New Assistants?

[KWICD]

I think a upgrade on assistants could really help things along. Good teams always have good assistants. I think Coach Cyp does a good job but I can't even tell you who the others are (I know it is just a click away) . Some I would like to see:

1. Leonard Hamilton. He could be fired for underachieving as a head coach. We all know he can recruit. He also has UK connections.
2. Butch Pierre. LSU interm coach. He has gotten alot of talent for John Brady to miss use lately.
3. Mark Gottfried(sp). Another guy who closes the deal on talent but has had trouble winning as a head coach.
4. Ray McCullum (sp). His Ball State teams played good solid D. The IU players wanted him to be the Interm coach.
5. Dave Odom. Not the flashiest guy but could be the Larry Shyatt at Florida or David Hobbs for Tubby for the staff. A man with alot of experience.

There could be others and would like to hear suggestions. I apologize for any names misspelled.

[TransientAlum]

Apparently he likes his current staff just fine.

[matt colvin]

No offense, but we have a pretty good staff as it sits. Jeremy Cox is a national championship coach at the last level he was head coach (junior college, level what??). Cyprien brings your SEC tap, and is also a good assistant. Webster brings the Chicago area contacts (and Miller), as well as other good coaching attributes.

This staff is well rounded. Coach has said several times that he wants guys who can be future head coaches (might have picked that up from Rick, wisely I might add).

Under this staff, we'll lose assistants to head jobs imo.

[tauzreborn]

If I remember correctly, Coach hired these guys in late 2007. It is now early 2008 and they already need to be replaced with guys like Gottfried and Odom?

What in the world....

[Will Lavender]

I'll take our guys. I've seen most of them coach, and they do a great job.

No offense, but I don't like any of the guys on your list. Just because a guy is a former head coach doesn't mean he's going to make a good assistant.

[crazzedcats22]

I don't see any reason to change any assistants right now. You can't really tell how they did based on this season. Give it another year or two and then we'll see where they are at.

[BigBlue75]

I think the group we have now is doing a TERRIFIC job. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Adolph Rollingover]

How about David Hobbs?

[colonelcatfan]

I think the group we have now is doing a TERRIFIC job. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Exactly....with turnaround this team made....no reason to change a thing.

[bluescat]

I'll take our guys. I've seen most of them coach, and they do a great job.

No offense, but I don't like any of the guys on your list. Just because a guy is a former head coach doesn't mean he's going to make a good assistant.

Give em hell, Will. I'm with you on this one. No offense, but this topic appears to be out of left field somewhere. Coach G knows who he needs on the bench with him.

[winston]

this thread is absurd.....we have a great staff and they bust their butts

these guys get it what its about....

they are part of the family....they helped make the family.

don't be surprised if you lose one for a head coaching job in the next 5 years

[jdeasy]

I like some of the suggestions and we need to keep a list of potential assistants on the ready. I'm sure that BCG does just that.

We have a fine staff. That's why we will need replacements. These guys will be hired away precisely because they are good.

That's a good thing over the long run. UK should never be the place where washed up coachs go to retire.

[teamchemistry09]

I like some of the suggestions and we need to keep a list of potential assistants on the ready. I'm sure that BCG does just that.

We have a fine staff. That's why we will need replacements. These guys will be hired away precisely because they are good.

That's a good thing over the long run. UK should never be the place where washed up coachs go to retire.

Its going to take a lot more than 1 okay season to get one of our assistants at Kentucky to go get hired as a head coach. Most assistants who get hired as head coaches are assistants for a long time at programs who do good for a long time. Im not too sure how long our guys have been coaching, and its nothing against them, but they are GREAT assistants right now. Not too sure how theyd do as the boss. Nothing is wrong with them. They did a great job last year getting this team to buy into their methods and recruiting and turning the season around. Sometimes I feel like Billy G gets too much credit for the work these guys do. I know he busts his tail but I know he doesnt make all the phone calls and go to all the games and watch all the film and check up on the players by himself. Keep up the great work guys

[jdeasy]

Its going to take a lot more than 1 okay season to get one of our assistants at Kentucky to go get hired as a head coach. Most assistants who get hired as head coaches are assistants for a long time at programs who do good for a long time. Im not too sure how long our guys have been coaching, and its nothing against them, but they are GREAT assistants right now. Not too sure how theyd do as the boss. Nothing is wrong with them. They did a great job last year getting this team to buy into their methods and recruiting and turning the season around. Sometimes I feel like Billy G gets too much credit for the work these guys do. I know he busts his tail but I know he doesnt make all the phone calls and go to all the games and watch all the film and check up on the players by himself. Keep up the great work guys



Coach Cox already has a juco national title as a head coach on his resume.

[wildcat74]

I think a upgrade on assistants could really help things along. Good teams always have good assistants. I think Coach Cyp does a good job but I can't even tell you who the others are (I know it is just a click away) . Some I would like to see:

1. Leonard Hamilton. He could be fired for underachieving as a head coach. We all know he can recruit. He also has UK connections.
2. Butch Pierre. LSU interm coach. He has gotten alot of talent for John Brady to miss use lately.
3. Mark Gottfried(sp). Another guy who closes the deal on talent but has had trouble winning as a head coach.
4. Ray McCullum (sp). His Ball State teams played good solid D. The IU players wanted him to be the Interm coach.
5. Dave Odom. Not the flashiest guy but could be the Larry Shyatt at Florida or David Hobbs for Tubby for the staff. A man with alot of experience.

There could be others and would like to hear suggestions. I apologize for any names misspelled.


Some real retreads there. I'll take our chances with cox and cyp.

[JOHN BLUEBLOOD]

How about David Hobbs?
I knew that was coming, how about Richard Pitino?

Cox, Brooks and Cyp are fine coaches -we're lucky.

[FCFS82]

The call for new assistants after year one!

You have some brass my friend.

:icon_neutral:

[Radiated]

Maybe we could get Francisco Garcia or another former UL player.

Seriously, did we not hear this about Tubby's staff every single year? Or several times a year.

[ladycatfan01]

I attended the UK Basketball Clinic for women and got to listen to and interact with the assistant coaches and came away very impressed. They interacted with the players well, you could tell they had a passion for the game and the players as well as an understanding of what it takes to help this program. I hope we keep them for a while.

[CatFanInTheBathtub]

I was in Krispy Kreme and the lady behind the counter said that her brother heard something about billy donovan. So I checked flight plans online and sure enough there are some planes leaving gainesville this weekend.

[KWICD]

Why would anyone not want to upgrade? If there is a better assistant out there, isn't it the coaches duty to go try and get that guy? Wasn't one of the downfalls of the previous administration the fact that He would not change assistants? UK was 18-13 this year. There are some issues that happened that can be related to assistants. Slow starts (that happened quite a few times) can be due to a lack of quality advanced scouting. Recruiting while good, could be alot better.

[UFWildcat]

Maybe we could get Francisco Garcia

Is he no longer in the NBA?

[No1Kentuckyfan]

WOW

Pretty much all I can say about this thread

[Will Lavender]

Why would anyone not want to upgrade? If there is a better assistant out there, isn't it the coaches duty to go try and get that guy? Wasn't one of the downfalls of the previous administration the fact that He would not change assistants? UK was 18-13 this year. There are some issues that happened that can be related to assistants. Slow starts (that happened quite a few times) can be due to a lack of quality advanced scouting. Recruiting while good, could be alot better.

I think the 18-13 mark has a lot more to do with injuries and talent and the coaching change itself than our assistants.

Using Tubby's situation and comparing it to Gillispie's is a bit of a stretch. First, Tubby's assistants weren't as good as these guys. I saw both sets of assistants coach in practice, and even though I really liked Dave Hobbs, Hanson and Rigot didn't do half of what Cox and Cyprien do. And secondly, Tubby's guys were here five or six years; you're giving these assistants one. A tad of a quick trigger, isn't it?

And let's not forget that Tracy Webster is the reason we have Darius Miller.

[sardiscat]

"Why would anyone not want to upgrade? If there is a better assistant out there, isn't it the coaches duty to go try and get that guy? Wasn't one of the downfalls of the previous administration the fact that He would not change assistants? UK was 18-13 this year. There are some issues that happened that can be related to assistants. Slow starts (that happened quite a few times) can be due to a lack of quality advanced scouting. Recruiting while good, could be alot better."

Your knowledge of basketball is awesome. We are unworthy of your brilliance.

[KWICD]

"Why would anyone not want to upgrade? If there is a better assistant out there, isn't it the coaches duty to go try and get that guy? Wasn't one of the downfalls of the previous administration the fact that He would not change assistants? UK was 18-13 this year. There are some issues that happened that can be related to assistants. Slow starts (that happened quite a few times) can be due to a lack of quality advanced scouting. Recruiting while good, could be alot better."

Your knowledge of basketball is awesome. We are unworthy of your brilliance.

I saw this exact same response to another poster. Nice comeback.

[KWICD]

I think the 18-13 mark has a lot more to do with injuries and talent and the coaching change itself than our assistants.

Using Tubby's situation and comparing it to Gillispie's is a bit of a stretch. First, Tubby's assistants weren't as good as these guys. I saw both sets of assistants coach in practice, and even though I really liked Dave Hobbs, Hanson and Rigot didn't do half of what Cox and Cyprien do. And secondly, Tubby's guys were here five or six years; you're giving these assistants one. A tad of a quick trigger, isn't it?

And let's not forget that Tracy Webster is the reason we have Darius Miller.


People must be taking this the wrong way. I am only talking if they can be upgraded. Is it quick yes. Does it have to be done no. Do you wait for Williams and Carter to develop or do you still go after a guy who can play over them. It is kind of the same thing.

[Will Lavender]

People must be taking this the wrong way. I am only talking if they can be upgraded. Is it quick yes. Does it have to be done no. Do you wait for Williams and Carter to develop or do you still go after a guy who can play over them. It is kind of the same thing.

Kids are recruited over all the time, yet they're still there, in the program. They still have a chance to win playing time. If you hire over an assistant, he's gone. You can't have 13 assistant coaches.

What sort of message does it send if Gillispie just lops away one or two of his assistants ONE YEAR into their tenures? The man is the head of the corporation; you start doing stuff like that and you come off as more dictator than coach.

And again: the guys you mentioned aren't upgrades.

I think we're taking it exactly the right way. The point you're making isn't rocket science. People are just disagreeing, adamantly.

[Will Lavender]

Also, you made the point earlier about not knowing the assistants' names outside of Cyprien.

Is it requisite that we know the asisstant coaches' names?

Reminds me of a guy who called into the pre-game show one afternoon and blasted the walk-ons because "None of us even know their names."

This reflects more on the caller than the players. Simply learn their names. It isn't that tough.

[sardiscat]

"I saw this exact same response to another poster. Nice comeback."

Yep, I sure did. To another poster who made some posts as stupid as the ones you've made in this thread.

[Katfan74]

Why replace anyone right now? Just like with Coach G, if we replace them now they've not had time to show what they can do. Leave well enough alone and let them recruit and prepare for next season.

[DerbyCityGlobetrotter]

No disrespect to the OP but I really can't find any logic at all to this topic............BCG is on a mission and he will make changes if he needs to...

[TransientAlum]

People must be taking this the wrong way. I am only talking if they can be upgraded. Is it quick yes. Does it have to be done no. Do you wait for Williams and Carter to develop or do you still go after a guy who can play over them. It is kind of the same thing.

So, if someone is doing everything they are asked to do and possibly better than expected, they should worry each and every day that their job might be gone on a whim? Based on the fact that someone with more "name recognition" might be between jobs?

Here's hoping anyone who really believes that gets to experience it first hand one day.

[mcranfill]

People must be taking this the wrong way. I am only talking if they can be upgraded. Is it quick yes. Does it have to be done no. Do you wait for Williams and Carter to develop or do you still go after a guy who can play over them. It is kind of the same thing.

Not even close to the same kind of thing. You are talking about a persons career. There aren't ANY quality coaches that would even consider going anywhere to be an assistant if they see it as a revolving door. This whole thread is crazy....BCG said he wanted to have a team and a staff that were both the best in the nation. Why would you think he hasn't done that right now. Each of them bring a different strength to the table. As far as the recruiting issue brought up, that it could be better....really? You are really going to judge the long term recruiting efforts of this staff on 1 season that isn't even over. Constantly changing up the staff will not only hurt your chances in the long run with other coaches but also with recruits. They won't know if the coacht they are talking to today will be here tomorrow.

I agree with a previous poster, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Tubby's staff was broke, this one isn't...plain and simple. I couldn't disagree more with your position.

[bluegrassking]

OP just wants BCG to have the same complaints as he who was self exiled to the tundra but forgot that the exiled one's guys had been here for years, not less than one.

Probably afraid if these quips aren't made now that there will be little chance oing forward.

[UKfaninCO]

People must be taking this the wrong way. I am only talking if they can be upgraded. Is it quick yes. Does it have to be done no. Do you wait for Williams and Carter to develop or do you still go after a guy who can play over them. It is kind of the same thing.

No, I think people are taking it exactly the way you meant it. We just don't agree.

What we need is an upgrade in talent. If you start throwing out your assistants, who have a rather LARGE impact on recruiting, I might add, then you set your recruiting back while bringing in guys that may or may not be as good. Why don't we give them a little while longer to see what they can do before we start throwing them to the wolves.

It must be the off-season. People have nothing else to do....

[Josh]

It would be a colossal mistake to even think about getting rid of any assistant right now. Doing so would send a terrible message to just about everybody watching.

[needmore44]

1. Leonard Hamilton. He could be fired for underachieving as a head coach. We all know he can recruit. He also has UK connections.
2. Butch Pierre. LSU interm coach. He has gotten alot of talent for John Brady to miss use lately.
3. Mark Gottfried(sp). Another guy who closes the deal on talent but has had trouble winning as a head coach.
4. Ray McCullum (sp). His Ball State teams played good solid D. The IU players wanted him to be the Interm coach.
5. Dave Odom. Not the flashiest guy but could be the Larry Shyatt at Florida or David Hobbs for Tubby for the staff. A man with alot of experience.


You can't just hire Head Coaches for your assistants. It's unlikely that most of these guys would even accept a assistant job. The guys we have now (Cyp and Cox) are fine.

[Adolph Rollingover]

I was in Krispy Kreme and the lady behind the counter said that her brother heard something about billy donovan. So I checked flight plans online and sure enough there are some planes leaving gainesville this weekend.

He is just going to visit the horse farm he bought last year.

[poodoo]

I, too, am pleased with our assistants. I particularly like that they seem to interact well with our players. The FAMILY atmosphere was a huge part of Florida's back-to-back national championships. From what I read and heard about the locker room after the loss to Marquette, I think we have that at UK, and part of that is defintely the assistant coaches. As Coach G says, they all really CARE about the players, and the players know it. Surely Coach G had some help in the amazing turnaround, too. Personally, I see no reason for any concern at this time.

[Ukosumu]

I believe this thread has lived too long. Asst. Coaches are valuable people in a program. If BCG is comfortable with who he has, who are we to be match makers. Even if a guy is an "upgrade" in our eyes he may not fit the system that is in place much like some highly rated recruits may not perform well at some schools. Let it be.