Will we win a National Championship before Bruce retires?

[TeamZero77 1,784]

I believe Bruce is 60 yrs old. Let's say that he stays at Auburn 12 more years and then retires. That would put him at 72 yrs old. 

In your opinion, does Bruce bring a Natty to the plains before he decides to hang it up? 

[gravejd 3,270]

IMO odds are no we will not. But thats just because it is so hard to win the title. Last year we had 2 amazing players and a solid supporting cast and got knocked out in round of 32. I don't know that we recruit well enough every year to be title contenders and its so hard to keep the really good players around to build a team capable of making that run. For us it takes the perfect mixture of NBA talent and guys who are on the cusp of NBA talent to play for a few season. Like this year for example i think we can be really good and compete for the SEC title and be a top team in the country. But do i think we have the guards to make a deep tourney run?? Not currently but that may change as the season goes along. I know i did not think the Bryce/Harper/Okeke led team would have a shot but they made that run and would have won it had it not been stolen away by bad officiating. 

But i do think we have a punchers chance ever year with Pearl as HC and thats all i need as a fan. 

[Tiger 8,823]

Hell yeah he will!!!! 

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

Statistically it is unlikely, but what he has already done was also statistically unlikely. I Think there is a legit shot for him to win a NCAA title and that is an awesome thought as an AU fan. What is very interesting that I don't see much talk about is he has a good chance to pass Cliff Ellis and Sonny Smith in wins as the AU coach this season, and will be our all time winningest coach in the next 3-4 seasons unless something crazy happens. That is a thought to reflect on. We are in the middle of the best run our program has had with a coach that the floor/arena etc will be named after one day. 

[Weagle98 119]

I doubt it, just because it takes a lot of things to fall in place.  I really hope it does happen and I will be overjoyed.  To me, the same with other sports like baseball and football, it isn't necessarily about winning NCs, although that is nice, it is about being competitive year in and year out.  Hope.  The thrill of being competitive is what is important to me.  

To me also Bruce deserves statues and names on buildings because he is such a great coach and competes every year but also he is a great human who is the best ambassador for auburn ever.

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

I think he’ll keep us in the postseason/ sweet 16 discussion most years.   Once you get to that round of 32 or 16, you just never know what’s going to happen.    But assuming he has 12 more chances, I will say “Sure.  I like our chances as well as anyone’s”.  

[Rednilla 5,391]

If Bruce is around for another 12 years before he retires, then I would say we have a (relatively) outstanding chance of winning a national title before he leaves.

Also, with regard to this year's team, I do think the guards are good enough to win it all, IF Allen can learn to be a supporting cast member as well as he was the PG when we needed him a couple of years ago, specifically because I think Chance Westry is better than his rating, and I think he carries that unit to new heights. I think he's going to make a similar jump to the one Isaac Okoro made, from mid- to late 30s overall as a recruit to top 10 in the draft, I just think it's going to be the offensive side of his game that carries him there, with the defensive side being close enough to elite to justify that high of a pick for him.

BTW, in response to the comment about not recruiting well enough to be there consistently, I disagree wholeheartedly. We had Okeke leave after year 2, then Okoro, then Cooper, then Jabari and Kessler (year 2 for him, but year 1 at Auburn). . . seems like we're not just being consistent, but rather are doing progressively better with bringing in guys who are likely to stick in the NBA. And this should be a high tide kind of year, because in addition to the two potential NBA players, we've got a roster of guys who are talented and have been playing together for a couple of years now. I'm certainly not about to predict that it's going to happen this year, but this year is as good as any we've had at Auburn, and the excitement that comes with that potential makes Bruce worth his weight in gold.

[Dunndone414 469]

This is from my favorite piece ever written about Auburn basketball. (On our 2019 Final Four run. Highly recommend giving it a read.) 

“Contrary to an oft-cited maxim, you don’t win a Division I men’s basketball title by “getting hot for a month.” Ask the Cavaliers: you win a Division I men’s basketball title by building a program that can regularly make the NCAAs, earning a string of high seeds, and rolling the dice until the “get hot for a month” double-sixes appear.”

I think Bruce is building that kind of program. Statistically of course, that still means a title is unlikely. But put yourself in the position to make a run enough times, and odds improve that you will. 

https://www.thewareaglereader.com/2019/04/auburn-basketball-and-the-tournament-of-otherwise/

 

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

On 10/30/2022 at 6:11 AM, Rednilla said:

If Bruce is around for another 12 years before he retires, then I would say we have a (relatively) outstanding chance of winning a national title before he leaves.

Also, with regard to this year's team, I do think the guards are good enough to win it all, IF Allen can learn to be a supporting cast member as well as he was the PG when we needed him a couple of years ago, specifically because I think Chance Westry is better than his rating, and I think he carries that unit to new heights. I think he's going to make a similar jump to the one Isaac Okoro made, from mid- to late 30s overall as a recruit to top 10 in the draft, I just think it's going to be the offensive side of his game that carries him there, with the defensive side being close enough to elite to justify that high of a pick for him.

BTW, in response to the comment about not recruiting well enough to be there consistently, I disagree wholeheartedly. We had Okeke leave after year 2, then Okoro, then Cooper, then Jabari and Kessler (year 2 for him, but year 1 at Auburn). . . seems like we're not just being consistent, but rather are doing progressively better with bringing in guys who are likely to stick in the NBA. And this should be a high tide kind of year, because in addition to the two potential NBA players, we've got a roster of guys who are talented and have been playing together for a couple of years now. I'm certainly not about to predict that it's going to happen this year, but this year is as good as any we've had at Auburn, and the excitement that comes with that potential makes Bruce worth his weight in gold.

Don't for JT Thor. One of the quietest one and dones ever.

[Rednilla 5,391]

8 minutes ago, JwgreDeux said:

Don't for JT Thor. One of the quietest one and dones ever.

You're right, I did forget about the God of Thunder. So yeah, him too.