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Coach Cal, Let's get real for a moment!
Posted on 4/25/24 at 10:21 am
Posted on 4/25/24 at 10:21 am
Cal has been great at recruiting anywhere he has been, and has been at the forefront of NIL prior to it being acceptable 
Or so it seems. He has had vacated wins at two programs, Mass and Mempho.
He is well liked by the NBA players, his past players absolutely love him and he is feared by the competition in ways.
The last few years at KY can't be thrown out however. His record at KY Includes 12/15 years making the NCAA tourney. But, his last 6 years weren't stellar to end the season.
1 Elite 8
1 Cancelled (covid)
1 Didn't make the tourney
2 One and Dones
1 Second Round Exit.
What Muss did at Arkansas was much better in the tourney.
Now... He has been criticized by KY fans, and YES>>> Arkansas fans laughted at his tourney experiences the past few years, and his coaching as well.
His "one and done" approach to recruiting hasn't been stellar in a time when experience, development, and portal matters.
Why do we thing he will do better at Arkansas?
I will answer my thoughts below, but wanted to see what others thought.
1. Love the dude being at Arkansas, he has brought more PR in the past few weeks than we have had in any sport in a long time, if ever.
2. Recruiting will keep us in the game period.
3. He seems to have changed a bit in his recruiting philosophy, he is going more portal perhaps... wise decision (in my novice opinion). WHich has really pissed KY fans off.. .lol
4. Kenny Payne, this can't be said enough. When he was with Cal at KY, the record was better. Nice to have him on the Hill.
THoughts?
Or so it seems. He has had vacated wins at two programs, Mass and Mempho. He is well liked by the NBA players, his past players absolutely love him and he is feared by the competition in ways.
The last few years at KY can't be thrown out however. His record at KY Includes 12/15 years making the NCAA tourney. But, his last 6 years weren't stellar to end the season.
1 Elite 8
1 Cancelled (covid)
1 Didn't make the tourney
2 One and Dones
1 Second Round Exit.
What Muss did at Arkansas was much better in the tourney.
Now... He has been criticized by KY fans, and YES>>> Arkansas fans laughted at his tourney experiences the past few years, and his coaching as well.
His "one and done" approach to recruiting hasn't been stellar in a time when experience, development, and portal matters.
Why do we thing he will do better at Arkansas?
I will answer my thoughts below, but wanted to see what others thought.
1. Love the dude being at Arkansas, he has brought more PR in the past few weeks than we have had in any sport in a long time, if ever.
2. Recruiting will keep us in the game period.
3. He seems to have changed a bit in his recruiting philosophy, he is going more portal perhaps... wise decision (in my novice opinion). WHich has really pissed KY fans off.. .lol
4. Kenny Payne, this can't be said enough. When he was with Cal at KY, the record was better. Nice to have him on the Hill.
THoughts?
6
Posted on 4/25/24 at 10:38 am to Razorback Reverend
I think Cal did get complacent while at UK his last few years, but I think he will come in with a renewed vigor and wants to go out on top before he retires. I'm loving that he told JQ's dad to f off more or less, when they tried to extort more money.
I loved what Muss did for us, but his schtick quickly got old and having to always worry with him lifting his skirt to every job opening and constant head scratching in game substitutions.
If the donors and admin and even Cal are serious about winning, we have an exciting time the next few years. I'm not predicting a National Championship, but I think we'll always be in the talk/hunt while Cal is here.
I loved what Muss did for us, but his schtick quickly got old and having to always worry with him lifting his skirt to every job opening and constant head scratching in game substitutions.
If the donors and admin and even Cal are serious about winning, we have an exciting time the next few years. I'm not predicting a National Championship, but I think we'll always be in the talk/hunt while Cal is here.
This post was edited on 4/25/24 at 10:40 am
Posted on 4/25/24 at 10:58 am to Razorback Reverend
The excitement for me is mostly geared around recruiting. When you have as much talent as Cal brings, you have that puncher's chance of winning a title any given year.
That doesn't mean you can't get bounced in the first couple rounds, obviously. It's just that there's always that potential to beak through the ceiling
That doesn't mean you can't get bounced in the first couple rounds, obviously. It's just that there's always that potential to beak through the ceiling
Posted on 4/25/24 at 2:01 pm to Razorback Reverend
As Cal said, administration’s win championships.
That’s ultimately what made him leave Kentucky imo
That’s ultimately what made him leave Kentucky imo
Posted on 4/25/24 at 4:52 pm to Razorback Reverend
quote:
The last few years at KY can't be thrown out however. His record at KY Includes 12/15 years making the NCAA tourney. But, his last 6 years weren't stellar to end the season.
I agree that this can't be overlooked, but it is also the reason that he's the coach at Arkansas now, so a bit of a blessing.
quote:
What Muss did at Arkansas was much better in the tourney.
No doubt that Muss did a great job getting deeper in the tournament over the last 5 years, but Cal has clearly been the better regular season coach. From 2020-2024 Muss was 47-42 in conference play, while Cal was 62-27. Muss had his best tournament runs as a 3 seed (2021) and 4 seed (2022). A fairly obvious point, but the better your tournament seeding, the better chance you have of making a deep run. I think Cal gives you that.
I also think that Cal's style of play has a higher ceiling. Looking at efficiency rankings and success over the last 10 or so tournaments, over 80% of final four teams are ranked in the top 25 in adjusted offensive efficiency. Cal has had teams ranked in the top 25 in adjusted offensive efficiency 4 of the last 5 years.
To make a final four without a top 50 offensive efficiency, you have to be a top 5 defensive efficiency team (San Diego State (2023) & South Carolina (2017)) or have Sister Jean on your side. Muss had some very good defensive teams (top 15 in adjusted defensive efficiency), but only finished in the top 50 in adjusted offensive efficiency once at Arkansas (43rd in 2021).
Unsurprisingly, most of your national champions have a top 10 adjusted offensive efficiency and a top 20 defensive efficiency.
quote:
His "one and done" approach to recruiting hasn't been stellar in a time when experience, development, and portal matters.
Why do we thing he will do better at Arkansas?
I get the sense that Cal realizes he needs to adapt to the current landscape of college basketball. He can't live or die with one and dones. How willing he is to adapt and build a roster with blue chips and experienced portal pieces will determine how successful he is at Arkansas. It's looking good so far.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 6:28 pm to Razorback Reverend
My bottom line is that Cal is almost certainly better than whoever else we would have hired. Although I prefer hiring up-and-comers, like Alabama did with Oats, our track record of doing that hasn't been great in recent times. Even if Cal is no better than his last few years at Kentucky, it would still keep Arkansas in the national discussion and in good shape for the next hire.
Of course he could also do much better at Arkansas and no one would be surprised. Although he's known to be a great recruiter, Arkansas is still not Kentucky and so he'll likely need to do more with a little less here, which I actually think could benefit us, given the lack of success with one-and-done teams.
Of course he could also do much better at Arkansas and no one would be surprised. Although he's known to be a great recruiter, Arkansas is still not Kentucky and so he'll likely need to do more with a little less here, which I actually think could benefit us, given the lack of success with one-and-done teams.
Posted on 4/25/24 at 10:49 pm to Razorback Reverend
quote:First and foremost we must congratulate the university for actually having the stones to hire somebody that requires top five money. When the NIL was announced everybody immediately just assumed Arkansas would be one of the leaders because of the money here but that was not the case as obviously seen by our football team and our other sports. This is the first step in Arkansas stepping up to the plate in my opinion. Coach Cal will build upon what Mussleman did here. We will always be in the media because of our recruiting in the connections Cal has. Regards if Cal works out or not it shows we have the ability to put forth the money and effort needed for success. Now we'll see if that translates to the other programs or not or even if the basketball experiment works or not. I'm just glad that we at least are in this position that we have the Superstar coach whether he's passed his prime or not as our head basketball coach.
Coach Cal, Let's get real for a moment!
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