I have changed my mind about Nate Oats

[Catastic5]

With NIL, Kentucky is no longer the gold standard. Florida is spending 20+ million (Haugh is a lotto pick that would be taking a paycut to go to the NBA) and has four of their five starters from their Natty team from TWO years ago. The three bigs could come back NEXT year, and become 25 year old rookies!

One year of Florida spending $20m+ hardly makes that the mean. Kentucky will always be among the top of basketball spending while Florida fights with the football team gobbling up their budget.

 

[Catastic5]

I really want to succeed here but if he doesn’t my dream scenario would be Dusty May pulling a Saban. Winning a title at a school with decent history, flaming out quickly in the pros, comes back to college with a historic run.

May has a pretty good team in Dallas and they don’t look bad. Can’t see him leaving unless they absolutely collapse.

 

[dynastydreamuk]

Some of you will have to pretend you didn't go on with this kind of stuff when he's the next coach at UK. I hope Pope kills it, but if he doesn't, some people gonna be overdosing on oatmeal.

People talked so much crap about Calipari, untill he was OUR coach...it would be the same with Oats... just win baby !

It’d be nice to hire him, but I’m not expecting it. He’ll stay in Tuscaloosa, maybe take an NBA job at some point because the NIL situation for Alabama basketball is pretty mediocre, apparently.

Supposedly bama basketball NIL is down in tier 4 at like 10 to 12 million for the roster... if true, Oats could really pull in some bigger talent with a UK level budget.

Definitely. Oats has a 15-9 career NCAA tournament record with a final four appearance. 70% winning percentage with four conference championships in 11 years of coaching.

Pope has a 3-2 NCAA tournament record with a sweet sixteen birth. 63% winning percentage with zero conference championships in 11 years of coaching.

Anyone thinking he wouldn't energize the program is just fooling themselves.

JB

Quoted you, just because its worth repeating how unqualified Pope was for the UK job and hiring him was a huge gamble. Whoever made that decision basically rolled the dice and said if Pope works out it will be a good story. In my opinion, Any average coach can come to UK now and win 22 games and finish 5th to 8th in the SEC because we have a top 4 NIL budget. 25 million to build a roster, lots of average coaches could have popes success with that.

If Kentucky needs a coach, there is no doubt, for me, that Josh Shertz is the guy. It’s going to get increasingly harder to get him as there will certainly be blue blood programs looking to grab him. Shertz turned down Syracuse last year as he knows bigger names are going to be calling soon.

I like his stats, definitely more qualified resume that Pope had. I was upset when Pope was hired, I would have been fine with Shertz and said, well if the big hires turned us down, we got a guy that looks like he can coach and win games. The Pope hire was, two guys turned us down and Mitch had Pope 3rd on his list literally... Pope and pearl were off limits supposedly and not even asked or considered...as well as many other qualified coaches apparently.

So if Pope is let go we need to hire a guy that has lost 10 games or more 6 times out of 11 years of coaching and in his 8th year of coaching Alabama he has them ranked 20th after losing 10 games the year before?? I don't get it.

What you dont get, is the hiring of Mark Pope was such a bad hire by Mitch Barnhart, fans are desperate for any change in the future that would have potential. Pope has never won more than 25 games, never wont his conference and never this and that on and on, Pope had no qualifications to get the UK job and he is an average coach. Any average coach could come to UK and win 22 games, finish 5th to 8th in the SEC with our 20 to 25 million dollar NIL roster budget.
Oats is on the list of possible good hires, not necessarily the top of the list, but qualified...he has won 30 plus games in a season, won his conference, got a final four and so on at a football school with reportedly low tier NIL around 12 million roster budget.

 

[ComebackCats98]

I like him ok, but it's not like Bama has done something crazy special.
I would rather have Golden or some other Proven imo.

They went to the final four lol

 

[phyrekat01]

It's a sign of how badly Pope sucks that people are drooling over the thought of a pretty mediocre Nate Oats

 

[ComebackCats98]

I understand people might not like Oats personally or want him at UK. However, to argue his resume isn’t good enough or he’s no better than Pope is crazy. He took Buffalo to the round of 32. He took Alabama to a final four and has won the SEC multiple times. His resume blows Popes out of the water. He’d be an instant spark

 

[Omega_X]

He’s won the SEC and made a freakin final four at Alabama. He’s not getting new the support that he would here.

Outside of his first year he’s made the tournament every year and made the second weekend all but one of those years and that was one of his early teams. The last four years Alabama has been a 4,2,4,1 seed in the tournament. I might be wrong but i believe they were the number 1 overall seed the year they got the 1 seed.

Point is, outside of Hurley or Golden, Nate Oats is the best out there and would kill it here.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Anybody thinking he wouldn’t be an instant upgrade over Pope is kidding themselves. Took Bama to a final four and plays the closest to Pitino ball we’ve ever seen.

Yup and he would kill recruiting here. Imagine if Oats had Momcilivic. He may shoot 18 3’s a game by himself.

 

[theKybluedude]

Kinda a sour faced whiner

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Definitely would love Oats, I also love Josh Schertz, I think he is a good one. He’s already 51 but he’s worked his way from the bottom and he’s been good everywhere. Kinda reminds me of the way Cignetti moved up a little.

 

[BBNinSCar]

I think about half the fan base would love to hire Shertz. He's a fast riser which is why I mentioned him first. The other half would hate it from day 1 with factions wondering why we didn't hire Billy D, another faction wondering why we didn't dry freeze Rupp when we had the chance so we could thaw him out in a time of need, another faction wanting to bring Pitino back, and another wishing wanting (Lloyd, Otz, Oats, Golden, Pat Riley, or the Ghost of Kobe Bryant) to be our coach. We'd literally see a race on RR to see who could say I told you so first, the first time a new hire misses a recruit a loses a game.

We need a winner. Kentucky deserves the highest level winner as a head coach. We also need an administration that can competently evaluate candidates. The first person I would call is Pitino- not to return as coach, but to help evaluate prospects and give guidance with hiring the next coach.

 

[BookofMormon]

He’s won the SEC and made a freakin final four at Alabama. He’s not getting new the support that he would here.

Outside of his first year he’s made the tournament every year and made the second weekend all but one of those years and that was one of his early teams. The last four years Alabama has been a 4,2,4,1 seed in the tournament. I might be wrong but i believe they were the number 1 overall seed the year they got the 1 seed.

Point is, outside of Hurley or Golden, Nate Oats is the best out there and would kill it here.

The Bama F4 team with Sears and Grant Nelson was really good, gave that dominant UConn team the best run they had all tournament, including Purdue. Spot on!

 

[Madhuvan]

That’s the resume?

“Ten-Loss Tubby” doesn’t mean anything to you?

If he had UK’s NIL budget he might need three years to lose ten games.

 

[SenseMaker_Cats]

The Bama F4 team with Sears and Grant Nelson was really good, gave that dominant UConn team the best run they had all tournament, including Purdue. Spot on!

They lost 12 games that year. They did beat UNC but the rest of the games to get to the final four. A 13 seed, a 12 seed and in the elite eight another 12 loss team in Clemson.

 

[meteordealer]

I see a lot of posters that say they want Nate Oats and I didn't see why, but after a closer look he is coming of a 25-10 record last year and a sweet sixteen appearance, and has Alabama ranked number 20 going into his 8th year. That is the type of coach UK needs, bring on Nate Oats I am on board.

Pope has us ranked in the 20's. We want better.

 

[NociHTTP]

I'd rather go for a 3-5 year Bruce Pearl/Billy Donovan until a good coach comes up. It seems like Jai Lucas has that potential but needs more time to develop.

Neither is coming to UK, ever. Donovan isn't coming back to college basketball (I don't blame him), and it's questionable if Pearl would want to now.

 

[BlueSince92]

If he had UK’s NIL budget he might need three years to lose ten games.

This is not about Tubby Smith. Tubby was fine early. "Ten Loss Tubby" was what people started saying his last four or five years when he was phoning in his entire job and losing ten games every season and wasn't getting it done anymore. And this guy @Get_over_it wants us to bring in Oats because he's only losing ten games a season at the height of his success and acts like it's a selling point.

 

[Ukbrassowtipin]

No.

Also, why do you guys just refuse to believe facts. Nate Oats has said repeatedly hes not interested in a job like UK. And yet the same ppl who think even though Billy D has turned us down 999 times, he'd definitely say yes the 1000th time if just asked

 

[frazor]

The Bama F4 team with Sears and Grant Nelson was really good, gave that dominant UConn team the best run they had all tournament, including Purdue. Spot on!

Sears was an undersized low ranked kid out of Ohio (university not state) and Nelson was a white kid out of North Dakota. His teams are consistently comprised of low ranked no names but he has also demonstrated the last 2-3 years that he can put together top recruiting classes and get kids to the NBA. I’d have to look at it but I believe Bama also put up the biggest fight against Michigan last year. I think he’d reach a level that UK hasn’t experienced in years but he seems unable to put together a team that can handle good “bigs” so that is something you’d have to live with. He can basically coach at this level for the next 25 years and nobody in Ttown will legit complain. By year 5 the folks in blue would be getting restless.

 

[KYAnywhereEverywhere]

I absolutely do not get the love afair for Oats. A close running between Scott Drew and Nate Oats in who I would least want to be UK's next coach. I might seriously give up being a fan if Oats is hired. I am a lifelong fan and yes, I'm entirely serious. I just could not support him. On top of all of that's I think he's genuinely not capable of winning the championship, bad defense will always catch up to him at some point in the tournament.

 

[davtay]

We need a winner. Kentucky deserves the highest level winner as a head coach. We also need an administration that can competently evaluate candidates. The first person I would call is Pitino- not to return as coach, but to help evaluate prospects and give guidance with hiring the next coach.

Not so sure about Pitino giving guidance on next head coach. If I recall correctly the last guys that ole Rick recommended were:
Ford
Pelphrey and
Pope.

Maybe keep Rick out of the loop.

also, whores.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

Oats is a young 52. He's not an Elmer Fudd like Scott Drew.

He's on the cutting edge of analytics, math teacher. He's won consistently with less money. He's got a clear cut, face paced offensive system that kids love to play for.

I'm pretty sure if he came to UK (big if), he's a coach you can count on to right the ship and turn UK into an annual F4 contender. He took a broken football schools BB program and turned it into a winner pre-NIL in two years. Think what he could do with the most NIL in CBB. He's won with a LOT less. He knows the SEC.

He'd have to get a whole new set of plaid blazers in blue.

The guy has a F4, an overall 1 seed and made it to the S16 5x in 7 years.

Not the right guy, but after seeing Otzelberger lose to Memphis last night with what looks like a Walmart roster, would have to think he might listen. I'd put him far behind Oats though.

But Oats did sign Brandon Garrison after seeing him for 2 years. That's gotta be taken into account negatively at some point.

Oats is a good coach. He would be a hire most of the fanbase would get behind. But the amount of money it would take to buyout Pope, buyout Oats, and then pay Oats to come here makes me think it's a pipe dream currently. We don't have the most NIL in CBB, though many here somehow think the money pit is bottomless. We are definitely top 20 but nowhere near number 1. Would the fanbase turn on Oats if he failed to land top 10 recruits because we kept getting outbid? (That is in no way a defense of Pope or an explanation for him losing top recruits). It is just an example question.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

We need a winner. Kentucky deserves the highest level winner as a head coach. We also need an administration that can competently evaluate candidates. The first person I would call is Pitino- not to return as coach, but to help evaluate prospects and give guidance with hiring the next coach.

Yeah I'm gonna pass on calling Pitino for anything. He suggested and gave his blessing for Pope to Mitch. He's suggested Pelphrey and Ford in the past if I remember correctly. And have you looked at the strippers he hired to sleep with his players at U6? Wooof... That man does not select good candidates.

Love ya Coach, but stay up there and keep your d!ck outta UK's Kool-Aide.

 

[BookofMormon]

Yeah I'm gonna pass on calling Pitino for anything. He suggested and gave his blessing for Pope to Mitch. He's suggested Pelphrey and Ford in the past if I remember correctly. And have you looked at the strippers he hired to sleep with his players at U6? Wooof... That man does not select good candidates.

Love ya Coach, but stay up there and keep your d!ck outta UK's Kool-Aide.

Pitino is an egomaniac. There are neutral search firms that can offer a better evaulation.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Yeah...I don't personally care whatsoever. And if those were our players, we'd be arguing about how misunderstood the whole situation was.

Exactly. Cal was a cheating SOB until he left Memphis...
Pitino was a god until he went to Loserville...
I couldn't care any less about winning the social pages. Granted, I don't think Urban Meyer's Gators were a good look, but they did win big.

 

[meteordealer]

We can get Sweet 16's and 10+ loss seasons with Pope. No reason to bring Oats in here.

 

[Catzman]

I think a lot of people want a Nate Oats "type" of fiery passionate head coach with proven ability to win conference championships and get to the final four. Not necessarily Oats himself.

I personally would prefer a young, modern coaching style, fresh face with a chip on his shoulder than an established old school guy. A lot of people will throw out like a Josh Shertz or similar. Don't know exactly who I would hire, if I were the AD at this point. Jordan Fee (would never get the UK job right away) but that guy will eventually get a major program job. Young, passionate, just wins basketball games (0.917 win percentage so far) Won the regular season and tournament title, and went to the DII Elite 8 in 23-24 season. Coach of the Year in his conference. Then got hired as assistant HC at Florida Atlantic as he moved up to D1 for the next two years and got hired as Lamar's head coach for this year (D1) and is already off to a 1-0 start. Someone like that (not necessarily him specifically), on the rise might rally the fanbase like Stein has for football.

However, the established, proven big game winner and elite recruiter is probably the ONLY thing this fanbase would accept at this point.

Basically what Michigan did. Problem is that's like trying to catch lightning in a bottle with the lid closed and you got shaky hands.

 

[Snarks]

We hired a coach who had never won a tournament game and whose best year at UK was a sweet 16. Now bashing a coach whose last year equaled Popes best year? What does that say about our coach?

 

[Skyguyb27]

We should try to get that feller at Duke.

Nah….without Nike spoon feeding him and K whispering in his ear, which won’t happen at UK, I don’t think you’d be happy.

 

[Skyguyb27]

Think whatever you want to think
What do you think would’ve happened to you or me?
Some people get favoritism treatment
It is what it is just like I said
Spin it however you want
OJ didn’t do anything wrong either prolly in your opinion
WTH do you think resolved the case means?

It means not guilty in a court of law and you can’t override it just because you have a conspiracy theory.

 

[Cleatortoises]

But Oats did sign Brandon Garrison after seeing him for 2 years. That's gotta be taken into account negatively at some point.

Oats is a good coach. He would be a hire most of the fanbase would get behind. But the amount of money it would take to buyout Pope, buyout Oats, and then pay Oats to come here makes me think it's a pipe dream currently. We don't have the most NIL in CBB, though many here somehow think the money pit is bottomless. We are definitely top 20 but nowhere near number 1. Would the fanbase turn on Oats if he failed to land top 10 recruits because we kept getting outbid? (That is in no way a defense of Pope or an explanation for him losing top recruits). It is just an example question.

The BG effect may possibly be the final nail in his coffin!