Thad Matta - ISU Head Coach next year

[Statefan10]

I'll be upfront in saying I think he should be fired this year. Now that doesn't address the contract side of things, only his performance and the trajectory of the program - my opinion. That being said, I think you had to have this year's performance to reach that point. Firing him earlier would've been premature. I get that there's circumstances beyond his control with people leaving and injuries. I would still say he hasn't been effective at leading this program to consistent success.

And I would respect that opinion, while still disagreeing on some of it. I do think Prohm has had success, even if it hasn't been every single year. He took over a great roster and led them to a Sweet 16 and a second round close loss to a good team, adding in another Big 12 Title. Should those teams have been better? Idk, maybe? I mean Fred was in his 5th year with a better overall team than Prohm had his first year and lost in the first round of the NCAA.. That's not me saying Steve's better, because I don't think he is, it's me simply saying the NCAA tournament is a crapshoot and Steve succeeded in leading his team there the first two years, regardless of the roster situation.

So since those years he's had two poor years and a pretty successful one. Last year's team was successful, irregardless if it underachieved. People thought we shoulda woulda coulda won a Big 12 regular season title last year, when that's something Fred never even did! Holding Prohm to a higher standard as Fred isn't necessarily fair.. In my opinion, next year will be the year that I will truly evaluate Steve. It'll be his 5th year as the head coach, he will have guys with experience, he is bringing in a top-25 recruiting class, and he's going to have a legit shot to bring in a high level immediately eligible transfer. He has a shot to prove people wrong next year and he'll have the tools to do so, even if some of them are young.

 

[cb1030]

Ok, I can understand all that.
[Side note, I think most teams, most years, deal with some player drama. It just depends on the severity of it, and how a coach handles it, whether it effects the product on gameday. Look no further before Prohm than Hoiberg's final year with BDJ. That was a cluster ****, and whether it ultimately lead to their first round loss, no one really knows.]

Anyway, as it stands, that's your issue with Prohm. Now put yourself in the Pollard's shoes, and we'll assume he has the same concerns towards Prohm. When was, or is, the right time to pull the trigger and fire Prohm?

I can't really answer that without all the facts that Pollard has. I can only speak to my own wants or feelings, which admittedly are inherently selfish in this case. I want fun basketball to watch again and have large doubts at this point that Steve will consistently provide that going forward. I feel like his ceiling is every two or three years making the tournament now that it's fully become his program. Some would call that successful, but I would like to see us reach more consistent success than that.

 

[cb1030]

And I would respect that opinion, while still disagreeing on some of it. I do think Prohm has had success, even if it hasn't been every single year. He took over a great roster and led them to a Sweet 16 and a second round close loss to a good team, adding in another Big 12 Title. Should those teams have been better? Idk, maybe? I mean Fred was in his 5th year with a better overall team than Prohm had his first year and lost in the first round of the NCAA.. That's not me saying Steve's better, because I don't think he is, it's me simply saying the NCAA tournament is a crapshoot and Steve succeeded in leading his team there the first two years, regardless of the roster situation.

So since those years he's had two poor years and a pretty successful one. Last year's team was successful, irregardless if it underachieved. People thought we shoulda woulda coulda won a Big 12 regular season title last year, when that's something Fred never even did! Holding Prohm to a higher standard as Fred isn't necessarily fair.. In my opinion, next year will be the year that I will truly evaluate Steve. It'll be his 5th year as the head coach, he will have guys with experience, he is bringing in a top-25 recruiting class, and he's going to have a legit shot to bring in a high level immediately eligible transfer. He has a shot to prove people wrong next year and he'll have the tools to do so, even if some of them are young.

I think we can both see each others points of view on this as conflicting but none the less fair. I honestly would like to have your confidence in him because I'd feel better about buying season tickets in the future. That's really my only recourse to let my opinion be known to Pollard.

 

[Cydkar]

For the record:
I was a Prohm guy until the Iowa game this year.

 

[Statefan10]

I think we can both see each others points of view on this as conflicting but none the less fair. I honestly would like to have your confidence in him because I'd feel better about buying season tickets in the future. That's really my only recourse to let my opinion be known to Pollard.

I'm sure the Jamie is well aware of the opinions of some of the fans. Jamie is certainly in a tough spot, but firing him this year would not be the way to handle this situation. It'd show potential candidates that Jamie and the administration show little trust in their coaches and don't allow them to build a program. No coach would want to come here if they believed Jamie could fire them after two bad seasons. Programs with those type of athletic directors usually are never good again because there is so much turnover and no coach is allowed to truly be acclimated. They want success instantly and that rarely happens.

 

[cb1030]

I'm sure the Jamie is well aware of the opinions of some of the fans. Jamie is certainly in a tough spot, but firing him this year would not be the way to handle this situation. It'd show potential candidates that Jamie and the administration show little trust in their coaches and don't allow them to build a program. No coach would want to come here if they believed Jamie could fire them after two bad seasons. Programs with those type of athletic directors usually are never good again because there is so much turnover and no coach is allowed to truly be acclimated. They want success instantly and that rarely happens.

I can respect your view on this.

It just kinda sucks. I remember how fun it was that first year under Hoiberg that we made the tournament with Royce White. I could tell there was some program momentum finally, FINALLY, for ISU basketball again. But at the same time we can't have nice things so I told myself it might not happen again for a long time so I drove myself to Louisville and back to see that tournament game. Watching Napier doink that garbage time dunk off the rim as time expired still makes me chuckle when I remember it. Fun times.

 

[mdk2isu]

I can respect your view on this.

It just kinda sucks. I remember how fun it was that first year under Hoiberg that we made the tournament with Royce White. I could tell there was some program momentum finally, FINALLY, for ISU basketball again. But at the same time we can't have nice things so I told myself it might not happen again for a long time so I drove myself to Louisville and back to see that tournament game. Watching Napier doink that garbage time dunk off the rim as time expired still makes me chuckle when I remember it. Fun times.

Jeremy Lamb, not Napier. But it was still hilarious.

 

[cb1030]

Her

Jeremy Lamb, not Napier. But it was still hilarious.

Good catch!

 

[cb1030]

Jeremy Lamb, not Napier. But it was still hilarious.

Best part of that game was all the Kentucky fans that were hi-fiving me in my section because they all hated Ucon for knocking them out the previous year. It really sounded like a home game for us.

 

[MartyFine]

ISU is currently 140th in the country in the defensive efficiency ranking. I don't even want to check the defensive rebounding percentage, we're probably near 300. These are things that the coaches have some control over, yet the team is getting worse as the season progresses.

I don't think a change will be made this year, but I do know that ISU will be worse next year.

 

[mdk2isu]

ISU is currently 140th in the country in the defensive efficiency ranking. I don't even want to check the defensive rebounding percentage, we're probably near 300. These are things that the coaches have some control over, yet the team is getting worse as the season progresses.

I don't think a change will be made this year, but I do know that ISU will be worse next year.

You know it? You must have a crystal ball to know that with 100% certainty. Quick, what are the winning Powerball numbers for the next drawing so I can go buy a ticket with them?

 

[awd4cy]

Half the people who do nothing but complain don't even watch the damn games or know anything about the team farther than what a 10-second box score glance can show them.

I honestly think some of the people defending Prohm don’t watch the games.

 

[Billups06]

ISU is currently 140th in the country in the defensive efficiency ranking. I don't even want to check the defensive rebounding percentage, we're probably near 300. These are things that the coaches have some control over, yet the team is getting worse as the season progresses.

I don't think a change will be made this year, but I do know that ISU will be worse next year.

140 in AdjD per Kenpom. 210 in defensive efficiency and 306 in defensive rebounding % (both from teamrankings.com). Not far off.

 

[MartyFine]

You know it? You must have a crystal ball to know that with 100% certainty. Quick, what are the winning Powerball numbers for the next drawing so I can go buy a ticket with them?

Just play these numbers.

"140 in AdjD per Kenpom. 210 in defensive efficiency and 306 in defensive rebounding efficiency"

You'll probably win.

 

[Statefan10]

ISU is currently 140th in the country in the defensive efficiency ranking. I don't even want to check the defensive rebounding percentage, we're probably near 300. These are things that the coaches have some control over, yet the team is getting worse as the season progresses.

I don't think a change will be made this year, but I do know that ISU will be worse next year.

I mean there is literally no way you know that. By looking at the incoming class, with the guys we're bringing back, it seems the only way you believe that is because who is the head coach. Coach Prohm has done well with talented teams. Next year's team is going to have talent, albeit young talent.

 

[Halincandenza]

There is no way for certain to know how the team will be next year. I mean look at Iowa this year. People didn't know that Frederick would actually be good or that Garza would take such a huge leap from Sophomore to Junior etc. ISU has guys that appear to have some talent like Bolton and Conditt and they have young guys and Freshman coming in that could surprise. Is it it likely they are really good next year? No. but they could be a better team and actually show that Prohm can right the ship.

 

[Halincandenza]

Defensively they are over 100 spots better.

Argueing with you about basket is mostly pointless. You come up with insane positions like now arguing Yaklich wasn't the key to Michigan's defensive excellence, which no one agrees with, and you just refuse to look at any other view and then you start to use strawmen like me saying if they hire a defensive assistant they will be good. Not what I said. What I said was that the only chance he has is to get someone in here who can improve the defense.

Talking about the talent not being good enough to play defense is lazy, not to mention not true. Talent isn't the reason we're 140th in defense. We're 140th because the coaching has failed to teach them how to play defense. We have enough talent to be a decent defensive team.

Did having an assistant who could focus on defense help the team? Yes, but I am just stating Beilein's own words that what helped the team the most was getting guys that were capable and willing to play great defense. Why did Kansas go from the 50th ranked defense a couple years ago on Ken Pom to #1? Was it coaching ability or personnel? And what has Yaklich done this year to improve Texas's defense? I will hang up and listen.
Wasn't ISU in the top 30 defensively for a large portion of the season last year? Why was that? The only chance they have to improve is to get an assistant to coach defense? Is that what you are saying? That is just wrong based on the evidence available.

 

[TurbulentEddie]

I feel like his ceiling is every two or three years making the tournament now that it's fully become his program. Some would call that successful, but I would like to see us reach more consistent success than that.

So who can JP hire to guarantee a more successful team, by your metric? If JP's crystal ball didn't work when hiring Prohm, why do you expect it to work with hiring another coach? It takes a truly elite coach to get a (P5) team to where it's consistently making the tournament many years in a row. Yeah, it'd be great for Iowa State to be one of those elite, but the grass isn't always greener on the other side of a coaching change. You don't have to look back far in ISU basketball history to see that.

Certainly this year has fallen below expectations (which I would say the consensus was NCAA bubble team, pretty fair IMO). However, with the talent that's coming, if JP were to blow it up and not hit a home run, at best we're right back in the same situation for the next 2-3 years. Unless an truly outstanding opportunity happens by JP's desk (and I hope he's keeping his options open), I'm fine with seeing how Prohm responds at least next year.

 

[jpete24]

So who can JP hire to guarantee a more successful team, by your metric? If JP's crystal ball didn't work when hiring Prohm, why do you expect it to work with hiring another coach?

Prohm was Leath's hire.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Did having an assistant who could focus on defense help the team? Yes, but I am just stating Beilein's own words that what helped the team the most was getting guys that were capable and willing to play great defense. Why did Kansas go from the 50th ranked defense a couple years ago on Ken Pom to #1? Was it coaching ability or personnel? And what has Yaklich done this year to improve Texas's defense? I will hang up and listen.
Wasn't ISU in the top 30 defensively for a large portion of the season last year? Why was that? The only chance they have to improve is to get an assistant to coach defense? Is that what you are saying? That is just wrong based on the evidence available.

Texas hasn't had a defense as bad as our best one under Prohm since 2014. They were already a really good defensive program. They basically had the inverse of our situation and they hired the wrong guy IMO. They should have been looking for someone to help them offensively.

There is no reason ISU, with it's current players, should be in the top 60 defenses or at least in that area. That's not asking a lot and I'm not saying a different assistant is going to make them a top 20 defense. What I'm saying is the defensive end has been poorly coached for basically all of recent years. Our rotations have been awful, our urgency is nonexistent, we change PNR, coverage seemingly weekly, which you just can't do when you already suck at all other defensive principles. We relied upon not fouling and blocking shots last year. The rest of our metrics were very mediocre and still, we barely had a top 50 defense. If that's what you're looking to as success, you must think Prohm is an elite offensive mind. Sure, with zero change they could bring in some length and land around 70th or something. I'l also guarantee that without some bench help, the defense will always under-perform their ceiling under Prohm. I can't imagine watching the last 5 years and thinking the defensive scheme and coaching was better than awful.

Michigan is an interesting point considering one of the key players to their improvement, you'd argue was Zavier Simpson who is, at best, as physically gifted as Prentiss Nixon. Did they decide to play defense harder and better? Of course they did, but that's coaching, man. Thier job is to get it out of the guys they selected to coach and this staff isn't doing it and hasn't done it.