40 replies to this topic

[You Play to Win the Game]

Has there been any recent updates on Allen's progress/ETA?

[BSLChrisStoner]

What matters is that this is Turgeon's team, and he's not going anywhere.

 

Even if you credit Faust, and Cleare as Gary's recruits...  Allen, Dodd, Graham, Layman, Mitchell, Peters, Ram, Smotrycz, and Wells are Turgeon's guys.

 

This is Turgeon's 3rd year. 9 of the Top 11 players are his. He's had time to develop his imprint on this team.

The negative evaluation some people are making though about Turgeon, have to be put in context, due to Allen's absence.

Beyond that, when you see the players returning, and you look at the class coming in...  most Terps fans should be optimistic about where things are going.

 

If you don't want to look that far ahead, let's look ahead at what MD can do the rest of this year... especially when Allen returns, vs. continuing to look backwards. That's just pointless. 

 

I'm disappointed by the Oregon State and GW (less so) losses, and that MD's OOC resume is poor. It will continue to impact MD this year, but that's the way it goes. If MD wants to start to turn their season and resume around, winning at Boston College this week would be a good start.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Has there been any recent updates on Allen's progress/ETA?

Just that he appears to be on-track for late December, 1st week of January.

[bnickle]

Again, except for Faust he has players that are a year and a few games into the program and his system. Sure he's got his imprint on the program at this point but people need to realize how relatively young and inexperienced the players are in the program. No seniors and the and 2 of the juniors are transfers.

 

 

 

This isn't Kentucky or Duke where you can throw a bunch of freshman and sophomores together and expect success. Hell, it didn't work for Kentucky last year either with a bunch of Top 20 recruits.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Again, except for Faust he has players that are a year and a few games into the program and his system. Sure he's got his imprint on the program at this point but people need to realize how relatively young and inexperienced the players are in the program. No seniors and the and 2 of the juniors are transfers.

 

 

 

This isn't Kentucky or Duke where you can throw a bunch of freshman and sophomores together and expect success. Hell, it didn't work for Kentucky last year either with a bunch of Top 20 recruits.

 

Sure. I think most (all?) would basically agree with that. This is his team, but it takes time, and losing Allen to start this year has impacted the roster.

There is a lot of this season left, Allen is returning, and a great class is coming in.

 

I'm down about the OOC results, and how much pressure there is now on MD in ACC play.... but a chance still exists, and that chance is above 0%.

 

Let's see how this year ends, but regardless.... still a lot of things looking up overall.

[BSLMattJergensen]

I can't comment on yesterday's game because I wasn't able to watch. From what I've read the same story seemed to unfold as the team was unable to execute on the offensive end and came up short.

 

A disappointing loss but GW isn't a patsy. Last week they beat #25 ranked Marquette by 13. Oregon State at home was a game I expected to win.

 

Ram starting at the point shows you just how desperate things have become. I love Ram's hustle and his game fits more in line with a traditional PG. But he simply doesn't have the talent to match with most D1 PGs every game. I think Peters will be fine eventually but you'll have to live with his mistakes while he develops.

 

Losses are always tough and there's plenty of blame to go around from players to coaching staff. 

[BSLChrisStoner]

A disappointing loss but GW isn't a patsy. Last week they beat #25 ranked Marquette by 13.

 

Nope, GW is not a patsy. They were picked to win by many yesterday. However, they lost to Marquette by 16. That is their lone loss of the year. In addition to beating MD, they have beat Creighton, and Miami.

[BaltBird 24]

MD basketball losing to teams like GW would have once been considered an upset. It's a shame MD basketball has fallen to a point where most people aren't even all that surprised or even to a point where some people actually expect it.

 

Turgeon has done a fine job geitting talent to College Park. However, it would appear his coaching leaves a lot to be desired. I'm fine with giving him another year or two to turn the ship around. BUT, this isn't college football. It shouldn't have to take 3-5 years to build a solid program, especially in todays college basketball environment.

 

This is his third year in the program. He should be held accountable if this team isn't in a position to make the NCAAs.

[Oriole85]

MD basketball losing to teams like GW would have once been considered an upset. It's a shame MD basketball has fallen to a point where most people aren't even all that surprised or even to a point where some people actually expect it.

 

Turgeon has done a fine job geitting talent to College Park. However, it would appear his coaching leaves a lot to be desired. I'm fine with giving him another year or two to turn the ship around. BUT, this isn't college football. It shouldn't have to take 3-5 years to build a solid program, especially in todays college basketball environment.

 

This is his third year in the program. He should be held accountable if this team isn't in a position to make the NCAAs.

Yeah not to turn this into another Turge-Edsall-Frige-Vandy-GW thread, but I definitely agree with what you are saying in general about the rebuilding in college basketball versus college football. It's a numbers game and a lot less parts are needed in basketball. And you certainly aren't given as many years as you were 20 years ago to build a program.

[BSLMattJergensen]

Nope, GW is not a patsy. They were picked to win by many yesterday. However, they lost to Marquette by 16. That is their lone loss of the year. In addition to beating MD, they have beat Creighton, and Miami.

Thanks Chris. I misread that when I was checking out their record. Thanks for the correction.

 

My only argument against this being Turgeon's third year is that in my opinion it really isn't. Gary's time of departure wasn't ideal for recruiting and he was left with Stoglin and several players who have since transfered. That said I expected improvement this season and so far it hasn't come to pass.

 

He should get more time to form things the way he wants them but it never helps your cause when you not only aren't winning but you aren't making smart decisions on the floor.

 

It is interesting to note that MD's first choice Sean Miller is sitting at #1 in the polls last I looked.

[Oriole85]

Thanks Chris. I misread that when I was checking out their record. Thanks for the correction.

 

My only argument against this being Turgeon's third year is that in my opinion it really isn't. Gary's time of departure wasn't ideal for recruiting and he was left with Stoglin and several players who have since transfered. That said I expected improvement this season and so far it hasn't come to pass.

 

He should get more time to form things the way he wants them but it never helps your cause when you not only aren't winning but you aren't making smart decisions on the floor.

 

It is interesting to note that MD's first choice Sean Miller is sitting at #1 in the polls last I looked.

There's almost never an "ideal" time to leave. My personal theory despite GW's denial of this is that Jordan Williams departure was the final nail in the coffin. He had been thinking about it for sometime, but knew that the next year would be a huge challenge without him. GW should've left after Vasquez/Hayes/Millbourne senior year, maybe he was thinking about that but Luscious(sp?) shot going in could've influenced to comeback for some unsettled business.

 

I know many don't think it's fair to evaluate Turgeon right now because of Seth Allen's injury. To that I say, injuries are part of sports and you need to be able to perform with a not so optimal roster. You have to play with the cards you're dealt sometimes. This isn't a make-or-break year for Turgeon barring a complete collapse and even I'm not sure, but next year could be.

 

And I've said this before, I think many Maryland fans severely underrated UofA in how much of a step up MD was from UofA, You can be relevant and compete for national championships at Arizona. 

[BSLMattJergensen]

I understand why Gary waited. If Jordan would have stayed he may have as well. I don't think he did so to spite the University of Debbie Yow. He did it because he did it.

 

He retired in May, which means a new coach is essentially stuck with the roster he inherits come October. Minor Juco moves could be made but you won't have "your guys".

 

I agree with your point about injuries. They happen. You deal with them.

[DJ MC]

University of Debbie Yow

 

Freudian slip?

[Oriole85]

I understand why Gary waited. If Jordan would have stayed he may have as well. I don't think he did so to spite the University of Debbie Yow. He did it because he did it.

 

He retired in May, which means a new coach is essentially stuck with the roster he inherits come October. Minor Juco moves could be made but you won't have "your guys".

 

I agree with your point about injuries. They happen. You deal with them.

It could be worse, he could've gone the Jim Calhoun or Dean Smith route to ensure that one of his assistants got promoted atleast for that season.

 

All this talk got me thinking where's Rob Ehsan since that was the in-house candidate many wanted but I don't think Maryland ever really considered. He's an assistant coach at UAB. I didn't realize how young he was (was 29 at the time), basically it be like if I were to take over as head coach there now sans the experience/expertise of course. You got Richard Pitino, but we all know he doesn't get hired with as little experience at a BCS program without his last name.

[BSLMattJergensen]

Freudian slip?

Ha Ha Ha. Probably.

[BSLMattJergensen]

It could be worse, he could've gone the Jim Calhoun or Dean Smith route to ensure that one of his assistants got promoted atleast for that season.

 

All this talk got me thinking where's Rob Ehsan since that was the in-house candidate many wanted but I don't think Maryland ever really considered. He's an assistant coach at UAB. I didn't realize how young he was (was 29 at the time), basically it be like if I were to take over as head coach there now sans the experience/expertise of course. You got Richard Pitino, but we all know he doesn't get hired with as little experience at a BCS program without his last name.

 

I had forgotten about the popular Ehsan who had a stop with Virginia Tech as well.

 

I had also forgotten about this as well.

http://www.sbnation....land-basketball

[Oriole85]

I had forgotten about the popular Ehsan who had a stop with Virginia Tech as well.

 

I had also forgotten about this as well.

http://www.sbnation....land-basketball

Once again, why fans don't make these decisions. If he were really Maryland head coaching material -- I don't think he'd be going from a MD assistant to a VT assistant to a University of Alabama at Birmingham assistant. That's not exactly a great career path.

 

I didn't realize there was actually reports of him taking over, I just remember many including Vasquez tweeting to Loh and the MD AD account to hire him.

 

One thing I will criticize GW for -- not that I dislike Turgeon -- is he should've hired someone who could eventually takeover. It doesn't seem like that kind of guy was on the staff.

[BSLMattJergensen]

True because many of them had left already to take head jobs elsewhere. Dave Dickerson, Jimmy Patsos, Mike Lonergan (who by the way just beat MD).

[Oriole85]

True because many of them had left already to take head jobs elsewhere. Dave Dickerson, Jimmy Patsos, Mike Lonergan (who by the way just beat MD).

Yep, Billy Hahn as well. But I still think they could've had someone on staff who would've been more capable of taking over than Ehsan, especially given GW's age. I think it was fairly apparent, he wasn't going to go another 5 years in 2010.

[DJ MC]

Yep, Billy Hahn as well. But I still think they could've had someone on staff who would've been more capable of taking over than Ehsan, especially given GW's age. I think it was fairly apparent, he wasn't going to go another 5 years in 2010.

 

They may have thought they could bring one of those guys back. Though until Patsos the past couple seasons, none were having a lot of success.