I think the difference will be is adapting to the talent, the opposition and what is going on in a particular game. I always felt that Mike was pretty fixed on what he wanted to do, somewhat regardless of the players he had on the court. He wanted to force the other team into his game, which could be a thing of beauty. I love Mike, just wondered if changes in the game, officiating, tv timeouts, etc, just went contrary to how his system excelled.
If we’re firing a guy off of one year’s results then we’re doing it wrong. If CMA were here, had the record we currently have and likely missing the dance, then yeah he should be fired. Making the dance 3 out of 9 years should get one fired. Just like 3 out of 8. His firing last year was justified and deserved. Hate that’s how it went down, but he earned it.
Interesting that SJ fans Are excited about their class next year. If rivals is accurate they’ve got four 3 stars coming in and ranked 48th. Could be an improvement in what they’re used to getting, not sure.
I wish him the best and hopes SJ starts winning regularly in the big east
I don’t know if you read my post correctly. I was saying you don’t fire after one year. Same thing you said.
Regarding SJU recruiting, from what I read, the class has two New York City guards that everyone there is fond of. They won the state title together or came in second. One of the guards Posh Alexander was hurt part of the year and got his ranking lowered. The class also includes the top Juco scorer Vince Cole. Remember judos are always rated one star lower like Macon and Barford.
But the primary reason for excitement seems to be that they have even less talent right now and the team has been in all but few games, have 3 Top 25 wins and they were leading Top 25 teams Seton Hall, Butler and Villanova with two minutes to go. So the fans must be projecting that he can do even better with talent upgrade next year. It is all relative.
Anthony says if Mike had stayed he was going to sign some really good jucos. Pure speculation. I read this board every day. I’ve never heard an insider mention we were even close to signing these guys. Maybe we were maybe not. Mike was and is a good coach. He’s gone! Muss is our coach. I hope some day soon these constant comparisons stop.
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