Best in-game coach..

[HagginHall1999]

"In game coach" is such overrated/overused lingo.

All these guys know how to coach.

Some would prefer to live and die by what they teach. Others use motivational tactics that we cannot see.

The bottom line is the players perform or they don't. Coaching is much much more about preparation than anything...adjustments might work for a play or two but rarely does a coach win a game for their team.

They all have their crap moments...

 

[ALL4UK]

"In game coach" is such overrated/overused lingo.

All these guys know how to coach.

Some would prefer to live and die by what they teach. Others use motivational tactics that we cannot see.

The bottom line is the players perform or they don't. Coaching is much much more about preparation than anything...adjustments might work for a play or two but rarely does a coach win a game for their team.

They all have their crap moments...

I agree with pretty much all you said, but all it takes is a play or two to change the outcome of a game. Just sayin’.

 

[HagginHall1999]

I agree with pretty much all you said, but all it takes is a play or two to change the outcome of a game. Just sayin’.

Good point. I just suppose I mean players have to execute.

For instance...Izzo drew up a great play for 3 against Duke the other night...if clanked it, they lose and Izzo isn't a hero.

I just find it funny in college basketball coaches are everything everyone talks about but in NBA it is the players 99% of the time.

 

[ALL4UK]

Good point. I just suppose I mean players have to execute.

For instance...Izzo drew up a great play for 3 against Duke the other night...if clanked it, they lose and Izzo isn't a hero.

I just find it funny in college basketball coaches are everything everyone talks about but in NBA it is the players 99% of the time.

I would suppose that the reason for that is in college the coaches make all the money, and the NBA it is the players. That’s only a guess, but it would make sense to blame the people that are benefiting the most financially.

 

[TFCat11]

Best in game coach = Cal
Sometimes bad in game coach = Cal

 

[Myotis]

Every coach listed has less wins than Cal since he has been here. I’ll take our coach!!!!

Recruiting is at least as important as coaching. So in a certain sense, relative to the opening post, W/L record is irrelevant. Calipari makes up for coaching deficiencies by seriously out-recruiting most of his opponents. This isn't a referendum on Calipari. And Calipari is not particularly great at making in-game adjustments. Doesn't mean anyone wants to see him out the door. There are coaches who are very good at handling the game-in-progress, Smith was very good at this, for a counter-example in another sport, look no further than UK's own Mark Stoops, who's the best football recruiter here in decades, yet makes real head-scratching moves during the game.....

 

[JohnDoe090]

Best in-game coaches right now (with college coaching experience)

1) Brad Stevens - Who Kentucky should hire in 2030 when Cal retires and he is over the NBA
2) John Beilein - wins tons of close games with less talent
3) Billy Donovan - Plan B after Cal
4) Dana Altman - Because he is on the West Coast at Oregon, no one sees him coach, but I live in California and the guy gets it
5) Mark Few
6) Jay Wright
7) Tom Izzo
8) Tony Bennett
9) Gregg Marshall
10) Johnny Dawkins

(5-10 somewhat arbitrary)

I'd say Cal is good enough to be in the 20-30 range IMO

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

This always humors me. For all of you “he’s a great recruiter but not a great strategist” guys, can you tell me why 20 years ago he was perceived the exact opposite way? Had zero McDonalds AAs at UMass, but routinely did very well every year/tournament.

Here’s one opinion, and it’s the same reason I think he rarely calls late timeouts in a game. Youth. You know, the thing you guys ar all sick of hearing about. We’re talking almost every year about a team that is dominated by freshmen, that is putting together basic stuff every week well into the season. If you’re still learning the basics of zone offense in February, still learning to communicate in a basic man defense in January....just how much opportunity is their for the coach to put in something at all elaborate? If he does, and even one or two guys get a little confused, all you have is chaos.

Likewise, late game, the other guy has juniors and seniors, you’ve got mostly freshmen. You call timeout to draw up something specific. Who’s got the advantage there? Seems obvious to me it’s the guy with the experienced players. The guy with more natural ability and less experienced guys? He wants them to play through it. A timeout just lets the other coach get his guys set.....

 

[WildMoon]

It's kind of funny that

Izzo struggled to take a talented youth to anywhere in NCAA.

Coach K has shown he can't show consistency with youthful teams.

For coach Cal..nah he's not good in game coach just a recruiter.

Roy did a fantastic job with taking the top talent and driving to final four...oh wait..

Cal had youthful teams that barely had top 10 talent this year.

I always find it funny that evidence of youth showing consistent success isn't there...but for some reason Cal is penalized for it.

I mean ben simmons were awesome in NCAA tourney...

 

[Myotis]

This always humors me. For all of you “he’s a great recruiter but not a great strategist” guys, can you tell me why 20 years ago he was perceived the exact opposite way? Had zero McDonalds AAs at UMass, but routinely did very well every year/tournament.

Here’s one opinion, and it’s the same reason I think he rarely calls late timeouts in a game. Youth. You know, the thing you guys ar all sick of hearing about. We’re talking almost every year about a team that is dominated by freshmen, that is putting together basic stuff every week well into the season. If you’re still learning the basics of zone offense in February, still learning to communicate in a basic man defense in January....just how much opportunity is their for the coach to put in something at all elaborate? If he does, and even one or two guys get a little confused, all you have is chaos.

Likewise, late game, the other guy has juniors and seniors, you’ve got mostly freshmen. You call timeout to draw up something specific. Who’s got the advantage there? Seems obvious to me it’s the guy with the experienced players. The guy with more natural ability and less experienced guys? He wants them to play through it. A timeout just lets the other coach get his guys set.....

That may be a valid observation. The OAD emphasis may be limiting Calipari's chances to shine via strategy changes and/or drawn up plays to meet a certain challenge. Not sure I buy it, but worthy of debate.

 

[DelkBowl]

Recruiting is at least as important as coaching. So in a certain sense, relative to the opening post, W/L record is irrelevant. Calipari makes up for coaching deficiencies by seriously out-recruiting most of his opponents. This isn't a referendum on Calipari. And Calipari is not particularly great at making in-game adjustments. Doesn't mean anyone wants to see him out the door. There are coaches who are very good at handling the game-in-progress, Smith was very good at this, for a counter-example in another sport, look no further than UK's own Mark Stoops, who's the best football recruiter here in decades, yet makes real head-scratching moves during the game.....

Bad comparison since stoops is just now learning to be a head coach for the first time.

 

[JimBR_rivals319758]

I always thought Tubby was a good in game coach. A couple things that impressed me in this tournament. Izzo got a wide open three (forget the players name) that basically won their duke game.
Buzz Williams got a layup that was missed to get an OT in their loss to duke.

 

[JC CATS]

Tubby is good, if that guy could recruit...

 

[RobJones1978]

Tubby is good, if that guy could recruit...

Tubby just refused to play the shoe company/ AAU game and it killed his career.

 

[rick64]

I'm going old school on this one, Bobby Knight. He could do more with less talent than just about anybody. That man could flat out coach some hoops. Even though he's a despicable human being IMHO.

 

[Trinity45]

I see a lot of criticism of Cal as an in-game coach. Although I’m not in the camp that wants him to leave, I do think that is the weakest part of his coaching. On that note who do you guys think are the best in-game coaches.

Izzo, someone said Pitino, not sure he is a good in game at making adjustments but he is really good at game planning ahead of the game.

 

[ALL4UK]

I'm going old school on this one, Bobby Knight. He could do more with less talent than just about anybody. That man could flat out coach some hoops. Even though he's a despicable human being IMHO.

He quite honestly never crossed my mind. I couldn’t stand him back in the day, but he could flat out coach.

 

[Double Tay]

...Jay Wright...

I would think the best coach could escape the first weekend more than twice in 11 YEARS

 

[JC CATS]

Tubby just refused to play the shoe company/ AAU game and it killed his career.

Exactly!

 

[JC CATS]

Izzo, someone said Pitino, not sure he is a good in game at making adjustments but he is really good at game planning ahead of the game.

That takes the cake, Cal can't coach. Pitino is 1 of the best. What is Pitino's record against Cal?

 

[AGEE11]

All the coaches listed have less wins than Cal since he has been here

Only 7 teams, 8 coaches have one a title since he has been here, including Cal. Only Wright and Krykdhjfak;jdshgdj have won more titles.

How can people continue the narrative he's a bad coach. None of those other guys have ever had to take a new team every year and try to win and do it consistently.

How many times did Cal lose in the opening round? How about the Second round? How many time did he lose to a double digit seed?

CAL IS A GREAT COACH.

 

[thepip]

Beilien
Wright
Izzo
Bennett
Beoheim
Pitino
Tubby

Huggy should be on any list