COLUMN: Why Bill Self should be the Big 12 CotY
- Thread starter ChrisMWilliams
- Start date
I think it should be Huggins. When you look at preseason rankings, and where teams are likely to finish (IMO), here is was you have:
Kansas: 0 (picked 1, finish 1)
OU: 0 (picked 2, finish tied 2)
WV: +4 (Picked 6, finish tied 2)
Texas: 0 (picked 4, finish tied 4)
Baylor: +1 (picked 5, finish tied 4)
ISU: -3 (picked 3, finish 6)
TT: +3 (picked 10, finish 7)
KSU: 0 (picked 8, finish 8)
OSU: -2 (picked 7, finish 9)
TCU: -1 (picked 9, finish 10)
In a season that is likely the strongest the Big 12 has ever been, Huggins willed his team to no worse than a tie for 2nd, which is a pretty great accomplishment. They are currently 5-3 on the road, and could get a 6th road win on Saturday which will give them 2nd outright.
Kansas: 0 (picked 1, finish 1)
OU: 0 (picked 2, finish tied 2)
WV: +4 (Picked 6, finish tied 2)
Texas: 0 (picked 4, finish tied 4)
Baylor: +1 (picked 5, finish tied 4)
ISU: -3 (picked 3, finish 6)
TT: +3 (picked 10, finish 7)
KSU: 0 (picked 8, finish 8)
OSU: -2 (picked 7, finish 9)
TCU: -1 (picked 9, finish 10)
In a season that is likely the strongest the Big 12 has ever been, Huggins willed his team to no worse than a tie for 2nd, which is a pretty great accomplishment. They are currently 5-3 on the road, and could get a 6th road win on Saturday which will give them 2nd outright.
To a degree, but when was the last time KU wasn't able to recruit? Pretty sure Jacobson could recruit 4/5 stars at KU.
Just saying
Absolutely. And there's no arguing that Self is a great coach and recruiter. But it's also much, much, much easier to recruit to Kansas than nearly anywhere else in the Big 12, especially Texas Tech.
Self deserves to have his name in the conversation for Big 12 coach of the year, but at the very LEAST, it's not the 'easy' decision CW has made it out to be in this article.
Probably not the most logical way to look at this, but could Bill Self coach Texas Tech to 7th place?
No mention of Steve Prohm for COTY? He coached this team of divas and darlings to 20+ wins and a likely NCAA tournament berth for crying out loud!
Self is the best coach in the league that doesn't mean he did the best job this year, if you are going to make this a lifetime achievement award then just give it to him in advance right now for the next decade.
I respect your opinion but I think we need to point out to you that this is the award for the Big 12 basketball coach of the year. I don't know what that WVU team Huggins coaches plays, but it sure as hell isn't basketball.
This. I'd lean towards Tubby this year. His team was predicted to finish dead last in the Big 12 and he has them solidly in the NCAA tournament and in the Top 25 RPI.
Self could win it every year. But COY isn't a lifetime achievement award and I'd give it to a coach who drastically exceeds expectations.
No doubt Self is a great coach. He's done it several schools. As far as COY--my only question is could Self have won the title this year with the roster from any other Big 12 school?
Yes, recruiting is part of coaching but the parade of McDAAs to Kansas certainly was a big part of his 12 championship run. Give Huggins the Kansas roster from the last 3-4 years and I think he would have one or two of those titles. Based on what Huggy inherited and the job he has done this year, my vote for COY would be Huggins. A second would go to Tubby with the job he has done with those three sophs.
Yes, recruiting is part of coaching but the parade of McDAAs to Kansas certainly was a big part of his 12 championship run. Give Huggins the Kansas roster from the last 3-4 years and I think he would have one or two of those titles. Based on what Huggy inherited and the job he has done this year, my vote for COY would be Huggins. A second would go to Tubby with the job he has done with those three sophs.
I think you could make a case the Self is #3 in the B12. Tubby and Huggins have done almost as much with way less.
13 seasons is more than a streak, but this isn't coach of the decade (or millennium) it's of this year, only.
13 seasons is more than a streak, but this isn't coach of the decade (or millennium) it's of this year, only.
If you handed Bill Self's roster to Tubby Smith do you think he'd only lose 3 games? I doubt it. If you handed Tubby Smith's roster to Bill Self do you think he'd lose less than 9 or 10 times? I would expect yes.
You don't think Self would have done as well or better with West Virginia's roster?!? Maybe they'd actually be able to run some plays and get open jumpers in Self's system instead of running around like feral dogs.
I have never met Bill Self, but I have spoken to some who have. They all mention his incredible charisma. He walks in the room and it is palpable. When he speaks to you he has an incredible memory of ever meeting you before and remembers some detail about you personally. If he speaks to a group each person feels like he is speaking exclusively to him/her.
I look at him and I just can't see it but I have heard it from more than one person who have no connection to KU athletics.