Non Conference

[7ICoug]

This was the typical old coach schedule which I think isn't good for much, but the Cougars are way ahead of any previous team in years -- all of which played the same weak sisters.

Defense this year actually exists and I see a lot of nice improvement by players and the new players are buying into the system.

Offensive needs some work, but that will no doubt be coming along.

All in all this team is light years ahead of teams going back quite a ways.

 

[Glad Cougar]

I like the fact that players, especially those who returned, have quickly bought into Smith's system. And for those who predicted a boring, defensive only team that would milk the clock on offense, Smith's team(s) play as much uptempo ball as Kent's teams. They don't shoot well but the lower offensive output has little to do with slowing down when they have the ball. The schedule is what it is and I'm expecting Smith to want to throw in at least a couple more challenging OOC teams in the years to come, even if it means fewer wins going into conference play. I"m not expecting a lot of conference wins this year but hope to see more competitiveness and improvement by the end of the year than we had under the previous coach. Of course, Smith needs to have some recruiting success but this first class that includes Williams, Rapp, Markovetskyy, Rodman, and Miller far exceeds the first class that Kent brought in even though Smith was hired about the same time of year Ernie was.

Glad Cougar

 

[COUGinNCW]

I like the fact that players, especially those who returned, have quickly bought into Smith's system. And for those who predicted a boring, defensive only team that would milk the clock on offense, Smith's team(s) play as much uptempo ball as Kent's teams. They don't shoot well but the lower offensive output has little to do with slowing down when they have the ball. The schedule is what it is and I'm expecting Smith to want to throw in at least a couple more challenging OOC teams in the years to come, even if it means fewer wins going into conference play. I"m not expecting a lot of conference wins this year but hope to see more competitiveness and improvement by the end of the year than we had under the previous coach. Of course, Smith needs to have some recruiting success but this first class that includes Williams, Rapp, Markovetskyy, Rodman, and Miller far exceeds the first class that Kent brought in even though Smith was hired about the same time of year Ernie was.

Glad Cougar

Not to defend Ernie but he’d been out of the game for a few years when he took the job. Guys like Noah Williams has been recruited by Smith while he was at USF. Hopefully his recruiting trends up from what Ernie was doing. The attendance issue in Pullman is really glaring and has to be hurting recruiting. Hopefully things pick up with conference games and when the students get back

 

[7ICoug]

Glad you are not defending the worst coach we have had in modern history and the worst recruiter in years. If they were good they left.

Smith had a rather nice quick class and will be building on it. He looked at the team and quickly knew that defense was the key.

Any more if you play in a facility that holds more than 5,000 its an error. Don't know why they insist on Beasley when they have Bohler and that is about the right size.

 

[COUGinNCW]

Glad you are not defending the worst coach we have had in modern history and the worst recruiter in years. If they were good they left.

Smith had a rather nice quick class and will be building on it. He looked at the team and quickly knew that defense was the key.

Any more if you play in a facility that holds more than 5,000 its an error. Don't know why they insist on Beasley when they have Bohler and that is about the right size.

Bohler for non conference body bag games would make sense to me.

 

[Glad Cougar]

I remember watching a non-conference game at Bohler as a student in the mid-70s (if I recall correctly, there was actually a leak in the roof of Beasley even though it was a new facility) and it was packed, loud, crazy, and intimidating for the opposing team. Cougar players looked like they had a great time, too. I'm not necessarily advocating playing games at Bohler but an experimental non-conference game.....maybe the next time Pine Bluff comes to town?....would be kind of fun.

Glad Cougar

 

[7ICoug]

I haven't been in there in a long time but the AD needs to look into something. Also they should figure out scheduling a bit better. Monday would have been a better day than up against Seahawks.