What will it take for AU Basketball to become a relevant program ?

[HardcoreAU79 0]

I have watched AU sports for some 40 odd years and  have seen us have our moments,

but no real momentum for round ball.  What will it take for us to have a consistent  program ?  The new stadium is a big step.  I have my opinions, but what are yours ?  WDE

[Rednilla 5,396]

IMO, we've got it now: a talented young coach with recruiting savvy and talented big men to compliment the outstanding perimeter play Auburn has had over the years. Next season Kouassi (6'10) will have a full year of Yoxercise, not to mention a seven footer to share the load with him.

If we're able to turn things around next year, which I sincerely believe we will, then Barbee will have no problems with continuing to bring in top big men AND top perimeter guys. Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program, and when you add some good coaching to the talent, things will come together.

Going forward, provided Barbee continues to build the program the way I think he's going to, then it's just a matter of how much is put into basketball. As long as we remain competitive with salary offers, we'll draw big time coaches. Auburn has world class facilities in every aspect, and that stretches far beyond the football team getting a new full length indoor practice field. You don't win 18 consecutive SEC Championships in swimming by having inferior training facilities, either.

And I can't help but to give the football coaches props here, because they have encouraged the football players to go to basketball games and support Auburn athletics entirely (the whole Auburn Family that Chizik has so thoroughly embraced). That kind of thing really promotes a unity that I can't help but to think the best out there would want. I mean, no one wants to have to be competing with another athletics program within the school. Kentucky is the only SEC program whose basketball team far outranks its football team, so this unity should pay major dividends down the road when it comes to setting us apart as an attractive place to coach.

[HardcoreAU79 0]

V. good reply and thanks.  Especially like what you said about present players.

It is encouraging to know the support given by Chizik.  I am for anything that helps AU.  Football is king in SEC, there is no reason however for us not to be competitive in other sports.  The university has made the commitment

in physical structures in basketball, baseball and swimming.

Where are we with season ticket sales ?  I seem to remember a study done on the number of

tickets we needed to see in Montgomery, Al.  and Columbus, Ga. in order to build a base sales.

[3rdgen 2]

We need a scorer and some 3 point shooters.  I don't know that we will be an every year contender like Kentucky and Florida seems to have become as of recently.  But we can certainly do better and I expect we will.  As was said auburn has put the money forth to be good at all sports.  But we seem to have spurts in all sports excluding football, swimming, and women's equestrian in which we are good only to then fall off the table after 2-3 year runs. 

[AU64 10,122]

1.  Stability: 

See that two frosh got their release today....and with loss of Varez and Kenny...the rebuilding continues. 

I guess the guys like Calipari are always rebuilding but usually with a bunch of 5* guys.  That's a rarity....and most of the good teams have some upper class leadership for the one or two world-class frosh they recruit.   

2. Some shooters that can hit from the field and foul line.

[Rednilla 5,396]

We need a scorer and some 3 point shooters.  I don't know that we will be an every year contender like Kentucky and Florida seems to have become as of recently.  But we can certainly do better and I expect we will.  As was said auburn has put the money forth to be good at all sports.  But we seem to have spurts in all sports excluding football, swimming, and women's equestrian in which we are good only to then fall off the table after 2-3 year runs. 

This guy is pretty good, as is this guy...

[Rednilla 5,396]

1.  Stability:  

See that two frosh got their release today....and with loss of Varez and Kenny...the rebuilding continues. 

I guess the guys like Calipari are always rebuilding but usually with a bunch of 5* guys.   That's a rarity....and most of the good teams have some upper class leadership for the one or two world-class frosh they recruit.    

2. Some shooters that can hit from the field and foul line.

As many new players as were being brought in, it was to be expected to some degree.

[Orange and Blue 17211345162833 0]

We need a scorer and some 3 point shooters.  I don't know that we will be an every year contender like Kentucky and Florida seems to have become as of recently.  But we can certainly do better and I expect we will.  As was said auburn has put the money forth to be good at all sports.  But we seem to have spurts in all sports excluding football, swimming, and women's equestrian in which we are good only to then fall off the table after 2-3 year runs. 

This guy is pretty good, as is this guy...

I know Johnson is a great dunker but how refined are his overall basketball skills?

[Rednilla 5,396]

We need a scorer and some 3 point shooters.  I don't know that we will be an every year contender like Kentucky and Florida seems to have become as of recently.  But we can certainly do better and I expect we will.  As was said auburn has put the money forth to be good at all sports.  But we seem to have spurts in all sports excluding football, swimming, and women's equestrian in which we are good only to then fall off the table after 2-3 year runs. 

This guy is pretty good, as is this guy...

I know Johnson is a great dunker but how refined are his overall basketball skills?

Well, honestly, losing Kouassi seems a big blow, even with the 6'11-7'0 (depending on who you listen to) JUCO guy coming in, and that affects the outside guys as well. And to answer your question, probably not all that much, but he can provide a spark. Throw in coaching from a top notch staff...

[AU64 10,122]

My point was that I just read a post-season analysis that among other things, talked about how Kouassi (sp) and the other kid would be important for the coming season...and five minutes later I see they are both released. 

I've addressed the shooting issues in other posts.....and offer my support to O and B'comments....I see these videos of our incoming kids (including guards) doing all kind of dunks over a bunch of 6-2 HS opponents but EVERYONE knows they will get very few of those chances in the SEC and what we really need are kids that are deadly from 15 feet or more.  What we can't take are our leading scorers going 3 for 15 from the field in important games. 

JMO but I would take Blanche Alverson from the 3 point line against anyone on the men's team.....and after seeing kids on TV over the weekend at the foul line late in games facing crucial shots....I note that a good number of them were shooting 85%+ for the year...and some over 90%.    I can't help wonder why none of our guys can hit anywhere close to that.  At least Roy Williams and the other coaches could get their 90% foul shooters to the line when it mattered.    Playing good fundamental basketball will make the team relevant...and successful.

[Orange and Blue 17211345162833 0]

My point was that I just read a post-season analysis that among other things, talked about how Kouassi (sp) and the other kid would be important for the coming season...and five minutes later I see they are both released.   

I've addressed the shooting issues in other posts.....and offer my support to O and B'comments....I see these videos of our incoming kids (including guards) doing all kind of dunks over a bunch of 6-2 HS opponents but EVERYONE knows they will get very few of those chances in the SEC and what we really need are kids that are deadly from 15 feet or more.   What we can't take are our leading scorers going 3 for 15 from the field in important games.   

JMO but I would take Blanche Alverson from the 3 point line against anyone on the men's team.....and after seeing kids on TV over the weekend at the foul line late in games facing crucial shots....I note that a good number of them were shooting 85%+ for the year...and some over 90%.    I can't help wonder why none of our guys can hit anywhere close to that.   At least Roy Williams and the other coaches could get their 90% foul shooters to the line when it mattered.    Playing good fundamental basketball will make the team relevant...and successful.

A well thought out post. I totally agree.

[Rednilla 5,396]

My point was that I just read a post-season analysis that among other things, talked about how Kouassi (sp) and the other kid would be important for the coming season...and five minutes later I see they are both released.  

I've addressed the shooting issues in other posts.....and offer my support to O and B'comments....I see these videos of our incoming kids (including guards) doing all kind of dunks over a bunch of 6-2 HS opponents but EVERYONE knows they will get very few of those chances in the SEC and what we really need are kids that are deadly from 15 feet or more.   What we can't take are our leading scorers going 3 for 15 from the field in important games.  

JMO but I would take Blanche Alverson from the 3 point line against anyone on the men's team.....and after seeing kids on TV over the weekend at the foul line late in games facing crucial shots....I note that a good number of them were shooting 85%+ for the year...and some over 90%.    I can't help wonder why none of our guys can hit anywhere close to that.   At least Roy Williams and the other coaches could get their 90% foul shooters to the line when it mattered.    Playing good fundamental basketball will make the team relevant...and successful.

Oh, absolutely. But that's recruiting, too. I'm on the record for my favorite AU basketball player of all time being Scottie Pohlman, so I'm fully aware of the value of the 3. It's just that Scottie doesn't get to be the deadly secret weapon without Doc Robinson, Chris Porter, and Mamadou N'Diaye grabbing the headlines. I'm hoping that we're getting there with the players coming in.

[BHDAU1 240]

In my opinion the answer is as simple as it gets!!!!!  SPEND THE MONEY NECESSARY TO GET A BIG NAME COACH!!  If Auburn would fork over the dollars needed to hire a proven winner with nation-wide recognition we could actually have a good program.  Hiring up and comers as head coach is not gonna get it done anytime soon. Maybe we get lucky and it works out with Barbee, but I have serious doubts that were justified yet again with the recent departure of two players that were supposed to be part of the back bone of the rebuilding effort. 

[Weegle777 78]

Talent, talent, and more talent. And a pure point guard and true, nasty center.

[AU64 10,122]

Guess I miss the point on the coaching reference.  Half the teams in the sweet 16 are coached by guys you never heard of and does anyone really believe that any of the top coaches would leave their gold mines at Ky, Duke, Mich State, Syracuse, UNC etc...to come to AU and try to build a program in a football conference?  Get real !

Barbee was a good  hire...or at least he had a reasonable success track.  I do think he has to improve his recruiting and look for higher quality players.  He is unlikely to get many 4 or 5* kids and has to do a better job of recruiting lesser rated kids that can play as a team in his game style.    JMO, but early-on he was desperate to fill out his roster and would take any highly rated kid that would sign with AU....whether they were "right" for his style of play or not.  I hope he will become more selective in his recruiting....and reach some equilibrium where he has good and experienced players spending three or four years at AU.

[AuburnNTexas 7,167]

I believe we have the coach who can do it. His recruiting classes have gotten better every year. Koussai will hurt but we will have two legitimate Big men next Year the Juco Center and Robb Chubb who is a legitimate backup Center just not a starter. 

Frankie Sullivan should be 100% next year we have some other solid people coming back and a lot of talent coming in next year. We will have a luxury we haven't had in many years of having a big team on the floor, a small team on the floor and a combination team on the floor with the merging of old and new talent.

Next years team should be good enough for an NIT or with a little luck maybe making it too the Big Dance. If you are watching the NCAA tournament an awful lot of the teams are winning because they have bought into the defense wins concept. This year we started to buy into it but scoring droughts prevented us from getting over the hump.

Auburn will never be a Kentucky that will be able to recruit 3-5 5* players to replace the ones going to the pro's. We can be a program that by getting the right 3* and 4* star players and keeping the teams together with a good mixture of Upper and Lower classmen can compete at the top levels.

Next year should be the first time in a while that we can compete in the SEC and at least get into the NIT.  I would then expect us to be a little better over the next couple of years to the point we are always competing for 1-4 in the SEC and getting into Big Dance every year.  Throw in a 5* every know and then with the right team around him and who knows what is possible. 

[NoALtiger 3,868]

Talent, talent, and more talent. And a pure point guard and true, nasty center.

So pretty much what every team in the country is looking for. Ha!

[AU64 10,122]

Tex... I agree....Calipari will always show up with a bunch of hot shot frosh and the other top guys do the same, but I notice that the rest of the teams that advance into the to NCAA are made up of a couple seniors, maybe two sophs or juniors and a frosh....and every year they have three or four starters coming back.  I hope we can get into that position in another year or two....although having to fill open slots wtih Jucos does not make that easy.

As for next season, some of our better players actually spent little time on the floor because of injuries...will be good to have Langford back (I hope) and maybe Johnson will be full speed and despite the gripes about Chubb, stats show the team plays better when he is on the floor than on the bench.  Our major weakness is a reliable shooter/scorer.

[Weegle777 78]

Talent, talent, and more talent. And a pure point guard and true, nasty center.

So pretty much what every team in the country is looking for. Ha!

Now you are getting it! 

[keesler 5,928]

I believe we have the coach who can do it. His recruiting classes have gotten better every year. Koussai will hurt but we will have two legitimate Big men next Year the Juco Center and Robb Chubb who is a legitimate backup Center just not a starter.

Frankie Sullivan should be 100% next year we have some other solid people coming back and a lot of talent coming in next year. We will have a luxury we haven't had in many years of having a big team on the floor, a small team on the floor and a combination team on the floor with the merging of old and new talent.

Next years team should be good enough for an NIT or with a little luck maybe making it too the Big Dance. If you are watching the NCAA tournament an awful lot of the teams are winning because they have bought into the defense wins concept. This year we started to buy into it but scoring droughts prevented us from getting over the hump.

Auburn will never be a Kentucky that will be able to recruit 3-5 5* players to replace the ones going to the pro's. We can be a program that by getting the right 3* and 4* star players and keeping the teams together with a good mixture of Upper and Lower classmen can compete at the top levels.

Next year should be the first time in a while that we can compete in the SEC and at least get into the NIT. I would then expect us to be a little better over the next couple of years to the point we are always competing for 1-4 in the SEC and getting into Big Dance every year. Throw in a 5* every know and then with the right team around him and who knows what is possible.

Makes me sick to hope and pray for a freaking NIT invite.

I can't help but think back to the better days of our bb program, when a fan could usually bank on the big dance with consistancy.

[tigeraddikt 1,616]

In my opinion the answer is as simple as it gets!!!!!   SPEND THE MONEY NECESSARY TO GET A BIG NAME COACH!!  If Auburn would fork over the dollars needed to hire a proven winner with nation-wide recognition we could actually have a good program.  Hiring up and comers as head coach is not gonna get it done anytime soon. Maybe we get lucky and it works out with Barbee, but I have serious doubts that were justified yet again with the recent departure of two players that were supposed to be part of the back bone of the rebuilding effort. 

This is a quality post. I agree whole-heartedly, though I do hope Barbee turns it around, but I just knew Lebo would get the job done, and I haven't seen a whole lot of difference between the 2 in the past couple of seasons...

[Rednilla 5,396]

In my opinion the answer is as simple as it gets!!!!!   SPEND THE MONEY NECESSARY TO GET A BIG NAME COACH!!  If Auburn would fork over the dollars needed to hire a proven winner with nation-wide recognition we could actually have a good program.  Hiring up and comers as head coach is not gonna get it done anytime soon. Maybe we get lucky and it works out with Barbee, but I have serious doubts that were justified yet again with the recent departure of two players that were supposed to be part of the back bone of the rebuilding effort. 

This is a quality post. I agree whole-heartedly, though I do hope Barbee turns it around, but I just knew Lebo would get the job done, and I haven't seen a whole lot of difference between the 2 in the past couple of seasons...

The biggest difference is in the recruiting. Yeah, we lost Kouassi. How many four star big men did Lebo bring in? I'm not downing the guy, because I liked him too, and he's a great basketball coach...but he wasn't getting any excitement pumped into the program. THAT is what we need. There isn't a big time coach out there who isn't either firmly entrenched in a basketball rich program or past his prime. We can't get the former, and we don't want the latter. Ergo, you hire an up and comer with good recruiting ability to usher in the new age of AU Basketball with the new arena.

[Weegle777 78]

There really isn't any reason Auburn Basketball shouldn't be contending. Seeing how many "no name" colleges are in the NCAA Tournament and doing pretty well with way less talent than some of the perennial top ten basketball powerhouses, Auburn could and should and will, in my opinion do the same. Barbee is the right coach, we just need to give him time. This class, like Barbee said, should be the one that begins the rise out of the bottom of the SEC.

[AuburnBasketball 0]

I don't think Auburn Basketball could ever get to the level of UK on a consistent basis but we could easily get to the level of a Texas or Nc State consistently every season.

[Droxside 0]

I don't think Auburn Basketball could ever get to the level of UK on a consistent basis but we could easily get to the level of a Texas or Nc State consistently every season.

I agree with the Kentucky comment, but few programs do. Auburn is a football school first and that is not going to change. Having said that, AU will be a consistent player in the big dance very soon. here is an article from about 9 hours ago, after the two left. Rebuilding from what he took over takes time and it is always amazing to me that so many do not get this fact and expect immediate miracles. he is building the right way and I for one realize patience is a virtue, especially in this case, all things considered. AU will be dancing in 2 years. for those interested, here is Barbee about 9 hours ago, after the two recent departures. Honestly, I thing he likes the two added slots and could improve as a whole (the two who replace the two who left fully realizing willy is talented)...

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=teamreports-2012-ncaab-abb