Lutz future?

49ers Basketball Forum šŸ€
81

[QUOTE=49er1;216087]Metro, (and others, if you care to reply)
This is a serious question: if not Lutz, who? If you could hire anyone else that we could realistically get, who would you want it be? And what are the reasons you would want them, in contrast to what Lutz offers?
(Sorry this sounds like questions on an exam, but Iā€™m honestly serious and curious as to what you and others have to say and whether it has thought, research, and substance to it.
I donā€™t want to fire Mike Pratt and get Hal Wissel, EVER again. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

I care to reply. I would ask Lutz to leave at the end of the season. Then I would force him out. Unfortunately, I have a full-time job so I donā€™t have any specific names. However, I would scour mid-tier conferences for coaches that have passion, energy, high basketball IQ, stress defense, have some level of understanding of offensive flows and sets, and ask them if they want to coach in Charlotte, in the A-10 conference, against coaches like Phil Martelli, Karl Hobbs, Travis Ford, et al. A conference that should be among the top 10 in the country (yes, it has been down for a couple of years). There are young, hard working coaches that would come here, for what we could pay them.

I understand that these coaches might use us as a stepping stone, and Iā€™m okay with that. Really. Itā€™s better than what we have put up with the last couple of years and the couple of years we have coming under Lutz. I donā€™t need to have Charlotte be a top 10 team or even top 25. A team that plays hard, with defense and passion and makes the tournament and wins a couple of games. We are what we are. We donā€™t have the resources to be a top tier team like Duke, Kansas, or Arizona. That is a fact. We can be proud of our team. Iā€™d take 6 decades in a row like what we had in the 90s (okay maybe throw in a couple more first round wins). I just want to care again. Right now I donā€™t and there is nothing in the horizon (Tatum, Beasley, Phil?, et al) that gives me any hope. Sadly, I just donā€™t care right now and that is sad. Sad for me and sad for us all.

If I wasnā€™t a member of this board from the beginning Iā€™d be long gone but I still come around because this is familiarā€¦

82

[QUOTE=NinerAdvocate;216077]metroā€™s inflated ego is being stoked again, thatā€™s for sure.

At least itā€™s giving me something to do while the pasta sauce Iā€™m making simmers. Damn it smells good.[/QUOTE]

lol,
this has GOT to be the next pollā€¦whos ego is bigger mine or NA.
Iā€™m suprised you didnā€™t make the final cheap jab and then lock the thread, you are making strides big boy.

83

[QUOTE=fotee9er;216082]Metro, go read my post again. I said said if I was the AD I would make the final decision as well. The players DO NOT make the final decision, HOWEVER, they can HELP in the ADā€™s decision. If you donā€™t believe that then you are way off, THAT IS WHY I MENTIONED COACH K. The AD can and will get some feedback from the players if they have met the coach or if the coach was an assistant. But, yes the final call is from the ADā€¦naturally.
As for misleading people on the board, I am just giving them unbiased, while not being BITTER information that you seem to not be able to do.
You do not like Judy and have always had a problem with her and the administration at Charlotte. No, I donā€™t think they do everything right, but they are not as bad as you make them out to be. People will listen to you because you were an athlete at Charlotte, but they need another athletes opinion that is not so bitter.[/QUOTE]

I hear ya man. As long as you admit players donā€™t hire/fire coaches, Iā€™ll leave it alone. Your original post on all this sure made it seem like that was your belief. So we can call a truce on it.

As far as bitter, I am not bitter. Bitterness comes from people who were slighted. I was quite the opposite of slighted, I am grateful to UNCC and a few UNCC people in many ways. They know who they are. I am very angry (and it appears alot of others too) at the move to the A10, the lack of will for football, and our broken record ways of losing bball games (constant 3ā€™s, no D, no PG) and the general direction this overall program has slipped. We are entitled to be upset and upset fans are better than no fans. Thats not being bitter. So donā€™t confuse reality with bitterness. You were the one saying a year ago that we would win the next 2 A10 championships, talent was coming, Dalonte was staying, Bobby was making us the next Nova, WVA, etc. Thats great you and Lefty believed it, but it turned out to be fantasy. Lets not be fantasy. We used to be a top 40 team, now we are about 150, and being real it doesnā€™t look any better soon.

and if youā€™ve paid attention. I love Lutz, I just think he is spent and so frustrated he wonā€™t find his way out of the woods. Heā€™d make a awesome AD.

84

My 2 cents. Iā€™ll agree that the direction hasnā€™t been the best. However the coachspeak is that it always takes 3 years to make a plan work. Bobby tried hitting the JUCOā€™s and transfers and it backfired 3 years later. He has gone back to bringing in the long lank athletic highschoolers that we had success with in his early days. I think we at least owe him to finish his contract. I donā€™t think we have the finance to afford better and I do think that he can get it turned around.

Remember how we were getting absolutely killed early this year. Up until Xavier that hadnā€™t happened. I like the class Bobby had put together last year. Unfortunately Jones and Wilderness (2 big keys) were screwed by the NCAA and Cam Tatum decided not to come. EJ got hurt last year, Marcus lost a BS year of eligibility, Iti turned out to be a bust and transfered. We got demoted to the A10. Bobby has had to deal with some tough terrain every year. I really feel that he is reshaping the team. Heā€™s got a lot of guys with good size and length. Guys who by all accounts should be able to become solid defenders. With Dewhurst coming back healthy next year and Jones/Wilderness coming this whole 3 point jacking, no defense is going to change. It has to or we wonā€™t win 10 games.

85
With Dewhurst coming back healthy next year and Jones/Wilderness coming this whole 3 point jacking, no defense is going to change. It has to or we won't win 10 games.

Exactlyā€¦ Iā€™ve said this once but Iā€™ll say it againā€¦

Night in and night out Bobbyā€™s style could work in the olā€™CUSA. It was runā€™nā€™gun and his schemes worked. Defense was an afterthought in that league, yea every team usually had a stopper but no real team defense. Remember the scores? Teams would lose and still drop 85. The A10 is a different beast. Iā€™m from VA, been to UofRā€™s basketball camp, seen hard gritty D, and was taught it my entire life b/c ā€œanybody can shoot the damn ball, the hard part is stopping someone from doing it.ā€ Without D in the A10, youā€™re a one trick pony. Other teams know if they can lock us down for just 2/3rds of a game defensively theyā€™ll atleast be able to shoot it out with us for the other third. Quick to the point, this league is defensive minded and always has been, thatā€™s how bball is played in the northeast, its a hard nosed style that these schools embody. Without any defense our teams has been getting punched in the mouth and then swinging aimlessly and not connecting. Lutz has defensive schemes but in no way is a defensive coachā€¦ not his problem, coaches generally have a main focus, thatā€™s not his. So is it time for him to goā€¦ maybeā€¦ possiblyā€¦ he can run an offense aslong as teams buy into it and weā€™ve seen that at its peak, so maybe that happens next yearā€¦ who knows? But I highly doubt the defense changes much outside of a defensive stopper like Basden enrolls here. Itā€™s somewhat odd for me to say it, b/c I like Lutz, I still wear my ā€œGot Lutz?ā€ shirt, I love his fire (although it seems to have diminished over the years), his enthusiasm, but itā€™s probably best with our new league affiliation to let him go at the end of his contract. The A10 can be a coach killerā€¦ and itā€™s got him lined up in its sights.

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[QUOTE=49erFan1;216114]With Dewhurst coming back healthy next year and Jones/Wilderness coming this whole 3 point jacking, no defense is going to change. It has to or we wonā€™t win 10 games.[/QUOTE]

Are you kidding me? Do you really believe this? No defense and jacking threes are the staples of Lutzā€™s philosophy! Itā€™s been that way since Lutz arrived and will not change until he leaves. The optimism by some of the posters here is just astounding.

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[QUOTE=CharSFNiners;216117]Night in and night out Bobbyā€™s style could work in the olā€™CUSA. It was runā€™nā€™gun and his schemes worked. Defense was an afterthought in that league, yea every team usually had a stopper but no real team defense. [/QUOTE]

I think Cincinnati, St. Louis, UAB, Marquette, and others would strongly disagree with that statement. I do.

88

[QUOTE=49er1;216087]Metro, (and others, if you care to reply)
This is a serious question: if not Lutz, who? If you could hire anyone else that we could realistically get, who would you want it be? And what are the reasons you would want them, in contrast to what Lutz offers?
(Sorry this sounds like questions on an exam, but Iā€™m honestly serious and curious as to what you and others have to say and whether it has thought, research, and substance to it.
I donā€™t want to fire Mike Pratt and get Hal Wissel, EVER again. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

Iā€™ve been on record numerous times saying we should go after Greg Marshal at Winthrop, I think they are 19-3 right now (weak opponents I know, but he dominates every year- schools of equal resources and conf affilitation) , and he took them from roadkill to one of the premiere mid majors in the NCAA.

If not him, I am sure a young fierce assistant from Florida, Duke, Carolina, etc would be interested in our job.

89

[QUOTE=NinerUpNorth;216132]Are you kidding me? Do you really believe this? No defense and jacking threes are the staples of Lutzā€™s philosophy! Itā€™s been that way since Lutz arrived and will not change until he leaves. The optimism by some of the posters here is just astounding.[/QUOTE]

None of those guys is an outside shooter. Try to stay with the point and you wonā€™t get so riled up.

90

[QUOTE=metro;216137]Iā€™ve been on record numerous times saying we should go after Greg Marshal at Winthrop, I think they are 19-3 right now (weak opponents I know, but he dominates every year- schools of equal resources and conf affilitation) , and he took them from roadkill to one of the premiere mid majors in the NCAA.

If not him, I am sure a young fierce assistant from Florida, Duke, Carolina, etc would be interested in our job.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. Gregg Marshall is a good choice, but would he come? Anyone else know of other specific NAMES who would be realistically obtainable that we can banter about?

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[QUOTE=49er1;216142]Thanks. Gregg Marshall is a good choice, but would he come? Anyone else know of other specific NAMES who would be realistically obtainable that we can banter about?[/QUOTE]

I think he would come. Word has it, he lobbied hard when Lutz was interviewing with UT. I think he makes $150k per year at Winthrop.

I donā€™t think a BCS school would chase himā€¦yet. Its all moot anyway, Lutz isnā€™t going anywhere if I had to guess.

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[QUOTE=metro;216147]I think he would come. Word has it, he lobbied hard when Lutz was interviewing with UT. I think he makes $150k per year at Winthrop.

I donā€™t think a BCS school would chase himā€¦yet. Its all moot anyway, Lutz isnā€™t going anywhere if I had to guess.[/QUOTE]

Marshallā€™s contract is also guaranteed for 10 years.

Butch Pierre (LSU longtime asst, former Niner Assā€™t) or Orlando Early (HC at LA-Monroe, former Alabama asst, former Niner assā€™t) are two guys I would talk to. Both may not be interested if Lutz was shown the door, however.

I agree with you though, I donā€™t think Bobby is going anywhere until at least his contract is up. At some point next year, it has to be sorted out.

93

[QUOTE=LeftyNiner;216157]Marshallā€™s contract is also guaranteed for 10 years.

Butch Pierre (LSU longtime asst, former Niner Assā€™t) or Orlando Early (HC at LA-Monroe, former Alabama asst, former Niner assā€™t) are two guys I would talk to. Both may not be interested if Lutz was shown the door, however.

I agree with you though, I donā€™t think Bobby is going anywhere until at least his contract is up. At some point next year, it has to be sorted out.[/QUOTE]

Lefty,
if and when we ever enter a coach search, Iā€™d like to see someone never affiliated with our program and young (30ā€™s).

(I know that runs opposite of my Ath dept theory, where Iā€™d like to see a mix of big thinking BCS trained types and UNCC alum running the show, as opposed to the current strategy of low paid small school admin and hardly any alum.)

94
I think Cincinnati, St. Louis, UAB, Marquette, and others would strongly disagree with that statement. I do.

Thanks for making my point (if you read the entire post)ā€¦ Weā€™ve always struggled with St. Louis and UAB (b/c they did play D more aligned with an A10 team)ā€¦ Cincy was more about overtaking you with talent, nothing to do with defense b/c we could still score 80 some on them and lose. Marquette might be your only glimmer of hope out of that group.

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[QUOTE=metro;215919]bump

nice call[/QUOTE]
a lot of free time on ur hands there Metroā€¦haha

96

Posts #84 & #85 in this thread are DOBA.

FWIW, Iā€™m sensing a desire to adjust to a different styled team by the coaching staff this year. But if you look at the roster filled with dudes that have pedigrees of long-range shooting/no defense, youā€™ll see that this is a really tough group to work with. With next yearā€™s crop of players, we [I]might [/I]begin to notice a departure from lutz-ball.

Metro and others have said that Lutz would make a great AD. Iā€™d agree, but Iā€™d also say that there are differences between the duties of a head coach and an assistant coach. Itā€™s possible to have a terrific assistant coach that might suck at being a head coach with all the administrative garbage that needs to be dealt with. Itā€™s also possible to have an old fart head coach that excels at managing a team, but canā€™t run around in sweat pants running practice drills anymore. Judging by how well EJ has played this year in the post, I think the new assistants should work out well with the new post players next year. And perhaps Lutz can go back to head coaching a somewhat decent team without the chuck-and-duck nonsense (hey, itā€™s possible). But thatā€™s just my own opinion.

I just have zero faith in the administration to pick up a decent head coach. None. Iā€™d imagine a scenario where Richard Pitino would interview for the job and thereā€™d be all kinds of rejoicing at the prospect of Rick Pitinoā€™s wunderkind son turning the Charlotte basketball program into something special. Then the UNC system will refuse to hire him at a decent salary and Dubois would comment about how the Charlotte fanbase is filled with dunderheads that wants to throw away money at coaching salaries rather than research and heā€™ll bring up the whole ā€œ13th out of 16thā€ thing.

Charlotte would then overpay to hire a Tar Heel assistant or some dude with a PhD to drive the program into the ground. And then when the fans get pissed, the administration will say ā€œWell, you WANTED us to overpay a coach!ā€. Something like that. I just canā€™t imagine the administration taking the simple task of hiring a coach and not completely screwing it up.

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Are you kidding me? Do you really believe this? No defense and jacking threes are the staples of Lutz's philosophy! It's been that way since Lutz arrived and will not change until he leaves.

NinerUpNorth, I tend to agree with you. Lutz has never shown the willingness or ability to coach any other style of play. Next year we will still have Lee, Ian, Phaler, and Carlos to jack up 3ā€™s. Just because some of the recruits coming in arenā€™t shooters doesnā€™t mean Lutz will all of a sudden do something he has never done before. Lutz is always going to keep his stable of 3 shooters on his roster, you can believe that. So unless he does a 180 degree turn in his coaching philosophy, he will always make the 3 pointer a major major part of his gameplans.

Also, for years I have been saying that he needs to bring in someone who is truly knowlegeable in defense, by either hiring them as part of his staff or to give his coaches and himself clinics. Obviously this has never happened because over the years we have seen more or less the same fundamental defensive lapses and deficiencies each year. So, by just adding better defensive players to the roster will not make the team defense better. The necessary fundamentals, techniques, and strategies must be taught and gone over repeatedly.

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[QUOTE=metro;216160]Lefty,
if and when we ever enter a coach search, Iā€™d like to see someone never affiliated with our program and young (30ā€™s).

(I know that runs opposite of my Ath dept theory, where Iā€™d like to see a mix of big thinking BCS trained types and UNCC alum running the show, as opposed to the current strategy of low paid small school admin and hardly any alum.)[/QUOTE]

I kind of agree about leaving the 49er family for the head coach. I would consider 2 approaches. First approach, I would probably grab the top guy at Gonzaga. If our program is going to be succesful I believe we have to learn Gonzagaā€™s recruiting strategy. Wisconsin and Utah are also good programs to maybe pursue as I believe these teams have to excel without being able to out recruit other schools. In the A10, I do not believe we will out recruit anybody. So we have to be much better evealuators of talent. Find those diamonds in the rough, or guys who simply were overlooked.

Second approach, get a guy who has been in a one of the top coaching trees (Dean Smith, Coach K, Calhoun, Pitino). Iā€™m not sure if the coaches in the 49er family have as much exposure to coaching styles, techniques, etc. I think Buzz Peterson and Bob Bender are good examples.

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How 'bout we get someone like the guy that took over at Tx A&M after coach Wat left. He has taken that program out of the ground where Wat left it, to a possible No. 1 seed come March. WOW!

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[QUOTE=EJNiner;216262]a lot of free time on ur hands there Metroā€¦haha[/QUOTE]
not really, I was in an argument w/ fortee and it took one click to ā€œsearch all posts by userā€