So Kyle Smith?

[CougPatrol]

I don’t know a lot about him, but he seems to have a good track record, with strong west coast ties. 9-year assistant at St Mary’s. Head coach at Columbia in the Ivy League for 4 seasons; one of their best coaches ever. 25 game winner his last year, and won the CIT Championship. Won 20+ games at San Francisco the past 3 years. A late season collapse this season washed away a potentially great season.

Pretty much the type of candidate I suspected we’d go after. Hope he comes thru for us.

 

[Glad Cougar]

As noted in another thread, also has good international connections with players on the USF roster from Belarus, Estonia, Finland, and Australia.

Glad Cougar

 

[CougSinceBirth]

#Nerdball

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

I'm not sure what a mediocre record at a WCC school will translate to, but I'll take 20 wins a year if he can translate that success to Pullman.

 

[M-I-Coug]

Appears to be a great hire.

 

[SaveFerris]

USF finished 4th in the WCC which compared to the Pac 12 this year isn't that bad.

 

[CougPatrol]

USF finished 4th in the WCC which compared to the Pac 12 this year isn't that bad.

He’s had success at 2 different programs, neither of which are easy to win it. At the very least, I hope he cleans up the program and gets us on track.

 

[WACougFan]

He’s had success at 2 different programs, neither of which are easy to win it. At the very least, I hope he cleans up the program and gets us on track.

Rex Walter's finished 2nd and 3rd in the WCC so it wasn't impossible to have success at USF. Walter's just had too many lows to go with those highs. Smith finished 4th 3 years in a row so not sure what that says. Consistent? No growth? Unbelievable job? I will support this hire and hope we could finish in the upper half of our league.

 

[Glad Cougar]

Rex Walter's finished 2nd and 3rd in the WCC so it wasn't impossible to have success at USF. Walter's just had too many lows to go with those highs. Smith finished 4th 3 years in a row so not sure what that says. Consistent? No growth? Unbelievable job? I will support this hire and hope we could finish in the upper half of our league.

Hard to say, but it would be an annual challenge to finish ahead of Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and BYU in that conference. Of course, if Smith was able to do that consistently, he would be coaching somewhere more basketball-prestigious than WSU. I'm with you....I support the hire and am optimistic that he will at least get us out of the bottom third of the conference on a semi-regular basis.

Glad Cougar

 

[Observer11]

Let's put it another way - if Smith can get WSU to consistent 3rd and 4th place finishes in the Pac 12, he's going to be in the Dance more times than not.

Assuming UCLA and Arizona can get their messes cleaned up, Altman has shown he's got a program at Oregon and it looks like Hopkins is locked in at UW until Boeheim retires.

If he can get into that tier and challenge every once in a while for the top spot, I'm down with that. Better than battling for 11th and 12th.

 

[bones40]

Bottom line smith being hired is better
Then another year of Kent.

 

[COUGinNCW]

Bottom line smith being hired is better
Then another year of Kent.

To break even financially assuming about $30 net per paid ticket WSU will need to sell about 50,000 extra tickets next season.

 

[CougSinceBirth]

it looks like Hopkins is locked in at UW until Boeheim retires.

I would be more surprised than not if he goes back to 'Cuse.

 

[WACougFan]

Let's put it another way - if Smith can get WSU to consistent 3rd and 4th place finishes in the Pac 12, he's going to be in the Dance more times than not.

Assuming UCLA and Arizona can get their messes cleaned up, Altman has shown he's got a program at Oregon and it looks like Hopkins is locked in at UW until Boeheim retires.

If he can get into that tier and challenge every once in a while for the top spot, I'm down with that. Better than battling for 11th and 12th.

If he finishes consistently in 3rd or 4th I will eat crow. 4th and below in the WCC is a toss up. Gonzaga and BYU have far greater resources and Bennett has shown he is a solid coach. My fear is the pac 12 has a ton more schools with a ton more resources. Is he just the best coach of those with lower resources? We will soon find out. Until then I support him either way.

 

[CougPatrol]

Let's put it another way - if Smith can get WSU to consistent 3rd and 4th place finishes in the Pac 12, he's going to be in the Dance more times than not.

Dude, if he elevates the program to that level, he'll get offered a lifetime contract. Honestly, given where our program is at, I'd be thrilled if we finish in the top-8 in the next couple of years.

 

[roses04]

I'm glad they Smith instead of Rice,