Johnnie Harris named women's coach

[AUBwins 10,075]

1 hour ago, augolf1716 said:

If I lived in Auburn damn straight I would right behind where she sits

Maybe she has a great grandmother that she could introduce you to 

[blakem 296]

I’m not gonna lie guys. I’m kinda worried about our program. Not that I think we made a bad hire or anything but I feel like we could’ve gone and got a proven power 5 head coach. Feels like we are experimenting and hoping for a great outcome.

[ellitor 33,091]

26 minutes ago, blakem said:

I feel like we could’ve gone and got a proven power 5 head coach

@blakem With where this program has fallen to we couldn't have gotten a proven P5 HC. We arguably got the best hire on paper we could given our situation.

[slot canyon 1,333]

Second Assistant Coach: https://auburntigers.com/news/2021/4/14/womens-basketball-damitria-buchanan-named-auburn-womens-basketball-assistant-coach.aspx

[steeleagle 2,945]

11 minutes ago, slot canyon said:

Second Assistant Coach: https://auburntigers.com/news/2021/4/14/womens-basketball-damitria-buchanan-named-auburn-womens-basketball-assistant-coach.aspx

I’m now waiting for Golf’s beauty ranking review of this assistant too. 😉

[Kasey Dunaway2021 11]

On 4/13/2021 at 9:43 AM, AUJarhead said:

So of the five Power 5 jobs that opened, three were filled by head coaches from mid major programs (Wisconsin/Mosely, Washington/Langley, and Oklahoma/Baranczyk) and the other two were filled by long time assistant coaches from what I'd call elite type teams (Auburn/Harris and Vanderbilt/Ralph).

Of all the non-Auburn hires, I know the most about Baranczyk, who was head coach at Drake before taking the OU job.  Good hire for Vandy, too, I think.  Shea Ralph had been at UCONN for 13 years as an assistant.

Will be interesting to see how they all pan out.  And what dominoes fall now that all the power 5 jobs are filled - still 22 mid-major head coaching jobs to fill, and how all this will shake out in the form of Auburn assistants.

Totally for sure 

[Kasey Dunaway2021 11]

11 hours ago, blakem said:

I’m not gonna lie guys. I’m kinda worried about our program. Not that I think we made a bad hire or anything but I feel like we could’ve gone and got a proven power 5 head coach. Feels like we are experimenting and hoping for a great outcome.

In less your getting the UConn , Baylor or South Carolina coach your kinda haft to get what you get

[Kasey Dunaway2021 11]

On 4/13/2021 at 10:07 AM, AU9377 said:

I have no idea how it will work out in the long run, but Vanderbilt knocked it out of the park with this hire. I would rank the hires as follows...

1. Washington - Tina Langley

2. Vanderbilt - Shea Ralph

3. Oklahoma - Baranczyk

4. Auburn - Johnnie Harris

5. UTSA - Karen Aston

The promise is here is that we are going to win more than the others on the list 

[Kasey Dunaway2021 11]

14 hours ago, slot canyon said:

Does this mean you will be getting season tickets for front row seats directly behind the Auburn bench?

Time to go into the transfer portal and start recruiting for the rest of this class and please don’t go into junco to get players 

[CameronCrazy 1,059]

Just got a gut feeling that this is going to be a home run hire!

[AU9377 4,929]

14 hours ago, blakem said:

I’m not gonna lie guys. I’m kinda worried about our program. Not that I think we made a bad hire or anything but I feel like we could’ve gone and got a proven power 5 head coach. Feels like we are experimenting and hoping for a great outcome.

We couldn't get the Rice coach, who was born and raised in Alabama and graduated from West Alabama.  She chose the Washington job.  Oklahoma hired the Drake coach.  I can't remember the last time an SEC school hired a P5 coach from another conference to coach their women's basketball team.

It just hit me... bama hired Kristi Curry while she was at Texas Tech.  That technically qualifies, but that hire was more of a bunt than a home run.

[AuburnNTexas 7,140]

Two young hungry assistant coaches who are very good recruiters along with a head coach who is a great recruiter. All three have been around the game long enough to know the X's and O's. Great teams start with great talent. I think we potentially have the kind of coaches that can pull in the talent. Next year it has to be transfer portal, Juco, and coach them up.  I am not expecting much next year what I think will be key in judging this hire is if they can pull in a decent 2022 class and a great 2023 class.  

Next year I want to see a well coached team with both an offensive and defensive game plan and that we are better than this year just because of having good game plans even if record is not great. Then I want to see steady improvement in both recruiting and win loss record from year to year.

[slot canyon 1,333]

Coach Buchanan comes from KU who had a 28% win record (all games) this past season.  Her primary responsibilities appear to be recruiting related but that record is not much better than AU record last year of 20.8% wins.  The direction of the program of course will be most dependent on Coach Harris.  I am in line with AuburnNTexas above. Going forward, I just want to see signs of steady improvement.

 

[warladytigers 172]

Bob Starkey - game changer!  Great steal for Coach Harris!

[augolf1716 21,115]

How did we steal him from A&M?

 

Bob Starkey named assistant coach for Auburn women's basketball

 

AUBURN, Ala. – Bob Starkey, widely considered one of the top minds in all of college basketball, has been named an assistant coach for Auburn women's basketball, head coach Johnnie Harris announced Thursday.

"I can't express how excited I am to have Bob Starkey joining our team," Harris said. "Bob is a game-changer for Auburn women's basketball. His experience building and coaching championship teams will be invaluable to our program. I have known Bob for many years, and there is no better basketball mind that we could have as part of our staff. Our young ladies will benefit greatly from his ability to share his knowledge of the game and his commitment to a championship mentality. We are extremely blessed to have Bob join our Auburn Family."

Starkey, who has more than 30 years of experience in the SEC, comes to The Plains after recently completing his ninth season as an assistant at Texas A&M, where he helped lead the Aggies to the SEC regular-season title.

"I'm extremely excited to be here at Auburn," Starkey said. "First and foremost, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work with Johnnie Harris. She's somebody I've had a tremendous amount of respect for over the years. To be able to teach with and learn from her is an exciting next step in my career. I'm also old enough to remember the glory days when Joe Ciampi and Auburn went to Final Fours, and I competed against Nell Fortner when they won their last SEC Championship, so I'm aware of the greatness that can be obtained here. I'm looking forward to getting Auburn back to those heights."

Starkey has had a decorated career, having been a part of 780 collegiate victories, 24 NCAA Tournaments, eight trips to the Elite Eight and five straight trips to the Women's Final Four (2004-08), including serving as Acting Head Coach for LSU's 2007 Women's Final Four run.

Starkey was named to the A Step Up Assistant Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in March of 2020 for his incredible career and contributions to the game of basketball.

His former players have gone on to distinguished post-collegiate careers, including both an NBA Finals MVP, Shaquille O'Neal (2001, 2002), plus two WNBA Finals MVPs, Seimone Augustus (2011) and Sylvia Fowles (2015, 2017). Ten of his players have been drafted in the First Round of the NBA or WNBA Draft, including top five picks Augustus (first overall), O'Neal (first), Fowles (second), Chris Jackson (third) and Kelsey Bone (fifth). Seven of his players were named NBA or WNBA All-Rookie during their first year in the league.

In addition, three of his players—O'Neal (1996 Atlanta), Augustus (2008 Beijing, 2012 London & 2016 Rio de Janiero) and Fowles (2008 Beijing, 2012 London & 2016 Rio de Janiero)—have gone on to win Olympic Gold Medals.

One of the best defensive coaches in basketball, Starkey's teams have allowed an average of 56.6 points per game since 2004-05. In seven of those seasons, Starkey's team has ranked among the top 10 nationally in points allowed per game, and seven of his players have been named to the SEC All-Defensive team, since the conference started naming that team in 2007-08.

His players have won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year three times, with A&M's Jordan Jones winning the award twice (in 2013-14 and 2014-15) as well as Fowles in 2007-08.

Since arriving in College Station in 2012, Starkey has helped the Aggies to the 2013 SEC Tournament Championship, the 2021 SEC Regular-Season Championship, the 2014 NCAA Elite Eight, and four NCAA Sweet 16s.

Starkey spent 22 seasons (1989-2011) at LSU, the last 13 of which came on the bench with the women's basketball program. He helped the Lady Tigers to five straight Final Fours from 2004-08, and served as Acting Head Coach for the 2007 NCAA Tournament (4-1).

Starkey helped guide LSU to four SEC Championships, 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, eight Sweet 16s, seven Elite Eights and five consecutive trips to the Final Four. He was a key component in the Lady Tigers' outstanding record of 326-105 (.756) from 1998-2011.

In his first role at LSU, Starkey served as an assistant coach for Dale Brown on the LSU men's basketball staff from 1990-96, during which time the Tigers participated in four NCAA Tournaments. While on the men's staff, Starkey worked closely in developing three first-round NBA draft picks in Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Jackson and Stanley Roberts. As a recruiter, he helped sign three nationally-ranked recruiting classes, including one which was rated No. 1 in the country.

In his collegiate coaching tenure, Starkey has worked with 20 teams that have won at least 20 games and has been a postseason participant 20 times.

Before his extended stretch at LSU, Starkey spent one year as an assistant at Marshall during the 1988-89 season and three seasons as a men's assistant coach at West Virginia State from 1984-87. In his final season at West Virginia State, he helped guide the Yellow Jackets to conference and district titles on their way to the NAIA National Championship game.

Starkey began his coaching career as an assistant at Winfield High School in West Virginia.

Heavily involved in charitable causes, Starkey serves on the board of directors for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, A STEP UP, and the H.O.P.E. Foundation.

Starkey, who considers himself a full-time student of the game, has written numerous articles and has authored such basketball books as The 2-3 Match-Up Defense and Motion Offense. His latest project is a Basketball Coaching Series of books that include The Art of Being An Assistant Coach, The Art of Scouting and The Art of Motivation. Starkey is a master motivator and runs his own coaching and player online blog that features daily updates at hoopthoughts.blogspot.com.

Starkey is originally from Charleston, W.Va., and is married to the former Sherie Hayslett, also a native of West Virginia.
 

[steeleagle 2,945]

What an interesting hire. Starkey has been around a loooooooong time. And it's rare when you see a coach crossover from men's to womens. 

I bet he is a walking encyclopedia of mens/women's basketball. Much needed with the young ladies being hired too.

I wonder why he left TaM after so many years? It must have been a very nice pay increase....

Edited April 15, 2021 by steeleagle

[AUBwins 10,075]

That's a big time get for this staff.  Impressive. 

[augolf1716 21,115]

1 hour ago, steeleagle said:

I wonder why he left TaM after so many years?

Same here

[slot canyon 1,333]

A perspective from the Texas A & M side.  http://www.thebatt.com/sports/a-m-assistant-coach-bob-starkey-to-depart-for-assistant-coaching-position-at-auburn/article_2b47d99c-9e22-11eb-b699-87518215c63a.html

[AUJarhead 70]

So apparently Nikki Fargas has resigned from LSU:

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/lsu/article_e9524f3e-7c40-11eb-b43c-a765c48450cd.html

Glad she waited until we hired our coach before resigning.

Also hearing that Samantha Williams is in line for the open UT assistant coach position.  She's someone I hope Auburn at least interviewed.

[JFDTiger80 790]

Wow! Seriously impressive assistant hire with Starkey aboard. Let's just be thankful!

[slot canyon 1,333]

There are a number of YouTube videos with Coach Starkey but I found this one entertaining.  Impressed with the talent of these young ladies used in the demo.  

 

[warladytigers 172]

On 4/16/2021 at 9:01 AM, AUJarhead said:

So apparently Nikki Fargas has resigned from LSU:

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/lsu/article_e9524f3e-7c40-11eb-b43c-a765c48450cd.html

Glad she waited until we hired our coach before resigning.

Also hearing that Samantha Williams is in line for the open UT assistant coach position.  She's someone I hope Auburn at least interviewed.

Read on Rekell that Kim Mulkey has been contacted by LSU and she is considering.  May just be a way to get a raise from Baylor, time will tell.

[AUBwins 10,075]

3 hours ago, warladytigers said:

Read on Rekell that Kim Mulkey has been contacted by LSU and she is considering.  May just be a way to get a raise from Baylor, time will tell.

She is originally from Louisiana.  Likely the only place she'd consider leaving Baylor for.  Darn lucky corndogs.

[AU9377 4,929]

On 4/15/2021 at 3:25 PM, augolf1716 said:

How did we steal him from A&M?

 

Bob Starkey named assistant coach for Auburn women's basketball

 

AUBURN, Ala. – Bob Starkey, widely considered one of the top minds in all of college basketball, has been named an assistant coach for Auburn women's basketball, head coach Johnnie Harris announced Thursday.

"I can't express how excited I am to have Bob Starkey joining our team," Harris said. "Bob is a game-changer for Auburn women's basketball. His experience building and coaching championship teams will be invaluable to our program. I have known Bob for many years, and there is no better basketball mind that we could have as part of our staff. Our young ladies will benefit greatly from his ability to share his knowledge of the game and his commitment to a championship mentality. We are extremely blessed to have Bob join our Auburn Family."

Starkey, who has more than 30 years of experience in the SEC, comes to The Plains after recently completing his ninth season as an assistant at Texas A&M, where he helped lead the Aggies to the SEC regular-season title.

"I'm extremely excited to be here at Auburn," Starkey said. "First and foremost, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work with Johnnie Harris. She's somebody I've had a tremendous amount of respect for over the years. To be able to teach with and learn from her is an exciting next step in my career. I'm also old enough to remember the glory days when Joe Ciampi and Auburn went to Final Fours, and I competed against Nell Fortner when they won their last SEC Championship, so I'm aware of the greatness that can be obtained here. I'm looking forward to getting Auburn back to those heights."

Starkey has had a decorated career, having been a part of 780 collegiate victories, 24 NCAA Tournaments, eight trips to the Elite Eight and five straight trips to the Women's Final Four (2004-08), including serving as Acting Head Coach for LSU's 2007 Women's Final Four run.

Starkey was named to the A Step Up Assistant Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in March of 2020 for his incredible career and contributions to the game of basketball.

His former players have gone on to distinguished post-collegiate careers, including both an NBA Finals MVP, Shaquille O'Neal (2001, 2002), plus two WNBA Finals MVPs, Seimone Augustus (2011) and Sylvia Fowles (2015, 2017). Ten of his players have been drafted in the First Round of the NBA or WNBA Draft, including top five picks Augustus (first overall), O'Neal (first), Fowles (second), Chris Jackson (third) and Kelsey Bone (fifth). Seven of his players were named NBA or WNBA All-Rookie during their first year in the league.

In addition, three of his players—O'Neal (1996 Atlanta), Augustus (2008 Beijing, 2012 London & 2016 Rio de Janiero) and Fowles (2008 Beijing, 2012 London & 2016 Rio de Janiero)—have gone on to win Olympic Gold Medals.

One of the best defensive coaches in basketball, Starkey's teams have allowed an average of 56.6 points per game since 2004-05. In seven of those seasons, Starkey's team has ranked among the top 10 nationally in points allowed per game, and seven of his players have been named to the SEC All-Defensive team, since the conference started naming that team in 2007-08.

His players have won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year three times, with A&M's Jordan Jones winning the award twice (in 2013-14 and 2014-15) as well as Fowles in 2007-08.

Since arriving in College Station in 2012, Starkey has helped the Aggies to the 2013 SEC Tournament Championship, the 2021 SEC Regular-Season Championship, the 2014 NCAA Elite Eight, and four NCAA Sweet 16s.

Starkey spent 22 seasons (1989-2011) at LSU, the last 13 of which came on the bench with the women's basketball program. He helped the Lady Tigers to five straight Final Fours from 2004-08, and served as Acting Head Coach for the 2007 NCAA Tournament (4-1).

Starkey helped guide LSU to four SEC Championships, 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, eight Sweet 16s, seven Elite Eights and five consecutive trips to the Final Four. He was a key component in the Lady Tigers' outstanding record of 326-105 (.756) from 1998-2011.

In his first role at LSU, Starkey served as an assistant coach for Dale Brown on the LSU men's basketball staff from 1990-96, during which time the Tigers participated in four NCAA Tournaments. While on the men's staff, Starkey worked closely in developing three first-round NBA draft picks in Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Jackson and Stanley Roberts. As a recruiter, he helped sign three nationally-ranked recruiting classes, including one which was rated No. 1 in the country.

In his collegiate coaching tenure, Starkey has worked with 20 teams that have won at least 20 games and has been a postseason participant 20 times.

Before his extended stretch at LSU, Starkey spent one year as an assistant at Marshall during the 1988-89 season and three seasons as a men's assistant coach at West Virginia State from 1984-87. In his final season at West Virginia State, he helped guide the Yellow Jackets to conference and district titles on their way to the NAIA National Championship game.

Starkey began his coaching career as an assistant at Winfield High School in West Virginia.

Heavily involved in charitable causes, Starkey serves on the board of directors for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, A STEP UP, and the H.O.P.E. Foundation.

Starkey, who considers himself a full-time student of the game, has written numerous articles and has authored such basketball books as The 2-3 Match-Up Defense and Motion Offense. His latest project is a Basketball Coaching Series of books that include The Art of Being An Assistant Coach, The Art of Scouting and The Art of Motivation. Starkey is a master motivator and runs his own coaching and player online blog that features daily updates at hoopthoughts.blogspot.com.

Starkey is originally from Charleston, W.Va., and is married to the former Sherie Hayslett, also a native of West Virginia.
 

THIS is what I wanted to see. This is a game changer in terms of what he brings to the table.  Every successful head coach has someone, or more than one, sitting on the bench that they trust and has knowledge in what needs to happen to develop a culture of winning.