How do we feel about keeping Howland after tonight?

[hailstate19]

Tonight was a good win. I was half paying attention, but it looks like we executed well tonight from what I could tell. I just can’t unsee some of bad games this year. In those bad games the same exact problems from his previous teams reared it’s ugly head. That’s the problem with Howland coached teams. I don’t see how next year will be different. Why didn’t we do this the first time we played them? Why is the consistency such an issue? Right now I really have no idea if I want to us to cut ties with Howland or not? Last week I for sure wanted him out.

 

[DAWGS1.sixpack]

Dude we beat a €#it program and team this afternoon.
And we lost to this same €#it team by double digits at home just two weeks ago.
People like you who think we are somehow magically all of a sudden a bubble watch team by beating om are delusional.

 

[57stratdawg]

I think today’s win pretty much guaranteed his return. If we would have lost out, it could have turned into a conversation, but I think that ended tonight. Another win (Texas AM), definitely ends it.

That said, Howland needs to make the dance in 2022. We really need to keep this core group together this off-season too. That hasn’t always been the case under this staff. If we do that, we’re likely ending this talent cycle in 2022 anyway. So, you might as well see if Ben can get them dancing.

 

[hailstate19]

Dude we beat a €#it program and team this afternoon.
And we lost to this same €#it team by double digits at home just two weeks ago.
People like you who think we are somehow magically all of a sudden a bubble watch team by beating om are delusional.

This was a great win on the road period. OM has been playing well as of late, and we possibly put them out of any bubble discussion. Feels good. When did I say we are a bubble team? I may have said it after the Missouri win, but a lot of people were at that point. Now it’s all about seeing improvement. This is improvement. Nobody is talking about going to the dance at this point in the season. People are just talking about Howland, and if we should part ways after this year.

Btw just enjoy a win over a rival instead of worrying about that 1-5 finish you predicted possibly being pretty wrong.

 

[mstateglfr]

Dude we beat a €#it program and team this afternoon.
And we lost to this same €#it team by double digits at home just two weeks ago.
People like you who think we are somehow magically all of a sudden a bubble watch team by beating om are delusional.

^^^ the ignorance of SPS when it comes to basketball.

OM isn't a **** team this season. They are quite solid team and recently beat Tennessee and Mizzou, both are ranked teams.

MSU just won a road game against what was a hot bubble team coming into the game and all you can do is reduce the win by calling OM a **** team.
Boo! Boo!


Also just type out '****' instead of doing some dumb edit. You are thinking it so just type it.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I think today’s win pretty much guaranteed his return. If we would have lost out, it could have turned into a conversation, but I think that ended tonight. Another win (Texas AM), definitely ends it.

That said, Howland needs to make the dance in 2022. We really need to keep this core group together this off-season too. That hasn’t always been the case under this staff. If we do that, we’re likely ending this talent cycle in 2022 anyway. So, you might as well see if Ben can get them dancing.

Agree with all of this. Fat fingers from our first day above freezing temperatures led to an overdue trip to the liquor store.

 

[paindonthurt_]

Do people really think we are a bubble team?

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

We are a very mediocre basketball team in a mediocre conference. That being said, Howland gets another year, because economically we don’t need to fire him.

 

[Ranchdawg]

Dead man walking. No offensive game plan and won on defense alone. We can do better.

 

[Dawg1976]

I doubt we're a bubble NIT team.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

I would still rather see what another coach can do with the talent we have next year. I don’t think Howland can do anything to win me back this year, short of winning the SECT.

 

[Cow College]

He needs to be gone. If we don’t it has to be economic reasons

 

[PineGroveBully]

The pinnacle of our season will be when we are mentioned as a bad loss on selection Sunday. I’ve seen enough.

 

[ronpolk]

I don’t know how you can decide to keep him or fire him based on a single game.

My take on Howland:

I don’t think he’s going to let the wheels fall off but I also think it’s clear at this point that we are not going to take the next step under him. If I’m the AD, I give him a year or 2 more to decide to retire on his terms. I feel good that Howland is going to keep the team semi-talented and we won’t be a dumpster fire, which will be helpful in finding his replacement. But I want no part in firing him unless he has plans to try this for longer than 2 years.

 

[1msucub]

He needs to retire at the end of the season. We are nowhere NEAR where we should be. Give one reason to convince me there is hope of improvement.....

 

[patdog]

I hope he retires, but we can't fire him. As long as he's here, it's going to just be more of the same. 2-4 good games, then 2-4 bad ones, with the net being his teams almost always under-perform for the season.

 

[goodknight]

Everybody is a year older, freshman are sophomores and a year wiser and stronger.

 

[paindonthurt_]

This is a reasonable answer if the finances line up, but beating ole miss last night isn’t a GOOD reason to keep him.

 

[mstateglfr]

He needs to retire at the end of the season. We are nowhere NEAR where we should be. Give one reason to convince me there is hope of improvement.....

Here is one reason-
Our top 3 scorers, one who is the top rebounder and the other two who are assist leaders, are all sophomores.

Here is another-
6 of the top 8 scorers are sophomores or freshmen.

One more-
Our assist leader is a true freshman who has improved his A/TO ratio in league play.



Dismis those if you like, but all are significant and none grasp at straws.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

Here is one reason-
Our top 3 scorers, one who is the top rebounder and the other two who are assist leaders, are all sophomores.

Here is another-
6 of the top 8 scorers are sophomores or freshmen.

One more-
Our assist leader is a true freshman who has improved his A/TO ratio in league play.



Dismis those if you like, but all are significant and none grasp at straws.

We’ve already seen what he can do with multiple talented upper class-men.

Perry/Woodard/Carter/Witherspoons/Peters/Holman

I’d rather give this group of players to an offensive minded coach. Howland is a Dinosaur in today’s game.

 

[Cooterpoot]

He's not going anywhere, so settle in.

 

[Dawgbite]

This team has shown sparks this year that really raised expectations but this was always going to be a down transition year. We are about where we were predicted to be. Holland will not or should not be fired this year. He may retire but he may want to coach for 20 more years, who knows. Next year will have higher expectations and more pressure to meet those expectations.

 

[the dog is on the loose]

The thing that concerns me the most is that when he is gone who the heck are we going to get? It’s not like we are a prominent program coaches are just beating the door down to come to. My fear is we could possibly do much worse. See Rick Ray.

 

[ronpolk]

The thing that concerns me the most is that when he is gone who the heck are we going to get? It’s not like we are a prominent program coaches are just beating the door down to come to. My fear is we could possibly do much worse. See Rick Ray.

I don’t worry about that too much. Money talks and we have to ability to well.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

This team has shown sparks this year that really raised expectations but this was always going to be a down transition year. We are about where we were predicted to be. Holland will not or should not be fired this year. He may retire but he may want to coach for 20 more years, who knows. Next year will have higher expectations and more pressure to meet those expectations.

I loathe this POV.

We were predicted to finish 12th out of 14 teams. So because we are on par with being 12th out of 14 teams in Howlands 6th year at state, it’s all good?

 

[BiscuitEater]

Here is one reason-
Our top 3 scorers, one who is the top rebounder and the other two who are assist leaders, are all sophomores.

Perry AND Woodard were BOTH Sophomores!

 

[msstate7]

I loathe this POV.

We were predicted to finish 12th out of 14 teams. So because we are on par with being 12th out of 14 teams in Howlands 6th year at state, it’s all good?

Turnover happens. Auburn and Kentucky have better coaches than we could dream of hiring, and they're struggling this year too.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

Turnover happens. Auburn and Kentucky have better coaches than we could dream of hiring, and they're struggling this year too.

Well, what have they done the previous few years?

 

[msstate7]

Well, what have they done the previous few years?

Yeah, they were great. We absolutely should hire calipari or Pearl if given the chance. If coaches that are far better than ours with talent better than ours aren't immune to down years, why would we be?

 

[ronpolk]

Well, what have they done the previous few years?

Well your previous post made it sound like it was not good for Howland’s team to be where we are in year 6. So, why should it matter how they did in years past? They are well established at their programs so they shouldn’t have a down year using your logic.

 

[Seinfeld]

Yesterday, we had a perfectly timed televised game against our arch rival right at 5PM while basically nothing else was going on. Looking back at the threads, I think we had about 5-6 posters that cared enough to watch and comment. That tells me all I need to know about where this program is under Howland

 

[mstateglfr]

Perry AND Woodard were BOTH Sophomores!

I am aware. So what.

 

[MSUDC11]

He’s not getting fired but fan apathy isn’t going anywhere either. Don’t expect people to change their tune based on this one win, too much damage has already been done. Pretty much nothing more can be done this season to silence Howland’s biggest critics, barring a totally unexpected run to win the SEC tourney or something like that.

Next year is do or die and that’s all there really is to it. And he’s going to have to do it without a ton of fan support once again, even if COVID restrictions are gone by next season. There’s not going to be a mad rush of people dying to watch this program play in The Hump anytime soon.

 

[1msucub]

Here is one reason-
Our top 3 scorers, one who is the top rebounder and the other two who are assist leaders, are all sophomores.

Here is another-
6 of the top 8 scorers are sophomores or freshmen.

One more-
Our assist leader is a true freshman who has improved his A/TO ratio in league play.



Dismis those if you like, but all are significant and none grasp at straws.

All great points, glfr, and I would agree with you if we hadn’t squandered teams before this. I just feel like he had his chances. We certainly have a chance to be better, but I just don’t have much optimism. I surely hope I’m wrong.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Perry AND Woodard were BOTH Sophomores!

AND drafted by the NBA when they were Sophomores! No DANGER of that from THESE Sophomores.

 

[BiscuitEater]

I am aware. So what.

Well, you think that the team is returning because they are so young and that may not necessarily be the case!

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

I was thinking Woodard and Perry were juniors, my mistake.

To be clear, I think this team will be better next year if Howland is the coach. But I still think they’ll just be a bubble team, and possibly a bubble team the next year and then another rebuild.

My point is we’ve seen what Howland can do and it’s not very good. One tourney appearance in six years. His offense is archaic. Let’s move on. I don’t have any hard feelings towards Ben, it just hasn’t worked out like we hoped.

 

[mstateglfr]

Well, you think that the team is returning because they are so young and that may not necessarily be the case!

Sure there is always a chance of surprise roster turnover. At this point last season, both Perry and Woodard were projected draft picks. None of the current 3 sophomores are projected draft picks so there is no reason to compare them to what happened last season.