Johnnie Harris named women's coach

[Win4AU 4,052]

At this point the only direction seems to be up for this program.  I guess she’s known for her recruiting.  Having good players will at least get you a couple sec win

[ellitor 33,091]

1 hour ago, AU9377 said:

What has destroyed the program is the unwillingness to make tough decisions by those inside the athletic department.  TWF should have been replaced years ago. Witnessing the past 5 years has been infuriating.

Let’s leave this kind of talk in Coach Flo threads. We have beaten that horse enough. Let’s not keep discussing it in non Flo threads threads please.

[AU9377 4,926]

10 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

At this point the only direction seems to be up for this program.  I guess she’s known for her recruiting.  Having good players will at least get you a couple sec win

That and the fact that she actually understands the need to play offense and can coach post players.  They type players that she recruits actually have a chance to succeed in the SEC./

[toddc 13,194]

4 hours ago, WarEagle2423 said:

Kinda disappointed at first glance just based off some of the names that were brought up, tbh. But we’ll see how it works! Maybe she’ll be a star! 

Did you read her bio?

[AU9377 4,926]

Just now, ellitor said:

Let’s leave this kind of talk in Coach Flo threads. We have beaten that horse enough. Let’s not keep discussing it in non Flo threads threads please.

LOL  In other words, just roses and sunshine?  Come on now... that isn't what message boards are for.

[ellitor 33,091]

1 minute ago, AU9377 said:

LOL  In other words, just roses and sunshine?  Come on now... that isn't what message boards are for.

@AU9377 no not just roses and sunshine but let’s not bring down the hope of a new coach by rehashing the old coach in the new coach’s thread. I’m sick of reading about Coach Flo much less talking about her.

[AU9377 4,926]

1 minute ago, ellitor said:

@AU9377 no not just roses and sunshine but let’s not bring down the hope of a new coach by rehashing the old coach in the new coach’s thread. I’m sick of reading about Coach Flo much less talking about her.

I can get on board with that. 

[slyinsocal 831]

1 hour ago, AUSage said:

I don't blame her either...sounds like the MSU AD didn't handle things very well. I did read her complete bio and she appears to be an ace recruiter. If so, that will certainly be an improvement over the last eight years. My concern with her is the ability to run an entire program and handle in-game tactical coaching. When I watch coaches like Pearl, Staley, VanDerveer, Auriemma, etc., they have incredible instincts for which players should be on the floor and how tactics should change based on what's working. Our previous coach simply stood on the sidelines with a thousand yard stare wondering why her plan wasn't working. It's a skill that has to be learned as a head coach and she will be moving up the learning curve on Auburn's dime. I'll be rooting for her success, but I would have preferred we hired an experienced head coach.

Yes and the great head coaches, who don't micro manage, usually have a damn good assistant, on the same page, whispering in their ear with suggestions.

[slot canyon 1,333]

Some have questioned hiring someone who is not an established HC.  However, Vic Schaefer was likewise an Associate HC at T A&M and Arkansas from 2000 - 2011 and seems he has done pretty well.  I am not saying Coach Harris is the next Vic Schaefer but she has roughly the same amount of experience  as Associate HC at a couple of high profile programs (including SEC I would add) as Coach Schaefer had prior to his moving up to HC.  I don't expect miracles but I do expect to see an improved style of WBB next season.  

[PUB78 1,358]

3 hours ago, Aubie the Tiger said:

This feels like a hire that could go really poorly (first head coaching role) or really well (many years experience at successful programs).  Given where Auburn's program is at currently, this is the right type of hire. 

Has to be better than Flo.

[jpchurch 2]

47 minutes ago, PUB78 said:

Has to be better than Flo.

Amen!  WDE!  This is at least going in a positive direction and excited about recruiting. 

[gr82be 14,423]

1 hour ago, jpchurch said:

Amen!  WDE!  This is at least going in a positive direction and excited about recruiting. 

And the church said Amen! 

Edited April 4, 2021 by gr82be

[JDUBB4AU 5,112]

All the resources to be successful, I trust the hire . Welcome Home and War Eagle 

[slyinsocal 831]

23 years as an assistant seems to be an abnormal amount of time before getting her first head coaching job. The good thing is, the last 10 have been as Vic's 2nd in command. His #1. Hopefully Coach Harris' career trajectory is similar to that of Roy Williams, who was Dean Smith's #1 for 11 years before getting the Kansas job.

[steeleagle 2,945]

The bottom line is there are situations in any sport where long time ACs do well when they finally get a HC job as well as situations where a successful  HCs at one school is hired by a traditionally strong p5 school and fails (aka Tony Barbee). And I’m sure posters can add to that list that supports this scenario. 
 

and we have no clue if Texas’ HC micromanaged his team or relied on his top AC to assist w on court game time coaching.  
 

if the reports are true we tried to hire the one that checked all the boxes but she turned us down. So we turned to the one that checked all the boxes but the HC one. 
 

with what our prior coach left us in the way of players(I can’t name her or E will scold me 😉) it was going to be especially hard to get a P5 HC without paying more than we needed to. 
 

I like this hire. Now we just have to see how she coaches in a game.  

[AU9377 4,926]

I hope she hits the transfer portal hard.  We desperately need an infusion of talent on the roster.  There is a sizable group that are disappointed, but I believe that they will come around when they start to see some real changes.  The sizable group I mention are mainly longtime, local season ticket holders.  Many of them assumed that we would hire Sam Purcell.  Some of them know Sam. Many more know his family.  Like I said above, when they get to know Johnnie and see some real change, they will have a reason to get excited about the future.

[WarEagle2423 357]

7 hours ago, toddc said:

Did you read her bio?

After I posted, I learned a little more about her. I’m on board! I think she could turn our great! Like someone else said, she seems to have a high ceiling as a coach. 

[ellitor 33,091]

8 hours ago, AU9377 said:

Many of them assumed that we would hire Sam Purcell

Not sure why? Info was out from early on in the search that ADG was planning on hiring a female.

[AU9377 4,926]

1 hour ago, ellitor said:

Not sure why? Info was out from early on in the search that ADG was planning on hiring a female.

Frankly, putting that information out there only made it worse. To them, that meant the program was less important than the use of the program to show a hiring pattern or meet some fictional need.  Thankfully, the hire was Johnnie Harris, who has a resume that warrants being hired by a P5 school.  The news that Tina Langley was offered and turned the job down also helps with the bigger picture.  They will come around.  They just need to get to know Johnnie have something to feel good about.  One 82 year old lady I know said to me "I thought we were over focusing on what was between ur legs more than what's between ur ears."  She has had season tickets for over 35 years.  I just smiled and said yes mam.  LOL

[WarNole 141]

 Welcome to AU Family Coach Harris.

[aubiefifty 16,766]

21 hours ago, Aubie the Tiger said:

This feels like a hire that could go really poorly (first head coaching role) or really well (many years experience at successful programs).  Given where Auburn's program is at currently, this is the right type of hire. 

i  like it as a chance for a new Auburn coach to set the world on fire.

[oracle79 3,569]

5 hours ago, ellitor said:

ADG was planning on hiring a female

Didn't know that. Makes me sad. Seems like a good hire though.

[blakem 296]

Transfer thread?

[ellitor 33,091]

1 hour ago, blakem said:

Transfer thread?

@blakem Need to wait til we hear the new staff go after transfers 1st.

[Mikey 16,578]

On 4/3/2021 at 3:53 PM, ellitor said:

Let’s leave this kind of talk in Coach Flo threads. We have beaten that horse enough. Let’s not keep discussing it in non Flo threads threads please.

When will this start to apply to the Gus-bashing? Many of us are tired of that too and it's the same, identical situation.