Kent on the Hotseat

by WSUCougMaddie on Jun 4, 2009 1:59 PM PDT Comment 18 comments

Foxsports has their list of the top College BB Coaches on the hotseat for this year, and Kent came in at #4.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/pgStory?contentId=9634612#sport=COLLEGE%20BASKETBALL&photo=9633864

Too bad you guys couldn't get Few...

After this year's contract re-negotiation, do you really think that UO will let Kent go? What is the final straw going to be for the program with Kent? Who would you guys rather have running the show for the Ducks?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or the Addicted To Quack Moderators. FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable Oregon fans.

0 recs | Comment 18 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

If he doesn't perform this year....

He’s gone. I have a feeling that the expectations have been set as they were for some other coaches. IIRC, Kent’s contract is set up so that it will be very easy to fire him if the need arises.

--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Jun 4, 2009 2:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m with JT on this one. Last year was a pretty big embarrassment and given the nature of other firings in the program (women’s golf, softball to name 2), I don’t think it would be politically possible to keep him if we had a similar year. I think bringing in Mike Dunlap was a great move for Ernie an by all accounts, seems to be having a very positive effect on the team.

I don’t think Oregon has to reach the NCAA’s next year but at least NIT and close to a .500 record in the Pac-10 is a good metric

--Dominic, Addicted to Quack

Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die." - J. Brady McCullough, The Michigan Daily.

by dvieira on Jun 4, 2009 3:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think at least on-the-bubble should do, with the talent he has.

Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Dear Joevan, Develop motor skills. Love, ATQ.

by qrsouther on Jun 4, 2009 8:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd say if the ducks make it at least to the CBI

then his job will be safe-ish. However, I think they’ll miss the post season and Kent will get fired.

PADO

by Tortuga12 on Jun 4, 2009 3:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i think it’ll take an NIT berth to save kent’s job

It's spelled "T-A-K-I-M-O-T-S-C-H-M-O-E."

I support inroywetrust in his support of The VD Special in his support of me supporting Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Jun 4, 2009 3:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I said safe-ish

so if they made the CBI, I think Kent could still get fired. But I agree that an NIT berth would probably save his job.

PADO

by Tortuga12 on Jun 4, 2009 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He better win the damn thing haha

I support Takimoto in his effort to support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by The VD Special on Jun 5, 2009 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It will take more than the CBI

…and barely making the NIT won’t do it either. I think it will have to be a just-miss-the-madness/high-NIT-seed to survive. the simple fact is, i never really bought Kent as a great coach. I think during the Elite 8 run, he had great players, who executed well, but not a great coach.

I think the value of a great coach is often underrated – look at the Coug’s. 3 decades as the PAC-10’s doormat for BB. Bring in a great coach, and they are now a higher caliber team. The Ducks have the talent, but not the coach.

by WSUCougMaddie on Jun 4, 2009 4:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This is pretty much the same argument to be had every year with Kent but you can’t have one without the other. He does have his weaknesses but at some point, the players have to make shots. Ernie seems to be an average game coach, pretty good on prep an a good recruiter. Up until this point, he hasn’t been a good program manager and what will be interesting to see is if the hire of Dunlap turns that around.

I think you have to be reasonable in expectations for next year. Asking Ernie to turn the team around almost 13-14 games is a lot and that is just to be a bubble team for the NCAAs. If he did that, he would have one of the biggest turnarounds of a program and deserve to be coach of the year. Getting into the NIT is a very reachable goal, especially given the program management of the team. He needs to show promise an that the team is going to go in the right direction for the new arena. If he can somehow do that and get a low seed into the NIT, I think he sticks around.

--Dominic, Addicted to Quack

Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die." - J. Brady McCullough, The Michigan Daily.

by dvieira on Jun 4, 2009 10:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dom nailed it. The real key is this: does EK build momentum with young talent to the point that the athletic department sees increased interest from prospective ticket holders for the new arena. It’s hard to pin-point in wins and losses what that looks like, but that is what has to happen. If Ernie isn’t able to achieve that building of hope that will fill the new arena, the athletic department’s next best option will be to create hope via coaching change.

It’s tough, but that’s business.

I'm really tired of it not being football season.

by JConant on Jun 4, 2009 10:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

good point with the new arena. I think Kent will see the last game in Mac court, but the timing sets up pretty good to start fresh with a new coach in a new building if he doesn’t bring some excitement.

by BigGreenCountry on Jun 7, 2009 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ernie was present for the groundbreaking and had a huge part in bringing a new arena to priority.

I think he’ll be around for at least the inaugural game let alone season.

Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Dear Joevan, Develop motor skills. Love, ATQ.

by qrsouther on Jun 7, 2009 6:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of course, knowing EK

This is the season he’ll usually bust out another Elite 8 appearance since he’s done that the last time at least some people, including me, were thinking he should go…

Proud member of Duck nation!

by skywaker9 on Jun 4, 2009 11:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Possible coaching candidates should Ernie get fired?

Randy Bennett (St Marys)
The HC at San Diego
Can’t remember his name but he coached Seattle this past year and is now the HC at Cal Poly
Billy Gillespie

I support Takimoto in his effort to support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by The VD Special on Jun 5, 2009 2:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Last year I was fantasizing about hiring Billy Gillispie.

But I read into it a little more and Gill has a history of both underusing talent, as well as off-court trouble following him wherever. I think this is something that will be taken into account in the AD.

Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Dear Joevan, Develop motor skills. Love, ATQ.

by qrsouther on Jun 5, 2009 3:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the real question

If the Ducks start off bad, would they let Kent go before the end of the season?

by westspec on Jun 7, 2009 7:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd say yes

and I think that is one of the reasons for the Hudson hire. Last season, firing Ernie midseason wasn’t really an option because there was no one on the bench with any real head coaching experience, just Ernie’s posse. Hudson has the ability and the experience to coach the team on his own, and I’m sure Ernie knows this.

It's spelled "T-A-K-I-M-O-T-S-C-H-M-O-E."

I support inroywetrust in his support of The VD Special in his support of me supporting Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Jun 7, 2009 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

not sure

my immediate thought is yes, but I’m not so sure what kind of PR that would create to fire a somewhat popular community figure in the middle of the last season in a historic building. might be seen as kinda greedy or disrespectful or something. believe it or not kent still has a bit of a fan club in this small town

by BigGreenCountry on Jun 7, 2009 5:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs